Saturday, 13 June 1942

US NAVY

ARCTIC—U.S. freighter Yaka is damaged by near-misses when German aircraft bomb Allied shipping at Murmansk, USSR. There are no casualties among the 38 merchant seamen or 11 man Armed Guard.

MEDITERRANEAN—Operation HARPOON: convoy WS 19Z (Force X) stands toward Malta, detected by Axis reconnaissance aircraft. Italian torpedo bombers flying from Sardinia fail to make contact, however, and Italian fleet units that sortie from Cagliari put into Palermo, Sicily, when their presence is reported by British submarines (see 14June).

ATLANTIC—German submarine U-584 puts four agents ashore at Amagansett, Long Island, New York. Coast Guard beach patrolman, however, detects the landing and FBI men capture the agents.

            Coast Guard cutter Thetis (WPC-115) sinks German submarine U-157 north of Cuba, 24°13'N, 82°03'W.

CARIBBEAN—U.S. freighter Solon Thurman is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-159 off the Panama Canal Zone,10°45'N, 80°24'W. The 44 merchant seamen and 9 Armed Guards all abandon ship; U-159's officers query the survivors and offer them aid before departing (see 14 June).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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

ELEVENTH AF—An Light Bomber-30 flies weather mission and for the third straight day Kiska Harbor shipping is bombed by 5 B‑ 17’s and 3 B‑24’s. 2 Heavy Bombers turn back. The others bomb partially cloud-obscured targets. No effect observed.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—General Marshall orders establishment of a U.S. Middle East organization, U.S. Army Forces in the Middle East (USAFIME), in order to unify Middle East missions. Iraq and Iran are to come within its geographical sphere. German submarine lands 4 enemy agents on beach at Amagansett, Long Island.

LIBYA—Axis armor decisively defeats armor of British Eighth Army, forcing British from escarpment between El Adem and Knightsbridge. British tank strength is dangerously depleted, and 13 Corps supply line is consequently in danger. Knightsbridge garrison (201st Guards Brigade) is ordered to withdraw to Acroma.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday, 12 June 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—USAAF B-17s and B-24s raid Kiska, damaging Japanese destroyer Hibiki.

            Submarine Plunger (SS-179) is damaged when emergency identification flare explodes as she makes signal to friendly aircraft; she suffers no serious injuries and remains on patrol.

            Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Burma Maru northwest of Pulo Wai, in the Gulf of Siam, 10°08'N, 102°34'E.

ATLANTIC—German submarine U-701 mines the waters off Cape Henry, Virginia.

GULF OF MEXICO—U.S. tanker Cities Service Toledo, bound for Portland, Maine, with a cargo of 84,000 barrels of crude oil, is torpedoed by German submarine U-158, 20 miles east of Trinity Shoals Gas Buoy, 29°02'N, 91°59'W, and explodes; 11 of the 36 man merchant complement perish in the inferno, as do four of the nine man Armed Guard. Norwegian tanker Belinda, U.S. tanker Gulf King, and steamship San Antonio rescue the 30 survivors from among the merchant seamen and bluejackets.

CARIBBEAN—U.S. steamship Sixaola is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-159 off the coast of Panama, 09°54'N,81°25'W. Of the 87 man crew, 29 perish in the attack. The 58 surviving crewmen, together with the 6 man Armed Guard and the 108 passengers, take to five boats and six rafts. U.S. steamship Carolinian rescues 32 survivors and transfers them to motor torpedo boat tender Niagara (PG-52); Niagara herself rescues 75 more. Army tug Shasta picks up 23 (see 16 June).

            Gunboat Erie (PG-50), at 10°12'N, 80°14'30"W, rescues master and 45 other survivors of British steamship Fort Good Hope, which had been sunk by German submarine U-159 at 10°19'N, 80°16'W. After salvaging the lifeboats, Erie joins with a patrol plane in prosecuting a submarine contact, ultimately dropping six charges with no result. Later, Erie transfers Fort Good Hope's survivors and their boats to submarine chaser PC-209.

MEDITERRANEAN—Operation HARPOON: convoy WS 19Z (Force X) transits the Straits of Gibraltar. The ships are soon detected by German reconnaissance aircraft. Escort (Acting Captain Cecil C. Hardy, RN) for the five freighters (two of the five, U.S. motorship Chant and Dutch Tanimbar have Navy Armed Guard crews on board) and one tanker is provided by antiaircraft cruiser HMS Cairo (flag), nine destroyers (eight British and one Polish), four minesweepers and six motor gunboats; a covering force (Force W), formed around British battleship HMS Malaya, aircraft carriers HMS Argus and HMS Eagle, light cruisers HMS Kenya (flagship for Vice Admiral Alban T.B. Curteis, RN), HMS Charbydis and HMS Liverpool, and eight British destroyers. A second convoy MW 11 (Operation VIGOROUS) sets out from Alexandria and Port Said, Egypt, and Haifa (see 13 June).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Another contingent of personnel for HQ and subordinate commands arrive in UK.

HALPRO—13 B‑24’s of det under command of Col Harry A Halverson en route from US to China take off during 11/12 Jun from Fayid to bomb oilfields at Ploesti. Only 12 attack at dawn. 4 of the 13 land at base in Iraq which was designated for recovery of the flight, 3 land at other Iraq fields, 2 land in Syria, and 4 are interned in Turkey. Though damage to target is negligible, the raid is significant because it is the first AAF—combat mission in EAME Theater in World War II, and the first strike at a target which later will be famous.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s bomb building area and Vunakanau and Lakunai airfields at Rabaul.

ELEVENTH AF—6 B‑17’s and 1 B‑24 bomb shipping in Kiska Harbor. A cruiser is heavily damaged and one destroyer is seen burning.

US ARMY

SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA—GHQ authorizes construction of air bases at head of Milne Bay, New Guinea.

RUMANIA—U.S. air combat from Africa begins with attack on Ploesti oil fields at dawn. Heavy bomber TF (coded HALPRO), under Col Harry A. Halverson and temporarily based in Egypt, makes the attack. On return trip, several of the B–24’s are forced to land in Turkey and crews are interned.

LIBYA—Indecisive tank battles occur in vicinity of El Adem and Knightsbridge.

US MARINE CORPS

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Thursday, 11 June 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—German submarine U-87 mines the waters off Boston; U-373 the waters off Delaware Bay (see 24 June).

            Unarmed U.S. tanker F.W. Abrams, en route to New York from Aruba, blunders into minefield off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and fouls two mines, at 34°55'N, 75°50'W. Her 36 man crew abandons ship and reaches shore near Morehead City, North Carolina. Salvage tug Relief attempts salvage (see 15 June).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ELEVENTH AF—The Eleventh strikes at Kiska for the first time. 5 B‑24’s and 5 B‑17’s from Cold Bay load bombs at Umnak and hit Kiska harbor installations and shipping targets. Low-altitude runs score near misses on 2 cruisers and a destroyer. AA downs a B‑24. The other B‑24’s are pursued by 4 fighters back to Umnak where US fighters drive them off. Navy airplanes discover Japanese landing at Attu.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Aircraft and crews of 97th Bomb Group, deployed temporarily to W coast, are ordered back to New England for movement to UK.

US ARMY

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS—U.S. and Great Britain make simultaneous announcements of mutual-aid agreement with Soviet Union. The agreement permits USSR to repay lend-lease debts in kind rather than in cash.

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS—Upon discovering enemy on Kiska, Allied aircraft begin series of long-range, small-scale attacks on the island, striking as often as the difficult weather conditions permit, in an effort to weaken enemy by attrition. Attu is beyond range of aircraft.

CHINA—Advance Section 3, under SOS, is activated in China.

LIBYA—Exploiting capture of Bir Hacheim, Axis forces surge northward toward El Adem, which protects south approach to Tobruk.

US MARINE CORPS

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Wednesday, 10 June 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Carrier Saratoga (CV-3) in TF 11 (Rear Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch) makes rendezvous with TF 16 and transfers planes to bring carriers Enterprise (CV-6) and Hornet (CV-8) up to strength.

ATLANTIC—U.S. tanker Hagan, en route to Havana, Cuba, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-157 at 22°00'N,77°30'W. Six of the 35 man merchant complement perish in the attack, but all nine Armed Guard sailors survive. The survivors reach the Cuban coast by lifeboat the following day.

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. freighter American, en route to New Orleans, Louisiana, is torpedoed by German submarine U-157 at 17°58'N, 84°28'W. Three of the 41 man crew perish in the initial explosion. Steamship Kent rescues the 38 survivors, one of whom dies of his wounds, and transports them to Cristobal, C.Z.

            British motor vessel Ardenvour is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-68; among the souls on board are the13 merchant seamen and four Armed Guard sailors who have already survived the loss of their ship, U.S. freighter Velma Lykes on 4 June. They survive the loss of a second ship less than a week after the first.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Main part of ground echelon, including ground echelons of 97th Bomb, 1st and 31st Fighter, 60th Transport, and 5th Air Depot Groups, and service units arrive in UK aboard Queen Elizabeth.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s bomb aircraft and buildings at Rabaul.

ELEVENTH AF—Local patrol is flown at Umnak.

US ARMY

CHINA—Chinese withdraw from Chuhsien, Chekiang Province, after 4 days of hard fighting.

LIBYA—General Ritchie orders evacuation of the isolated Bir Hacheim position and Free French 1st Brigade, assisted by 7th Armored Division, withdraws during night 10–11.

USSR—German Army Group South continues assault on Sevastopol in the Crimea, making slow progress against Red Army strongpoints; opens limited offensive NE of Kharkov to improve positions.

US MARINE CORPS

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Tuesday, 9 June 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Trout (SS-202) picks up two survivors from sunken Japanese heavy cruiser Mikuma.

            Naval Operating Base, Kodiak, Alaska, is established.

            Lieutenant Commander Lyndon B. Johnson, USNR, in the South Pacific theater on a congressional inspection tour, accompanies USAAF bombing mission, scheduled to attack Japanese installations at Lae, New Guinea. Johnson is to go along as a passenger in a B-26 (19th Squadron, 22d Bomb Group). Engine trouble, however, compels the pilot of Johnson's Marauder ("Heckling Hare") to abort the mission; the plane never sees combat. Inexplicably, however, Johnson receives Silver Star for "gallantry." He goes on to become the 36th President of the United States.

CARIBBEAN—U.S. freighter Merrimack is sunk by German submarine U-107 about 60 miles north of Cozumel Island, off the Honduran coast, 19°47'N, 85°55'W. Of the 51 men on board at the time of the attack (9 of whom comprise the Armed Guard), only 10 (including one Navy man) survive (see 15 June).

            British destroyer HMS Churchill scuttles damaged U.S. tanker Franklin K. Lane, torpedoed by German submarine U-502 the previous day, as a menace to navigation.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Second contingent of personnel for HQ Eighth AF and subordinate commands, including main body of VIII AF Service Command, arrives in UK.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s, B‑25’s, and B‑26’s attack Lae and Salamaua.

SEVENTH AF—General Davidson, CG VII Fighter Command, also becomes CG Seventh AF following loss of General Tinker (see 7 Jun 42).

ELEVENTH AF—Patrols are flown but encounter no aircraft.

US ARMY

INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS—U.S. and Great Britain agree to pool food and production resources.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—Japanese conquest of the Philippines is completed, although small, isolated detachments continue to hold out. Combined U.S. and Filipino force of 140,000 is now eliminated as a fighting force. USFIP ceases to exist.

LIBYA—Free French continue to hold out at Bir Hacheim against furious ground and air attacks. Efforts to relieve them are unsuccessful.

US MARINE CORPS

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Monday, 8 June 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Tug Vireo (AT-144) is damaged by grounding, Midway.

            British armed merchant cruiser HMS Alcantara embarks survivors from damaged U.S. freighter George Cylmer; attempts to scuttle the freighter prove futile and Alcantara must leave on 12 June with the American ship still stubbornly afloat.

ATLANTIC—Brazilian tanker Santa Maria rescues the two sailors from U.S. tanker M.F. Elliott that had been held briefly as prisoners of war when their ship had been sunk by German submarine U-502 on 3 June.

CARIBBEAN—U.S. tanker Franklin K. Lane, en route to Aruba, N.W.I., in convoy TA 5, is torpedoed by German submarine U-502 approximately 35 miles northeast of Cape Blanco, 11°22'N, 69°38'W. Four crewmen perish in the attack; 31 merchant seamen and the six man Armed Guard survive to be rescued by British destroyer HMS Churchill [ex-U.S. destroyer Herndon (DD-198)] (see 9 June).

            Coast Guard cutter Nemesis (WPC-111) rescues the 27 survivors of U.S. freighter Suwied, sunk by German submarine U-107 on 7 June.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS US ARMY—ETO established by presidential directive. General Chaney is designated commander of all US forces of ETOUSA.

ELEVENTH AF—1 LB-30 flies armed patrol over Kiska and Umnak and discovers Japanese naval units in Kiska Harbor.

US ARMY

SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA—As a result of the successful Midway action, General MacArthur proposes to General Marshall that a limited offensive to regain positions in Bismarck Archipelago be undertaken.

NEW GUINEA—Small party of Americans and Australians flies from Port Moresby to reconnoiter Milne Bay area for air base site. Such a base would strengthen defenses of Port Moresby.

LIBYA—Indecisive fighting continues in vicinity of Knightsbridge and Bir Hacheim. Free French, stubbornly defending Bir Hacheim, are forced to yield some ground; their supply situation is critical.

UNITED KINGDOM—European Theater of Operations, U.S. Army (ETOUSA) is established under command of General Chaney, superseding U.S. Army Forces in British Isles (USAFBI).

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday, 7 June 1942

US NAVY

GENERAL—Command of naval forces is reallocated: Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, Sea Frontiers, and Special Task Forces are placed directly under Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations; Naval Local Defense Forces, Naval Transportation Service, Special Duty Ships, and Naval District Craft are made responsible to Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

PACIFIC—Submarine tender Fulton (AS-11), sent out from Pearl Harbor for the purpose, takes on board 2,015 Yorktown (CV-5) survivors at sea; light minelayer Breese (DM-18) embarks 84; destroyer Allen (DD-66) 94.

            Carrier Yorktown (CV-5) sinks as the result of heavy damage incurred on 4 and 6 June, 30°36'N, 176°34'W.

            Submarine Grouper (SS-214) is bombed (but not damaged) by USAAF B-17s.

            Japanese Kiska Occupation Force (Captain Ono Takeji) occupies Kiska, Aleutians, without opposition.

            U.S. freighter Coast Trader is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-26 about 35 miles southwest of Cape Flattery, Washington, 48°19'N, 125°40'W. Coast Guard plane (V-206) guides Canadian corvette HMCS Edmundston to the scene; Edmundston and fishing boat Virginia I rescue survivors, who include the 37 man crew and 19 man Armed Guard. One crewman dies of exposure before the survivors can be picked up.

            Damaged U.S. freighter George Cylmer, torpedoed the day before, is reboarded by her crew (see 8 June).  

ATLANTIC—Small seaplane tender Gannet (AVP-8) is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-652 off Bermuda, 35°50'N,65°38'W.

            U.S. tanker Esso Montpelier rescues the six survivors from freighter Illinois, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-172 on 1 June.

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. freighter Edith is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-159, 14°33'N, 74°35'W. Two crewmen perish in the attack, the remainder (29 men) gather on board one lifeboat and two rafts. U-159 conducts a brief interrogation of the survivors, provide them with directions to the nearest land, and gather floating supplies before departing. Within a week's time, Edith's survivors reach Black River, Jamaica.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Suwied is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-107 southeast of the Yucatan Channel,20°00'N, 84°48'W; 26 of the 32 man crew, and the ship's one passenger, survive the sinking (see 8 June).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

SEVENTH AF—General Tinker, CG, is lost during 6/7 Jun while leading flight of LB-30’s from Midway for predawn attack on Wake Island.

ELEVENTH AF—Japanese troops invade Attu. More troops are put ashore on Kiska. An enemy airplane is sighted over Cold Bay but cannot be intercepted.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—Brigadier General Howard C. Davison replaces Maj General Clarence L. Tinker, who was lost in Battle of Midway, as commander of Seventh Air Force.

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS—Japanese invade western Aleutians, landing some 1,800 men on Attu and Kiska.

CHINA—Continuing drive in Chekiang Province, Japanese seize Chuhsien airfield and attack city itself.

USSR—After 5 days of heavy air and artillery preparation, German Army Group South renews ground assault to clear the Crimea in preparation for main offensive on the rich Caucasus, moving against Sevastopol fortress. Local actions to improve positions in other sectors continue.

US MARINE CORPS

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