The Hero of the Submarine Force.

We all have someone we look up to like a Cub Scout looks up to an Eagle Scout. In the Submarine Force,
Admiral Eugene Fluckey would be one of those people. A graduate of the Naval Academy he was
assigned to a battle ship, USS Nevada in 1935, in 1936 he went to a destroyer, USS McCormick and in
June 1938 he was assigned to Submarine School. He made five war patrols on the Submarine Bonita
before being transferred to Annapolis for a graduate course in engineering. He then returned to New
London for Prospective Commanding Officers School. After one patrol on the USS Barb as a PCO he took
command and went on to establish himself as one of the greatest Sub Skippers. He would bet his
Executive Officer how many they would sink on each patrol. Since they counted all boats and ships the
number was near twenty. On one patrol they had used all their torpedoes and were one boat short, so
they ramed a fishing trawler to make their quota.

While in port for repairs he noticed a rocket launcher that you probably saw used as the Marines were
landing. They took the launcher and several rockets and after some practice got some more rockets and
went on patrol. They found a boat yard where fishing boats were being built. The rockets were used to
reduce the target to a flaming wreck. Two days later they passed the area and it was still burning. The
Barb was called the Galloping Ghost of the China Coast, as he had a habit of going in one direct at sun
set and as soon as it was dark he reversed course and went at full speed in a different direction. He
would come up behind a convoy and torpedo many ships as possible, he would then submerge and go
deep to avoid the escorts if they had not been sunk in the attack.

He was awarded the Navy Cross four times which is the second highest award in the Navy.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor for figuring out what happened to the Japanese ships after dark.
After studying the coast they saw a destroyer patroling an inlet. The water was shallow but they
submerged and got passed and went twenty six miles into the bay. They found about thirty ships
anchored and attacked on the surface. They fired all six torpedoes from the bow and turned around and
fired the four from the stern tubes. As they accelerated back to sea, the ships started blowing up. One
was an ammunution ship that when it blew up took other ships with it. The engine speed controls were
tied down as the sub went to flank speed of 23.5 knots going thru unknown and mined waters and too
shallow to dive for about twenty six miles while being pursued by two destroyers. Later that night they
reloaded and continued their patrol.

While passing one area several times they saw several trains not too far from the coast. They decided
they would destroy the rail road tracks and a train. He put together eight members of the crew who had
to have been Boy Scouts. He wanted to make sure they would have the best chance to excape capture if
they had to be left on the beach. The Skipper knew what he was doing because he was an Eagle Scout.
As the landing party was rowing back to the Barb a train came and they all saw the sixteen car train blow
up. This attack was the only American landing operation to take place on the Japanese home islands.

Admiral Fluckey made no secret of being an Eagle Scout and had said the Eagle Scout Medal was his
most important because he earned it himself. After retiring form the Navy he became the Vice President
of the Boy Scouts.