THE ROYAL NAVY

IN WW II

Never as well publicized as its counterpart Royal Air Force, Britain’s Naval Air Arm nevertheless made its presence felt in every major action of the sea war

This happens to be a "TWO PART" article....so if your in for "darn good read"...and your into the "airborne" part of WW II's "sea fight"....this will certainly be an eye opener for you.

I'm going to put an 'intro' here so you can get a feel for what these "two parts" entail....

With his usual steely resolve L/Cmdr. Eugene Esmonde, skipper of 825 Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, climbed into the open cockpit of his Swordfish biplane torpedo-bomber knowing in all probability he would not  survive the mission. At best, the task Esmonde and hi fellow 17 flyers had been assigned was suicidal for they were ordered to intercept and sink the powerfully armed German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen. Detected making a sudden break from their heavily defended anchorages at Brest on 12 February 1942, the trio was making a desperate attempt to return to the Baltic’s less-hazardous

waters.  

Compounding the dangers of this suddenly organized mission was the knowledge that the German ship were escorted by several squadrons of elite German fighters under the command of Luftwaffe ace Adolph Galland; that the deadly anti-aircraft batteries of the battle-cruisers had been tripled during their lengthy stay in occupied France. What’s more, the warship’s daring daylight departure, which came to be known as the “Channel Dash” or Operation Cereberus, was conducted in broad daylight thereby denying the lumbering Swordfish the cover of night.

Accepting their assignment with stoic indifference, squadron commander Esmonde, who a day earlier had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order for leading the daring assault on the Bismarck in May 1941, took off from the Naval air base at Manston shortly after noon.  Once airborne, Esmonde learned that only one squadron of Spitfires was available to protect his flight of six 90-mph fabric-cover Swordfish, or “String Bags,” as they were affectionately known............................

PART ONE

PART TWO

Hope you enjoy hearing about this tad of history 

THE KENTUCKY.."ONE BIG DUDE"

This is a fairly long article....and actually there is a huge amount of data offered in this article about this 'Battleship"....which in my opinion was one very awesome vessel, so I'm not going to go into a great deal of detail on this intro.....

Yes, it is and older warship.....but it also provides a great deal of info on what this warship was involved in as an example of involvement in the goings on of the "Great White Fleet"....

You can link up to this article by clicking : HERE


Hope you enjoy the article

cshortridge73@gmail.com

THE "FRIGATES"

If you've got a fair amount of interest in ships, nautical and naval history it is highly likely that the word "frigate" has bubbled to the surface of what you've read or heard.  I'm sure you've learned that this word was in reference to a particular type of warship that has been around for at least 250 + years.

The "frigate" is a type of warship that has went through many, many changes....not only in the U.S., but by every nation that has maintained a Navy....actually there has been over 200 changes to this type of vessel  for most to the Navies of the world.

I'm also fairly certain that you've heard of the term "sons of a gun" or "son of a gun"....well this article will tell you just how that term is in reference to the this type of vessel,.....also you'll learn just how needed this type of vessel was to fight the U-boat war...so as the people of England could receive much needed food during the War.

This article is pretty darn interesting....both with the history of this type of vessel but just how far it has evolved over the years and it is still around....and a glimpse of the future of this puppy...
You can link to the complete article by clicking: HERE 

Hope you enjoy the article.

cshortridge73@gmail.com

LAST MYSTERY SHIPWRECK

The "Newest" of the Japanese weapons was used on ole "Miss"....the weapon was referred to as the "Kaiten"....translated ["turning of the heavens" or "heaven shaker"]...this 48 ft long weapon....carried 3,418 pounds of high explosives...which was four times the size of the parent torpedo’s successful armament. Launched from the deck of specially adapted I-class mother submarines, single pilots could guide their unwieldy craft towards targets as far as 30 miles away, usually at depths between 15 to 40 feet and at speeds up to 27 knots.

Once released, there was no return.

If you'd care to let your eyes dance over this 6 or so page article on how all this came about...just click: SHIP WRECK  and you'll be taken right too the article.

Hope you enjoy!!

TERRIBLE TURNER

THE MAN WHO GAVE THE NAVY WEB FEET

Yes...Adm. Richmond Kelly Turner....was one tough ole bird....gruff, irascible and egotistical...all of that and then some, but say what you wish of this guy he taught the Navy the basics of amphibious warfare, and many don't realize that he master-planned most of the Pacific War's major invasions.

Although Turner has the scrubbed look of a Catholic priest, he had a reputation of having a hot temper, rude  bluntness and a resolute dislike for officers who did not display a keen interest in their duties. To be chewed out by the gruff admiral was to have been dressed down by a master.

So great a debacle as the slaughter at Savo called for someone in the chain of command to be held  accountable. After so many months of seeing America’s military humiliated and humbled by the forces of

Imperial Japan, Washington and an outraged American public demanded a scapegoat. And that someone was hot-tempered R/Adm. Richmond Kelly Turner, for as Commander of Amphibious Forces he was in overall charge of the Navy’s first thrust to retake conquered Japanese territory.

Here is a tad of info in my opinion one of the great military men of our time....yes, rough and told it like it was, owned up to his mistakes.....but you can say all you want about his ways...."HE DID GET THE JOB DONE!"

If you wish to read the story on Mr. "Terrible Turner".....just click: HERE

Hope you enjoy the article.

THE SS MANHATTAN & THE SS WASHINGTON

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The above two handsome United States Lines cabin liners brought about a revolution in class nomenclature on the North Atlantic.  But fate was to cut their days of posh cruising short when WW II saw both the SS Manhattan and the SS Washington quickly converted into much-needed troop transports.

As the Navy's USS Wakefield and USS Mount Vernon, both proud liners would feel the sting of enemy action.

Actually these two Liners had accommodations equal to the best afloat.  These Liners averaged over 800 passengers on westbound voyages in 1937....and don't forget this was in the depression years.  They made there company a lot of 'dollars'....and I do mean a lot!!!  They averaged over 68 percent of capacity...I'd say that would even be good in todays world.

Well both had there time in the war effort when the Navy took them over for troopships, and believe it or not they both lived to tell there story.....so here it is.

Just click: HERE if you want to read this 14 page article.....I do believe you'll find it most interesting.

Enjoy!!

SURFMEN OF THE U.S. LIFE SAVING SERVICE

This particular article that I am presenting here was actually sent to me from a relative of a gentleman that served in this era of saving mariners from the perils of shipwrecks before the type of rescue equipment we have in today's world.

I read it through at least a couple of times.....and what I liked about the article is the author put you right inside the story he is telling.....actually he made you "one of the surfmen" at the Life Saving Station at Blue Point Station (Fire Island, Long Island, New York) back in the 1930's.

So I took the article and copied word for word from the article itself.....but I did add pictures to hopefully give the reader more of a feel of what the author was attempting to explain on how rescues actually took place....and explaining some of there equipment that they were using in this era.

You soon realize that these men spent their entire working lives in only one pursuit: Saving the lives of shipwrecked mariners from our coastal beaches.  All were member of the U.S. Live Saving Service....established by the federal government to save lives of imperiled sailors and passengers.

If you'd care to give this article a going over I do believe you'll find it most interesting at how this author....whom retired from this service....puts you right into the mix of what is taking place.

Just click: HERE

Hope you find the article interesting

WHAT HAPPENED ON THE USS SAILFISH (SS-192)?

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If you've read the article that is below about the raising of the SS Squalus (SS-192)....you've already got the basis of how this article more or less starts out.

As you know the Squalus sank when performing sea trials....with a huge loss of 26 men...and history in the making of pulling 33 souls from this sub 240 ft down...setting on the bottom, with air running out...and then raising the iron cigar to be refurbished to sail again.

Well after being re-floated, refurbish...she was renamed the Sailfish...but she carried the same hull number as the Squalus...(SS-192).  The Sailfish was crewed up...and a new commanding officer assigned....Mr. Morton Mumma.  A strict commanding officer...actually known as "Summary Court Martial Mumma" a no-nonsense kind of guy....would not tolerate jokes nor any discussion of Sailfish's earlier history.....oh folks he was one tough ole bird....but.....yep there was a "but"

The "tough ole bird" cracked when pressure came to bear in an attack on enemy ships.

So...that is what this article is all about....but I would encourage you to read the story below this first to give yourself some back ground on the development of this particular U. S. Submarine.

You can link to this article by clicking: HERE

I hope you enjoy the article

THE RAISING OF USS SQUALUS (SS-192)

The "incident" of the sinking, of the USS Squalus (SS-192) was actually resulted in 26 lost lives, but on the other side of these terrible deaths...was history in the making because 33 others were trapped inside the hull.  As  the Nation and the World watched and waited the Navy pulled these men up from that tomb that so trapped them 240 feet below.....never before had this been accomplish.

Well if you read the article you'll soon read that they not only got the 33 men out....in time they raised that iron shaped cigar, towed it back to harbor.....refitted her....and she set sail again...as the Sailfish....but she kept the (SS-192).  This is one darn interesting story folks.....and actually if you read this article you'll want to read the next one that follows....because that is about the Sailfish (SS-192) [which actually in the Squalus after it was refloated and went through a refit.....and in entails the story of : Commanding Officer that Broke down!!!

And that one also is going to be darn interesting.  How many times have you heard of a "Commanding Officer Breaking Down"....and to admit that he was scared!!!  And if you shake your head on that....he even was awarded the Navy Cross.  But we are getting ahead of ourselves...that is the next one following this one.

Click HERE to read the article on the Raising of the Squalus (SS-192)

SNEAK CRAFT ATTACK IN THE PACIFIC

Many of you that are 'somewhat' interested in the history of the U.S. Navy, the wars it was involved in no doubt has read a tad about the midget subs at Pearl Harbor on that dreadful day in  our history.

Well this article not only provides some insight into that situation but as well with other manners that involved the "Sneak Craft."  So you see "midget subs" were not the 'only' manner in which the Japanese was taking on a type of warfare that was fairly new to us.

There was the midget subs...as we've stated....well did you ever read about the "Explosive Boats" and how about the "Sea Tigers"....that swam up to a ship with a torpedo....the Japanese used every means available to them to lay destruction onto the enemy....

This article is an eye-opener....it really is....it is a 14-pager...and so will take a tad of time to read...many pics .....so I don't think you'll be disappointed in giving this some of your reading time.

If you'd care to 'give it a go'....well just click on the below title link and it will pop right up.

SNEAK CRAFT ATTACK

Hope you enjoy the article

cshortridge73@gmail.com

CHAOS AT SHIMINOSEKI

This article is about "mine warfare" and how effective it was in WW II in cutting off Japanese shipping to the "Motherland"

There was a fairly new tactic in 'mine warfare' that was being considered......using mines in the sea really started back in the late 1500's and the idea was played with with fellows such as David Bushnell....as well as Robert Fulton dabbled in it as well...so mines had been around for a long time....but what is an effective way to 'deliver' these units of mast destruction to an area?

Well during WW II they  ['they' being the top heavy hitters] come to the conclusion of using B-29's or better known as 'Superforts' to fly over an inlet or an entrance to a harbor and drop mines....figuring this could and would tie up the shipping going in and out of that harbor fairly well.

This light bulb of an idea transformed into a highly effect noose that tighten when we made plans to shut off Japan's 'aorta' of getting commerce in and out of the Straits of Shiminoseki.  We decided to use mines, dropped by the Superforts and close off this route.

This plan, which there was five phases to.....was called "Operation Starvation".....and let me tell you folks it worked like a charm.

In this article there is a tad of mine history....but the meat of the article has a fair amount of 'detail' in it....and I myself think it adds to the delivery of just how effective this operation ended up being, and how cost effective it was in comparison to other military maneuvers.

It is a rather long article....but chucked full of excellent info .....if your into some good reading just click on the below title:

CHAOS AT SHIMINOSEKI

Hope you enjoy the article

cshortridge73@gmail.com

THE TWO FATHOM FLEET

"NO-MAN'S-WATER"

Your no doubt wondering....what the heck do you mean by "No-Man's-Water?"  Well you see during WW II we had to get men ashore onto these many, many islands....so to do this we had to use Navy vessels with designations beginning "L."

Oh we could and did get the Marines, Army and so forth to these islands...but there was this perilous stretch between the transport area and the beach which could not be transited by these deep draft transports.

This is where the LCI's came into play.....this "No-Man's-Water"....was dreaded and avoided by the "Deep-Water-Men".....but to the men of the beloved "L" craft....a sloping beach was in addition to being a necessary unpleasantness in an invasion....it was a haven of refuge, a garage if you will...a convenient dry dock when the fighting had passed on.

If you've never gave something like this a whole lot of thought.....I would suggest you give this 'short article' a tumble....you'll be in awe of how the skippers of the LCI's got things done......I'd say they had the attitude of "Where there is a will.....there damn sure is a way"

THE TWO FATHOM FLEET

Hope you enjoy the article

SEABEE SUPPLY WAS BIG BUSINESS

Lets just suppose....you had a half dozen apples, someone gave you three oranges, and then some nut told you to 'subtract' five sacks of flour.....then this same 'nut' told you to come to the bottom line of "How Many Automobile Tires Would You Have Left????

Hmmmmmmm....I don't know about you but I'd be a tad confused.

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Well I hate to burst your bubble ......but there were individuals that did in fact deal with this sort of arrangement during the war.  They were the "Seabee Supply Officers"

These "Supply Officers" didn't deal in 'money'....it all was built around the 'barter' system....and let me tell you folks they were darn good at what they were able to accomplish.

These "Battalion Supply Officers....they not only supplied and operated little services to the unit....such as barber shops...cobbler shops....sundries stores....laundries and yes even watch repair shops....  But, there was still the lumber that was needed for bridges...clothing for the men in whatever climate they were in....it went on and on....

So.....this article is what these guys done....there responsibilities....and how they accomplished it all.

I really do think you'll find it super interesting

If you wish to give it a read....just click HERE

cshortridge73@gmail.com