I'm stationed in Korea right now and it has effected us exactly jacks squat. So for now, that's about it.
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Another Korea Border Clash?
- Thread starter BigRed389
- Start date
I'm stationed in Korea right now and it has effected us exactly jacks squat. So for now, that's about it.
...and how, despite yellow journalism, it more than likely wasn't a mine?
Not so much on any yellow journalism in this case or outright disagreeing, I'm just saying wait and see. The free Koreans aren't jumping to conclusions just yet (not publicly at least), the commies and their brinkmanship have been at it for the last fifty years so the next few days will probably be more of the same. In the meantime the divers are still working on getting a good look at the wreckage.
Some of the 'other things that crossed my mind' are what you, BigRed, Fog, and Flash are suggesting- heck of a coincidence.
It probably wasn't a mine that sank the Maine - current thinking is it was most likely a coal-dust explosion in the bunkers, just one of those things that happens occasionally. And while the Navy at the time wasn't sure what the cause was, they also knew that it probably wasn't the Spaniards.
Point is, the US wasn't in a de-escalatory mood at the time; everybody was aching for an excuse to use all those brand-new battleships, and Spain wasn't exactly the varsity.
The ROK's seem inclined to believe that it wasn't the North what did it, and the North is being surprisingly quiet. I was wondering if they'd take the opportunity to make an ill-timed declaration that the Heroic Korean People's Submerged Rock Force bravely destroyed a capitalist stooge aggressor ship. So unless the salvage guys find a DPRK torpedo lodged in the side of the wreck, this will probably settle down in a day or so.
Still, I wonder what happened. The survivors so far have all described what happened as an explosion. Hitting submerged rocks doesn't cause an explosion. The ROK's generally know what they're about, their equipment is well-maintained, and warships as a rule don't generally spontaneously combust...not any more, anyway. Even a catastrophic engineering casualty (the survivors have all also said that it was an explosion in the main spaces) would have caused a big fire first, which everyone would have known about and been in the process of fighting. Not just, you know, all quiet, then *kaboom*.
Point is, the US wasn't in a de-escalatory mood at the time; everybody was aching for an excuse to use all those brand-new battleships, and Spain wasn't exactly the varsity.
The ROK's seem inclined to believe that it wasn't the North what did it, and the North is being surprisingly quiet. I was wondering if they'd take the opportunity to make an ill-timed declaration that the Heroic Korean People's Submerged Rock Force bravely destroyed a capitalist stooge aggressor ship. So unless the salvage guys find a DPRK torpedo lodged in the side of the wreck, this will probably settle down in a day or so.
Still, I wonder what happened. The survivors so far have all described what happened as an explosion. Hitting submerged rocks doesn't cause an explosion. The ROK's generally know what they're about, their equipment is well-maintained, and warships as a rule don't generally spontaneously combust...not any more, anyway. Even a catastrophic engineering casualty (the survivors have all also said that it was an explosion in the main spaces) would have caused a big fire first, which everyone would have known about and been in the process of fighting. Not just, you know, all quiet, then *kaboom*.
To dogpile further on the speculation: if their engineering layout is similar to ours in principle (and it should), they'd have fuel in separate fuel tanks with supply piping to the engines. In other words, nothing in a main space itself that should cause that kind of catastrophic damage...worst case it would burn and gut the ship, but that would take time.
Second, some reports also state the ship broke into two pieces. Everybody's seen the video of decomm'd ships getting blown in half by MK48 test shots.
Finally, the only thing on the ASW variant of the corvette that would reasonably cause such an explosion would be the 76mm magazines. Which based on layout would be far forward or aft, not amidships. Torpedoes appear to be carried topside.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rok/images/pohang_corv-2.gif
But yes, it's interesting that both sides are being quiet/de-escalatory...not sure how the ROK is so quick to say DPRK wasn't involved. Maybe quiet private talks held to de-escalate, or intel...but ruling out a torpedo this quickly seems a bit hasty.
I think they're basing it on no DPRK's at the scene, plus nobody wins if they immediately blame the North without proof.
A diesel fuel fire in the main spaces, or a warhead or motor cook-off in the ordie magazines, might cause a great big fire and fuck up the ship, but not a surprise explosion and great big hole in the hull. Drifting mine? Torpedo? Sabotage? I'm just having trouble thinking of anything that would cause this that doesn't involve external application of high-order pyrotechnics.
A diesel fuel fire in the main spaces, or a warhead or motor cook-off in the ordie magazines, might cause a great big fire and fuck up the ship, but not a surprise explosion and great big hole in the hull. Drifting mine? Torpedo? Sabotage? I'm just having trouble thinking of anything that would cause this that doesn't involve external application of high-order pyrotechnics.
Nice. I'll have to remember that phrase.
I was just talking about the USS Maine, not the Korean warship.
Except diesel ships don't have 'boilers'. You're dating yourself, Fog.
Latest speculation is that it was a drifting mine, whether it was '50's-vintage - that area was apparently heavily mined - or something the NK's chucked into the water last week. If they didn't do it, it'd probably a good idea for them (the DPRK) to knock off their current talk of 'unpredictable consequences'. They're pissed this week that the ROK's are letting journalists into Panmunjom, or some goddamned thing like that.
Except diesel ships don't have 'boilers'. You're dating yourself, Fog.
Sh*t, there I go again! Diesels are for tractor trailers, anyway. What the hell are they doing putting them in ships? It was bad enough when we put jet engines in frigates.
Sounds like the South Korean military thinks it was a torpedo that sank the Cheonan, but they are still looking for absolute proof.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7104498.ece
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7104498.ece
Even if they do prove it was a NK torpedo, I don't know that the ROK's are in much of a mood to do anything about it.
It's amazing the stuff that's happened over the years that got quietly ignored. I just read about an incident in the '60's where a Russian MiG-15 shot down an Air Force CT-39 over Germany.
It's amazing the stuff that's happened over the years that got quietly ignored. I just read about an incident in the '60's where a Russian MiG-15 shot down an Air Force CT-39 over Germany.