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Topic: Torpedo Tube Grease Ignitions |
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Michael Vorrasi
Advanced Member
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Posted on: Jul 28, 2013 - 4:48pm
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Al, At Close Quarters is filled with instances of torpedo tube flare ups. If it is the all four at once instance, that came from "Iron Men - Wooden Boats", by Howard F. West, a PT-185 veteran. The specific event is the action in Blackett Strait on the night of 1/2 August 1943, when the 109 was lost. The boat was the 171, under Lt. Berndtson. He lauched all four at the second DD in the four ship column as it was inbound to Vila. All four flared up, causing the DD's to open up on the 171, which got the hell out of Dodge as fast as she could. Over 30 torpedoes were fired that night without a single hit. In addition to the four flares in the 171, Brantingham in 159 had a flare out of two fired. In the days that followed, Coastwatcher Evans had native scouts searching the islands for the 109 crew, and they reported numerous beached torpedoes all along the shoreline of Blackett Strait.
Mike |
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alross2
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 28, 2013 - 5:14pm
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Mike,
Thank you.
Al
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bubbletop409
MASTER
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Posted on: Jul 28, 2013 - 6:34pm
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I was just watching a History Channel program about the Silent Service, and VADM James Calvert a WWII sub vet stated that he had "very ill feelings" toward the bureau of ordinance regarding their handling of the torpedo shortcomings. He stated the bureau refused to believe the torpedo's had defects and blamed the poor performance on improper use and maintenance.
Larry
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PeterTareBuilder2
MASTER
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Posted on: Jul 28, 2013 - 7:17pm
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Quote:
I was just watching a History Channel program about the Silent Service, and VADM James Calvert a WWII sub vet stated that he had "very ill feelings" toward the bureau of ordinance regarding their handling of the torpedo shortcomings. He stated the bureau refused to believe the torpedo's had defects and blamed the poor performance on improper use and maintenance.
Larry
62 Bel-Air
260 Eagle EXP
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Gads! Deja vue!
That sounds exactly like the fiasco with the early M-16 s in 'Nam when they made the ammo with surplus powder that was the wrong type and caused the weapons to jam and then blamed the troops for not keeping their rifles clean.
Cheers
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bubbletop409
MASTER
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Posted on: Jul 28, 2013 - 9:24pm
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I kept my 16 as clean as possible with what we had to work with, and was still often plagued with a failure for the bolt to fully seat, preventing the weapon from firing.
This was in the era prior to the addition of the forward assist, and correcting the powder issue.
This M-16 of today is a dependable weapon system, just as I am sure our torpedo's are. However many brave men lost their lives due to the early shortcomings of both weapons.
Larry
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David Buck
TOP BOSS
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Posted on: Jul 29, 2013 - 12:22am
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It is also interesting to know that the problem of the Torpedos failing to detonate was of such note that there was a movie made of the problem and the attempts to get the Navy to understand that they were not working .
This movie also included an attempt to torpedo (witch failed) a Jap ship or two by Submarine.
Anyway I find it interesting that such a Movie made it past the censors on such a touchy subject.
John Wayne starred I think.
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Frank Andruss
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Posted on: Jul 29, 2013 - 2:30am
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What must never be forgotten is the fact that just over 50 years ago, submariners were forced to engage the enemy for 18 months with ordnance that proved to be at least 70 percent unreliable. Often, Japanese merchantmen would enter port with unexploded Mark XIV torpedoes thrust into their hulls. Despite the problems with ordnance, American submariners, a mere two percent of U.S. naval personnel, sank more than 1,178 merchant vessels and 214 warships, totalling more than 5,600,000 tons. They sacrificed 52 submarines, 374 officers and 3,131 enlisted men from their close-knit ranks. The Silent Service suffered 40 percent of all naval casualties in the Pacific, yet managed to destroy 55 percent of all Japanese ships. American submarines succeeded where the Germans had twice failed–in the systematic and complete blockade of an island nation.
One can only speculate as to the war's outcome had there been reliable torpedoes available from the onset. As for the American submarine campaign against Japan, we must always honor its sacrifices, take pride in its accomplishments and continue to learn from its mistakes–mistakes that fostered a scandal described by Clay Blair, Jr., as 'the worst in the history of any kind of warfare.'
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29navy
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Posted on: Jul 29, 2013 - 5:18am
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You also have to remember that throughout the 1930s, we were in a depression. The military had no money. Torpedoes were expensive. And we were at peace. So the Torpedo Factories designed and tested the torpedoes and firing mechanisms and "proved" they worked. So before teh war started, very few live torpedoes had actually been fired.
So just like every war, your tactics and weapons are all theoretical. Usually based on past wars. Once the real shooting starts, you see what works and what doesn't work.
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Will Day
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Posted on: Jul 29, 2013 - 4:57pm
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Well said, Charlie. . .
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David Waples
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Posted on: Jul 29, 2013 - 10:04pm
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By the way, it's IJN (Imperial Japanese Navy).
Dave
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