To Fly Beneath The Waves Promotional Video

Robert A. Link

"...Early in the war there was a fact finding commitee that the congressmen sent out to the Pacific...

...and when they got back, one of them made the remark that our submariners didn't have anything to worry about that the Japanese weren't setting their charges deep enough...

...Well, the Japanese can read too and I believe Admiral Lockwoods figures on that were...in the next 6 months we lost 10 submarines cause they just started setting their charges deeper."

Robert A. Link was born February 4, 1923 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, the second of nine children. The eldest boy and growing up during the depression, he learned to appreciate the finer things of life when they came his way, which was rare. Over the years, he has seen many changes in his lifestyle. "I have used the horse and buggy, and the car," he says. "The outhouse and the inhouse; crystal set radio and television; the biplane and the jet; and of course, I was privileged to train on the 'O'-boats, ride the Fleet Boats and more recently made a five-day shakedown on an SSBN submarine USS TECUMSEH." At the age of 10, he saw the motion picture, "Hell Below," a World War I submarine story. He knew then that he would someday be a submariner. He joined the U.S. Navy after Pearl Harbor, left Boot Camp for Submarine School in New London, and joined SUBRON 8, SUBDIV 81 in December, 1942 at Brisbane, Australia. He was first assigned to USS GRAYBACK (SS-208) for one patrol, and served on USS GROWLER (SS-215) during three patrols; he joined Relief Crew SUBRON 10, SUBDIV 102 in Majuro and Guam, and served on USS THREADFIN (SS-410) for one patrol at the end of World War II. He was discharged from the Navy on October 4, 1945 and joined the Navy Reserve. He married June "Shockey" Link on March 17, 1945. They have four sons: Robert Paul, who served in the Navy in Vietnam; Mark W., who also served in the Navy in Vietnam; Keith M., who served 10 years in the Navy participating in five deterrent patrols on the USS STONEWALL JACKSON before becoming a Nuclear Instructor in West Milton, New York; and Corey A.; all resulting in seven grandchildren at last count. Link retired from Atlantic City Electric Company after 33 years. He joined U.S. Submarine Veterans of World War II in 1956 and later became one of the founders of United States Submarine Veterans, Inc.