RN Pacific carrier ops
qoute:
One bit that is frequently overlooked on the naval side is that the Royal Navy hard-topped fleet carriers survived kamikazi attacks when the USN wooden ships succumbed.
HMS Victorious had a 5 in armoured deck and simply swept the debris over the side. She had the dent until the day she was scrapped.
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From which came the famous qoute from a USN officer serving as an liaison to Admiral Vian's (spelling?) staff:
"When we take a kamikaze, it's off to Pearl Harbor for six months refit, when you guys get hit, it's "Sweepers, man your brooms."
I also think our USN treated the RN shabbily once the RN's carrier task force entered Pacific ops in mid-1944. We definitely treated them like unwanted step-children (despite the loan of one of HM carriers during 1942 in the Pacific when all of ours were sunk or damaged.)
My hat's off to the FAA crews who flew missions, especially Seafire pilots. With that narrow-legged gear, took a lot of skill to bring it aboard (let's not go into the accident rate......)