3rd Cumulative WW2 History Quiz

[El_Tigre]

Yes, good question! I knew I was missong something when I couldn't connect
the submarine to the other pictures.

BTW, is googling allowed in this quiz? I looked for the airfield pic online, but I
was pretty sure it would be Tinian airfield. Good job in finding the at least
meaningful foto of the airbase, Hornblower...

 

[cidknee]

googling is discouraged, according to the rules its not allowed, but im sure a few of us do it.

 

[Adler17]

AFAIK, McVay was first found guilty under Adm. King but when Nimitz became in charge McVay´s honour was restored and he stayed Captain but never got a new sea command. Later he became Rear Admiral when he retired. He commited suicide as a last letter of hatred arrived him in 1968.
Lt.Cdr. Hashimoto was promoted to Commander at the very end of war. He testified later in the trial against McVay that zigzagging would not have worked and the USS Indianapolis was doomed in all ways.
The question behind this is, why the US did not miss a cruiser for 4 days and why they did not researched the message by Hashimoto claiming to have sunk an Idaho class battleship (which was indeed the USS Indianapolis). This delay costed hundreds of lifes. And so they needed a scapegoat.
Over 700 US ships were lost in the war but McVay was the only commander who was trialed.
Nevertheless my question:

What Japanese ships were responsible for sinking the US battlefleet at Pearl Harbour without firing a single shot?

Adler

 

[Asclepius]

googling is discouraged, according to the rules its not allowed, but im sure a few of us do it.

I would say that has become pretty obvious judging by some of the answers around here, rendering most of these quizzes pretty pointless IMHO.

It might be a good idea if each question asker stated in his post whether this is a researchable question or not. That way the questions could be tailored to suit.

I can't see much point in Googling an answer and even providing a link in some cases

 

[El_Tigre]

It might be a good idea if each question asker stated in his post whether this is a researchable question or not. That way the questions could be tailored to suit.

Sounds like a good idea.

What Japanese ships were responsible for sinking the US battlefleet at Pearl Harbour without firing a single shot?

Do you mean the six aircraft carriers of Kido Butai? Technically, they didn't fire a singe "shot". Akagi, Kaga, Zuikako, Shokaku, Soryu and another one I can't remember.

 

[Serutan]

I believe the Hiryu was the sixth.

 

[Adler17]

No, I don´t mean the carrier. There are other ships causing tremendous damage- not directly of course.

Adler

 

[jeriko one]

Japanese submarines on patrol?

 

[Adler17]

No. Surface.

Adler

 

[meisen]

Adler

Are you thinking of the Japanese merchant ship or liner that transported the spy, I forget his name, that reported on the comings and goings of the USN ships stationed at Pearl Harbor?

My other guess would be the IJN ship Yamamoto was aboard where he ordered the signal to attack was transmitted from. Yamoto perhaps?

 

[Adler17]

No. I don´t mean the spy, nor the Yamato, although in your post is a hint. You are near, but more I won´t say. Nevertheless I meant ships doing damage without firing a single shot. Indeed these ships did see not very much action during the war.

Adler

 

[Hornblower]

I think I know but won't answer. Would it be reasonable to say that there were about half a dozen of them though?

 

[Adler17]

No. I can think I have to help here again and say there were two ships helping in the attack without firing any shot directly. The oilers and so on were not meant. Also you go in another direction. Meisen was on a good direction. See his post and my answer. However the ships he did not tell me. A last hint: They were combat ships!

Adler

 

[El_Tigre]

The 2 heavy cruisers of Kido Butai used their floatplanes to scout Pearl Harbor, and so did Hiei and Kirishima.

 

[Adler17]

No. No reconnaissance mission. They did hit the ships in Pearl but without firing a shot. So this is the last hint. I will solve it tomorrow and give it free, if nobody can answer it correctly.

Adler

 

[Adler17]

All right I solve it. Nobody seems to know it, what is quite remarkeable. But here is the solution:
Nagato and Mutsu. The Japanese had not enough bombs for attacking armoured targets. And also not so much resources to produce new ones. So they decided to make from the 16" shells of both ships bombs. So these ships damaged or sunk several US ships without shooting a single shot on them! One of htese shells sunk USS Arizona for example.

The quiz is open to the next poster.

Adler

 

[El_Tigre]

Excellent question, now I remember reading about those converted shells!

 

[cidknee]

excellent question adler, I didnt know that.

 

[meisen]

I agree, good question.

 

[Hornblower]

Brilliant! I actually sat through a presentation on jury rigged weapons. The Japanese naval shells that were turned into bombs were mentioned. Specifically they served as an inspirations to US weapons engineers in the 91 Gulf War. The massive bunker busters that are prevalent in many arsenals today surprisingly didn't exist back in 1990. The engineers knew of the demand and thinking back to the Pearl Harbour attack one of them suggested cutting up the artillery tubes from surplus barrels and turning them into deep penetration bombs. From start to finish it took 3 months and the first bombs were air dropped in the first days of the air war. The rest is history and bunker busters are now part and parcel of most arsenals. Laterally speaking we have the Japanese attack at Pearl to thank for this modern day weapon.