"Parker's Tin Can"

Arlo · 09-23-11, 08:03 AM

I'm deep in research (ok, Wikipedia - doesn't actually seem a bad source, overall) covering Japanese ships featured. But "Parker's Tin Can" appears to yield no results, Wikipedia or otherwise. Google and Bing can't ping a thing.

I even tried searching this forum using 'Parker's Tin Can' as a specific search phrase and ... nothing. Figured I'd ask here, this being the most knowledgable community I know of on the subject matter at hand. I'll also post an inquiry at Aces of the Deep.

Thanks in advance for any type of response, guys.

(P.S. Um, Bungo Pete drives an Akikaze, doesn't he?)

WernherVonTrapp · 09-23-11, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arlo

I'm deep in research (ok, Wikipedia - doesn't actually seem a bad source, overall)

It's not that Wikipedia is a bad source, but rather, that virtually anyone can post information to it, including false or incorrect information. If you're going to rely on info from Wikipedia, just make sure you cross reference with other reliable/solid sources, if possible. I've heard that they want to make the website more reliable and were looking for ways to accomplish this, but to what end, I do not know.

Now, you bring up a good subject. On occasion, I have also wondered about that particular name/boat. I couldn't find anything specific so I figured it had to be a reference taken (probably) from a specific book/account of the war. "Parker" is a pretty common name and I've seen at least one reference that suggested (though I don't know for certain) that it was a generic term (Parker Man) for someone who manned a DE (destroyer escort), though this is suppositional on my part.

The name could be related to anything from, Foxhall Alexander Parker (Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy in 1878 and was one of the founders of the United States Naval Institute), to the WWI destroyer USS Parker (DD-48).

Hopefully, someone who has more specific details will come along and clear it all up for us.

Armistead · 09-23-11, 09:36 AM

Interesting. I thought the Parker's were captured US escorts captured near Luzon when the Philippines fell, later reworked to look more like JP minelayers. However, I don't know why I think that, except that it sticks in my mind from somewhere. I could be thinking of the name PB102 given to captured US patrol boats the JP's used.

Now I want to know where this came from.

Arlo · 09-23-11, 09:40 AM

Thanks, WVT. U.S.S. Parker was the only somewhat relevant info I've found to date. But I did get what I thought was some pretty good reference material on U.S.S. Stewart aka Patrol Boat 102 from Wiki. Wiki is the most readily accessible material online. The books I would have to acquire would take more time and expense for the website I'm hammering away at but I do plan to buy some reliable harcopy reference books over time.

Arlo · 09-23-11, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armistead

Interesting. I thought the Parker's were captured US escorts captured near Luzon when the Philippines fell, later reworked to look more like JP minelayers. However, I don't know why I think that, except that it sticks in my mind from somewhere. I could be thinking of the name PB102 given to captured US patrol boats the JP's used.

Now I want to know where this came from.

Thanks, Armi!

Ducimus · 09-23-11, 11:27 AM

Ensign Parker and his tin can is a fictional character made up specifically for the one of the sea trial missions in TMO. He was inspired by the Uboat communtiy's, "Bernard". Or rather, it was thought at one time, that both Uboats and Fleet boats should have some comical character to blame things on when everything goes wrong, or as a virtual punching bag for comedy hijinks.

Orginally someone (i forget who) decided that this character for fleet boats should be named "Dinsdale". However Dinsdale sounds more British then American, so i tried to rename him to something a bit more unique to American comedy, hence the name "Parker".

Bottom line, the character never quite caught on in the fleet boat community, so, regardless if the guys name is Dinsale or "Ensign Parker", nobody really has a clue what the joke is supposed to be.

Arlo · 09-23-11, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Ensign Parker and his tin can is a fictional character made up specifically for the one of the sea trial missions in TMO. He was inspired by the Uboat communtiy's, "Bernard". Or rather, it was thought at one time, that both Uboats and Fleet boats should have some comical character to blame things on when everything goes wrong, or as a virtual punching bag for comedy hijinks.

Orginally someone (i forget who) decided that this character for fleet boats should be named "Dinsdale". However Dinsdale sounds more British then American, so i tried to rename him to something a bit more unique to American comedy, hence the name "Parker".

Bottom line, the character never quite caught on in the fleet boat community, so, regardless if the guys name is Dinsale or "Ensign Parker", nobody really has a clue what the joke is supposed to be.

Thank you, Ducimus! I really appreciate this. Though I've been focusing specifically on the ships available in SH4 and their *historical* context - including their stats, would you be interested in helping me figure out a psuedo 'wiki' type entry as a basis for info for this ship. I'd like to include it as a shoutout to the subsim community, specifically now.

http://www.wix.com/mumsiewumsie/uss-...my-dds-and-des

WernherVonTrapp · 09-23-11, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ducimus

Ensign Parker and his tin can is a fictional character made up specifically for the one of the sea trial missions in TMO. He was inspired by the Uboat communtiy's, "Bernard". Or rather, it was thought at one time, that both Uboats and Fleet boats should have some comical character to blame things on when everything goes wrong, or as a virtual punching bag for comedy hijinks.

Ahhh, sort of like the fictional "Kilroy" character who began showing up on destryed enemy tanks, bunkers, etc., during WWII. Servicemen would draw a picture of a nose with a pair of hands and write, "Kilroy Was Here" as if Kilroy was responsible for the destruction.

Arlo · 09-23-11, 12:42 PM

I was thinking more like the U.S. naval officer tin can version of 'Private SNAFU.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...st=0&FORM=LKVR

Naval aviation had:

http://www.rfcafe.com/miscellany/smo...-the-pilot.htm

Bubblehead1980 · 09-23-11, 01:02 PM

Duci beat me to it, I was going to explain it.Ensign Parker is a little bit of a a hole if you ask me

WernherVonTrapp · 09-23-11, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arlo

I was thinking more like the U.S. naval officer tin can version of 'Private SNAFU.

I had him in mind too but, at the moment that I was posting, I couldn't recall his darn name.

Arlo · 09-23-11, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bubblehead1980

Duci beat me to it, I was going to explain it.Ensign Parker is a little bit of a a hole if you ask me

Ah, not an Ensign Pulver type? Or more an Ensign Pulver than a Mr. Roberts?

Arlo · 09-23-11, 01:46 PM

Ensign Parker's 'Tin Can' certainly has a distinctive bow. It doesn't look like a forward mount could even possibly be installed. Looks like it'd be a mother of a rammer, though. Perhaps that's his reputation. The most rammingest ensign in the fleet. Who knows, that could have been the motivation behind why (how being a different story) he was somehow transferred/infiltrated into the Japanese Navy, in hopes that his inate ramming instinct would follow him there and he would single-handedly ram the the entire convoy he was escorting to the bottom of the sea.

Sailor Steve · 09-23-11, 01:48 PM

Ensign Charles Parker was originally the character played brilliantly by Tim Conway in the TV series McHale's Navy.

Arlo · 09-23-11, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Ensign Charles Parker was originally the character played by Tim Conway in the TV series McHale's Navy.

Ah! I loved that series! Missed the correlation completely.

Ensign Charles Parker: Say, Fuji, you don't have any relatives in the air force, do you?
Fuji Kobiaji: Me? Oh, no.
Ensign Charles Parker: You know, I could have swore that pilot I shot down looked exactly like you.
McHale: Oh, well, you know how it is with the Japanese.
Fuji Kobiaji: Yeah. You've seen one of us, you've seen us all.

http://sharetv.org/shows/mchales_navy/episodes/290469

09-23-11, 08:03 AM	#1
Arlo The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,304 Downloads: 214 Uploads: 0	"Parker's Tin Can" I'm deep in research (ok, Wikipedia - doesn't actually seem a bad source, overall) covering Japanese ships featured. But "Parker's Tin Can" appears to yield no results, Wikipedia or otherwise. Google and Bing can't ping a thing. I even tried searching this forum using 'Parker's Tin Can' as a specific search phrase and ... nothing. Figured I'd ask here, this being the most knowledgable community I know of on the subject matter at hand. I'll also post an inquiry at Aces of the Deep. Thanks in advance for any type of response, guys. (P.S. Um, Bungo Pete drives an Akikaze, doesn't he?) __________________ -Arlo Last edited by Arlo; 09-23-11 at 08:46 AM.

09-23-11, 09:40 AM	#4
Arlo The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,304 Downloads: 214 Uploads: 0	Thanks, WVT. U.S.S. Parker was the only somewhat relevant info I've found to date. But I did get what I thought was some pretty good reference material on U.S.S. Stewart aka Patrol Boat 102 from Wiki. Wiki is the most readily accessible material online. The books I would have to acquire would take more time and expense for the website I'm hammering away at but I do plan to buy some reliable harcopy reference books over time. __________________ -Arlo

09-23-11, 12:42 PM	#9
Arlo The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,304 Downloads: 214 Uploads: 0	I was thinking more like the U.S. naval officer tin can version of 'Private SNAFU. http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=...st=0&FORM=LKVR Naval aviation had: http://www.rfcafe.com/miscellany/smo...-the-pilot.htm __________________ -Arlo

09-23-11, 01:46 PM	#13
Arlo The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 1,304 Downloads: 214 Uploads: 0	Ensign Parker's 'Tin Can' certainly has a distinctive bow. It doesn't look like a forward mount could even possibly be installed. Looks like it'd be a mother of a rammer, though. Perhaps that's his reputation. The most rammingest ensign in the fleet. Who knows, that could have been the motivation behind why (how being a different story) he was somehow transferred/infiltrated into the Japanese Navy, in hopes that his inate ramming instinct would follow him there and he would single-handedly ram the the entire convoy he was escorting to the bottom of the sea. __________________ -Arlo

09-23-11, 01:48 PM	#14
Sailor Steve Eternal Patrol Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: High in the mountains of Utah Posts: 50,369 Downloads: 745 Uploads: 249	Ensign Charles Parker was originally the character played brilliantly by Tim Conway in the TV series McHale's Navy. __________________ “Never do anything you can't take back.” —Rocky Russo Last edited by Sailor Steve; 09-23-11 at 02:01 PM.

09-23-11, 09:36 AM	#3
Armistead Rear Admiral Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: on the Dan Posts: 10,880 Downloads: 364 Uploads: 0	Interesting. I thought the Parker's were captured US escorts captured near Luzon when the Philippines fell, later reworked to look more like JP minelayers. However, I don't know why I think that, except that it sticks in my mind from somewhere. I could be thinking of the name PB102 given to captured US patrol boats the JP's used. Now I want to know where this came from.

09-23-11, 11:27 AM	#6
Ducimus Rear Admiral Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 12,987 Downloads: 67 Uploads: 2	Ensign Parker and his tin can is a fictional character made up specifically for the one of the sea trial missions in TMO. He was inspired by the Uboat communtiy's, "Bernard". Or rather, it was thought at one time, that both Uboats and Fleet boats should have some comical character to blame things on when everything goes wrong, or as a virtual punching bag for comedy hijinks. Orginally someone (i forget who) decided that this character for fleet boats should be named "Dinsdale". However Dinsdale sounds more British then American, so i tried to rename him to something a bit more unique to American comedy, hence the name "Parker". Bottom line, the character never quite caught on in the fleet boat community, so, regardless if the guys name is Dinsale or "Ensign Parker", nobody really has a clue what the joke is supposed to be.

09-23-11, 01:02 PM	#10
Bubblehead1980 Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Florida USA Posts: 7,121 Downloads: 605 Uploads: 44	Duci beat me to it, I was going to explain it.Ensign Parker is a little bit of a a hole if you ask me