Emily Chan
During World War II and the Korean War, the USS O’Bannon served as a destroyer in the United States Navy.
In 1943, the vessel took down a Japanese submarine with a large pile of potatoes instead of using all the weapons the crew had at their disposal. Here’s why the starchy root vegetable was the choice of weapon that day.
The O’Bannon was built in Maine in 1941 and was launched the very next year. It became the most decorated American destroyer during WWII.
It earned 17 battle stars and a Presidential Unit Citation by the end of its career. The O’Bannon was decked out with anti-aircraft guns, torpedo tubes, and guns for use on land.
In April 1943, the crew of the O’Bannon faced a threat while stationed in the Pacific. As they returned to base in Nouméa, New Caledonia, in the early morning, they spotted the Ro-34, a large Japanese submarine.
Commander Edwin R. Wilkinson of the O’Bannon ordered his men to speed up and crash into the submarine as it cruised on the water’s surface.
However, they were concerned the submarine could be planting mines, so at the last minute, they avoided a collision by making a sharp turn. As a result, they ended up floating alongside the submarine.
The American sailors couldn’t shoot at the enemy because none of the O’Bannon’s weapons were suited for combat in close quarters.
The Japanese submariners were also unarmed, but they were prepared for close combat. The Ro-34 had a deck gun, and the captain ordered his men to use it.
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