Run Silent

From the ingenious but impractical designs of seventeenth-century inventors through the nuclear powered submarines of today, this heavily illustrated volume traces the history of the silent force and the elite corps of men who fought and often died beneath the waves. Though fully describing the development of the submarine, the book's main focus is on the men who served from World War I through the Cold War. Drawing upon journals, memoirs, and interviews with submariners, past and present, Philip Kaplan paints a vivid portrait of their lives and experiences. He describes the terrors of waiting for depth charges to explode and the triumph of a torpedo striking its target, as well as the fascinating world of day-to-day life on the sleek, modern boats. This over-sized keepsake volume will appeal to anyone who has served in submarines or been fascinated by this unique service within a service.