trivia time

[I'm goin' down]

What was the Tokyo Express?

Who gave it that nick name?

Why was it called the Tokyo Express?

What was the route of the Tokyo Express?

[Arlo]

What was the Tokyo Express?

Who gave it that nick name?

Why was it called the Tokyo Express?

What was the route of the Tokyo Express?

The nickname given for use of IJN ships transporting troops and supplies at night.

The American press.

To protect the original name "Cactus Express" from public knowledge, "Cactus" being an operational codename.

Japan to the Solomons.

[fitzcarraldo]

And:

Is there a mod with the Tokyo Express really simulated?

TMO? RSRDC? FOTRS?

(I don´t know the answer...).

Regards.

Fitzcarraldo :salute:

[Dread Knot]

Japan to the Solomons.

More likely from Rabaul in New Britain to the various Japanese held islands and garrisons in the Solomons. Rabaul was the major port where supplies were stockpiled and escorts for the nocturnal runs were based.

[Arlo]

More likely from Rabaul in New Britain to the various Japanese held islands and garrisons in the Solomons. Rabaul was the major port where supplies were stockpiled and escorts for the nocturnal runs were based.

I gladly stand corrected. :)

[Ducimus]

Last but not least, what type of ships were in Tokyo Express? :O:

[I'm goin' down]

Last but not least, what type of ships were in Tokyo Express? :O:

I believe the ships were destroyers. The Marines on Guadalcanal commonly referred to the dds coming down the SLOT (at night) as the Tokyo Express.

RSRDC has dds sailing down the slot at night in its program. Armistead knows RSRDC like the palm of his hand, and can likely provide when and where.

I believe the Tokyo Express ran at night because the American Air Force did not have night vision equipment.

[Armistead]

RSRD does a great job with the Tokyo express. The staging ground for the DD's was out of Shortland, giving them enough time to get down the slot and unload under the cover of darkness.

[Arlo]

Last but not least, what type of ships were in Tokyo Express? :O:
Um. Warships, I believe. Destroyers, if not exclusively, primarily (again, I believe). I think the point was to move things fast and at night. :)

IGD beat me to it. Posted post haste without lookin' for other responses. Oy.

[WernherVonTrapp]

As American airpower grew on Guadalcanal, the IJN began turning more and more to using DDs as fast transports. They did however, also use various transport ships and some barges.

[Armistead]

As American airpower grew on Guadalcanal, the IJN began turning more and more to using DDs as fast transports. They did however, also use various transport ships and some barges.


Yep, during the battle of GC, Nov/42, I think the night of the 15th the JP's tried to land a lot of troops and supplies with a fairly large merchant convoy. Whatever night it is with all the action in RSRD that night hard to decide what to do, but you'll see about 6 Nagara's coming past Savo. Course, with all the JP TF hard to decide what you want to attack.

[WernherVonTrapp]

...Whatever night it is with all the action in RSRD that night hard to decide what to do, but you'll see about 6 Nagara's coming past Savo. Course, with all the JP TF hard to decide what you want to attack.
My last career I became ensnarled in the mid November naval battles at Guadalcanal and bypassed those Marus in favor of the warships. This career, I concentrated on the Marus and became wedged between them, and a large TF. I succeeded in sinking all 6 of the transports.:salute:

[Dogfish40]

WOW!!
I'm friakin impressed. That's why I love this site, I learn details. I knew about the Tokyo Express first from movies when I was a kid, then I found out that it was true, that there was indeed a flotilla that used to run down some slot I thought was around Guadalcanal.
Anyway, you guys are on the ball, keep it up, I love to read this stuff...
D40 :salute:

[WernherVonTrapp]

WOW!!
I'm friakin impressed. That's why I love this site, I learn details. I knew about the Tokyo Express first from movies when I was a kid, then I found out that it was true, that there was indeed a flotilla that used to run down some slot I thought was around Guadalcanal.
Anyway, you guys are on the ball, keep it up, I love to read this stuff...
D40 :salute:
Well, for those who might not know, this is The Slot:

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/b7d476fd.jpg

:salute:

[Sailor Steve]

Weird and deceptive map, oriented toward the east...

[WernherVonTrapp]

Weird and deceptive map, oriented toward the east...:har: You noticed! I was wondering if anyone would say anything about that when I edited this in photoshop.:haha:

[TorpX]

Where is "Ironbottom Sound" and what is the significance of the name?

(A very easy one; everyone here may know this already.)

[I'm goin' down]

Well, for those who might not know, this is The Slot:

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/b7d476fd.jpg

:salute:

Weird and deceptive map, oriented toward the east...

:haha:

(In the recent rivival of the play South Pacific in NYC, the scene in the naval officer's office displayed a huge map of the Slot. Obviously it was not historically accurate as it did not display the locations of the subs from SH4 operating in the area.)

[I'm goin' down]

WOW!!
I'm friakin impressed. That's why I love this site, I learn details. I knew about the Tokyo Express first from movies when I was a kid, then I found out that it was true, that there was indeed a flotilla that used to run down some slot I thought was around Guadalcanal.
Anyway, you guys are on the ball, keep it up, I love to read this stuff...
D40 :salute:

Sometime you do not really want what you wish for.

And then some idiot tried to ride Widowmaker who bucked so hard, the cowpoke flew into outer space, hit the surface of the moon, and fell back to earh. He bounced between the earth and the moon for a week until Pecos shot him down on a Sunday so's we could bury him. (From the story of Pecos Bill.)

[Torplexed]

Where is "Ironbottom Sound" and what is the significance of the name?

(A very easy one; everyone here may know this already.)


So much sunken steel in one place that ship's compasses start to spin. :D

[Torplexed]

As American airpower grew on Guadalcanal, the IJN began turning more and more to using DDs as fast transports. They did however, also use various transport ships and some barges.

The Japanese themselves had two names for the Tokyo Express based on the types of vessels used to lift Army units to Guadalcanal. "Rat Transportation" was the term given to using high speed destroyers and the occasional seaplane carrier. "Ant Freight" was the use of slow barges and transports to lift artillery pieces, tanks and other items too large and cumbersome for the destroyer decks. "Rat Transportation" was safer and quicker, but as an IJA soldier you were likely to find yourself at your destination without much to eat or many bullets to fight with.

[WernherVonTrapp]

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/0ae41a2f.gif

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-fc/whistling.gif

[Arlo]

http://i1045.photobucket.com/albums/b456/archangel501/0ae41a2f.gif

http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-fc/whistling.gif

Whew ... for a second I thought I saw "USS Sean Penn."

[Torplexed]

Funny. That map indicates a resting place for the USS Minneapolis, but she survived the war. All I can figure is it indicates where she was berthed while emergency repairs were done to her bow after the Battle of Tassafaronga.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/USS_Minneapolis_after_Tassafaronga.jpg

[WernherVonTrapp]

Actually, I'm not so sure that those are all supposed to be "resting places". I just used that map to show where Iron Bottom Sound is located. I'm not absolutely certain of the context with which this map is associated. It might be sunken ships, but could also include ships that were forced out of action for a significant amount of time.http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-confused005.gif