1 / 10
Which submarine officer does this portrait show?
- Richard O'Kane
- Dudley Morton
- Charles Lockwood
- Chester Nimitz
The portrait shows Richard O'Kane, commander of USS Tang and the most decorated submariner of the war.
War Dossier › Archive › Challenge #16
Challenge #16
These are the ten questions from War Dossier daily challenge #16, of 8 October 2026, with the correct answer and an explanation for each. Today's challenge is a different one and it is free to play.
The dossier entry: Richard O'Kane y el USS Tang
Richard O'Kane served as executive officer of USS Wahoo under Dudley Morton's command before receiving his own command, the submarine USS Tang, in 1943. Leading Tang through five war patrols in 1944, O'Kane became the most successful submarine commander in the US Navy, credited with sinking 33 ships totaling more than 116,000 tons, the highest total of the entire war in both ship count and tonnage.
Challenge answers
2 / 10
In what month was the first successful Wasserfall launch achieved?
- March 1944
- November 1942
- August 1943
- February 1945
The first successful launch, using the third prototype, was achieved in March 1944, after overcoming the delay caused by Thiel's death.
3 / 10
Which strategic British stronghold was the central target of Operation Felix, the 1940 German plan?
- The Rock of Gibraltar
- The island of Malta
- The port of Alexandria
- The Suez Canal
The German plan focused on capturing the Rock of Gibraltar to close the western Mediterranean to the Royal Navy.
4 / 10
Which judicial body tried the main German leaders in 1945 and 1946?
- The International Military Tribunal
- The Permanent Court of Arbitration
- The United Nations Security Council
- The Leipzig Reichsgericht
The International Military Tribunal was created by the 1945 London Agreement to prosecute the major war criminals of the European Axis.
5 / 10
What engines powered the Ki-21-IIb "Sally"?
- 2 Mitsubishi Ha101 engines of 1500 hp each
- 2 Mitsubishi Kasei 11 engines of 1530 hp each
- 4 Mitsubishi Kasei 22 engines of 1850 hp each
- 1 Nakajima Sakae 11 engine
The Ki-21-IIb used 2 Mitsubishi Ha101 radial engines of 1500 hp each, giving it a top speed of 485 km/h, slightly higher than the Navy's G4M Betty.
6 / 10
Which assault gun did the Alkett plant in Berlin mainly assemble?
- The StuG III
- The Jagdpanther
- The Elefant
- The Marder II
Alkett, in Berlin, was the main assembler of the StuG III assault gun.
7 / 10
What is the main difference between the Torgau episode and the surrender of the Berlin garrison?
- Torgau, symbolic meeting between Allies; Berlin, local military capitulation act
- Both episodes took place on the same day and in the same location
- Torgau was the place where the Berlin garrison surrendered
- The Berlin surrender happened before the Torgau meeting
Torgau represented the symbolic meeting of Soviet and American forces, while the Berlin surrender was a local military capitulation act by the city's garrison.
8 / 10
On what exact date did the government leave the capital?
- 10 June 1940
- 14 June 1940
- 22 June 1940
- 1 June 1940
The government left Paris on 10 June 1940, the same day Italy declared war.
9 / 10
Which German unit led the initial assault on the defences near Maleme airfield on the first day of the invasion of Crete?
- The Meindl Assault Group of paratroopers
- The 5th Panzer Division
- The Condor Legion
- The Afrika Korps
The Assault Group under General Eugen Meindl was the paratroop force tasked with seizing Maleme airfield and the heights above it.
10 / 10
Which naval engagement left Japanese forces unable to resupply their Aleutian garrisons by surface, giving rise to the U.S. naval blockade?
- The daylight naval clash near the Komandorski Islands
- The landing at Massacre Bay
- The garrison's final charge at Chichagof Harbor
- Colonel Yamasaki's arrival on Attu
After the naval engagement at the Komandorski Islands, Japan gave up surface resupply and the blockade took full effect.
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