And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
Light cruiser Miami during the shelling of the Islands of Palau September 7, 1944
Those anti-aircraft cruisers had rapid fire six inch rifles. During naval engagements off Guadalcanal, the Japanese reported to the high command that the Americans had machine-gun cruisers because once they had the enemy in their sights, the gunners would close the key and the guns kept firing and firing. Notice the barrels above. The paint was cooked off.
The Miami was not an Atlanta class anti-aircraft cruiser. Those ships were armed with 16 5" dual purpose guns. The triple turret 6" guns were used against surface ship and for shore bombardment. They had a maximum elevation of 41 degrees, compared to 85 degrees for the 5" guns. the 6 " guns were capabable of shooting 10 rounds a minute.
Unfortunately for the USN, they lacked flash less powder for their main batteries early on. The Japanese ships would zero in on the American ships with their guns and torpedoes and make the USN pay a heavy price for their failure to provide their ships with the flash less propellants. Had they done so, they would have rewritten the history of the Solomon's Campaign. There's a reason it's known as "Iron Bottom Sound"..........
I wouldn't want to have been in that machine gun nest- I'd be nervous with all that brass crashing on the deck right next to me, and it might distract my aim!
I've always wondered whether anything was done with all that brass.
ReplyDeleteAnybody know?
No, but I'll bet they just kicked it overboard.
DeleteThose anti-aircraft cruisers had rapid fire six inch rifles. During naval engagements off Guadalcanal, the Japanese reported to the high command that the Americans had machine-gun cruisers because once they had the enemy in their sights, the gunners would close the key and the guns kept firing and firing. Notice the barrels above. The paint was cooked off.
ReplyDeleteThe Miami was not an Atlanta class anti-aircraft cruiser. Those ships were armed with 16 5" dual purpose guns. The triple turret 6" guns were used against surface ship and for shore bombardment. They had a maximum elevation of 41 degrees, compared to 85 degrees for the 5" guns. the 6 " guns were capabable of shooting 10 rounds a minute.
DeleteUnfortunately for the USN, they lacked flash less powder for their main batteries early on. The Japanese ships would zero in on the American ships with their guns and torpedoes and make the USN pay a heavy price for their failure to provide their ships with the flash less propellants. Had they done so, they would have rewritten the history of the Solomon's Campaign. There's a reason it's known as "Iron Bottom Sound"..........
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't want to have been in that machine gun nest- I'd be nervous with all that brass crashing on the deck right next to me, and it might distract my aim!
ReplyDelete