Watched a docu-drama today about the USS Harder and her brilliant crew headed by Cdr Dealey. One of the main advantages had by the subs in the Pacific war was that the japs though they could not dive more than 150 feet, so dropped charges accordingly. US subs went underneath the depth charges and got away.
Then some stupid idiot of a Congressman (Andrew May) hope he got tried for this) told a Press Conference that the subs could get away from the japs because 'they were setting their depth charges too low. Needless to say the USN were furious. That senator cost many lives and I hope he got his comeuppance. He was a traitor.
The Harder after many brave and successful mission went a depth too far and got sunk. All crew lost. The Japs refloated her and she became a jap sub and all its secrets and renamed her PB102. The Harder took 54002 tons in her career.
in 1943, Rep. Andrew May bragged to reporters that the Japanese were setting their depth charges too shallow because they didn't know how deep U.S. subs could dive. VADM Charles Lockwood said the revelation caused the Japanese to adjust their depth charges, costing the Navy 10 submarines and the lives of 800 sailors.
http://www.ww2pacific.com/congmay.html
as an editor on Wiki, I have added to this (incorrect, see above)
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Captain!, there's a destroyer on the por........ periscope is flooded Sir!
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