The anniversary of D-Day gets us thinking about WWII and the tremendous sacrifices made by those serving in the military then and today. Today also reminds of us of the Maine Potato Episode – when a U.S. Naval Destroyer sank a Japanese sub with the help of potatoes.
In 1943, a little over a year before D-Day, the crew of the USS O’Bannon hurled the only thing they had at an attacking Japanese submarine: potatoes. The Japanese, thinking the spuds were grenades, panicked, allowing the O’Bannon time to make some distance on the sub and aim her guns. The sub eventually sank, and inspired the Potato Growers of Maine to send a plaque to the O’Bannon that was mounted near the mess hall.
