Afterwards, Lipes' actions were criticized by US Navy doctors and the US Surgeon General even considered court-martialling him.
The operation took place 120 feet below the surface of the South China Sea. Lipes was persuaded to do the operation by his fellow crewmen. The sub's crew had believed that Lipes was the most qualified person to perform such a life-or-death operation, as he had apparently observed appendectomies before. They used kitchen utensils and equipment including a strainer and bent spoons as retractors alcohol taken from torpedoes, and sterilized pajamas as surgical gowns. The two were able to extract the appendix of Seaman Darrell Dean Rector under very trying conditions with limited resources and skills. The real-life appendectomy was performed by 22-year-old pharmacist's mate Wheeler B.
The appendectomy operation conducted by the character Pills ( William Prince) was inspired by an actual appendix operation performed aboard the submarine "Seadragon" in 1942.
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