WE REMEMBER AUGUST 12th

August 12

We Remember:

1939:     An Anglo-French military mission begins talks in Moscow with the USSR.

In Scotland the grouse-shooting season opens. (Andy Etherington)

Ciano goes to Berchtesgaden to see Hitler. Hitler is pondering over his maps planning the war against Poland. Hitler believes that the war will be localised. There was not the slightest danger that Britain and France would fight. When Ciano protested that so little would be gained at such vast risk, Hitler says to him "You are a southerner, and you will never understand how much I as a German, need to get my hands on the timber of the Polish forests." Ciano notes: "He has decided to strike, and strike he will." (Andy Etherington)

Astakhov sends Schnurre new information from Moscow indicating Russian willingness to open political negotiations with Germany. (Andy Etherington)

1940:     Do-17s from KG 2 attack Manston, dropping 150 bombs and putting the airfield out of action for a day. 63 Ju 88A-1s from KG 51 and KG 54 bomb Portsmouth, 15 aircraft diverting to attack the radar station at Ventnor (IOW). The radar station is put out of action for 11 days.
Radar stations at Dover, Pevensey, Rye and Dunkirk are also bombed as the Luftwaffe try to put a breach in the British radar system. But they failed to hit the transmitter poles and the stations themselves were well camouflaged in the surrounding countryside. Spare radar stations also served to deceive the Germans with simulated radio traffic. (Andy Etherington)

RAF 4 Group (Whitley). Bombs industrial targets at Heringen and the Ruhr.
(Andy Etherington)

RAF Fighter Command: Luftwaffe 45, RAF 13. The first Bristol Beaufighters are delivered to the Fighter Interception Unit at Tangmere, they are equipped with A.I. MkIV (airborne interception) radar. (Andy Etherington)

The USN Bureau of Ordnance requests informally that the National Defense Research Committee sponsor development, on a priority basis, of proximity fuzes with particular emphasis on anti-aircraft use. (Jack McKillop)

In the U.S., the Will Bradley Trio, consisting of Ray McKinley on drums, "Doc" Goldberg on bass and Freddie Slack on piano with McKinley and Bradley on vocal, records "Down the Road Apiece" on Columbia Records. (Jack McKillop)

1941:     Directive 34 is issued by Hitler.  Army Group North is ordered to continue toward Leningrad.  Army Group South is to begin the battle for the Crimea, Kharkov and the Donets Industrial Basin.  Army Group Center is to halt and bring assistance to the other army groups.

Marshal Petain broadcasts that Germany is fighting "in defense of civilization" in the war against the Soviet Union.  He also announces creation of a stronger police force, special courts and suppression of political parties.  Admiral Darlan is appointed to the Ministry of Defense.

The Finnish Ambassador in Berlin, T. M. KivimŠki informs the German Foreign Ministry that Finland doesn't think it necessary to join the Anti-Comintern Pact, because 'the Finnish attitude towards communism is already clear'. (Mikko HŠrmeinen)

The final conference between US President Franklin D Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in Placentia Bay, Argentia, Newfoundland, is held in the US heavy cruiser USS Augusta (CA-31). The two men have discussed the needs of the British for support, a joint strategy and the political character of the postwar world. At the end, The Atlantic Charter, which outlines goals in the war against Germany and emphasizes the principles of freedom, self-determination, peace and co-operation, is issued. After the last meeting, the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and her escort depart Newfoundland for England while USS Augusta, with USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) and 5 destroyers, sail from Blue Hill Bay, Maine, where the presidential yacht USS Potomac (AG-25) and her tender, USS Calypso (AG-35), are anchored. (Jack McKillop)

The maneuvers held at New River, North Carolina, since 3 August involving the 1st Marine Division and the Army's 1st Division, end. (Jack McKillop)

NORTH ATLANTIC: During the night of 11/12 August, the British Flower class corvette HMS Picotee (K 63) is sunk about 206 nautical miles (382 kilometers) southeast of Reykjavik, Iceland, (62.00N, 16.01W) after being hit by with one torpedo from U-568. The corvette was escorting slow convoy ON(S)-4 from the U.K. to North America. Picotee sinks  almost immediately and there are no survivors.   (Alex Gordon and Jack McKillop)

In the U.S., two motion pictures are released:
     1.     "Dive Bomber," a drama directed by Michael Curtiz, stars Errol Flynn, Fred MacMurray, Ralph Belamy, Alexis Smith, Regis Toomey and Craig Stevens; Alan Hale, Jr., George Meeker and Gig Young appear in uncredited roles. The plot involves Navy flight surgeons attempting to solve the problem of blackouts experienced by dive bomber pilots but of course, the real stars are the Navy aircraft in their pre-war markings. The film is nominated for one technical Academy Award.
     2.     "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," a horror drama based on Robert Louis Stevenson's novel "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," is directed by Victor Fleming and stars Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner, Donald Crisp and Barton MacLane; Hillary Brooke appears in an uncredited role. The plot involves the good Dr. Jekyll and his other half, the evil Mr. Hyde. The film is nominated for three technical Academy Awards. (Jack McKillop)

1942:     USS Wolverine, Unclassified Miscellaneous Vessel Number 64 (IX-64)  had been launched in 1912 by Detroit Shipbuilding as SS Seeandbee. She was converted and commissioned today. This aircraft carrier was used for training on the Great Lakes and was one of two paddlewheelers. (Jack McKillop)

Attacks continue on the convoy of Operation Pedestal.  Today 2 cruisers and destroyer and 2 merchants are sunk. One tanker and HMS Indomitable are damaged.
     Some additional detail on two of these losses:
Whilst escorting the Pedestal convoy, destroyer HMS Foresight is attacked by Ju.87 and Ju.88 bombers and Italian S.79 torpedo bombers. Foresight is disabled by a torpedo hit and taken in tow by Tartar towards Gibraltar. Later it is decided to scuttle Foresight by torpedo from Tartar rather than risk both destroyers being sunk. There were 4 casualties but 140 survivors. Location: 13 miles SW of Galita Island at 37 40N 10 00E. 
     Cruiser HMS Cairo is attacked by the Italian submarine Axum which fired four torpedoes. Axum claimed hits on a cruiser and a destroyer, but in fact he had hit cruiser HMS Nigeria which had to return to Gibraltar, another torpedo hit the tanker Ohio, and the other two hit HMS Cairo and blew off her stern: and made it necessary to scuttle her the next day, thus taking away the only two ships fitted for fighter direction.
     Axum's achievement of one cruiser sunk, another damaged, and a tanker damaged with a single salvo is unique in submarine history. Location: NE of Bizerta at 37 40N 10 06E. (Alex Gordon)

British PM Churchill arrives in Moscow to meet with Stalin.  The major reason for this trip is to inform Stalin there will be no 2nd Front in western Europe in 1942.

A PBY Catalina, piloted by Adm. McCain's aide, is the first aircraft to land at, the yet unfinished, Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. On a run from Guadalancal to Tulagi, 2 Higgins boats and tank lighter are attacked by a IJN I-boat.  After sinking one Higgins boat the submarine is bracketed by Battery E of the 11th Marines and submerges.

The US forces on Guadalcanal are placed on reduced rations of 2 meals per day.  This relatively large ration is possible due to the captured Japanese food stuffs.

After dark a patrol led by Col. Frank Goettge (G-2, 1st MarDiv) leaves the Marine Perimeter, by boat 3 miles east, for the mouth of the Matanikau River.  Stories from the 3 survivors tell of the glint of swords or bayonets as the patrol is slaughtered.  This incident will profoundly affect the US forces throughout the war in the Pacific.

Chuguyev in the Kharkov sector falls to the Soviets.  The advance on Poltava 
threatens to cut off the German units at Kharkov and further south.  Therefore the III Panzer Corps is brought north from Taganrog.  The use of Panzer forces as a mobile reserve is indicative of the weakness of the German Army on the Eastern Front.

In the Aleutian Islands, a US 11th Air Force B-24 Liberator flies photo reconnaissance over Amlia and Atka Islands. (Jack McKillop)

Supporting the Guadalcanal invasion, USAAF B-17 Flying Fortresses of the
Allied Air Forces bomb shipping at Rabaul, New Britain Island, scoring damaging hits on an oiler. (Jack McKillop)

The US light cruiser USS Cleveland (CL-55), operating in the Chesapeake Bay, demonstrated the effectiveness of the radio-proximity fuze against aircraft by destroying 3 radio-controlled drones with 4 proximity bursts fired from her 5-inch (127 mm) guns. This successful demonstration led to mass production of the fuze. (Jack McKillop)

ALGERIA: An Air France LoirŽ et Ovivier H 246-1 seaplane, msn 403, registered F-AREJ, is damaged by RAF Hurricanes and sinks on landing at Algiers; the 4 aboard the aircraft are killed. (Jack McKillop)

1943     The USN Task Unit 16.6.1 consisting of the heavy cruisers USS Indianapolis (CA-35) and USS Salt Lake City (CA-25), the light cruisers USS Detroit (CL-8), USS Raleigh (CL-7) and USS Richmond (CL-9), and 5 destroyers bombard Kiska Island between 0712 and 0733 hours local with 85 rounds of 8-inch (203.2 mm), 450 rounds of 6-inch (152.4 mm) and 1,072 rounds of 5-inch (127 mm) shells. Scouting aircraft are launched by the cruisers to spot the shellfire but damage is difficult to assess because of the excellent camouflage the departed Japanese had used. Later in the day, US Eleventh Air Force B-24s and B-25 Mitchells fly 26 bombing, strafing, and radar and photo reconnaissance sorties over Kiska Island targets from bases on Adak Island. From Amchitka Island P-40s, P-38 Lightnings, B-24s, B-25s, and A-24 Dauntlesses fly 70 bombing sorties over the island and are joined by B-24s, P-40s, and F-5A Lightnings flying 6 reconnaissance and photo sorties. Targets include the runway
, harbor and shipping installations, army barracks, and the Rose Hill area. (Jack McKillop)

The US Eighth Air Force in England dispatches both the VIII Air Support Command and VIII Bomber Command on missions.
     - The VIII Air Support Command sends 71 B-26B Marauders to the Nord Airfield at Poix, France on Missions 17 and 18; 34 hit the target at 1052 hours.
     - The Ruhr is targeted by 2 forces with the bombers concentrating on manufacturing installations and synthetic oil during VIII Bomber Command Mission 81. (1) 183 B-17s are dispatched to attack synthetic oil installations at Bochum, Gelsenkirchen and Recklinghausen; some B-17s become separated on the bomb run and bomb various targets of opportunity; 133 B-17s hit the targets at 0845-0925 hours; 23 B-17's are lost. (2) 147 B-17s are dispatched to manufacturing installations at Bonn; 110 hit the target at 0850-0858 hours; 2 B-17s are lost. (Jack McKillop)

In the Solomon Islands, the US Thirteenth Air Force dispatches 25 B-24s,
with 8 P-40s and 22 US Marine F4U Corsairs, to bomb Kahili Airfield on
Bougainville Island, causing considerable damage in the dispersal and
runway areas. The Allied airplanes claim 11 A6M "Zekes" shot down; 1 P-40
and 1 F4U are lost. During the night, a US Army detachment lands at
Barakoma on Vella Lavella Island. (Jack McKillop)

1944:     The US XV Corps liberates Alencon, France and advances towards Argentan to meet the German 116th Division. (John Nicholas)

The first PLUTO begins pumping fuel from the Isle of Wight to Cherbourg, France. P(ipe) L(ine) U(nder) T(he) O(cean). (John Nicholas)

The liberation of Florence, Italy is completed. (John Nicholas)

In the Kurile Islands, 4 B-24s and 2 F-7A Liberators of the US Eleventh Air Force over Paramushiru and Shimushu Islands, hit targets which include shipping in Higashi Banjo Strait and buildings and runway on Suribachi; enemy fighters give battle; the B-24s score 3 kills and 13 probables and damaged; 6 more B-25s fly an uneventful shipping sweep and take photos over Shimushiru Island. (Jack McKillop)

The shuttle-bombing mission flown by US Eighth Air Force from UK-USSR-Italy-UK is completed; of the 72 B-17s taking off from Fifteenth Air Force bases in Italy, 3 have various problems; the others bomb Francazal Airfield, Toulouse, France and then proceed to the UK; 62 P-51 Mustangs (part of the shuttle-mission force) and 43 from the UK provide escort; no aircraft are lost; 70 B-17s and 58 P-51s land in the UK; 5 B-17s and 6 P-51s, either left in Italy or returning there during this mission, subsequently return to the UK. The Eighth Air Force also flies two missions:
     - Mission 545: 577 bombers and 436 fighters, in 2 forces, are dispatched to make visual attacks on the Metz marshalling yard and airfield in central and eastern France; 3 bombers and 3 fighters are lost (number in parenthesis are the number of bombers attacking the target). (1) 276 B-24s are dispatched to hit airfields at Mourmelon (75), Laon/Athies (63), Laon/Couvron (61) and Juvincourt (52); 3 B-24s are lost. (2) 301 B-17s are dispatched to hit airfields at Chaumont (72), Buc (67), La Perthe (58) and Etampes/Mondesir (12);and 69 hit the Metz marshalling yard. The 2 forces above are escorted by 386 P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 3 P-51s are lost.
     - Mission 546: 6 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
     - 486 P-38s, P-47s and P-51s attack transportation targets in the Paris
and Brussels areas; they claim 18-0-0 aircraft; 1 P-38s, 5 P-47s and 7 P-51s are lost.
     - 220 P-47s and P-51s attack transportation targets in northeastern
France; 2 P-51s are lost. (Jack McKillop)

In France, US Ninth Air Force A-20 Havocs and B-26s attack the Oissel rail bridge, Corbeil-Essonnes refueling siding, and numerous points along highways in the Argentan area with the aim of bottling up enemy troops; fighters fly ground forces cover and armed reconnaissance over wide areas of western and northern France, also escort IX Bomber Command aircraft. (Jack McKillop)

In Italy, the US Fifteenth Air Force dispatches almost 550 fighter-escorted B-17s and B-24s to attack targets in France and Italy; the B-17s bomb gun positions in the Savona, Italy area; B-24s attack gun positions in the Genoa, Italy and the Marseille, Toulon, and Sete areas of France; 100+ P-51s strafe radar installations and other coast-watching facilities along the southern French coast; these strikes are preparatory to Operation DRAGOON, the invasion of southern France. (Jack McKillop)

US Seventh Air Force B-24s based on Saipan Island hit shipping, a seaplane base, and the airfield on Chichi Jima Island, Bonin Islands. (Jack McKillop)

BAY OF BISCAY: German submarine U-981 is sunk about 63 nautical miles (117 kilometers) northwest of Bordeaux, France (45.41N, 01.25W), by an air-laid mine in field "Cinnamon" and a British Halifax Mk. II, aircraft "F" of No. 502 Squadron based at RAF St. David's, Pembrokeshire, Wales; 40 of the 52 crewmen in the submarine survive.  (Jack McKillop)

INDIAN OCEAN: German submarine U-198 is sunk about 169 nautical miles (314 kilometers) west-northwest of the Seychelles Islands (3.35S, 52.49E) by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Findhorn (K 301) and the Indian sloop HMIS Godavari (U 52). All 66 crewmen in the U-boat are lost.   (Jack McKillop)

US President Franklin D Roosevelt concludes his inspection of naval facilities in the Pacific and departs Puget Sound, Washington for Washington, DC. (Jack McKillop)

The death of Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. (USNR). 
     Lt. Kennedy  was commissioned as a Naval Aviator in May, 1942. He flew Caribbean patrols until September, 1943 when he was transferred to England.  He and his crew finished their rotation in May, 1944. They stayed though July, 1944 as they felt "D-Day" was important. The balance of the crew was rotated to the US.
     Lt. Kennedy chose to stay in England because he had heard of a new and special assignment for which volunteers had been requested which would require another month of the most dangerous type of flying. 
     The Secret mission on which he lost his life was described by a fellow officer after it was declassified: Lt. Kennedy, regarded as an experienced Patrol Plane Commander, and a fellow-officer, an expert in radio control projects, was to take a "drone" Liberator bomber loaded with 21,170 pounds of high explosives into the air and to stay with it until two "mother" planes had achieved complete radio control over the "drone." They were then to bail out over England; the "drone," under the control of the "mother" planes, was to proceed on the mission which was to culminate in a crash-dive on the target, a V-2 rocket launching site in Normandy. The airplane ... was in flight with routine checking of the radio controls proceeding satisfactorily, when at 6:20 p.m. on August 12, 1944, two explosions blasted the "drone" resulting in the death of its two pilots. No final conclusions as to the cause of the explosions has ever been reached. 
     More information: http://www.jpkf.org/BIOG.HTML
(Tom Hickcox)

EIRE:      An RAF Sunderland crashes at Caskelard, County Donegal. (Jack McKillop)

1945:  On this quiet Sunday, junior Army officers meet with War Minister Anami at his house, attempting to enlist his assistance in their plans for a coup.

In the Kurile Islands, the USN light cruiser USS Concord (CL-10) and 3 destroyers bombard Suribachi Airfield on Paramushiru Island for 20 minutes beginning at 0046 hours local. The last shot fired by a USN vessel is fired by the USS Concord. Four US Eleventh Air Force B-24s make a combined visual and radar bomb run over Kataoka on Shimushu Island; 3 more bomb Suribachi Airfield on Paramushiru Island, hitting runways and buildings; 1 B-24 flies a radar-ferret mission; all of these missions are in support of the naval bombardment. USN PB4Y-2 Privateers of Patrol Bombing Squadron One Hundred Twenty (VPB-120) based on Attu attack Kurabu Airfield on Paramushiru Island. (Jack McKillop)

In Japan, US Far East Air Force B-25s and A-26 Invaders hit Chiran and Kanoya Airfields while other A-26s and A-20s and P-47s hit the towns of Kushikino, Akune, and Miyazaki; more B-25s and fighter-bombers hit shipping and communications targets on Kyushu, the northern Ryukyu Islands, and between Japan and Korea; the aircraft claim several small merchant ships sunk and damaged, and numerous bridges, railroads, factories, and other targets of opportunity hit. (Jack McKillop)

MEXICO: Douglas DC-2-243 (ex USAAF C-39, USAAF serial number 38-518), msn 2075, registered XA-DOT by the Mexican airline Cia Mexicana de Aviacion SA, crashes in poor weather near Ixtaccihuati. All four crew and 12 passengers are killed.  (Jack McKillop)