Strangest ship misidentification

[marcelo_malara]

Hi guys. What would be for you the strangest cases of ships misidentified by flying crews? Neosho already mentioned. Any destroyer taken as BB?

Regards

[R Leonard]

While surface cruising, USS Grayling was bombed by B-17s out of Midway on 7 June 1942. Several of them dropped their bombloads, some 20 bombs from about 10,000 feet, all of which missed. Grayling crash-dived and avoided damage, but the B-17 crews claimed to have sunk a Japanese heavy cruiser in 15 seconds.

[dunmunro]

At Coral Sea RA Crace's RAN and USN support group was identified as a USN carrier TF and an IJN TF and attacked by the IJNAF and USAAF!

[marcelo_malara]

While surface cruising, USS Grayling was bombed by B-17s out of Midway on 7 June 1942. Several of them dropped their bombloads, some 20 bombs from about 10,000 feet, all of which missed. Grayling crash-dived and avoided damage, but the B-17 crews claimed to have sunk a Japanese heavy cruiser in 15 seconds.

That was really weird!

[marcelo_malara]

At Coral Sea RA Crace's RAN and USN support group was identified as a USN carrier TF and an IJN TF and attacked by the IJNAF and USAAF!

Thanks. That would the TF44 attacked first by Japanese and then American planes?

[dunmunro]

At Coral Sea RA Crace's RAN and USN support group was identified as a USN carrier TF and an IJN TF and attacked by the IJNAF and USAAF!

Thanks. That would the TF44 attacked first by Japanese and then American planes?

Yes, TF44.

[marcelo_malara]

At Coral Sea RA Crace's RAN and USN support group was identified as a USN carrier TF and an IJN TF and attacked by the IJNAF and USAAF!

Thanks. That would the TF44 attacked first by Japanese and then American planes?

Yes, TF44.

Thanks!

[OpanaPointer]

Grayling crash-dived and avoided damage, but the B-17 crews claimed to have sunk a Japanese heavy cruiser in 15 seconds.

Belushi claimed to have sunk a sub off California in the movie "1941".

"I saw it go down!"

[Kev D]

Grayling crash-dived and avoided damage, but the B-17 crews claimed to have sunk a Japanese heavy cruiser in 15 seconds.

Belushi claimed to have sunk a sub off California in the movie "1941".
"I saw it go down!"

Yes, but............... we all know how much cocaine (and 'speedballs'?) John was snorting in those days, so he could have seen or done anything, literally (and probably did). I'd take his 'claim' as highly dubious at best, and an outright fantasy at worst. God, or whomever higher being he looked too, bless him just the same.

[OpanaPointer]

He was playing a character in the movie. He wasn't even born in 1941.

[Kev D]

He was playing a character in the movie. He wasn't even born in 1941.

REAllY?! Well bugger me, I wouldna known if ya hadna told me. Whoda guessed, JB playing a part in a movie that was about a period before he was born. You certainly know your stuff Opama! Guess some Americans just dont get Anglo sarcasm. Oh well.

[OpanaPointer]

I was fairly sure you were joking but having helped teach the WWII class at Purdue I'm compelled to provide additional information lest some befuddled undergrad turns off his smellchecker and runs with this new found knowledge. Just a habit of mine, especially with Belushi's "the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor" comment in a later movie.

[paul.mercer]

Gentlemen, don't forget HMS Sheffield attacked by Swordfish aircraft miss identifying her for Bismarck!

[Kev D]

And we also have, post Coral Sea, the oiler USS Neosho ID'd as a carrier, and the destroyer USS Sims ID'd as a (IIRC) cruiser by an IJN search plane, and eventually attacked and sunk by IJN airborne strike force (after the attackers couldnt find the 'carrier'). Sims sank almost immediately, while Neosho miraculuously (given the pounding she took) stayed afloat for a few days before going down (again, IIRC )

[OpanaPointer]

Does UTAH count? The IJN pilots were told EXACTLY where she would be, and that she was demilitarized. Still wasted ordnance on her.