Rolling Thunder

[varoadking]

I didn't realize so many of the badly damaged ships were able to return to service.

Amazing what they can do in that regard...

[dracnal]

In one bold stroke, the United States had become fully involved in World War II. Uniting the nation behind the war effort, Pearl Harbor led Japanese Admiral Hara Tadaichi to later comment, "We won a great tactical victory at Pearl Harbor and thereby lost the war."

Amazing how little it did from a strategic sense to hamper American efforts and how completely it galvanized the country into one voice that said, "Enough with this #$@%."

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The Wiki list:

Ships lost or damaged
Battleships

    Arizona (Kidd's flagship): hit by four armor-piercing bombs, exploded; total loss. 1,177 dead.
    Oklahoma: hit by five torpedoes, capsized; total loss. 429 dead. Refloated November 1943; capsized and lost while under tow to the mainland May 1947.
    West Virginia: hit by two bombs, seven torpedoes, sunk; returned to service July 1944. 106 dead.
    California: hit by two bombs, two torpedoes, sunk; returned to service January 1944. 100 dead.
    Nevada: hit by six bombs, one torpedo, beached; returned to service October 1942. 60 dead.
    Tennessee: hit by two bombs; returned to service February 1942. 5 dead.
    Maryland: hit by two bombs; returned to service February 1942. 4 dead (including floatplane pilot shot down).
    Pennsylvania (Kimmel's flagship):[112] in drydock with Cassin and Downes, hit by one bomb, debris from USS Cassin; remained in service. 9 dead.

Ex-battleship (target/AA training ship)

    Utah: hit by two torpedoes, capsized; total loss. 64 dead.

Cruisers

    Helena: hit by one torpedo; returned to service January 1942. 20 dead.
    Raleigh: hit by one torpedo; returned to service February 1942.
    Honolulu: Near miss, light damage; remained in service.

Destroyers

    Cassin: in drydock with Downes and Pennsylvania, hit by one bomb, burned; returned to service February 1944.
    Downes: in drydock with Cassin and Pennsylvania, caught fire from Cassin, burned; returned to service November 1943.
    Shaw: hit by three bombs; returned to service June 1942.

Auxiliaries

    Oglala (minelayer): Damaged by torpedo hit on Helena, capsized; returned to service (as engine-repair ship) February 1944.
    Vestal (repair ship): hit by two bombs, blast and fire from Arizona, beached; returned to service by August 1942.
    Curtiss (seaplane tender): hit by one bomb, one crashed Japanese aircraft; returned to service January 1942. 19 dead.

If you look at the battle of Surigao Straight, it was like a revenge mission for the battleships sunk on 12/7.   That's all the returned to service notations.  Most of these were too slow for the fast carrier task force so were in Kincaid's 7th Fleet a/k/a MacArthur's Navy supporting his landings.  The newer Iowas and the earlier 2 classes were the fast battleships and were in the 3d / 5th fleet under Halsey and Spruance.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

yes, but most of those BBs were raised. If you look at the battle of Surigao Straight, it was like a revenge mission for the battleships sunk on 12/7.   That's all the returned to service notations.  Most of these were too slow for the fast carrier task force so were in Kincaid's 7th Fleet a/k/a MacArthur's Navy supporting his landings.  The newer Iowas and the earlier 2 classes were the fast battleships and were in the 3d / 5th fleet under Halsey and Spruance.

West Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and California were at Surigao.

[mitlen]

West Virginia, Tennessee, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and California.

Ah, the Pennsylvania.    I remember reading about her in middle school.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I learned to read by devouring military history. 

[mitlen]

I learned to read by devouring military history. 

I love any history.   History major and all that.    Military history is a favorite of mine as well.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I wanted to, but parents were hardcore anti-militarists & the school libraries in Asia at the time skewed hippy.  Having a sympathetic relative send me Churchill's "The World Crisis" was dope.     

I learned to read by devouring military history. 

[tomterp]

I learned to read by devouring military history.

I love any history.   History major and all that.    Military history is a favorite of mine as well.

 

Has anybody read Jim Webb's "Fields of Fire"?   I finished Phil Caputo's "A Rumor of War last year and meant to find Webb's book but too cheap to buy and the library always seems to have it checked out.

But more on topic, there's always the great U of MD professor Gordon Prange's account of Pearl "At Dawn We Slept.  He did a magnificent job of tracking down the Japanese commanders still alive and pumping them for insight.

[mitlen]

Has anybody read Jim Webb's "Fields of Fire"?   I finished Phil Caputo's "A Rumor of War last year and meant to find Webb's book but too cheap to buy and the library always seems to have it checked out.

But more on topic, there's always the great U of MD professor Gordon Prange's account of Pearl "At Dawn We Slept.  He did a magnificent job of tracking down the Japanese commanders still alive and pumping them for insight.

I received "At Dawn We Slept" as a gift many years ago.    May give it another read.

[tomterp]

I received "At Dawn We Slept" as a gift many years ago.    May give it another read.

I see he's got a few more, including one on Midway.   Well, with Christmas coming up....

[mitlen]

I see he's got a few more, including one on Midway.   Well, with Christmas coming up....

If ya like deep history, try Robert Leckie.

[tomterp]

If ya like deep history, try Robert Leckie.

Interesting.  I did just a couple of weeks ago finish E.B. Sledge's Pacific theater book "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa"  Definitely could handle a bit more Pacific theater.

[mitlen]

Interesting.  I did just a couple of weeks ago finish E.B. Sledge's Pacific theater book "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa"  Definitely could handle a bit more Pacific theater.

Now ya got me going through my history shelves   ....  "Miracle at Midway" by Prange.   I have that one too.   I think we've had this "conversation" before.     


I have a small note pad my dad kept "notes" on during the Leyte Gulf.    Not deep stuff but things like "0755 Japanese planes", "all stations, false alarm", etc.

[tomterp]

Now ya got me going through my history shelves   ....  "Miracle at Midway" by Prange.   I have that one too.   I think we've had this "conversation" before.     

Maybe we do a book exchange at the winter meetings....

I got just about every book authored by anybody last name Shaara.   

[varoadking]

With Wreaths Across America this morning at Arlington National Cemetery:

[mitlen]

Nice turn out.    ANC is such a special place  ...   full of history.    I haven't been to the Tomb in a while.   When did they put up the tubing around the mat?

[varoadking]

Nice turn out.    ANC is such a special place  ...   full of history.    I haven't been to the Tomb in a while.   When did they put up the tubing around the mat?

Yes...the most Special...

Dunno...was there in April and can't honestly say I noticed one way or another then...though it did somehow seem out of place today.

[mitlen]

"Here rests in honored glory an American soldier known but to God."

[GburgNatsFan]

Probably when some freaknut tried to get to close. Hopefully it's electrified.

Nice turn out.    ANC is such a special place  ...   full of history.    I haven't been to the Tomb in a while.   When did they put up the tubing around the mat?

[mitlen]

Probably when some freaknut tried to get to close. Hopefully it's electrified.

Youtube has some "freaknuts" being called out by the sentinel.    Good stuff.    I find it amazing as to how stupid some people are at such places.   I remember being on the road between Little Round Top and Devil's Den when a bus load of school kids got off and started tossing a frisbee.   It was brought to the chaperon's attention that this sort of behavior in that place was unacceptable.    It stopped.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

With Wreaths Across America this morning at Arlington National Cemetery:

did you draw Eagleburger for one of your wreaths or did you just spot his grave?

[varoadking]

did you draw Eagleburger for one of your wreaths or did you just spot his grave?

Totally random...my other one was Lt. General Alexander Weyand.  They are along the main road near the Tomb, along with Joe Lewis and Pappy Boyington...

Estimate was 70,000 volunteers today...

[varoadking]

Found out today that I have a cousin on the Wall - Panel W9, Line 106. 

Marine PFC, I CO, 3RD BN, 7TH MARINES, 1ST MARDIV, III MAF, KIA Quang Nam Province, South Vietnam June 30, 1970 at the age of 19. 

I will visit him next May...if not before...

[mitlen]

Anybody going on a "polar bear" run tomorrow?     May not be real cold but it's a New Year's Day tradition.