Name this Naval Vessel

Two are shown. ID them both, please.

 

Wrong posting, please delete...

 

Looks like two subs, one having difficulties, possibly aground, and the other giving what helps it can, I guess a training accident so I my guess is two Type II U-Boats that were mostly used for that.

FOR: Size looks about right
FOR: The colour pic matches contemporary German film.
AGAINST: most crewmen are wearing shorts, not likely for the Baltic.
AGAINST: The bulge on the rear hull is a mistery and doesn't match any pic of the Type II I have

 

Type IIs were very small, 287 tons surfaced. That grounded sub is much bigger than that, 982 tons surfaced.

 

Took a little bit to remember this one.

The grounded submarine is the Dutch submarine O-19, and the visible bow belong to the US submarine USS Cod. O-19 had run aground and needed assistance to get off the reef, when their efforts failed, the USS Cod rescued the Dutch submariners the proceeded to shell and torpedo the grounded Dutch submarine.

A brief, but good, video can be found here: YouTube - ‪USS COD gato class destroys dutch submarine‬‏

 

Well done. A few years ago I came across a nice color photo of the wreck of O19 recently taken by some a eco-tourist. After nearly sixty year the boat was still remarkably intact, but I couldn't find the photo anywhere using Google or Bing. I understand it's still there but it is now impossible to approach due to tensions between Vietnam and China over mineral rights in the area. Vietnam claims all of Ladd Reef as within their economic zone. China disagrees and has lately been harassing Vietnamese survey ships, some times violently.

Now hit me with your best shot...

 

Well, this won't be my best shot, because I want to take this moment to honor one of the little known ships from World War II.

 

She doesn't look all that small to me but I haven't the faintest idea of her identity. The "boats" on the foredeck look LCMs but there is too little AA for US landing ship.

 

I would say a WWI build judging by the straight bow, and high stern.

 

She looks more modern than WW1, though she's most likely a coal burner with that high funnel, the 3 decks high superstructure is unusual, USS Canopus (AS-9) looks a close fit but the only pic of her I have is even more blurry than that one.
An internet search turns up that pic.

http://as9.larryshomeport.com/

 

double post ...

 

Have to await the judge, but I think you got it.

 

Good eyes TiredOldSoldier!

You are correct, she is the USS Canopus(AS-9). And yes, the website you posted was where I had found the photograph I used.

 

Found this in an Italian site where they play the same game, most of what they post is way too hard for me (and it's usually subs) but they had this picture that shouldn't be too hard. Bonus points if you can spot the red herring (one very visible detail that changed when she was completed).

View attachment 13416

 

She is the HMS Belfast. Not sure what the "red herring" you talking about is though? Perhaps, the hull reconstruction work done following her run in with the magnetic mine.

You can clearly see where the three AA mounts will go on the ship's starboard side - dead give away, since all other British cruisers only had two AA mounts per side. From the shape of the aft superstructure, it is mostly obvious that the aft turret will not be mounted on the deck, but in a raised position, again this is unique to that class. And, they had a fairly unique arrangement of portholes.

So, that is three unique pointers as to the ship class, after that is was simply a matter of confirmation as to which ship - Belfast or Edinburgh

 

Nice work Takao, the 4th pointer are the opening for the funnells that are much further aft than on any other British cruiser, as to the "red herring" .... Belfast has only one anchor contrary to the previous Town sub-classes, that ship looks like she's meant to have two.

 

HMS Belfast carried two anchors during her sea trials, and they are visible in photographs taken during that time, so I didn't really see this as a "red herring". The 2nd anchor was removed and the opening plated over when she was rebuilt following the magnetic mine explosion that "broke her back."

At first, i guessed that this was done to take some strain off the hull. But, her sister, the HMS Edinburgh seems to have had this done during her 1941 refit. Also, at least some ships from the previous Southampton class have had this done, namely the HMS Glasgow and HMS Birmingham. So, perhaps, it was a general weight-saving measure taken as more and more extraneous equipment was added during wartime refits.

 

While not technically a "naval" ship, I wish her story was be better known than it is today.

 

I'll hazard some speculation: The AA suite and camouflage make her look US to me, so perhaps a US flagged passenger steamer conscripted into the war effort? The territory looks cold and mountainous. Alaska? No really good leads yet. Clearly I need to know her story better. Lovely lady.

 

Oh, you probably heard her story.

Yes, she is US. She carried passengers up and down the east coast for many years, before being taken over for the war effort.

I don't think this ship ever made it to Alaska, more likely the background is Canada or Greenland.