OT - WWII quiz

[ItBurns]

Extraneous is of course correct. Although in retrospect the US had in good luck considering that both Japanese BattleCruisers were carrying mostly land bombardment shells instead of armor piercing. This certainly prevented more sinkings on the US side.

[ezzler]

Two US heavy cruiser Captains committed suicide. What were their names? Which cruisers? Why?

Pretty sure you're right about Indianapolis.
I think he survived the sinking but killed himself some years later whilst suffering from depression.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

ORIGINAL: paulderynck

Two US heavy cruiser Captains committed suicide. What were their names? Which cruisers? Why?

Warspite1

One was Captain Bode of the USS Chicago. His handling of Chicago during the Battle of Savo Island was heavily criticised - I do not know whether he was actually court-martialled - but this censure led to him shooting himself.

When a Japanese cruiser squadron launched a night attack in the waters off Guadalcanal, they fell upon the cruisers of the southern group first (these cruisers were defending the transports off Guadalcanal - the northern group of cruisers were guarding the transports off Tulagi). For some reason, after being attacked, Bode ordered Chicago away from the attackers - and away from the transports he was supposed to be protecting. Chicago survived the encounter, but HMAS Canberra and three US cruisers of the northern group did not.

Fortunately the Japanese did not turn their attentions to the, still partially unloaded transports, but Savo Island was a major defeat nonetheless.

I can only guess the other captain committed suicide for a similar reason i.e. being blamed for the loss of his ship or battle. I think the captain of USS Indianapolis fell in the former category - do not know his name.

Right both times.

[paulderynck]

ORIGINAL: ezz

Two US heavy cruiser Captains committed suicide. What were their names? Which cruisers? Why?

Pretty sure you're right about Indianapolis.
I think he survived the sinking but killed himself some years later whilst suffering from depression.

Yes. Capt McVay was tortured by the long delay before it was realized the Indianapolis was overdue. This was related to the fact it was carrying parts for the A-Bombs to Tinian and its mission was top secret. He was eventually exonerated, but killed himself in 1968.

[Extraneous]

The "Liberty ship" (nicknamed "ugly ducklings" by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt) was the name given to the EC2 type ship designed for "Emergency Construction” by the United States Maritime Commission in World War II.

The first of the 2,751 Liberty ships was the SS Patrick Henry, launched on Sept. 27, 1941, and built to a standardized, mass produced design. The 250,000 parts were pre-fabricated throughout the country in 250-ton sections and welded together in about 70 days for a cost of under 2 million dollars.

The Liberty was 441 feet long and 56 feet wide. Her three-cylinder, reciprocating steam engine, fed by two oil-burning boilers produced 2,500 hp and a speed of 11 knots. Her 5 holds could carry over 9,000 tons of cargo, plus airplanes, tanks, and locomotives lashed to its deck. A Liberty could carry 2,840 jeeps, 440 tanks, or 230 million rounds of rifle ammunition.

Liberty ships were named after prominent (deceased) Americans, starting with Patrick Henry and the signers of the Declaration of Independence 18 were named for outstanding African-Americans.



Question 1: Which Liberty ship was built in the shortest amount of time?

Question 2: How long did it take to build four, five, six, or seven days?

Question 3: British "Liberty ships" names were all prefixed with what class name?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

The "Liberty ship" (nicknamed "ugly ducklings" by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt) was the name given to the EC2 type ship designed for "Emergency Construction” by the United States Maritime Commission in World War II.

The first of the 2,751 Liberty ships was the SS Patrick Henry, launched on Sept. 27, 1941, and built to a standardized, mass produced design. The 250,000 parts were pre-fabricated throughout the country in 250-ton sections and welded together in about 70 days for a cost of under 2 million dollars.

The Liberty was 441 feet long and 56 feet wide. Her three-cylinder, reciprocating steam engine, fed by two oil-burning boilers produced 2,500 hp and a speed of 11 knots. Her 5 holds could carry over 9,000 tons of cargo, plus airplanes, tanks, and locomotives lashed to its deck. A Liberty could carry 2,840 jeeps, 440 tanks, or 230 million rounds of rifle ammunition.

Liberty ships were named after prominent (deceased) Americans, starting with Patrick Henry and the signers of the Declaration of Independence 18 were named for outstanding African-Americans.



Question 1: Which Liberty ship was built in the shortest amount of time?

Question 2: How long did it take to build four, five, six, or seven days?

Question 3: British "Liberty ships" names were all prefixed with what class name?

Warspite1

1. ?
2. Four days
3. Empire.

[Extraneous]

Warspite1

1. ?
2. Four days
3. Empire.

4 days is correct.

Empire is incorrect.

These sixty of this class vessels were built to the original 'Empire Liberty' design which was in essence the first 'North Sands' ship. Thirty of the vessels were built on the West Coast at Richmond, California and thirty on the East coast at South Portland, Maine. All of this class of vessels were paid for and owned by the British Government. When the U.S.A. joined the war, no further ships were ordered directly by the British Government from the U.S.A. but were dealt with under the Lease-Lend Act.

Edited to protect the class name.

[Extraneous]

Question 1: The ship was named for a famous American exploror and Rear Admiral whos first name was NOT Oliver.

Question 3: The class is named for a large body of salt water.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous

Question 1: The ship was named for a famous American exploror and Rear Admiral whos first name was NOT Oliver.

Question 3: The class is named for a large body of salt water.

Warspite1

Ahhh - Peary, Robert E of that ilk [:)]

[micheljq]

ORIGINAL: Extraneous


Question 3: The class is named for a large body of salt water.

Ocean class?

[Extraneous]

[:D] Correct [:D]

1. The SS Robert E. Peary (0440) USAT (United States Army Transport)
2. Four days
3. The Ocean class

[warspite1]

Everyone knows of Isoroku Yammamoto. But what does Isoroku mean and why was this name given to Yammamoto?

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Everyone knows of Isoroku Yammamoto. But what does Isoroku mean and why was this name given to Yammamoto?

Isoroku

Isoroku means "56".

I believe it was how old his father was when he was born. (I know it was some relative, and I just assume it's the father, but I'm not 100% sure.)

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Ur_Vile_WEdge

ORIGINAL: warspite1

Everyone knows of Isoroku Yammamoto. But what does Isoroku mean and why was this name given to Yammamoto?

Isoroku

Isoroku means "56".

I believe it was how old his father was when he was born. (I know it was some relative, and I just assume it's the father, but I'm not 100% sure.)

Warspite1

Well that's impressive! and the correct answer. How did you come to know that, if I may ask?

[Ur_Vile_WEdge]

One of my old history Professors, Mario Kessler, used to love exchanging trivia. The guy knew *everything*, and I'd actually seen basically the same question before from him 

[Extraneous]

Yamamoto Isoroku (1884-1943)

Yamamoto Isoroku (1884-1943) was Commander-in-chief of combined Japanese fleet, who was Japan's greatest naval strategist in World War II.

Yamamoto Isoroku, "the Nelson of the Japanese navy," was originally born Takano Isoroku, sixth son of an impoverished schoolteacher, Takano Teikichi, and his second wife Mineko, on April 4, 1884. Isoroku belonged to the Echigo clan, an old tough warrior people who had resisted the unification of Japan under the Meiji emperor. His father gave him the name Isoroku (meaning 56 in Japanese) as he was that age when his son was born in the small village of Kushigun Sonshomura on a bleak northern island that produced many Japanese sailors. Soon after his birth, his father became headmaster of the primary school in the nearby market town of Nagaoka.

The wealthy and socially prestigious Yamamoto family adopted Isoroku at age 30 (he was now a lieutenant commander). Such adoptions were a common practice in Japan: families lacking a male heir sought to keep the lineage from dying out. As Isoroku's parents had died several years earlier, he felt he could accept the Yamamoto's generous invitation. At a formal ceremony in a Buddhist temple, he took on the family name, which means "Base of the Mountain."

[ItBurns]

Okay, I'll try again:

How many functioning 16" caliber guns did the Battleship South Dakota have on the night of 14-15 November 1943 at the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal?

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: ItBurns

Okay, I'll try again:

How many functioning 16" caliber guns did the Battleship South Dakota have on the night of 14-15 November 1943 at the Second Naval Battle of Guadalcanal?

Warspite1

No idea - 6??

[ItBurns]

No not 6.

As a hint she was hit by a bomb on her A turrent during the previous carrier battle but all of the turrents remain operable. Not so all the guns.

[38special]

seven?