Escape from the Deep: A True Story of Courage and Survival During World War II

by Alex Kershaw

Book Overview

"Their submarine was dead, one hundred and eighty feet below the surface of the Pacific Ocean. Somehow they survived. They were tortured and beaten. Somehow they survived. Alex Kershaw has done it... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 030681790X
• Release Date: April 2009
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 270 Pages
• Weight: 0.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.7" x 8.7"

Customer Reviews

A tribute to the boat and crew

Alex Kershaw did a very compelling job on this book. My name is Bruce Keller and one of the survivors of the Tang,Floyd Caverly, is my uncle.The book, Escape from the Deep, is very informative as the the happenings that went on aboard the boat after it went down.I know that Alex did a lot of research when writting it.When I heard of the book I got one as soon as I could and had a hard time putting it down until I read it cover to cover. Then went back a read it again. Being that I have a connection to one of the survivors, it was rather emotional at times in reading it. I would have to put the book down and compose myself to continue. Floyd Caverly, Unk as we call him has maitained quite a sense of humour in spite of all the hardship that him and the other survivors endured. I would like to thank Alex for writting this book to tell the story of these brave men and what they did for this country and the world. Thank you Bruce Keller

Kershaw strikes again! True heroic human story.

There is an old adage that states: 'if it ain't broken, don't fix it'. Sage advice for author/historian Alex Kershaw who has again turned out another 'page-turner' with his recent DaCapo Press release, "Escape From the Deep: The Epic Story of a Legendary Submarine and Her Courageous Crew". While a great many artists struggle to find their muse Kershaw has certainly found his. One could even say that Kershaw's books have a certain 'formula'. For instance, compare his previous Longest Winter and his current book "Escape From the Deep": First, both books have at their heart a story about a small group of soldiers who achieved something remarkable in the face of seemingly impossible odds. Second, units at the heart of both books received considerable after action accolade in terms of individual and unit citations (although in the former case this took many years). Lastly, the overall story in both books can be broken roughly into three parts: 1) combat action; 2) captivity; and 3) after war life. In these, as well as Kershaw's other books (e.g., The Bedford Boys and The Few), what makes these works popular and enjoyable reads is the human story that Kershaw so expertly captures. "Escape From the Deep" is a book that anyone can read quickly because the reader will not want to put it down. The basic story revolves around the USS Tang, one of the most celebrated submarines to operate in the Pacific Theatre during World War II, and her crew. During her fifth and final combat tour the Tang sank a large tonnage of Japanese shipping (>100,000 tons) in just 14 days (10 Oct-24 Oct 1944) before she was sunk in the Formosa Strait by one of her own torpedoes, an errant final shot of her illustrious career. What makes her story compelling is not simply what she accomplished in battle, but how nine of her crew managed to escape the near certain death of downed submariners, their capture and ultimate survival in captivity on the notorious POW camp, the 'Torture Farm'. As he has done in his previous books, but even more so here, Kershaw presents the coldness and brutality of mechanized warfare while capturing the humanity that is essential to appreciate the impact the Second World War had on shaping our modern world. Kershaw is a master of conveying the human element of war; few authors come close to his abilities to engage the reader to empathize with the combatants. Readers will not only get to know each of the nine men (and a few of the unfortunates who did not survive the war) central to the story, but feel personally connected to each. "Escape From the Deep" is an engaging story that anyone with even a passing interest in WWII will enjoy. Five stars!! <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />

Truth is always better than fiction

Alex Kershaw's tale of the tragic end of the USS Tang and her crew is a most read for all generations. Kershaw captures feelings and terror of men hunting men in an iron tube underwater. He uses first person interviews along with other sources to weave a compelling story. Kershaw fills in the background of supporting people and events without going "off in the weeds." The book is a compelling read that I had to do in one sitting.

Harrowing Story of U.S.S. Tang's Last Cruise!

The U.S.S. Tang and its skipper, Dick O'Kane, were a legend in their time. A protege of the equally renowned Mush Morton, O'Kane blazed a trail at the helm of SS-306, sinking some 93,000 tons of Japanese shipping in five cruises and earning Tang two Presidential Unit Citations. Himself awarded the Medal of Honor, O'Kane was one of only nine survivors when Tang was accidentally destroyed by its own malfunctioning torpedo. Tang's exciting story is told in fine fashion in this latest book by BEDFORD BOYS' author Alex Kershaw. SS-306 and its skipper have been the subject of several previous books, including one by O'Kane himself. So, when I picked up ESCAPE FROM THE DEEP, my initial thought was "What, another book on the Tang?" However, after sampling the first few pages, I was hooked yet again. Kershaw is a fine writer and this book is one great read. About two-thirds of the book is given over to Tang's sinking and the subsequent ordeal of the surviving crew. Kershaw's recounting of the desperate efforts to survive by the Tang crewmen already in the water and others trapped onboard the sunken sub are downright harrowing. Though O'Kane and eight others were pulled from the water by the Japanese, their subsequent imprisonment was equally horrendous. ESCAPE FROM THE DEEP will get to you. Reading of the final moments in the forward torpedo room as some men escape the doomed submarine while others lay back to await death will touch your heart. What I found especially poignant was a reminsicence from O'Kane's daughter. In his final years O'Kane suffered from Alzheimer's. On walks along the beach with his daughter, the sound of foghorns would suddenly transform the man cited as "the bravest of the brave." He would try and pull his daughter toward the water, calling out "We have to go...We have to go save them." A wonderful tribute to some of America's finest, ESCAPE FROM THE DEEP gets my highest recommendation.