Find 'Em, Chase 'Em, Sink 'Em: The Mysterious Loss Of The WWII Submarine USS Gudgeon

I must confess I was suspicious of the idea of a non-submariner being able to write a history of a great WWII boat & crew, particularly one that was lost with all hands!I am a 24 year US Navy Submariner, having served on both Diesel Boats and SSN's. I found the author to be absolutely great in making me believe that he was sitting across a desk from all of the original participants in various Gudgeon evolutions and coaxing the details from them after decades of time having passed.VERY rarely was there a slip or misuse of terminology, in fact I found his usage actually better than many persons that had actually served on the boats!A great read and and I am grateful to the author for his research and telling!We clearly owe the author's Uncle and the rest of Gudgeon's crew a huge debt!Sailors rest your oars.

WHEW! After spending years riding the boats (subs) reading this WWll story was a thrill! There were many great submarine stories that came out of WWll! this stands as one of the greatest. My service in submarines spanned 1951 thru 1974. I had the honor of looking at the Russian shore through the periscope on one of the many subs I rode. I can relate to life on patrol in a WWll diesel submarine. This story brought back some memories that had slipped away into my past. Exciting adventures of years gone by. An exciting read! A must for interested in "true history"!Bob Croft

Big book. 524 pages. 16 pages of excellent photos. On April 7, 1944, the battle-hardened USS Gudgeon (SS-211) slowly pulled away from tiny Johnston Island, slipping beneath the waves in one of the most treacherous patrol areas in the pacific & her 79 men were never seen again. We follow her from her survival on December 7th. at Pearl Harbor, then becomming the first U.S. submarine to undertake a pacific war patrol to her illfated 12th. and final war patrol almost 3 years later. A book written on her in 2006 was mostly conjecture on her mysterious end. Now at long last we not only have more answers but for just this once a book focuses on the men who really make or break a sub. The ordinary crewmen. Often overlooked & taken for granted.

I've read many books on World WarII and submarine warfare. This is the best I've read. The writer puts you in the submarine, experiencing the stale air and the concussions of the depth charges. For a 'first time' writer he tells the story with such ease and grace that one is reminded of Antony Beevor or James Michener. Not only is his writing good but his research is extensive and accurate. From archival research and interviews of submariners he weaves a story that shows the compassion and dedication of the silent service and ultimately unravels the mystery of the loss of the Gudgeon. A must read for anyone interested in submarine warfare!

Book was a gift to my brother-in-law; knew it was excellent because I had read it. Any WWII buff will enjoy this gripping true story of life and death at sea.

Ostlund's narrative is wonderful! The story is intersperced with remembrances, log and diary quotations and facts the average person has little knowledge about. It also tells the story of the bravery of submariners, their behaviors and fears and how they coped with the emotionally exhausting war partrols.

I liked it, highly recommended.

An absolutely well written book that places you back in time.

Fantastic book. One of the best WWII submarine warfare books.