The Only Underwater Submarine Duel In Naval History
Surprisingly rare
Submarines are supremely useful military tools. They can effectively sink surface ships, carry long-range missiles to bombard distant targets, collect information, and transport important people or secret goods long distances without detection. Since their rise to prominence in World War I, submarines have been used in all of these roles and more. However, for all of their versatility, submarines are not designed to duel each other beneath the waves. Instances where submarines sink other submarines are actually incredibly rare.
Submarines usually sink due to accidents, internal explosions, or fire or by destroyers designed to hunt and reduce submarines. During World War I and World War II, if a submarine managed to sink another submarine, it usually did so on the surface via a deck gun. The victorious sub would win by bombarding a wounded or unsuspecting submarine, recharging its batteries.
In the long history of submarine warfare there has only been a single instance in which one submarine managed to sink another while both of them were submerged. Like many military oddities from history, this story comes to us from World War II.
