Did all the US sub commanders go to USNA?
 

Just wondering ? It seems like a tight fraternity that was closed to officers that did not go to the academy.

Out of 465 US submarine commanders in WW2, only 6 were reservists. Those being Howard Bissell, Jr. (Angler), Hoke S. Simpson (Bashaw), Louis C. Farley, Jr. (Billfish), James L. Hunnicut (Carp), Alexander L. Redon (Pipefish), Frank P. Hoskins (Trutta).

Cheers! :ping:

Donner, where did you get that from, and that quick?

It would have taken me forever to find that.

http://www.subsim.com/books/book_silent_victory.htm

This is where I would have found the info. The appendixes of this book list all WW2 Sub commanders among patrol and general statistics. This book is a must buy.

I purchased a privately published work by Jon D. Jacques, CPA titled Submarine Skippers of World War II: A Data Study. Entries listed by alphabetical order, by Academy class and by boat.

Great reference! :know:

Also in Silent Victory, check the Appendices. Lots of good info back there.

Nice find on that book there Donner.

Ya gotta keep an eye on Donner...









He knows things.:shifty:

think that I saw this one on ebay, and haven't ever purchased it.

CDR Howard Walter Gilmore of the USS Growler was an enlisted men "[...]who took a competitive examination to enter the Naval Academy. He had graduated in 1926, standing 34 in a class of 456." (Silent Victory, p. 269-270)

Great info, I got Silent Victory on my must buy list.

about 1/3 of the way through Thunder Below so it may well be next :yep:

I read where there was plenty of Non-USNA officers such as ensigns. The book take her deep mentions ensign and LT( jr) grads of U of Michigan, Holy Cross California and Oklahoma, but it interesting that especially compared with the German Navy, command was pretty much closed unless you were one of the chosen few to attend the Academy. It was not especially difficult at all in the german navy to obtain command. There is cases of foreign Volunteers taking command. I think there was even German commander who was born in New York, who was ironically killed by an American Liberators depth charge.

Anybody knows how to purchase Silent Victory through Amazon.co.uk, supporting Subsim? There used to be a link to the UK Amazon, but I cant seem to find it anymore :(

At the bottom of this page, click on 'Subsim'. That will take you to the main page. On the right is a menu. Click on 'Game Store'. The Amazon link is the first thing you'll see.

In all fairness to Admiral Lockwood, the naval reserve training program in the 1930's in no way represented what currently happens. While on the face of it, the policy seems very "old boy" and like a club -- but there was rationale, especially early in the war.

I recently read a passage, I believe from "Thunder Below," which had a naval reserve officer report for duty on an S boat. The officer in question had never been on a ship, and in fact had never seen an ocean before his first assignment.

Regards,
Feltan