5 Naval Own Goals - Stop Helping! You're only making it worse! 

Pinned post for Q&A :)

Considering Mogami had hit Imperial Japanese ARMY transports. Does it really count as friendly fire?

So glad you included Mogami on this list. It’s one of the greatest own goals in naval history. So great in fact that every time I play the Mogami in World of Warships I make it a point to torpedo at least one of my teammates. I’m all for historical accuracy in gaming.

IJA: "Hey! You torpedoed five of our own ships!" IJN: "Wonderfull! Now we know those torpedoes damaged the enemy!"

The captain of the Mogami should have had a medal sent to its captain from the US Navy.

Mogami: Fires at USS Houston. Misses Sinks IJA transports IJN: "task successfully failed.

Five torpedos hit out of six fired is a..pretty impressive score for sure.

My pick would be the 1942 Naval Battle of Guadalcanal where the USS San Francisco joined the IJN in a game of who can put the most shells in the USS Atlanta.

I would count the mk14 torpedo as an 'own goal' considering how little threat it posed to the Japanese, and how much threat it posed to the US navy subs carrying it.

The Japanese navy wrecked its own fleet while blaming phantom Dutch torpedo boats. It seems by sinking the Kamchatka, the IJN inherited its curse.

On one hand, I think the Great Russian Binocular-hurling Expedition should be on this list. On the other hand, that whole thing was so bad it was more like somehow scoring a dozen own goals in a game of tennis.

Royal Navy: do not overload a warship, got it. Swedish Navy: Vad? Vi kan inte höra dig här Vasa. (What? We can’t hear you here at the Vasa)

Mogami also contributed to the sinking of her sister ship, Mikuma, during the Battle of Midway. She collided with Mikuma, while trying to avoid an American submarine. The damage slowed the pair of cruisers, and American dive bombers finished the Mikuma, as well as heavily damaging Mogami.

@ 9:01 I had an acquaintance from a off road motoring group ( we were in the US of A) in the mid 2000's who was from England, and I had the occasion to ask him what he thought of our 4th of July holiday, to which, he replied "It's just another day when the French betrayed us"

Ah, my favorite ship of the ABDA Command that fought the IJN: The Heavy Cruiser Mogami

The Russian 2nd Pacific Squadron's voyage to the Pacific scored own goal, several dozen fouls and injuries, hit several members of the audience, and scored a touchdown in an American Football game somehow. Thanks for the video.

Drach publishes so much content, I can barely keep up! And to think the total time spent working on them is probably 10x greater than the content's run-time ....its amazing he has the time! He is a machine.

That first picture of the Mary Rose. They had guns pointing at the crow's nest. I sincerely believe they had a sleeping on duty problem. And they certainly knew how to take care of it.

“Disguised yourself as the enemy so efficiently your own U-boat torpedoed you” is the most German Navy thing I’ve ever heard.

I'd nominate the Kriegsmarine's obsession of transmitting so many radio messages during the battle of the Atlantic. In case of the u-boats it meant that the British consistently knew where the enemy was and rerouted their convois to avoid them and in case of the Bismarck it told them exactly where the battleship they were looking for was, which allowed them to find and subsequently sink it.

Japanese Imperial Army Transport Ships: "You missed and hit friendlies!" Japanese Navy Ship Mogami: "...Did we though? Really?"

Other ships lead from the front. The Mary Rose led from the bottom.

My grandfather was a fisherman in WWII. He had his trawler pulled up on a Cornish beach, for maintenance. But a torpedo came out of the water, ran up the beach and blew it up! After the war a BRITISH sub mariner approached him in a bar and offered his apologies for the negligent discharge from his sub. No official acknowledgement, apology or compensation was ever made.

I would have awnsered that pompous letter with a clarification-requesting letter reading: "WAT?"

31:50 When you were describing the shot, I was thinking "Holy Cow, what are they using? The Dardanelles gun?". After you confirmed it I followed up with "How the hell do you aim it? These are siege guns." The only answer I could come up with is that you aim it at fix spot and wait for the enemy to sail through your aim point. Totally useless in most naval combat, but in a constrained channel with plenty of warning - Blammo!

Duckworth's adventure in the Dardanelles is kinda wild. Having a ship more or less spontaneously combust is not exactly a good start to any mission. But my 21st century brain doesn't get the idea of sending warships all the way to the enemy capital, past some of the most defensible waters in the world, in order to wave fists in the general direction of the Ottomans in person rather than by post rather than, y'know, use all those big guns to force compliance as per Commodore Parry in Japan....but I guess that's just how things were done back then....

The pacific theatre of World War II was a three-way conflict between the Allied Powers, the Imperial Japanese Army, and the Imperial Japanese Navy.

This is going to be controversial, but the IJN attack on Pearl Harbor. They proved the effectiveness of carrier aircraft and proceeded to leave the only striking power of the Pacific Fleet as . . . it's aircraft carriers, eliminating any chance for the decisive battle between battlelines to occur in the immediate future, and having the knock on affect of sinking all those battleships in one of the few places within thousands of miles where they would be salvageable. So: 1) you thoroughly piss off your enemy 2) You prove the only weapon they have left is in fact decisive 3) You sink their battleline where they can be repaired/salvaged. 4) You invalidate the very strategy you've been working towards for twenty years, by making it impossible for the enemy do play their part. Yet you cannot break out of that mindset yourself.

I expected the epic journey of the second Pacific fleet, but I guess that one is too obvious haha

Duckworth appeared to have been channelling some abstruse variant of Charlotte Bronte. Mogami's captain (referencing the World of Warships game) - "Kraken unleashed!" Mogami's XO: "Dude, those were ours!" Mogami's captain: "They're Army transports." Mogami's XO: "Kraken unleashed!"

Well if you want own goals the Halsey's constant need to find storms with his face which did more damage to the US Navy then the Japanese in the same time has to be up there

Duckworth writing his ultimatum: 🔥🔥🔥✍️🔥🔥🔥

Love the new intro but the old one will always be the GOAT

I admit if I were Mogami, I would be proud of that pentakill since getting one in a video game in real life is more difficult than it sounds. And Mogami did it like it was nothing

The mentioning of Mogami's penta-kill in any kind of video will never not make me laugh.

Won Gyun should definitely be in a sequel. He managed to completely sabotage his own navy not once but twice: first in response to Japan's initial invasion force landing near Busan at the start of the Imjin War, and again by taking the obvious bait, hook, line, and sinker at the Battle of Chilcheollyang at the start of the subsequent Chongyu War. His ultimate doom both times was decision paralysis at the worst moments.

Mogami also scored another own goal when she rammed the Mikuma at Midway, resulting in the damaged Mikuma being caught and sunk by US carrier planes, but that was not her fault. Mikuma made the turn wrong and went across the path of Mogami, which had executed the turn correctly.

Genuinely surprised Typhoon Cobra didn't at least rate an honourable mention.

The Russian *3rd* Pacific Squadron, more colloquially known as the “Sink by Itself” fleet, comes to mind.

One cant imagine the size of those shots flying through the air, truely terrifying!

I can't hear about the USS Houston without thinking of William Holden's character, Commander Shears, of the USS Houston. Whoa, you blew my mind with the idea that the Migami hit the transports on purpose. Surely it was unintended as she was firing at the Houston. However, once the damage was done, one wonders if the IJN didn't quietly hand out some medals to the men who had struck such a major blow against the true enemy, the IJA.

As for the American Revolution, my US History teacher was a British expat - when we got up to July 4th, 1776, her exact words, spoken both with a smile and the rising voice of feigned anger, were... "And then you colonialists had the temerity to rebel against the KING!!!" That was in the '77-'78 school year. Damn, I miss that woman's humor and point of view!

Seriously, I think the only torpedo attack in history that went worse might have been HMS Trinidad's. While defending an Arctic convoy (the aptly-numbered PQ-13) from German surface attack, she totally annihilated one Narvik-class destroyer with her guns, but also decided to launch torpedoes at it. Of the three torpedoes in the mount, all were fired - two froze solid in their tubes and the third got away, ran a perfect semi-circle (after the gyro froze) and struck the Trinidad's side abreast the bridge and TT bank (which fell off the ship from the damage). The transmitting station deep in the hull was flooded with fuel oil and everyone in there perished. Although she made it to Murmansk and was patched up, on her return journey, Trinidad's scab was blown in by a near-miss from a Ju-88's bombs, resulting in yet more flooding from her own self-inflicted torpedo wound, and her subsequent abandonment and loss. Way to use torpedoes.

No mention of San Francisco sinking Atlanta? That has to be in the top five IMO. Also, if we’re talking about self-sabotage there’s Arashi at Midway, Aoba at Cape Esperance, Nagato (and both Yamatos, but Nagato actually ended up killing her own side’s aircraft and pilots whereas the Yamatos didn’t) firing at Japanese aircraft during Philippine Sea, Kamchatka and the Second Pacific Squadron in general, Kongo at Samar (did almost none of the damage she supposedly did to Taffy 3 and helped sink Chokai), and (I still stand by this) Iowa and New Jersey getting involved during Operation Hailstone at the expense of their own side’s carriers. Edit: Add Won Gyun in general to this, in fact he might be the worst case in history of an admiral screwing over his own navy for no good reason.

16:15 One would think the Americans appreciate French support during the Revolutionary War. But the appreciation was only quasi.

I would ask why Kamchatka isn't on this list, but you already did a rather in-depth set of videos on why that ship would belong here.

On the geography of Constantiniye(İstanbul today); Kadıköy is not an island, it is the main settlement on the Asian side of the city. Could be concidered a summer dwelling for the time. Not an island.

Thanks for the upload Drach. A good rum ration is exactly what I needed to wash down the aftertaste of Christmas with the families.

Seeing a Swedish flag on your starting model, I was rather expecting the WASA. Being a Dane of course I lament not having that wonderful story told again. And again. And again.

Spreewald (engl. Spree Forest) is an interesting and unique ecosystem in East Germany. Holiday recommendation for people who like woodlands and casual (slow) kayaking.

I accidentally repllcated Mogami once or twice in WoWs back in the old days. The rearwards firing arc can make your brain shut off.

I also heard the Australians call the American Revolution as "The War of the Insurrection"

Admiral Halsey sailing into TWO typhoons, the sinking of HMS Victoria after a badly executed turn, and the Battle of May Island are in my top 5 fails list.

The last one is not an own goal. It was just not the enemy they were aiming at, but their mortal enemy.

does the battle of the red cliff during three kingdom era ancient china count? going by memory alone, some general(cao cao's side) had the bright idea of chaining their ships together to (iirc) shelter from heavy wind, despite being told about being sitting ducks if the decision goes through, only to have the opposing side(liu bei + sun quan alliance) exploit the mistake and send fire ships drifting along the wind, right into the fleet, torching the lot of them, ultimately costing them the battle. iirc this is also the battle where kong ming tricked boat loads of ready made arrows from cao cao's forces by sailing hay laden boats near cao cao's fleet, taunting them to rain arrows on it

Wonderful exposition of the way a simple war can turn out to have horrendous ongoing consequences.

So, when the enemy isn't quite cutting the mustard. a bright spark calls out "hold my grog" then proceeds and attempt to do in their own ship.

Before your inciteful (sic) report, I hadn't realized that Britain had won the war of American independence. Thanks for enlightening me!

I have nothing of historical value or relevant knowledge to add but I do however really want to say thanks to Drachinifel for making his videos and also to just say how much I enjoy them,, they're blumin great if you ask me 😊

Really enjoyed this holiday treat thanks Drach

EXCELLENT . . . thank you for the continued fine presentations

Great job again Drach. Happy holidays mate.

Well done Drach, another fine year of content. 😄

Did not know “where’s Henry” was a picture finding game back in the day . Take that “where’s Waldo” the Renaissance artists had that on lock down back in the 1500’s-1600’s .

The 1st Dardenelle Expidition sounded way to familiar (The ottoman forts were in a run-down condition). That's sounds awfully familiar......

In the words of an italian naval historian, Professor Alberto Santoni, Admiral Angelo Jachino was not used to show any proclivity in criticizing too bitterly other italian admirals: however, his reconstruction of the Battle of Lissa in his book "La campagna navale di Lissa, 1866", shows quite a number of reasons about why that battle might be considered an own goal.

If you did another one of these videos I would absolutely watch it. You said there were plenty of naval own-goals and I'd absolutely love to hear more if you ever plan to do another video on these!

i always love these posts. keep them coming!!

Excellent Presentation!

Talking of own goals, I believe the Gauntlet of Viborg in 1790 (or more specifically the exploits of the Swedish ensign Sandel and his fireship, Postiljonen) are worth mentioning. Briefly, both the Swedish sailing fleet and the rowing fleet had got themselves pent up in the innermost corner of the gulf of Finland. The Russian navy was blockading the exits from Viborg bay and the combined Swedish fleets had to break out by running the gauntlet straight through the russian line of battle. After waiting a few days for an easterly wind, the Swedish battlefleet started its attempt to break out. The operation went well and the ships of the van and center were able to pass through the russian line pretty much unmolested. Enter ensign Sandel, who was dead drunk and in command of the fireship Postiljonen. The fireship was being towed by the ship of the line Enigheten. As the story goes, Sandel called out to the captain of Enigheten: "Should I set fire to my ship?", and received the reply "Do not set fire to your ship!". Unfortunately, Sandel did not catch the first few words of the reply - and promptly set Postiljonen alight. The fire quickly spread to Enigheten, and from Enigheten to the nearby frigate Zemire. Both ships burnt violently until they blew up with the loss of all hands. That was only the beginning of the disaster, however. The smoke from the burning ships spread across the bay and reduced visibilty to almost nothing. This was not a problem for the russians, who had anchored their ships across the mouth of the bay. The swedes fared much worse. Three (or four, depending on source) ships of the line and two frigates ran aground and were lost. A further two ships of the line were captured in the pursuit after the breakout. All in all a third of the Swedish sailing fleet had been lost. (Fortunately, the rowing or "army" fleet had used another exit from the bay and came out of the battle without taking excessive losses - a week later it inflicted a decisive defeat on its Russian counterpart at the second battle of Svensksund.)

Good content as always bro. Thank you.

Thank you, Drachinifel.

I wonder if the Kamchatka will make an appearance?

Must've happened to some other fellow at least: The section, or fragment actually, in which Admiral Duckworth's letter was read and your subsequent comment, made laugh out loud, to the point where I had to use the captions to learn about what you were saying immediatly afterwards. Oh Lord, what a way to learn and laugh so much at the same time, thank you Drach, thank you dearly, and given it's 31st already, may you have a Happy New Year!

13:00 - That sure is a beautiful, surreal painting!

Duckworth's letter to the Sultan; Sir Humphrey Appleby approves😂

Kamchatka: "it's my time to shine!!"

Thanks again for an enlightening video.

I fully believe that this should become a whole series!!!

My father and 4 of his brothers were in 'exempt' trades at the start of WW2. Nonetheless all volunteered, as 'HOs', 'Hostilities Only'. One uncle survived at least 2 grim arctic convoy trips to Murmansk, in RN destroyers. My dad was trained in gunnery, and served in 5 or 6 'armed trawlers', including a spell in Alexandria, where he said he was extremely seasick inspecting the harbour defences at night, in a rowing boat armed with a small torch, looking for frogmen's bubbles. All 5 brothers survived the war, but my Dad's ship/boat/trawler, was sunk, near Lundy, by a 'friendly' torpedo. No casualties!

Excellent content

Great video!

"Imperial France" refers to the empire of Napoléon Bonaparte (and sometimes Napoleon III). The Kingdom you refer to (Bourbon Monarchy) is known as part of the "ancient régime" and is never called "Empire" by serious historians nor the french themselves.

Haven't even heard the first and I already want more than five of these

Well done sir.

Speaking as an American: yes, we appreciate it still today (though that may be because I am a Virginian, and the Battle of the Chesapeake is our second-most-remembered naval battle after Hampton Roads). We even have a road, etc. named after Rochambeau. That said, we also consider that we DID finally repay the French for their assistance in the 1770s, specifically in 1917-1918 and in 1944-45. (Though that didn't really do anything to help their navy in either case, though... )

38:12 Ah that's okay. Kortenaer is written in an older archaic form of Dutch writing from the 17th century. Whenever there's an AE, it's basically AA. Also coincidentally, the guy the ship is named after was a lieutenant-admiral who celebrated his release from captivity in a pub in such a way that he ended up being arrested despite his station. ....So basically Kortenaer should've been granted honourary British citizenship. 😉

Thanks Drach.

Thank you for these tales of the "tragically amusing". Imbibed with some stir coffee in Winter depths of cold and darkness!

Thanks Drach

The one where the Confederate Navy burned three of it's ships (including an ironclad) because of a wooden dummy ship is a pretty big own goal.

Surely the American Penobscot expedition of 1779 against the British . The biggest USN defeat in their history , greater then Pearl in ships lost. Is a story the world should hear.

I would put the Mark 6 detonator on this list.

I forget which ships(HMS Duncan?)/ admirals were involved, but how about the RN mediteranean fleet (in Victorian times) When steaming in two columns turned into each other resulting in a collision which sank the flagship? This was imortalised in "Kind hearts and coronets" staring Alec Guiness. Maybe Glorious cramming the flight deck and not using its own aircaft to scout ahead for battleships might qualify?

I'm not going to fault Mogami's crew. Their job was to sink ships, whether they sunk their own ships is beside the point in my view.

Brilliant!

Thanks

Omg I just got done a hard day and I totally forgot I was due a Wednesday rum ration. Vodka is ok too. Thanks drach. Made the day.

You got your theme back! Hurray!

I know you covered the RCN already, but you could delve into the incidents in 1941 and 1942 that both required it to withdraw temporarily from the Battle of the Atlantic but caused it to gain its nickname the Royal Collision Navy.