The Incredible Story of USS O'Bannon and the Potato Attack

TLDRDuring World War II, the USS O'Bannon, a small American destroyer, encountered an enemy submarine and narrowly missed ramming it. The crew then resorted to throwing potatoes at the enemy sailors, who mistook them for grenades. The chaotic encounter allowed the O'Bannon to position itself and destroy the submarine.

Key insights

🚀The USS O'Bannon was a Fletcher-class destroyer weighing 2050 tons and armed with five 5-inch guns and ten 21-inch torpedo tubes.

🥔During the encounter with an enemy submarine, the crew of the O'Bannon resorted to throwing potatoes as a makeshift weapon.

💥The enemy sailors on the submarine mistook the potatoes for grenades and panicked, allowing the O'Bannon to gain a tactical advantage.

🎯The crew of the O'Bannon successfully destroyed the enemy submarine using their guns and depth charges.

🇺🇸The story of the potato attack on the USS O'Bannon showcases the resourcefulness and ingenuity of American sailors during World War II.

Q&A

Did the crew of the USS O'Bannon actually throw potatoes at the enemy submarine?

—Yes, according to multiple lower enlisted crew members, the crew did use potatoes as a makeshift weapon during the encounter.

What was the reaction of the enemy sailors to the potato attack?

—The enemy sailors mistook the potatoes for grenades and panicked, creating chaos on the submarine.

How did the crew of the USS O'Bannon ultimately destroy the enemy submarine?

—The crew used their guns and depth charges to successfully destroy the submarine.

What class of destroyer was the USS O'Bannon?

—The USS O'Bannon was a Fletcher-class destroyer, one of 175 in the American Navy.

How did the USS O'Bannon gain a tactical advantage during the encounter?

—The chaos caused by the potato attack allowed the O'Bannon to position itself and effectively target the submarine.

Timestamped Summary

00:00Introduction to the USS O'Bannon, a Fletcher-class destroyer.

00:20Encounter with an enemy submarine and the decision to ram it.

00:40Realization that ramming the submarine was a bad idea.

01:00The crew resorted to throwing potatoes at the enemy sailors.

01:20The enemy sailors mistake the potatoes for grenades and panic.

01:40The USS O'Bannon gains a tactical advantage and destroys the submarine.

02:00The crew's resourcefulness and ingenuity showcased in the potato attack.

02:30Closing remarks and promotion for merchandise.

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