THE U.S NAVY vs THE BRITS !

[Who's Wee Dug]

THE U.S NAVY vs THE BRITS !

The following is the transcript of an actual radio
conversation in October 1995 between a U.S. Navy ship and the British
authorities off the Scottish North coast. The transcript was released by the MoD on the 10/10/95:

BRITISH: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid collision.

U.S. NAVY: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.

BRITISH: Negative. You will have to divert your course15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

U.S. NAVY: This is the Captain of U.S. Navy Ship, I say again, divert YOUR course.

BRITISH: Negative, I say again, you will have to divert your course.

U.S. NAVY: THIS IS THE CAPTAIN OF THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE
SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES ATLANTIC FLEET,
WE ARE ACCOMPANIED
BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS,
DEMAND

THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, THAT'S 15 DEGREES NORTH OR
COUNTER MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.

BRITISH: WE ARE A LIGHTHOUSE. FECK OFF

[Harpo]

It's funny every time, but it's much older than 1995, and probably not true

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Lighthouse and Aircraft Carrier

[Overread]

hehehehehe
I needed a good laugh! thanks!

[nj1]

LOL, The thing is you can picture it happening and i can imagine the captain raming his aircraft carrier into the rocks below the lighthouse, now that would have been the icing on the cake .

By the way, i'm not into all things nautical so i may be wrong, but wouldn't the ships have pretty damn good radar and therefore would have known they were close to land long before they were told to change course?

[Harpo]

A llighthouse does not necessarily mean there is land - think of Bell Rock, for example

[nj1]

ok, but bell rock was placed there because of the reefs. Surely a ship fitted with radar would be aware of any dangers posed by unseen obsticles?

Are lighthouses still a requirement of modern times?

(or even obstacles)

[Wiglaf]

Originally Posted by nj1

ok, but bell rock was placed there because of the reefs. Surely a ship fitted with radar would be aware of any dangers posed by unseen obsticles?

Are lighthouses still a requirement of modern times?

(or even obstacles)

We have two lighthouses here. One is historical, but the new one is still in use.
By the way, the E-2 Hawkeyes repoted it was a lighthouse; doesn't mean it shouldn't move for our fleet.

[MG1962]

Well one funny exchange that appears to be true - Two warships on seperate escort duties in the mid Atlantic in 1944 (Dont have the date)

American warship to British "How does it feel to be the second biggest navy in the world?"

Response from British warship " How does it feel to be in the second best?"

[Who's Wee Dug]

Originally Posted by MG1962

Well one funny exchange that appears to be true - Two warships on seperate escort duties in the mid Atlantic in 1944 (Dont have the date)

American warship to British "How does it feel to be the second biggest navy in the world?"

Response from British warship " How does it feel to be in the second best?"

good one

[Wiglaf]

Originally Posted by Who's Wee Dug

good one

Then we defeated the Japanese and were second best no more.
Why don't you pick on the army or airfarce? I am much less defensive over them.

[MG1962]

Originally Posted by Wiglaf

Then we defeated the Japanese and were second best no more.
Why don't you pick on the army or airfarce? I am much less defensive over them.

LOL - there is another funny one from the time the Iowa was recommisioned. A US task force had been doing exercises in the Atlantic, ghosted by the usual Soviet surface vessels. During the night the Iowa broke of and returned to port, as per her schedual.

In the morning one of the Soviet vessels signaled to a US destroyer, "Where is Iowa?"

The Americans transmitted 40° 23′ N 96° 38′ W Then waited to see how long it would take the Soviets to figure it out.

Another one, during WW2. I cant recall the particular action. But US forces had secured this main island, however off shore, heavily protected was a Japanese gun emplacement firing just enough shells to upset the US commander.

4 US ships (2 destroyers and 2 Cruisers) formed up with the Australian cruiser Canberra at the end of the line. They decided it would be good gunnery practice and sailed passed the island trying to take the emplacement out.

None of the four US ships made a dent in the enplacement, so RAN Canberra opened up. Her first salvo blew the entire top of the island off destroying the gun and all signs of life. Amazed an impressed the US commander offered congratulations, and queried the ammo the Australians used.

The Australian commander explained it was a new high exploisive round that had been developed and that they only had the one broadside worth for testing, but it was alright, Washington had been informed.

Days later it was discovered on the island, that the Australian gunnery had been so bad, they had overshot the target and hit an unknown ammo dump on the opposite end of the island

To put that into context - The Australians openned up at a range of 6000 yards and missed by 2000