Combat Ships - Episode Guide

A look at how the role of battleships changed over the course of the First and Second World Wars. At the start of the 20th century, the battleship was the preeminent warship; yet during the Battle of Jutland, it failed to deliver the killer blow. In the waters of Scapa Flow, we find sunken dreadnoughts and tell the story of how a U-Boat sank HMS Royal Oak. On HMS Cavalier, we explore how new technologies such as radar and ASDIC won the Battle of the Atlantic. A daring raid by commandos called Operation Chariot once more showed the vulnerability of the battleship. But on the USS Massachusetts, we discover how the battleship found a new role as a gun platform.

The 200-year evolution of the submarine in wartime is examined, told by the designers and engineers behind the machines. This episode begins with the story of HMS Conqueror sinking the ARA General Belgrano during the Falklands War. Then the beginnings of submarines – the Turtle in the War of Independence, and the Civil War craft the Hunley. Resurgam was a Victorian submarine that sank off the Welsh coast. We tell the story of Charles Fryatt who used his ferry to ram a U-Boat rather than surrender. We explore the US submarine Becuna and the story of the giant I-400 Japanese subs. A crewmember from the USS Nautilus describes what it was like to serve on the world's first nuclear submarine.

A chronological telling of the dramatic 1944 D-Day story, focusing on the vessels that made the landings possible, with an insight into personal stories and engineering wonders. From the X-Craft lying on the seabed in the days before the invasion to the battleships such as USS Texas and HMS Belfast who bombarded the Normandy beaches. We sail on the HMS Medusa – a harbor patrol boat that played a crucial role guiding the invasion fleet through minefields. The episode explores the technology behind the most unseaworthy vessel of the invasion – the Duplex Drive tanks and pays tribute to Andrew Higgins whose landing craft brought so many men to the Normandy shore.

The evolution from wooden ships to metal ones in the second half of the 19th century is examined. This episode opens in 1845 with a tug of war between HMS Rattler and HMS Alecto to test which was better - paddle or propeller. We reinstate HMS Warrior's place in history; in 1860, she was the largest, fastest ship in the world. The Civil War battle between USS Monitor and CSS Virginia at Hampton Roads changed naval warfare. We pinpoint the moment the USA became a global superpower when we recreate how the USS Olympia won the Battle of Manila Bay, and we show how the revolutionary British HMS Dreadnought brought ship design into the 20th century.

In the late 1800s, the invention of the self-propelled torpedo incited a revolution in ship design. Navies needed new vessels to fire them and to defend against them. Enter torpedo boats--fast, lightweight ships that would play a big role in both World Wars. The very first one was constructed in Chiswick on the River Thames. Although pioneered by the British, it was the Germans that built some of the deadliest torpedo boats, known as Schnellboots. They showed their capabilities when a group of S-Boats stumbled on a D-Day rehearsal off the coast of Dorset - over 700 men were killed. The MTB 102 was the smallest vessel to ever serve as a Royal Navy flagship. John F. Kennedy first made headline news in 1943 as skipper of a motor torpedo boat, the PT-109, when he and his crew were shipwrecked in the Pacific. We tell the story of their rescue.

From the Cuban Missile Crisis to the covert naval operations of the 1980s, see the role of combat ships during the Cold War. This was an era of espionage, treachery, and the flexing of military muscle. Over four decades, the naval capabilities of East and West threatened mutually assured destruction, which helped maintain a tense but stable peace between the superpowers. Witness stories of remarkable humanity and bravery as we examine the period's most fearsome warships and subs and their operations in Cuba, Vietnam, and Soviet waters.

Explore two submarines, the Soviet Foxtrot B49 and the British HMS Ocelot – former Cold War enemies now moored in River Medway, Kent, U.K. Hear the story of Vasili Arkhipov, a Soviet submariner aboard the Foxtrot B59 who refused to authorize a nuclear launch. On board the destroyer USS Joseph P. Kennedy, see the role that she played in the blockade of Cuba. The Cold War spilled into the Far East, and we hear from Gerald Feola, a Vietnam vet and A-1 Skyraider crewmember on the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid. We tell the story of USS Midway whose Captain Larry Chambers ordered valuable helicopters to be pushed into the sea so Major Buang Lee (a South Vietnamese pilot) and his family fleeing Saigon could land in a small Cessna.

In the past two centuries of combat, ships and the brave men and women aboard them have played a major role in rescuing thousands of people--some injured, some in need of transport, and others fleeing for their lives. Board some of history's most remarkable rescue ships, from the USS Constellation, which hunted down illegal slave ships in 1860 to the most unlikely rescue ship of World War II, a tiny workboat called the Gerda III that saved hundreds of Danish Jews from Nazi terror. View stories of hospital ships and those who served on them, including the tragic story of the sinking of the Titanic's sister vessel, HMHS Britannic. Remember the sinking of the RMS Lancastria off the French port of St. Nazaire evacuating British nationals and troops from France two weeks after the Dunkirk evacuation, resulting in the largest single-ship loss of life in British maritime history with 3,000 to 5,800 fatalities.

For centuries, small vessels have made immense contributions in times of war, thanks to the expertise, bravery, and sheer willpower of their designers and crews. See the remarkable stories of war's small ships and the major roles they played at Pearl Harbor, Dunkirk, and more. Witness David-and-Goliath stories involving the tiny combat vessels that took on massive battleships and deadly subs. From the short-lived but legendary 1776 gunboat USS Philadelphia built to stop a British invasion on Lake Champlain, to the British gunboat M33 at Gallipoli, to the remarkable story of the Japanese HA.-19 minisubmarine at Pearl Harbor, see how ships of war don't have to be large to make history.

A 500-year journey aboard history's most famous, most sophisticated, and most heavily armed wooden warships. Voyage back to the age when wooden warships were the ultimate fighting machines. From the Mary Rose, one of the first great combat ships and Henry VIII's flagship, we learn about life on a Tudor ship from objects found during her salvage. While on HMS Victory, we learn the battle-winning tactics of Admiral Nelson, which tattered Napoleon's plans of invading Britain in 1805. Learn about the frigates HMS Trincomalee and USS Constitution and the British schooner Kathleen and May. Celebrate history's brave commanders and crews who rode these wooden wonders into battle. Witness how technological advancements in Europe and America led to longer, faster, and more heavily armed vessels.

Explore the dark side of naval warfare--a world of deception, double-dealing, and disguised vessels--throughout the first half of the 20th century. See how Britain's Royal Navy attempted to fool German U-boats through the technique of "dazzle painting," then look at the ingeniously designed Gizmo, an American spy vessel that never made it beyond American waters. Witness the wild, creative, and audacious ways navies disguised their vessels in times of war and the use of intelligence to carry out naval attacks.

This is the story of one of the world's most effective war machines: the Viking longship. Over the centuries, longships evolved from swift war canoes to become the preeminent fighting machines of the age. For over 200 years, Vikings depended on these vessels to carry them across the ocean to trade and to plunder. With names such as Surf Dragon and Great Serpent, these ships became part of Viking culture and took on almost magical properties. They were elegant, versatile, and feared. But what was the secret behind their power? We examine the story of longships and those who built them, a warrior people who were often violent, terrifying, and bloody...but also expert craftsmen. The Vikings and their ships changed the course of history.

Over the past century, combat ships have been operating in secret, unseen by the enemy. Today, the military uses groundbreaking, radar-reflecting technology to evade detection, but long before, the U.S. Navy has employed stealth tactics to pull off crucial operations that helped win wars. Join us as we take a look at World War II operations involving the small and fast PT boat, the daring motor yacht Sundowner, and the legendary submarine HMS Seraph. Then see how the 1985 prototype Sea Shadow paved the way for the stealth ships of today like the Ghost.

Doomed Vessels explores the human errors that condemned great ships to a tragic end, including the Vasa, a 17th-century combat ship that sank on her maiden voyage, and K-13, an experimental British submarine that sank in 1917 with the loss of 32 crewmen.

Destroyers and cruisers are the quintessential combat ships, each featuring speed and firepower while carrying out unique roles within a navy. We highlight the similarities and differences of these two warships and share stories of some of the most influential vessels and battles, from the lone-wolf cruiser, HMS Gannet, which became a powerful symbol of the Victorian anti-slavery campaign to the legendary USS Laffey, the World War II destroyer that stared down the largest kamikaze attack in history off Okinawa. Other ships featured are the cruiser HMS Belfast on D-Day, the heavy cruisers USS Salem and USS Newport News, and the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Howard. 

Stories of espionage at sea, including deadly U-boat cat-and-mouse games during the Great War, the sinking of the Lusitania, a gun-smuggling private yacht that made history and liners-turned-troopships.

In the 16th century, the Spanish Armada was the reigning maritime superpower, with mighty galleons at their disposal. On the other hand, the English were the upstarts, opportunistic pirates with inferior ships. Led by buccaneering figures such as Francis Drake and John Hawkins, English ship technology began to catch up, leading to the revolutionary "race-built galleons." In 1588, both sides would meet in battle for the right to be declared rulers of the waves. England defeated the Spanish Armada and became a world power.

It was a microcosm of naval warfare, involving battleships, carriers, destroyers, submarines, kamikazes, and fighter jets, all embroiled in an epic, three-day battle in October 1944 that marked the beginning of the end to the Pacific War of WWII. This is a comprehensive look at the Battle of Leyte Gulf in the Philippines and the thousands of vessels involved, including the largest, most powerful battleships ever built: Japan's Musashi and Yamato. We detail the brilliant strategies, heroic acts, stunning decisions, and mighty machines that made this the biggest sea conflict in history.

Explore vessels built for amphibious combat over the last century, from D-Day LCTs to Vietnam hovercrafts. This account of amphibious assault craft includes the restoration and story of Britain's last surviving landing craft, tank (LCT 7074), designed to carry six Churchill tanks for D-Day. Vietnam-era craft covered are the Swift Boats and PACV (Patrol Air Cushion Vehicle) combat hovercraft. Other types include the Landing Craft, Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft and the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) Independence-class and Freedom-class.

Over the centuries, many battles at sea were decided by breakthrough ships, "game changers" that turned the tide of war and made maritime history. This episode looks at these revolutionary vessels, from the War of 1812 hero, the USS Constitution, to the small and speedy CMB-4 to the mass-produced Liberty cargo ships. We also celebrate the groundbreaking designers and engineers behind the game changers, including Raye Montague, who smashed gender and racial barriers and revolutionized how U.S. Navy designs ships.

The Battle of Trafalgar pit the British Royal Navy against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies in October 1805 in the Atlantic Ocean. The naval engagement lasted only five hours but established the Royal Navy's supremacy for over a century. The deadly conflict featured legendary leaders Napoleon Bonaparte and Horatio Nelson along with the greatest warships of their era: the HMS Victory and the Santísima Trinidad. We present a blow-by-blow account of the conflict, from the innovative tactics to the events that unfolded when the guns began firing to the tragic climax that cemented Admiral Nelson's legacy.

A portrayal of a crucial September 1950 military operation that helped the UN and ROK gain the upper hand over North Korea in the Korean War.

The Persian Gulf has been the stage for some of the biggest naval deployments in recent history, and since 1987, the U.S. military and its warships have been in the middle of the action, facing missiles, mines, and terrorist attacks. In this episode, we follow some of the major operations that have taken place in this small body of water—from Earnest Will to Praying Mantis to Desert Storm—and examine the combat vessels from both sides, including the Mark III Patrol Boat, the IRIS Sabalan with the USS Samuel B. Roberts, the USS Missouri on its final mission, and USS Cole hit by a suicide bomber.

New high-tech investigations uncover what sunk a World War I cruiser, a World War II submarine, a British destroyer from the Falklands War, and more.

A look at how navy weapons have evolved over the centuries, from cannons to gun turrets to nuclear missiles and beyond.

A look at Naval warfare's fastest combat ships and how the advantage of speed determined the outcome of some of the great seas battles of the last 150 years.

A look at riverine warfare from the Civil War to Vietnam and small but powerful combat ships that led important "brown water navy" missions.

Larry Chambers makes a risky decision during the Vietnam War. Ernest Evans faces a formidable Japanese fleet during WWII, and enslaved steamship pilot, Robert Smalls, stages a daring escape.

Experts discuss nautical explosions, including an attack on the USS Westchester County during the Vietnam War, a collision in Canada during WWI and a nuclear test in the Pacific Ocean.

A Black Merchant Marine in World War II forces the Navy to desegregate his ship, a teenage slave pressed into Royal Navy service finds himself in the thick of the Seven Years' War, and more.

American troops' determination to secure a vital airfield and preserve communication lines with Australia leads to a chaotic and deadly night battle in the Pacific theater of World War II.

Anti-war sentiment irrupting on the SS Columbia Eagle and racial unrest aboard the USS Kitty Hawk spark rebellions at sea during the Vietnam War; mutineers overthrow Captain Bligh on the HMS Bounty; and the revolt on the American slave ship Creole ends in triumph.

A look at how maritime task forces and the Coast Guard are keeping commercial vessels and US shores safe from pirates and drug smugglers.

A look at how technological advances over the centuries have led to bigger and faster combat ships and transformed maritime warfare.

Examining some of maritime history's most effective lightning strikes; how the French frigate Nivôse set a trap to lure Somali pirates; how the HMS Illustrious captured a well-defended Mediterranean harbor in WWII; a surprise attack on Tokyo in 1942.