In January 2024, the dynamic production team of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks brought another World War II epic series to the small screen. Entitled “Masters of the Air” it follows the exploits of the U.S. Army Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group and its 37 B-17 bombers that flew against targets in occupied Europe and the German Luftwaffe fighters that defended them.
The 100th Bomb Group became known as the “Bloody 100th” due to several raids where the group suffered heavy losses, including one raid against Ruhr valley industrial target in October 1943 where only one aircraft of thirteen launched returned from the mission, No doubt the series will be action-packed and gritty as have been previous Spielberg/Hanks combinations such as the original “Band of Brothers” HBO series.
While Tom Hanks recently played a destroyer captain fighting Nazi U-boats in World War II convoy battles in the 2020 film Greyhound, there has not been yet a naval epic series commensurate with Band of Brothers since the 1980’s epic “Winds of War,” and even then the action involved all of the services, although Navy Captain Pug Henry, played by Robert Mitchum got a starring role and naval surface combat in the Solomon islands was featured.
Given that the focus today is on great power competition that could lead to conflict in the Pacific, and a maritime theater, the entertainment industry should consider a naval story for its next big streaming miniseries. One involving the U.S. submarine war in the Pacific 1941-1945 would be most appropriate for the setting for such a show.
The story of the U.S. submarine fleet in the Second World War has enough action and drama to fill multiple seasons of any streaming show. There were submarines such as USS Nautilus and USS Argonaut that transported commandos for raids against islands deep inside Japanese controlled sea zones. Other like USS Albacore and USS Cavalla sank Japanese carriers in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, while USS Sealion and USS Archerfish respectively sank two the largest and most formidable Japanese warships; the battleship Kongo and the supercarrier Shinano, a vessel built on the hull of a Yamato class battleship.
Other U.S. submarines successfully eliminated the Japanese merchant marine and logistics force from the Pacific, producing famous submarine warriors like Eugene Flucky, Slade Cutter, and top U.S. submarine ace Richard (Dick) O’Kane who sank more overall Japanese ship tonnage than any other U.S. World War II submarine skipper. It also includes submarine heroes who did not survive the war including Samuel Dealy of USS Harder, and Howard Gilmore of USS Growler who sacrificed his life to save his crew by ordering his submarine to dive to avoid a Japanese attack. The roster also includes controversial submarine leaders like Commander Dudley “Mush” Morton, who before disappearing on a final mission in USS Wahoo in late 1943, was alleged to have opened fire on shipwrecked Japanese soldiers after sinking their transport. There is enough action and drama for any audience similar to those who loved the original Band of Brothers series. The other good thing about a submarine series is that there are dozens of locations around the country with actual preserved World War II submarines where such a series might be filmed.
Given the continued success of submarine moves from World War II epics like The Enemy Below, and Das Boot, to Cold War adventures like Ice Station Zebra, and Hunt for Red October, to more contemporary films like Crimson Tide, the tight quarters, constricted emotions, and dangers of life underwater and ready fare for a waiting, streaming audience. Hollywood ought to next showcase World War II submarine conflict in the Pacific as its next big historical streaming series.
Center for Maritime Strategy
By Dr. Steven Wills
In January 2024, the dynamic production team of Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks brought another World War II epic series to the small screen. Entitled “Masters of the Air” it follows the exploits of the U.S. Army Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group and its 37 B-17 bombers that flew against targets in occupied Europe and the German Luftwaffe fighters that defended them.
The 100th Bomb Group became known as the “Bloody 100th” due to several raids where the group suffered heavy losses, including one raid against Ruhr valley industrial target in October 1943 where only one aircraft of thirteen launched returned from the mission, No doubt the series will be action-packed and gritty as have been previous Spielberg/Hanks combinations such as the original “Band of Brothers” HBO series.
While Tom Hanks recently played a destroyer captain fighting Nazi U-boats in World War II convoy battles in the 2020 film Greyhound, there has not been yet a naval epic series commensurate with Band of Brothers since the 1980’s epic “Winds of War,” and even then the action involved all of the services, although Navy Captain Pug Henry, played by Robert Mitchum got a starring role and naval surface combat in the Solomon islands was featured.
Given that the focus today is on great power competition that could lead to conflict in the Pacific, and a maritime theater, the entertainment industry should consider a naval story for its next big streaming miniseries. One involving the U.S. submarine war in the Pacific 1941-1945 would be most appropriate for the setting for such a show.
Submarine films from Run Silent, Run Deep, to Das Boot, and Hunt for Red October have always generated intense public interest. As the Navy of the 1980’s supported the hunt for Sean Connery’s singing Soviet sailors and the first installment of Top Gun, the naval service should support a World War II submarine series that details all of the drama, action and sorrow of that campaign that cost the navy 52 submarines and over 3600 officers and sailors. Certainly, Top Gun Maverick’s popularity at the box offices suggests the public would welcome a naval series.
World War II is Full of Submarine Stories
Figure 1 Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster in the 1958 World War II Submarine Film “Run Silent, Run Deep.”
The story of the U.S. submarine fleet in the Second World War has enough action and drama to fill multiple seasons of any streaming show. There were submarines such as USS Nautilus and USS Argonaut that transported commandos for raids against islands deep inside Japanese controlled sea zones. Other like USS Albacore and USS Cavalla sank Japanese carriers in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, while USS Sealion and USS Archerfish respectively sank two the largest and most formidable Japanese warships; the battleship Kongo and the supercarrier Shinano, a vessel built on the hull of a Yamato class battleship.
Other U.S. submarines successfully eliminated the Japanese merchant marine and logistics force from the Pacific, producing famous submarine warriors like Eugene Flucky, Slade Cutter, and top U.S. submarine ace Richard (Dick) O’Kane who sank more overall Japanese ship tonnage than any other U.S. World War II submarine skipper. It also includes submarine heroes who did not survive the war including Samuel Dealy of USS Harder, and Howard Gilmore of USS Growler who sacrificed his life to save his crew by ordering his submarine to dive to avoid a Japanese attack. The roster also includes controversial submarine leaders like Commander Dudley “Mush” Morton, who before disappearing on a final mission in USS Wahoo in late 1943, was alleged to have opened fire on shipwrecked Japanese soldiers after sinking their transport. There is enough action and drama for any audience similar to those who loved the original Band of Brothers series. The other good thing about a submarine series is that there are dozens of locations around the country with actual preserved World War II submarines where such a series might be filmed.
Given the continued success of submarine moves from World War II epics like The Enemy Below, and Das Boot, to Cold War adventures like Ice Station Zebra, and Hunt for Red October, to more contemporary films like Crimson Tide, the tight quarters, constricted emotions, and dangers of life underwater and ready fare for a waiting, streaming audience. Hollywood ought to next showcase World War II submarine conflict in the Pacific as its next big historical streaming series.
Dr. Steven Wills, Navalist