Posted on Mar 7, 2015
SFC Mark Merino
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The Japanese military had their people completely brainwashed and never admitted that this massive behemoth went to the bottom at the Battle of the Coral Sea. Over 1,000 souls went down and were never acknowledged.....until now. I never even heard of her, and it was apparently the largest warship ever, topping even the Yamato's stats. I need to brush up on my WWII naval history. Did anyone else know of this monster?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2015/03/04/huge-wwii-japanese-battleship-musashi-has-been-found-billionaire-paul-allen-says/
Posted in these groups: Wwii logo WWII World War Two
Edited >1 y ago
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SFC Mark Merino
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We just saw a documentary on Japan tv about the Musashi being built at..........Nagasaki.
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MAJ Senior Observer   Controller/Trainer
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Where did she go down to her watery grave at, Mark?
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MAJ Senior Observer   Controller/Trainer
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Hey Uncle Mark, when you're in Japan and you're watching a documentary about a Japanese battleship sinking in WW II, do you have to suppress an urge to cheer?
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
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Oh, to be a fly on the wall in our house....lol We have some deep deep deep conversations. Her grandpa died fighting for her country. My grandpa made it home. Her mom grew up in the ashes. Now, the grandkids are married and Japan is one of the only real allies that we have. We watch the History channel whenever we aren't watching NHK (Japan tv). Let's just say that she is relearning the history of WWII from the other side of the fence. Even the sinking of the Musashi was kept from Japan, never spoken of, and ancestors were not mourned properly.
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SFC Mark Merino
SFC Mark Merino
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MAJ (Join to see) I found this online.
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PO2 Steven Erickson
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The IJN Musashi and her sistership the IJN Yamato are considered to be the most powerfully built battleships ever to set sail. They displaced almost twice the mass of the largest US battleships (USS Iowa class) at 70,000 tons (vs 45,000 tons), and carrier nine 18" main guns.

The other posts contain great links (I prefer the heavy detail of the "WWII Database" link posted by SGT David Schreiner), so I won't belabor the point.

She was sunk by 20 aerial torpedo and 18 bomb hits. Interesting note: her 18" guns (2" bigger than our biggest naval guns) NEVER fired against a land or water target. During her last few hours, the crew was firing the monstrous main guns into the water near the ship to make water spouts to thwart the torpedo bomber attacks.

The end of the large surface ships began on 10 December 1941, when the HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse were sunk by IJN aircraft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinking_of_Prince_of_Wales_and_Repulse), and the true power of the aircraft carrier was proven in the Battle of the Coral Sea and Midway a few months later. The death of the Musashi and the Yamato were the final nails in the battleship coffin. Battleships became shore-bombardment tools from then on.

I've scuba'd on the IJN Nagato at Bikini Atoll. She was Yamamato's Flagship when the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor. Truly a life-changing experience for THIS squid...
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MAJ Senior Observer   Controller/Trainer
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Thanks for the info, PO2 Steven Erickson. Normally, I would spend an evening digging unto this stuff myself, but you know, playoff hockey!
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PO2 Steven Erickson
PO2 Steven Erickson
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GO HAWKS!!!!

(Honestly, though, Major... I worry MOST about the Wild. Tough team, playing very well.)
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SFC Mark Merino
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I'm not sure who put this together but it is pretty good......with some cheesy music. (lol)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljGE2HekBAg
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