The South China Sea in December 1944 was a hunting ground, and the USS Flasher (SS-249) was one of its fiercest predators. As the tides of war turned decisively against Japan, Allied submarines prowled beneath the waves, targeting the convoys that were vital to Japan’s survival. On December 4, 1944, under the command of Lieutenant Commander George W. Grider, the Flasher launched a daring attack that would further cement her place in history. In a single engagement, she sank the Yūgumo-class destroyer Kishinami and crippled the tanker Hakko Maru, strikes that contributed to her distinction as the most successful U.S. submarine in tonnage sunk during World War II. Continue reading “FLASHER’s Legendary Night” →