Hypothetical: The Navy drafted you in WWII.

[Rain Man]

I found a database of major American WWII ships the other day and pulled it into Excel. Then I found information on crew sizes. Now I have a simple simulator.

So if you were drafted into the Navy in World War II and were assigned to a large ship (e.g., submarine, destroyer, cruiser, or larger), I can now randomly assign you to a ship. Report in this thread to get your assignment.

I'll tell you your ship, and then it's up to you to look it up and see where it went and what happened to it. If the ship took casualties, let me know how many were killed and wounded and I'll do a random draw to see if you would have survived.


As for me, I would have been one of 700 sailors aboard:

Juneau** Atlanta-class Light Cruiser**

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Juneau_(CL-52)

That's not really a good thing. I hung out with a nice set of five brothers from Iowa, the Sullivans, but we saw some bad things.

We launched early in 1942 and did some early runs in the Atlantic and Caribbean before heading to the Pacific Theater. Right out of the gate in the Pacific we had to rescue sailors from an aircraft carrier that sank from a sub attack, and then we headed to Guadalcanal.

Our task force fought off four attacks from the Japanese, one of which took down another aircraft carrier.

Then another big Japanese group attacked, and we took a torpedo. We headed off toward Vanuatu for repairs, running with two other damaged ships, when we were attacked again by a Japanese sub. We took another torpedo which blew the ship to smithereens and we sank in 20 seconds.

The other two ships assumed there were no survivors and took off running. In actuality, 100 of the crew survived the sinking, but only about 10 survived the next eight days until rescue aircraft found them.

Based on a random dice roll, I went down with the ship, so my naval career ended late in 1942. I hope America won.

[Easy 6]

Reporting for duty, Sir... may I request a fast and sleek PT boat?

[Barret]

Reporting for Sub Duty. Hopefully we won't have any dud torpedoes

[otherstar]

Ahoy, ahoy! Reporting for duty!

[Steron]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Crevalle** Balao-class Submarine**


This was apparently one of the bigger submarines with an 82-man crew. I'm sure it was quite spacious and comfortable.

First and Second War Patrols, October 1934 - February 144
November 11, 1943 - Sank a Passenger-cargo ship
January 26, 1944 - Sank a freighter
February 11, 1944 - Sank a small patrol boat in surface action
Third and Fourth War Patrols, April - August 1944
April 25, 1944 - Sank a freighter
May 6, 1944 - Sank an oiler
May 11, 1944 - Rescued 32 Bataan Death March survivors who had escaped
July 26, 1944 - Sank 2 freighters
Fifth War Patrol, September 1944
September 11, 1944 - Refitted once more at Fremantle, Crevalle put to sea on her fifth war patrol 1 September 1944. Ten days later, she surfaced after a routine trim dive. A lookout, Bill Fritchen, was first through the hatch followed closely by the Officer of the Deck, Lt. Howard James Blind. Fifteen seconds later, the boat took a sharp down angle, and submerged with the upper and lower conning tower hatches open, washing the lookout overboard. The flow of water through the upper hatch, which was latched opened, prevented anyone in the conning tower from closing it. The lower hatch to the control was blocked by a piece of floor matting. At 150 feet (50 m) the hatch was seen to close and lock. The ship continued diving to 190 feet (60 m) at an angle that reached 42 degrees down. With communications out, an alert machinist's mate, Robert L. Yeager, saved the submarine by backing full without orders. The pump room, control room and conning tower flooded completely, and all electrical equipment was inoperative. Yeager received the Silver Star for his action.
Bringing the submarine under control, her men surfaced and were able to recover the lookout, but not Lt. Blind. It was later determined that the stern planes had jammed in the full dive position causing the sudden dive. With Fritchen having been washed off the bridge when the submarine dived, it was concluded that Blind had hung on the ship, and sacrificed his life in unlatching the upper conning tower hatch, saving the submarine. Blind posthumously received the Navy Cross for his action. Blind, a graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, had married a woman in Australia only two weeks before his death.
Sixth and Seventh War Patrols, March - July 1945
June 9, 1945 - Sank a freighter
June 10, 1945 - Sank a freighter
June 11, 1945 - Sank a freighter
Post-war Service
July 20, 1946 - Placed out of commission in reserve
September 6, 1951 - Recommissioned
August 19, 1955 - Placed out of commission in reserve
April 11, 1957 - Recommissioned
1960 - Reclassified an Auxiliary Research Submarine AGSS-291
March 9, 1962 - Decommissioned
April 15, 1968 - Struck from the Naval Register
March 17, 1971 - Sold for scrap

Credited with having sunk 51,814 tons of shipping, and shared in the credit for an additional 8,666 tons.

Unless I was Lt. Blind (R.I.P.), it looks like I made it through unscathed.

[TinyEvel]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Arizona** Pennsylvania-class Battleship**


Well, you didn't get the Indianapolis.

(Rolling dice.) However, I'm pleased to say that you survived. Maybe you were late getting back from leave or something.

Well, crap.

I was so drunk the night of December 6th I passed out at a flop house in Eastern Honolulu. The sirens and alarms woke me early the morning of the 7th, and as I ran with no shoes to the base I heard the explosions start and saw the swarms of zeros fly overhead.

I would arrive to the base armory and grab a 30mm machine gun but by then all the damage had been done and I spent the rest of the day and the three following pulling charred and bloated corpses from the ships and the harbor.

The guilt of not being on board when my 1,177 fellow shipmates died would riddle me the rest of my life. After serving with the recommissioned fleet in the pacific through 1945, I was honorably discharged and lived on north end of the Island of Oahu as a mostly homeless drunk and beach bum.

I died in 1972 at the age of 51 from esophageal hemorrhaging as a result of my drinking. It was a painful and slow death, matched only by the pain in my brain of the regret which haunted me for 31 years.

In 1989 some locals formed a petition and raised the money to have my ashes moved from a modest marker in the local cemetery to be interned inside the ship where I finally found some peace.

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

It looks like it was the same storm that killed kman34 a few posts ago.

Man, that was a heckuva storm. Check out this article about it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoon_Cobra_(1944). It looks like it killed over 700 sailors, sank three destroyers, caused major damage to nine other ships, and started a fire on the Monterey.

One more minor point -- Herman Wouk was serving in the South Pacific at the time, though he was not in Halsey's fleet. That storm, however, was one he was keenly well aware of, and then got incorporated into...

[alanm]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

You'll find your way eventually.


Here's an interesting one for you. You'll have to research this.

Sanborn** Haskell-class Attack Transport**

USS Sanborn (APA-193)

USS Sanborn (APA-193) at anchor, place unknown, late 1944 or early '45
B0C4DE;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%" height="30">Career (US)	B0C4DE;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%">
Ordered:	as type VC2-S-AP5 MCV hull 661
Laid down:	10 March 1944
Launched:	19 August 1944
Acquired:	3 October 1944
Commissioned:	3 October 1944
Decommissioned:	14 August 1946
In service:	6 January 1951
Out of service:	11 May 1956
Struck:	1 July 1960
Homeport:	Norfolk, Virginia
Fate:	scrapped, 1971
B0C4DE;text-align:center;vertical-align:middle;font-size:110%" height="30">General characteristics
Displacement:	14,833 (full load)
Length:	455 ft 0 in (138.68 m)
Beam:	62 ft 0 in (18.90 m)
Draught:	28 ft 1 in (8.56 m)
Speed:	17 knots
Capacity:	150,000 cu. ft, 2,900 tons
Complement:	56 Officers 480 Enlisted
Armament:	one 5/38” gun mount, twelve 40mm mounts, ten 20mm mounts

USS Sanborn (APA-193) was a Haskell-class attack transport acquired by the U.S. Navy during World War II for the task of transporting troops to and from combat areas.
Contents

• 1 World War II service
  • 1.1 Landing on Iwo Jima
  • 1.2 Okinawa operations
  • 1.3 End-of-war operations
• 2 Korean War service
• 3 Sixth Fleet service in the Mediterranean
• 4 Stars in Hollywood movie as the “USS Belinda”
• 5 Final decommissioning
• 6 Military awards and honors
• 7 Notable USS Sanborn Crew Members
• 8 See also
• 9 References
• 10 External links

World War II service

Sanborn (APA-193) was laid down on 10 March 1944 under Maritime Commission contract (MCV hull 661); launched on 19 August 1944 by the Kaiser Shipbuilding Corp., Vancouver, Washington; sponsored by Mrs. Eric Johnson; acquired by the Navy and commissioned on 3 October 1944, Comdr. Sidney Hugenin, USNR, in command.
After embarking her landing craft at San Francisco, California, conducting shakedown training at San Pedro, California, and amphibious training at San Diego, California, Sanborn left for Pacific Ocean duty, arriving at Honolulu on 16 December 1944. Exchanging her construction battalion passengers for Army troops and Marines, she joined the Amphibious Force, Pacific Fleet, under Vice Adm. Richmond K. Turner.
Landing on Iwo Jima

Sailing via Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, Sanborn arrived at Saipan on 11 February 1945 to participate in preinvasion rehearsals for the forthcoming assault on Iwo Jima. On 18 February, the landing boats of Sanborn lowered their ramps on Blue Beach, Iwo Jima. Ten boats were lost, one by enemy fire and nine broached in the treacherous surf. Her beach party also suffered from enemy action; all of the party's officers were lost. Boatswain's Mate 1st Class William D. Maroney took charge and was later awarded the Silver Star for his "extraordinary leadership and gallantry" in carrying out his duties under Japanese fire from 19 to 27 February 1945.
Okinawa operations

Carrying 232 casualties, Sanborn sailed for the Marianas on 28 February. There, she transferred the wounded to shore-based hospitals, then prepared for Operation Iceberg, the invasion of the Ryukyus. In late March, Sanborn sailed west for Okinawa with the largest amphibious task force of the Pacific campaign. After participating in a feint attack, Sanborn served as part of the floating reserve until 11 April, when she returned to Saipan.
End-of-war operations

She then sailed to Tulagi, Solomon Islands, and Noumea, New Caledonia, to embark new landing craft, and returned to Saipan. She next headed for San Francisco to embark troops of the U.S. 86th Infantry Division, transporting them to Batangas, Luzon, via Eniwetok and Ulithi. With hostilities ended, Sanborn's mission was now transportation of occupation troops to Japan, and participation in Operation Magic Carpet bringing troops home from the Pacific and Alaska. Sanborn was then decommissioned and, on 14 August 1946, placed in the Pacific Reserve Fleet, berthed at Stockton, California.
Korean War service

Recommissioned at San Diego on 6 January 1951, Sanborn conducted shakedown training off southern California before transiting the Panama Canal and joining the Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet, at Norfolk, Virginia. She conducted numerous landing exercises at Vieques, Puerto Rico, and Onslow Beach, North Carolina, for the next three years. In May 1953, Sanborn joined the Service Force, Atlantic Fleet, and transported construction battalions between Davisville, Rhode Island, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Casablanca, French Morocco. After July 1954, she once more participated in landing exercises along the U.S. East Coast and in the Caribbean.
Sixth Fleet service in the Mediterranean

On 7 January 1955, Sanborn departed Norfolk bound for the Mediterranean to serve with the amphibious force of the U.S. 6th Fleet. During the next five months, she showed the flag in ports in Italy, Greece, Turkey, Crete, Sardinia, France, and Spain. Between these visits, Sanborn participated in landing exercises to maintain both the ship's company and embarked U.S. Marines in combat readiness.
Stars in Hollywood movie as the “USS Belinda”

After her return to Norfolk, she continued to conduct amphibious training; this routine was interrupted, however, when Sanborn starred as the "USS Belinda (APA-22)" in the movie "Away All Boats" produced by Universal International Pictures.
Final decommissioning

Sanborn was decommissioned and placed in reserve for the last time and berthed at Orange, Texas. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 1 July 1960 and was scrapped in 1971.
Military awards and honors

Sanborn earned two battle stars for her service at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.



It's safe to say I went home and resumed my civilian life.

[Earthling]

Reporting for duty sir. And humbly asking for duty on anything but a carrier. (Too much brass)

[Fire Me Boy!]

I'm a 4-F'er.

[bevischief]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

South Dakota** South Dakota-class Battleship**


We appear to have a big need for battleship crews. I don't know if anyone else has ben assigned to this one yet.

I was 1st.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Totally unrelated, but I'm posting because this is a Rain Man thread: I'm in a restaurant by myself. Twenty-some empty tables. A man just walked in and sat down at the only table in front of me, facing me. What. The. ****?!?!

[Earthling]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Totally unrelated, but I'm posting because this is a Rain Man thread: I'm in a restaurant by myself. Twenty-some empty tables. A man just walked in and sat down at the only table in front of me, facing me. What. The. ****?!?!

Sounds like my experience at almost empty beaches...

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

Totally unrelated, but I'm posting because this is a Rain Man thread: I'm in a restaurant by myself. Twenty-some empty tables. A man just walked in and sat down at the only table in front of me, facing me. What. The. ****?!?!

If this was World War II, you could just shoot him and plant a Nazi symbol on him. And you would have been proper in doing so.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by TinyEvel

Well, crap.

I was so drunk the night of December 6th I passed out at a flop house in Eastern Honolulu. The sirens and alarms woke me early the morning of the 7th, and as I ran with no shoes to the base I heard the explosions start and saw the swarms of zeros fly overhead.

I would arrive to the base armory and grab a 30mm machine gun but by then all the damage had been done and I spent the rest of the day and the three following pulling charred and bloated corpses from the ships and the harbor.

The guilt of not being on board when my 1,177 fellow shipmates died would riddle me the rest of my life. After serving with the recommissioned fleet in the pacific through 1945, I was honorably discharged and lived on north end of the Island of Oahu as a mostly homeless drunk and beach bum.

I died in 1972 at the age of 51 from esophageal hemorrhaging as a result of my drinking. It was a painful and slow death, matched only by the pain in my brain of the regret which haunted me for 31 years.

In 1989 some locals formed a petition and raised the money to have my ashes moved from a modest marker in the local cemetery to be interned inside the ship where I finally found some peace.

Teen 1 to Teen 2: "See that guy over there? If you buy him a 40, he'll tell you about Pearl Harbor."

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Steron

Unless I was Lt. Blind (R.I.P.), it looks like I made it through unscathed.

(Rolling dice.) Fortunately, Lt. Blind (RIP) did not trade shifts with you that day.

Tough story. That would be scary.