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Old 08-15-12, 04:43 AM   #7
TorpX
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I guess I have a somewhat different view of his exploits. While risky to be sure, I don't think most of his operations were that much more hazardous than 'normal' sub ops. Going from memory, I think his night surface attack on a Japanese anchorage was his most dangerous attack. If I had been in his place I would probably have stayed in deep water, but I won't ridicule his decision. It was a matter of going where the ships were, or staying safe and letting them go. I give him credit for figuring out what the IJN was doing, and knowing what he had to do to block them. Certainly, there were captains who didn't make surface/shallow water attacks. I expect most of them didn't sink many ships, though.

Thinking about some of the Allied and Axis operations in WW II, like the Doolittle Raid, the Anzio landings, or Operation Market Garden, Fluckey's raids seem like examples of prudent sobriety.
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