Unexpected Naval History

[muddocktor]

........
The big thing with the ships getting hit was fire. The Exocet that hit HMS Sheffield didn't explode, but the burning propellant set fire to the aluminum and paint. Several of the ships lost were lost to fire.

Also, if the Argentine bombs had been properly fused, the RN would have lost several more ships.

According to the Wikipedia article on the HMS Sheffield and it's loss, fire was a major factor in it's loss. But the thing about missile not exploding is not correct. Also, from the same article, the Type 42 class destroyers did not have aluminum superstructures, which were actually made of steel. The Brits did have some smaller ships that did have aluminum supers and maybe they were the ones people were thinking of when the legend of the aluminum superstructure on the Sheffield came about. The ones with the aluminum super were the HMS Ardent and HMS Antelope, which were also lost in that war.

And another point to ponder on to figure into the reasons why Argentina tried to do a grab for the Falklands; There seem to be some substantial hydrocarbon reserves around the Falkland Islands too.

 

[Absalom]

Argentina has a strong historical and geographical claim on the Falkland Islands.

England had a Colony it didn't want. It was a drain on their National Budget in addition to being difficult to defend. With most of the population being British the Government was in a difficult position of being accused of selling out to a foreign nation.

It basically was a battle of egos and national pride and served no purpose in world affairs...

I think that trivializes some important aspects.

There was no Argentine population on the islands which needed or could have justified a military intervention at that time. The political dispute over the territory was indeed mostly about national pride for Argentina, and the invasion at that time purely a political play that went sideways for the generals.

For Britain, it certainly was about maintaining prestige and principle, but practically, and really more importantly, it had to be about 1800 British subjects who were kidnapped by a foreign country.

We (the West in general, but particularly the US) didn't dislike the post-Peron junta much before the invasion, because the people they disappeared, tortured, and murdered, were mostly people we didn't particularly mind being disappeared, tortured, and murdered.

But that did not make it acceptable to allow armed force to be used to shove 1800 citizens under that junta's rule, using "historical and geographical claims" as an excuse.

The Falklands War, or rather the British military response, certainly ranks among the more justified of 20th century conflicts.

 

[charlie sherrill]

I was on the USS Springfield, formerly the CL66, a light cruiser, and later the CLG 7 after it had been refitted as a guided missile ship along with three others in it's class. It was launched in 1943 and was part of a contract of 30 something ships of which they made 20 something before WWII was over. I was on it in 66-68. I always felt like a sitting duck. It was scrapped in the early 70's. We did go to some nice ports though.

 

[bummer]

When the war broke out I was stationed at Ft Polk. The Armor Bn in our brigade had a company that exchange with a Armor company from Great Britain, well the Brits were mad because they were stuck at Ft Polk and missing out on the war. So they did the next best thing, they would get into fights with the spanish speaking soldiers ( Puerto Ricans,Mexicans etc) tense time indeed. FYI don't get into a drinking match with them , you will loose

 

[timjake]

According to the Wikipedia article on the HMS Sheffield and it's loss, fire was a major factor in it's loss. But the thing about missile not exploding is not correct. ...

Interesting that it took until 2015 for MOD UK to decide the Exocet actually exploded. ( David Manley. "The Loss of HMS Sheffield – A Technical Re-assessment" RINA Warship Conference, Bath, June 2015)

My comment was based on the the books I read about the war back in the '80s and the video I mentioned - Falklands Task Force South.

 

[LVSteve]

IIRC the fires on the Type 42s spread through the wiring because the insulation was not sufficiently fire proof. You would have thought that bulkhead connectors would have isolated adjoining compartments, but I can only surmise that there was enough heat transfer to ignite the wires' insulation on the other side, even though the flame had not passed through the bulkhead.

 

[mtgianni]

I think that trivializes some important aspects.

There was no Argentine population on the islands which needed or could have justified a military intervention at that time. The political dispute over the territory was indeed mostly about national pride for Argentina, and the invasion at that time purely a political play that went sideways for the generals.

For Britain, it certainly was about maintaining prestige and principle, but practically, and really more importantly, it had to be about 1800 British subjects who were kidnapped by a foreign country.

We (the West in general, but particularly the US) didn't dislike the post-Peron junta much before the invasion, because the people they disappeared, tortured, and murdered, were mostly people we didn't particularly mind being disappeared, tortured, and murdered.

But that did not make it acceptable to allow armed force to be used to shove 1800 citizens under that junta's rule, using "historical and geographical claims" as an excuse.

The Falklands War, or rather the British military response, certainly ranks among the more justified of 20th century conflicts.

Argentina considered them as national residents and each one that left the Islands to purchase items at the nearest off island store needed to show a Resident ID card issued by Argentina to exit and reboard the ship or plane.

While they considered them selves British or Scots, most of Argentina's residents considered themselves by their ancestors birth nationality as well whether it was Italian, Spanish, Turkish, English or other. It really is a shame that the literature describing what lead to the conflict is generally showing Englands perspective if written in English.

Was or is there hydrocarbons in the Falklands? Perhaps but to build a refinery and ship to where it can be used would be a long payback. Argentina has quite a few hydrocarbon producing fields in Patagonia and in the north. I believe it exports over what it uses but rarely more than 5% or 10%.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Check out what happened to the USS STARK, FFG 31.
Remembering the Attack on USS STARK (FFG 31) – Station HYPO

 

[BSA1]

I remember this incident. By failing to take defensive action and evasive course changes a incompetent Captain caused the death and injuries to his crew and severe damage to his ship. Not the Navies finest hour.

 

[STCM(SW)]

My point is about the OBA's not lasting long, the shoes the Navy had guy's wear melted and the superstructure burning.......
When this happened I transferred from the OHP(FFG7) to a steel ship with
a 5" gun! (FF1061)

 

[Frank46]

Charlie, I was on the USS Franklin D Roosevelt CVA 42 we may have crossed paths with each other on our Westpac cruise '66-'67. Frank