HERO TO SCRAP!

She was just an old Italian Submarine in 1975, tired and worn out and now just $100,000 worth of scrap.  The USS Barb was given to the Italian Navy in 1953 after an incredible record in World War II service.
The USS Barb flew a battle flag unlike any other ship.  In addition to the Medal of Honor ribbon at the top of her flag identifying the heroism of her Captain, Cmdr. Eugene 'Lucky' Fluckey, at the bottom border she bore the image of a Japanese train locomotive.  Therein lies the story!
It was 4 A.M. July 18, 1945 in Patience Bay, off the coast of Karafuto, Japan.  Barb was on her twelfth war patrol, the fifth under 'Lucky' Flucky.  On January 8th they had sunk a large Jap Ammunition ship and then two weeks later in Mamkwan Harbor found more than 30 enemy ships.
In only 5 fathoms (30 feet) of water they launched the forward torpedoes, then turned and fired four from the stern tubes.  They recorded eight hits on six ships.
Now as they prowled slowly along the coast they noticed the trains that ran along the coastline, carrying supplies.  Cmdr. Fluckey decided to blow the rail line and a plan was designed to set a micro switch so that the train would blow itself up.
Billy Hatfield was a kid when he cracked walnuts under the pressure of trains on the ties and came up with this idea.  Eight sailors were picked, all single, except Hatfield, all departments represented, both USN and USNR and at least half had to have been Boy Scouts and experienced in medical emergencies.
July 23, 1945, the night was dark and the men went ashore in two rafts, set one of the subs 55 lb. scuttling charges and made there way back to the Bard, which now sat 600 yards off shore with only 6feet of water beneath her hull.  When they were only half way to the sub a train appeared on the scene and five minutes after the explosion lit up the sky they scrambled aboard and turned to watch the fireworks.  Moving at two knots it took them some time to reach deep water where they could submerge.  The Barb had sunk a Japanese Train!
The eight sailors who blew up the train conducted the ONLY GROUND COMBAT OPERATION on the Japanese homeland during World War ll.  GO NAVY!......Medicineman!