Monday 2 May 2011

The luckiest ship in the US Navy

This story came to my attention on the BBC's delightful general knowledge quiz, QI some weeks ago.  Even the BBC does get something right!

The USS Phoenix was the only ship at Pearl Harbour that was not significantly damaged during the Japanese attack in 1942.  She came to be known as the luckiest ship in the navy.  Sadly that luck did not continue into her service in the Argentinian navy.



The Phoenix was renamed ARR General Belgrano, and sunk on May 2, 1982, during the Falklands War, by the nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror. 

Lucky or not, she does at least have the notoriety of being the only ship ever to have been sunk by a nuclear submarine during hostilities.

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