Posted on 11/21/2001 11:08:32 AM PST by Britton J Wingfield
AB
Semper Fi.
I wonder if there's a public school system in America where battles such as Guadalcanal or the heroism of such as Sgt. Paige are even mentioned, yet alone studied.
The real problem with the USS South Dakota was the time between when it was laid down and put in service. There were not enough time spent making the ship "battleship worthy". When those 16 inch guns fire, they can cause havoc on a battleship -- in terms of vibration.
Basically, it got down to the fact that USS South Dakota took only about a year to put in service, and others, such as USS Washington and the Iowa class ships, took well over two years.
It wasn't a jinx'ed ship, but rather, the engineering was poor in terms of making the electrical systems withstand the pounding of those 16 inch guns.
But an important part of the Naval battle was omitted.
When cruisers and other ships were peppering the USS South Dakota because she was ablaze with fires and an easy target, the USS Washington manuevered in front, to block the enemies, and put the USS Washington in danger.
A truly heroic act, as this caused the USS Washington to come under fire. But not for long. The Japanese lacked any stomach for battle when they saw their battleship hopelessly sinking... They turned tale and ran...
The author of this piece has never heard of the Changkufeng-Khasan or Nomonhan incidents--the REAL reason Japan didn't invade Siberia in 1941. Even after getting decapitated by Stalin's purges, the Soviet Army slapped the Japanese around as if they were the red-headed stepchildren...
SEMPER FI !
The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR to
SERGEANT JOHN BASILONE
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
for service as set forth in the following
CITATION:
For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous gallantry in action against enemy Japanese forces, above and beyond the call of duty,
while serving with the First Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division, in the Lunga Area, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, on
October 24 and 25, 1942. While the enemy was hammering at the Marines' defensive positions, Sergeant Basilone, in charge of two
sections of heavy machine guns, fought valiantly to check the savage and determined assault. In a fierce frontal attack with the
Japanese blasting his guns with grenades and mortar fire, one of Sergeant Basilone's sections, with its gun crews, was put out of
action, leaving only two men able to carry on. Moving an extra gun into position, he placed it in action, then, under continual fire,
repaired another and personally manned it, gallantly holding his line until replacements arrived. A little later, with ammunition critically
low and the supply lines cut off, Sergeant Basilone, at great risk of his life and in the face of continued enemy attack, battled his way
through hostile lines with urgently needed shells for his gunners, thereby contributing in a large measure to the virtual annihilation of a
Japanese regiment. His great personal valor and courageous initiative were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States
Naval Service.
/S/FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
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