On October 23, 1944, Commander Richard O’Kane, commanding officer of the USS Tang, led one of the most daring submarine attacks of World War II. Taking his submarine into the heart of two heavily escorted Japanese convoys near the Taiwan Strait, CDR O’Kane launched a bold surface assault under intense enemy gunfire. In a single night, he crippled or sank multiple enemy ships, weaving the Tang through blazing tankers and oncoming destroyers with fearless precision.

When another convoy appeared the next day, O’Kane attacked again, firing torpedo after torpedo at dangerously close range. His final torpedo malfunctioned, turning back on the Tang and sinking the sub. Only nine of the 87 crew survived, including O’Kane, who endured brutal captivity until the war's end.

For his extraordinary valor and leadership during these operations, CDR Richard O’Kane was awarded the Medal of Honor.

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