I saw the movie Das Boot, The Boat, a German World War II submarine warfare movie. It was a great movie. The depth charge scene was particularly scary to me. Was that scene realistic?
The movie was highly realistic except in one respect, and that is something that every sub movie with depth charges gets wrong from Das Boot to U-571. The…
If an Ohio-class SSBN went rogue while far out at sea and wanted to “go dark” completely, how easy or difficult would it be for the US Navy to track down the rogue SSBN?
As a retired Navy Senior Chief (SS) I am positive that if the rogue SSBN didn’t want to be found, it wouldn’t be. I am also positive that…
If a person went to Mars (and landed safely), why is it basically impossible for them to return to Earth?
Look at the diagram below. Let’s say that this white line is the distance between Earth and the moon. Now look at another diagram. Again, the white line…
Did the US Navy ever consider a nuclear-powered battleship to replace the Iowas?
The closest the US Navy got to a nuclear battleship idea was USS Long Beach CGN-9. She was a beast. 720 feet long and over 16,000 tons in…
Can a submarine survive a hurricane?
Back in the late 1970’s the submarine I was Navigator/Operations Officer in was simulating a Soviet sub (ORANGE forces) during a major exercise in the Atlantic Ocean when…
Is it true that U.S. Admiral Ernest King, when refused a British aircraft carrier for support for a Pacific Operation, never again requested British support or participation in the Naval aspect of the Pacific Theater?
Admiral King killed many British sailors as well as US. He continually denied our experts access to major German weapons by denying that they had captured any. These…
Why did the Soviet Union never attempt a crewed Moon landing despite being ahead in the early Space Race?
Here is the secret that was kept hidden behind the Iron Curtain for twenty years: The Soviet Union did attempt to send a crew to the Moon. They tried desperately….
Why does the military not use throwing knives?
In the movies, Green Beret/SEAL/SAS/Spetsnaz/MI-6 assassin Steelhard McBadass encounters an enemy sentry. With an audible, SHING! McBadass pulls his knife, draws back his calloused hand, then lets fly….
Did the army in the Pacific skip any islands with sizable Japanese forces? If they did, what happened to the Japanese troops?
Absolutely. The Allies had more of an eye for strategic islands vs. heavily fortified islands. The Allies skipped over Rabaul (New Guinea), Noemfoor and Sansapor Noemfoor Sansapor Morotai…
Do US aircraft carriers have planes on them when they leave port for deployment?
No. When the carrier leaves port at the start of the cruise, the planes are all still at their Naval Air Stations. After the ship is about an…