An impossible journey of 2,900km, from the island of Tulagi in the Pacific Ocean to Sydney, Australia, was allegedly undertaken by a ship sailing backwards the entire way. It sounds like an absurd idea at first, similar to some tall tale sailors might tell.
Many questions are raised as to whether this story, which arose from the Battle of Tassafaronga in 1942 between the United States and the Empire of Japan, is indeed true.
Verdict:
TRUE
This seemingly fictional story is in fact, real. The USS New Orleans, a heavy cruiser of the United States Navy, achieved this impressive feat. This ship saw some of the most intense battles of World War 2, according to the National WW2 Museum.
During the Battle of Tassafaronga, the museum reported that a Japanese Type 93 torpedo destroyed 45.7m of the ship’s bow and forward ammunition storage, killing 182 men. Following this devastation, another 45.7m of the bow and forecastle fell away. Therefore, temporary repairs were necessary in order to keep the ship afloat, so the crew used coconut logs to build a new bow.
The ship then set out for Sydney in order to make more permanent repairs, sailing in reverse to avoid further damage from its temporary coconut log bow.
According to the museum, the crew worked non-stop for 11 days to improve the ship’s condition enough for the trip to Australia. This makes it the only ship to travel 2,900km backwards from Tulagi to Sydney.
#OTD in 1942, USS New Orleans was hit by a torpedo and lost her entire bow during the Battle of Tassafaronga. The crew made quick repairs with coconut logs and then sailed the cruiser in reverse for 1,800 miles to reach Sydney, Australia. pic.twitter.com/EkDsapvbY2
— U.S. Naval Institute (@NavalInstitute) December 1, 2023
References:
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/uss-new-
https://www.history.navy.mil/war-damage-reports/uss-neworleans-ca32-war-damage-reportno38.html
https://twitter.com/NavalInstitute/status/1730397911010214043
![[READY STOCK] Coklat Bar Doorgift Custom Nama (Minimum order 50pcs) 15Gram - Extra Bubble Wrap Selamat & Tidak Cair](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
