Pigboat 39: An American Sub Goes to War

A historic account of the US Navy's cramped, outdated submarine that was forced to remain in service during World War II.

Constructed in 1923, the American submarine S39 was practically an antique when the Japanese struck Pearl Harbor in 1941. With defective torpedoes, a semi-trained crew, and a primitive ventilation system (hence the nickname), she nevertheless sank two enemy vessels and eluded pursuit to fight again in the Solomons.

This is the little-known story of how an unprepared nav...