The USS Swordfish

<p> Among the more than 260 American submarines that patrolled the Pacific during World War II, the USS <I>Swordfish</I> in 1941 was the first to sink a Japanese armed merchant ship, marking the beginning of the submarine's colorful history. A series of seven commanders led <I>Swordfish</I>'s 13 war patrols. Each skipper had a distinct leadership style. Some were successful in sinking enemy ships; others returned to port empty-handed. Yet all patrols risked dangerou