Need help with List of most famous WWII warships

Japanese "Jack" Cruiser Research.

- Jacks could include combats that is remembered as being the most entertaining. Even comedic.



Jack of Spades: the one that dug in. Did the dirty job and got it done.




Jack of Hearts: the Heart Throb loss. The most honourable of the honourable. The most memorable.




Jack of Diamonds: the one that sparkled.




Jack of Clubs: the sledge hammer loss. The truly brutal one.

 

Rankin has a submarine named after him...as does Hector Waller...legends both.

 

Revised: Feb 23d 2016 8:57 PM

Damn... but it is going to be downright agony having to scratch some from these lists...

I am adamant that one each representative loss from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Poland end up on the final selection list for the British Commonwealth Deck.

I "fear" it is going to be down to that incredibly good bank of experts at ww2.talk to make the final determination on what United Kingdom losses (in particular) may have to be cut.

My preference is clearly to designate the HMAS Yarra, Jack of Clubs as THE Australian candidate.
We may find it fitting to keep another...

 

Revised: Feb 23d 2016 9:14 PM

Allied Losses: Poland. Added above. King of Spades.

Polish M-class Destroyer ORP Orkan lost October 8th 1943
She was originally commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Myrmidon; she was transferred to the free Polish Navy based in Britain in December 1942.
The name translates as "windstorm". She was sunk by the German submarine U-378 in the Barents Sea.
Orkan served in the Arctic, In early 1943, the destroyer escorted the convoy JW-53 to Russia, returned with the convoy RA-52 and then operated as convoy escort in the North Atlantic.
In July 1943, she transferred the body of the Polish Supreme Chief General Władysław Sikorski from Gibraltar to England.
At 07.05 hours on 8 October 1943, Orkan (under Lt. Stanisław Hryniewiecki) was hit by a GNAT homing torpedo from U-378 while escorting the convoy SC 143 and sank within a few minutes.
There were 179 dead and 44 survivors, 1 officer and 43 ratings rescued by HMS Musketeer.
Komandor Porucznik (Lieutenant Commander) Stanislaw Hryniewiecki KIA.
http://uboat.net/allies/commanders/4710.html
http://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ships/3100.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ORP_Orkan_(G90)

Allied Losses: New Zealand. Added above. Jack of Hearts.

HMS (aka HMNZS) Leander Class Light Cruiser Neptune lost December 19th 1941.
She served in the New Zealand Division (1937-1941) with the Royal Navy during World War II.
Early in 1941 the New Zealand Government responded to an Admiralty request for sailors to man an additional cruiser.
Neptune was selected and was expected to leave the United Kingdom for New Zealand in May.
However, because of the loss of cruisers during the Crete campaign Neptune was instead attached to Admiral Cunningham's Force K, based on Malta.
Their task was to destroy German and Italian convoys carrying troops and supplies to Libya, in support of Rommel's army in North Africa.
She ran into an uncharted Italian minefield in the Mediterranean off Tripoli, and sank after hitting four mines with the loss of 764 officers and men.
The only axis submarine off Alexandria was the Italian Sciré, which was carrying a group of Italian frogmen equipped with manned torpedoes.
Only 16 men, including Captain O’Conor managed to reach a life raft. Over the next five days they died one after another. AB Norman Walton POW was the sole survivor.
150 of those lost were New Zealanders, 80 of them had served in the Naval Reserve before the outbreak of war.
The loss of Neptune was the greatest single tragedy New Zealand Naval Forces have experienced.
Captain Rory O'Conor KIA.
http://www.hmsneptune.com/history1.htm
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/page/hms-neptune-lost-mediterranean
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cruisers_of_the_Royal_New_Zealand_Navy#Loss_of_HMS_Neptune

 

Poignant topical aside:

HMS K-Class Destroyer Kandahar lost December 19th 1941.
She was part of British Force K, tasked to intercept an Italian convoy bound for Tripoli when she was
irreparably damaged by a newly laid Italian mine whilst attempting to rescue the stricken cruiser Neptune.
With dawn breaking, the Jaguar fired a torpedo into the Kandahar to sink her and set out back to Malta.
170 crew were pulled out, but 73 men had perished.
Commander William Geoffrey Arthur Robson, DSO, DSC, RN
http://www.hmsneptune.com/history1.htm
http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-39K-Kandahar.htm
http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4456.html
Roll of Honour: http://www.hmsneptune.com/roll.htm

Spit and Vinegar directed from here at wiki yet once again.
Reading that, you would think the HMS Neptune killed the HMS Kandahar crew when she scuttled her...
Obviously they must have died in the mine explosions...

A second ship was also lost due to Italian mines in that disaster.

HMS Leander-Class Light Cruiser Neptune lost December 19th 1941 after hitting four mines off Tripoli.
The other cruisers present, Aurora and Penelope, also struck mines.
Neptune quickly capsized, killing 737 crew members.
30 initially survived the sinking on and around a raft (including Captain O'Conor) but all but Able Seaman Norman Walton (POW) died awaiting rescue.
Captain Rory O'Conor KIA
http://www.hmsneptune.com/history1.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Neptune_(20)
Roll of Honour: http://www.hmsneptune.com/roll.htm

The Board of Inquiry Report stated that "Nothing whatever was seen either of boats or wreckage."
http://www.hmsneptune.com/inquiry.htm

The question that has to be put is:
Why on earth were the survivors not rescued?
Second Task Force K included the light cruisers Aurora and Penelope and L and M class destroyers Lance and Lively operating out of Malta.
Add to that the Jaquar that had arrived that day specifically on a rescue mission...

This disastrous incident represents the nadir of RN strength in the Mediterranean and was the demise of the Malta Striking Force.
(Note: Sources are at variance as to whether the mines were laid by German or Italian forces.)

HMS Neptune and HMS Kandahar Memorial:
http://www.hmsneptune.com/building-and-dedicating-the-neptune-and-kandahar-memorial.htm

The DVD for it ends most movingly with Captain Rory O'Conor speaking.
It came from New Zealand radio archives and was the Christmas 1941 message to the New Zealand families but never broadcast after the ship was sunk.
See: http://www.hmsneptune.com/dvd2.htm

Jumping jehozifat! Trying to find the captains of many, many ships is like pulling hen's teeth. Kandahar being one good example...
Thank the lord yet once again for http://uboat.net
Good work boys!

 

Wow i wake up this morning to this list! This is awesome Fred.
I see as it stands theres

British Commonwealth
Axis
Japan

Mind me asking if theres a list for the US?

 

Yippie Kay Yay... jest "tired up" at the moment... and hoping the Yanks will step in promptly and do their own thing their own way.
"Leave it to Eager Beaver" here (Canadian National Animal) and y'all 'll chaw on what ya git. I got BIG buck teeth. Sez FriedEd, "Sighing" off. <===<-:
(A Smiley that has Tied One On!) (2:12 Am here...)

Popped the Yap a Knees into there 'cause there is "a little" life a happenin with my Nipponese fried end.

+ check PM, K Alvinhy? 10 secs or so...

 

Not sure what cards you would put them on. The Tin Can's lost off Samar and Gambier Bay are obvious candidates as is Arizona, and the carriers Hornet, Yorktown, and Lexington. Houston and the other ABDA ships should also be considered. The wiki page listing US ships lost in WWII is a good source of additional candidates. Langley for instance might make a good one. If you want all US ships covered then Alexander Hamilton (USCG) and Stephen Hopkins (Merchant Marine). USAT Liberty might be a possibility for a US Army ship.

 

The Western Axis Card Deck (who did not have any Aircraft Carriers) now reads:
Kings: Battleships and Battlecruisers.
Queens: Heavy Cruisers (and reclassified as thus Pocket battleships)
Jacks: (Light) Cruisers et cetera
- with perhaps one + reserved for U-boats engaged in Battle, as a tribute to that class, albeit they were largely just "Predator" vessels.

So, from our Axis Experts here, I am requesting the submission of a list of Candidates for U-boats lost in a full blown Battle. Anyone?
From that we will select the "Cream of the Crop." / "The Battle of the Ages." K?
Battle of the Atlantic, Convoy Battles: http://uboat.net/ops/convoys/

Thanks Rogues!

 

U-505

 

I got it you're having a bit of fun with us here, but for visitors:

An interesting read for sure, but nope. Not even close.
We are looking for an Honest-To-God Club aka Sledge Hammer Battle here. "One for the Ages" Period. Both sides of the story have to be grim grim grim. K?

===> Reasons <===

1. She never fought back. Where's the battle?

Kriegsmarine Type IXC U-boat U-505 captured June 4th 1944 by United States Navy Task Group 22.3 (TG 22.3).
TG 22.3 consisted of Gallery's escort aircraft carrier Guadalcanal, and five destroyer escorts under Commander Frederick S. Hall: Pillsbury, Pope, Flaherty, Chatelain, and Jenks.
A Guadalcanal F4F Wildcat fighter joined another Wildcat and a TBM Avenger which were already airborne to attack her.
The Edsall-Class Cestroyer Escort USS Chatelain was so close to U-505 that depth charges would not sink fast enough to intercept the U-boat, so instead she
fired Hedgehogs before passing the submarine and turning to make a follow-up attack with depth charges et cetera et cetera.

2. Believing U-505 to be seriously damaged, Oblt.z.S. Lange ordered his crew to abandon ship.
- 59 survivors of U-505's crew were rescued by the Navy task group. Oberfunkmaat (Signalman First Class) Gottfried Fischer was the sole KIA.

Her codebooks, Enigma machine, and other secret materials found on board helped the Allied codebreakers.
To protect the secret, U-505's crewmen, who knew of the U-boat's capture, were isolated from other prisoners of war; the Red Cross were denied access to them.
Ultimately, the Kriegsmarine declared the crew dead and informed the families to that effect. The last of the German crew was not returned until 1947.
Oblt.z.S.Harald Lange POW.
http://uboat.net/boats/u505.htm

Lieutenant Commander J. L. Foley in command of the USS Chatelain.

3. This seriously detracts from the story:
The mere fact that the U-505 was captured and towed — rather than sunk after the codebooks had been taken — was considered to have endangered the Ultra secret.
The U.S. Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral King, considered court-martialling Captain Gallery.

In her uniquely unlucky career with the Kriegsmarine, U-505 also had the distinction of being the "most heavily damaged U-boat to successfully return to port" in World War II
(on her fourth patrol) and the only submarine in which a commanding officer took his own life in combat conditions (on her tenth patrol, following six botched patrols).

In 1954, U-505 was donated to the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, Illinois and is now a museum ship.
When U-505 was donated to the Museum, she had been sitting neglected at the Portsmouth Navy Yard for nearly ten years.
Admiral Gallery proposed a possible solution. At his suggestion, Lohr contacted the German manufacturers who had supplied U-505's original components and parts, asking for replacements.
As the Admiral reported in his autobiography, Eight Bells and All's Well, to his and the museum's surprise, every company supplied the requested parts without charge.
Most included letters that said in effect, "We are sorry that you have our U-boat, but since she's going to be there for many years, we want her to be a credit to German technology. :S!

U-505's crew was interned at Camp Ruston, near Ruston, Louisiana. Among the guards were members of the U.S. Navy baseball team,
composed mostly of minor league professional baseball players who had previously toured combat areas to entertain the troops.
The players taught some of U-505 sailors to play the game.

The story of the captured crew of U-505 has been recounted in Gary Moore's book, Playing with the Enemy: A Baseball Prodigy, a World at War, and a Field of Broken Dreams.
Pre-production of the motion picture Playing with the Enemy was under way and release was scheduled for 2013, as of April 2012.

Aside:
The HMAS Sydney is on our honour list but will be one of the ones to ne struck from the list. For sure. Why? Read about its Captain during the loss of the vessel. The answer will be equally crystal clear.

 

> There is a court card King of Hearts called "The suicide King", would be a great idea to have that captain as the suicide king.

We aren't LOCKED in to the King of Hearts being Battleships or the next best to it. Correct?
"The suicide King" could, in fact, be any vessel - even even those applying to a Jack aka (Light) Cruisers et cetera

If you want to stick to your guns and say Kings are Battleships then that's the end of it.
- But it may be a tear your heart out moment to have to cull some for some Navies and some Actions. (We have just begun this assessment. Right?)

REASON:
I can see no way we to disqualify at least in honorable mention awaiting final determination:

1. HMAS Yarra which most are familiar with now... and

2: HMS Merchant Cruiser Rawalpindi, Loss near the bottom of Page 3.
"Despite the converted passenger ship being hopelessly outgunned by the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau,
60-year-old Captain Edward Coverley Kennedy RN of Rawalpindi decided to fight, rather than surrender as demanded by the Germans.
- He was heard to say "We’ll fight them both, they’ll sink us, and that will be that. Good-bye"."
Rawalpindi was ± not a "suicidal" club loss battle loss in the true sense of the word because it was not equally Brutal for the enemy fleet, and not having the speed to run had the only other option being to surrender in an unquestionably outclassed, out armored out gunned engagement.

 

How about the Perth then?

 

Perth? An Aussie: so, so proud of her (as all are)
She came out near Top of the List on the priority list DEFINED by the SUPER Supportive / Experts at the OzatWar Facebook Group:
https://www.facebook.com/Ozatwar
- You can't find it by searching Facebook for Ozat... :spar2: Peter Dunn renamed it from his own name.
- Search Peter Dunn and it pops right up even though the defining url ends with Ozatwar

But it should come as no surprize to you to know that I knew we would cull her. Right from the Get Go.
Before I even entered her loss. - Knowing it would have to be extra powerful stories
to get two or more Commonwealth Ship Losses into the "British" Deck.

- I / We INSIST (End Discussion. K?) that EACH Commonwealth Nation should have ONE Loss entry in the initial Deck of Cards.

Having said that:
I, for now anyway, see NO WAY in which "we" could find a way to include even one, single HMIS (Her Majesties Royal Indian Navy) Loss, no matter how gruesome the circumstances and story.
See HMIS Research near top of Page 3.

"Chilanko Bye"
- "The" Rogue of Rogues leaving all you other wanna be Roges OD'd on Smilies & font control. Eh? For Sure... Apple Ologies!

 

Wow...the site looks pretty exhaustive...good place to look for information...

 

T anks! - Every so nice to hear all your brutally hard, Grrr You Sum Elly HARD :circlejerk: work is so appreciated. Big Hug back at cha my chummy chum chum!

BUT... no brainer comment here: We are Only One Quarter Done Yet! Yep! End of this Discussion. Right?

JAPAN, WESTERN AXIS USS? Barely started!

Big, Cruelly big Real Life Project, smack dab in the way RIGHT now too. Equally tight deadline too. Thus the hiatus here. So Sorry Rogues!

- Terrified that the originating posts here are going to be time locked out any minute / hour now. Then a few more each following day.
This above ALL other threads (Except, of course! Lancaster Bomber 514 Squadron) needs us to be able to Edit all the way back to Post #1, until the VERY end of its active days here.
________________

My "reward" for posing that XMAS Card to the WW2Network Postal Service was a ± offer from Otto to have that reward be some sort of "moderator" status so that I can edit MY OWN PERSONAL ancient POSTS indefinitely.
(Primarily so that I can go back to day one and replace images links & urls that are now broken.)
Example: every time a phpbb forum upgrades from #2 to 3, 4, 5... that single digit url change breaks the link.
- Indefinite editing is a trite annoying to some. That is not the intent. Understood Rogues?

FYI aside for newbees here who might be puzzled by this term:
The Military "Definition" of Rogue is Operating Outside Normal or Desirable Controls aka Going off the Reservation.

Otto: this would be a timely moment to implement that.
Thanks from a Rogue ever so grateful for this as hard core Researcher that obviously likes his posts to be "letter perfect" - noting all the editing I do. VonPooped on me recently re this. See below:

 

I'll be editing the first post using the information so far and adding the captain names to their ships.
I feel bad since I have little knowledge of the ships! Thank you fred for all the great work done so far!

Do you know where I can get more information of the US ships? I'll probably need to get the US deck design complete first.

 

If Haze Grey and Undwerway does not have what you are looking for, try http://www.navsource.org/

A list of ship's captains or a link to such can often be found at the bottom of a ship's page, after the ship's photographs. If not check the "additional resources" section in the same vicinity.

For example, the USS Astoria: http://www.navsource.org/archives/04/034/04034.htm

 

Thanks so much! I hope this commemorative deck would appeal to most WWII fans!