In the Month of June 1940

June 1940

US MARINE CORPS

            Congress authorizes the Navy to begin a 10,000-plane construction program, with 1,167 aircraft allocated for Marine aviation. Marine Corps plans to organize 4 groups of 11 squadrons each

US NAVY

Saturday, 1 June 1940

            Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles, commenting on U.S. Minister in Uruguay Wilson's suggestion to send 40 or50 naval vessels to South American waters, suggests "if some way can be found by which at least three or four heavy cruisers and a reasonable number of destroyers can be kept on the East Coast [of South America] this summer." That same day, Welles informs U.S. Ambassador to Brazil Jefferson Caffery that heavy cruiser Quincy (CA‑39) is en route to Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo "to furnish a reminder of the strength and the range of action of the armed forces of the United States.

            Battleship Washington (BB‑56) is launched at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. She is the first American battleship to go down the ways since West Virginia (BB‑48), 19 November 1921.

            Minor Landing and Base Defense Exercise at San Clemente Island, begun on 25 May, concludes; for the first time one of the newly organized USMC Defense Battalions carries out the mission of defending an advanced base against a landing force supported by aircraft and ships.

            U.S. freighter Charles R. McCormick, the American flag displayed prominently, departs Bergen, Norway, for the United States.

Sunday, 2 June 1940

            Chief of Naval Operations (Admiral Harold R. Stark) sends memorandum to President Roosevelt that addresses options concerning the situation in South America; of those proposed, the President believes that the only solution lies in dispatching one additional 8‑inch gun cruiser to South America, continuing destroyer shakedown cruises to South American waters, and utilizing ships already in the Atlantic Squadron, thus not weakening the fleet in the Pacific.

            U.S. steamship President Roosevelt departs Galway, Ireland, with 720 American citizens fleeing European war zone. Passenger liner Manhattan departs Genoa, Italy, the same day with 1,905 passengers.

Tuesday, 4 June 1940

            Operation dynamo, begun on 26 May, is completed; all told, some 848 vessels of every size and displacement take part in the extraction of 338,226 men (including 123,000 French). Among the individuals who take part in this operation in a volunteer capacity is Charles Herbert Lightoller, the former second officer of the ill‑fated passenger liner Titanic.

Wednesday, 5 June 1940

            Miscellaneous auxiliary Bear (AG‑29) arrives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, having proceeded from Antarctica via Valparaiso, Chile, the Panama Canal, and Key West, Florida.

Sunday, 9 June 1940

            Allies complete evacuation of British, French, and Norwegian troops from Norway.

            Heavy cruiser Vincennes (CA‑44) and destroyers Truxtun (DD‑229) and Simpson (DD‑221), reach Casablanca, French Morocco, having touched briefly at Ponta Delgada, Azores (4‑6 June) en route. Vincennes's mission is to load the 200tons of gold brought to Casablanca by French auxiliary cruiser Ville d'Oran. The precious metal cargo (Bank of France gold reserves) will be transported to New York for deposit in U.S. banks (see 10 and 20 June). This is not the first time a cruiser is dispatched on a mission of this kind. Light cruisers Nashville (CL‑43) and Honolulu (CL‑48) bring back $25 million in gold, stabilization funds lent to the Bank of England but brought back because of wartime fears in the late summer‑early autumn of 1938. The money is delivered to the Federal Reserve Bank in New York on11 October 1938.

            Destroyer Dickerson (DD‑157), from Squadron 40‑T, departs Casablanca, French Morocco, with American nationals who desire passage on board U.S. passenger (liner Washington, which is slated to leave Lisbon the next day for Ireland and the United States. Washington departs Bordeaux for Lisbon with 813 U.S. citizens on board (see 10‑11 and15 June).

Monday, 10 June 1940

            Italy declares war on France and Great Britain; Italian troops invade France. President Roosevelt, in speech at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, declares that the Italian declaration of war on France is like "the hand that held the dagger has struck it in the back of its neighbor."

            Norway capitulates to German forces.

            Canada declares war on Italy.

            Rear Admiral David M. LeBreton relieves Rear Admiral Charles E. Courtney as Commander Squadron 40‑T on board light cruiser Trenton (CL‑11) at Lisbon, Portugal.

            Heavy cruiser Vincennes (CA‑44), escorted by destroyers Truxtun (DD‑229) and Simpson (DD‑221), departs Casablanca, French Morocco, for New York (see 20 June).

            U.S. passenger liner Washington arrives at Lisbon, Portugal, to embark American nationals desiring passage to the United States; destroyer Dickerson (DD‑157) arrives the same day with her passengers who are to embark in the liner (see 11 and 15 June).

            Destroyer O'Brien (DD‑415) arrives at Bahia, Brazil, her shakedown cruise (see 14 June).

Tuesday, 11 June 1940

            Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa declare war on Italy.

            President Roosevelt declares Mediterranean area and mouth of Red Sea to be combat zones in accordance with Neutrality Act.

             British Prime Minister Churchill, in telegram to President Roosevelt sent via the British Embassy in Washington, again raises the need for destroyers with the Italian entry into the war and the possibility of having to deal with more submarines. "To this," Churchill declares, "the only counter is destroyers. Nothing is so important as for us to have 30 or 40 old destroyers you have already had reconditioned."

            U.S. passenger liner Washington, en route from Lisbon, Portugal, to Galway, Ireland, with 1,020 U.S. passengers, to embark more American citizens returning to the United States, is stopped by German submarine U 101 at 42°12'N,12°50'W. The submarine, mistakenly believing the ship to be a Greek vessel, orders Washington abandoned preparatory to being sunk. Blinker signals exchanged between the two ships soon result in the Germans' confirming Washington’s neutral identity and allowing her to proceed without further hindrance (see 15 June).

Wednesday, 12 June 1940

            Navy Department awards contracts for 22 new warships.

            Japan‑Thailand Non‑Aggression Pact is announced.

            Heavy cruiser Quincy (CA‑39) arrives at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for a port visit while she is en route to Montevideo, Uruguay (see 17 June).

Thursday, 13 June 1940

            Rear Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr., relieves Vice Admiral Charles A. Blakely as Commander Aircraft, Battle Force, on board carrier Yorktown (CV‑5) at Lahaina Roads, Maui, T.H. Halsey receives the temporary rank of vice admiral.

Friday, 14 June 1940

            President Roosevelt signs Naval Expansion Act increasing the carrier, cruiser, and submarine tonnage of the Navy by167,000 tons, auxiliary shipping by 75,000; and the useful number of authorized naval aircraft to 4,500 planes.

            German troops occupy Paris, France.

            Destroyer O'Brien (DD‑415) departs Bahia, Brazil, on her shakedown cruise, bound for Buenos Aires, Argentina (see 20 June).

Saturday, 15 June 1940

            Soviet forces, as allowed by the Nazi‑Soviet pact, occupy Lithuania. The U.S. refuses to acknowledge this annexation or those of the two other Baltic states that the USSR will occupy two days later (see 17 June).

            President Roosevelt approves Act of Congress to increase naval aviation to a strength of not more than 10,000 aircraft, vice 4,500.

            British Prime Minister Churchill, in telegram to President Roosevelt, again asks for destroyers, calling the matter one “of life and death." Britain will carry on the struggle "whatever the odds," the "Former Naval Person" declares to the President, "but it may well be beyond our resources unless we receive every reinforcement and particularly do we need this reinforcement on the sea."

            Submarine tender Bushnell (AS‑2) completes hydrographic surveys off the coast of Venezuela from Cape San Romanto Bahia Vela de Coro. Having begun on 9 April, she covered an area of 2,200 nautical square miles in the course of her work.

            U.S. passenger liner Washington sails from Galway, Ireland, for the United States with an additional 852 American citizens, making a total of 1,872 passengers, embarked. She will arrive at New York unmolested.

Monday, 17 June 1940

            Soviet forces occupy Estonia and Latvia.

            France sues for an armistice with Germany. France's collapse prompts concern for the disposition of the French fleet. French Minister for Foreign Affairs Paul Baudouin privately informs Deputy U.S. Ambassador to France Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, Jr., that the fleet "would never be surrendered to Germany." To guarantee that pledge, Boudouin informs Biddle that Admiral François Darlan has been appointed as Minister of Marine (see 18 June).

            Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Harold R. Stark asks for $4 billion to construct the "Two‑Ocean Navy."

            Heavy cruiser Quincy (CA‑39) departs Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for Montevideo, Uruguay (see 20 June 1940).

Tuesday, 18 June 1940

            Secretary of State Hull directs Deputy U.S. Ambassador to France Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, Jr., to inform the French government that if France fails to keep its fleet out of German hands, France would "permanently lose the friendship and goodwill of the Government of the United States." Although those sentiments "deeply pained" the French, Minister for Foreign Affairs Baudouin reiterates that the French fleet "would never be surrendered to Germany."

            U.S. Minister in Uruguay Edwin C. Wilson reports that Uruguayan government has arrested eight Nazi leaders and that Uruguay's Chamber of Deputies, in secret session the day before, has begun considering a report on Nazi activities in their country.

Thursday, 20 June 1940

            Bureau of Ships is established with Rear Admiral Samuel M. Robinson as chief; Bureau of Construction and Repairand Bureau of Engineering are abolished.

            Office of Undersecretary of the Navy is created for duration of emergency (see 22 August).

            Heavy cruiser Vincennes (CA‑44), escorted by destroyers Truxtun (DD‑229) and Simpson (DD‑221), arrives at New York Navy Yard and transfers the Bank of France gold reserves ashore for deposit in U.S. banks.

            Destroyer Herbert (DD‑160), attached to Squadron 40‑T, departs Lisbon for French Morocco (see 21 June).

            Heavy cruiser Quincy (CA‑39) reaches Montevideo, Uruguay, as part of the American effort to counteract German propaganda in Latin America (see 21, 27 and 30 June).

            Destroyer O'Brien (DD‑415) reaches Buenos Aires, Argentina, as her shakedown cruise to Latin American ports continues (see 25 June).

            Light cruiser Phoenix (CL‑46) departs Lahaina, Maui, T.H., for the Panama Canal Zone, on the first leg of her goodwill cruise to the Pacific coast of South America (see 3 July).

            Vichy France opens northern Indochina to Japanese military mission and supporting troops.

Friday, 21 June 1940

            Heavy cruiser Wichita (CA‑45), with Commander Cruiser Division Seven (Rear Admiral Andrew C. Pickens) embarked, arrives at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, en route to join heavy cruiser Quincy (CA‑39) at Montevideo, Uruguay (see 27 June).

            Destroyer Herbert (DD‑160) arrives at Casablanca, French Morocco (see 23 June).

            Destroyer Dickerson (DD‑157), attached to Squadron 40‑T, departs Lisbon for Bilbao, Spain (see 22 June).

Saturday, 22 June 1940

            Franco‑German armistice is signed at Compiegne, France. France is divided: one zone is occupied by the Germans; the other administered by the French government from the city of Vichy. Free French government is established in exile in England by General Charles DeGaulle. Among the terms of the armistice is the specification that the French fleet, except portions necessary to safeguard France's colonial interests, will be gathered in French metropolitan ports and demobilized and disarmed under German and Italian control.

            Destroyer Dickerson (DD‑157) arrives at Bilbao, Spain; she will remain there, safeguarding American interests, until3 July.

            Prince Konoye Fumimaro forms new Japanese cabinet with General Tojo Hideki as Minister of War and Matsuoka Yosuke as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Sunday, 23 June 1940

            Portuguese police arrest 30 sailors (three of whom are injured in the fracas) from light cruiser Trenton (CL‑11) in street brawl in Santo Amaro Oerias, a suburb of Lisbon.

            Destroyer Herbert (DD‑160) proceeds from Casablanca, French Morocco, to Lisbon with American refugees.

Monday, 24 June 1940

            Charles Edison, who had devoted himself to accelerating naval construction and to technical advances in the naval service, resigns as Secretary of the Navy. Lewis Compton, Assistant Secretary of the Navy since 9 February, becomes Acting Secretary. Edison will become Governor of New Jersey. France signs armistice with Italy.

            Japan requests that British close the Burma Road, thus severing the Allied supply line to China.

            Rear Admiral Charles A. Blakely relieves Rear Admiral Joseph R. Defrees as Commandant, Eleventh Naval District and Commandant Naval Operating Base, San Diego, California.

Tuesday, 25 June 1940

            Franco‑German armistice becomes effective and hostilities cease.

            Act of Congress abolishes Construction Corps of the Navy; constructors are given line officer status designated for Engineering Duty Only (EDO). In addition, the status of those line officers who had previously been designated for Aeronautical Engineering Duty Only (AEDO) were redesignated EDO.

            Destroyer O'Brien (DD‑415) departs Buenos Aires, Argentina, for Rio Grande du Sol, Brazil (see 27 June).

Thursday, 27 June 1940

            Rumania yields to Soviet ultimatum and cedes Bessarabia and northern Bukovina.

            President Roosevelt declares a national emergency and invokes Espionage Act of 1917 to exercise control over shipping movements in territorial waters and in vicinity of the Panama Canal.

            President Roosevelt establishes National Defense Research Committee (Dr. Vannevar Bush, chairman) to correlate and support scientific research on the mechanisms and devices of war; among its members are officers of the Navy and War Departments.

            Heavy cruiser Wichita (CA‑45), with Commander Cruiser Division Seven (Rear Admiral Andrew C. Pickens) embarked, departs Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, en route to join heavy cruiser Quincy (CA‑39) at Montevideo, Uruguay (see30 June).

            Destroyer O'Brien (DD‑415) reaches Rio Grande du Sol, Brazil, as her shakedown cruise to Latin American ports continues (see 29 June).

Saturday, 29 June 1940

            Presidential yacht Potomac (AG‑25), accompanied by auxiliary Cuyahoga (AG‑26), departs Washington Navy Yard with President Roosevelt embarked, for a cruise down the Potomac River (see 30 June).

            Destroyer O'Brien (DD‑415) departs Rio Grande du Sol, Brazil, bound for Santos, Brazil, as her shakedown cruise to Latin American ports continues (see 1 July).

Sunday, 30 June 1940

            Naval ships and district craft on hand (all types) ‑‑1,099. Personnel: Navy‑‑160,997; Marine Corps‑‑28,364; Coast Guard‑‑13,766. Total personnel‑‑203,127.

            Heavy cruiser Wichita (CA‑45), with Commander Cruiser Division Seven (Rear Admiral Andrew C. Pickens) embarked, reaches Montevideo, Uruguay, joining heavy cruiser Quincy (CA‑39) to begin a tour of Latin American ports "to furnish a reminder of the strength and the range of action of the armed forces of the United States" (see 3July and following).

            Presidential yacht Potomac (AG‑25), accompanied by auxiliary Cuyahoga (AG‑26), returns to Washington Navy Yard with President Roosevelt embarked, after a cruise down the Potomac River.