Wednesday, 27 May 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese forces begin heading for Midway. Chief among them is First Mobile Force, Carrier Strike Force (Vice Admiral Nagumo Chuichi), which departs home waters on this date.

            Japanese submarine I-19 prepares to launch her small reconnaissance seaplane off the northern side of Bogoslof Island, Aleutians, but sights what she identifies as a U.S. destroyer and submerges hurriedly, irreparably damaging the aircraft.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-25 reconnoiters Kodiak, Alaska.

            Marines and Seabees occupy Wallis Island, South Pacific Ocean.

ATLANTIC—Destroyer tender Prairie (AD-15) and gunboat Spry (PG-64) are damaged by fire, Argentia, Newfoundland.

ARCTIC—German planes attack convoy PQ 16. U.S. freighter Alamar is bombed and sunk approximately 100 miles southeast of Bear Island. British corvette HMS Starwort, tug HMS St. Elstan and submarine HMS Trident rescue all hands (36 merchant seamen and nine Armed Guard sailors); Trident torpedoes and scuttles the irreparably damaged freighter as a hazard to navigation. U.S. freighter Mormacsul is sunk by a direct hit and three near-misses; three of the ship's crew perish in the attack. The survivors (36 merchant seamen and the 9 man Armed Guard) abandon ship and are rescued by HMS Starwort and a British tug. U.S. freighter Alcoa Banner is damaged by near-misses 200 miles southwest of Bear Island; there are no casualties to the 44 man merchant complement or the two Armed Guard sailors. U.S. freighter City of Joliet is damaged by near-misses; her pumps fight a losing battle against inrushing water but there are no casualties among the 37 merchant seamen or the 11 man Armed Guard (see 28 May 1942).

GULF OF MEXICO—British tanker Orina rescues two survivors from U.S. tanker Halo, sunk by German submarine U-506 on 20 May1942.

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. freighter Alcoa Pilgrim, en route to Mobile, Alabama, from Trinidad, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-502 at 16°28'N, 67°37'W. The rapidity with which the ship sinks prevents the crew from launching boats, and 31 men of the 40 man complement are lost with the ship (see 2 June).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s bomb base at Rabaul.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—54th Fighter Group begins deployment from Louisiana to strengthen defense of W coast.

US ARMY

HAWAII—Admiral Fletcher’s naval force, based on carrier Yorktown, arrives at Pearl Harbor from S Pacific.

MIDWAY—Japanese Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo’s Carrier Striking Force leaves Japan for Midway. Enemy transports depart from Saipan and covering cruisers and DD’s from Guam for same objective.

NEW CALEDONIA—Americal Division, its name a contraction of words “America” and “New Caledonia,” is activated under General Patch.

INDIA—USAFCBI SOS Base Section Island is activated at Karachi; Base Section 2 (Calcutta) is authorized.

LIBYA—Axis forces open offensive against Gazala- Bir Hacheim line of British Eighth Army at dawn, making main effort on S and staging demonstration on N. In 30 Corps sector, FF 1st Brigade Group holds detached strongpoint at Bir Hacheim against attack. German armored columns disposed SE of this village sweep northward toward El Adem and Acroma and are opposed by Indian 3d Motor Brigade, a few miles E of Bir Hacheim, and 7th and 1st Armored Divisions to N.

US MARINE CORPS

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Tuesday, 26 May 1942

US NAVY

GENERAL—Anglo-American air conference opens in London to discuss allocation of aircraft; U.S. Navy representative is Rear Admiral John H. Towers, Chief of the Bureau of Aeronautics.

PACIFIC—Aircraft ferry Kitty Hawk (AKV-1) arrives at Midway with reinforcements for MAG 22, as well as the 3-inchantiaircraft group (3d Defense Battalion) and a light tank platoon earmarked for a mobile reserve.

            Submarine Salmon (SS-182) sinks Japanese repair ship Asahi about 180 miles south-southeast of Cam Ranh Bay, French Indochina, 10°00'N, 110°00'E.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-9 reconnoiters Kiska.

ATLANTIC—Eight survivors from U.S. freighter Quaker City, sunk by German submarine U-156 on 18 May reach safety on Dominica.

            Coastal yacht Sapphire (PYc-2) rescues the 30 survivors of U.S. freighter Plow City, sunk by German submarine U-588 on 21 May.

            German planes attack Reykjavik, Iceland-bound U.S. freighter Carlton (detached from convoy PQ 16 for repairs), under tow of British trawler HMS Northern Spray, but cause no additional damage. As in the previous day's attack, there are no casualties.

ARCTIC—U.S. freighter Syros, in convoy PQ 16, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-703 approximately 200 miles southwest of Bear Island, 72°35'N, 05°30'E. Of the 39 souls on board (37 merchant seamen and two Navy signalmen),27 civilians and one signalman survive, rescued by British minesweeper HMS Hazard.

GULF OF MEXICO—Unarmed U.S. tanker Carrabulle is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-106 at 26°18'N, 89°21'E. Reportedly, the submarine's commanding officer, Kapitanleutnant Herman Rasch, asks survivors if all men are clear of the ship. When told no, he laughs and orders a second torpedo launched that strikes the ship directly beneath a lifeboat as it is being lowered, killing 22 of the 24 men in it. U.S. freighter Thompson Lykes rescues the 18 survivors. Later the same day, U-106 shells U.S. freighter Atenas at 25°50'N, 89°05'E, but accurate Armed Guard gunfire drives off the U-boat before she can cause much damage. There are no casualties on board Atenas among the 54 man crew, eight man Armed Guard and ten passengers.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

INTERNATIONAL—General Arnold, Admiral Towers, and Air Chief Marshal Portal attend Anglo-American air conference in London. Topics of discussion include allocation of aircraft and establishment of US air forces in UK. Meeting begins at 10 Downing Street with Churchill.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Gulf TF, I Bomber Command is established and placed under operational control of Commander, Gulf Sea Frontier, for antisub operations in Gulf of Mexico.

US ARMY

HAWAII—Naval TF under Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance, built around carriers Enterprise and Hornet, arrives at Pearl Harbor from S Pacific.

MIDWAY—USS Kittyhawk brings in additional air and ground reinforcements.

NEW GUINEA—Australian Kanga Force is strengthened by arrival of Australian 5th Independent Company by air.

LIBYA—Rommel prepares to resume offensive, moving armored forces around S flank of British Eighth Army to positions SE of Bir Hacheim under cover of darkness. British Eighth Army is now disposed with 13 Corps (50th Div; South African 1st and 2d Divisions; 1st Army Tank Brigade; 9th Brigade of Indian 5th Division) on N and 30 Corps (1st and 7th Armored Divisions; 201st Guards Brigade; Indian 3d Motor Brigade Group; 29th Brigade of Indian 5th Div; FF 1st Brigade Group) on S.

UNITED KINGDOM—Anglo-American air conference opens in London to consider allocation policy. Among those attending are General Arnold, Rear Admiral John H. Towers, and British Chief of Air Staff Sir Charles Portal.

20-year Anglo-Soviet mutual aid agreement is signed in London.

US MARINE CORPS

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Monday, 25 May 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Light cruiser St. Louis (CL-49) arrives at Midway and disembarks Companies "C" and "D," 2d Marine Raider Battalion, and 37-millimeter gun battery of the 3d Defense Battalion.

            Submarine Drum (SS-228) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Kitakata Maru east of Nojimazaki, Honshu, Japan,34°00'N, 139°00'E.

            Submarine Permit (SS-178) damages Japanese transport Senko Maru, 00°20'N, 118°20'N.

            Submarine Pompano (SS-181) sinks Japanese merchant tanker Tokyo Maru about 70 miles west of Naha, Okinawa,27°03'N, 127°03'E.

            Submarine Tautog (SS-199) sinks Japanese transport Shoka Maru about 385 miles southwest of Ulithi, Carolines,04°07'N, 143°32'N.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-9 reconnoiters Kiska and Amchitka, Aleutians.

ATLANTIC—Destroyer Blakely (DD-150) is torpedoed by German submarine U-156 off Martinique, French West Indies.

            German planes attack convoy PQ 16 as it proceeds toward Murmansk, USSR, from Reykjavik, Iceland; U.S. freighter Carlton is damaged by near-misses. She leaves the convoy under tow of British trawler HMS Northern Spray. There are no casualties among Carlton's 35 man merchant crew or 11 man Armed Guard (see 26 May 1942)

GULF OF MEXICO—Unarmed U.S. freighter Alcoa Carrier is torpedoed and shelled by German submarine U-103 at 18°45'N, 79°50'W, and abandoned. U-103 surfaces and her commanding officer asks the Americans for the name and speed of their ship, and if all of her men have been accounted for, before he provides them with cigarettes. Alcoa Carrier sinks early the following morning, after which time the U-boat departs (see 30 May).

            Mexican freighter Oaxaca rescues three survivors from U.S. tanker Halo, sunk by German submarine U-506 on 20 May; two of the men recovered, however, will die of their wounds (see 27 May).

CARIBBEAN—Destroyer Goff (DD-247) scuttles the hulk of U.S. tanker Samuel Q. Brown, torpedoed by German submarine U-103 on 24 May.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—4 B‑17’s bomb Rangoon during 24/25 May.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s bomb Vunakanau airfield at Rabaul.

US ARMY

INDIA—Chinese 38th Division (-113th Regiment, which acts as rear guard) reaches India.

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday, 24 May 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Pompano (SS-181) sinks Japanese merchant fishing boat Kotoku Maru, 25°16'N, 122°41'E.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-21 reconnoiters Auckland, New Zealand.

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. freighter Beatrice is torpedoed by German submarine U-558 at 17°23'N, 76°58'W, but the torpedo fails to explode. U-558 then surfaces to shell the ship, which is abandoned under fire with the loss of one man. A PBY arrives on the scene and drives off the submarine. Of the 30 survivors, 21 men in a lifeboat reach Pigeon Island, Jamaica; British patrol craft Hauken rescues the remaining nine sailors. Beatrice sinks the next morning.

            Steamship Marpesia rescues two survivors on a raft from U.S. freighter Norlantic, sunk by German submarine U-69 on 13 May.

            Destroyer Goff (DD-247) rescues 48 survivors of U.S. tanker Samuel Q. Brown, torpedoed by German submarine U-103 the previous day (see 25 May).

ATLANTIC—Fifteen survivors from U.S. freighter Quaker City, sunk by German submarine U-156 on 18 May reach safety at Barbados (see 26 May).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—VIII AF Bomber Command, under overall logistical control of SOS, is given primary responsibility for all supply and maintenance peculiar to AAF, thus leaving much logistical autonomy to AAFIB.

FIFTH AF—B‑26’s attack Lae airfield but heavy AA and at least 15 intercepting Zeros prevent accurate bombing. Several of the Medium Bombers are shot down or badly damaged and forced to crash-land.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Deployment of air units from eastern US is begun as a result of threat of a naval attack on the W coast. 12th Bomb Group begins movement from Louisianna to California.

US ARMY

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US MARINE CORPS

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Saturday, 23 May 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—District patrol craft YP-277 is destroyed by fire after striking U.S. mine at French Frigate Shoals, T.H.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-29 reconnoiters Sydney, Australia.

CARIBBEAN—U.S. tanker Samuel Q. Brown is torpedoed by German submarine U-103 south of the Yucatan Channel, 20°15'N,84°38'W; two merchant seamen die at the outset. After the U-boat surfaces and the Germans ask the identity of the ship and her cargo, the survivors (37 merchant seamen and the 16 man Armed Guard) gather in two lifeboats. Later that day, a Navy plane from the Panama Canal Zone rescues five wounded men (see 24 May and 25 May).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Agreement is reached on plan to transfer repair depot at Burtonwood to US forces following period of joint control to begin at end of Jun. Burtonwood later becomes greatest AAF depot overseas.

FIFTH AF—B‑25’s strike airfield and buildings at Lae.

US ARMY

ALEUTIANS—U.S. fighter aircraft land safely on runway at new air base on Umnak Island.

USSR—Continuing counteroffensive in Kharkov area, Germans isolate Red Army forces in Izyum salient W of the Donets.

US MARINE CORPS

Training Center, Fleet Marine Force, organized at Marine Barracks, New River, North Carolina, to include all Fleet Marine Force units and replacements except the 1st Marine Division.

Friday, 22 May 1942

US NAVY

GENERAL—Mexico declares war on Germany, Italy, and Japan.

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. tanker William Boyce Thompson, en route to Curacao, N.W.I., is torpedoed by German submarine U-558 at 16°26'N, 76°55'W; there are no casualties among the 37 merchant seamen and two Navy signalmen, and the ship reaches port under her own power.

ATLANTIC—Destroyer Blakely (DD-150), at 15°01'N, 57°38'W, rescues seven survivors from U.S. freighter Quaker City, sunk by German submarine U-156 on 18 May (see 24 and 26 May).

            Admiral William D. Leahy, USN (Retired), boards Swedish passenger liner Drottningholm at Lisbon, Portugal, for passage home to the United States. He will arrive in New York on 1 June.

PACIFIC—Submarine Tautog (SS-199) damages Japanese transport Sanko Maru southwest of Truk, 07°00'N, 151°00'E.

            Submarine Silversides (SS-236) damages Japanese transport Asahisan Maru at the mouth of Kii Suido, between Ichiyozaki and Shionomizaki, Honshu, 33°30'N, 135°27'N. Counterattack by Japanese aircraft (Maizuru Kokutai) is unsuccessful.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s pound airfield and shipping at Rabaul while B‑26’s hit airfield at Lae and attack shipping in the harbor.

US ARMY

NEW GUINEA—21st Troop Carrier Sq begins movement of some 300 troops and supplies to Wau to reinforce weak Australian group, called Kanga Force, defending Bulolo Valley. Kanga Force consists largely of troops of New Guinea Volunteer Reserve (NGVR).

US MARINE CORPS

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Thursday, 21 May 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—North Pacific Force (Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald) is established for operations in Alaskan sector.

            Destroyer Helm (DD-388) rescues four survivors from Neosho (AO-23) that had abandoned ship when the oiler was damaged on 7 May.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Plow City, en route from Trinidad to New York, mistakes lifeboat from British motorship Peisander (sunk by German submarine U-653 on 17 May) and flees, her smoke attracting the attention of U-588, which torpedoes and sinks Plow City at 39°08'N, 69°57'W. One crewman dies in the attack. U-588 briefly interrogates one crewman on board the submarine before returning him to his shipmates with rum and cigarettes; U-boat sailors also help the Americans right a capsized lifeboat (see 26 May).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—B‑26’s bomb aircraft at Lae.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald, as commander of TF 8, becomes responsible for all forces, U.S. Army and naval and Canadian, in Alaska area.

GERMANY—Adolf Hitler decides to postpone projected conquest of Malta, Operation HERCULES, until Egypt is conquered.

US MARINE CORPS

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