This quiz is for your enjoyment. It is meant to improve your knowledge of submarine and naval history. Please do not call, write or e-mail here with the answers - they will be in KTB #158.

Answers

236. The conning tower emblem of U-995 consisted of a blue stick figure chasing a red stick figure to take his hat. This symbolized a German children’s game called ‘Fang den Hut’ or ‘Catch the Hat’. When HANS-GEORG HESS (125-LIFE-1985) took command of this boat, he told his men that they could select any conning tower emblem they wished but it could not have anything to do with the medieval heraldic coats of arms or anything warlike. They chose this cute emblem.

237. The last surviving German armed merchant cruisers to be lost in World War II was MICHAEL. She was sunk by the American submarine USS TARPON off Japan in October 1943.

238. The 1st US Navy submariner to win the Congressional Medal of Honor in World War II was Commander Howard Gilmore, Skipper of USS GROWLER. The posthumous award was made in 1943. He ordered his officers to clear the bridge while he remained topside to maneuver his boat to safety after they had rammed a Japanese gunboat. Gilmore was badly wounded in the ensuing gun battle and his last order to the Officer of the Deck was “Take her down!” The badly damaged GROWLER dived and escaped, but her Skipper still was topside and lost forever into the sea.

239. The first I.J.N. submarine to fall victim to the new ASW weapon the Hedgehog was I-175 on 5 Feb 1944.

240. It was I-169 that sank herself. She was forced to dive quickly to escape attacking American aircraft. One of the torpedo doors was not secured and the submarine sank. There were several efforts to refloat her; all unsuccessful. The entire crew perished.

Questions

Now, for KTB #158 next month, see if you know these answers:

241. Who was Germany’s second highest scoring submarine Skipper; and how did he die?
242. What American submarine sank three Japanese submarines in three days?
243. What was the only USN submarine to sink a battleship on the high seas, and what was the battleship?
244. What was the first American submarine to sink a Japanese destroyer in the war?
245. What was the first sub sunk by aircraft in the war?