WWII dive bombers attacking ships - GIF

[hemmjo]

I had a professor in the early was in the Navy in the battle at Truk Lagoon. His stories were amazing, shocking and scary at the same time.

Yes indeed, those bombs “just” landing close would pop rivets. The heads of the rivers would bounce around inside the ship like small cannonballs. Loosing a rivets created water leaks, weakened the ship. Forced crew that was not killed knocked unconscious to do damage control rather than their battle assignments, etc.

Put an iron pot over your head. Then have someone beat on the outside with a hammer. Then imagine being a kid, deep inside a big iron pot, the lights go out, water gushing in, not knowing when the hammering was going to stop, or when the next hammer strike might be with the really BIG hammer. Water is now up to your waist. Then you feel something bump against you in the cold dark oil filled water. Then realize it is your buddy, floating in the water...

[Toolmaker51]

Put an iron pot over your head. Then have someone beat on the outside with a hammer. Then imagine being a kid, deep inside a big iron pot, the lights go out, water gushing in, not knowing when the hammering was going to stop, or when the next hammer strike might be with the really BIG hammer. Water is now up to your waist......

Minus suffering disabled or dead crewmembers, Sailors undergo periodic damage control and fire-fighting school.
They were under controlled but realistic prolonged conditions, and not exactly easy despite 4 or 5 occasions of my own. I'll say it's one case where 'familiarity breeds contempt' isn't true.
Later, finding you made choices or took proper steps in adversity is eye-opening.

Once again, it also proves Mike Rowe's adage of "Safety Third".