Stealth Boat: Fighting the Cold War in a Fast Attack Submarine

by Gannon Mchale

Stealth Boat is a memoir of Gannon McHale's years in the U.S. Navy and of the men he served with in the Submarine Service between 1967 and 1970, and some of what they accomplished and experienced during that time. It is my also his remembrance of what it was like to grow up aboard a nuclear powered Fast Attack Submarine. McHale reported aboard USS Sturgeon (SSN 637) still a boy, and left a young man. This was the most important period in his personal development, and it profoundly affected the way he has lived the rest of his life. For many years any public discussion of the mission of Fast Attack submarines during the Cold War has been strictly guarded. The Freedom of Information Act now allows us to look back at a period in our nation's history that is worth remembering, and the part played by the U.S Submarine Service in winning that war is undeniable. America in the late 1960's was tortured by internal and external conflict. The war in Vietnam was unpopular and the Draft was still in operation.At the age of nineteen millions of young American men faced the probability of being drafted and sent to fight a war that many of them did not believe in. Some fled the country, others were drafted, and many more like the author chose to be proactive about their military service and enlisted. His book focuses on several men who did just that, and in the process became lifelong friends.

216 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2008

Reviews

[Eric_W · Rating 2 out of 5]

At age 19 in an effort to avoid the Vietnam draft the author dropped out of college, where he was facing failure and joined the Navy. For whatever reason mostly because he is like the TV show silent service when he was younger he has to be assigned to submarines. He was sent to join the USS sturgeon a fast attack sub that was brand new.

Years ago, I helped a good friend, a retired board member, write his memoirs. Clarence was already a published author and a good writer (River Hill Soliloquy: The Story Of An Illinois Farm.) Clarence had lived a fascinating life: he had been a cowboy in Montana recounted in another book I worked on (Montana Montage: Memoir of a Dude Wrangler), worked his way up from apprentice and journeyman to become editorial director of a large publishing concern. In spite of my best efforts, however, he insisted on adding the name of virtually everyone he worked with and knew (a lot; he lived to be 102.) Almost all of those mentioned had predeceased him and really of little consequence. Of much more interest was his descriptions of the printing business and how it had evolved not to mention his time in Montana and growing up in NW Illinois. All those extra personages really made a mess of the book.

So it is with this book. There are some nuggets of very interesting material about the submarine service during the Cold War and their missions. He was a Yeoman and so had an interesting perspective on events, but except for his friends who are mentioned, the reader really doesn't care to know the backgrounds of all his friends nor the places and times they all went out drinking. In addition, current events are paraded before the reader (“Yellow Submarine” fell of the record charts, etc.) I suppose it was intended to provide context. It felt like padding.

In the end, the thousand days (his counting) should have been reduced to a few hundred. It’s a shame because he’s a reasonably good writer and some parts are quite interesting.

[Robin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting in a nostalgic way for former Cold War submariners but the quality of writing is lacking.

[Charlie Petters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book to read about Fast Attack Submarines and life aboard them during the Cold War of the late 1960s and early 1970s. The author served on the SSN637 during the late 1960s, and I served on the SSN651 during the early 1970s. It seems that life aboard both boats was pretty much the same, the humor, the sarcasm, the danger, and the liberty. Mr. Gannon is very accurate in what he writes, and it was a pleasure for me to read his book, and it reminded me of my time on the Queenfish. Life aboard a Fast Attack Submarine has its ups and downs, which Mr. Gannon covers extremely well. I suggest reading “Stealth Boat” if you would like to read and exciting book about Cold War Submarine Life.

[John Prince · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fellow Cold War submariner, I really enjoyed reading this book. The authors remembrances of current events in the world interspersed with the overall story made it even more enjoyable. Well done. BZ.

[Ken Kirkpatrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

I served aboard the Sturgeon just after Gannon left 1970-1973. Some of the guys mentioned in the book were still there. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and reading it brought back many fond memories of my experience.

[Bill Cotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing Read

Very interesting and enjoyable read. It ended before I was ready.
Unfortunately it was another story where institutional inertia in the navy caused the loss of qualified personnel.
Highly recommended!!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This author, originally from Pawtucket, RI, appeared at my library and my boyfriend went to hear him speak. While there he purchased the book for his older brother but I had time to read it during a lazy Sunday. This was a very readable memoir specific to the time the author spent aboard submarines from 1967-1969. The Naval Institute Press only printed 2500 copies of the book so it's already out of print but if your library owns a copy, by all means take a look at it.

[Jeff Wombold · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the book was good, but kind of boring. To a fellow submariner most of the stories were old hat, but to a non submariner then I feel it would be a good read. I guess I expected more sea stories about life on patrol.