Eugene B . Fluckey Rear Admiral Eugene Bennett Fluckey ( October 5 , 1913 – June 28 , 2007 ) , nicknamed " Lucky Fluckey " , was a United States Navy submarine commander who received the Medal of Honor and four Navy Cross es for his service during World War II . Early life and career . Fluckey was born in Washington , D . C . on October 5 , 1913 . He attended Western High School in Washington and Mercersburg Academy in Mercersburg , Pennsylvania . He prepared for the Naval Academy at Columbian Preparatory School , Washington . He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy in 1931 , he was graduated and commissioned Ensign in June 1935 . Fluckey ' s initial assignments were aboard the battleship and in May 1936 was transferred to the destroyer . In June 1938 he reported for instruction at the Submarine School , New London , Connecticut and upon completion , he served on and in December 1938 , he was assigned to and completed five war patrols on . Detached from " Bonita " in August 1942 , he returned to Annapolis for graduate instruction in naval engineering . USS " Barb " ( SS - 220 ) . In November 1943 , he attended the Prospective Commanding Officer ' s School at the Submarine Base New London , then reported to Commander Submarine Force , Pacific Fleet . After one war patrol as the prospective commanding officer of the , ( her seventh ) , he assumed command of the submarine on April 27 , 1944 . Fluckey established himself as one of the greatest submarine skippers , credited with the most tonnage sunk by a U . S . skipper during World War II : 17 ships including a carrier , cruiser , and frigate . In one of the stranger incidents in the war , Fluckey sent a landing party ashore to set demolition charges on a coastal railway line , destroying a 16 - car train . This was the sole landing by U . S . military forces on the Japan ese home islands during World War II . Fluckey ordered that this landing party be composed of crewmen from every division on his submarine and asked for as many former Boy Scouts as possible , knowing they would have the skills to find their way in unfamiliar territory . The selected crewmen were Paul Saunders , William Hatfield , Francis Sever , Lawrence Newland , Edward Klinglesmith , James Richard , John Markuson , and William Walker . Hatfield wired the explosive charge , using a microswitch under the rails to trigger the explosion . Fluckey was awarded the Navy Cross four times for extraordinary heroism during the eighth , ninth , tenth , and twelfth war patrols of " Barb " . During his famous eleventh patrol , he continued to revolutionize submarine warfare , inventing the night convoy attack from astern by joining the flank escort line . He attacked two convoys at anchor inside the 20 fathom ( 37 m ) curve on the China coast , totaling more than 30 ships . With two frigates pursuing , " Barb " set a then - world speed record for a submarine of 23 . 5 knots ( 44 km / h ) using 150 % overload . For his conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity , Fluckey received the Medal of Honor . " Barb " received the Presidential Unit Citation for the eighth through eleventh patrols and the Navy Unit Commendation for the twelfth patrol . His book , " Thunder Below ! " ( 1992 ) , depicts the exploits of his beloved " Barb " . " Though the tally shows more shells , bombs , and depth charge s fired at " Barb " , no one received the Purple Heart and " Barb " came back alive , eager , and ready to fight again . " Post - war career . In August 1945 , Fluckey was ordered to Groton , Connecticut , to fit out the and to be that submarine ' s Commanding Officer , upon her completion . After the " Dogfish " ' s launching , however , he was transferred to the Office of the Secretary of the Navy to work directly for James V . Forrestal on plans for the unification of the Armed Forces . From there he went to the War Plans Division . In December 1945 he was selected by Fleet Admiral Chester W . Nimitz , the incoming Chief of Naval Operations , as his personal aide . On June 9 , 1947 , he returned to submarines , assuming command of , the second submarine to be converted to a GUPPY - type high - speed attack submarine with a snorkel . In June 1949 , he was ordered to the staff of the commander of the Submarine Force U . S . Atlantic Fleet to set up the Submarine Naval Reserve Force . A year later , he became the flag secretary to Admiral James Fife , Jr . . From October 1 , 1950 , until July 1953 , he served as the US Naval Attache and Naval Attache for Air to Portugal . The Portuguese government , for his distinguished service , decorated him with the Medalha de Mérito Militar , noting that this was the first time this decoration was awarded to a naval attache of any other nation . In September 1953 , he took command of the submarine tender . Fluckey commanded Submarine Flotilla Seven ( now Submarine Group 7 ) from October 14 , 1955 , to January 14 , 1956 . He then returned to the Naval Academy to become the chairman of the Electrical Engineering Department . His selection for the rank of Rear Admiral was approved by President Dwight D . Eisenhower in July 1960 and in October he reported as Commander , Amphibious Group 4 . In November 1961 , he became the president of the Naval Board of Inspection and Survey , Washington , D . C . He was ComSubPac ( Commander Submarine Force , Pacific Fleet ) , from June 1964 to June 1966 . In July 1966 , he became the Director of Naval Intelligence . Two years later , he became Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group , Portugal . Military awards . Medal of Honor , Navy Cross with three gold 5 / 16 inch star s , Navy Distinguished Service Medal with one gold 5 / 16 inch star , Presidential Unit Citation Ribbon , and the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon , American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp , the Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal , American Campaign Medal , World War II Victory Medal and the National Defense Service Medal . Fluckey retired from active duty as a Rear Admiral in 1972 . His wife , Marjorie , died in 1979 , after 42 years of marriage . He later ran an orphanage with his second wife , Margaret , in Portugal for a number of years . He died at Anne Arundel Medical Center in Annapolis , Maryland , on June 28 , 2007 . He is buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery . Fluckey was awarded Eagle Scout in 1948 . He is one of only nine known Eagle Scouts who also received the Medal of Honor ; the others are Aquilla J . Dyess , Robert Edward Femoyer , Mitchell Paige , Thomas R . Norris , Arlo L . Olson , Ben L . Salomon , Leo K . Thorsness and Jay Zeamer , Jr . . Medal of Honor citation . For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of the U . S . S . Barb during her 11th war patrol along the east coast of China from 19 December 1944 to 15 February 1945 . After sinking a large enemy ammunition ship and damaging additional tonnage during a running 2 - hour night battle on 8 January , Comdr . Fluckey , in an exceptional feat of brilliant deduction and bold tracking on 25 January , located a concentration of more than 30 enemy ships in the lower reaches of Nankuan Chiang ( Mamkwan Harbor ) . Fully aware that a safe retirement would necessitate an hour ' s run at full speed through the uncharted , mined , and rock - obstructed waters , he bravely ordered , " Battle station — torpedoes ! " In a daring penetration of the heavy enemy screen , and riding in 5 fathoms [ 9 m ] of water , he launched the Barb ' s last forward torpedoes at 3 , 000 yard [ 2 . 7 km ] range . Quickly bringing the ship ' s stern tubes to bear , he turned loose 4 more torpedoes into the enemy , obtaining 8 direct hits on 6 of the main targets to explode a large ammunition ship and cause inestimable damage by the resultant flying shells and other pyrotechnics . Clearing the treacherous area at high speed , he brought the Barb through to safety and 4 days later sank a large Japanese freighter to complete a record of heroic combat achievement , reflecting the highest credit upon Comdr . Fluckey , his gallant officers and men , and the U . S . Naval Service .