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Old 12-20-16, 12:50 PM   #3
Aktungbby
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SHO The one sub that made the difference!

It actually was a submarine war allway 'round: MAY/2/82 HMS Conqueror sank the ARA General Belgranoformerly the USS Phoenix, a light cruiser: 1938 commission date. with three Mark 8, designed 1925 and constantly upgraded, torpedoes two of which exploded sinking the ADM Belgrano in twenty minutes without being able to issue a MAYDAY call. Ironically the first Nuke sub to sink an enemy using WWII technology on a WWII era vessel! Perhaps even more importantly: poor visibility meant the two escorting destroyers were unaware of the sinking until some hours later. A total of 323 men were killed. Adding to the confusion, the crew of the escrt, ARA Hipólito Bouchard, former USS Borie: commission 1944, felt an impact that was possibly the third torpedo striking at the end of its run (an examination of the ship later showed an impact mark consistent with a torpedo). The two ships continued on their course westward and began dropping depth charges. By the time the ships realised that something had happened to General Belgrano, it was already dark and the weather had worsened, scattering the life rafts.
Conqueror's war did not end there. The crew of the submarine had to face Argentine Air Force attempts to locate her in the days after the attack, which had shocked the outraged Argentine people and ruling dictatorship. (Political consequence of a corrupt junta's regime that was forced to abdicate by 1983??!!...Warfare is 'politics by other means'??!!) Perhaps even more importantly: Conqueror did not fire again in anger throughout the war, but provided valuable help to the task force by using sophisticated monitoring equipment to track Argentine aircraft departing the mainland-ie In warfare: "forwarned is forarmed!". Imho: one sub can make a big difference. Some serious 'skullduggery' behind the scenes: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/world-history/sinking-the-belgrano-the-pinochet-connection-7609047.html#gallery.wiki
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Last edited by Aktungbby; 12-20-16 at 01:49 PM.
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