The Last Patrol.
The Last Patrol is an operational history of the fifty-two United States submarines lost during the Second World War.
The Submarine Service of the U.S. Navy suffered the highest percentage of losses of any branch of the American armed forces with almost one in five vessels failing to return. However, the achievements of United States submarines are legend as their crews, while representing only two per cent of Naval personnel, accounted for over fifty-five per cent of Japanese shipping losses. The Japanese merchant marine was second to none and vital to the fighting potential and economy of that island nation, but by 1945 it had ceased to exist as the submarines succeeded in near total destruction.
Of the submarines which were reported as 'Overdue presumed lost', some were famous with high scores and commanders renowned for their audacious attacks, while others were less well-known and were lost before they could make their mark in history. Nevertheless, submariners have a great camaraderie and each loss was felt deeply throughout the Service.
This is the story of those submarines, the successes, their failures and their final dive when the sea closed over them forever.
The Author
Harry Holmes was born in Royton, Lancashire, in 1936. After service in the Royal Air Force he joined A.V. Roe & Company Limited (Avro) in 1958. He worked in the Marketing Department until 1980 when he transferred to Public Relations. Now, as part of British Aerospace, he is the Public Relations Manager for the Manchester factories.
In addition to his love of aviation, he has studied the operations of United States submarines during World War Two since the mid-1950s.
Harry Holmes is a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society, the Royal Air Force Club, the U.S. 8th Air Force Historical Society and the United States Naval Institute.
He is a frequent contributor to both the aviation and naval press and is the author of a number of specialised books on aviation.
By Harry Holmes.
Engelstalig, zwart / wit foto's.
