Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted February 20 Posted February 20 https://destroyerhistory.org/fletcherclass/index.asp?r=45007&pid=45019
Cypress Sun Posted February 21 Posted February 21 I imagine that the truth lies somewhere in-between the story below and the story above. I like the story above! 1943 [edit] Plaque commemorating the Potato incident A Navy legend holds that in April O'Bannon sighted a Japanese submarine on the surface and opened fire. The submarine pulled alongside the destroyer close enough that the destroyer's guns could not hit it. Several different versions of the story say that the sailors on the destroyer pelted the submarine crew with potatoes.[3] Commander Donald MacDonald only said that the submarine was so close, the destroyer's cook believed that he could throw a potato at it. Although MacDonald has repeatedly claimed that no potatoes were actually thrown, the story of an American destroyer sinking a Japanese submarine with potatoes was picked up by the media and was so quickly spread throughout navy lore that many still believe it to this day.[4] A plaque commemorating the incident was on display at the Maine Maritime Museum until the 1970s but then went missing.[3]
Subdeacon Joe Posted February 21 Posted February 21 Never let facts get in the way of a good sea story.
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted February 21 Posted February 21 16 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said: Never let facts get in the way of a good sea story. …or any story.
Chantry Posted February 21 Posted February 21 A similar story that took place in the Atlantic during WWII: https://www.military.com/history/time-navy-destroyer-landed-atop-german-sub-wwii.html
Linn Keller, SASS 27332, BOLD 103 Posted February 21 Posted February 21 EDIT: OOOPS, I GOOFED ... MY APOLOGIES ... POSTED IN THE WRONG PLACE! (My American Indian name would probably be Big Chief Hoof in Mouth!)
Pat Riot Posted February 21 Posted February 21 I’d a been hitting the Armory. It kinda surprised me they didn’t think of that ahead of time.
Chantry Posted February 21 Posted February 21 49 minutes ago, Pat Riot said: I’d a been hitting the Armory. It kinda surprised me they didn’t think of that ahead of time. I'm guessing the officer(s) and senior NCO(s) with the keys to the armory were at battle stations. "Stand by to repel Boarders" probably wasn't something they trained for.
Pat Riot Posted February 22 Posted February 22 8 hours ago, Chantry said: I'm guessing the officer(s) and senior NCO(s) with the keys to the armory were at battle stations. "Stand by to repel Boarders" probably wasn't something they trained for. On my ship 2 Gunners Mates manned the Armory for General Quarters. Maybe situations like the potato fight precipitated that practice.
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted February 22 Author Posted February 22 3 hours ago, Pat Riot said: On my ship 2 Gunners Mates manned the Armory for General Quarters. Maybe situations like the potato fight precipitated that practice. Things have changed since the Cole incident. I don’t know how but I know more seamen have at least gotten firearms training.
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