Posted on Dec 22, 2014
Retro Awards: Navy Admits Error...What's your opinion on why this one happened?
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WWII World War Two
Posted 10 y ago
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Unfortunately, many things are unclear during the fog of war.
I think it's great that his son was alive to learn about his fathers actions and to accept the award on behalf of his father.
I think it's great that his son was alive to learn about his fathers actions and to accept the award on behalf of his father.
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I would either guess that the Navy didn't want to admit that the war was this close to home, though that's a stretch as the Uboat had just sunk a ship, or more likely, they would have to admit that the Captain knew what he was doing, and that procedures and schools weren't as important as the Navy would have liked them to be.
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SGM (Join to see)
SGT Brainard--there are probably several reasons, one of which is as you point out, the schoolhouse desire to protect the status quo doctrine, coupled with an "unconfirmed" sinking at the time which was made less likely to be confirmed by the assumptions of senior people who seemed to believe an unlikely act means it is not possible.
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SGM (Join to see) Any award which is deserved and earned should be presented. This one certainly seems to fall in that category. Some credit for the reversal of course and the award should go to Rickie Kohler and National Geographic for the documentary on this sinking and providing evidence based on Robert Ballard's exploration which vindicated Capt. Claudius. BRAVO ZULU
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SGM (Join to see)
SFC Finck, agree. Thanks for pointing that out. Never to late to make things right. I do wonder why there was such bias at the leader and the crew.
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SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS
SGM (Join to see) I am reading way in, but it sounds like the Command had little confidence in the abilities of this boat and the skipper to attack and sink a submarine since they had not had anti-submarine warfare training. Secondly, not sure anyone in that command had access to the intel to let them know that U-boats were operating in the Gulf of Mexico.
Again, just providing a loose analysis of what I see and of what I remember about threat time frame and intel sharing.
Again, just providing a loose analysis of what I see and of what I remember about threat time frame and intel sharing.
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SGM (Join to see)
SFC Finck, see my post to SGT Brainard...and add the thought that such tactics should be studied and not written off as a fluke. Some of the most heroic actions are spur of the moment decisions and/or improvisations that put caution to the wind. SGT York would have been just a lucky soldier who captured 100 Germans, until the prisoners related they surrendered because of his shooting.
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