Ep 1. Killer Strike

In the season 3 premiere of Hell Below, titled "Killer Strike," viewers are taken back to World War II, where they witness the harrowing experiences of the American submarine, USS Barb. The episode opens with the Barb's captain, Commander Eugene B. Fluckey, pondering possible ways to torpedo Japanese ships when he came to the realization that they could put explosives on land and watch the ships sink. This led to the creation of what is now known as the only enlisted man-led nighttime commando raid in United States submarine history.

The episode shows how the Barb crew went ashore on the coast of Honshu, Japan, and placed explosives under a train track, effectively stopping the movement of Japanese supplies between Tokyo and the northern part of the country. The crew's courage is highlighted as they also sunk Japanese ships that were anchored near the train station, which left hundreds of soldiers stranded on the coast.

The USS Barb later came across a convoy of Japanese ships, sending torpedoes their way, but due to the fact the Japanese ships were zig-zagging to avoid submarine attacks, they missed their target. Realizing there were no further chances to attack, the Barb submerged for most of the daylight hours, gradually moving closer towards the convoy.

As the sun began to set, the crew of the Barb tracked the Japanese convoy which made an easy target for a near-suicidal maneuver called "corkscrew." The maneuver required the submarine to come up to periscope depth, reach maximum speed, and then turn hard and fast to avoid being detected. The Barb successfully surprised the Japanese convoy and attacked them from an angle that the Japanese didn't expect.

As the episode progresses, viewers are shown how the Barb crew continued to grapple with the elements of the sea, narrowly avoiding detection by the Japanese military. They would go on to attack a standing minefield and create new tactics that would change submarine warfare forever. The episode concludes with the Barb crew navigating through the treacherous waters of the Yellow Sea en route to an attack on yet another Japanese convoy.

"Killer Strike" is a testament to the bravery and sacrifice that many American submariners faced during WWII. The episode highlights the importance and danger of submarine warfare and underscores the tenacity and courage of those who served on the frontlines. Viewers are left with the feeling that war is never simple, and that it takes incredible courage to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds.