I am currently a primary caregiver for a survivor of the Franklin, my father-in-law. He turned 95 in April 2020. He spent time in the hospital with a knee injury, but survived. The only time he ever talked about it, he became very quiet and simply stated that the men didn't die like they do in the movies.
@vickramgoswami22972 жыл бұрын
That’s awesome 😎 Thanks for sharing
@alcyone93614 жыл бұрын
It doesn't matter if you're a radio operator, radar operator, electronics technician, cook, or paint chipper, your #1 job in the Navy is to be a firefighter.
@exzendar2523 Жыл бұрын
Ayè
@chriscurry2364 жыл бұрын
My grandfather was a aa Gunner aboard the Franklin, heard many horrific stories he told me about this exact attack. Hell on Earth as he put it.
@lawrencecapuano53785 жыл бұрын
My Father served aboard this ship as a photographer and proofer. He was one of the "Skeleton Crew" that helped get this mighty ship back to port. I heard my Father speak of this once in my 28 years ( he's been gone 22 years) . He was looking at a commemorative plaque of a ship, I don't recall which, at a friend of ours. The gentleman told us he was in the battle and his ship was heavily damaged but nowhere near the damage his groups carrier, The Franklin sustained. My father replied " I know Al, that was our friends name, I was on the Franklin." Being a photographer it was no wonder he kept silent about this battle.
@patmancrowley85095 жыл бұрын
GOD rest his soul.
@phillipburns56175 жыл бұрын
One hell of a ship! Amazing it survived at all... We will never forget the sacrifices made for us God bless our veterans👍👍👍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
@onceANexile4 жыл бұрын
I AM PROUD TO SAY I HAVE SHOOK THE HAND OF AN ORIGINAL FRANKLIN SURVIVOR.
@chriscurry2364 жыл бұрын
My grandfather Evertte medlin was a aa gunner on the Franklin, heard many horrific stories from him, as was said,he grew up fast on the Franklin.
My dad was an AA gunner, too. A Santa Fe sailor who helped take survivors off the Franklin. He said: "I was on the fantail of the Santa Fe, which had come along side to help fight fires on the Franklin. I'd tied a monkey fist in a heaving line, and would throw it to make a splash in the oil slick for a Franklin man to jump into. He'd grab the rope and we'd haul him aboard the Santa Fe." He shows up in some of the films. You can't make him out, but you can see the rope with a man standing at the top. We buried him last month, age 103.
@bennyblanco46963 жыл бұрын
I never had the opportunity to meet my grandfather, as he passed before I was born. He was on this ship, and jumped into the ocean to survive when the explosions began.
@John-ci8yk Жыл бұрын
It's a shame you didn't have the chance to meet your grandfather. I got a father who was declined entry in World War II on medical grounds but later drafted for Korea. Yeah, I don't know what to say the math doesn't add up. He never saw action but we do have the Army papers to prove that he was inducted some time in 1950 something, I'm sorry I only saw the paper for about 5 minutes when my sister showed it to me as we were cleaning out my recently deceased 92-year-old mothers home. And I had an uncle that spent the entire Korean war in West Germany. So in my family I didn't hear any war stories but just to hear how the Machinery used to work back then is amazing to listen to and I'm sorry you didn't have the opportunity to hear such things like that from your grandfather.
@dr.p14978 жыл бұрын
Wow, Big Ben survived that attack...The Essex class carriers were built to withstand a lot of damage.
@jaykay85703 жыл бұрын
No they weren't. They should have had an armored flight deck like the Brits. After a Kamikaze attack, all they needed to do was sweep the deck.
@bulletstop1003 жыл бұрын
we trained our folks heavily in damage control. that helped a lot!!
@Kilgore4823 жыл бұрын
There were very specific weight distribution and other reasons why Packy Shade did not design armored flight decks into the Essex-class. The shield layer was the 2.5 inch steel hanger deck. Shade was an engineering genius who succeeded in balancing the requirements of high cyclical sortie and recovery rates with a very high degrees of design survivability. Not too many naval engineers since have second guessed his trade-offs.
@edwardhewer85304 жыл бұрын
Amazing analysis of a stunning survival. That crew was amazing.
@Charlesputnam-bn9zy3 жыл бұрын
And the Chaplain Father O'Callahan.
@johnmagill30725 жыл бұрын
Nothing is more frightening to to a Navy Sailor than fire at sea.
@ut000bs4 жыл бұрын
@Unkraut60 drowning is what you do when your ship is gone. Fire is worse.
@johnmcmahon59674 жыл бұрын
Amen, brother!
@humbleone64053 жыл бұрын
Back then I think being captured and tortured by the Japanese would be my biggest fear..imho
@johnmcmahon59674 жыл бұрын
This well documents how well the Essex-class aircraft carriers were designed and constructed. My uncle served on both USS Bennington and USS Bunker Hill during the war as a Water Tender.
@iangoldsworthy20563 жыл бұрын
They were fire traps with weak Armour and this is the end result.
@lloyddraper14134 жыл бұрын
My Dad was on the USS Bunkerhill. He talks of it his name is Frank Draper.
@Milkman35720006 жыл бұрын
Fascinating. Thanks for sharing this video. Wow!
@trent80020036 жыл бұрын
A testimony to their ruggedness. Even such heavy explosions failed to sink them!!!
@johnmcmahon59674 жыл бұрын
The enduring testimony to the Essex-class carriers is that none were lost to enemy action during the Pacific war (although USS Franklin came close!).
@mechanicman86876 жыл бұрын
My dad was a photographer on The Big Ben but was injured by the air duct explosion. All sailers but 502 were evacuated. 502 men took her back to New York. CV-13 was an unlucky
@Ryfried4 жыл бұрын
my dad designed the big ben
@Spookieham4 жыл бұрын
Royal Navy carriers had armoured flight decks which meant they carried less aircraft but were much more able to take hits.
@ozone-xv7hk3 жыл бұрын
Well, you have to remember the US maintained its carriers with wooden teak decks in order to allow for better speed. It’s easier to evade enemy fire that way, and allows them to get to places quicker.
@dragonmeddler21523 жыл бұрын
US decided to trade armored flight deck for armored hangar deck for expediency. The Essex Class carriers used an existing hull design (with some modifications) that wouldn't handle the extra weight of an armored flight deck. It allowed for rapid construction and deployment of new and much needed carriers out to the Pacific. It proved to be the best choice. These great vessels served well into the 1970s.
@barrybarnes963 жыл бұрын
@@ozone-xv7hk All that beautiful old growth teak...all gone now.
@ozone-xv7hk3 жыл бұрын
@@barrybarnes96 it was a shame to see so many carriers left to rot, mothballed at the end of the war. Those photos are saddening.
@iangoldsworthy20563 жыл бұрын
@@ozone-xv7hk true, However your attack fleet should protect you instead of trying to guess what manoeuvre for evasive action leaving you like a sitting duck.
@geoben18104 жыл бұрын
As a proud U.S. NAVY veteran I salute the brave crew of the USS Franklin. I would hope I would be as brave as they were if I were in a similar situation. At ease gentlemen, you have fulfilled your duties. ✌🏻🌹🇺🇸
@arsenal-slr95525 жыл бұрын
RIP sailors and marines of CV-13
@johnmcmahon59674 жыл бұрын
Amen!
@johnmcmahon59674 жыл бұрын
Brave men, one and all!
@georgepantazis1413 жыл бұрын
Thank you from Australia R.I.P.
@reggierico7 жыл бұрын
I would venture to add that not only was the hangar deck armor plating a significant factor in the ship's survival, but the obvious and valiant efforts of the Captain and crew in fighting this disastrous attack and the accompanying explosions and fire. Can you imagine how difficult it must have been NOT to give the order to abandon ship? An unbelievable event that gives testimony to the spirit, determination and bravery of the men who fought in WW2. My grandfather served aboard the USS Columbia as one of the two ships' doctors. They were attacked by 3 kamikaze's. The trauma of that battle was something he rarely talked about.
@redstep-child3096 Жыл бұрын
His failure was in condemning the wounded. You may say what you like. I will never forgive Gheris.
@loushavkey5982 Жыл бұрын
Crew were heroes. Captain was significantly less
@YouT00ber4 жыл бұрын
That was incredible footage
@andrewcharles4595 ай бұрын
The ordeal of "Big Ben" is truly one of the most astonishing episodes of the Pacific war.
@1teamski6 жыл бұрын
Simply amazing.
@gnosphotos2 жыл бұрын
My Father was 1st class radar and gunner aboard the Franklin that day, he never did receive his purple heart, he never talked about it but I found a letter he wrote my Grandmother when he woke up in Guam, he deserved it.
@MsGorteck2 жыл бұрын
You should look in to it being awarded now. If he is eligible than your family should get it. I suspect you will learn quite a bit about his service and that day in particular if you make inquiries. It will take time, but it will be worth it.
@TheHandymanQld3 жыл бұрын
Bringing the reality of war home to those who saw the ship come into the harbour.
@b2tall2394 жыл бұрын
There was nobody better at ship design and crew training.
@imapaine-diaz44516 жыл бұрын
It's hard to imagine a ship so torn up and not only surviving and still afloat, but returning to new york under her own power and withe her crew. They built them to last with iron ment in steel ships!
@MrDavidfarris4 жыл бұрын
Didn’t the narrator state that she had to be towed? And that they eventually lite off a boiler to “assist the tow?” I understand the tremendous grit and bravery demonstrated by this ship and crew, but it didn’t return to port under its own power, it had to have help, which is completely understandable. I often wonder if we, the USA, are capable of making this type of total effort in a time of Great War and calamity. Those folks truly were “the greatest generation.” No doubt.
@georgepantazis1413 жыл бұрын
And stay active till 1966
@Charlesputnam-bn9zy3 жыл бұрын
The IJN had developed new weapons toward the end of the war. One of those was a heavy naval shell (16 inches & more) modified into an armour-piercing bomb. It was probably this kind that struck USS Franklin.
@ZTIERK2 жыл бұрын
IJN had those at the start of the war as well. They were used heavily during the Pearl Harbor attack and one of them is thought to have destroyed the Arizona.
@thebosscatman72 жыл бұрын
You need velocity for armor piercing
@ZTIERK2 жыл бұрын
@@thebosscatman7 bombs deployed from dive bombers or high level bombers travel at near terminal velocity; I imagine the velocity would be somewhat similar to that reached by a shell in the final diving stage of its arcing path after being fired from a naval gun
@kemarisite2 жыл бұрын
@@ZTIERK it's a bit less. Battleship shells at practical battle range retain between 1,000 and 1,500 ft/sec of velocity, depending on size, shape, and weight. I've seen analysis of bombs at Midway that states bomb velocity from a dive bomber strikes at about 600 ft/sec, and then bases discussion of fuse settings based on that velocity. These bombs (remember there are two of them) were 250 kg SAP bombs with a modest fuse delay. If it had been one of the larger AP bombs mentioned above there would only have been one.
@ZTIERK2 жыл бұрын
@@kemarisite I did some more reading and found that battleship shells rarely exhibit true "plunging fire" and instead strike their targets at generally less than ~35 degrees even at extreme range; under these conditions, it makes sense then that (like you said) battleship shells would retain more velocity than bombs, since their flight paths are influenced both by gravity and by their initial muzzle velocity. However, it would be important to consider that since bombs strike their targets at much steeper angles (dive bombers generally dove at ~45-60 degrees), less velocity is necessary to penetrate deck armor in comparison to a shell impacting at a shallower angle. That said, the significantly greater velocity of shells fired by naval artillery probably overcame this difference handily :D
@jfchonors88736 ай бұрын
My father was on a destroyer escort on its way to Guam when they passed close to the Franklin He remarked that it was amazing it was still afloat and they lowered the flags to half staff in memory of the hundreds of sailors who were lost
@ut000bs4 жыл бұрын
Can you believe the courage? The frustration? The body parts? Today, May 17th, 2020 it seems like the whole world is hiding from a virus with a 99.7 percent survival rate. What happened to us?
@tjsogmc4 жыл бұрын
It's a shame that almost no sailors in the USN today have ever heard of the Franklin, the most decorated ship and crew in Naval history
@walterquick86494 ай бұрын
nope the enterprize tho is most decorated
@tjsogmc4 ай бұрын
@@walterquick8649 The Franklin had the most decorated CREW.
@ndan19603 жыл бұрын
My uncle had come up from below when a 500lb bomb exploded. My uncle was blown from the ship into the water
@Bbendfender6 жыл бұрын
I knew a man who was on the Franklin when this happened. I don't know if he is still alive today.
@jytte-hilden Жыл бұрын
The movie "Battle Stations" (1956) seems to be based in this event. It's available here on KZbin.
@blockmasterscott4 жыл бұрын
1:22 Damn, look at all those ships. totally different navy than what we had at the end of 1941.
Japan was a ferocious enemy. Highly trained, skilled and fearless.
@TheBluBalls5 жыл бұрын
At this point in the war, Japan had lost the majority of its skilled pilots and were sending young pilots with minimal training on suicide missions.
@whispofwords25904 жыл бұрын
That pilot who carried our this attack was probably one of the few well trained ones left.
@Spookieham4 жыл бұрын
Kamikaze attacks caused many casualties but by this time is the war it was never going to make any difference.
@iangoldsworthy20563 жыл бұрын
@@TheBluBalls Yet one small plane amongst a fleet of 25 ships wounded it's very best.
@CaesarInVa4 жыл бұрын
Didn't the skipper of the Franklin threaten to court-martial crewmen who abandoned ship, or were blown overboard, until high authority intervened? I seem to recall hearing that after the calamity, at an all hands muster of the survivors, the skipper reamed out the crew and threatened to court-martial those who went overboard. Thankfully, as I understood it, someone in the chain of command above him interceded and said that it just wasn't a very advisable thing to do. If that's true, then all I can say is what a colossal dick that CO was.
@stanstenson81683 жыл бұрын
Yes he did.
@jytte-hilden Жыл бұрын
@@stanstenson8168 Possibly to divert attention from the fact that he had turned his ship into a floating molotov cocktail in order to improve the efficiency of flight operations. Well, he didn't improve ship safety, that's for sure.
@onceANexile5 жыл бұрын
The Franklin wouldn't listen to the coral sea BOOGIES ON THE WAY. 3 TIMES THE CORAL SEA MESSAGED THEM. YHE FRANKLIN DIDNT CONFIRM.
@safvue14 жыл бұрын
and we think we had a bad day
@realestatebraddick3 жыл бұрын
My grandfather survived that attack. Karl Braddick, Good rest his sole now!
@michellebostic6814 жыл бұрын
How did anyone survive that?
@melvinjohnson70337 жыл бұрын
Franklin was as good as sunk as she never returned to active service.
@sotabaka7 жыл бұрын
She would have been returned to service if the war didnt end
@whatgoesaroundcomesaround13765 жыл бұрын
@Melvin Johnson: The thing is that SHE DIDN'T SINK, asshat. Yes, she didn't return to service, but she brought the majority of her crew home UNDER HER OWN POWER. If Franklin had indeed sunk, the 700+ crew still aboard would have had to abandon ship... stressful enough for the able-bodied, and downright dangerous for any wounded remaining aboard. Not to mention that the sea has dangers all her own, despite the proximity of the remainder of the Task Force. - Navy vet and flattop sailor
@whispofwords25904 жыл бұрын
So what? They didnt know that at the time. And you know, it's disgusting how people on the internet like yourself always have to try and diminish the bravery and sacrifice of others just to get attention.
@xj900uk3 жыл бұрын
USS Franklin was out of the war, regardless, despite the courage of it's survivors in tackling the blazes and continuous explosions. I forget the exact figure, but more than 800 of its complement were literally incinerated or blown to pieces by the raging fires that consumed it - many of their bodies were never found, others were too badly charred to be identified. But the Franklin was out of the war, even more damaged than the Bunker Hill, and it would have been perfectly understandable to earmark it for scrapping in the process. But it was, incredibly, eventually repaired and put back in service, although I don't believe it ever saw action again (someone correct me if I am wrong!). Eventually though, despite a lot of protests from the survivors of this attack, and the relatives of those who didn't make it, it was scrapped rather than preserved as a monument, w hich is what a lot of people were calling out for.
@georgepantazis1413 жыл бұрын
@@xj900uk 1966
@alejogarciajr22233 жыл бұрын
What a situation critical situations wow how to survives
@waynzignordics3 жыл бұрын
Damn, a single aircraft was able to cripple and nearly sink a carrier. How the hell did the aircraft know where the fleet was without it or its spotter being detected?
@vickramgoswami22972 жыл бұрын
The aircraft used cloud cover.
@jonathanbecker89353 жыл бұрын
That insipid orchestra music just drives me crazy. Didn't Americans ever get sick of hearing that crap? Every movie or short reel during that time had the same awful music with trumpets, trombones, and etc that sounded the same, ugh... Must've really sucked being stuck one of those big ships. It's an amazing feature of ammunition that there can be low order detonations but no high order ones. That they were able to keep this ship from sinking is incredible.
@anibalcesarnishizk22055 жыл бұрын
My mother was 18 months old when this happened .I can not believe she's older than the men who perished on the ship.
@dirtdevil704 жыл бұрын
Say what???
@user-tb6uj9hz6k2 жыл бұрын
One of the best Japanese pilot and his friend did their duty. He could fly through 1,000 American ships and bombed one the biggest American carrier.
@markpaul81783 жыл бұрын
Until watching this video,all these yrs I thought the Franklin had sunk.I get the news,even though it's 80 yrs late.Still,great news.
@jaybee92693 жыл бұрын
Most impressive! I salute the brave men of USS Franklyn. Amazing damage control. Small wonder the “Midways” were built with armored flight decks...
@davidmcleod77573 жыл бұрын
goes to show Essex class carriers were made not to sink except for the Oriskany for which i was on 74 76
@dasboot69354 жыл бұрын
God Bless all those less fortunate men who gave the final measure, it is in them that we put our trust on that fateful day. Many who fought the fires while many were trapped and unable to be anything but a reason for others to swiftly be at their work daring to rescue them even if they died they were at the very least able to save others and the ship while giving their all. God is our gracious Creator and relents not the goodness of His Kingdom unto the men who laid their lives down for the sake of others. Into the hands of God you've been committed and there will you be when we reunite in the end of our times.
@asyouaskforit4 жыл бұрын
The Captain should be held accountable!
@jaykay85703 жыл бұрын
Lots of boys would be alive if they had armored flight decks like the Brits.
@allgood67603 жыл бұрын
Far out!.. scary🤔
@garethdelaney83753 жыл бұрын
Bit random, but someone help me out with the music they used here? For example, the opening is the Welsh national anthem. How would i go about getting more information about the music they used?
@johnconlon9652 Жыл бұрын
Try searching - "Land of Our Fathers" (I think, me being Irish). I hear "Men of Harlech" as well. Slante.☘🏴
@arsenal-slr95525 жыл бұрын
4:20 and 16:07
@retropalooza10 ай бұрын
Wow
@donlove37413 жыл бұрын
Most important factor in Franklin's survival was not armor BUTthe CREW !
@iangoldsworthy20563 жыл бұрын
The Aftermath For choosing Speed and agility instead of being a Armoured ship. If the platform decks were steel plated the bombs would have bounced and just caused cosmetic damage.
@alejogarciajr22233 жыл бұрын
Im 68 now before im a frontline firefifgther n theres d back fighter
How many ships and boys would have lived had we had armored flight decks... just like the Sherman, send boys to fight in substandard vessels.
@stevennewman82762 жыл бұрын
Man thats unbeleivable. I couldnt imagine bein there that day. And Im not a person that freaks out or freezes when shit hits tha fan. When all said & done i bet survivors were DRAINED
@xx13523 жыл бұрын
wow
@tonyadcock73475 жыл бұрын
So many lives. Looks like NYC. Shame what it has become today
@barrybarnes963 жыл бұрын
Shame you're so ignorant.
@Charlesputnam-bn9zy3 жыл бұрын
5:25 in the white smoke you have a lion's head.
@kevinhoffman65922 жыл бұрын
No doubt these men were patriots .
@peglegnoid61396 жыл бұрын
FUBAR
@jackhouston3575 жыл бұрын
wooden deck
@alejogarciajr22233 жыл бұрын
All deck crew must train being firecrews
@andrieshof6761 Жыл бұрын
de weg naar het geluk
@philgiglio79222 ай бұрын
If memory serves...2 Medals ofd Honor were awarded for actions on her deck after the attack. One to a Jesuit priest and the other a black man.
@mortified7764 жыл бұрын
Excellent account of the heroic damage control effort here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/b6WtmWCOoLusj6M