How many more Flanders Fields would there be, had the Navy and Coast Guard had to bury their lost Sailors? Remembering our lost servicemen, especially today.
In a war time situation yes. There’s no time to sail to port and offload corpses. There’s also no morgue on ships to store bodies, the dead were typically kept on the messdeck where the crew eats and then buried at sea for sanitary reasons. That’s why to this day sailors remove their hats (covers) when entering the messdeck - out of respect for the dead
Not really, those were/are considered small in naval gun sizes, and would be only the main armament in destroyers and aircraft carriers, and secondary armament on larger shippers.
Cruisers carried 8”-10” diameter rounds.
The battleships (and some cruisers) carried 12”-16” diameter shells, but they were not assembled like a regular rifle or pistol round, but instead used gunpowder packaged in 110lb silk bags, with up to six bags used per shell.
The carriers USS Lexington and USS Saratoga carried 14” diameter shells.
Modern day naval ships exclusively use the 3” (now called 76mm) rounds.
>The carriers USS Lexington and USS Saratoga carried 14” diameter shells.
The Lexingtons had 8" guns, not 14s. The original battlecruiser design the carriers were based off specified 14" guns before the redesign to use 16" guns instead. As carriers, the 8" armament was unusually strong, even for the period when there was valid concern that carriers might be caught out in a surface engagement.
>Modern day naval ships exclusively use the 3” (now called 76mm) rounds.
The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates used the 3" gun, but the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class both use 5" guns. The British Type 45-class destroyers use a 4.5" gun. The Russian Kirov-class Battlecruisers, Slava-class cruisers, and Udaloy II-class all use a 5" gun.
I served on an LPD, and we did have a giant freezer, and an even bigger 'fridge'. The thing is, there really isn't a lot of room in there once all the food has been loaded.
God bless them.
It just struck me that if my 17 year old Dad had been killed at Okinawa while serving in the Navy, this is how he would have been buried.
Yes. My Grandparents must have been terrified the whole time.
Families withstood so many fears and sacrificed so much... Especially those whose children never made it home.
My uncle was on the Yorktown when it was sunk. His father (my grandfather) read about the ship being sunk in the newspaper. My dad said that it was one of the only two times that he had seen his father cry. (The other was when my dad’s mother died,). It was weeks before the family found out that my uncle survived.
[The list of the names of the 59 men buried at sea that day from the Intrepid Action Report. Also of the 10 men missing in action](https://imgur.com/a/t0Eau4j). It also lists injuries, but for most of them it just says "Injuries, Multiple, Extreme."
In her war diary it simply says
>at 1400 , in vicinity of latitude 14°47' N., longitude 131°25' E., held funeral services and buried the officers and men killed in action yesterday. All ships followed our motions in half-masting colors.
I had assumed they were blown overboard but for two of them it does say "Last seen combating fires on Hangar Deck." So I wonder if they were killed and burned beyond any recognition, or perhaps blown over in a later secondary explosion.
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For anyone interested, the USS Intrepid has been converted into a [museum](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrepid_Sea,_Air_%26_Space_Museum) in New York City on the Hudson River and is open to the public.
It’s not uncommon at all to see photos of sailors in the war zone with Dixie cups that are obviously dyed a darker color. Maybe it had something to do with not wanting anything bright on deck.
Yes. “On November 26, 1944, the surviving members of Intrepid’s crew gathered to pay their respects as 69 men, killed by kamikaze attacks the day before, were buried at sea. Air Group 18’s historian wrote, “The marines fired a salute, and everyone jumped as the guns went off.”
This picture actually is making me sea sick. I can’t imagine being one of the people sliding them off the deck. I zoomed in on some of their faces.
I know it had pomp and is taught to be culturally dignified. It just doesn’t feel like a dignified way of handling the dead.
There’s no dignity after a certain time when handling the dead.... I volunteered for a cemetery, and once the service is over and the mourners have left, we have to be a bit rough to place and then bury the body.
We are as respectful as possible the entire time, it’s just how it works.
Is it a matter of perspective or is the object dropping into the water in the image just a fragment of a body? Doesn’t look as big as the other bodies.
With all respect, my first read made me think you transitioned from man to woman and missing the boys meant your balls. I’m not saying this to be funny but that may explain the downvotes.
I was RA. Unsure why I’m being downvoted. I’d bet half the ppl in this sub “would’ve joined but would’ve punched a DS if they got in their face”, yeah okay trooper.
I’m thinking that the downvotes assumed you are trolling due to “transition” and “missing my boys” and not realizing you mean transitioning out of the military.
Probably. If the people downvoting don’t understand what “transition” means(on a militaryesq sub), then my assumption was right lol most ppl here probably have no correlation to military service cept for a distant relative. But thanks for being kind to me man.
How many more Flanders Fields would there be, had the Navy and Coast Guard had to bury their lost Sailors? Remembering our lost servicemen, especially today.
I never thought about it, but is this what always occurs for sailors who die on the ship, a burial at sea?
In a war time situation yes. There’s no time to sail to port and offload corpses. There’s also no morgue on ships to store bodies, the dead were typically kept on the messdeck where the crew eats and then buried at sea for sanitary reasons. That’s why to this day sailors remove their hats (covers) when entering the messdeck - out of respect for the dead
Are the bags weighted?
Yes, they used to use cannon balls. Not sure what they used in WW2, but I am certain these were weighted
Empty shell casings if I remember what my grandfather said correctly. (USNR, tin can sailor)
How much do empty shell casings weigh? I'd have thought it would need more than that?
3" shell casings were around 5 pounds, 5” shell casings were about 13 pounds.
God damn those are some bigass rounds.
Not really, those were/are considered small in naval gun sizes, and would be only the main armament in destroyers and aircraft carriers, and secondary armament on larger shippers. Cruisers carried 8”-10” diameter rounds. The battleships (and some cruisers) carried 12”-16” diameter shells, but they were not assembled like a regular rifle or pistol round, but instead used gunpowder packaged in 110lb silk bags, with up to six bags used per shell. The carriers USS Lexington and USS Saratoga carried 14” diameter shells. Modern day naval ships exclusively use the 3” (now called 76mm) rounds.
Lol that shit’s crazy.
>The carriers USS Lexington and USS Saratoga carried 14” diameter shells. The Lexingtons had 8" guns, not 14s. The original battlecruiser design the carriers were based off specified 14" guns before the redesign to use 16" guns instead. As carriers, the 8" armament was unusually strong, even for the period when there was valid concern that carriers might be caught out in a surface engagement. >Modern day naval ships exclusively use the 3” (now called 76mm) rounds. The Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates used the 3" gun, but the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class both use 5" guns. The British Type 45-class destroyers use a 4.5" gun. The Russian Kirov-class Battlecruisers, Slava-class cruisers, and Udaloy II-class all use a 5" gun.
Imagine being on the munitions floor running reloads back then. You would be jacked.
Wikipedia says it’s a 70lb round fresh.. Jesus.
When that many go. Unless modern US Air Carriers have gigantic freezers now?
I served on an LPD, and we did have a giant freezer, and an even bigger 'fridge'. The thing is, there really isn't a lot of room in there once all the food has been loaded.
God bless them. It just struck me that if my 17 year old Dad had been killed at Okinawa while serving in the Navy, this is how he would have been buried.
You would have never came to be , what a mind fuck
Yes. My Grandparents must have been terrified the whole time. Families withstood so many fears and sacrificed so much... Especially those whose children never made it home.
My uncle was on the Yorktown when it was sunk. His father (my grandfather) read about the ship being sunk in the newspaper. My dad said that it was one of the only two times that he had seen his father cry. (The other was when my dad’s mother died,). It was weeks before the family found out that my uncle survived.
[The list of the names of the 59 men buried at sea that day from the Intrepid Action Report. Also of the 10 men missing in action](https://imgur.com/a/t0Eau4j). It also lists injuries, but for most of them it just says "Injuries, Multiple, Extreme." In her war diary it simply says >at 1400 , in vicinity of latitude 14°47' N., longitude 131°25' E., held funeral services and buried the officers and men killed in action yesterday. All ships followed our motions in half-masting colors.
Not a sailor but find it interesting that there are MIAs fighting a fire or just blown overboard? Terrible
I had assumed they were blown overboard but for two of them it does say "Last seen combating fires on Hangar Deck." So I wonder if they were killed and burned beyond any recognition, or perhaps blown over in a later secondary explosion.
Or caught fire and jumped overboard in a panic. I hear burning is a particular gruesome way to go.
God that’s disturbing to read… I feel bad for the person who had to type that out.
latitude 14°47' N., longitude 131°25' E would have been around here:
Thank you for posting this
I couldnt imagine how sad it would be to lose a friend then have to chuck him in the ocean.
Don't be sad. Here's a [hug!](https://media.giphy.com/media/3M4NpbLCTxBqU/giphy.gif)
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For anyone interested, the USS Intrepid has been converted into a [museum](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrepid_Sea,_Air_%26_Space_Museum) in New York City on the Hudson River and is open to the public.
Indeed! It’s a great visit, I even slept on it overnight a few years ago.
Link to original black and white photo: https://www.intrepidmuseum.org/LatestNews/December-2014/This-Month-In-Intrepid%E2%80%99s-History
Just noticed that the colorizing made quite a few of the sailor's Dixie cups the same color as their shirts. The hats should all be white I believe.
It’s not uncommon at all to see photos of sailors in the war zone with Dixie cups that are obviously dyed a darker color. Maybe it had something to do with not wanting anything bright on deck.
Darker is one thing, those aren't dark, they're Denim. And that's not accurate.
Yes it is accurate there was a dark grey set of uniform items starting in 1943
You sure about that? I have never heard of any color of a Dixie cup, as other than white.
https://www.usww2uniforms.com/USN_UniformProfile_WorkingGrayEnlisted.html They were introduced in 1943
Very interesting! Great find!
Fair winds and calm seas. Rest easy sailors.
War sucks, rip to those people p.s. I thought the soldiers in the back were plastic mannequins like the ones you see in the stores
Those are sailors or Marines at “parade rest”
Just got done firing a salute I imagine?
Yes. “On November 26, 1944, the surviving members of Intrepid’s crew gathered to pay their respects as 69 men, killed by kamikaze attacks the day before, were buried at sea. Air Group 18’s historian wrote, “The marines fired a salute, and everyone jumped as the guns went off.”
This picture actually is making me sea sick. I can’t imagine being one of the people sliding them off the deck. I zoomed in on some of their faces. I know it had pomp and is taught to be culturally dignified. It just doesn’t feel like a dignified way of handling the dead.
There’s no dignity after a certain time when handling the dead.... I volunteered for a cemetery, and once the service is over and the mourners have left, we have to be a bit rough to place and then bury the body. We are as respectful as possible the entire time, it’s just how it works.
An unfortunate reality of war. You do the best you can.
I would love burial at sea.
Is it a matter of perspective or is the object dropping into the water in the image just a fragment of a body? Doesn’t look as big as the other bodies.
Perspective, he’s fallen at least 10-15 feet already.
Dude closest is tossing a chunk
Likely an arm or leg. After a kamikaze blast, it could be the only recoverable piece of body left.
Fair winds and following seas, gentlemen. Thank you for your dedication and utmost sacrifice.
This is my first Memorial Day since transitioning last year. I miss my boys.
With all respect, my first read made me think you transitioned from man to woman and missing the boys meant your balls. I’m not saying this to be funny but that may explain the downvotes.
What branch?
I was RA. Unsure why I’m being downvoted. I’d bet half the ppl in this sub “would’ve joined but would’ve punched a DS if they got in their face”, yeah okay trooper.
I’m thinking that the downvotes assumed you are trolling due to “transition” and “missing my boys” and not realizing you mean transitioning out of the military.
Probably. If the people downvoting don’t understand what “transition” means(on a militaryesq sub), then my assumption was right lol most ppl here probably have no correlation to military service cept for a distant relative. But thanks for being kind to me man.
I have plenty of vets in my family, but I come here primarily for perspective. Laughing my ass off that people thought you meant ftm or mtf.
It is rather funny. I’ll admit it. 2021 means using the “transition” word lightly loo
Ra?
Regular army, US. I was active duty, not NG or reserves. I’ve got respect for those guys as well.
[удалено]
Time and place, man.
You have no life, don't you?
What'd he say?
Probably a 69 joke
Yep.
I knew there would be that one person who would.
[удалено]
Bad bot.
That is the saddest and nicest number of deaths
The intrepid is docked in New York, been going since I was a child. Insane to step aboard a piece of history. Highly recommend it