56 Bronze Stars?
Thanks to Drachnifel for his presentation of this film on the USS Birmingham, a WWII Cleveland class light cruiser known as Japan’s favorite target. She was one tough old lady, stayed afloat no matter what the Bad Guys tried to do to sink her. She was frequently blown full of holes but managed to get back to base, and into repair docking and right back to work on the high seas. Over 900 medals and awards for the ship and her crews during her time on the high seas in World War II.
In the above photo, the radar dishes have been blocked out for publication. The Navy didn’t want to give the Bad Guys any bright ideas.
More information on Cleveland is at this link: http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/062/04062.htm
Pop some popcorn, put the pizza on a plate and grab a few cold drinks and settle in. It’s a good story.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJyDHnuCyQc
Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Historical, Navy, War Stories
OK it’s obvious that you have figured out the best way to keep him occupied and out of your hair. Give him a linky with lots of pictures and data and a linky to a picture/movie story of things that go boom. Will work Every.Damn.Time.
Whole new meaning to the term Roll Tide Roll (ht to ninja) BZ to the Sailors and the USS Birmingham. And to the yard workers who built and rebuilt Her/Him. Still trying to figure out that whole gender thing on floating Artillery Platforms. Was gonna say it had to be hard for the USS Birmingham to make headway, what with dragging those great big brass ones. And if the USS Birmingham was referred to in the feminine, She had a well endowed chest to hold all of those medals.
I understand that our fighting vehicles are way yonder more complicated than they were 75-80 years ago, but when you look at the stats on the construction it is amazing that the design, build, launch, shake down, and off to battle was quick, overall. Not sure what the equivalent would be in today’s fighting ships, but I doubt if a garbage scow could go from concept to launch in the same time frame.
Tanks Ex. I “Like” these kind of posts of things that go BOOM! And as I’ve pointed out before, it all goes back to the King of Battle…The Guns, The Guns…We are all here to Serve The Guns!
#TowedArtillery, #SelfPropelledArtillery, #TrackedArtillery, #FloatingArtilleryPlatforms, #AerialArtilleryPlatforms, #PersonPortableArtillery, #RocketArtillery, #Seemypoint, #NeedIContinue
I like the old stuff from Days Gone Bye-Bye, 5th/77th. It’s kind of a trip back to when things made a lot more sense.
What I see now, worries me, and sends me hunting for past events.
Glad you liked it.
I love listening to Drachnifel.
It’s easy to listen to when you are messing around on the interwebz
He’s always accurate and is probably one of the greatest Naval historian since Alfred Thayer Mahan and his incredible book on Navies and just how important Naval operations are for the outcomes of conflicts throughout history.
Victor Davis Hanson is also a huge Naval Historian and I’m reading his book on the difference between the European World War II and WWII in the Pacific, which was an entirely different modus operandi.
Of course James D Hornfischer is one of the best Naval Historian nationally published authors.
All his books are so highly regarded that the US Naval War College has his books in their curriculum. His facts are without a doubt square on the money as he spends years on research before he even starts to write his book.
I should have joined the US Navy, I went to the US Army and the Army hasn’t been the same since !!!
AND, I doubt that they really had little need for Ski Instructors in the Navy.
Well, maybe water skiing behind a Nimitz Class Carrier might work.
The US Navy has the best toys. No two ways about that.
Well, Thunderstixx, now you’ve put me on the trail to find these other two (Hanson and Hornfischer) to get accurate historical information. I’m doomed.
How about
THE SHIP THAT WOULD NOT DIE
USS LAFFEY (DD-724) is the most decorated World War II era US Destroyer still in existence. DD-724 was named in honor of LAFFEY (DD-459), sunk during the Naval Battle for Guadalcanal (13 November 1942). Both ships were named in honor of Seaman Bartlett Laffey, a Civil War Medal of Honor recipient.
Its on display along with the USS Yorktown at Patriots Point in Charleston SC
https://www.patriotspoint.org/explore/uss-laffey/
If Laffey is on Drachinfel’s channel, I will feature that ship in the future. Thanks for the tip!
Some Youtube footage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRAzjR99woE
one comment reads
This is incredible actual footage during the 80-minute attack on the U.S.S. Laffey. About the best naval footage ever shot by a Navy cameraman.
Holy moley, that is fierce stuff!
I will find whatever is available on Laffey DD724
The first DD-459 was remarkably good at killing Japanese admirals.
Drachinifel may be one of the best channels on you tube…
Absolutely one of the best for history of any Naval operation and equipment.
Love Drachinifel’s channel. I set aside time every week for The Drydock. He also has some excellent videos on USS Franklin, USS England, the Great White Fleet, and John Paul Jones, among other subjects.
Speaking of the USS England, my oldest daughter decided she wants a model ship to go with her PBY. She picked out the England after I told her the story of the ship’s namesake. So that one’s waiting for some spare time to present itself.
Meanwhile, my 4-year-old son declared that he wants me to help him build a battleship for his Mommy. After looking at a bunch of pictures, he decided he wants to do a predread battleship (he has yet to narrow down exactly which one) in Great White Fleet colors.
Here’s a list of the ships in each of the divisions, if it will help.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_White_Fleet#Ships
Isn’t calling it the great white fleet racist? sarc