Why One Submarine Cook Started Throwing “Scraps” — And Sunk Every U-Boat He Found
On March 14, 1943, in the icy waters of the North Atlantic, the crew of HMS Starling, a British river-class frigate, faced a dire situation. Commander Frederick Walker stood at the plot table, his sonar operator’s face pale with fear as they tracked multiple underwater contacts. For 11 exhausting hours, they had chased phantom echoes, but now something unexpected appeared on the surface plot: food scraps—bread and vegetable peelings—floating in the water. Little did they know, this seemingly insignificant detail would mark a turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic.
The Context of the Battle
By early 1943, the Battle of the Atlantic had reached a critical juncture. German U-boats were sinking Allied merchant ships at an alarming rate. In just three months, 108 Allied vessels had gone down, representing over 627,000 tons of shipping lost. The tactics employed by the U-boat commanders, particularly the coordinated attacks of Wolfpacks, had proven devastatingly effective against the British escorts, which were struggling to protect the vital supply lines.
Commander Walker and his crew were frustrated. They had watched helplessly as torpedoes struck tankers and freighters, witnessed the horrifying aftermath of burning ships and drowning sailors. The Royal Navy’s doctrine dictated aggressive pursuit of enemy submarines, but this tactic was failing. The British escorts were losing ships, and the U-boats were vanishing into the depths, evading destruction with ease.
The Problem with Doctrine
The Royal Navy’s approach to anti-submarine warfare relied heavily on aggressive tactics. Escort commanders were trained to chase U-boats upon detection, a method that had worked in previous conflicts but was now proving fatal. The U-boats, equipped with superior technology, could dive deep and escape detection, creating a tactical dilemma for the British.
As the war escalated, the mathematics of submarine warfare became increasingly grim. The odds favored the U-boats, and the British were losing ships at an unsustainable pace. The frustration among the escort crews was palpable; they needed a breakthrough, a new strategy that could turn the tide.
An Unexpected Innovation
Meanwhile, aboard the USS Barb, an American submarine operating in the Pacific, a cook named Arman “Swish” Swisser was about to make a discovery that would change everything. Assigned to galley duty as punishment for gambling, Swisser noticed something peculiar: when food waste was dumped overboard, enemy escorts altered their course. This observation sparked an idea that would defy conventional naval tactics.
Swisser brought his findings to Captain Eugene Flucky, who was intrigued but skeptical. They decided to conduct an experiment. Over the next few days, Barb would dump food waste while maneuvering for attack positions. The results were astonishing; the floating debris created a detectable trail that led enemy ships away from their actual location.
The First Successful Test
On March 19, 1943, Barb encountered a Japanese convoy. Following Swisser’s strategy, Flucky dumped 40 pounds of food waste overboard, creating a false trail. As expected, the enemy escorts chased the debris, allowing Barb to strike the convoy with devastating success. This tactical innovation would soon reach the ears of British commanders.
Back in the North Atlantic, Commander Walker was desperate for a solution. When he learned of Swisser’s findings, he ordered his frigates to carry bags of food waste for tactical deployment. On April 14, 1943, during an encounter with a German Wolfpack, Walker decided to test this new tactic.
The Turning Point for the Royal Navy
In a bold move, Walker deployed his escorts while dumping 60 pounds of food scraps into the ocean. The German U-boats, believing they were being pursued, dove deep, following their established protocols. But Walker had anticipated this. With the U-boats distracted, his frigates could launch a coordinated attack, catching the enemy off guard.
The results were staggering. In a matter of minutes, U-boats that had once eluded British depth charges were destroyed. The successful implementation of Swisser’s tactic marked a turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic, reversing the tide of losses for the Allies.
The Aftermath and Impact
The news of this tactical innovation spread rapidly through the British naval command. By April 22, 1943, Admiral T received a report detailing the effectiveness of the false trail tactic. The Royal Navy quickly adopted this new approach, training escort groups to utilize food waste as a means of deception.
As a result, British merchant ship losses plummeted. In May alone, the Allies sank 41 U-boats, marking the highest monthly total of the war. The tide of the Battle of the Atlantic had shifted, and the U-boats were now the ones on the defensive.
A Legacy of Innovation
Arman Swisser, the cook who had been assigned to galley duty, never received formal recognition for his contribution to naval warfare. However, his innovative thinking and willingness to experiment saved countless lives and turned the tide of the war. Captain Flucky made sure that Swisser’s role in the development of the false trail tactic was acknowledged in official reports, highlighting the importance of every crew member, regardless of rank or position.
Commander Walker, who had witnessed the transformation of naval tactics firsthand, continued to implement the new strategies that had emerged from Swisser’s simple observation. The Royal Navy’s approach to anti-submarine warfare evolved, incorporating the lessons learned from both the Pacific and the Atlantic theaters.
Conclusion
The story of how a submarine cook’s “scraps” revolutionized anti-submarine warfare is a testament to the power of observation, innovation, and the willingness to challenge established norms. In a time of crisis, it was the unconventional thinking of someone outside the traditional military hierarchy that led to a significant tactical breakthrough.
As the war continued, the legacy of Swisser’s discovery endured, influencing naval tactics for generations to come. The principles of deception and adaptability became integral to naval warfare, proving that sometimes the most effective strategies come from the most unexpected sources.
In the end, the Battle of the Atlantic was not won solely through technological advancements or strategic planning; it was the result of individuals like Arman Swisser, who recognized patterns that others overlooked and had the courage to act on them. Their contributions remind us that innovation often lies in the simplest of ideas, waiting to be discovered by those willing to look beyond the surface.
