In the Month of March 1941

US NAVY

1 March 1941, Saturday

UNITED STATES—Support Force Atlantic Fleet (Rear Admiral Arthur L. Bristol) composed of destroyers and patrol plane squadrons and supporting auxiliaries is established for protection of convoys in North Atlantic.

EUROPE—Bulgaria joins the Axis as German troops occupy the country.

3 March 1941, Monday

PACIFIC—Heavy cruisers Chicago (CA‑29) (Rear Admiral John H. Newton, Commander Cruisers Scouting Force) and Portland(CA‑33), light cruisers Brooklyn (CL‑40) and Savannah (CL‑42), destroyers Clark (DD‑361), Conyngham (DD‑371),Cummings (DD‑365), Cassin (DD‑372), Case (DD‑370), Shaw (DD‑373), Tucker (DD‑374), Reid (DD‑369), and Downes (DD‑375), and oiler Sangamon (AO‑28), depart Pearl Harbor for Samoa (see 9 March 1941).

7 March 1941, Friday

ATLANTIC—Carrier Wasp (CV‑7) encounters foundering U.S. lumber schooner George E. Klinck in storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, and rescues her crew.

PACIFIC—Transport William P. Biddle (AP‑15), escorted by light cruiser Concord (CL‑10), arrives at Pago Pago, Samoa, and disembarks the Seventh Defense Battalion, the first unit of the Fleet Marine Force deployed to the Southern Hemisphere in World War II.

9 March 1941, Sunday

PACIFIC—Heavy cruisers Chicago (CA‑29) (Rear Admiral John H. Newton, Commander Cruisers Scouting Force) and Portland (CA‑33), light cruisers Brooklyn (CL‑40) and Savannah (CL‑42), nine destroyers and oiler Sangamon (AO‑28), that had departed Pearl Harbor on 3 March arrive at Samoa (see 12 March).

10 March 1941, Monday

PACIFIC—Japan steps in to mediate undeclared war between France and Thailand; France cedes territory to Thailand and gives Japan monopoly of Indochinese rice crop and right to airfield at Saigon.

            Rear Admiral Edward J. Marquart is detached as Commander Minecraft Battle Force.

11 March 1941, Tuesday

UNITED STATES— Congress passes Lend‑Lease Act; "cash and carry" provisions of Neutrality Act of 1939 are changed to permit transfer of munitions to Allies. Although criticized by isolationists, the Act proves to be the primary means by which the United States will provide Great Britain, the USSR, and other belligerents with war material, food, and financial aid without the U.S. having to enter combat.

12 March 1941, Wednesday

PACIFIC—Heavy cruisers Chicago (CA‑29) (Rear Admiral John H. Newton, Commander Cruisers Scouting Force) and Portland (CA‑33), accompanied by destroyers Clark (DD‑361), Conyngham (DD‑371), Cassin (DD‑372), Downes (DD‑375), and Reid (DD‑369) depart Samoan waters for Sydney, Australia (see 20 March); Light cruisers Brooklyn (CL‑40) and Savannah (CL‑42), and destroyers Case (DD‑370), Shaw (DD‑373), Cummings for Auckland, New Zealand (see 17 March).

            Oiler Sangamon (AO‑28), that had accompanied the aforementioned cruisers and destroyers from Pearl Harbor, sails to return to Hawaiian waters.

UNITED STATES— Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas, is established.

15 March 1941, Saturday

US MARINE CORPS

UNITED STATES— The Fleet Marine Force is divided, with the 1st Marine Division at Quantico, Virginia, becoming part of the Atlantic Fleet and the 2d Marine Division at San Diego, California, becoming part of the Pacific Fleet

17 March 1941, Monday

US NAVY

PACIFIC—TG 9.2 (Captain Ellis S. Stone), comprising light cruiser Brooklyn (CL‑40) and Savannah (CL‑42) and destroyers Case (DD‑370) and Shaw (DD‑373), and Tucker (DD‑374), arrive at Auckland, New Zealand, beginning a three‑day goodwill visit (see 20 March).

ATLANTIC—Heavy cruiser Vincennes (CA‑44) arrives at Pernambuco, Brazil, en route to her ultimate destination of Simonstown, South Africa (see 20 March).

            Coast Guard cutter Cayuga departs Boston, Massachusetts, with South Greenland Survey Expedition, composed of State, Treasury, War, and Navy Department representatives, embarked. The expedition's mission is to locate sites of airfields, seaplane bases, radio and meteorological stations and aids to navigation on Greenland's soil (see 31 March).

18 March 1941, Tuesday

PACIFIC—Rear Admiral William R. Furlong breaks his flag as Commander Minecraft Battle Force.

19 March 1941, Wednesday

PACIFIC—Destroyers Aylwin (DD‑355) and Farragut (DD‑348) are damaged by collision during night tactical exercises in Hawaiian Operating Area, 23°35'N, 158°14'W. One man dies on board Aylwin.

20 March 1941, Thursday

PACIFIC—Heavy cruisers Chicago (CA‑29) (Rear Admiral John H. Newton, Commander Cruisers Scouting Force) and Portland (CA‑33) and destroyers Clark (DD‑361), Conyngham (DD‑371), Reid (DD‑369), Cassin (DD‑372) and Downes (DD‑375), arrive at Sydney, Australia, beginning a three‑day goodwill visit (see 23 March).

            TG 9.2 (Captain Ellis S. Stone), comprising light cruiser Brooklyn (CL‑40) and Savannah (CL‑42) and destroyers Case (DD‑370) and Shaw (DD‑373), and Tucker (DD‑374), concludes its port visit to Auckland, New Zealand and sails for Tahiti (see 25 March).

ATLANTIC—Heavy cruiser Vincennes (CA‑44) departs Pernambuco, Brazil, for Simonstown, South Africa (see 20 March).

22 March 1941, Saturday

ANTARCTIC—Emergency evacuation of East Base, U.S. Antarctic Service, Marguerite Bay, is carried out. Two R4C flights (Aviation Chief Machinist's Mate Ashley C. Snow and Radioman First Class Earl B. Perce, naval aviation pilots) bring out the entire complement of 24 people to Mikkelson Island, the emergency landing field 25 miles northeast of Adelaide Island, whence they are taken on board Bear (AG‑29), which soon sails for Punta Arenas, Chile, to rendezvous with Interior Department motorship North Star.

23 March 1941, Sunday

PACIFIC—Heavy cruisers Chicago (CA‑29) (Rear Admiral John H. Newton, Commander Cruisers Scouting Force) and Portland (CA‑33) and destroyers Clark (DD‑361), Conyngham (DD‑371), Reid (DD‑369), Cassin (DD‑372) and Downes (DD‑375), depart Sydney, Australia, for Brisbane (see 25 March).

25 March 1941, Tuesday

PACIFIC—Heavy cruisers Chicago (CA‑29) (Rear Admiral John H. Newton, Commander Cruisers Scouting Force) and Portland (CA‑33) and destroyers Clark (DD‑361), Conyngham (DD‑371), Reid (DD‑369), Cassin (DD‑372) and Downes (DD‑375), arrive at Brisbane, Australia, beginning a three‑day good‑will visit (see 28 March).

            TG 9.2 (Captain Ellis S. Stone), comprising light cruisers Brooklyn (CL‑40) and Savannah (CL‑42) and destroyers Case (DD‑370), Shaw (DD‑373) and Tucker (DD‑374), arrive at Tahiti.

27 March 1941, Thursday

ATLANTIC—U.S.‑British‑Canadian staff discussions in Washington end; ABC‑1 Staff Agreement embodies the basic strategic direction of the war in the event of U.S. entry, making the defeat of Germany a priority and establishing a Combined Chiefs of Staff. U.S. Atlantic Fleet is to help the Royal Navy convoy ships across the Atlantic. The agreement inextricably links the U.S. Navy in the effort against Germany.

PACIFIC—TG 9.2 (Captain Ellis S. Stone), comprising light cruisers Brooklyn (CL‑40) and Savannah (CL‑42) and destroyers Case (DD‑370), Shaw (DD‑373) and Tucker (DD‑374), depart Tahiti for Pearl Harbor.

28 March 1941, Friday

MEDITERRANEAN—British fleet defeats Italian fleet in Battle of Cape Matapan; three Italian heavy cruisers and two destroyers are sunk, and a battleship and a destroyer damaged.

PACIFIC—Heavy cruisers Chicago (CA‑29) (Rear Admiral John H. Newton, Commander Cruisers Scouting Force) and Portland (CA‑33) and destroyers Clark (DD‑361), Conyngham (DD‑371), Reid (DD‑369), Cassin (DD‑372) and Downes (DD‑375), depart Brisbane, Australia, for Suva, Fiji Islands (see 1 April).

29 March 1941, Saturday

ATLANTIC—Heavy cruiser Vincennes (CA‑44) arrives at Simonstown, South Africa (see 30 March).

            Coast Guard receives report that crew of Italian merchantman Villarperosa, interned at Wilmington, North Carolina, is sabotaging the ship. The Coast Guard investigates reports that the crews of Italian and German vessels in American ports had received orders to "sabotage and disable" them (see 30 March).

30 March 1941, Sunday

ATLANTIC—Heavy cruiser Vincennes (CA‑44) departs Simonstown, South Africa, for New York, with a cargo of gold for deposit in the United States (see 16 April).

            As the result of Coast Guard investigation of report that crew of Italian merchantman Villarperosa was sabotaging their ship, United States takes protective custody of two German, 26 Italian, and 35 Danish ships in American ports; Coast Guardsmen take over the vessels. Executive order consequently imprisons 850 Italian and 63 German officers and men.

PACIFIC—Element of the First Defense Battalion (5‑inch artillery, Detachment "A") arrives at Palmyra Island in stores issuing ship Antares (AKS‑3) to begin construction of defenses.

            Elements of the First Defense Battalion (5‑inch artillery, Detachment "B", and Machine Gun Battery, Detachment “A") arrive at Johnston Island in high speed minesweeper Boggs (DMS‑3) to begin construction of defenses.

31 March 1941, Monday

ATLANTIC—South Greenland Survey Expedition, in Coast Guard cutter Cayuga, arrives at Godthaab, Greenland, to take up its task.