Rating: 
Summary: Gripping account of submarine warfare
Review: "Clear the Bridge" is an outstanding look at WWII submarine warfare conducted by one of the greatest of combat crews. RADM Dick O'Kane constructs a scintillating look at combat thru the eyes of a veteran Navy skipper. The obvious love for Tang and her many fine sailors shines through, as well as the respect of and devotion to his former skipper on Wahoo, "Mush" Morton, and that fine boat. This book is a great read, and is a worthwhile addition to any library.
Rating:
Summary: O'Kane and his Tang were the best!
Review: A must read for any submarine enthusiast. This book will give any reader a better appreciation for the W.W.II submariner, as well as his contemporary counterpart. O'Kane writes primarily for the submariner (Litany only a submariner would understand in places),but not so much that his book will not be enjoyed by anyone. I had the priveledge to meet the author in 1988, and he is the same man you will come to love and respect through his book. The final chapter of the book will shock and sadden the reader who is unfamiliar with story. The officers and men of Tang: hero's all!
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: After proving his metttle as the Executive Officer on the USS Wahoo, Dick O'Kane revolutionised submarine warfare in his own way on USS Tang. During its limited lifetime, Tang sank more ships than any other US submarines and would have sunk more except for its demise by one of its own torpedos. A great read and a thorough description of life in a US WW2 submarine.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: After proving his metttle as the Executive Officer on the USS Wahoo, Dick O'Kane revolutionised submarine warfare in his own way on USS Tang. During its limited lifetime, Tang sank more ships than any other US submarines and would have sunk more except for its demise by one of its own torpedos. A great read and a thorough description of life in a US WW2 submarine.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: As a former submariner I have read both his books. This one and the one he wrote on the Wahoo. I was a former Senior Chief Radioman on the diesels starting in 1956 and these books were excellent and well written and having spent 20 years on them myself I could really picture what was happening.
Rating:
Summary: Enthralling;gripping;filled with admiration for O'Kane
Review: As I read this account of the patrols of the U.S.S. Tang, I was there with the gallant skipper and the crew. A powerful story,gripping;filled with the tension that goes with tracking the enemy.You soon realize how courageous the entire crew was and you are also filled with admiration for Commander O'Kane's leadership and seamanship.The ending is so tragic.For several days after finishing the book I was filled with a deep sense of tragedy for its own defective torpedo sank this magnificent sub.A great tale that ends in sorrow.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent history of submarine Tang by her only CO.
Review: By the time of Tang's launch in 1944 most of the early war torpedo problems had been solved and better radar and tactics were in place. Submarine technology was state of the art. Bright, agressive officers like Dick O'Kane were the ramaining element to gain ultimate seccess. "Clear The Bridge" privides a well written and consise chronology of the operations of Tang. O'Kane personalizes Tang's history by including some of the stories of the men who served on her. We first met O'Kane in the pages of "Wahoo" commanded by "Mush Morton". O'Kane credits much of his success to the training he received serving under Morton as Executive Officer. The book is a microcosm of the great conflict that was WW II. The Allies won the conflict through the courage and agressiveness of men like O'Kane and her crew.
Rating: 
Summary: Richly detailed, poorly written
Review: Clear the Bridge is a fascinating glimpse into the miniature universe of the WWII attack submarine. Admiral Richard O'Kane's memoir of his fourteen months as CO of the legendary USS Tang overflows with adventure and nautical esoterica. His powerful memory and eye for detail leave few elements of life aboard one of these boats unexamined. While clearly, the tactics of submarine warfare are what most engage O'Kane's interest, he also relates many stories of the men with whom he served and fought; a miniature still, ingeniously cobbled together by some enlisted men to ease the hours spent on patrol. The rescue of naval aviators shot down during the air assault on Truk island and the furtive unplugging of their officious wing commander who wishes to return them to immediate duty. An inexperienced officer who purges the Tang's sewage tanks without first turning her into the wind. A lone Japanese seaman plucked from the sea--the sole survivor of a Tang torpedo salvo--who becomes the sub's honored guest. And the sad end of the Tang, and of O'Kane's treatment at the hands of his onetime targets. At 480 pages, Clear the Bridge is quite long; but the narrative is neatly chronological and the chapters are interspersed with maps, diagrams and photographs to aid the reader along his way. A glossary at the back is helpful in understanding some of the terminology used in the book. Admiral O'Kane was clearly a man blessed with high intelligence; however his skill as a writer is another story. The fault with the book lies in O'Kane's cobby prose, full of nautical jargon and anachronistic sayings; and what seems to be an assumption that his readers are already familiar with naval warfare and that no explanation is needed concerning some of the things he describes. This makes the book a somewhat laborious project as one tries to sort out what is happening. Still, if you have patience and want to know what it was to be on a WWII attack submarine, Clear the Bridge delivers on target.
Rating:
Summary: Richly detailed, poorly written
Review: Clear the Bridge is a fascinating glimpse into the miniature universe of the WWII attack submarine. Admiral Richard O'Kane's memoir of his fourteen months as CO of the legendary USS Tang overflows with adventure and nautical esoterica. His powerful memory and eye for detail leave few elements of life aboard one of these boats unexamined. While clearly, the tactics of submarine warfare are what most engage O'Kane's interest, he also relates many stories of the men with whom he served and fought; a miniature still, ingeniously cobbled together by some enlisted men to ease the hours spent on patrol. The rescue of naval aviators shot down during the air assault on Truk island and the furtive unplugging of their officious wing commander who wishes to return them to immediate duty. An inexperienced officer who purges the Tang's sewage tanks without first turning her into the wind. A lone Japanese seaman plucked from the sea--the sole survivor of a Tang torpedo salvo--who becomes the sub's honored guest. And the sad end of the Tang, and of O'Kane's treatment at the hands of his onetime targets. At 480 pages, Clear the Bridge is quite long; but the narrative is neatly chronological and the chapters are interspersed with maps, diagrams and photographs to aid the reader along his way. A glossary at the back is helpful in understanding some of the terminology used in the book. Admiral O'Kane was clearly a man blessed with high intelligence; however his skill as a writer is another story. The fault with the book lies in O'Kane's cobby prose, full of nautical jargon and anachronistic sayings; and what seems to be an assumption that his readers are already familiar with naval warfare and that no explanation is needed concerning some of the things he describes. This makes the book a somewhat laborious project as one tries to sort out what is happening. Still, if you have patience and want to know what it was to be on a WWII attack submarine, Clear the Bridge delivers on target.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent story about life and warfare in a WWII sub.
Review: Comander O'Kane takes us through his life aboard the U.S.S. Tang from original construction to her untimely and needless destruction in the Gulf of Formosa. O'Kane's love of his ship, his shipmates and the record performances of the Tang are clearly evident in this story. To say that you can not put this one down is an understatement. The puzzeling item here is the calm manner in which O'Kane discusses the poor performance of American made torpodoes during the war. From just duds to killing the sub who brought them, these torpodoes were a constant source of apprehension and even fear amoung crew members. O'Kane's frustration does not really surface in this book or in his first effort about his first sub the U.S.S. Wahoo. To find that two of America's mot successful and famous subs were both sunk by our own poorly performing torpodoes is not only shocking to learn but criminal to know that it lasted almost through out the entire Pacific War. It soon became evident in reading this story that it took more than just luck to become a successful sub commander. Just finding your position after being submerged the entire day is a major endeavour. Finding ships to sink is not just waiting for them to come to you. O'Kane shows the hard work involved in piloting a ship in three dimensions with only primitive sound gear. Your life and that of your ship dependens on your spatial ability. Finally, Tang's death as written by O'Kane shows the emotion he had for his crew and that long piece of metal to whick he was so attached. I wished I could have meet this ship Captain. To not only say thanks for a fine book, but to shake the hand of a real American hero.
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