trivia time

[WernherVonTrapp]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

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

You noticed! I was wondering if anyone would say anything about that when I edited this in photoshop.

[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]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

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

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

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

(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]

Originally Posted by 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

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]

Originally Posted by TorpX

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.

[Torplexed]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

[Arlo]

Originally Posted by WernherVonTrapp

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.

[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.