From Pacifis Wrecksites.
On September 9, 1842, the YP-346 was attacked with gunfire from Japanese light cruiser Sendai and three destroyers while entering Tulagi Harbor.
The ship was forced aground and only one crew member was lost when he was struck by shrapnel and fell overboard.
--GreGen
The USS North Carolina (BB-55) My all-time favorite warship. As an elementary school student in North Carolina, I donated nickels and dimes to save this ship back in the early sixties.
Showing posts with label YPs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label YPs. Show all posts
Monday, January 18, 2016
Friday, January 15, 2016
World War II's "Floating Targets" the YPs-- Part 7: The End of the USS Tucker
On the morning of December 7, 1941, the USS Tucker (DD-372)had beem at Pearl harbor, where it shot down at least two, possibly 3 enemy aircraft. For the next five months it escorted convoys.
Just after midnight on August 3, 1942, the USS Gamble, USS Tracy and USS Breese laid 171 mines at the three entrances to Espiritu Santo. They were Mark VI mines, each containing 1600 pounds of TNT.
On August 3, at 2145, the Tucker was leading the SS Nira Luckenbach, a freighter, into one of the three entrances, the Segond Channel. they had no idea that the new mines had been laid.
The Tucker hit a mine and was almost lifted out of the water. The ship buckled. The freighter refused to assist for fear of other mines. Around midnight, the YP-346 entered the channel.
--GreGen
Just after midnight on August 3, 1942, the USS Gamble, USS Tracy and USS Breese laid 171 mines at the three entrances to Espiritu Santo. They were Mark VI mines, each containing 1600 pounds of TNT.
On August 3, at 2145, the Tucker was leading the SS Nira Luckenbach, a freighter, into one of the three entrances, the Segond Channel. they had no idea that the new mines had been laid.
The Tucker hit a mine and was almost lifted out of the water. The ship buckled. The freighter refused to assist for fear of other mines. Around midnight, the YP-346 entered the channel.
--GreGen
YPs
The YP designation stood for Yard Patrol Craft. Today, such naval ships are used for training and research purposes. YP is Hull Classification Symbol System.
After Pearl Harbor, the government leased the California tuna boat fleet for the duration of the war.
Sic hundred tuna boat men also volunteered.
The YPs patrolled the coast of the United states, the Panama Canal and the South Pacific.
--GreGen
After Pearl Harbor, the government leased the California tuna boat fleet for the duration of the war.
Sic hundred tuna boat men also volunteered.
The YPs patrolled the coast of the United states, the Panama Canal and the South Pacific.
--GreGen
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
World War II's "Floating Targets"-- Part 5: Loss of the YP-277
The YPs knew the harbor at La Parouse Pinnacle had been mined, but for security reasons, only the lead ship, the Challenger (YP-239) had a map of their locations.
On May 23, the YPs entered the harbor single file behind the Challenger. Suddenly, the Triumpho (YP-277), third inline, exploded, then exploded again. Then a third monster explosion disintegrated the ship. Total fatalities were unknown, but YPs typically carried crews of17.
The other three YPs arrived safely at their destination.
No one knows what caused the end of the Triumpho (Triumfo). Some believe it hit a mine, others say it was a fuel accident.
--GreGen
On May 23, the YPs entered the harbor single file behind the Challenger. Suddenly, the Triumpho (YP-277), third inline, exploded, then exploded again. Then a third monster explosion disintegrated the ship. Total fatalities were unknown, but YPs typically carried crews of17.
The other three YPs arrived safely at their destination.
No one knows what caused the end of the Triumpho (Triumfo). Some believe it hit a mine, others say it was a fuel accident.
--GreGen
World War II's "Floating Targets"-- Part 4: YPs, the "Hooligan Navy"
The crews of the YP boats consisted of Navy sailors and the San Diego tuna men. It did not take long for the tuna men to realize they knew more about the ship than their counterparts Nearly 600 San Diego tuna men were now in the Navy and wore their uniforms deliberately askew earning them the name "Hooligan Navy." They also generally left the decks unswabbed.
Vince Battaglia remembers 9 months without mail and 7 without pay.They had problems with the 50-caliber machine guns. Jack Theodore recalled, "Those .50 calibers were good for nothing. I didn't even use them when I got hurt."
The boat also had 12 depth charges astern mounted above the bait box.
Even though they were not intended for active combat, that was not the case. Early on a group of four YPs transported fuel and supplies from Pearl Harbor to La Perouse Pinnacle, 260 miles south of Midway Island. Heat made the fuel drums so hot, crews had to hose them down every two hours.
Vince Battaglia remembers 9 months without mail and 7 without pay.They had problems with the 50-caliber machine guns. Jack Theodore recalled, "Those .50 calibers were good for nothing. I didn't even use them when I got hurt."
The boat also had 12 depth charges astern mounted above the bait box.
Even though they were not intended for active combat, that was not the case. Early on a group of four YPs transported fuel and supplies from Pearl Harbor to La Perouse Pinnacle, 260 miles south of Midway Island. Heat made the fuel drums so hot, crews had to hose them down every two hours.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
YP-109
There is not a lot of information on this ship that was at Pearl Harbor. Its classification, YP, stood for yard patrol and that was its job.
I did find out that the 107-foot former yacht was acquired by the Navy October 3rd (I imagine 1941) and placed on harbor patrol at Naval Station Pearl Harbor in 1941. It was struck from the Naval Register 3 January 1946, so must have continued to serve throughout the war.
It was one of two YPs at Pearl Harbor, the other being YP-109.
--GreGen
I did find out that the 107-foot former yacht was acquired by the Navy October 3rd (I imagine 1941) and placed on harbor patrol at Naval Station Pearl Harbor in 1941. It was struck from the Naval Register 3 January 1946, so must have continued to serve throughout the war.
It was one of two YPs at Pearl Harbor, the other being YP-109.
--GreGen
Pearl Harbor Survivor's Story-- Part 3: Friends On the USS Arizona
A lot of friends he had made at boot camp had gone ahead of him and been assigned to the USS Arizona. He also would have been assigned to that ship had it not been for a bad reaction he had to an inoculation which caused him to have to remain at boot camp while they went ahead.
"I checked the Arizona list of survivors, and there wasn't any of them listed, so I assume they were all killed. At least, I never saw them again."
Almost. --GreGen
"I checked the Arizona list of survivors, and there wasn't any of them listed, so I assume they were all killed. At least, I never saw them again."
Almost. --GreGen
Pearl Harbor Survivors Story-- Part 2: Supposed Japanese Landing on Oahu
When Steve Warren and a friend came back up above deck, a bullet hit right in front of him, "It must have been a spent bullet, or about spent, and it just hit the deck. I picked it up for some crazy reason, I don't know why, and put it in my pocket." (A nice souvenir.)
Warren began helping fight the Japanese. he brought ammunition up. Word spread around that the Japanese had landed on Oahu. He had no weapon to fight this new threat, but he and others were loaded on a truck and went speeding off to where they thought the landing was. Of course, there was no landing.
Later he helped with the wounded where he laid the men out in rows.
He also kept that spent bullet that landed on the deck of the YP-109 that day. It is now in a glass case at Warren's home.
--GreGen
Warren began helping fight the Japanese. he brought ammunition up. Word spread around that the Japanese had landed on Oahu. He had no weapon to fight this new threat, but he and others were loaded on a truck and went speeding off to where they thought the landing was. Of course, there was no landing.
Later he helped with the wounded where he laid the men out in rows.
He also kept that spent bullet that landed on the deck of the YP-109 that day. It is now in a glass case at Warren's home.
--GreGen
Monday, May 19, 2014
Pearl Harbor Survivor's Story-- Part 1: YP-109 Man
From the December 4, 2011, Argus Leader "Steve Warren: Seaman in survivor mode, comforted dying during the attack."
The Elvida was a wooden-hulled yacht bought by the Navy and converted into a yard patrol boat. The crew had a rough ten-day crossing of the Pacific from San Pedro, California, to Pearl Harbor. The boat was not designed for open water and all aboard were seasick.
Once at Pearl Harbor, the Elvida became the YP-109. One of its crew was Steve Warren, seaman first class, standing 6 feet tall, who had joined the Navy on August 30, 1940 because he was tired of earning$1.50 a day working at neighbors' farms. he was now paid $54 a month.
On December 7, 1941, he ran topside just in time to see a Japanese bomber go by. Warren remembers: "There was a rear gunner on the plane, and he was real close, he was looking right at me. I looked up at him, and I dove back down below decks."
More to Come. --GreGen
The Elvida was a wooden-hulled yacht bought by the Navy and converted into a yard patrol boat. The crew had a rough ten-day crossing of the Pacific from San Pedro, California, to Pearl Harbor. The boat was not designed for open water and all aboard were seasick.
Once at Pearl Harbor, the Elvida became the YP-109. One of its crew was Steve Warren, seaman first class, standing 6 feet tall, who had joined the Navy on August 30, 1940 because he was tired of earning$1.50 a day working at neighbors' farms. he was now paid $54 a month.
On December 7, 1941, he ran topside just in time to see a Japanese bomber go by. Warren remembers: "There was a rear gunner on the plane, and he was real close, he was looking right at me. I looked up at him, and I dove back down below decks."
More to Come. --GreGen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)