Author Topic: Rafe35: History of the end of USS Arkansas BB33 (Read 329 times)

Reschke · « **on:** June 14, 2004, 01:59:32 PM »

Just looked for this on google and here is what I found.

Quote

Arkansas went to the Pacific in November 1944, crossing the ocean to the war zone early in the next year. In February-May 1945, she supported the conquests of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Once Japan had surrendered, she transported veterans home from bases in the Pacific. By now thoroughly obsolete, the old battleship was assigned a final mission, to serve as a target ship for atomic bomb tests at Bikini, in the Marshalls. She survived the initial test, an air-burst, but was anchored in close proximity to the bomb used in the 25 July 1946 underwater shot. Arkansas was engulfed in the column of water driven up by the powerful blast and quickly sank. She remains on the bottom of Bikini Atoll to this day.

History of USS Arkansas BB-33

gofaster · « **Reply #1 on:** June 14, 2004, 02:05:11 PM »

Cool reading. The pic of the sailors "spinning a yarn" in a casemate was classic!

Reschke · « **Reply #2 on:** June 14, 2004, 02:10:34 PM »

Yeah I thought it was a pretty good short article with the pictures they have. There are several other sites that have this ship and a couple of others with the name Arkansas as well.

Shuckins · « **Reply #3 on:** June 14, 2004, 02:56:28 PM »

What a grand old ship...with a fine battle record. A shame it had to end its service as a target for a nuclear weapon.

Chairboy · « **Reply #4 on:** June 14, 2004, 03:00:44 PM »

Of interest, the soviets actively deployed nuclear torpedoes designed to be fired into the middle of a carrier or battlegroup and detonate underwater. As sad as her fate was, at least it gave some legit data to be used in strategic planning and wasn't just a large scale 'frog with a firecracker tied to it' sort of demise.

Shuckins · « **Reply #5 on:** June 14, 2004, 03:07:41 PM »

rogwar · « **Reply #6 on:** June 14, 2004, 04:57:09 PM »

Shuckins,

How are things at the United Armadillo Movement these days? Weevils still wobbling?

Sikboy · « **Reply #7 on:** June 14, 2004, 04:58:42 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Chairboy
wasn't just a large scale 'frog with a firecracker tied to it' sort of demise.

rofl.

-Sik

Rafe35 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2004, 05:09:26 PM »

Thanks, Reschke, I really like that info and I'll print it out from that website you found.

Shuckins · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2004, 06:11:16 PM »

Rogwar,

Don't knock my alma mater man! Ahee!

They're still chugging along. Or should I say chug-a-lugging along.

I got two sons in school there at the present. They're two of the saner enrolees.

Regards, Shuckins/Leggern

GtoRA2 · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2004, 06:50:22 PM »

Better to die by nuke then to be turned into razor blades by some scrapper, like so many other great ships.