Red Scorpion: The War Patrols of the USS Rasher

By Peter T. Sasgen

Book Overview

The USS Rasher had an extraordinary record in World War II: she sank 18 enemy ships and destroyed 99,901 tons--the second highest tonnage of the war. Her fifth war patrol is the stuff of legends. In August 1944 during a single night surface attack on a Japanese convoy off the Philippines, she sank the escort carrier Taiyo and three marus, and later during that same patrol she sank another ship. Reading more like a novel than an operational history, this book covers all aspects of the Rasher's combat history in a way that both the general reader and veteran submariner will appreciate. Author Peter Sasgen is the son of a Rasher crew member, and from his father's perspective he follows the sub from the builder's way through eight action-packed patrols to war's end. His richly detailed descriptions of submarine operations include lively commentary by former shipmates and excerpts from patrol reports along with a close examination of patrol procedures, communications, life guarding, and other topics rarely covered in such detail. Sasgen also explores the essence of submarine combat--aggressive leadership--and its role in the Rasher's success.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557504040
• ISBN13: 9781557504043
• Release Date: April 2012
• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Length: 392 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

review of Red Scorpion

My father was on a WWII submarine during the war as was the author of this book. I thought he gave a very good account of what life was like for this division of the Navy during the fight in the Pacific during WWII. I enjoyed this book since now I have a better idea what life was like for my father during the war.

Red Scorpion

A very good account of one of the subs with the best record for sinking tonnage.

Red Scorpion

As boy, I was always fascinated by submarines. This true story of one submarine in the Pacific Theater, shows the extremely difficult life of a 'submariner' taken from the diaries and stories of people who lived it out. Peter Sasgen has presented this period in our history with the intimate knowledge of his father's life aboard the Thrasher. I now have a much better understanding of what the Pacific was like during that time.

Good book

My husband recommended this book to me as a source for research I'm doing on submarine warfare in WWII. I was pleased with the style of writing and the information supplied. I recommend it for anyone looking for a good read on WWII submarine warfare.

Representative Protrayal of WW II Submarine Warfare

This book provides a wonderful protrayal of life onboard a WW II fleet submarine. The essential facts about a submarine's systems, equipment and operational environment are carried forth on top of the human experience of a submarine sailor. The author provides abundant technical detail without ever losing site of the human aspects of war. Through the use of abundant first person information from the veterans themselves this book comes alive and makes you feel as if you are part of the crew. For me this is WW II history at its best. While this book is a specific history of a single submarine it also provides a representative picture of life aboard a WW II submarine. Such unit and ship's histories are so much more readable than the battle monographs or big picture campaign histories that the publishers seem to prefer.