Pochenko Posted February 7, 2004 Share Posted February 7, 2004 Do you remeber me? Well if you don't i'll tell you that I'm from Uruguay and like you know the Graf Spee it's sleeping in our river, but not for long. The authorities of Montevideo had decided that they are going to (how do you say it...?) take it to the surface. Maybe you are not interesting but I think it's a good new. Thanks for your time. .................................................. GUNS N' ROSES RULES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pochenko Posted February 7, 2004 Author Share Posted February 7, 2004 I almost forget making a question. When I'm going to become a member? I don't like being a "junior" How many time I have to wait to grow? thanks.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyJohn Posted February 7, 2004 Share Posted February 7, 2004 Pochenko Good to hear from you again. I thought the Graf Spee was still lying there but I read or saw on TV that the Brits kept taking parts of her during the war and eventually salvaged what was left -- can't trust either TV or books these days. Actually, right after the scuttling, as soon as it cooled off a little the Brits boarded her and helped themselves to the gunnery radar, which they found extremely interesting. I think that's the reason Captain Langsdorff actually shot himself, but I may be mistaken. Thanks for the update. As for being a junior member, you become a regular member after you've passed a certain number of posts, 50 or 500 or something, I've forgetten the exact number (almost sure it's 50), but it won't be long my friend. Anyway, I don't think anyone actually looks at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panzer39 Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Here is some more info on it http://www.rense.com/general48/diver.htm I believe the story went that Langsdorff shot himself because he truly felt that a captain's fate should be tied to his ship. The last book I read on the Spee had him wanting to die in the scuttling but his officers forcing him off the ship. Who knows though. Check out the Price of Disobedience for a good account of the action and Langsdorff. Does anyone remember what happend to the Prinz Eugen? I know she survived the war only to be used in an USA Abomb test. For some reason I remember her not sinking there either though........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyJohn Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Thanks for the link and your slant on Langsdorff. It's always gratifying when one link begets a related link! This madman is swimming around in it; I think I'd wait another three hundred years! Part of the ship is in a German museum, the rest ... < Bob Hampton's photo essay of the Prinz Eugen Wreckage > == Enjoyed the Graf Spee article very much. One quote sticks out in my mind: "It was very sad because the sailors were all so young, 18 and 19 years old." Looking back, as a child watching shows like Victory at Sea when they ran originally, the footage always seemed to depict hardened old warriors. Watching the same footage now I keep thinking, They're only kids! [ February 08, 2004, 01:31 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comrade Trapp Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Panzer, The Prinz Eugen actually survived 2 atomic bombs (1 airburst and 1 under water) only to sink as she was being towed out to deeper water. Pity really, would have made a great museum if it hadn't been hit by 2 nuclear bombs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyJohn Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 I suspect it must have been one of the outter ships but several others also survived. The test vessels were a collection of German and Japanese warships, the two bombs were powerful than the ones dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The United States briefly used something called the "Booster Effect" with it's A-bombs in the post war, but I'm not sure if that was incorporated here. Comrade Part of the superstructure was removed and sent to a German museum. I guess this would have been after the blasts, so how they did this despite the radioactivity has me a little puzzled; unless it was taken years after the two tests. When the Scharnhorst, Gneisnau and Prinz Eugen made their famous run up the English Channel a British swordfish pilot, spotting the three vessels and not imagining them to be German, radioed back, "I didn't realize the Royal Navy had such fine looking ships!" It's odd, this topic has come up twice in the past week or so, in seemingly unrelated threads and initiated by different people. [ February 08, 2004, 09:35 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xwormwood Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Originally posted by JerseyJohn: It's odd, this topic has come up twice in the past week or so, in seemingly unrelated threads and initiated by different people. Well spoken, and here we go again: Prinz Eugen edit: radiations seems to be no problem anymore: "Frequented by divers since the mid 1960s, she was surveyed for radiation hazards, and was declared safe in 1970. In 1978, the port screw was removed by U.S. Navy salvage crew and shipped to Germany, where it can still be seen on display at the German Naval Memorial near Kiel." The Prinz Eugen- as excerpted from "In the Arms of the Sea" The "PRINZ EUGEN" Today [ February 08, 2004, 10:49 AM: Message edited by: xwormwood ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyJohn Posted February 8, 2004 Share Posted February 8, 2004 Mr X., It seems us former corporals are on a psychic link, after writing that I was planning to post some photos of famous WW II warships! Great Link, set it in my WWII favorites folder. Still planning to do so, not only European and American but also Japanese. Running around at the moment, if you're in the mood to open such a Thread feel free and I'll add to it later. I know there are many of us who enjoy viewing pictures of those magnificent Second World War fighting ships. -- Great picture. The nice thing about camping out at that atoll is at night you don't need a lamp, everything glows! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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