What would you class a Corvette, specifically the Flower Class Corvette. An uncle of my mothers spent the war years on board HMS Honeysuckle. After reading an account of what it was like to sail on one of those, I have nothing but admiration for ANYONE who sailed on one. So for family reasons I'd vote for that. This is supposed to be a glossy of Honeysuckle. View attachment 173
Cruisers for me. Heaviest combatants in RAN during WWII and did pretty well. HMS Belfast, HMAS Sydney and HMAS Perth my favourites. Cheers Andy
No, I would suppose the word “scrapped” should not have used, no more than the word “all” or even the listing all four of the Iowa Class battleships when there was, really, only one that was still in commission after the last Essex Class carrier was decommissioned. Yes, true (and never denied, I would point out), USS Missouri, the last Iowa class battleship, was still in commission when the last Essex Class carrier, USS Lexington, was decommissioned, 8 November 1991. USS Missouri was undergoing her own decommissioning process at the time and it became an accomplished fact less than five months later on 31 March 1992. Of course, in order to outlast Lexington, Missouri spent some 30.22 years laid up, decommissioned, from 26 February 1955 to 5 October 1985. Thus Missouri, from initial commissioning on 11 June 1944 to final decommissioning in 1992 spent 63.18% of the time in decommissioned status, only being on active commissioned service for 17.62 out of 47.84 years. Feel free to compare that to Lexington’s total of 40.32 years of commissioned service out of 48.68 years (decommissioned between 23 April 1947 and 1 September 1955) total. Lexington’s length of commissioned service, apropos of nothing else, is 2.11 times the commissioned years of USS Iowa, 1.86 times the commissioned years of USS New Jersey, 2.85 times the commissioned years of USS Wisconsin, and, of course, 2.29 times the commissioned years of USS Missouri. And, of course, in total years, commissioned and decommissioned, Lexington exceeds Missouri by ten months. Need I supply additional comparisons for the other Iowa’s with 28.61, 26.07, and 33.32, respectively, years in decommissioned status in order to meet their exalted status of service into the 1990’s? Is it not also interesting that all four of the Iowa’s last periods of commissioned service began between 28 December 1982 (USS New Jersey) and 22 October 1988 (USS Wisconsin) after all of the Essex’s, save USS Lexington, had already been decommissioned AND replaced? For the most part, while the Essex’s were serving out their lives, the Iowa’s were tucked away at various yards, mothballed. Dragging them out in the 1980s for an average of 6.1 years additional service was a dog and pony show proving nothing; which is why they were finally decommissioned . . . too expensive and not necessary. The salient point, the simplest fact of all, which is unavoidable despite all apparent efforts, is that the Essex Class carriers served out their useful lives and were replaced by newer aircraft carriers or LPHs. The Iowa’s served out their generally shorter service lives and were not, and will not be, replaced by newer battleship types, ever. Now, why is that? And I’ve nothing against folks liking battleships of any class, to each their own, but to drag out an illogical comparison, for no apparent reason other than to show, I guess, how “cool” battleships are while completely ignoring the facts of naval evolution is folly. Oh, and I am sorry, but I am totally unfamiliar with this term, “smell an Exxley,” can it be explained? And as for “Poindexter of Proceedings” . . . Well, there was a John Poindexter, a surface warfare/intell type, of whom I am aware. There is a Mark A Poindexter and a James B Poindexter, both currently serving naval officers. There is Alan G Poindexter, an astronaut. How about Christian H Poindexter, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Constellation Energy Group? Or Joseph Boyd Poindexter, Territorial Governor of Hawaii from 1934 to 1942? Or even the Poindexter of the Felix the Cat cartoons? To whom does this phrase refer, and, if I might ask, to what point? I’ll presume “Proceedings” refers to “Naval Proceedings,” the journal of the USNI, but I don’t get the connection between any of the above, a naval journal, and this discussion. Is there some other “Poindexter” or “Proceedings” to which this allusion refers? Are both of these, apparently clever, squibs, “. . .smell an Exxley” and “Poindexter of Proceedings,” some sort of aspersions . . . a resort to insult? If not, well, no harm, no foul, but if they are, well, lucky me, if I don’t get it then I am not insulted . . . if aspersion or insult were the intent, I guess more strenuous efforts might be in order. Of course, editorially, I would wonder why such efforts are necessary in the first place. If a poster feels a deep need to toss out insults when someone has a differing opinion, or points out a logical disconnect in their statements, well, it would tend to say more about that poster with such a need than it would about me. Knock yourself out, I'm not in the business of trading insults. And in the spirit of civil discussion, I confess to a mis-count in my previous . . . only 9 of the Essex Class carriers had commissioned service lives that exceeded that of the longest lived Iowa Class, USS New Jersey, as opposed to the reported 12 and only 17, vice 19, had service lives that exceeded the average Iowa Class service life. My apologies for the error. R Yawn A foolish excercise for someone who obviously didn't follow their own advice...in the spirit of civil discussion?? The Iowa class outlived the Essex class carriers in service Dragging them out in the 1980s for an average of 6.1 years additional service was a dog and pony show proving nothing; which is why they were finally decommissioned . . . too expensive and not necessary. Here we go again...an appropriate quote for someone who supports the removal of fire support ships for the USMC Let me guess, a friend of that embarrassment of a President, Clinton. Please tell me your not from mASSachusetts. A simple correction of the word scrapped(perhaps decommissioned, turned into a museum, struck, soaking in Puget) would have sufficed
Note to moderators . . . Does this "colonel" get a free pass or does he get corrected for deliberate and unprovoked insults? Rich
Herr Oberst. Pete Old Chap, Please keep debate polite and stop linking other posters comments with modern American political leanings as it has no relevence to WW2 discussion. If not I'll have you put against a wall and shot with a weapon of your choice so you can get a better feel for it's hitting power. Rich and HO, shake hands, disagree politely and get on discussing WW2.
Noted. I agree with Owen here agree to disagree. Please be careful or the moderators will delete posts. Ross
If not I'll have you put against a wall and shot with a weapon of your choice so you can get a better feel for it's hitting power. Owen, I will comply with your request, but you should be carefull when stating you are going to execute me, be thankful I know your kidding and that I am not an Ambulance Chaser.
Owen, I will comply with your request, but you should be carefull when stating you are going to execute me, be thankful I know your kidding and that I am not an Ambulance Chaser. Could be worse mate, he could have threatened you with me.
Could be worse mate, he could have threatened you with me. That would be a gift, that is if you are good in the kitchen
That would be a gift, that is if you are good in the kitchen I'm lousy in the kitchen. Can't even boil an egg properly. But I am a whizz at fixing mechanical things and DIY. Hence I am allowed to play with power drills and sanders.
I'm lousy in the kitchen. Can't even boil an egg properly. But I am a whizz at fixing mechanical things and DIY. Hence I am allowed to play with power drills and sanders. If you can find a shower pan waterproof epoxy that's not pink you're hired. Opps, I've hijacked my own thread.
If you can find a shower pan waterproof epoxy that's not pink you're hired. Opps, I've hijacked my own thread. Still trying to find a showtray epoxy waterproofer that does what it says on the tube. Proud of you mate. NOW BACK TO THE BOATS!
I voted for the BB. However my heart is with the USS Enterprise because she did so much during the war. But the Iowa class BB's had superb fire control and putting the most the first on target just can't be beat.
The attack on the Aleutians was not a feint. Naval GHQ did not want to attack Midway. Yamamoto did. In allowing Combined Fleet (Yamamoto) to attack Midway NGHQ wanted an attack on the Aleutians to fore stall attacks by the US on the Northern Home Islands from the Aleutians. If it had bin a feint it would have had to gone down earlier then Jun. 3rd. because the US could not have got a task force together and sailed toward the Aleutians in one day. Reference "Shattered Sword" Chapter 2 Page 37
For me, South Dakota Class Battleship. USS Massachusetts Why pick a smaller class BB than the Iowas? Just curious.
for me battleship HMS Hood as my great uncle survived the sinking of her. You have the boom defence vessels missing, my grandfather served on HMS Barmill and Kerriemoore. James
Motor Torpedo Boats for me - the little I've read from all sides who served on them make them sound quite thrilling. Didn't have the wallop that you all seem to prefer - almost like a fighter plane of the seas.
I do like the MTB's and have read many books on them. I only picked Hood as my relative served on her. I think another one is the minesweepers. they are often under rated as well James
