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TIN CAN
TRIVIA
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Welcome to the Tin Can Sailors'
Trivia Quiz Page. From time to
time we will post new trivia
questions here and some of them
will have prizes for the first
to answer the question
correctly. To test yourself
against the questions, check
back here often and see what new
questions there are.
All participants who answer
correctly will be listed in
chronological order at the end
of the month. The winner will be
randomly selected from
those who answer correctly.
Because we want to give everyone
a chance to win, previous
winners will be exempt from
receiving a prize for six
months.
To ensure
fairness, we will only accept
responses by email so there is a
time stamp on the email and only
to the following email address:
triviaquiz@destroyers.org
Because
our library has duplicate copies
of several books,
prizes will now come from this
collection.
The winner of the February
trivia question will receive the
book, Brave Ship Brave
Men
by
Arnold S. Lott.
Now for the question.
February 2012 Question:
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During the Aleutian campaign the weather was often a worse foe for the
Army or the Navy than the Japanese.
“Williwaw’s”, Alaska’s own version of hell on earth, plus, gales, fog,
extreme cold, blinding snow, and torrential rain, all made for a
miserable conditions for those unfortunate enough to have served their
county in these Northern Latitudes.
Because of bad weather, logistically the Aleutians
were a nightmare to supply and support. None the less, brave American
sailors risked life and limb to support the Army and the Navy units
tasked to defend this piece of North America.
The U.S. Navy lost a ship to these weather conditions in 1942 when two
of her depth charges broke loose from their racks and detonated under
the stern of the ship, carrying part of it away. In an Alaskan
gale the chances of survival would be minimal but this disaster was
averted due to the seamanship and supreme ship handling skills of the
captain of the U.S. Navy ship who rescued the entire crew. No crewmen
were lost.
The three-part question:
1.
Name the US Navy ship that was lost.
2.
Give the name of the US
Navy ship, who rescued the crew.
3.
Name the man who
captained the rescue ship, whose superb ship handling, earned him
a commendation for his heroic deeds.
Courtesy of Terrence Wright
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January 2012 Question:
On November 21, 1961 NASA launched an Atlas
Rocket as part of their Mercury program. What makes this so special is
the “astronaut” aboard the rocket was a Chimpanzee named Enos. Enos had
the distinction of being the first Chimpanzee sent into space. Not the
first ape, as it were, but the first Chimpanzee. Can you name the US
Navy ship who had the honor of picking up Enos the Chimp and his space
capsule after the completion of his 1961space odyssey? Question courtesy
of Terrence Wright.
Answer: USS Stormes (DD-780) Source: DANFS DD-780 (page 2)
Those who answered correctly:
Carl Decker, Mike Poncsak, Hannah Beck, Bill Burress, Bob Crawford, Tom
Foley, Mike Driscoll, Lou Colella, Bill Smart, Jim McCarthy, Fr. Joe, Mike
Lester and Tom Perkins
Prize Recipient: Bill Smart
December 2011 Question:
During WWII almost every family was touched in
some way by the events that took place at home or abroad. Can you name
the US Navy ship that was commanded by the President’s Son and served
proudly in the Pacific Theatre of operations? Courtesy of Terrence
Wright
Answer: USS Ulvert M. Moore DE 442. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Jr was a LCDR
and was assigned as CO at the commissioning of this John C. Butler class
Destroyer Escort.
Those who answered correctly: Carl Decker, Mike Poncsak, Tom Perkins, Tom
Foley, Bill Burress, Ted Hayes, Tom Erb and Bill Smart
Prize Recipient: Ted Hayes
November 2011 Question:
During World War I the US
Navy sent two German U-boats to the bottom. Can you name the ship that
sunk the first German U-Boat and give the number of the sunken U-Boat as
well? In order to receive credit for the correct answer you must give
both the name of the ship that sunk the U-Boat and the U-Boat number.
Answer: On Nov 17, 1917 USS Fanning DD37 sank U-58. This
Paulding class destroyer also rescued 103 survivors from two sunken ships on
8 October 1918. The old French armored cruiser Depeit Thouars had 78 of her
crew rescued after she was torpedoed by U-62 plus the remaining 25 survivors
from an unnamed Merchant Vessel that was torpedoed as well. DD37 also served
the US Coast Guard in their fight against prohibition as Cutter # 11 before
being scrapped. Two subsequent ships were named for Lt. Fanning, DD 835 and
DE 1076.
Those who answered correctly: Mike Poncsak, Carl Decker, Ted Hayes,
Bill Burress, Tom Erb, Tom Foley, Tom Perkins, Fr. Joe and Mike Lester
Prize Recipient: Tom Erb
September/October Question:
On November 20, 1944 the
USS Mississinewa (AO59) was torpedoed and sunk by a Japanese midget
submarine in Ulithi Lagoon. Can you name the US Navy ship that is credited
with depth charging and killing the midget sub?
Answer: USS Rall DE304 was given credit for sinking this
midget submarine. This destroyer escort dropped depth charges on a swirling
eddy in the calm waters of the lagoon. The confirmation of the kill came as
debris and bodies rose to the surface following the USS Ralls depth charge
attack.
The USS Rall was named after a Navy LTJG who was a
surgeon on the USS Pennsylvania. LTJG Rall was killed during the attack on
Pearl Harbor.
Credit for the
following answer was also given: The USS Mississinewa (AO-59) was not
sunk by a midget submarine per say, it was sunk by the first Japanese
Kaiten (human torpedo) attack. A Kaiten was basicly a torpedo with a
compartment added to let Japanese naval personnel guide it to it's
target. No US naval vessel sank the Kaiten, it blew it's self up when
it struck the USS Mississinewa.
Those who answered correctly:
Carl Decker, Lou Colella, Mike Poncsak, Hannah Beck, Robert Wilson, T.
Foley, Bill Burress, Tom Perkins, Robert Moyer, Joe Feuker
Prize Recipient: Bill Burress
August 2011 Question:
Fighting
the battle of the Atlantic during
WWII,
U.S. and allied
destroyers and destroyer escorts were an integral part of the eventual
success against the U-boat threat.
Can you name the U.S. destroyer, which in August 1944, captured a German
crew of 50 men who had escaped their grounded/scuttled submarine only to
be captured trying to escape to France aboard a trawler that was stopped
by this us navy man of war?
This destroyer worked together with two U.S. Navy air ships and at least
two Navy surface vessels, to sink a German U-boat earlier in the same
year.
Can you name this American destroyer? Courtesy of Terrence Wright
Answer:
USS Ericsson (DD-440)
Those who answered correctly:
Carl Decker, T. Foley
Prize recipient:
Carl Decker
July 2011 Question:
In
Sept 2009 a large earthquake/tsunami hit the American Trust Territory of
American Samoa. What U.S. Navy ship was the first American vessel on
scene rendering valuable assistance to the people of that island?
Courtesy of Terrence Wright
Answer: USS Ingraham (FFG-61)
Those who answered correctly: Hannah Beck, Mike Poncsak, Carl
Decker, Lou Colella, Bill Burress, Robert Wilson, Tom Perkins, T. Foley,
Eric Overholt
Prize recipient: Mike Poncsak
June 2011 Question:
On
July 17, 1972 just one day after relieving “USS HAMNER” of “linebacker
2” duties off the coast of North Vietnam, this ship began her primary
mission of interdicting and destroying North Vietnamese small craft and
reporting on communist Chinese merchant shipping. That afternoon a
little after 1300 hours, this ship was rocked by two underwater
explosions.
These two explosions damaged her after fireroom, after engine room and
the main control room. Because of expert damage control teamwork and
superb seamanship by her sailors, the ship remained afloat and steamed
at 10 knots away from the area where the explosions occurred.
The damage from the two explosions was heavy and after shutting down her
propulsion plant, she was eventually placed in tow by the USS ROBISON
(DDG12), she was then taken in tow by navy tugs and taken to
Subic Bay. While at Subic Bay,
she was surveyed and declared unfit for further service in the US Navy.
She was decommissioned at Subic Bay,
Philippines
in the spring of 1973.
Can you name
this valiant Vietnam
veteran destroyer?
Once
you’ve guessed the name of the ship go to
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/ and read the history of that
ship's namesake. He has quite a resume of daring and heroism while
serving in the early years of the American navy. It’s great reading for
all you navy buffs.
Courtesy of Terrence Wright
Answer: USS Warrington (DD-843)
Those who answered correctly: Robert Phelan, Bill Burress, Carl Decker, Mike
Poncsak, Hannah Beck, T. Foley, Rick Chiasson, Tom Perkins, Lou Colella,
Dennis Shovlin, Michael Lester, Lynn Cooper.
Prize recipient: Larry Small
May 2011 Question:
What is the first destroyer to be named for
someone who was not a naval officer? What other ships were also named
for this person?
Answer: USS ERICSSON TB-2, DD-56, and DD-440 were all named
for John Ericsson, a Swedish-born inventor who helped develop many
technological advances for the U.S. Navy though his only military service
was in the Swedish Army before moving to the U.S.
There were no correct answers for May.
April
2011 Question:
What group of ships was named for five members of
the same family, including three generations of
naval officers?
Answer:
USS NICHOLSON TB-29, DD-52, and DD-442. Brothers
James, Samuel, and John Nicholson served in navy during the Revolutionary
War. John’s son, William served in both the War of 1812 and the Civil War.
Samuel’s grandson, James William Augustus Nicholson served for 45 years
including during the Civil War.
Those who
answered correctly: Mike Lester, Carl Decker, T. Foley, Hannah Beck and Mike
Poncsak. Prize recipient is T. Foley.
There was no
trivia question posted for March
February 2011 Question:
What brigadier general also commanded a fleet and
what ship was named for him?
Answer:
Esek Hopkins was appointed brigadier general in
charge of all of Rhode
Islands forces on 4
October 1775 and on 22 December 1775 was appointed Commander in Chief of the
Fleet by the Continental Congress and charged with protecting American
shipping. Two destroyers have been named for him: DD-6 and DD-249.
There were no correct answers for February
January
2011 Question:
Who was the first naval aviator to win the Medal
of Honor and in what war did he fight? Can you describe the deed which
earned him his decoration?
Answer:
Ensign Charles H.
Hamman WW I.
Description: Ensign Chas. H. Hamman was a wingman for Ensign Geo. H.
Ludlow at the naval flying
boat base on the Adriatic
Ocean. During a raid to
drop propaganda leaflets on the axis submarine base at Pola Ensign Geo.
H. Ludlow shot down an enemy fighter during which time he sustained
several hits and his airplane burst into flames. Making an amergency
landing on the water, not far from the base at Pola they went to strike,
Ensign Ludlow successfully landed the float plane and it immediately
began to sink. Ensign Hamman saw the plane sinking and his fellow pilot
standing on the struts of the plane and he dove to resuce his friend.
Landing in the water close abaord the damamged sea plane Ensign Hamman
began firing at the plane to hasten its sinking all the while Ensign
Ludlow was swimming over to the plane as it fired. Pulling himself up
onto the struts of Ensign Hamman's plane Ensign Ludlow clung to the
Macchi's struts and Ensign Hamman began to coax the airplane upward.
Once in the air Ensign Hamman made one last strafing run in order to
sink the damaged plane. Ensign Hamman successfully sunk the damaged
aircraft and with Ensign Ludlow handing on for dear life they made it
back to base where Ensign Hamman crash landed the imbalanced plane
without injuring either officer. Ensign Hamman was awarded the medal of
honor for his bravery under fire....
Those who
answered correctly: Mike Lester, Bill Burress, Mike Poncsak, Carl Decker,
Tom Erb, Tom Perkins, Jeffrey Hawley, Terrence Wright, Fred Muller
Prize recipient: Fred Muller
December 2010 Question:
It's sad to lose a son in war but it happens and
it happened to a son of a naval officer whose own son was killed in
war. Which ship was named for these three U.S. Navy men and how was it
related to two other famously-named ships? Please note: both
parts must be answered in order for the answer to be correct.
Answer:
The USS GEARING (DD-710) was named for three
men: Henry Chalfant Gearing,Sr.(1855-1926); Henry Chalfant Gearing,
Jr.(1887-1944); and Henry Chalfant Gearing III (1912-1942), the latter
Gearing was a Lieutenant aboard the
cruiser USS Juneau and was lost
with his ship when it was torpedoed and
sunk in the Solomon Islands
13 November 1942. The five Sullivan brothers were also killed when
the Juneau went down and USS The Sullivans.(DD-537), a Fletcher-class
destroyer museum in Buffalo, New York and DDG-68, an Arleigh Burke-class
destroyer commissioned in April 1997 and currently assigned to
DesRon24, home ported in Mayport, Florida.
Those who answered correctly: Mike Lester, Mike
Poncsak, Tom Perkins. Prize recipient: Mike Lester
November
2010 Question:
As
one of the earliest escorts commissioned this ship had the opportunity
to serve during the D Day landings at Normandy,
the landings on Iwo Jima, and the radar picket line of
Okinawa. Her distinctions include the rescue of 163
survivors from the USS Meredith (DD-726) on 8 June 1944. She also
rescued 23 survivors of the USS Morris (DD-417) after the Morris had
been hit by a Japanese suicide plane on 6 April 1945.
Her luck ran out while patrolling 2 miles south of Ie Shima
Okinawa, when she was attacked and struck by two near misses that
ruptured her hull, one suicide plane that crashed the pilot house and a
second suicide plane that hit the starboard side of the fantail after
releasing a bomb that was one of the near misses rupturing the starboard
side of her hull.
Still aflame, she sank in 20 fathoms of water, after being towed to Ie
Shima anchorage by Cree (ATF-84), at 1923 hours on 25 May 1945. Twenty
one of her crew were declared dead or missing as a result of the attacks
made by Japanese pilots on that day.
Can you name the ship who served her country so valiantly before
being struck down by suicide planes?
Can you name the ship this officer served on before perishing as
a result of another attack by Japanese aviators?
The aforementioned ship was rightly named in his
honor.
Answer:
USS Bates DE-68
USS Arizona BB-39
Those who answered correctly: Hannah Beck, Mike Lester, Bill Burress,
Mike Poncsak, Lou Colella, Carl Decker, Tom Perkins, Lynn Cooper,
Jeffrey Hawley, CW20 Fr. Joe, Robert Wilson, T. Foley and Rick Pitz.
Prize Recipient: Bill Burress
October
2010 Question:
Where would you find a 1,050-degree, 2,000PSI destroyer power plant?
Both the ship name and its location on the ship must be given.
Answer:
The aft boiler room of the USS Timmerman (DD-828/EDD-828/AG-152) The forward
boiler was an 875-PSI, 1,050-degree plant,
Those who
answered correctly: Mike Poncsak, Lou Colella, Mike Lester, Carl Decker, Tom
Perkins, Ed Zajkowski, Jeffrey Hawley, Rick Pitz, Steve Schreiber.
Prize Recipient: Tom Perkins
September
2010 Question:
Who was the first woman to command a US Navy
Frigate?
Answer:
Commander Kathleen McGrath assumed command of the
USS Jarrett FFG-33 on 18 December 1998
Those who
answered correctly:
Mike Smolinski, Hannah Beck, Tom Erb, Mike Poncsak, T. Foley, Michael
Driscoll, Bill Burress, Carl Decker, Robert Wilson, Joe Feuker, Bret
Palmquist
Prize recipient: T. Foley
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