Tag Archives: Atlantic Ocean
Bellow (2002) – full movie, horror flick set on US Navy submarine during WW2
Here’s something you don’t see every day… a horror flick set in 1943.
The museum ship USS Silversides (SS-236) was used for external shots of the fictitious USS Tiger Fish and Lake Michigan doubled as the Atlantic Ocean. I suppose you have to make do with what you have available. The interiors are *ridiculously* spacious with oodles of headroom and plenty of room to swing a dozen cats. Hurray for Hollywood!
PHOTEX: USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201) and USS Leyte Gulf (CG 58) prepare for a replenishment-at-sea
131201-N-VC599-027 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Dec. 1, 2013) The Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Patuxent (T-AO 201), left, and the guided-missile cruiser USS Leyte Gulf (CG 58) prepare for a replenishment-at-sea. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Justin Wolpert/Released)
PHOTEX: USS Bataan (LHD 5) fires RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM)
131022-N-NX070-003 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 22, 2013) The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) fires a RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM). The RAM provides ships with self-defense against anti-ship missiles and asymmetric air and surface threats. Bataan and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22 MEU) are underway conducting routine qualifications. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class RJ Stratchko/Released)
131022-N-MW280-047 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 22, 2013) The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) fires a RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM). The RAM provides ships with self-defense against anti-ship missiles and asymmetric air and surface threats. Bataan and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU) are underway conducting routine qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Chase Hawley/Released)
131022-N-HO612-118 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 22, 2013) The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) fires a RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM). The RAM provides ships with self-defense against anti-ship missiles and asymmetric air and surface threats. Bataan and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU) are underway conducting routine qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Erik Foster/Released)
131022-N-NX070-004 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 22, 2013) The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) fires a RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM). The RAM provides ships with self-defense against anti-ship missiles and asymmetric air and surface threats. Bataan and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU) are underway conducting routine qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class RJ Stratchko/Released)
131022-N-RB564-003 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 22, 2013) The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) fires a RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM). The RAM provides ships with self-defense against anti-ship missiles and asymmetric air and surface threats. Bataan and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU) are underway conducting routine qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gary Prill/Released)
131022-N-RB564-002 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 22, 2013) The multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) fires a RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM). The RAM provides ships with self-defense against anti-ship missiles and asymmetric air and surface threats. Bataan and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU) are underway conducting routine qualifications. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Gary Prill/Released)
OTDIH 23 October 1943
70-years ago today…
Großadmiral Karl Dönitz has 95 U-boats at sea. The Battle of the Atlantic was not over.
In the South Atlantic:
U-170, a Type IXC U-boat, KptLt Günther Pfeffer commanding, on its 2nd war patrol, torpedoed and sunk the unescorted Brazilian steam merchant Campos (4,663 GRT) 5-miles south of Alcatrazes Island, Brazil. The crew of 57 and 6 passengers took to the ship’s lifeboats, tragically two of which were struck by the ship’s screw, throwing the occupants to the water. 10 crew members and 2 passengers were lost.
SS Campos.
In the Black Sea:
U-23, a Type IIB U-boat, KptLt Rolf-Birger Wahlen commanding, on its 12th war patrol, torpedoed and sunk the Soviet motor merchant Tanais (372 GRT) anchored at Poti, Georgian SSR. The U-Boat was operating in the Black Sea with the 30th U-Boat Flotilla… having been transported overland to Konstanza, Rumania in 1942.
Type IIB coastal U-boat.
Setting a wartime record:
U-196, a Type IXD U-boat, KKpt Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat commanding, returned to Bordeaux, France… thus completing the longest patrol by any submarine during the Second World War: 256-days from 13 March to 23 October 1943.
KKpt Eitel-Friedrich Kentrat.
Attacked in the Atlantic:
U-190, a Type IXC U-boat, KptLt Max Wintermeyer commanding, on her 3rd war patrol, was surfaced ahead of convoy GUS-18 when attacked by the US Navy Gleaves-class destroyer USS Turner (DD-648). The Turner attacked the surfaced U-boat with her Mk 12 5-inch/38-caliber guns. When the U-190 submerged, the Turner attacked with depth charges… shock waves from which disabled the destroyer’s radar and sound gear. By the time Turner was able to resume her search, U-190 had escaped.
USS Turner (DD-648).
Royal Navy suffers double disaster during Operation Tunnel:
During Operation Tunnel, HMS Charybdis, a Dido-class cruiser commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1941, Captain George Arthur Wallis Voelcker, RN commanding, was sunk off north coast of Brittany, France in position 48º59’N, 03º39’W by 2 torpedoes from the German Elbing-class torpedo boats T-23 and T-27 (not MTBs, but torpedo-armed destroyers). 464 men died (including the commanding officer) and 107 survived.
HMS Charybdis.
During the same action, HMS Limbourne (L57), a Hunt-class escort destroyer, Cdr Walter John Phipps, RN commanding, was heavily damaged by German torpedo boats T-22 and T-24. Damaged beyond repair, Limbourne was sunk by gunfire from HMS Rocket (H92) and HMS Talybont (L18).
HMS Limbourne.
VIDEO: How the Expanded Panama Canal Will Work
Chinese naval squadron passes through Strait of Magellan for first time
A Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy squadron has passed through the Strait of Magellan from the Pacific into the Atlantic. The force comprises the Type 052C destroyer ‘Lanzhou’, the Type 54A frigate ‘Liuzhou’ and the Fuqing-class replenishment oiler ‘Poyanghu’. The fleet political commissar”(队政委… now there’s a job description!) commented that this was {quote} “a very meaningful military practice” {unquote}. Which hits the nail on the head. China is no longer content to be a regional naval power and is increasing its global projection. The West ignores that at its peril.
高清：中国海军舰艇编队首次通过麦哲伦海峡
麦哲伦海峡东部出口海域宽阔，海峡两岸是一座雪山。图为兰州舰航行在麦哲伦海峡。严冬摄
14日下午3时（北京时间15日凌晨2时），由导弹驱逐舰兰州舰、导弹护卫舰柳州舰和综合补给舰鄱阳湖舰组成的舰艇编队顺利通过麦哲伦海峡，抵达海峡东部出口引水点。这是中国海军舰艇编队首次航经麦哲伦海峡。
记者在兰州舰看到，海峡东部出口海域宽阔，天气晴朗，平均浪高2米，风力3-4级，海面过往船只、油井平台较多。我舰艇编队组成单纵队劈波斩浪，一路向北航行。
编队13日从智利内水道转入麦哲伦海峡西部入口水域，顶着海面9-10级大风，在浪高达4-6米，摇摆达10度以上。陶宏祥摄
编队是昨日从智利内水道转入麦哲伦海峡西部入口水域，当地时间下午2时进入海峡。当时，海面风力9-10级，浪高4-6米，舰艇摇摆10度以上。进入海峡后，风浪减少了许多，但海面风力仍达到5-6级，平均浪高3米。
为了确保编队航行安全，全体官兵在指挥员、南海舰队副参谋长李晓岩少将的率领下，认真研究、精心准备、精确操作，严格落实狭水道航行、雾中航行、大风浪航行等部署，航渡过程没有出现任何差错，顺利通过海峡。
在麦哲伦海峡入口处，狂风卷起巨浪打过兰州舰。何得志摄
兰州舰舰长唐银川有着多年的航海经验，也曾多次在各种复杂海域航行过，提起此次航渡麦哲伦海峡的感受，他向记者介绍：“海峡航行里程、狭窄地段长，水道曲折，大角度转向多，西风和涌浪较大，流向多变，在这里航行，确实是一种挑战，但是我们经受住了考验，得到了锻炼，复杂陌生海域的舰艇操纵能力得到进一步加强。”
记者了解到，通过海峡后，编队领导亲自部署，要求各舰、各相关部门细心收集和整理相关资料，认真总结航渡经验。编队政委冯瑞声说：“此次我们海军舰艇编队首次通过麦哲伦海峡，显示了中国海军在走向深蓝的征程中更加从容和自信。这也是一次非常有意义的军事实践活动。”（记者陶宏祥 特约记者曾行践）
我舰艇编队组成单纵队劈波斩浪，一路向北航行。海峡两岸是一座座雪山。陶宏祥摄
新闻链接：
麦哲伦海峡位于南美洲大陆南端和火地岛、克拉伦斯岛、圣伊内斯岛之间，长约563km，宽3.3～32km，由地壳断裂下陷而成。1520年，葡萄牙航海家麦哲伦首先通过，因此取名麦哲伦海峡。海峡处于南纬50多度的西风带，两侧岩岸陡峭、高耸入云。海峡内寒冷多雾，并多大风暴，是世界上风浪最猛烈的水域之一，不利于航运发展，但在巴拿马运河开通前，是南大西洋和南太平洋间的重要航道。麦哲伦海峡，实行“过境通行”和强制引航制度。
PHOTEX: HMS Argyll visits South Georgia
Images of HMS Argyll on her recent deployment to the the South Atlantic and South Georgia.
HMS Argyll arrives in South Georgia. Photo by L(Phot) Pepe Hogan.
HMS Argyll passing icebergs as she arrives in the South Atlantic on her way to South Georgia. Photo by L(Phot) Pepe Hogan.
HMS Argyll passing icebergs as she arrives in the South Atlantic on her way to South Georgia. Photo by L(Phot) Pepe Hogan.
HMS Argyll arrives in South Georgia and anchors off Grytviken. Photo by L(Phot) Pepe Hogan.
PHOTEX: USS Mason and USS Bulkeley conduct UNREP with USNS Arctic
130726-N-LN619-217 ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 26, 2013) The guided-missile destroyers USS Mason (DDG 87) and USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) receive fuel from the Military Sealift Command fast combat support ship USNS Artic (T-AOE8) during a replenishment at sea. Mason and Bulkeley are deployed as part of the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group and is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 6th and 5th Fleet areas of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Preston Paglinawan/Released)
OTDIH 24 July 1943
70-years ago today…
The U-boat war dragged on:
British steam merchant Fort Chilcotin (Master John Kerr) carrying 9103 tons of rock crystal and iron ore was torpedoed and sunk by U-172 (Kptlt. Carl Emmermann) on her 5th war patrol off Bahia, Brazil. There were 4 dead (from the watch below) and 53 survivors who took to boats. The survivors were picked up on 29 July (5-days in open boats, think about that) and taken to Rio de Janeiro.
Swedish tanker Pegasus (Master T. Andersson) carrying 12,855 tons of motor spirit was torpedoed and sunk by U-197 (KrvKpt. Robert Bartels) on her first war patrol southwest of Madagascar. The survivors took to boats and were rescued after a week at sea.
British steam merchant Henzada (Master William Innes McIntosh) carrying 2095 tons of chemicals was torpedoed and sunk by U-199 (Kptlt. Hans-Werner Kraus) on her first war patrol approx. 100-miles southwest of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There were 2 dead and 62 survivors who took to boats. The survivors were picked up by the Panamanian motor tanker Baltic.
The unreliability of US Navy torpedoes was highlighted:
US Navy Gato-class submarine USS Tinosa (SS-283), Lt.Cdr. L.R. Daspit commanding, torpedoed and damaged the Japanese oiler Tonan Maru No.3 (19210 GRT) west of Truk. Although the Tinosa fired 15 torpedoes, only 10 hit… and only 2 exploded. The remainder were duds.
A successful day for HM Submarines:
HMS Unrivalled, a U-class submarine, Lt. Hugh Bentley Turner, RN commanding, sunk the Italian auxiliary minesweeper R 172 / Impero (68 GRT) with gunfire off Amantea, Italy.
And now entering the fray:
USS Cabot (CVL 28), an Independence-class light fleet carrier, was commissioned into the United States Navy. The Cabot would go on to receive a Presidential Unit Citation and 9 battle stars for World War 2 service.
USS Cotton (DD 669), a Fletcher-class destroyer, was commissioned into the United States Navy. The Cotton would go on to receive 9 battle stars for World War 2 service and 1 for Korean War service.
Naval Matters 