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 Grouper Story” is episode 21 from season 1 of the show, which aired Thursday, August 22nd, 1957.
Directed by Jean Yarbrough and written by Robert C. Dennis, “The Grouper Story” features a cast of actors which includes Mark Roberts, Brett King, Jack Grinnage, Paul Sorensen, William Boyett, Steve Mitchell, Ronald Foster, Peter Opp, Paul Harber, Robin Hughes, Barry Harvey, Roy Glenn, Martin Wilkins, and David Cross. Together, this crew of actors bring to life the story of USS Grouper (SS/SSK/AGSS-214), a Gato-class submarine, as it transports Australian raiders and their indigenous guides to a hidden cove on New Britain while operating in the Solomon Islands.
Following an introduction by Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers (0:33), the episode opens to footage from September 23rd, 1943 as the Grouper patrols along the calm seas off of a nearby tropical island the night before being scheduled to return to San Francisco. The ship receives orders to change course to Woodlark Island (today Muyua Island) to pick up a party of Australians and 3,000 pounds of equipment (4:30). The Australian men as well as their local indigenous guides come aboard the submarine, however, the indigenous men negotiate crawling down the hatch after claiming it is too small for them to fit; After the men finally go below deck the chief advises the crew on how to navigate to New Britain (6:29). Japanese aircraft heavily patrol the area limiting the options of the Grouper for getting the Australians ashore (13:33). Miscommunications and interactions between the indigenous men and the American crew members (14:15). First raft filled with men heads for shore, a race against the clock as Japanese patrol the area (19:12). Crew called into action as a ship is spotted in the distance, luckily a false alarm, nonetheless crew members bring aboard a pilot that had been hiding out on the island after being shot down (21:28). Landing crafts make their way to shore during the Invasion of New Britain, a mission made possible by the groundwork done previously by the USS Grouper (23:34). Rear Admiral Thomas M. Dykers sits with Captain John D. Mason, former executive officer of the USS Grouper (24:15).
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
