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To: GrandJediMasterYoda

I am with you on that.

It is interesting that sharks were a far bigger problem in the South Pacific and the Guadalcanal Campaign than was let on.

Nothing could be done about it. Men were going to go into the water. And the sharks would be there. And nothing could be done. Later in the war, they tried shark repellent, but it was useless.

There is a scene during the loss of the carrier USS Wasp, where the predations of the sharks were going on in full view of the ships trying to rescue the survivors, until “darkness brought down a curtain on the horrible scene”.

It was considered bad form to talk about sharks, and when someone would bring them up, everyone else would tell them abruptly to shut the hell up. The Navy didn’t address it, because there was nothing to be done.

There was apparently a great big elephant in the room, and by common agreement between sailors and leadership, everyone just pretended that elephant wasn’t there.

Because nothing could be done about it.


15 posted on 12/07/2020 5:10:44 AM PST by rlmorel ("I’d rather enjoy a risky freedom than a safe servitude." Robby Dinero, USMC Veteran, Gym Owner)
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To: rlmorel; GrandJediMasterYoda

One of my friends who was in during the 1960s told me that during survival at sea training the instructors emphasized that if you are in the water, your first priority was to try to get yourself out and on to some kind of floatation. They didn’t say “sharks” directly, but alluded to something like dropping several levels on the food chain if you are floating free in deep water.


18 posted on 12/07/2020 5:25:33 AM PST by chimera
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