The San Luis. Memories of an Argentinian Submarine in the Malvinas War

Abstract

Between April and June of 1982, the South Atlantic conflict took place between Argentina and England. On April 2nd, Argentina recovered the Malvinas Islands, after almost 150 years of British usurpation. In response, England sent a huge air-naval contingent to the South Atlantic. The combats took place both by sea and air and land. The maritime battle had one of its most painful chapters when on May 2nd, a British submarine sank the Argentine cruiser ARA General Belgrano. 323 Argentinians died during this attack. This event resulted in the withdrawal of the National Navy's ships to its port. Only one Argentine warship did not fit into that logic: a small conventional submarine. This submarine remained in the combat zone, not only threatening and attacking the Royal Navy, but also managing to escape the threat posed by the British naval power, the true experts in anti-submarine warfare. That vessel was the ARA San Luis submarine. This is its story. The approach will be made through first-hand sources, seeking to get closer to the actions of this submarine, as well as the war experience of its crew.