How did George Weller come to write the original article?
When I got back from that patrol, our report — “One Merchant Ship, One Oil Tanker, and One Successful Appendectomy” — had already caused a stir. I was told I was wanted in the wardroom of the [submarine] tender [USS] Holland [AS-3]. When I arrived, there was Admiral [Charles A.] Lockwood [Commander Submarines, Southwest Pacific]. He and I had a conversation and then Weller came in. He and I talked at some length and then he wrote the story. In the last 44 years not a month has gone by that I’m not reminded of that incident. Weller’s story has even appeared in high school literature books. When my grandson was in the 7th grade in New Mexico he found it in one of his books. In fact, he proudly told the teacher that this was his grandfather. The teacher said something like, “Go away little boy, don’t tell stories.” It’s also been the subject of movies and TV programs. There was a series in the 50’s called The Silent Service, in which the incident was portrayed in an episode called “Oper
