Quote:
Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins
I was looking through this list. Keep in mind that this is a list compiled by the submariners themselves and the facts in the list may be in conflict with official accounts. I'd believe the submariners as default and be right most of the time I think.
There are clues here. First of all, the order that stood out in the author's mind was the order of April 13, 1944 "Until further notice give fleet destroyers priority over maru types as targets for submarine attacks." And later is the observation that USS Flasher sank more tankers than any other submarine in the war.
Well, I happen to have an autographed copy of "War Patrols of the USS Flasher" by William R McCants. If anyone would say something about orders to sink tankers, it will be in this book. It's hardcover paper, so no digital searching there, but then you can't autograph a digital file...... I'd say I'd rather have what I have.
Stand by. This will take awhile.
It appears the "Remember When" index has vanished from the Internet. Paul Wittmer entrusted Charles Hinman of the Bowfin Museum in Hawaii to perpetuate his site. Hinman made a few half-heated attempts to reformat the whole shebang, never really did any meaningful work there and then abandoned the domain, www.silentservice.us. What a shameful act. Hope he is no longer working for the Bowfin Museum. He doesn't deserve to work for an organization honoring US submarine veterans, having abandoned a sacred trust.
I believe I have the entire US Submarine Veterans of World War II website, which has also died, archived on one of my hard drives. I'm thinking bringing all that home to Subsim might be appropriate, especially if we allow public browsing of these dead websites by the submariners themselves. They deserve to live again. |
Nice. May have to add the Flasher book to my library! I agree, I'd rather have the book as well.
From my reading(both online and books by submariners. I recall Admiral Calvert in his book Silent Running mentioning Christie had changed priority targets to tankers in late 43, before the Jack arrived in Fremantle and her "tanker sweep" in Feb 1944) SW Pacific units focused on tankers as of late 44. The Destroyer order seems to be a temporary one given to SubPac boats, perhaps in the run up to the major offensive's planned for summer and fall of 44.This would make sense, as Fremantle boats would likely encounter the most tankers and fleet was on the move in central pacific.
However, in the overall strategy it seems would make more sense for all boats to focus on tankers, aside from the temporary order. Seems I recall reading about subpac boats focusing on tankers as well when encountered.
Basically I'm trying to make sure am as accurate as possible with dates as I plan to include in patrol orders on or after certain dates that tankers are priority targets in addition to raising renown awarded for sinking tankers, radio traffic, etc.
That is rather aggravating the individual mentioned did not take care of that which was entrusted to him.
Yes, if you have the site archived definitely should put it on subsim to be preserved and shared with everyone.