Right on both. Both these ships put up gallant fights against hopeless odds. They should be well remembered for their gallantry.

Eric you're partly right here. Aaron Ward was in the rear, but as the flagship of COMDESRON 12 she was at the head of the rear group. Fletcher, "Lucky Thirteen" was the ship I was looking for and she did, in fact, go through without a scratch.

Right on all three. There is some doubt in some quarters about if it was the Yamashiro or the Fuso that was actually sunk by gunfire. Here is a pretty article on the question. http://www.combinedfleet.com/atully06.htm

As to the QE and Valiant anybody who questions Italian bravery should look up the attack those frogmen made.

Yes to all three. The first Jacob Jones was a WW1 four piper. The 2nd was also a four piper, but one of the "newer" classes made after WW1.

It was a shame that such a gallant lady as the Oregon ended her days as a ammo hulk. Kind of like using the Victory as a barracks ship.

I understand that Royal Oak is still on the bottom os Scapa Flow and that the RN takes a VERY dim view of anybody trying to dive on the war grave.

#24 SS Athenia by U-30
3 September 1939

Yes, any hopes that WWII wouldn't be another u-boat war like WWI were dashed when Athenia was sunk with heavy loss of live so soon after the war started.

...but was it intentional, a mistake, mis-identification, an itchy trigger finger .... ?

Probably all of the above. It was certainly intentianal as far as they planned on sinking the ship. It wasn't a "shot across the bow" or anything. A mistake/mis-identification is possible, they may have thought her a AMC. Maybe not a itchy trigger finger as much as a itchy neck, the term u-boat men used to refer to a skipper who was itching for a Knights Cross, which was worn at the neck.

7. Yamashiro
10. Kapitänleutnant Werner Hartenstein
11. Lutzow
19. Wasp
22. Canberra

Yamashiro is correct, but I believe it's alrady been answered. Wasp is wrong, but it's close. Camberra is correct, the HMS version was sunk at Savo Island and the USN replacement was based for many years at Long Beach, where I could see her. As to the others I'm at work and I don't have my references handy. I'm pretty sure you're right but have to double check at home.

I have to admit to at least one possible error, probably more, in this quiz. I'll throw out out the 2nd and 3rd parts of question 23 because I'm now not sure of my answers. Unless somebody can come up with something?

My source for parts 1 and two #23 was United States Submarine Operations in WWII. It mentioned how the USS Seadragon was reported as a "Red" submarine by Tokyo Rose. The reason for it's strange paint job was that it's original paint had blistered away and the red lead undcoat was showing. I've also heard of a "Pink" sub that was that color due to the reason stated in the movie, because of shortages they didn't have enough gray lead or red lead to fully do the undercoat so they mixed it together. Now I can't find out if that was the Seadragon or not. So I'll forgive those two parts of that question and just go with the one about the Toliet paper letter.

The Skipjack sent the famous toilet paper message and as far as the pink submarine goes, the Balao , which played the Sea Tiger, was painted pink by it's sailors. It was tolerated for a while and then painted haze gray again. Saw the pic on line of the sailor painting the sail.

Here's a quote from a fellow submariner who was in Key West at the time of the picture being filmed.




Hey Rodger....do I get extra credit?

Subhunter

The Balao played the "Pink Sub" for the movie, but I was looking for an actual WWII boat that was pink. It's possible that Roscoe, the author of Submarine Operations in WWII, might have not told the whole story when he wrote about Seadragon and her red undercoat showing through. I am still hunting for proof there was a actual "pink" sub due to the mixing of the paint.

I'll take a stab at the Bonus Question..#25
If memory serves me it is a Iowa class battleship in the background, in WWII livery, while its either SH-60's or S-3's flyby. I know the scene if really messed up combining WWII with the modern day... kinda like "The Final Countdown" in painting form..hehe.

That's my guess.

Walter

#22: Rodger is correct that it wasn't Wasp. The correct answer should be CVE-56 USS Liscome Bay. Commissioned 7 AUG 43, sunk 24 NOV 43, 109 days in commission.

#1:
Graf Spee: USS Salem
HMS Exeter: HMS Jamaica
HMNJS Achilles herself (as RIN Delhi)
HMS Cumberland herself
HMS Jamaica ????

The ship not mentioned by the question is HMS Ajax, which was portrayed by HMS Sheffield.

You're so close I'm going to give it to you. It was an Iowa class in the background, with Douglas Devastators overhead. The Devestators were taken out of service long before the Iowas came out, but they were still WWII era planes.

I should have specified. I meant fleet carrier. 109 days in commission? Wow. I didn't know Liscome Bay had such a short life.

Here is another case of my having a brain fart. I meant to write HMS Ajax, not Jamaica. You are absolutely right on the ships I asked about, and the one I didn't. Ajax was played by Jamaica. In reality Ajax and Achillies were sister ships, while Achillies and Jamaica weren't.

By george, I've got it! The Wasp was originally my answer for shortest term in service, but.....
after checking the US Navy's fact page , it was the Hornet. Commisioned 20 October 1941, sunk 26 October 1942.

Subhunter

Yep, Hornet is the one. Just over one year old. She really took a beating also. The Japanese hit here with bombs and torpedoes, the USN decided she was beyond hope so they tried to sink here by destroyer fire, they left her afloat and the Japanese finally had to finish her off. Except for the Musashi and Yamato she took about as much punishment before sinking as any ship I've read about.

Great jobs shipmates. Here are the answers so far. The only one nobody has taken a shot at yet, that I can see, is number 2.

I also want to commend Subhunter. He privately PM'd me with all, or most, of the answers but he didn't grab all the glory by answering each one in the thread.



1. In the movie, Battle of the River Platte, also known as Pursuit of the Graf Spee, what ships played the following? Hint, two ships played themselves, one of which while under another name.

Graf Spee:
HMS Exeter
HMNJS Achilles
HMS Cumberland
HMS Jamaica

The Graf Spee was “played” by the USS Salem. The USN didn’t allow showing the Nazi flag on board so it had to be filmed elsewhere.
HMS Exeter was HMS Jamaica.
HMNZS Achilles, HMNZS by the way stands for His Majesty’s New Zealand Ship, I had a typo in the name, was played by the INS (India Navy Ship) Delhi, which was formerly the Achilles herself.
HMS Cumberland was also played by herself.
What I didn’t ask, and what 1-90e-31 also knew, as that HMS Ajax was played by HMS Sheffield.





2. After the night action of November 13th off Guadalcanal where the IJN Hiei had her steering damaged, which led to her loss, the Japanese decided to improve the armor around the steering gear. What material did they use?

3. Japanese Aircraft Carriers would sometimes have their superstructures, or “islands” to port, and sometimes, like most other navies, to starboard. At the battle of Midway two carriers had it to port, and two to starboard. Which ones had them where? Akagi and Hiryu had it to port, Kaga and Soryu had it to starboard. Blaster76 got this half right, and that gave away the answer to the other half.

4. In World War II the British used a type of ship called a MAC ship. What does MAC stand for? Hint, it wasn’t an early Apple computer. MAC equals Merchant Aircraft Carrier, and Matt knew this.

5. In World War II two famous British armed merchant cruisers, AMC, fought actions against the Scharnhorst and Scheer. Which ship fought the Scharnhorst and which the Scheer? The two gallant lady AMCs were Rawindindi against the Scharnhorst, and Jarvis Bay against the Scheer. Kursk answered this one and I don’t take off for spelling.

6. At the first “Battle of Guadalcanal” November 13th 1942, the American force was in a long line, thirteen ships long. What ship was the “lucky” number 13 and what happened to her in the battle? The USS Fletcher, “lucky 13” was the one I was looking for. Savage knew most about this.

7. What was the last battleship to be sunk in surface action against another battleship? IJN Yamashiro was the last sunk by gunfire. Subhunter knew this, as well as many others. See my note at the bottom of this post. 1-90e-31 also knew this.

8. Although technically a Royal Navy ship, HMS, this ship was crewed by Canadian officers and men and commission into the Canadian navy. She was the only Canadian aircraft carrier to be damaged in WWII. HMS Nabob and subhunter again.

9. On December 19th Italian frogmen, manning manned torpedoes, sank or heavily damaged two British battleships in Alexandria harbor. What were the ships? HMS Queen Elizabeth and Valiant were the two ships unlucky enough to prove Italian bravery, and subhunter was right again.

10. In a famous, or infamous, incident in WWII the liner Laconia was torpedoed by a u-boat. The u-boat commander surfaced to help rescue the survivors, even raiding in the clear to allied forces his position in order to lead rescuers to the location. What was the name of the u-boat skipper? Kapitänleutnant Werner Hartenstein. 1-90e-31 was correct.

11. What German warship, it’s classification as to type of warship changed during the war, was partly sank and still fired on advancing Russian forces near the close of WWII? The DKM Lutzow was the ship. She changed both her name and classification during the war. She started out as the Deutschland, but Hitler didn’t like the idea of a ship so named being sunk. She was originally classified as a “Panzerschiffe” or armored ship. Later this was changed to heavy cruiser. 1-90e-31 was correct and I didn’t give him enough credit for it.

12. What tanker was used as a supply ship to the Graf Spee and later was boarded by the Royal Navy in neutral waters with the cry, “The Navies Here.” Altmark. Kursk got this one.

13. Many people know that the Yorktown and Saratoga were originally planned as battlecruisers. Not everybody knows that they were to be joined by two sisters. What were the names of the two sisters? Constellation, Constitution, Ranger and United States. Subhunter got this one. Savage also corrected me as it was the Lexington I was referring to, not Yorktown.

14. Originally the Iowa class was planned as a six-ship class. The Illinois and Kentucky were the two unfinished sisters. A large part of the Kentucky exists to this day. What is the circumstance behind this piece of Kentucky surviving? Blaster76 had the right answer, that part of the bow of the Kentucky was put onto the hull of the Wisconsin after she was damaged. He also gets extra points for coming up with the nickname Wis-Ky.

15. There was one last class of American battleships planned after the Iowa class, consisting of five ships, mounting four triple 16 inch gun turrets. What were the five ships names? The five super ships were Montana, Ohio, Maine, New Hampshire, and Louisiana. Subhunter of course knew this.

16. This US Destroyer was the only US warship torpedoed in WWI. Ironically her namesake was sunk by a German torpedo in WWII. USS Jacob Jones was the ship, and subhunter the guy again.

17. This famous American battleship, a pre-dreadnought, served in WWII as the IX-22.USS Oregon and subhunter, doesn’t’ the guy ever quit? 8-)

18. In honor of our Flat Tops Campaign what was the first US flattop? First ever actual “flat top” for the USN was the USS Langley. Matt knew this and for good measure mentioned two other firsts, first US ship to land an aircraft, and first to be built as a flat top.

19. What US carrier served the shortest time before being sunk?

20. Several of the American Essex class was named after carriers sunk during the war. What 5 ships were so named? Yorktown, Hornet, Lexington, Wasp, and Princeton were the five so honored, and Blaser76 knew it, after a bit of work. 8-)

21. This Royal Sovereign class battleship was sunk by torpedoes in harbor? She survived WWI but the Royal Oak couldn’t survive the U-47s torpedoes, just like this quiz can’t survive subhunter’s knowledge.

22. This US ship was named after an Australian cruiser sunk while serving with US forces. HMS Canberra was the RN ship that was later honored by the USN as USS Canberra. 1-90e-31 strikes again.

23. One of my favorite movies is Operation Petticoat. At least three episodes in the movie were based on real life American submarines. Who wrote the “toilet paper” letter? Tokyo Rose actually did claim there was a submarine operating that was an unusual color, what was that boat? There really was a pink sub, which boat was it? I kind of screwed up on this question. Subhunter came up with the answer Skipjack as far as the “toilet paper” part of the question. The letter the Skipjacks skipper wrote was nearly word for word like what was used in the movie. The 2nd part of the question was referring to USS Seadragon which according to Submarine Operations of World War II this boat was red for some time when the original black paint flaked off. I still think there was a boat, perhaps the Seadragon, that was pink due to mixing gray and red printer coat paint, like in the movie, but I haven’t been able to find out this for sure.

24. World War II picked up pretty much the same way World War I ended with the sinking of this liner on the 2nd day of the war.SS Athenia was the ship. Victor52 torpedoed this one.

25. Bonus Question: On the box art of the DML 1/700 scale USS Oakland light cruiser there is a mistake. The painting shows the Oakland in the foreground; in the background a US battleship is sailing, while overhead a flight of US aircraft flies by. What’s wrong with this picture? The box for this kit is very nice, but shows an Iowa class battleship sailing with the Oakland while Devastator torpedo planes, which were taken out of service long before the Iowas came out. Ragnar2005 knew this.

I think I got #2. Is it wood and/or concrete? This one has got me stumped.

Subhunter

If it wasn't wood or concete, then it would of been cotton or linen bales

It was concrete. The Kirishima was sunk to soon to get it, but it was added to a number of Japanese ships.

I think that does it folks, another Boxing day quiz over. Hope you all enjoyed.

Just a couple of additions. With respect to question #14, Steve is partly correct. The Kentucky's bow was indeed fitted to the Wisconsin following her collision at sea, so her bow is still around.

BUT that's only part of the story. Her engineering plant was removed as well and installed into TWO ships, the Auxiliary Combat Support Ships, AOE-1 Sacremento, and AOE-2 Camden. And while the Sacremento was decommissioned and placed into the Atlantic Reserve on 1 Oct 2004, the Camden is STILL in service, so half of Kentucky's engines are still in commission. Ironic that part of a ship that never got commissioned is still in service well after the actual ships in the class have been retired!

#18. The Langley was indeed CV-1 and thus the first US Carrier placed in commission. But the Lexington and Saratoga (CV-2 and CV-3) were both converted to carriers well after the construction was started on the original Battle Cruiser hulls which were cancelled due to the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922. The conversions led to some compromises which limited their effectiveness as carriers specifically with respect to the hanger deck. And Saratoga was actually placed in commission one month prior to Lexington.

The credit for being the first "purpose built" carrier, i.e. designed and built from the keel up as an aircraft carrier goes to the CV-4, USS Ranger.

Tom