OT - WWII quiz

[brian brian]

and here's one just for Warspite.

Several British and American warships served in both the Europe and Pacific theaters. Did any participate in combat with all three Axis navies? I'm thinking of several CVs and possibly some surface ships, though there are so many of those to consider. Maybe too many answers for a good trivia question.



edit: don't miss my other question at the bottom of page 100. the August '44 tidbit gives you a couple clues...but I think you will likely forget one

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

and here's one just for Warspite.

Several British and American warships served in both the Europe and Pacific theaters. Did any participate in combat with all three Axis navies? I'm thinking of several CVs and possibly some surface ships, though there are so many of those to consider. Maybe too many answers for a good trivia question.



edit: don't miss my other question at the bottom of page 100. the August '44 tidbit gives you a couple clues...but I think you will likely forget one

Warspite1

HMS Petard sunk a German, Italian and Japanese sub [&o][&o][&o]

Do you mean actual surface combat? Many of the British Pacific Fleet would qualify, except their fighting against the Japanese was against aircraft. HMS Warspite was part of the Eastern Fleet that went looking for (but did not find) Nagumo's carriers for example.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

re: Operation Sneeze....Vichy France seemed like too easy an answer. And they did contest Allied landings.

Here is a good one: Name five American generals leading at the Army level or above who commanded foreign troops. There could be more than five perhaps, especially in 1945 maybe. Name five who did it before 1945, I think I have that figured out. Eisenhower would be the easy one.

For tons of extra credit, name all American generals leading at the Corps level who commanded foreign troops. I can think of one that didn't work out too good, and one name I don't know that worked out just fine in August '44. Again 1945 would probably be even more difficult for a difficult question.

Warspite1

General Patch (French)
General Clark (British)
General Devers (French?)
General MacArthur (Australian)
General Simpson (Canadian?)

[brian brian]

that's pretty good, knowing which sank a Sub from all 3. good trivia there.

it is probably too broad a question if you consider air<>naval actions. HMS Victorious perhaps, USS Wasp (though a sail through the Med gets two at once, 2 easy). ? And lots of assorted surface ships. Maybe Med, Atlantic, Pacific to quality.

for surface, I think only the RN would have a chance at the trifecta. Perhaps the group that sank the Haguro or it's sister CA in the Malacca Strait in 1945 might make it?

[brian brian]

hmm, can't recall a US General Simpson running an Army. 1945 I would think? Or was that the Corps level list? Who ran the Corps with Free French 2nd Armored in 1944 is what I want to figure out. The Corps guy at Anzio certainly didn't endear himself to history.

You did give me one I didn't know. 6 at Army level before 1945 then. I had one included on that list. Army level is too broad as well as the Army landed in the French Rivera certainly went through some folks at the top and that messes up my count too much, which is why I cut off 1945. Ike shuffled those folks a lot by that point I think. And perhaps there were some ad hoc arrangements around the time of the Bulge in late 44.

How about this....how many Army Group Commanders from the US ultimately in charge of foreign units. I would count 3, one is a sneaky answer, and I can't recall if Dugout Doug had an Army Group or not. A mere Army Group may not have been enough for him. ahh, just tough to make a trivia question out of I guess. The US seemed more likely to hand over units to UK Army commanders than vice versa is something I've been pondering lately.

[Shannon V. OKeets]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

hmm, can't recall a US General Simpson running an Army. 1945 I would think? Or was that the Corps level list? Who ran the Corps with Free French 2nd Armored in 1944 is what I want to figure out. The Corps guy at Anzio certainly didn't endear himself to history.

You did give me one I didn't know. 6 at Army level before 1945 then. I had one included on that list. Army level is too broad as well as the Army landed in the French Rivera certainly went through some folks at the top and that messes up my count too much, which is why I cut off 1945. Ike shuffled those folks a lot by that point I think. And perhaps there were some ad hoc arrangements around the time of the Bulge in late 44.

How about this....how many Army Group Commanders from the US ultimately in charge of foreign units. I would count 3, one is a sneaky answer, and I can't recall if Dugout Doug had an Army Group or not. A mere Army Group may not have been enough for him. ahh, just tough to make a trivia question out of I guess. The US seemed more likely to hand over units to UK Army commanders than vice versa is something I've been pondering lately.

Were you looking for Stilwell?

[danlongman]

Simpson commanded United States Ninth Army winter 1944.
cheers

[danlongman]

Lucas was in command for a while at Anzio.
cheers

[warspite1]

I think Brererton commanded the 1st Allied Airborne Army. Its 18th Corps involving British and US paratroopers took part in Operation Varsity in 1945

[brian brian]

yeah, Stilwell is the sneaky one.

1945 has too much obscure stuff going on, I'll never learn all that. it was just chasing the defeated by that point anyway.

I don't think there was a 9th Army yet in winter 1944.....that would be winter 1945, but I do the same thing all the time, especially re: obscure US Civil War. the new year of war starts in the spring.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

I think Brererton commanded the 1st Allied Airborne Army. Its 18th Corps involving British and US paratroopers took part in Operation Varsity in 1945

Warspite1

Sorry - and forgot to add, I think Ridgeway was in command of the Corps at the time - so that's an army and a corps commander right there.

[Centuur]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

that's pretty good, knowing which sank a Sub from all 3. good trivia there.

it is probably too broad a question if you consider air<>naval actions. HMS Victorious perhaps, USS Wasp (though a sail through the Med gets two at once, 2 easy). ? And lots of assorted surface ships. Maybe Med, Atlantic, Pacific to quality.

for surface, I think only the RN would have a chance at the trifecta. Perhaps the group that sank the Haguro or it's sister CA in the Malacca Strait in 1945 might make it?

No, the Dutch navy also had ships and submarines that did fight all three Axis nations.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

ORIGINAL: brian brian

that's pretty good, knowing which sank a Sub from all 3. good trivia there.

it is probably too broad a question if you consider air<>naval actions. HMS Victorious perhaps, USS Wasp (though a sail through the Med gets two at once, 2 easy). ? And lots of assorted surface ships. Maybe Med, Atlantic, Pacific to quality.

for surface, I think only the RN would have a chance at the trifecta. Perhaps the group that sank the Haguro or it's sister CA in the Malacca Strait in 1945 might make it?

No, the Dutch navy also had ships and submarines that did fight all three Axis nations.

Warspite1

Out of interest, which ones? I think if you stick to brian brian's strict criteria i.e. they must have been in actual combat with each Axis navy, then there are not going to be many - if any at all.

[Centuur]

The cruiser Heemskerck was one of them. The submarine O 21 was also active against all three Axis nations. There are some others too, but for those I have to check first...

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: Centuur

The cruiser Heemskerck was one of them. The submarine O 21 was also active against all three Axis nations. There are some others too, but for those I have to check first...

Warspite1

I don't think so. I cannot recall her entering the Med until after the Italian surrender. I am not at all sure she went into combat against German or Japanese naval vessels either.

brian brian said he was not looking just for "active against all three Axis nations" - as I said previously, there would be many ships that would apply if that were the criteria.

[brian brian]

did Exeter ever fight in the Med?

[danlongman]

General William Simpson commanded US 9th army in Northern Europe 1944-1945.
Ninth Army commenced operations in Western France September 5th, 1944.
cheers

[ezzler]

Which weapon, introduced in WW2 for the US army, is still in use, slightly modified of course, by the US army, marines and US navy today.

[warspite1]

ORIGINAL: brian brian

did Exeter ever fight in the Med?

Warspite1

No - She went to the Far East via convoy escort duties in the Atlantic, round the Cape, and then the Indian Ocean.

[danlongman]

Good Old "Ma Deuce" Browning M2 Heavy Machine gun was introduced in the 1920's and still in use today.
I loved that Old Lady but she was bad to carry anywhere.
cheers