Need help with List of most famous WWII warships

Chit chat aside...
Alvinhy - don't sweat the hit count here. Once you have looked at thread you are never counted again.
I think that applies to all drop in visitors also with Invision Power. Certainly true on other forums of theirs that I am a member of.

Otto has clearly stated he plans to dump them. Stay tuned for a big move, from what I hear, cc with our Brit centric sister forum at: http://ww2talk.com

When all is settled in here, please cc to them for a final fine tuning. K? Terrific board. World class experts.

 

But which deck would this go to? I only have 4 countries, UK/US/GER/Jap?

Woah theres so many forums! I'm getting lost tracked lol. I'll take a look at that public forum for more info.

Once I can confirm the listing for the 4 country decks I'll cc it to the sister forum for more opinion

 

GER is all western theater Axis - all German / Allies / Captured.
U-Boats gotta go chum. All but one left to commemorate / pay respect. The best of the best. The most memorable / honourable.

What do you think experts? My submission would be:

Type IX U-boat U-864 sunk on 9 February 1945 by the British submarine HMS Venturer, killing all 73 on board while transporting a large quantity of mercury and parts and engineering drawings for German jet fighters and possibly uranium oxide to Japan in Operation Caesar. Under the entire Arctic Ice pan route if I recall correctly...
It was THE epic sub vs sub engagement / battle of WW2. One of her engines began to misfire leading into one of THE epic sound detection hunts in WW2.
Commanded throughout her entire career by Korvettenkapitän Ralf-Reimar Wolfram
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_submarine_U-864

 

I hate you now, you got me hooked. Im watching from Episode 1 lol.

I forgot where I read it but I remember a captain commit suicide after an incident. Can someone fill me in with this? This is because 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.

BTW: Here is Captain Elliott Buckmaster for USS Yorktown CV-5

 

First PM Alvinhy? Keep an eye out top right on the forum.

 

Revised Feb 23'd 2016

More than one is triggered in my mind. Sad to say. However, fitting that there be one for most if not all navies.
There are any number that chose to go down with their ship. Suicide in any language, albeit a time honoured heroic end.

King of Hearts Research:

Western Axis Kapitän zur See (naval captain) Hans Wilhelm Langsdorff (20 March 1894 – 20 December 1939)
Commander of the Panzerschiff (pocket battleship) Admiral Graf Spee during the Battle of the River Plate.
He lay on Admiral Graf Spee's battle ensign and shot himself, forestalling any allegations that he had avoided further action through cowardice.
Story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hans_Langsdorff

Japanese Yamato Class Battleship Musashi
Sunk by an estimated 19 torpedo and 17 bomb hits from American carrier-based aircraft on 24 October 1944 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
Captain Toshihira Inoguchi chose to go down with his ship.
https://en.wikipedia...tleship_Musashi

USS Johnston, Taffy 3 and the Battle off Samar. One of THE most noted and honorable suicides in the annals of history.
Admiral Sprague, aboard the escort carrier Fanshaw Bay, issued the command: “Small boys attack”.
The Johnston fired her full complement of ten torpedoes before turning back into her own smoke.
The Kumano's bow was blown off by two or three torpedoes and the battleship Kongo had to break off its attack to avoid three more torpedoes -- but not before hitting Johnston with three 14-inch shells.
Despite problems with their damaged fire control system, Johnston managed to land hits on the 15,000-ton heavy cruiser Tone and then landed 15 hits on the 37,000-ton battleship Kongo's superstructure, before reversing back into the rain and smoke.
The crew knew they didn't stand a chance but continued to fire with every remaining gun -- every minute the enemy was tied down by them gave the carriers that much of a lead.
Lt. Commander Ernest E. Evans, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
What more can be said than that Japanese destroyer sailed by, its captain saluting her.
http://hubpages.com/education/World-War-2-History-Destroyer-USS-Johnston-Attacks-Battleships-and-Cruisers

Has the Japanese Destroyer been identified? There were eleven Japanese Destroyers in the battle.
That is the key historical missing element remaining needed to clean this entry up.

HMS Glowworm lost April 8th 1940.
HMS Glowworm was hopelessly outgunned by the German Cruiser Admiral Hipper, a ship ten times her size
- but this did not deter Lieutenant Commander Roope from making a determined attack concluding with a suicide ramming of the Admiral Hipper which broke the bow off Glowworm, and she sank shortly thereafter.
Glowworm was on fire when she drifted clear and her boilers exploded at 10:24, taking 109 of her crew with her. The ship's complement was 137 officers and men in peacetime.
Admiral Hipper hove to in order to rescue her man overboard as well as the Glowworm's 40 survivors although at least six later died of their wounds.
The German sailor was not found.
Lieutenant Commander Gerard Roope received the first Victoria Cross (VC) posthumously on July 6th 1945 when it was possible to corroborate the circumstances with German sources, including the captured log.
Source: http://ww2today.com/captain-of-hms-glowworm-wins-first-vc-of-the-war
http://www.hmsglowworm.org.uk/

 

I quite like the idea of that but maybe having the kings as battleships, Queens as aircraft carriers Jacks as other cruisers would be easier to understand?

I want the deck to appeal to most people as some may not understand the listings unless I have a book explaining their stories! I updated the list based on the feedback. Not sure if I'm correct though.


EDIT: Second thoughts I think your way would be quite cool. It would be more of a story rather than just bunch of ships put on. Maybe I'll even make a commemorative booklet in that case! Would you mind quickly drafting a list for the US deck? or check if my list is correct.

 

Yep. Nothing in that precludes your categories.

Your US deck is not going to look anything remotely like it does now. I think once done it will be flat out stunning.

Edit:
You Ass folks are locked into the Pacfic mindset.

Take a moment to look at the US Navy in the Battle of the Atlantic and North Africa et cetera. Role reversal. Dismissed by the US to defer to UK sensitivities.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Atlantic#The_field_of_battle_widens_.28June_.E2.80.93_December_1941.29

 

HMAS Canberra, namesake of the USS Canberra. Only USN ship ever named for another countries warship.

 

Alvinhy - Waller was Captain of the HMAS Perth...

 

British / Commonwealth Deck. Royal Australian Navy Loss Candidate research:

Revised Feb 24th 2016 9:30 AM

HMAS Grimsby Class Sloop Parramatta (U44) lost November 27th 1941
Parramatta operated in the Red Sea and Mediterranean during World War II. The sloop was torpedoed by U-559.
The damage was so significant that the sloop's captain only had time to order 'abandon ship' before Parramatta rolled to starboard and sank.
Only those on deck had a chance to escape. About 30 including two officers clung to an Oropesa float among a mass of debris.
They could hear shouts close by in the darkness. Suddenly as if she were reluctant to take the final plunge, Parramatta’s stern broke the surface.
Only 24 aboard survived, with 138 killed.
Lieutenant-Commander Jefferson H. Walker MVO
http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-parramatta-ii
http://www.ww2australia.gov.au/waratsea/HMASparramatta.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Parramatta_(U44)

HMAS W Class Destroyer Waterhen lost June 29th 1941
On 28 June 1941 Waterhen (I) left Alexandria for Tobruk with Defender on what was to be her last run.
At 7:45 pm on the 29th, off Sollum, both ships were attacked by dive bombers and Waterhen (I), though not directly hit, was holed by near misses and immobilized.
Her ship's company and embarked troops were taken off by Defender. There were no casualties.
As darkness fell, Defender took Waterhen (I) in tow, but it was soon apparent that she could not be saved and the working party was taken off.
At 1:50 am on 30 June 1941 the twenty-three year old 'Chook', as she was affectionately known to her crew, rolled over and sank.
Her ship's company and embarked troops were taken off by Defender. There were no casualties.
As darkness fell, Defender took Waterhen (I) in tow, but it was soon apparent that she could not be saved and the working party was taken off.
At 1:50 am on 30 June 1941 the twenty-three year old 'Chook', as she was affectionately known to her crew, rolled over and sank.
She was the first ship of the RAN to be lost by enemy action in World War II.
Commander Robyn Phillips
http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-waterhen-i
http://www.navy.gov.au/establishments/hmas-waterhen

HMAS W Class Destroyer Vampire lost April 9th 1942
Sunk by Japanese aircraft during the Indian Ocean Raid
The cruisers Dorsetshire and Cornwall to Colombo and Hermes and Vampire, to Trincomalee prepared for operations pending against Madagascar.
9 April, 54 bombers from Nagumo's carriers inflicted severe damage on the Trincomalee dockyard and airfields.
The raid ended, Hermes and Vampire set course to return to Trincomalee.
Meanwhile, powerful Japanese forces under the command of Vice Admiral Nagumo had sailed from Starling Bay in the Celebes on 26 March to attack Ceylon.
It comprised five fast carriers (Akagi, Soryu, Hiryu, Shokaku and Zuikaku); four battleships (Karishima, Hiyei, Haruna and Kongo);
and was supported by two heavy cruisers, one light cruiser and eleven destroyers. The entire group was fuelled at sea by six fleet tankers.

At 10:35 am on 9 April, off Batticaloa, Ceylon, aircraft were sighted from Hermes on the starboard quarter diving out of the sun at about 10,000 feet.
Hermes opened fire with every gun that would bear (she was carrying no aircraft) but in the face of the relentless Japanese dive bomber she was helpless.
The end came suddenly twenty minutes later and she went down with one 4-inch gun still firing.

Immediately the carrier vanished the dive bombers turned their attention to Vampire.
Fighting back she shot down at least one of the Japanese aircraft before she broke in half and sank in less than ten minutes.
Nineteen officers and 288 ratings of Hermes and the Commanding Officer and eight ratings of Vampire were lost or died of wounds.
Some 600 were rescued by the hospital ship Vita, others were picked up by local craft and a few swam ashore.
Captain Harry Leslie Howden RAN.
http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-vampire-i
http://www.navy.gov.au/biography/captain-harry-leslie-howden

HMAS Voyager lost September 1942
She ran aground at Betano, during the Timor campaign and was abandoned.
LCDR George S. Stewart RAN.
http://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-voyager-i

 

I think the man you're thinking of was Captain Howard D. Bode of the Chicago. He committed suicide after he found out that he was to be censured for his part in the Savo Island debacle.

USS Iowa BB-61, USS Iowa SSN is an on order nuclear attack submarine. The link is correct and to the battleship.

That's because the Japanese had a real navy, not like Germany.

 

I have a soft spot for this story. Her sister ship is still afloat on the Thames Embankment as the HQ ship of the Master Mariners Livery Company.

 

Great, heroic story, thanks for sharing. Doesn't surprise me though, that's just how Aussies are.

 

HMIS Royal Indian Navy Loss Research

the Royal Indian Navy lost 12 warships during WWII (5.22%)
http://uboat.net/allies/warships/navy/HMIS.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Indian_Navy#The_Royal_Indian_Navy_in_World_War_II

HMIS Landing Ship Infantry El Hind (F 120) lost Apr 14th 1944

HMIS Grimsby Class Sloop Indus (L 67 / U 67) lost Apr 6th 1942

 

Not a major warship but if you are looking at self sacrificing captains. Glowworm and/or Rawalpindi.

 

Revised Feb 23'd 2016 8:00 AM

I thought that I had made it clear that the Yarra set the standard and definition of a Club loss for us, given the new premise for this suit.

For now the Glowworm heads the list, the Captain having appropriately received the first VC of the war.

Likewise the USS Johnson sets the standard and definition of a Club loss
- so I am looking for a better US King of Diamonds Example too. K?
The Johnson will do though unless a better example replaces it.
Lets face it. Most club losses are going to be "suicidal" battle losses. No way around it.

 

In modern times anyway In the days of sail, our frigates Guerriere and Java, sloops Peacock and Frolic, and schooner Boxer all commemorated British ships, although they differed from HMAS Canberra in having been on the opposing side! Back then it was common to take captured ships into one's own service, usually under their original names, but since we couldn't do that in these cases* we gave the names to new ships of our own.

* Guerriere and Java burned after capture by USS Constitution
Peacock sank shortly after surrendering to USS Hornet
Frolic and her captor USS Wasp were both so badly damaged that the ship of the line HMS Poitiers captured/recaptured them
Boxer unfit for naval service but sold for use as a merchant ship

 

My apologies I some how missed your post. That's been happening too much recently. It may be that the jump to first unread post option is not working quite right. Or I could just be messing up.

 

Or I need to start using Revised Feb 23'd 2016 8:30 AM in the header of each post I edit on this thread until Otto takes up my Counter Battery request...

So it may be that it is me that needs to extend his apologies to you in this case in particular.