Little Known Submarine Facts

From a book published after the War by Electric Boat Company, we read that the first submarine which actually sank another enemy vessel was the CONFEDERATE submarine CSS HUNLEY during the Civil War. The UNION frigate USS HOUSATONIC was on blockade station at Charleston Harbor when she was attacked and sunk by HUNLEY. In these early days, the torpedo was not fired or launched from the submarine but rather was attached to an extending pole off the bow of the submarine.

While the attack had the desired effect of sinking the enemy ship (which sank immediately), it had the unplanned effect of taking the submarine down with it as well! Some think that the actual blast was so severe that it also ruptured HUNLEY, causing it to sink on its own. Others think the submarine was somehow entangle with the frigate as that ship sank so rapidly that she was dragged to the bottom. Either way, CSS HUNLEY was lost with all hands.

This quiz began in KTB #102 & is only intended to improve your knowledge of submarine & naval history.

Answers to last month’s quiz:

26. The U-Boat C. O. who tried to sink the liner QUEEN ELIZABETH was Horst Kessler of U-704. On 9 November, 1942 he fired a four torpedo spread at the liner at 1257 hours (German time). They heard a detonation after 2 minutes, 4 seconds and claimed a damaging hit to the ship. There was no damage.

27. The famous FOUR CHAPLAINS on SS DORCHESTER who gave their life preservers to troops, and lost their own lives, were George L. Fox, Clark V. Poling, John P. Washington and Alexander D. Goode.

28. Calvin Graham joined the US NAVY at age 12, but before the NAVY found out that he was just a kid, he served aboard the battleship USS SOUTH DAKOTA (BB 57), won a BRONZE STAR and a PURPLE HEART. When the NAVY found out, he was quickly sent home.

29. The only I.J.N. battleship to live through World War II was NAGATO. At 42,785 tons and 725 feet in length, she was the 19th largest battleship in the War.

30. The only German aircraft carrier in the War years was GRAF ZEPPELIN. She was laid down in 1938, but construction went sporadically and slowly so that even though there were special LUFTWAFFE STUKA and Me 109 Squadrons trained to fly off carriers in preparation for this ship, the ship was never completed during the War. Another 22,500 carrier (a sister ship) was barely begun, and two 11,000 ton carriers never made it off the drawing board. When the War was over, the Russians loaded the unfinished GRAF ZEPPELIN with much of military technology for a trip to Russia, but much was loaded in the hangar deck or larger things on the flight deck, so she was bordering on being top-heavy. She was under tow and caught in heavy weather when she rolled over and sank about 15 miles offshore.

For KTB #109 next month, do you know.....

31. What was the only ROYAL NAVY aircraft carrier to survive the War?

32. What ship’s bands were competing in the ‘BATTLE OF MUSIC’ on Saturday night, 6 December, 1942 at Pearl Harbor?

33. Where were Japan’s midget submarines designed and built?

34. How many I.J.N.subs were in the ADVANCE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE attacking Pearl Harbor?

35. Who was the 20th most successful US NAVY submarine Skipper, and what boats?