TIN CAN TRIVIA

The first person to answer the May Trivia Question correctly will receive the book, Momentary Heroes by George Gaytan. All the names of those who answer correctly will be listed in chronological order at the end of the month. Have fun.

I was laid down by consolidated steel corp., Orange, Tex., 25 July 1941, and commissioned 9 February 1943. I penetrated within 1-1/2 miles of the Japanese shoreline, probably the closes approach made by surface ships during the entire war. Following the Atomic Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the subsequent collapse of Japan, I screened transports carrying occupation troops into Tokyo Bay on 6 September. I fought in almost every major offensive campaign of the Pacific War without losing a single man. I received 12 Battle Stars for World War II service.What is my Name?  Question courtesy of Delane Burnett

April's Winner: Hannah Beck
Runner Up: Terrence Wright
Please note: prize went to runner up.

Question: What U.S. navy ship was the most decorated ship in naval history? Courtesy of Ed Velasquez

Answer: USS PARCHE SSN-683. In addition to numerous medals, it received 9 presidential unit citations and holds the US record for submerged endurance of 124 days in 1982.

March's Winner: Hannah Beck
Runner's Up: Bill Burress, Charlie Sauer, Phillip O’Donnell, John W. Klar, Lou Colella, Bill Bryant, T. Foley, Chris DeMarzio, Ron Nicholls, John Roese, Allan Pike, Mike Poncsak (partial answer).
Please note: prize went to 1st runner up.

Question: As a seaman first class aboard an LST during the invasion of Lae, New Guinea I heroically stood my ground as the pilot house was struck by an aerial bomb that mortally the helmsman and also mortally wounded me. I grasped the helm from the dead sailor who was manning it before me and swerved the LST out of harms way with the last of my strength.  

Still clinging to the helm, I myself succumbed to my wounds minutes after clearing the vessel from the onrushing torpedo. (For his single minded concerns for the safety of his ship and his fellow shipmates he was awarded the Medal of Honor.)

A US Navy ship was commissioned in late August 1944.and named in my honor.  Less than three weeks after her commissioning this ship rescued sailors from an American destroyer lost in a hurricane in Sept. 1944. Of the 5 officers and 68 men who survived the sunken destroyer this Destroyer Escort rescued 34 officers and men. This was almost half of the surviving sailors.

This DE also received the Presidential Unit citation for her actions against the Japanese Navy 9 August 1945.

For this months trivia question can you name the sailor who was awarded the Medal of Honor for saving his LST, the name and hull number of the ship that bore his name, the name of the USN Destroyer lost in a hurricane in Sept 1944, and the nature of the unit citation presented to the ship for her actions against the Empire of Japan on August 9, 1945? Courtesy of Terrence Wright

Answer: Johnnie Hutchins saved his fellow shipmates while serving aboard LST 473
Hull Number: USS Johnnie Hutchins DE 360
Lost Destroyer: USS Warrington DD-383
Citation Recommendation: Sunk one Jap midget sub with gunfire, sunk a second and damaged a third with repeated depth charge attacks 9 August 1945.

February's Winner: Hannah R. Beck
February's Runners Up: Bob Crawford, Mike Poncsak, Tom Perkins, Ron Nicholls, Robert Wilson, Adam Grose, Lynn Cooper, Delane Burnette, Terrence Wright, Bob Yarnell, Len Ostrowski, John Roese

Question: What was the name of the destroyer on which the first at-sea landing was made by the experimental DSN-1 drone helicopter and what was the date on which this occurred? Question courtesy of Ed Zajkowski

Answer: The first at-sea landing aboard a destroyer by the experimental DSN-1 drone helicopter was made on 1 July 1960 aboard the USS Mitscher DL-2 off the coast of Long Island.  The DSN-1 is the first remote controlled helicopter built expressly for use in destroyers in the Navy’s new DASH weapons concept.
SOURCE—DESLANT INFO BULLETIN--August 1960   page 5

January's Winner: Steve Schreiber

January's Runners Up: Hannah Beck, Bill Burress, Bob Fox, Jim Rountree, Lou Colella, Mike Poncsak, John Klar, Tom Harper, Charlie Sauer, Jeffrey Hawley, Delane Burnette, Bruce Lafleur, David Watson, Fred Muller, Ron Nicholls, T. Foley, Jesús Diéguez, Tom Perkins, Adam Grose, Len Ostrowski

Question: In a little more than 2 years of active naval service I steamed straight into a column of Japanese cruisers furiously firing 5” 38 caliber shells into them. During the same battle, I rescued 434 survivors of the sunken jeep carrier USS St. Lo., while losing four sailors to enemy gunfire.  
Following an overhaul in San Francisco 6 and one half months later I rescued 88 more victims of a kamikaze attack this time from the carrier USS Sangamon.
From March 1944 to May 1946 I received one presidential unit citation for TU77.4.3 and four battler stars.
I was named after an enlisted man, who lost his life during the initial attack on the island of  Kwajalein, what’s my name? Courtesy of Terrence Wright
Answer: USS Dennis DE-405 source DANFS at www.hazegray.org

December's Winner: Ron Nicholls

December’s Runners Up: Bill Burress, Hannah R. Beck, Mike Poncsak, Larry Holt, Louis Colella, Dave Watson, Steve Schreiber, Rick Pitz, Robert Wilson, Delane Burnette, Fred Muller, Tom Perkins, Len Ostrowski, Al Bostick, Scott Fitzpatrick

Question: Name the first destroyer type ship to be christened by a nun. Question courtesy of Ed Zajkowski

Answer: USS O’CALLAHAN  DE-1051  on 20 Oct. 1965 by Sister Rose Marie O’Callahan, sister of the ship’s namesake. SOURCE—DANFS—VOL. 5—1970 edition  page  134

November's Trivia Winner: Mike Smolinski
Runner's Up: Hannah Beck, Ron Nicholls, Tom Perkins, Lou Colella, Bill Burress, Robert Kilkelly, Mike Poncsak, Rick Pitz, Robert Wilson, T. Foley, Bill Smart, Terrence Wright, Delane Burnette, Steve Schreiber, Len Ostrowski

Question: Born in Pittsboro, North Carolina in 1824, I was appointed Midshipman in the U.S. Navy in 1841 resigned in 1861; I subsequently commanded the only Confederate Cruiser to circumnavigate the world. Who am I? What was the name of my Confederate Cruiser and what U.S. Navy ship was named in my honor? Courtesy of Larry Holt.
Answer: James Iredell Waddell ... C.S.S. Shenandoah ... U.S.S. Waddell  DDG 24

October's Trivia Winner: Hannah Beck
Runner's Up: Bill Burress, Tom Perkins, John Klar, Dave Watson, Lou Colella, Mike Poncsak, T. Foley, Len Ostrowski, Rick Pitz, Delane Burnette

Question: On 21 February 1945 two Japanese suicide planes hit this American Carrier causing her to sink with the loss of 218 sailors.

She was first hit under the aft 40MM gun mount crashing through the hangar deck igniting the ships magazines there. The fire fighting crews almost had the fires under control when the second suicide plane hit striking the salt water distribution system and rendering it useless for further damage control. The abandon ship was given and a plucky destroyer escort began to direct the rescue operations saving 378 of the carrier crew including the commanding officer.

Despite darkness, heavy seas, and continued Japanese air attacks 30 of the destroyer escorts crew went over the side to assist in rescuing the last of the wounded and exhausted sailors from the stricken carrier.

Can you name the carrier and the destroyer escort involved in this battle at sea in support of the Iwo Jima operations? Courtesy of Terrence Wright.

Answer: USS Bismark Sea (CVE 95) and USS Edmonds (DE 406). Source: NavSource and Answers.com

September's Trivia Winner: Robert Wilson
Runner's Up: Hannah Beck, Dave Watson, Tom Perkins, Len Ostrowski, Lawrence Holt, Ron Nicholls, Tom Glickman, Lou Colella, T. Foley, Bill Burress, Bill Bryant, Bill Smart, Rick Pitz.

Question: I was born before the turn of the 20^th century in Atlanta, Ga. I accepted a commission as second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in January 1909 at the age of 27.

While stationed at the Navy Yard Marine Barracks, Philadelphia, Pa. I pursued my love of flight by leasing an airplane, at my own expense for the sum of $25.00 per month. 

I never actually got it off the ground but I taxied it none the less. My profound faith and love of flying was finally rewarded on 16 May 1912 when I was detached from duty at the Navy Yard and ordered to the aviation camp the Navy had set up at Annapolis, Md. so Marines could learn to fly.

I reported for duty on May 22, (1912, the recognized birth of Marine Corps aviation), but the actual flight training was held at the manufacturers plant, which at the time was located in Marblehead, Mass. Only the builders of the planes could fly in those days because nobody knew how. After only 2 hours and 40 minutes of flight instruction, I soloed on 20 August 1912, becoming the US Navy’s fifth aviator.

In 1917 I was given command of the first of what would later be four Aviation Squadrons of the Marine Corps. After the selection and training of the men to man the four Marine Squadrons was complete, all four squadrons sailed on the USS DeKalb for Brest France on 12 July 1918. Stationed in Northern France and Belgium I commanded the four squadrons that comprised the Northern Bombing Group and was awarded the Navy Cross for commanding the four squadrons on 57 total raids against the Germans where we dropped 52,000 lbs of bombs and 2,600 lbs of food on five separate food dropping missions for troops in the field.

For the service I rendered to my country the US Navy commissioned a destroyer in my honor in 1944. What is my name and what is the hull number of the ship that bears my name?

Answer: My name is ALFRED A. (AUSTELL) CUNNINGHAM, the hull number is Sumner Class destroyer number  DD-752 commisioned 23 Nov 1944. I’m also the father of Marine Corps Aviation, being Marine Corps Aviator number one.

August's Trivia Winner: Len Ostrowski
Runner's Up: Jim Rountree; Hannah Beck; Tom Perkins; Robert Jones; Robert Wilson; John Roese; Louis Coella; Ralph Hight; Ron Nicholls; Lou Abreu; John Klar; Larry Holt; Bert Johnson; Michael Flynn; Dave Watson; Bill Burress; Tom Erb; George Seal; Rick Pitz; Bill Bryant

Question: Born during the Revolutionary war in N.Y. state I’m largely self educated and pursued two careers; one as a government employee and the other as an author. My extensive writing includes poetry, political works, fiction and non-fiction works, stories, novels, and plays. My talent and prolific output made me an influential contemporary American literary figure.
My tenure as a government employee started with my job as secretary to the Board of Navy Commissioners from 1815-1823 and Naval Agent in N.Y. in 1824-1838.
Later I served as Secretary of the Navy under President Martin Van Buren. I was noted for my distinct lack of enthusiasm for new technologies. None the less the Navy made marked advances in steam engineering, and saw an overall enlargement of the fleet.  I also expanded the Navy’s apprenticeship programs, and supported wide-ranging exploration efforts during my term as Secretary of the Navy.
The last 2 decades of my life were devoted to Agriculture and I died on my farm in April 1860.
Can you guess my name and the hull number of the destroyer christened in my honor?  Courtesy of Terrence Wright

Answer: James K. Paulding 11^th Secretary of the Navy, DD-238 Clemson Class destroyer USS James K. Paulding commissioned in 1920, scrapped in 1936 and struck from the Navy list in 1937.

July's Tin Can Trivia Winner: Tom Perkins
Runners Up: Hannah Beck, Patrick Murphy, Bill Burress, Morgan Little, John Roese, Robert Wilson, Len Ostrowski, Robert Jones, Fred Muller

Question: The Sullivan brothers seem to be the most famous choice when you think about families who gave it all during WWII. This Trivia Question is about another family who gave the ultimate sacrifice of their sons so we could be free. What U.S. Navy ship is named in honor of the 3 ________ brothers who perished at their battle stations aboard the USS _________ during the Pearl Harbor attack 7 Dec. 1941?  Courtesy of Terrence Wright

Answer: USS BARBER DE-161, “BARBER” , OKLAHOMA BB-37

June's Tin Can Trivia Winner: Bill Burress
Runners up: Hannah Beck, Tom Perkins, Bill Smart, Delane Burnette, Len Ostrowski

Question: Name the US warship which had the distinct disadvantage of being the first ship sunk by Germany in the Atlantic after hostilities were declared by President Roosevelt on Dec. 7, 1941.
The Reuben James was sunk and the USS Kearney heavily damaged prior to war being declared, this was after the date that will live in infamy. Question courtesy of Terrence M. Wright

Answer: USS Alexander Hamilton

May's Tin Can Trivia Winner: Ben Susser

Runners up: Mike Smolinski, Michael Flynn, Patrick Murphy, Tom Perkins, Bill Burress, Hannah Beck, Chuck Johnson, Len Ostrowski, Bill Smart, John P. Roese, Jo Ann and Truett Brannen, Rick Pitz and Delane Burnette

Question: This allied destroyer, and her sister ship, had the honor of capturing the most vital piece of intelligence gear during the European theatre of WW2. It helped us to win the longest battle of WW2, the battle of the North Atlantic.

The value of this intelligence coup could only be equaled by the cracking of the Japanese Naval Code, JN-25. This of course was achieved by our U.S. naval crypto people operating in Hawaii and helped us win the naval Battle of Midway.

The trivia question has a five part answer, please fill in the blanks.

On May 9, 1941 the allied destroyer _________ and her sister ship the ___________with an assist by the corvette ____________ captured an___________ machine, from U-________________. 

Hint one: this sub had torpedoed the British merchant ship “Bengore Head” and the British merchant vessel “Esmond”, which, incidentally, was the subs last victim.  The u-boat was forced to the surface after repeated depth charging by the destroyers who were a part of the convoy screening force protecting the two torpedoed merchants and their fellow merchantman.

Hint two: the assisting ship on this sinking, picked up survivors from both  torpedoed ships, while one of the two sister ships was towing the u-boat to Iceland, the other sister was en route to port after capturing this, the greatest of  intelligence  prizes.

Hint three: this ship and not her sister, was chosen to  accept the formal German surrender of the Channel Islands exactly four years later on 9 May 1945. (the Channel Islands were the only part of England occupied by the Nazi’s during WW2).
Question courtesy of Terrence Wright

Answer: “HMS BULLDOG” (H-91) a British “B” class destroyer commissioned in April 1931, it was laid down in 1929 by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson LTD., her sister ship “HMS BROADWAY” (H-90), and the flower class corvette “HMS AUBRETIA” (K-96), commissioned in Dec. 1940, and built by George Brown & Co. Greenock, Scotland. 

The war prize they captured was an “enigma” machine, from the German U-boat “U-110”.

“HMS BULLDOG” was responsible for the capture of U-110, and after boarding her, Sub LT. David Balme found enigma code machine ciphers and code books. This allowed our English intelligence people at “Bletchley Park” to know the exact position of enemy u-boats as they attempted to refuel or rendezvous to form wolf packs with other u-boats.

Sometimes the information received was so detailed it wasn’t believed and the British didn’t act on it. Although “U-110” was captured intact the u-boat sank, while being towed, en route to Iceland.  Had the u-boat been towed into port, German spies could have found out about it, thus causing the German navy to change their code or cyper wheels due to this massive breach of security. That, of course, would have ruined this great intelligence coup.  As it was the Germans never did find out until after the war that we were reading and listening in on their secure transmissions. Admiral Doenitz and Admiral Rader, the German u-boat commanders, thought the breach of security was within the ranks of the “abwher”, the German version of the OSS.  In fact it’s just some dedicated destroyerman doing their job, whodunit.  Source: http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4359.html

 

There was no winner for April's contest
Those who answered half of the question correctly were: Terrence Wright and Tom Perkins

Question: Name the 2 destroyers from Newport that helped prevent a major disaster due to their quick action in fighting a spectacular fire aboard USS LAKE CHAMPLAIN CVA-39, on 3 July 1957 at Marseilles, France?  Question courtesy of Ed Zajkowski

Answer: USS JOHNSTON DD-821 and USS JOSEPH P. KENNEDY JR. DD-850. Source—DESLANT INFO BULETIN—AUGUST 1957  page 24

March's Trivia Winner: Patrick Murphy
Runner's Up: Bill Burress, Michael Treffinger, Ben Susser, Ted ?, Alex Andujo, Hannah Beck, T. Foley, Delane Burnette, Chuck Johnson, Donald Neumann, Jim Hocking, Ed Nikolas, Michael Flynn and Rick Pitz

Question: What American destroyer rescued 104 Vietnamese refugees approximately 620 miles east of Saigon and what year did this happen? Question courtesy of Terry Wright

Answer: USS COCHRANE DDG-21 in 1980. Source US Naval Historical Center