What got you interested in WWII submarines?

[CapnScurvy]

My interest in WWII came naturally, from my father, who was involved in the Pacific Theater for nearly three years. His U.S. Army Tank Battalion was one of the first to be sent to the Pacific (they had trained in Pine Camp New York thinking they would be sent to Europe, but in '42 they were heading west to the Pacific). Dad's island hopping while in the Solomon Islands, then on to the liberation of the Philippines, gives me a special interest in the Pacific war. Dad/Mom took us kids to his Tank Reunions whenever they went. It was great to hear some of their stories as I got older, since Dad never talked much about the war.

It was only later could I understand that those that "bragged" about their efforts really didn't see much combat. Those on the front lines, day after day, didn't need to talk about it unless it was with someone who had experienced the same. Actually it took Dad many years to open up about the horror of war to anyone other than his Battalion buddies. It wasn't until just before his death, did I learn of his valor with receiving a Bronze Star, and Purple Heart while in the Battle of Manila. I knew he had been wounded. I had seen his scars, and heard he still had a piece of metal in his knee, but, he never brought it up.

My interest in Subs came with one of my first PC games titled "Sub Battle Simulator" by Epyx. I first played it on a Mono Chrome monitor (black and white for those who aren't as old as me), then added a 13" RGB monitor to my system.......that cost 500 dollars!! Talk about being on the cutting edge!!

[TorpX]

I've been interested in history, especially military history, since I was a kid, but mostly I liked books and movies about land warfare, and infantry combat. After I got a hand-me-down computer, I happened to come upon SHCE in the discount bin of the local computer big box store. To be honest, my decision to buy it was more due to the fact that the system requirements seemed to fall within my machine's limited capabilities, than any pre-existing interest in the subject. I didn't start playing right away, but when I finally got around to installing and playing, I was astounded at the level of detail and thought that went into it.

SHCE lead me to read O'Kane's books, and I've been pretty much hooked, since.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by TorpX

I've been interested in history, especially military history, since I was a kid, but mostly I liked books and movies about land warfare, and infantry combat. After I got a hand-me-down computer, I happened to come upon SHCE in the discount bin of the local computer big box store. To be honest, my decision to buy it was more due to the fact that the system requirements seemed to fall within my machine's limited capabilities, than any pre-existing interest in the subject. I didn't start playing right away, but when I finally got around to installing and playing, I was astounded at the level of detail and thought that went into it.

SHCE lead me to read O'Kane's books, and I've been pretty much hooked, since.

SH1 is a pretty good game. I like playing it every once in a while.

Give me my Gato or give me death!

*or even a Tench...if you have one

[TorpX]

I had a great deal of fun with it. I really enjoyed being on patrol in my S-boat, and at times, solving some interesting (at least to me) geometry problems.

I would probably play it some now, but I could never get it installed on Computus Vistamus.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by TorpX

I had a great deal of fun with it. I really enjoyed being on patrol in my S-boat, and at times, solving some interesting (at least to me) geometry problems.

I would probably play it some now, but I could never get it installed on Computus Vistamus.

I have it set up in DOSBox.

I also have Windows 7...

EDIT: PM me if you want help.

[TorpX]

Right now, I'm too busy to fool with it. Maybe I'll try it again when I finish my AFS project.

[Red October1984]

Originally Posted by TorpX

Right now, I'm too busy to fool with it. Maybe I'll try it again when I finish my AFS project.

Alright. Drop me a line (but not a depth charge) when you have time and I'll help you out if you need it.

[saipan]

always been a ww2 buff. das boat really influenced me. i had to order the soundtrack on cassette. no internet back in 1984. still watch in very few months. tora tora tora also makes my skin get goose bumps.

[Aktungbby]

hutch1612!Hms Amethyst Of course you have omitted the most famous crew member of all: Simon the cat ; the only feline ever to be awarded the Dickon Medal for animal gallantry a little later in her career off China.(1949) And when the King says "Splice the Mainbrace...!!

" There was a particularly large, bold and vicious rat that, together with his band of followers, was causing havoc with the supplies; the crew had named him 'Mao Tse-tung'. Many attempts were made to trap him, as it was felt that Simon, in his weakened state, would not be able to cope with him: but he had evaded the traps. However, one day the animals came face to face: Simon sprang first and killed the rat outright. The delighted crew hailed him as a hero, and he was promoted to Able Seacat Simon — the feline equivalent of Able Seaman.
The days dragged on, more than two months after the original incident, with fierce heat and humidity, no relief in sight, and dwindling supplies of everything, including fuel. At times the boilers had to be shut down to conserve fuel, so there was no ventilation and no refrigeration. Even Simon started to wilt, although he continued with his duties and his rounds, helping, with the ship's terrier dog Peggy, to keep up the crew's flagging spirits. Then there was a typhoon; Simon was kept shut up to avoid possibly losing him, and slept through it all in the captain's cabin. Amethyst survived again — but rations and fuel were becoming desperately scarce. Kerans decided he had to make a dash for it while it was still possible.

So, on the night of 30 July 1949, Amethyst left under cover of darkness, and after a further series of adventures and more damage from Communist guns on shore, made it to the open sea, to be met by HMS Concord. The ordeal was over, after 101 days. King George VI sent his congratulations and ordered that the mainbrace be spliced. On 1 August a special presentation was made on deck, representing what the whole crew had been through. While both officers and men stood at attention, Simon was held by a boy seaman while a citation was read out by P/O George Griffiths, and Able Seacat Simon was awarded the Amethyst campaign ribbon. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_(cat)Simon the cat wearing the Dickon medal for animal gallantry; the only cat so honored!

[Eichhörnchen]

Submarine movies (especially "The Enemy Below"... what a cracking film still). I did visit a decommissioned sub in Baltimore harbour on a visit to the US in 1982, don't know what it was called or whether it's even still there.

Has anyone ever built that 1/72 scale u-boat by Revell? (Feels like a new thread coming on...)

[Lexandro]

Operation Petticoat.

No, seriously. Saw this back as a kid in with all the great WW2 movies, like Battle of the River Plate, Sink the Bismark!, Ice Cold in Alex etc. Always liked it for the simple comedy.

[Red Devil]

I have always been fascinated by the u boat and other mainly naval aspects of WW2. When the web came along I realised the research area just went universal. As a result, and the many contributions from surviving members of subs etc and families, I have amassed a massive collection of WW2 images and information.

The best is when I get an email and 'my father is in that image, I am so happy to find it' and such like.

My ww2 site is http://www.39-45war.com

Then I got into the heroic us sailors in the Pacific and got loads of info sent to me on that, so that topic grew and grew. British subs of course, but their role was mainly clandestine and those pages grew more slowly.

I have a great respect for submariners of both sides as it was a very brave thing to do under very exacting circumstances. 75% of U boat crews never got back to base and that's due in no small part to:

Http://www.mikekemble.com/walker/windex.html

a personal hero of mine. His tactics were distributed to every RH ship to be used against U Boats, and they worked.

[Admiral Halsey]

I was bored on YouTube one day and accidentally wrote Silent Hunter instead of Silent Hill. Decided to watch a couple of the videos and was instantly hooked.

[hutch1612]

Hi to everyone on here.
I suppose I am quite new to the forum although I am an old hand at submarine sims having played silent service on the commodore 64 and going onto the Amiga 500 & 1200 then PCs to play aces of the deep, silent hunter up to silent hunter 5. I think it was because I was brought up watching war films and reading books like the Cruel Sea and the fact my late father served in the Royal Navy during the last war. He never really spoke about his time in the war although on rare occasion he might mention something if a Naval war film was on. I did learn after his death that he had been on board the HMS Amethyst when it depth charged and sank U1276 after she had just torpedoed HMS Vervain off the coast of Ireland in 1945 I also learned that he was part of a boarding party that that went on U249 when it surrendered To Amethyst and Magpie at the end of the war. Its a real pity that I never got to say how proud I am of him for his effort during the war. I also have a great respect for the men of the U boat arm too for fighting for what they believed in. I guess I just like being sneaky and that's what U boats are good at. I am using LSH3 modded up at 98% realistic with the 2% is just narcissistic but then everyone loves to see their boats from the outside.... Happy Hunting Herr Kaleuns!!!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by hutch1612

Hi to everyone on here.
I suppose I am quite new to the forum although I am an old hand at submarine sims having played silent service on the commodore 64 and going onto the Amiga 500 & 1200 then PCs to play aces of the deep, silent hunter up to silent hunter 5. I think it was because I was brought up watching war films and reading books like the Cruel Sea and the fact my late father served in the Royal Navy during the last war. He never really spoke about his time in the war although on rare occasion he might mention something if a Naval war film was on. I did learn after his death that he had been on board the HMS Amethyst when it depth charged and sank U1276 after she had just torpedoed HMS Vervain off the coast of Ireland in 1945 I also learned that he was part of a boarding party that that went on U249 when it surrendered To Amethyst and Magpie at the end of the war. Its a real pity that I never got to say how proud I am of him for his effort during the war. I also have a great respect for the men of the U boat arm too for fighting for what they believed in. I guess I just like being sneaky and that's what U boats are good at. I am using LSH3 modded up at 98% realistic with the 2% is just narcissistic but then everyone loves to see their boats from the outside.... Happy Hunting Herr Kaleuns!!!

Welcome to SubSim hutch