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[excerpt from transcript] A month later, the Sakaki was patrolling in the Aegean Sea between Crete and the Greek mainland when she was torpedoed by an Austro-Hungarian submarine. With Austria and Hungary landlocked nowadays, most people are surprised to know that back in the First World War the Hapsburg Empire actually had a coastline (in modern-day Croatia) and possessed a navy, including submarines. Indeed, their most successful submarine commander, with 11 merchant ships sunk, along with an Italian submarine and a French cruiser, was a certain Captain Georg von Trapp - yes, Captain von Trapp from "The Sound of Music." I bet you'll never think of Christopher Plummer in the same light again! Anyway, the U-boat that attacked the Sakaki was not commanded by von Trapp but by Robert von Fernland. The resulting explosion on the Japanese destroyer tore off her bow killing her commander and most of the forward crew.

2 posted on 08/31/2026 6:37:21 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (TDS -- it's not just for DNC shills anymore -- oh, wait, yeah it is.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Thanks for the VonTrapp trivia.
I try to learn something new every day, and I got that accomplished today before 5 am.


10 posted on 09/01/2026 1:51:14 AM PDT by Doctor Congo
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