elxaime -> General Belgrano and HMS Conqueror (6/19/2011 12:27:47 AM)
|
In checking out WW2 naval histories, I was amazed by the story of the cruiser USS Phoenix. She was there in Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 and participated in a number of Pacific battles, including the Battle of Leyte Gulf and the kamikaze attacks. Post-war, the Argentine Government purchased her and she became the ARA General Belgrano and was sunk by the British nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror during the 1982 Falklands War. I am wondering how many other WW2 veterans are still in service in the world's navies? And did any others have such a unique career as the Phoenix/Belgrano? I have to think she is the only ship ever to have been attacked by both Kamikazes and nuclear submarines during her career. It makes me think how complete a mismatch it must have been in 1982. What possessed the Argentines to send WW2 era ships out against modern nuclear vessels? According to records, ARA Belgrano had two Alouette III helos (which I assume had some ASW capability?) and therefore depended for protection on her escort, which were the ARA Piedra Buena and ARA Bouchard. Both these Sumner-class DDs were also former WW2 USN ships. Piedra Buena was the former USS Collett (DD-730) and the Bouchard was the former USS Borie (DD-704). Not sure to what extent they had been modified in terms of ASW capabilities, but from what I can tell they had only depth charges. Did that Argentine task force have any chance? Sounds like the naval equivalent of a knight on horseback charging a machine gun.
|
|
|
|