The Silent Service was a documentary style anthology series about the U.S. Navy’s submarine fleet and their missions during World War II and the Korean War created by Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers, who retired from the Navy in the late 1940s. Every episode was based on true historical events, with the realism of the show reinforced by the use of actual combat footage from the archives of the United States Navy. This particular episode titled “The Squailfish” is episode 20 from season 1 of the show, which aired Thursday, August 15th, 1957.
Directed by Jean Yarbrough and written by Antony Ellis, “The Squailfish” featured a cast of actors which included William Tracy, Wright King, Paul Wexler, Frank Gerstle, Stewart Bradley, Wayne Mallory, Sue England, Christian Drake, Zachary A. Charles, Jimmy Murphy, and Sandra “Sandy” Harrison. Together, this crew of actors bring to life the story of two submarines “inescapably linked by fate” – the USS Squalus/ Sailfish and USS Sculpin. The USS Squalus/ Sailfish, after multiple bouts of bad luck, ultimately succumbs to the very ship that once saved it, the USS Sculpin.
Following an introduction by Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers (0:32), the episode opens to footage of US Sargo-class submarine USS Squalus (SS-192) on May 23rd, 1939 as it heads out to sea for a test dive in the waters off of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Instead of leveling off, the ship dives further and further into the depths of the ocean and becomes a frantic emergency before settling on the bottom (1:52). Still alive, the crew aboard use a smoke rocket to signal to rescue crews that they survived (2:25). Another Sargo-class submarine on patrol nearby, the USS Sculpin (SS-191), spots the flame and sends out an emergency dispatch. Responding to the distress call, the USS Falcon (AM-28) and other ships rush to the scene. A diving bell is attached to the boat escape hatch of the sunken ship and 33 men are saved (3:30). Three months later, Navy salvage crews raise the Squalus from the depths of the ocean before taking the ship to Portsmouth Navy Yard for rehabilitation (4:40). After months of repair, the ship was recommissioned for active service and its name changed to USS Sailfish (SS-192). December 7th, 1941 Attack on Pearl Harbor and December 8th Attack on Manila Harbor – USS Sculpin and Sailfish at sea (7:22). The two submarines are brought together once more in the Autumn of 1942 for the Patrol of Duty out of Brisbane, Australia (10:16). October 1942 USS Sculpin out on patrol in Bismarck Archipelago area of Papua New Guinea (11:10). USS Sailfish fights hard during Battle of the Pacific, operating around Northern Honshū, Japan (13:05). USS Sculpin and Sailfish back at Pearl Harbor for repairs, the submarines respective crews take the opportunity to relax and reconnect with loved ones (13:21). USS Sculpin leaves Pearl Harbor to patrol the Caroline Islands and makes contact with a large enemy convoy that forces them to abandon ship (16:24). December 3rd, 1943 while fighting against strong winds and choppy waters, the USS Sailfish locks in Japanese aircraft carrier Chūyō as a target and launches a stealth attack – unaware the crew members of the USS Sculpin sit aboard as POWs (19:39). Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers closing words (24:34).
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