Mysteries of Bora-Bora: The WW2 American Cannons' Legacy

[@ScottLouque]

Here is a list of the 8 guns that were installed on Bora Bora, the USS Louisiana BB-19 was commissioned in 1906, so the 1905 date on the gun lines up. The ship was decommissioned in 1920. The ship was scrapped in November of 1923 as part of the Washington Naval Treaty, but the guns lived on and at least 2 of them ended up on Bora Bora. 3. 7"/45 Mk II, Naval Gun Factory No. 100 on Mk II Mod 4 Pedestal Mount N Location: Battery North, Bora Bora, Society Island, French Polynesia 4. 7"/45 Mk II, Bethlehem No. 97 on Mk II Mod 4 Pedestal Mount No. 55 Formerly emplaced at Battery North, Bora Bora, Society Island, French Polyne. Location: private yard in Bora Bora. 5. 7"/45 Mk II, Watervliet No. 57 on Mk II Mod 4 Pedestal Mount No. 23 Formerly armed USS Louisiana (BB-19). Location: Battery West, Bora Bora, Society Island, French Polynesia 6. 7"/45 Mk II, Naval Gun Factory No. 82 on Mk II Mod 4 Pedestal Mount No. Location: Battery West, Bora Bora, Society Island, French Polynesia 7. 7»/45 Mk II, Naval Gun Factory No. 81 on Mk II Mod 4 Pedestal Mount No. Location: Battery South, Bora Bora, Society Island, French Polynesia 8. 7"/45 Mk II, Naval Gun Factory No. 96 on Mk II Mod 4 Pedestal Mount No. Location: Battery South, Bora Bora, Society Island, French Polynesia 9. 7"/45 Mk II, Watervliet No. 60 on Mk II Mod 4 Pedestal Mount No. 13 Formerly armed USS Louisiana (BB-19) Location: Battery East, Bora Bora, Society Island, French Polynesia 10. 7"/45 Mk II, Midvale No. 69 on Mk II Mod 4 Pedestal Mount No. 14 Formerly armed USS Kansas (BB-21) Location: Battery East, Bora Bora, Society Island, French Polynesia

[@VicStefanu]

Hello, thank you for sharing these interesting comments with us! 😊😊😊

[@johnkosenski6973]

Vic, thank you for your reporting of these historical WWII sites, especially the obscure ones. My father served in the Navy in the South Pacific during WWII. His ship has a brief stop in Bora Bora, and told me out of all the vast areas of the South Pacific they covered, he said Bora Bora was the most beautiful, stunning place he'd been. He said that out of all the places he'd been, it was the place he always wanted to visit. He passed away in 2018, but me and my wife saved for a trip of a lifetime to Bora Bora in 2019. Stunning. I am a WWII history buff (especially South Pacific), and I love that you cover them (Tarawa, Betio, Peleliu, iwo jima) thank you Vic!

[@VicStefanu]

Hi John, thank you for your wonderful comments! I love history and I try to cover all the historical places I happen to be going through.. I was going back to Bora Bora this year but got stuck in Fiji due to Covid-19..

[@johnchiappe753]

My Uncle Raymond E. Brown served with the 198th Coast Artillery (antiaircraft) and was one of the units that occupied Bora Bora during operation Bobcat. He said it was a beautiful place but it was quite a j\project moving those 7" cannons up to the top of the mountains. After a few months enjoying Bora Bora his unit was shipped out to Guadalcanal and other South Pacific battlefields He served in battery A of the regiment and ended up in the Phillipines as an infantrymen when the war ended. I have a book called "Bogged Down In Bora Bora" by Ervan Kushner that provides a good history and narration of the time the Regiment spent in Bora Bora. As a point of reference The 7" guns were the secondary armament on Pre-dreadnaughts ships and main Armaments on pre-world War I cruisers. I enjoyed your video and maybe when I retire take a vacation out to beautiful Bora Bora. Thank you for the Video. John Chiappe Wheeling. Illinois

[@franzs9157]

Wow what beautiful view i love ww2 history Appreaciate your work

[@VicStefanu]

Many thanks!! 👍👍👍

[@CFarnwide]

Vic, Thank you for creating a playlist with all of the WWII sites you have visited!

[@VicStefanu]

Thank you for viewing my videos..

[@Henryk516]

Hello Vic, thank you again for a wonderful tour.

[@VicStefanu]

+Henryk Zaleski Glad you liked it!!

[@roopeshkrishna34]

Great video Sir.. I wonder how I missed your videos by time..! And inspired by your videos am planning to travel all around once again.. awesome..! Million thanks for the videos..

[@VicStefanu]

All the best!!!!!!

[@roopeshkrishna34]

Thank you Sir..

[@romulopartoza5598]

Those vandals who made writings on the weapons know nothing but to destroy!! ......Thanks to Mr.Vic Stefanu for upbringing up this clear video about the places in the pacific that make an important role in the last world war!!!!! ..... From the philippines

[@VicStefanu]

Hello, thank you for watching my videos and for your wonderful comments!! 👍👍👍

[@romulopartoza5598]

@@VicStefanu thanks for appreciating my comments!...... Good job, mr. Vic Stefanu........

[@qbi4614]

WNY= Washington Navy Yard, so the Manufacturer is Naval Gun Factory - Washington Navy Yard They were originally the secondary guns on US Connecticut-class battleships, possibly USS Vermont (BB-20) 1905.

[@VicStefanu]

How interesting, thank you for this information!!

[@kato2493]

Thanks for the video mate...very interesting

[@VicStefanu]

Thank you for viewing my videos!!

[@RJM1011]

Thank you for the video Vic nice to see.

[@VicStefanu]

+Richard Maunder Thank you!!

[@liamm.777]

Wow! Really Interesting.

[@VicStefanu]

+Cheesy Nachos Thank you for viewing my videos!!

[@xiaorandejavu]

We were just there yesterday and guns were in perfect shape, maybe just a few more graffiti. Our guide, George, also Tahitian, said he knows you personally. Haha, small world!

[@VicStefanu]

No kidding!!! lol... I do not remember meeting George in Bora Bora but anyway, thank you for letting me know!

[@mkat740]

They are a 1900 year model USA army naval defense guns. Mark 2: 7/45 caliber. They used them in two gun battery pairs for land defense. Unless protected by a concrete enclosure they were very dangerous to be around during counter battery fire from ships. Even a a near miss could kill the whole gun crew. There were at least 8 at Bora Bora. They were all around the islands there.There are several in Hawaii and other islands too. They were used on ships built prior to ww 1 on Mississippi and Connecticut class battleships not as the larger main turret guns but as the secondary guns usually along the upper deck or sides of the ships sticking out of a port. They did not make them later in ww 2 because usually they would make 5, 8 and 16 inch guns for the new era of ships. It probably was better to stick with certain set calibers instead of all different sizes because it would be easier for logistics to find shells for just a small amount of sizes than having guns ranging in calibers off by 1 inch. Maybe the other 6 guns were removed form the islands . These guns probably were just built for land defense and there is a chance that they could have been removed from old ships in the classes that I mentioned but I am not sure if the mounting on these specific guns on the concrete would make them a dual purpose type of gun that could be used on ships or land. On a ship these guns would usually have been in the side of the ships sticking out. You could only hit targets on that side of the ship they were not like the main gun turrets bigger guns that could traverse.

[@VicStefanu]

Hi, thank you for this information and for viewing my videos!! 👍👍👍 You are correct, these guns (most of them) came from WW1 battleships..

[@danmillward6118]

thank you my father spent a lot of time down down that way Merchant Marine, 1941 .46 , USCG 1937 1939 ..

[@VicStefanu]

Thank you for viewing my videos! Somewhere in my channel, I have a video of the original pier (wharf) built for the Americans, which your father, as a merchant marine, must have used when he was in Bora Bora..

[@jamesfields2916]

If you are gonna get sent to the PTO Bora Bora would be a nice place to go.

[@VicStefanu]

That’s right! 👍👍👍

[@mcfrdmn]

Very interesting video of the two cannons circa WW II installed on the western side of the island to protect the area from a Japanese attack and invasion. Before I comment on this video I really would like to watch this video over again to make sure that I have not missed any pertinent details. From my original observation of this video, I personally find that these cannons appear to be in too good shape to actually have been built and installed on this site since 1905. Those cannons appear to be in fantastic shape, and if they were indeed built and installed on this site since 1905 most probably were stored in some sort of bunker for many years before being installed outdoors. My reasoning for this is that there is hardly any damage or rust on these cannons. If they were actually installed ob this site around 1905 it would mean that they never saw any action during WW II at all and were never exposed to the outdoor elements. That's 110 years ago.....an awfully long time to be outdoors and yet be in such good condition. Even if they were only installed during the WW II period that still means that they were installed outdoors for at least 75 years or so. I also want to question the grafitti on these cannons. The grafitti seems to be extremely well preserved and clean on these cannons. The grafitti does not seem to be more than 30 - 35 years old. The trail up the mountain while steep and narrow appears to be in excellent shape. I will comment further once I get the opportunity to watch this video over again once or twice.

[@VicStefanu]

+Michael Friedman Hi Michael, the cannons were made in 1905 but were installed in Bora Bora in 1942... I am not sure where they were at during 1905 and 1942, most likely stored at some place somewhere... they never fired a shot because Bora Bora was never attached by the Japanese... the graffiti on the cannons is relatively new and has been painted over the brown coat of paint...

[@openbabel]

How did they get such heavy guns up there ?

[@VicStefanu]

+peter jones The road that you saw me climbing was built by the Americans and they used bulldozers and heavy equipment..

[@oldsyko6024]

My uncle ran the “top secret “ radar there during the war.

[@VicStefanu]

I do have a video from that radar site in Bora Bora on my channel...

[@r4b_maji132]

i com from bora bora and i'm so proud of my island ! and the avantages it's that i can visit the cannons when i want ! yes i know , i'm amazing !hihhihihiihi LOL !!!!!!!

[@VicStefanu]

+agent noir Beautiful place, I have more videos from Bora Bora coming up...

[@gigiminiotti]

Vic I like your comments, both sensible and sensitive. And the footage, of course! By the way, it is quite possible that your suggestion about the Betio Japanese Vickers guns might be incorrect: a US Marines film by combat photographers says the guns were a war prey from Singapore (kzbin.info/www/bejne/bJnIaGarasZorNE). The 7" Naval, despite being manufactured in the very early 20th century, was recycled for "emergency" coastal defense batteries such as the Bora Bora ones (4 guns), and Pearl Harbour (2). It is an absolute white fly so hats off to your historic enterprise. I'm from Turin, Italy and share with a passion your interest for all things historic. Quite a few years ago I spent a whole long summer holiday - when we still could afford long holidays - trekking the Alps from West to East in search of mountain fortifications dating from 1880 (the Seré de Rivieres French System) to WW1 (Austrian and Italian lines) to WW2 (Gothic Line, Cassino, Alpine Wall, Fort Chaberton with its miserable end). The most impressive experience was on the WW1 Alpine frontline, where bunkers, entrenchments, gun emplacements and so on had been built at altitudes of 2000 to 4000 metres: a breathtaking achievement if you think they didn't have lots of mechanical means (mules!) to bring to position medium guns, machine guns, ammos and all the paraphernalia of supplies. Everything was left up there after the war - including some battlefields at more than 3000 metres left behind with the remains of whole regiments bleaching their bones - and was later recycled by the poor inhabitants of the valleys plundering wood planks and metals of all sorts, including shells which took their toll even after the hostilities had ended. Forts, trenches, supply lines, roads are all still up there though. I could go on for hours reminiscing on that incredible holiday but I'm afraid I might bore you to death. Instead, I strongly recommend you to visit those places, if you ever decide to come to Italy again (Venice is amazing, isn't it?). If you are interested, contact me on Facebook - as Gigi Miniotti - and I'll provide historic documentation, itineraries, advice and you name it. We might also share a pint, or two, or three... Keep up the fantastic work, mate!

[@VicStefanu]

Hello my friend and thank you for viewing my videos and for all your interesting comments. Funny thing, I was in Italy just 2 days ago (Trieste) where I boarded a ship to Greece (for a month historic tour)... The comments about the Vickers guns at Betio came from a very reliable source on the island, who is an authority on everything around.. although I admit that everything is possible..I'll take you up on the offer of the 3 (minimum) pints, will let you know, I appreciate that.. Cheers, Vic

[@jimkey920]

This gun was probably removed from a US Naval Obsolete Drednaught. This is a credible assumption. When I was in the Marine Corps for instance I was trained with a BAR that was made in 1920.

[@VicStefanu]

+Jim Key That is quite possible, thank you for sharing wit us...

[@jimkey920]

I subscribed to your videos.

[@thomassutherland8020]

WNY was the Washington (DC) Navy Yard.

[@VicStefanu]

Interesting, thank you for this important piece of information!

[@thomassutherland8020]

Vic Stefanu - World Travels and Adventures , there is a video on KZbin about the Naval Gun Factory at the Washington Navy Yard. Most of the buildings are still standing. One building is a museum of the weapon systems built there.

[@leesherman100]

I want one for my front yard!

[@VicStefanu]

All you have to do is go there and get one...

[@leesherman100]

Someone would probably complain!

[@southernman5839]

That would be cool to have one in your front yard.

[@robego1660]

7 inch gun...hmmmm. if it is not fired during ww2 let's use that in south china sea, I'm very sure that these guns is very useful in that area.

[@VicStefanu]

+robe go Thank you for viewing my videos!!

[@donl5941]

Nice job. Thank you for posting this. And Bora Bora is certainly a beautiful place. While watching your work I did some research and find someone identified WNY as Washington Navy Yard. Of course youtube won't allow me to paste a URL but if you google "7in naval gun factory wny" you will see a link to www dot navweaps dot com showing these and other guns of the era with more background. Thank you again for generating interest in an important part of history.

[@VicStefanu]

+Don L Thank you very much for viewing my videos and for sending this important information regarding the ''WNY' initials.. I will update the video accordingly..

[@bonnie8441]

Why oh why do idiots of this world insist on ruining everything with graffiti! Thankyou for posting :)

[@VicStefanu]

+Bonnie It is very unfortunate that there are people that get enjoyment out of destroying things and places with graffiti... Thank you for viewing my videos and for subscribing!!