Sunday, June 17, 2018

Light cruiser Miami during the shelling of the Islands of Palau September 7, 1944


5 comments:

  1. I've always wondered whether anything was done with all that brass.

    Anybody know?

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    Replies
    1. No, but I'll bet they just kicked it overboard.

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  2. 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.

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  3. 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"..........

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  4. 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!

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