Opening the hatch to the little-known activities of the least visible of our WWII fighting forces, “Silent Service” details the experiences of one Midwestern young man on submarines in the Pacific. We will hear stories from specific missions as well as everyday details of life on a sub. Part of the mystery surrounding submarine service is that they are designed to operate stealthily. One understanding of the term “Silent Service” is that the sailors on a submarine had difficulty communicating with family back home because the success of their missions required concealing all details of their activities. Another reason for the nickname is that the men had to be very conscious of any noise they made while in enemy waters, which is why they “ran silent and deep.”  

Subject: history 

Nancy Bensfield is the daughter of a WWII submariner. George Swanson, Nancy’s father, was a teacher and administrator after the war. The two of them went to different Chicago area schools to share his story. Now she continues his legacy by giving new audiences a glimpse of those experiences. She received her undergraduate degree from Vassar College and her master's from Northern Illinois University. She is a retired teacher and enjoys volunteering with CALL.