WW2 Maritime Trivia

1. This class of two carriers, the "Shokaku" and "Zuikaku", were two of the newest units commissioned before Pearl Harbor. Which ship was lost at Midway?

From Quiz WW2 Japanese Aircraft Carriers

Answer: Neither

The sister ships "Shokaku" and "Zuikaku ", both commissioned in 1941, displaced 32,000 tons and carried 72 aircraft. Both fought in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May, 1942, but both ships were in port in Japan during the Battle of Midway in June, 1942. The two sisters were the main fleet carriers for the Japanese Navy until 1944. "Shokaku" was sunk in June, 1944, by a U.S. submarine during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, while "Zuikaku" was sunk by aircraft in October, 1944, during the Battle off Cape Engano.

From Quiz HMAS Sydney (II) Sinking

Answer: Indian Ocean

The HMAS Sydney sank in deep water (about 2468 metres, 8097 feet) approximately 207 kilometres (128 miles) west of Steep Point on the Western Australian coast.

From Quiz HMS Bulldog

Answer: Spanish Civil War

During the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), Great Britain and France established an embargo on the supply of arms to both sides of that conflict, though not always successfully. Ships of the Royal Navy, including HMS Bulldog, cruised Spanish waters as part of the attempt to enforce the blockade. The three incorrect choices all took place, or began, in the following decade, after the Second World War had begun, and in two cases, after it had ended.

From Quiz The Imperial Japanese Navy

Answer: Miyuki

Miyuki (Deep Snow) was the fourth Fubuki-class destroyer. In 1934, she collided with Inazuma, an Akatsuki-class destroyer, off Cheju Island in Korea. At least five crewmen on Miyuki were lost as she sank, while Inazuma, her entire bow severed, picked up the survivors and was towed to port by cruiser Nachi. Shirayuki (White Snow) was the second Fubuki-class destroyer. She was named after one of Emperor Hirohito's horses. As the Japanese flagship in the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, Shirayuki was sunk by air attack on March 3, 1943. Murakumo (Massed Clouds) was the fifth Fubuki-class destroyer. After attempting to rescue survivors from cruiser Furutaka following the Battle of Cape Esperance, Murakumo was sunk by Allied Aircraft on October 12, 1942. Isonami (Surf) was the ninth Fubuki-class destroyer. She was sunk attempting to rescue survivors from the sunk Penang Maru by USS Tautog on April 9, 1943 in Indonesia.

From Quiz American Submarines of World War II

Answer: USS Barb

The Barb sank a total of 96,628 tons in World War II. Her victories include the aircraft carrier Unyo, the raider cruiser Gokoku, numerous cargo ships, and a frigate. After the war, the Barb was sold to Italy.

From Quiz War Beneath the Waves: U.S. Submarines

Answer: They were volunteers

Although life on a submarine is rough if you are six feet tall or more, there were no maximum height regulations; you rapidly learned to duck your head when going through hatches or navigating the engineering spaces. There was no requirement that one be a native-born citizen, or even a citizen at all; many stewards were Filipinos. And many, if not most, submariners were in their teens when they made their first patrol; the youngest to die was only 15. But one thing all submariners had in common is that they were volunteers. The U.S. Navy has never forced anyone to serve on a submarine against his will.

From Quiz Sink 'Em All: The Story of the USS Wahoo

Answer: Gato Class

Wahoo was one of 77 Gato class submarines built during WWII. Twenty of these ships were lost in action against the Japanese. The Gato class was the largest class of U.S. submarines, and included some of the most famous of all the submarines to participate in WWII. The Wahoo was laid down on June 28, 1941 at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, launched on February 14, 1942, and commissioned on May 15, 1942.

From Quiz World War Two - Aces of the Deep: Germany

Answer: U-331 (Hans Dieter Freiherr von Tiesenhausen)

The HMS Barham was on route to engage an Italian convoy when she was attacked by U-331 and struck in quick succession by three torpedos fired at less than 800 yards. While rolling over her magazines exploded and the ship sank rapidly beneath the waves with 860 of her crew.

From Quiz US Aircraft Carriers in WWII

Answer: none

The US Fleet stationed in Pearl Harbor lost no carriers during the attack on Pearl Harbor. This fact came back to really haunt the Japanese because future US operations centered around a carrier task force.

From Quiz Sink the Bismarck!

Answer: the Tirpitz

The Tirpitz was the Bismarck's sister ship. Unlike the Bismarck, it never was allowed an opportunity to sail into the Atlantic and menace Allied shipping.

From Quiz U-Boats: Germany's Underwater Menace

Answer: a passenger ship

The SS Athenia was a passenger ship. She was torpedoed by U-30 on 3 September 1939.

From Quiz World War II at Sea

Answer: Florida Class battleship

By the time of Pearl Harbor the Utah had been relegated to target practice by the US Navy. It was left sunk as a memorial, like USS Arizona. The Utah was commissioned by the US Navy on August 31 1911 and was obsolete at the outbreak of World War 2.

From Quiz Japanese Battleships of WWII

Answer: Fuso class

IJNS Fuso, and her sister IJNS Yamashiro, were completed on the 8th November 1915 and the 31st March 1917 respectively.

From Quiz Gunboat 658

Answer: AA gun-40mm pom pom, B and C- two twin half inch machine guns, X- twin 20mm Oerlikon, Y- hand operated six pounder and two twin .303 Vickers machine guns on the bridge.

A six pounder is a 57mm gun. Six lbs is about 2.5 kg. The A and Y guns were replaced by semi automatic six pounders and the half inch guns by 20mm Oerlikons. They got the two new six pounders in time for what Reynolds described as the final round.

From Quiz The Battle of the Atlantic

Answer: 57

A few notes about this number. First and foremost, "in commission" does not mean operationally capable, and the situation in this regard was not good. The KM's figures show a total of 16 operational type VII's, five type IX's and one of the two type IA's. Of the 35 type II's in commission, the 6 type IIC's were working up or training, and only 16 of the IIA's and IIB's were crewed up for war. In six months of war, the KM lost a total of ten of their sea-going subs, the types VII and IX. As a result of these losses, a severe strain was put on the training flotilla's (type II's) to maintain a (nominal) combat capability. The type II U-Boat was an ideal training and coastal machine, but far from suitable for service on the open seas. Hitler had long promised Admiral Raeder that war with the UK would not come until at least 1942 or '43. The pace of submarine production had been steady, but far from a priority thus far. This was all to change... N.B. My source for all information pertaining to U-Boats in this quiz will be uboat.net (the "absolute" online authority in the field) unless noted otherwise.

From Quiz The U-boat War

Answer: Athenia

This passanger ship was torpedoed by the U 30 in the Atlantic Ocean. 112 people died. This torpedoing led to a cry of outrage in the world. The logbook of the sinking of the Athenia was altered by the Kriegsmarine (German Navy).

From Quiz Aircraft Carriers, Cruisers and Destroyers

Answer: USS Intrepid

USS Intrepid was often called "Unlucky I" or "Decrepid" by the crews of other carriers because of several accidents and heavy damages during her service.

From Quiz USS Yorktown Sinking

Answer: Virginia

Yorktown was built at the Newport News Ship Building Firm located in Newport News, Virginia. The keel was laid on May 21, 1934 and the ship was launched nearly two years later.

From Quiz Sink the Bismarck!

Answer: July 1, 1936

The Bismarck was ordered by the German navy on November 16, 1935 and the keel was laid on July 1, 1936. The ship was built at the Blohm & Voss Shipyards in Hamburg, Germany. It would become the largest and most feared German battleship on the high seas.

From Quiz Dutch Navy in World War II

Answer: Isaac Sweers

This destroyer was only half completed when it was towed to England in May 1940. It participated in the Battle of Cape Bon in the night of 12th-13th December 1941. In this battle the Isaac Sweers together with the British destroyers Sikh, Legion and Maori destroyed the Italian light cruisers Alberico da Barbiano and Alberto di Giussano. (Cape Bon is the north-east point of Tunisia and the Allied victory was important in the battle to hold Malta).

From Quiz Big Naval Guns: II

Answer: 15

The HMS Warspite was used in many battles including the ending of the Battle of Narvik and the bombardment of D-Day. She was a Queen Elizabeth class battleship. She was commissioned in 1915 and was decommissioned in 1945 after the war ended.

From Quiz WWII Naval Action: II

Answer: Admiral Luetjens

Admiral Guenther Luetjens (1889-1941) had joined the German Navy in 1907. He was decorated with the Knight's Cross (of the Iron Cross) for bravery in Norwegian campaigns. In accordance with German traditions, Admiral Luetjens went down with his ship.

From Quiz WWII Naval Action: I

Answer: Pocket Battleship

The most famous of Panzerschiffe was the Graf Spee, which lead a massive merchant destruction campaign which was eventually put down by Allied surface action. The Treaty of Versailles (1919) had placed severe restrictions on the German navy. Among other things, Germany was not allowed to have any warship of over 10,000 tons. Hence the emphasis on building rather small ships with massive firepower.

From Quiz The Kriegsmarine #2

Answer: Korvettenkapitän Werner Hartenstein

On September 12 1942, U-156, under the command of Korvettenkapitän Werner Hartenstein, torpedoed and sank the 19,695-ton British liner Laconia in the South Atlantic. The liner was carrying over 2,700 people, including 1,800 Italian prisoners of war. Amazed to hear the Italian voices among the survivors in the water, Hartenstein immediately began rescue operations, turning his boat into a floating hospital and exposing her to great danger. He radioed for assistance, both from other U-boats and from any nearby vessels, promising to cease hostilities if not attacked himself. Admiral Dönitz sent two U-Boats, U-506 (Kptlt. Erich Würdemann) and U-507 (Krvkpt. Harro Schacht), the Italians sent the submarine Cappellini, and the French sent three warships. Heading for a rendezvous with the French ships, the U-Boats had hundreds of survivors both on board and on their upper decks, and were towing chains of overcrowded lifeboats and rafts behind them. On September 16, an American B-24 bomber, operating from Ascension Island, flew over the scene, and although its pilot could see the rafts and lifeboats, as well as the large Red Cross flags draped over the U-Boats guns, he inexplicably omitted to report that fact and was instructed to attack! This inexperienced pilot, one Lieutenant James Harden - was so keen to bag his first 'kill' and make a name for himself, that he disregarded what he could clearly see was a rescue in progress, and pressed ahead with his bombing runs, later claiming to have sunk both U-156 and U-506 - a 'feat' for which he was subsequently decorated. He made several runs, killing and maiming dozens of people and forcing the Germans to cut the lines to the lifeboats and submerge immediately, drowning many and leaving hundreds once again struggling in the shark-infested waters. Nearly 2,000 people lost their lives in 'The Laconia Incident', victims of torpedoes, drowning, sharks, thirst and 'hero' Harden's bombs. The bombing of U-Boats so obviously engaged in a humanitarian rescue, prompted Dönitz to issue the controversial 'Laconia Order', which made it clear that they were no longer to take part in any rescue operations, but were to leave survivors in the water, an order for which he was found guilty at the War Crimes tribunals after the war, and spent nearly twelve years of his life in prison.

From Quiz The Kriegsmarine #1

Answer: Captain Hellmuth Heye of Admiral Hipper

Kapitän zur See Hellmuth Heye of the 14,000-ton heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper, was so impressed by the astonishing and, some say, reckless bravery of Lieutenant Commander Gerard Roope of the 1,345-ton destroyer HMS Glowworm, in tackling a ship ten times the size of his own, and somehow managing to ram her, off Norway in April 1940, that he contacted the ICRC, in what was the first case in British history of such a recommendation coming from the enemy! The second case was that of Oberleutnant zur See Klemens Schamong of the U-468, who, having survived with only a pitiful six others to tell the tale of the bravery of Flying Officer Lloyd Trigg - the New Zealand born pilot of a Liberator bomber that sank his boat with 42 of her crew off West Africa in August 1943, in pressing home that attack - still had the extraordinary generosity of spirit when picked up by a British naval vessel, to make the recommendation that be awarded the Victoria Cross. Both Commander Roope and Flying Officer Trigg were posthumously awarded the VC after the war.

From Quiz German Raiders of World War II

Answer: Atlantis

Bernhard Rogge - the highly respected captain of the Atlantis - ended the war as a vice-admiral and joined the newly formed Bundesmarine in 1957, with the rank of rear-admiral. He died at the age of 82, in 1982.

From Quiz US Aircraft Carriers I

Answer: Langley

This ship was built originally as a fleet collier named Jupiter. It was converted to a carrier in 1920.

From Quiz USS Massachusetts

Answer: 16"

Fourteen inch guns were on the USS Arizona, which was built in World War 1, and sunk at Pearl Harbor. Fifteen inch guns were placed on the German battleship Bismark. The powerful 18 inch guns were mounted on the IJN Yamato, the biggest, most powerful battleship ever. The USS Massachusetts supports nine 16 inch guns, like all American battleships of her era.

From Quiz The Battleships of WWII

Answer: Armored ship

The Graf Spee was known as a "Panzerschiff" in Germany, or armored ship. In the order of battle on both the Allied and Axis side, the "Panzerschiffe" were classified as battleships, but in reality, they were heavy cruisers of an exceptionally powerful type.

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