The USS Swordfish

<p> Among the more than 260 American submarines that patrolled the Pacific during World War II the USS <I>Swordfish</I> in 1941 was the first to sink a Japanese armed merchant ship marking the beginning of the submarine's colorful history. A series of seven commanders led <I>Swordfish</I>'s 13 war patrols. Each skipper had a distinct leadership style. Some were successful in sinking enemy ships; others returned to port empty-handed. Yet all patrols risked dangerously close encounters with the enemy and the unforgiving nature of the open sea.</p><p> Drawing on archival sources and interviews with veteran sailors this first full-length history of the <I>Swordfish</I> provides detailed accounts of each patrol and covers the mysterious disappearance of the legendary submarine on its final mission.</p>