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neilbyrne · 06-12-08, 01:17 PM

When I came on active duty in '65, there were still a fair number of WWII vets active as well. My second skipper was a direct commission out of the Merchant Marine and had had two merchies shot out from under him in the North Atlantic. There were two specifically with whom I became good friends. One was a chief boatswains mate who had been in BOISE with the Asiatic Fleet at war's start and later fought at Cape Esperance and then in a DE in the North Atlantic. The other was a Rear Admiral who was weapons officer of one of Arleigh Burke's FLETCHERs in DesRon 23, THATCHER as I recall, and fought through the Solomons and at Empress Augusta Bay. He later was XO of a SUMNER in the Okinawa Kamakaze campaign. I was not privleged to know any WWII submariners first hand.

I never heard anyone say that the IJN were not good, tough naval operators. And that was not the intent of my post either. It was more along the lines of Bill Parcells axiom that "You are your record." If you went 5 & 9, then you're a 5 & 9 team.

If the RN, the RCN and USN had only killed 20% of the engaged U-boat force...... Well, you get the idea. Neil

06-12-08, 01:17 PM	#524
neilbyrne Torpedoman Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 118 Downloads: 31 Uploads: 0	IJN ASW When I came on active duty in '65, there were still a fair number of WWII vets active as well. My second skipper was a direct commission out of the Merchant Marine and had had two merchies shot out from under him in the North Atlantic. There were two specifically with whom I became good friends. One was a chief boatswains mate who had been in BOISE with the Asiatic Fleet at war's start and later fought at Cape Esperance and then in a DE in the North Atlantic. The other was a Rear Admiral who was weapons officer of one of Arleigh Burke's FLETCHERs in DesRon 23, THATCHER as I recall, and fought through the Solomons and at Empress Augusta Bay. He later was XO of a SUMNER in the Okinawa Kamakaze campaign. I was not privleged to know any WWII submariners first hand. I never heard anyone say that the IJN were not good, tough naval operators. And that was not the intent of my post either. It was more along the lines of Bill Parcells axiom that "You are your record." If you went 5 & 9, then you're a 5 & 9 team. If the RN, the RCN and USN had only killed 20% of the engaged U-boat force...... Well, you get the idea. Neil __________________ Cordially, Neil CAPT USN (Ret.)