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Posted on 07/26/2006 3:36:44 PM PDT by saganite
What/where is the Hezbollah navy.
In August 1939, Europa was about to enter the Atlantic on what was destined to be her last passenger crossing for some time, when she received orders to return to Bremerhaven, blacked out, and with radio silence. She offloaded her passengers, and then in a few days, World War II began. She was painted in gray, and was used as a permanently stationed accommodation ship for the German Navy.
In 1940, she sailed to Hamburg, just as was done with the Bremen, to be converted for use in Operation Sea Lion. The plan was ultimately abandoned, and Europa was returned to Bremerhaven. Unlike her sister, the Bremen, who was destroyed by fire, the Europa survived to see the United States forces reach her, despite Nazi orders to sink her at her pier. Inside Europa, there were signs of troopship conversion, but for voyages that were never made. In the end, she ended up being put under the U.S. flag, and was designated AP-177, the USS Europa.
She was repaired, and later dry-docked in New York Harbor before officially beginning her trooping service. She could carry up to 4,300 people with 900 crew. However, it was not exactly a great service. She was plagued by small fires caused by the Germans' removing her high-quality fittings, and replacement by inferior items as their war effort began to regress and they ran into material shortages. Even worse, serious hull cracks were uncovered, and that worried authorities regarding safety. Thus the Europa ended her troop ship service, and was handed over to the reparations commission in early 1946. The Europa ended up going to the French, who had the biggest need for a passenger liner after they lost the Normandie in New York Harbor in 1942. It was thought that with the proper modifications, the Europa could be made to appear French...
Seriesly, Shouldn't that be Hugh Manatee?
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Hmmmm, post 35 seems to show guns on the "other" starboard side - known sometimes as the port side. (Or is my naval parlance confused or are those guns not "anti-aircraft" guns?)
They're starboard -- the ship is sailing toward you in the photo. It looks like they were designed to train in any direction, although firing the forward guns at a target directly astern would have made life interesting on the bridge.
The calm is on the water,
and part of us would linger by the shore.
For ships are safe in harbor,
But that's not what ships are for.
If a ship is too valuable to risk, it is of no value as a warship. If I recall the history of the Bismarck, there were similar problems that the Nazis feared losing it too much to use it. Although it sank the Hood, the (german equivalent) Admiral, was attempting to run from the confrontation, and the captain finally more or less told the admiral he was fighting, as he would not be sunk running away, and that the adminal might accidentally fall overboard if he didn't allow the ship to defend itself.
This sounds like the same thing. Others study WWII history far more than me, but I think we were fortunate that the Germans did not use their large naval vessels as effectively as they could have.
Navy ping!
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