Pacific Submarine Power #432: Clay Blair Papers

Published October 24, 2024 at 6:00 AM MDT

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Drawing of a typical U.S. World War II submarine, showing the compartments on board. This image was used in Clay Blair’s book, Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan. Box 334, Clay Blair papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

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Cover of Clay Blair’s book, Silent Victory: The U.S. Submarine War Against Japan. Box 349, Clay Blair papers, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.

The U.S. submarine fleet was a significant contributor to the defeat of Japan in the Second World War. As an island nation, Japan was dependent on a large merchant navy to provide resources to the country. When the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet targeted merchant ships, they effectively disabled Japan’s supply chains. By the end of World War II, American submarines had sunk more than 1,300 Japanese ships.

After the war, journalist and military historian Clay Blair interviewed many of the commanders of submarines in the Pacific theater. One of those commanders was John S. McCain, Jr. McCain had this to say about torpedoing Japanese ships:

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But it was a damn fine feeling … to get a chance to shoot. But the thing about it was it was also damn disappointing my friend; it doesn’t make you very happy you know. I’ve never been happy to miss a target in war or in peace.

See the Clay Blair papers at UW’s American Heritage Center to learn more.

For more information, visit the American Heritage Center site.