On January 21, 1954, the first atomic-powered submarine in the world—the U.S.S. Nautilus—was launched at Groton, Connecticut. Until then submarines had really been surface boats that could also operate for a limited time under water. With the launching of the Nautilus the age of the true submersible had begun.

In this book George Weller traces the remarkable development of underwater craft from the diving bell used in 300 B.C. to today's nuclear giants, capable of traveling around the world without surfacing. He tells of the little-known attempts to use submarines in the Revolution and the Civil War, then goes on to report many exciting exploits of famous submarine and U-boat aces in two world wars.

Lively and informative, The Story of Submarines is a fitting tribute to the ships and the men who have sailed, fought and explored in the mysterious ocean depths.

From the book