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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