Monday, 1 December 1941

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arrives at Olongapo, P.I., with the remaining elements of the 4th Marine Regiment (Colonel Samuel L. Howard, USMC) withdrawn from Shanghai.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.