Visited the Mighty Mo’ |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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Posted: December-08-2007 at 1:52am |
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Since this is Pearl Harbor day I thought this would be appropriate-
We visited Pearl Harbor this week while staying in Maui and unlike most guests who dive right for the USS Arizona exhibit, I kept my personal priorities straight and went to see the Iowa class battleship USS Missouri, my all-time favorite peice of military hardware. I've known the specs of these ships for years, and have seen dozens of pictures and videos of them, but to stand on the deck (and walk all around it, inside and out) was truly a dream come true. These are the biggest battleships afloat- and we didn't just make one- we made four of them, in as many years. If that's not true american spirit then I don't know what is. The only battleships in this same ballpark size-wise are all on the bottom of the sea (or salvaged in the case of the Tirpitz)- the Yamoto-class battleships of Japan and the 2 Bismark class ships out of Germany- the Bismark and the Tirpitz. The Iowa class ships are just about 900 feet long, which is longer than the Titanic and they fire shells that weigh 2700 lbs up to 25 miles. Her sister ships are the Iowa, the Wisconsin, and the New Jersey, and all are still afloat around the country. I could keep going with these facts but I won't bore you- I sure showed a few old-timers on the boat a thing or two about WWII history so all those years of watching History Channel must be doing something. Edit: These boats can also exceed 34 knots- yes, I could easily barefoot behind them. AMAZING. - Round-trip airfare to Oahu from Maui for two - 200.00 - Rental car for the day - 42.00 - 3 gallons of gas from being lost in Honolulu for 1.5 hours - 12.00 - Admission to the Missouri memorial for 2 - 48.00 - The attached pictures? PRICELESS. |
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BuffaloBFN
Grand Poobah Joined: June-24-2007 Location: Gainesville,GA Status: Offline Points: 6094 |
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M3, man did you bring up a wash of memories; not mine, but stories that my grandfather told me when I was a kid. He was part of the first aviation attachment on the Ranger and maybe the Mo. I remember him talking about it, but I'm not sure he served on the Mo. I still have all of his orders, so I'll look it up. He served his time on the battleships before the war, and was called back when the war started. He had been with Eastern Airlines in the interim, and so was put in charge of transport in south america for the duration of the war.
It's nice to know that some still remember and appreciate what these men gave for their country...and your knowlege is impressive. |
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79nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: January-27-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7872 |
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never realized how big those guns are. you standing in front of them puts it into perspective.
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87BFN owner
Grand Poobah Joined: August-25-2006 Location: Saline, MI Status: Offline Points: 2194 |
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Cool pics. I think alot of people forget to remember. Then again some just don't want to remember.
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64X55
Senior Member Joined: January-19-2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 214 |
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Wow, that's cool. In addition to just watching TORA, TORA, TORA, I also watched a Time special my folks had on WWII in the Pacific. Learned a lot and what you said about the ships (made so big and in such a short time) I noticed too. After Pearl, I think it went over just how powerful Japan's military really was at the start and how when they got to the Phillipines they finally hit surprising resistance. Within like 2 years, the U.S. fleet grew in numbers and strength at an remarkably impressive rate. It's all hard to fathom, and it was just when most of us folks here in our 40's parents were kids.
One thing they said is a common misnomer, is that while the Pearl Harbor attack was indeed a terrible disaster, not as much of the Pacific fleet was destroyed or damaged as people commonly think. Still a great loss considering the number of people who died! TORA TORA TORA seemed to indicate that there were a lot of warnings not taken seriously. |
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79nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: January-27-2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7872 |
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That's true there where tons of signs but no one took them seriously or all of the piece's weren't put together because the navy had there info, the army had there intel and so on and they all thought the other branches of the services where idiots compared to them AKA EGO's got in the way of communication and cooperation. Thankfully the military has fixed that problem now.
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81nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: September-03-2005 Location: Big Rock, Il Status: Online Points: 5792 |
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I'm reading a book right now called Halsey's Typhon, it's about one of the largest losses the pacific fleet took in WWII and it was not at the hands of the enemy but due to a typhon the fleet sailed into, largly due to Egos and lack of communication. Great trip Joel, US history facinates me I'm trying to get back to reading on a regular basis, usually a few hours every morning. |
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You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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The USS Wisconsin (sister ship to the Mighty Mo) was caught up in a Typhoon that capsized several vessels. The Wisconsin was unscathed. Here's a blurb from Wikipedia on the incident: On 18 December 1944 the ships of Task Force 38 unexpectedly found themselves in a fight for their lives when Typhoon Cobra overtook the force— seven fleet and six light carriers, eight battleships, 15 cruisers, and about 50 destroyers— during their attempt to refuel at sea. At the time the ships were operating about 300 miles (500 km) east of Luzon in the Philippine Sea.[7] The carriers had just completed three days of heavy raids against Japanese airfields, suppressing enemy aircraft during the American amphibious operations against Mindoro in the Philippines. The task force rendezvoused with Captain Jasper T. Acuff and his fueling group 17 December with the intention of refueling all ships in the task force and replacing lost aircraft.[8] Although the sea had been growing rougher all day, the nearby cyclonic disturbance gave relatively little warning of its approach. On 18 December, the small but violent typhoon overtook the Task Force while many of the ships were attempting to refuel. Many of the ships were caught near the center of the storm and buffeted by extreme seas and hurricane force winds. Three destroyers, Hull (DD-350), Monaghan (DD-354), and Spence (DD-512), capsized and sank with nearly all hands, while a cruiser, five aircraft carriers, and three destroyers suffered serious damage.[7] Approximately 790 officers and men were lost or killed, with another 80 injured. Fires occurred in three carriers when planes broke loose in their hangars and some 146 planes on various ships were lost or damaged beyond economical repair by fires, impact damage, or by being swept overboard.[8] Wisconsin reported two injured sailors as a result of the typhoon,[9] but otherwise proved her seaworthiness as she escaped the storm unscathed.[2][8] |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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Here are 2 more pics. The one with the baby shows the site of the surrender of Japan on the deck of the MO while anchored in Tokyo Bay. By sitting right next to the Arizona memorial, it truly shows the BEGINNING and END of the war. Truly amazing.
PS- yes, there were a couple people on the ship who did not appreciate the BMW hat. Oh, well- it's the only hat I had on the vacation. |
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81nautique
Grand Poobah Joined: September-03-2005 Location: Big Rock, Il Status: Online Points: 5792 |
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JOel, That's exactly the incident I'm reading about right now. They really had no advanced warning for storms like they do today, it's amazing but they were still sailing much like explorers centuries before them.
The real shame is those 3 destroyers were refitted with torpedoes and anti aircraft guns topdeck becasue of the Kamikazee threats and were sailing almost 500 tons over their design weight which inevitably made them prone to capsizing. They were able to right themselves from a roll of 78 degrees but were eventually overcome. I've had the opportunity to explore the Battleship Massachuesetts mored in Fall River, Ma along with a sub the lionfish. Our New England crew will be familiar with them. Have a safe trip home. |
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You can’t change the wind but you can adjust your sails
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87BFN owner
Grand Poobah Joined: August-25-2006 Location: Saline, MI Status: Offline Points: 2194 |
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Joel,
They couldn't be to mad at you about the hat. After all I see WWII vet plates on Toyota's and Honda's. So I say no harm no foul. |
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75 Tique
Grand Poobah Joined: August-12-2004 Location: Seven Lakes, NC Status: Offline Points: 6130 |
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Joel,
Great and timely trip for you. Must have really been something to see, especially right now. Alan is right about us knowing the Massachusetts at Fall River MA. Even spent the night on it with the boy scouts, and toured the sub he mentioned. My son took a crash course in radio room operations the night we spent on the Massachusetts. I thought that would be good for him since his grandfather (my dad) was a radio operator on a destroyer tender in the Pacific in WWII. Chris is right, they are some pretty big guns. I forget the exact number, of miles, but the range on those things was ridiculous. They could hit a target on shore from a good number of miles out at sea. |
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M3Fan
Grand Poobah Joined: October-22-2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 3185 |
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When the Wisconsin and Missouri were leaving the Persian Gulf shore they were shelling the Iraqis from beyond the horizon. They needed to send a remote aircraft to sight the guns. The UAV actually filmed Iraqi soldiers waving white flags from the shelling. |
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M3Fan
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also, you'll see the number 285 behind me in the pic with my daughter. That 285 is the number of 2700 lb. shells that that one turret fired in the Persian Gulf in 1991.
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64X55
Senior Member Joined: January-19-2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 214 |
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Lots of history buffs here! That's all very interesting stuff. I watched a show once on the Oriskany (The Mighty "O") that was very interesting. It was built (completed) at the end of WWII (I think) but the war ended and it began service just following WWII (again, I think).
Anyway, after a long period of service and a subsequent long period of sitting and decaying, they hauled it to a point about 25 mi. south of Miami and sunk it to be an artificial reef. The interesting thing was that there was a lot of effort put into sinking her with properly placed explosions so it would come to rest sitting upright. In listening to some of the WWII commentary on the ships, apparently they had counterweight compartments that would flood and balance one side if the other took a big hit. Of course in the case of Pearl Harbor, a few were hammered so hard that they were overwhelmed on a side and turned turtle taking men beneath the water with them. Also never knew they rescued men from dry compartments in some of the hulls a good many days after the attack; underwater but safe in an air filled space. That would be scary! |
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eric lavine
Grand Poobah Joined: August-13-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13413 |
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all of the old vets that were on these ships are passing on, i would talk for hours with my grandfather, he was in the Phillipines, he never once spoke in a derogatory way and was very proud he served, the things he seen and experienced and i think everyone in those times had the same attitude and because of them we are still a free speaking country and still the most powerful country in the world. an example of the other side is a guy in North Korea was put in front of 150,000 people in a stadium and was executed (firing squad) for making international phone calls...dont that suck
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kytom2
Gold Member Joined: July-25-2007 Location: Maysville Ky Status: Offline Points: 698 |
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If you ever get the chance go see it.It is amazing.We were there in Sept,had an excellent tour guide.Some of the stories of the men aboard her are just as neat as the ship itself.
It can also be seen in the movie "Under Siege".Watched it yesterday keep thinking I've seen this ship,finally realized it was "The Mighty Mo" |
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rleinen79
Gold Member Joined: December-16-2004 Location: New Carlisle IN Status: Offline Points: 733 |
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Incredible pics. Thanks for sharing. We were in Kona (big island) 3 years ago. We didn't go to any of the other islands, and I've regretted it since.
Rob |
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Morfoot
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I was in Pearl Harbor in May of 93 with my first wife on our honeymoon. She did not want to go ( to pearl) but I insisted that were as I 'm a history buff. I met man byt the name of Richard Fiske ( who has since passed) who was the bugular on the West Virginia. To hear his stories of the events that day and to see his eyes tear up was something I'll never forget. I listened closely and remember alot of what he said. I wished I would have gotton my picture taken with him and even his autograph. He said that for 2 weeks after that horrific day you'd here tapping on the hulls of ships from the men who were still trapped in there and awaiting a rescue that would never come. He said that he'd be on shore patrol and would cover his ears to prevent from having to listen to that tapping. Until one day it finally stopped............. What a wonderful bunch of hero's they ALL where and ARE!
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Gary S
Grand Poobah Joined: November-30-2006 Location: Illinois Status: Offline Points: 14096 |
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Tim, I'll bet that was cool.I remember seeing him on the History channel.I also read about a survivor of one of the overturned ships.Like an overturned glass the water would stay out but as soon as they started cutting the hull the water would start to rise and they had to work fast.Like 9 11 alot of hero's on those sad days.
Joel,thanks for posting those pic's,someday hope to see it myself. |
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