The Submarine That Raised the Alarm, USS Threadfin In April 1945, USS Threadfin spotted Yamato’s final sortie and sent the warning that unleashed the U.S. fleet. She never fired a torpedo, but her radio call helped seal the fate of the world’s largest battleship—and shattered Japan’s last major naval strike. | The Reliable Narrator

The Submarine That Thought She Missed, USS Sawfish In July 1943, USS Sawfish fired into a convoy and dove—convinced the blast she felt was a dud. An hour later, she surfaced to find the truth: the minelayer Hirashima was sinking. Sometimes the kill only reveals itself after the smoke clears. | The Reliable Narrator

The Submarine That Survived Close Calls, USS Flounder In early 1945, USS Flounder endured one hazard after another—torpedoes that circled back toward her, a failed attack on a patrol boat, and even a submerged collision with USS Hoe. Somehow she survived every close call and made it home from one of the war’s strangest patrols. | The Reliable Narrator