Oscar (known by his nickname, Unsinkable Sam, or by the Germanized spelling of his name, Oskar) was a ship's cat who purportedly served during World War II with both the Kriegsmarine and the Royal Navy and survived the sinking of three ships.

After word got around that the cat rescued from the wreckage of the Bismarck had survived yet another sinking, he was given a new name–Oskar became Unsinkable Sam. HMS Ark Royal Sam’s respite on dry land was short-lived, and he would return to the ocean within days.

The legendary story of 'Unsinkable Sam' dates back to World War II, when a cat survived three terrible ship sinkings. He was aboard the Bismarck, HMS Cossack, and HMS Ark Royal. However, while all three ships sank, the black and white cat, Sam, survived them all.

According to the story, Unsinkable Sam survived the destruction of three warships in World War II and lived happily until 1955. A pastel portrait of Sam (titled “Oscar, the Bismarck’s Cat”) by...

For five years, the black and white cat escorted U.S. Navy men bound for combat in the Atlantic during World War II. According to legend, while at sea, Unsinkable Sam managed to escape three different attacks totally unscathed.