The Silent Service was a documentary style anthology TV 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 Hawkbill’s Revenge” is episode 15 from season 2 of the show, which aired Friday, June 13th, 1958.

Directed by Jean Yarbrough and written by Tony Barrett, “The Hawkbill’s Revenge” featured a cast of actors which included Paul Dubov, Liam Sullivan, Joe Turkel, Stanley Clements, Ray Montgomery, Helen Mowery, John Eldredge, Roy Lennert, Don Nagel, and Francis Worth Scanland Jr. as himself. Together, this crew of actors bring to life the story of the USS Hawkbill (SS-366), a Balao-class submarine, that sunk the Japanese minelayer Hatsutaka on its fourth war patrol as an act of revenge after the Hatsutaka had sunk the USS Lagarto. The USS Lagarto was sunk by the Japanese minelayer on the sub’s second patrol in the Gulf of Thailand – the wreckage of the sunken sub was not found until 2005. The Hatsutaka was also responsible for depth charging USS Cobia before being sunk by USS Hawkbill.

Following an introduction by Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers (0:38), the episode opens to the USS Hawksbill at a naval port in Fremantle, Australia in early April 1945. The sub’s Captain, Captain Francis Worth Scanland, reviews patrol area with crew, the sub has been assigned the Java Sea. May 5th, 1945 the USS Hawksbill departs from Fremantle, Australia for its 45-day war patrol (3:01). May 16th, 1945 the USS Hawksbill enters the patrol area – a notoriously dangerous area due to shallow waters and lots of enemy mines (4:35). Not long after the subs arrival in the area, it comes under attack by an enemy plane and is forced to submerge. Shortly after the first attack, the sub comes into contact with an enemy ship and is once again forced to dive. Crew get into battle stations and launch an attack on the ship. Despite scheduled radio check ins, the USS Hawksbill has heard nothing from the USS Lagarto (9:38). Captain Scanland is worried about the USS Lagarto as he is close friends with that sub’s captain, Commander Frank D. Latta. USS Hawksbill rendezvous with USS Baya, who was working the Lagarto as a wolfpack, Captain Scanland receives confirmation that the USS Lagarto had been sunk (11:00). Flashback to memory of Captain Scanland‘s from time when Commander Latta helped his ailing son in Hawaii while he was deployed (12:57). USS Hawksbill reaches position off the Gulf of Siam, crew gets into battle position as enemy ships come into view (15:32). During battle, the Hawksbill is forced to submerge and wait for four hours on the sea floor as depth charges are dropped above. The Hawksbill narrowly escapes the attack. After that initial battle, the USS Hawksbill spots the Japanese minelayer Hatsutaka and launches and attack (21:02). The Hatsutaka is successfully destroyed and the Hawksbill crew collect the ship’s buoy that has its name written in Japanese characters – the crew can now return home. Closing segment with Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers and special guest Captain Francis Worth Scanland (23:38).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com