General Discussions
This is the place to discuss general issues related to the U-boat war or the war at sea in WWII.
gun conflicts in the atlantic
Posted by:
kurt
()
Date: August 09, 2001 03:35PM
<HTML>Thanks for the positive response, Torlef.
I guess \'common\' is a matter of interpretation or opinion.
Of course surface gun actions were used against smaller surface targets, or to finish off a damaged ship without wasting torpedoes. But a surface gun action had to be done in the absence of escorts or enemy airpower. Since in the Battle of the Atlantic, most targets were large, oceangoing ships in escorted convoys, and allied escorts and airpower were widespread, especially in the later years, surface gun actions were not as common as in the Pacific.
In the Pacific there were many small trawlers, fishing boats, sampans, etc that were \'plinked\' into oblivion by US subs using their surface guns. A multiple of surface gun actions on each patrol was not uncommon - the record holder sank over 60 boats by gun in a single patrol. The large number of islands and the amount of coastal activity meant that there was also a lot more of shore bombardment and \'special ops\' (landing commandoes, etc.) compared to the Atlantic.
While both fleets used their guns freely when they could, I think the frequency of surface gun action was a lot higher in the Pacific.
</HTML>
I guess \'common\' is a matter of interpretation or opinion.
Of course surface gun actions were used against smaller surface targets, or to finish off a damaged ship without wasting torpedoes. But a surface gun action had to be done in the absence of escorts or enemy airpower. Since in the Battle of the Atlantic, most targets were large, oceangoing ships in escorted convoys, and allied escorts and airpower were widespread, especially in the later years, surface gun actions were not as common as in the Pacific.
In the Pacific there were many small trawlers, fishing boats, sampans, etc that were \'plinked\' into oblivion by US subs using their surface guns. A multiple of surface gun actions on each patrol was not uncommon - the record holder sank over 60 boats by gun in a single patrol. The large number of islands and the amount of coastal activity meant that there was also a lot more of shore bombardment and \'special ops\' (landing commandoes, etc.) compared to the Atlantic.
While both fleets used their guns freely when they could, I think the frequency of surface gun action was a lot higher in the Pacific.
</HTML>
| Subject | Written By | Posted |
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Surcouf versus Axis ships
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Nonny | 08/08/2001 09:48AM |
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RE: Surcouf versus Axis ships
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walter M | 08/08/2001 12:40PM |
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RE: Surcouf versus Axis ships
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J.T. McDaniel | 08/08/2001 01:25PM |
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RE: Surcouf versus Axis ships
|
MCE | 08/08/2001 04:29PM |
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RE: Surcouf versus Axis ships
|
Visje | 08/09/2001 06:17AM |
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RE: Surcouf versus Axis ships
|
Vin | 08/09/2001 03:29AM |
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RE: Surcouf versus Axis ships
|
Michael Lowrey | 08/08/2001 02:08PM |
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Surcouf: a good gun platform?
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Capt Kurt | 08/08/2001 08:29PM |
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RE: Surcouf: a good gun platform?
|
kurt | 08/08/2001 09:08PM |
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RE: Surcouf: a good gun platform?
|
Torlef | 08/09/2001 05:55AM |
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Surcouf\'s guns effective with its spotter plane
|
Henneman | 08/09/2001 06:26AM |
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gun conflicts in the atlantic
|
kurt | 08/09/2001 03:35PM |