I kind of take offense to this Galloping Ghost Submariner...

SUBMAN1 · 07-01-07, 09:57 PM

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obi...tory?track=rss

This designation is reserved for the USS Houston - the Flag Ship of WWII of the Pacific Fleet. It's feets saved thousands of lives as it went after all those Japanese transport ships and sunk 7 of them before succombing to 11 destroyers and 4 or 5 cruisers. It's survivors were featured in the movie - The Bridge of the River Kwai. This was Roosevelt's favorite ship in the entire Pacific fleet.

The Japanese gave this ship that designation - The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast. This writer basically stole that designation for his book. The reason they gave the Houston this name is because it always came out of no where, sunk whatever Japanese task force happened to be around, and then disapeared into nothing. The Japanese hated the USS Houston for good reason and hunted it for ages without success.

-S

The Wikipedia page - USS Houston - Notice in the very first paragraph what they call it.

August · 07-01-07, 11:38 PM

I just finished reading Ship of Ghosts. Those guys along with the survivors of the HMAS Perth went through hell.

CCIP · 07-01-07, 11:45 PM

I don't see what the fuss is about. Firstly there's no way the Japanese would give it such a properly-rhyming nickname in English; secondly hey, why not? I don't think this Fluckey deserved the name any less, and I'm sure the nickname was likewise contemporary.

More than one incidence of 'families' of related wartime nicknames I would say... :hmm:

SUBMAN1 · 07-03-07, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by August

I just finished reading Ship of Ghosts. Those guys along with the survivors of the HMAS Perth went through hell.

Yep - hell. I won't tell you how (because that is a little personal on a web forum, and would allow one to figure out who I really am), nor have I ever met him for obvious reasons, but I am related to Albert Rooks. Does that name ring a bell?

-S

PS. That is why I take a bit of offense to it.

SUBMAN1 · 07-03-07, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CCIP

I don't see what the fuss is about. Firstly there's no way the Japanese would give it such a properly-rhyming nickname in English; secondly hey, why not? I don't think this Fluckey deserved the name any less, and I'm sure the nickname was likewise contemporary.

More than one incidence of 'families' of related wartime nicknames I would say... :hmm:

That is their translation.

07-01-07, 09:57 PM	#1
SUBMAN1 Rear Admiral Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 11,866 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I kind of take offense to this Galloping Ghost Submariner... http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obi...tory?track=rss This designation is reserved for the USS Houston - the Flag Ship of WWII of the Pacific Fleet. It's feets saved thousands of lives as it went after all those Japanese transport ships and sunk 7 of them before succombing to 11 destroyers and 4 or 5 cruisers. It's survivors were featured in the movie - The Bridge of the River Kwai. This was Roosevelt's favorite ship in the entire Pacific fleet. The Japanese gave this ship that designation - The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast. This writer basically stole that designation for his book. The reason they gave the Houston this name is because it always came out of no where, sunk whatever Japanese task force happened to be around, and then disapeared into nothing. The Japanese hated the USS Houston for good reason and hunted it for ages without success. -S The Wikipedia page - USS Houston - Notice in the very first paragraph what they call it. __________________

07-01-07, 11:38 PM	#2
August Wayfaring Stranger Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 23,227 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I just finished reading Ship of Ghosts. Those guys along with the survivors of the HMAS Perth went through hell. __________________ Flanked by life and the funeral pyre. Putting on a show for you to see.

07-01-07, 11:45 PM	#3
CCIP Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Waterloo, Canada Posts: 8,700 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 2	I don't see what the fuss is about. Firstly there's no way the Japanese would give it such a properly-rhyming nickname in English; secondly hey, why not? I don't think this Fluckey deserved the name any less, and I'm sure the nickname was likewise contemporary. More than one incidence of 'families' of related wartime nicknames I would say... :hmm: __________________ There are only forty people in the world and five of them are hamburgers. -Don Van Vliet (aka Captain Beefheart)