US NAVY
ATLANTIC—Patrol Wing 9 (Lieutenant Commander Thomas U.
Sisson) is established at Quonset Point, Rhode Island.
German
submarine U‑575 encounters and tracks unarmed U.S. tanker Astral,
the latter en route from Aruba, N.W.I., to Lisbon, Portugal, with a cargo of
78,200 barrels of gasoline and kerosene. After seeing that Astral is
unarmed and bears prominent neutrality markings, however, the U‑boat's
commanding officer, Kapitanleutnant Gunther Heydemann, allows the
American ship to pass unmolested. Subsequently, another submarine in the
vicinity, U‑43, encounters Astral and attacks her, but her
torpedoes miss their mark (see 2 December).
TU 4.1.2
(Commander Fred D. Kirtland), accompanied by salvage vessel Redwing (ARS‑4)
and oiler Sapelo (AO‑11), while escorting convoy HX 162, encounters
heavy weather that scatters 35 merchantmen. Destroyers Charles F. Hughes (DD‑428),
Madison (DD‑425), Lansdale (DD‑426), Wilkes (DD‑441) and Sturtevant
(DD‑240) all suffer storm damage of varying degrees (see 7 December).
Destroyer Livermore
(DD‑429), escorting convoy ONS 39, is dispatched to investigate darkened
merchantman steaming on opposite course. Livermore trails her and after
determining her to be Panamanian freighter Ramapo, enroute to join
convoy SC 56, allows her to continue her voyage after being warned not to radio
a report of contact with a convoy.
PACIFIC—President orders a "defensive information
patrol" of "three small ships" established off the coast of
French Indochina; he specifically designates yacht Isabel (PY‑10)
(reserve flagship for Commander in Chief Asiatic Fleet) as one of the trio of
vessels (see 3 and 6 December). Schooner Lanikai is acquired and
commissioned, but the start of the war results in her planned mission being
cancelled. The third vessel, schooner Molly Moore, is selected for the
mission but is never taken over. Lanikai's civilian career had seen her
used as a "prop" in the filming of motion picture “Hurricane"
that starred Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall.
U.S.
passenger liner President Harrison arrives at Olongapo, P.I., with the
remaining elements of the 4th Marine Regiment (Colonel Samuel L. Howard, USMC)
withdrawn from Shanghai. President Harrison soon sails to bring out the
last marines from China (see 8 December).
As river
gunboats Luzon (PR‑7) and Oahu (PR‑6) (Rear Admiral William A.
Glassford, Commander Yangtze Patrol, in Luzon), submarine rescue vessel Pigeon
(ASR‑6) and minesweeper Finch (AM‑9) proceed toward Manila, they
become the object of curiosity by Japanese forces in the vicinity; first a
floatplane circles the formation, then seven Japanese warships of various
types.
