The sinking of HMS Sheffield (D80)

 The sinking of HMS Sheffield (D80) on May 4, 1982, was one of the most shocking moments of the Falklands War, marking the first time a British warship had been sunk by enemy attack since World War II.

On the morning of May 4, two Argentine Super Étendard fighter jets detected the British task force. They flew low to avoid radar and fired two AM39 Exocet anti-ship missiles from a range of approximately 20 miles.

One of the missiles struck HMS Sheffield amidships just above the waterline. The missile's explosion (or its remaining fuel) created a large hole and ignited a massive fire that quickly spread across the deck.

The impact damaged the water main, preventing the crew from effectively fighting the fire. Thick, black smoke enveloped the ship, forcing Captain James "Sam" Salt to give the order to abandon ship after four hours of battling the blaze.

A total of 20 crew members were killed in the initial attack, most of them in the galley and computer rooms, while 26 others were injured.

While awaiting evacuation by the HMS Arrow, the surviving crew members legendaryly sang "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from the Monty Python film to boost their morale.

Although they survived for several days, the HMS Sheffield ultimately sank on May 10, 1982, in a storm while being towed by the HMS Yarmouth to South Georgia.

This loss forced Britain to change its air defense tactics and recognize the serious threat posed by Argentina's French-made Exocet missiles.

These missiles also sank the British logistics ship Atlantic Conveyor on May 25, 1982, during the Falklands War.