Obscure WWII Facts

USS Tang was the most successful submarine of WWII, sinking 24 ships. On October 25, 1944, in the Yellow Sea, Tang's own torpedo circled back and hit the sub. Before sinking, crew members on the surface were captured. Only 9 of 87 crew survived in the conning tower when she sank. Commander Richard O'Kane survived and later wrote about the tragedy.

When USS Tang was sunk by her own torpedo, Commander O'Kane and survivors in the conning tower sent up a buoy with a note. They were at 180 feet - beyond safe diving depth. A Japanese patrol boat found them and rescued the Americans. O'Kane later died at 92; he never blamed the torpedo mechanic who made the error that sank them.

In 12 days, USS England sank 6 Japanese submarines in the Solomon Islands, a record never matched. The destroyer escort used sonar to hunt subs. Crews became so confident they reportedly said "another sub, another day." The ship was nearly rammed by a diving sub at one point. She received 15 battle stars and was the most successful anti-submarine ship of the Pacific War.

Prince Junio Valerio Borghese, commander of the Decima Flottiglia MAS, captured partisans and Jews but often released them unofficially. Later, he refused Mussolini's order to execute 150 Italian civilians as reprisal. He said "I am a soldier, not a murderer." He was sentenced to death by the Fascists and had to go into hiding. History has judged him harshly, but these stories exist.

The Battle of Coral Sea was the first naval battle where ships never sighted each other - fought entirely by aircraft. It stopped the Japanese advance toward Australia. Lexington was sunk but saved Australia from invasion. Australian civilians donated money to build replacement carriers. Admiral Nimitz said "the Battle of Coral Sea saved Australia." Japanese Admiral Yamamoto called it a "strategic defeat."