JerseyJohn Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 CalifVol Thanks, same here. Since you've brought the subject up I've been going nuts trying to think of a source that would give a good account of the incident. I know I read it, but a lot of Mediteranean stories end up having been illusions, like the British being down to 3 fighters on Malta named Faith, Hope and Charity! Great story, but deeper investigation shows it to have been an inside joke reported on the homefront as factual. The thing about this story is Italy was so desperate for heroes I can imagine that crew actually receiving the medals even without verification. By the captain's account he sighted the Texas and escort vessels, fired two torpedoes, went under and set a fast exit course, and the sub was soon violently shaken from a large explosion and even at a distance they "felt" a large vessel going to the bottom. Typically, the poorly trained captain neither went up for a quick glance nor circled back to see if anything was different. Upon returning home he reported the good news that they'd sunk the Texas and were decorated almost immediately. I can also see the 1960 Italian Government ignoring American remarks that not only was the Texas not sunk, she was never even attacked! Still, like yourself, I'd like to find more on the story. Hopefully I'll find something tomorrow in the library. The Italian submariners who truly deserved medals were the Alexandria attack frogmen. Unfortunately the Rome government thought they were dead and their mission a failure. In reality Admiral Cunningham had them locked up on board the bottom-blown Battleships as an incentive to get them to say whether they'd attacned any other explosives. Ah, those Brits, even defeats are magically transformed into victories! [ January 18, 2003, 12:48 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JerseyJohn Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 SeaWolf Just had a look at the scenario along with your new sprites. Very interesting. I especially like what you've done in North Africa as now it really is a front. I don't want to give anything away, but the North Atlantic changes, which I at first thought were excessive, appear to be justified and good. It appears both sides have been strengthened in balance to each other, something often overlooked by scenario builders. Looking forward to giving it a real fling very soon. [ January 22, 2003, 06:19 AM: Message edited by: JerseyJohn ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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