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.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Fairplay

Please don't put me on the Indianapolis sir.

How about this?

Leutze** Fletcher-class Destroyer**

You'll have to enlighten me on your role.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Ah, interesting. I was thinking something bad had happened to it. It's famous for something, though, right?

I've only done a quick scan but it was one of the ships in the task force pulled off of the Wake Island rescue. It was also a day late for the Battle of Midway.

My ship is starting to lose some of it's initial shine.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by stumppy

I've only done a quick scan but it was one of the ships in the task force pulled off of the Wake Island rescue. It was also a day late for the Battle of Midway.

My ship is starting to lose some of it's initial shine.

I'd still trade you.

[srvy]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Long Island** Long Island-class Escort Carrier**

An escort carrier. I presume those are smaller.

She was the first of the converted cargo ships. She made it thru WWII with a distinguished career. Sent to reinforce Admiral Nimintz at Battle of Midway Islands then launched her aircraft at Guadalcanal and were the first to reach Henderson Field.
Long Island's actions at Guadalcanal are mentioned and seen in the movie Flying Leathernecks. Was I the Duke?


Isn't she pretty?

[Sorter]

My boat had quite the adventure it seems.

[Dave Lane]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Great story. Oh, and (rolling dice) you died. Tough break.

Damn it all. Well its still better than being stuck on the tarmac waiting for word from air command.

[stumppy]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I'd still trade you.

Now that I think about it she's a beaut.

[DC.chief]

Too late to report for duty sir?!

[GloucesterChief]

Originally Posted by Dave Lane

Damn it all. Well its still better than being stuck on the tarmac waiting for word from air command.

Should of signed up to be a submariner. Could be enjoying cocktails in the Philippines after blowing up some junks and sampans.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DC.chief

Too late to report for duty sir?!

Bailey** Benson-class Destroyer**


I loved that ship on WKRP in Cincinnati.

[oldandslow]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Monterey** Independence-class Light Carrier**

I'm confident that you can run it. Let me know if it saw action.

Among the sailors that I commanded was the only unelected president in US history...Gerald Ford. That was cool.

Saw action in the Battle of the Philippines along with several other smaller skirmishes...

No battle casualties, but seven crew members (out of 1560) were swept overboard during a big storm (the future President Ford almost was).

I think my command overall was a pretty damn successful one.

[TrebMaxx]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Albert W. Grant** Fletcher-class Destroyer**


Cool. We don't have many destroyer members yet.

CLASS - FLETCHER As Built.
Displacement 2924 Tons (Full), Dimensions, 376' 5"(oa) x 39' 7" x 13' 9" (Max)
Armament 5 x 5"/38AA, 10 x 40mm, 7 x 20mm AA, 10 x 21" tt.(2x5).
Machinery, 60,000 SHP; Allis Chalmers Turbines, 2 screws
Speed, 38 Knots, Range 6500 NM@ 15 Knots, Crew 273.
Operational and Building Data
Laid down by Charleston Navy Yard. December 30 1942.
Launched May 29 1943 and commissioned November 24 1943.
Decommissioned July 16 1946.

The USS Albert W. Grant was one bad ass destroyer during WW2. Notable battles she participated in: New Guinea, Caroline Islands, the invasion of the Marianas, battle of Saipan, Tinian, and the assault on the Palaus. Conducted pre-invasion bombardment and supported the landings on Peleliu and Angaur.

Not done yet with more war to fight the Grant provided protection the fast transport landed troops on Suluan Island, Philippines. Then went on to provided fire support for the assault on Leyte. From Leyte the Grant sailed to engage a Japanese task force reported steaming northward from the Sulu Sea toward Surigao Strait. That American battleship group met the Japanese force in the Battle of Surigao Strait, and Grant, along with other destroyers in advance of the main battle line, conducted a torpedo attack. During this attack, she was hit and severely damaged by gunfire, not only Japanese naval forces, but also by its covering US battleships. Grant suffered 22 hits, many by six-inch shells. Fires broke out, and the ship lost steering control and all power. Thirty-eight men were killed and 104 were wounded. Although their ship was down by the bow and listing heavily to port, the destroyer's crew got her engines working again and enabled her to retire to American-controlled waters in Leyte Gulf.

After repairs the Grant sailed for the Philippines to escort the return of General of the Army Douglas MacArthur.

Grant then sailed southwest toward Brunei Bay, Borneo, her last action of the war for the assault on Brunei Bay.

So 38 out of 273 men lost their life on the Grant. I hope I was one of the survivors.

[Kman34]

USS Monaghan (DD-354) was the last ship built of the Farragut-class destroyer design. She was named for Ensign John R. Monaghan. Monaghan was laid down on 21 November 1933 at the Boston Navy Yard, and launched on 9 January 1935. She was sponsored by Miss Mary F. Monaghan, niece of Ensign Monaghan, and commissioned on 19 April 1935, with Commander R. R. Thompson in command. During the next few years Monaghan operated primarily in the North Atlantic, training US Navy personnel who served in World War II. Monaghan was present during the Pearl Harbor raid on 7 December 1941. She participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway in 1942. Monaghan was sunk in a typhoon east of the Philippines in 1944.
After training off California and Hawaii, Monaghan sailed for Ulithi 11 November. There she joined the escort for three fleet oilers bound for a rendezvous 17 December with TF 38, whose planes had been striking central Luzon in support of the Mindoro invasion. The ship was expecting to refuel and probably had reduced its ballast in order to take on fuel. Typhoon "Cobra" hit before the Monaghan was ready to ride it out. Typhoon Cobra claimed 790 lives in the 3rd Fleet, and sank Spence, Hull, and Monaghan. Six men survived the Monaghan sinking , reportedly rescued by Brown and/or Tabberer. After drifting on a raft three days, the men reported that Monaghan took roll after roll to starboard, finally going over. The Typhoon Cobra tragedy, Admiral Chester Nimitz said, "represented a more crippling blow to the Third Fleet than it might be expected to suffer in anything less than a major action".

I don't think I'm one of the six men that survived....

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Kman34

USS Monaghan (DD-354) was the last ship built of the Farragut-class destroyer design. She was named for Ensign John R. Monaghan. Monaghan was laid down on 21 November 1933 at the Boston Navy Yard, and launched on 9 January 1935. She was sponsored by Miss Mary F. Monaghan, niece of Ensign Monaghan, and commissioned on 19 April 1935, with Commander R. R. Thompson in command. During the next few years Monaghan operated primarily in the North Atlantic, training US Navy personnel who served in World War II. Monaghan was present during the Pearl Harbor raid on 7 December 1941. She participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea and the Battle of Midway in 1942. Monaghan was sunk in a typhoon east of the Philippines in 1944.
After training off California and Hawaii, Monaghan sailed for Ulithi 11 November. There she joined the escort for three fleet oilers bound for a rendezvous 17 December with TF 38, whose planes had been striking central Luzon in support of the Mindoro invasion. The ship was expecting to refuel and probably had reduced its ballast in order to take on fuel. Typhoon "Cobra" hit before the Monaghan was ready to ride it out. Typhoon Cobra claimed 790 lives in the 3rd Fleet, and sank Spence, Hull, and Monaghan. Six men survived the Monaghan sinking , reportedly rescued by Brown and/or Tabberer. After drifting on a raft three days, the men reported that Monaghan took roll after roll to starboard, finally going over. The Typhoon Cobra tragedy, Admiral Chester Nimitz said, "represented a more crippling blow to the Third Fleet than it might be expected to suffer in anything less than a major action".

I don't think I'm one of the six men that survived....

(Dice roll.) Yeah, you died.

Going down in a typhoon seems like a bad way to go. That must've been one heck of a storm to sink three US Navy destroyers. It's one of the zillion interesting WWII stories that I didn't know.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by TrebMaxx

So 38 out of 273 men lost their life on the Grant. I hope I was one of the survivors.

(Rolling dice.) Not only did you survive, but you weren't even one of the 104 wounded. Came through without a scratch.

A lot of these ships saw a lot of action, it seems. I was curious if most just kind of trolled around, but these ships really worked.