WE REMEMBER AUGUST 16th

August 16

We Remember:

1939:     The British Deputy Chiefs of Staff report that 'it is perfectly clear that without early and effective Russian assistance, the Poles cannot hope to stand up to a German attack on land or in the air for more than a limited time'.  (Andy Etherington)

Ribbentrop cables von der Schulenberg, telling him that all Molotov's conditions can be met. Captain Dvnitz arrives at Kiel, the main U-boat base, and begins to implement plans for Fall Weiss, Case White, the projected attack on Poland. (Andy Etherington)

1940:     RAF Bomber Command attacks targets in Holland and Germany: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombs Zeiss works at Jena, Dornier aircraft factory at Augsburg and power station at Bohlen. (Andy Etherington)

British forces pull out of Tug Argan, Somaliland. (Andy Etherington)

The US is to "swap" 50 aging destroyers for 99-year, rent-free leases on British naval and air bases in the western hemisphere. The draft agreement was made public two days ago, and was re-affirmed by President Roosevelt in a press conference today stressing the advantages of the deal to the USA. The destroyers in question are obsolescent, but still serviceable, "four-stackers" dating from the Great War, which Churchill told Roosevelt are desperately needed to escort convoys under attack from U-boat "wolf-packs". The bases involved stretch all the way from Newfoundland by way of Bermuda to the Bahamas and across the Caribbean to British Guinea.
It is understood that the deal had its origins in a personal appeal from Churchill to Roosevelt on 15 May. On 1 August, however, the Century Group - which lobbies for US aid to Britain - came up with the idea of exchanging the ships for British bases. The President was concerned about potential reactions from the isolationists in Congress, many of them Republicans, Mr Churchill was reluctant to let the exchange seem too hard a bargain, and preferred it to be seen as "two friends in danger helping each other." Still the President persevered: hence today's press conference. One senator who supports the deal reminded his colleagues: "If you jump on the destroyer transfer you’re jumping on the acquisition of defence bases." Mr. Roosevelt has said he believes the swap will be the "most important action in national defence since the Louisiana Purchase." (Andy Etherington and Jack McKillop)

In Finland, the US Army transport American Legion departs Petsamo. Passengers include Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Martha of Norway and her 3 children; President Roosevelt has invited her to come to the U.S. American Legion is the last neutral ship to leave Petsamo. In addition to her passengers, she carries a crated twin-mount 40 mm Bofors gun "with standard sights, spare parts and 3,000 rounds of ammunition."     (Jack McKillop)

Britain: The first American to join the RAF is killed today. William M. Fiske, III will become the only American buried at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Flying with RAF 601 squadron based at Tangmere, he died in a belly landing after being shot up defending England during the Battle of Britain. The inscription reads: "An American citizen who died that England might live." (John Nicholas)

In the U.S., two motion pictures are released today:
  - "Foreign Correspondent" a thriller directed by Alfred Hitchcock, stars Joel McCrea, Larraine Day, Herbert Marshall, George Sanders, Albert Bassermann, Robert Benchley, Edmund Gwenn and Eduardo Ciannelli. Uncredited Alfred Hitchcock appears as a man walking down the street while Joan Leslie has an uncredited bit part. The plot has a young reporter for a U.S. newspaper (McCrea) working in London on the eve of World War II where he encounters enemy agents and enlists the aid of a woman (Day) to help him. The film is nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor (Bassermann).
  - "Stranger on the Third Floor," a film-noir drama directed by Boris Ingster, stars Peter Lorre and Elisha Cook, Jr. Cook is convicted of murder based on circumstantial evidence and on the testimony of a up-and-coming reporter. The reporter and his girlfriend have second thoughts and begin to investigate the case to determine his guilt. (Jack McKillop)

1941:     The presidential yacht USS Potomac (AG-25) with US President Franklin D Roosevelt aboard, arrives at Rockland, Maine. Roosevelt and his party disembark and board a train for Washington. Thus ends Roosevelt's trip to Newfoundland to meet with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.   (Jack McKillop)

The US heavy cruisers USS Northampton (CA-26) and USS Salt Lake City (CA-25) arrive at Rabaul on New Britain Island for a good-will visit.  (Jack McKillop)

U.S.: The Japanese Ambassador in Washington (Nomura) sends the following message to the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo: "As I have successively reported to you, Japanese-American relations have today reached a stage in which anything might happen at any moment, and they are likely to grow worse suddenly as soon as Japan makes her next move. That this sudden change will take place with Japan's occupation of Thailand is a view upon which both Japanese and Americans agree."  (Jack McKillop)

U.S.S.R.: The German LVI.Panzerkorps (von Manstein) of 4.Panzergruppe (Hoepner) takes Novgorod on the road to Leningrad. German and Rumanian forces of Heeresgruppe SŸd (von Rundstedt) capture Nikolaev, an important Soviet naval base on the Black Sea.  (Jack McKillop)

1942:     Japanese reinforcements are landed near Buna.  They will supplement the Japanese offensive towards Port Morsby through Kokoda over the Owen Stanley Mountains. 

In the Aleutians, a US 11th Air Force B-24 Liberator aborts a photo reconnaissance flight over Adak Island because of mechanical failure. The IJA 32nd Independent Field Anti-aircraft Battery arrives on Attu Island.  (Jack McKillop)

The unmanned USN non-rigid airship L-8, assigned to Airship Patrol Squadron Thirty Two (ZP-32) based at NAS Moffett Field, California, is involved in a bizarre incident that has never been completely solved to this day. The L-8 left Treasure Island, California at 0600 hours local on a routine patrol off the coast of San Francisco with a crew of 2, Lieutenant (jg) Cody and Ensign Adams. At 0738 hours, the crew radioed that they were 4 miles (6.4 km) east of the Farallon Islands and were investigating an oil slick. Approximately 2 hours later the airship crashed in Daly City, California. The engines were not running even though there was adequate fuel; the radio equipment was operative but there was no one on board. No trace was ever found of either man and there was no indication of what happened to them. The airship had apparently drifted with the wind toward land, exceeded her pressure height and deflated, settling to earth on power lines at Dale City. The door was locked op
en with the safety bar down and the only items missing from the blimp were two life-preservers. The L-8 was salvaged and completely repaired.  (Jack McKillop)

U.S.: The 35,000-ton South Dakota Class battleship USS Alabama (BB-60) is commissioned at the U.S. Navy Yard in Norfolk, Virginia. Alabama is the last of four battleships to be completed this year; the others are South Dakota (BB-57), Indiana (BB-58) and Massachusetts (BB-59).  (Jack McKillop)

U.S.S.R.: British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and U.S. envoy Averell Harriman leave Moscow after a five-day conference with Soviet Premier Josef Stalin. Despite recent retreats, Stalin says, the Soviet Union will not be defeated. He asks the British and Americans to send all the trucks they can to increase the Red Army's mobility.  (Jack McKillop)

1943:     The British make an amphibious flanking movement on the east coast of Sicily.  They miss the retreating Germans.  US forward units reach the edge of Messina.

The US 5th Air Force begins seven days of attacks today.  The Japanese airfields around Wewak are on the targets.  

In the Aleutian Islands, a US Eleventh Air Force B-24 reconnaissance flight reconnoiters North Head, Main Camp, and northern Kiska Island, and observes friendly forces' unopposed advance into Main Camp.  (Jack McKillop)

In England, the US Eighth Air Force's VIII Air Support Command VIII Bomber
Command fly missions.
     The  VIII Air Support Command flies Missions 21, 22A and 22B against
airfields in France without loss. (1) 31 B-26B Marauders bomb Bernay St
Martin Airfield at 1117 hours. (2) 29 B-26Bs attack Beaumont Le Roger
Airfield at 1700 hours and 3 hit Conches Airfield at 1703 hours. (3) A
third B-26 group flies a diversion.
     The VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 83 against Luftwaffe facilities in France. (1) 171 B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb Le Bourget air depot in the Paris area at 0929-0937 hours; they claim 29-3-11 Luftwaffe aircraft; 4 B-17's are lost; this mission is escorted all the way to the target by P-47 Thunderbolts using drop tanks. (2) 66 B-17s attack Poix and Abbeville Airfields at 0911-0923 hours without loss.  (Jack McKillop)

In Italy, 86 US Ninth Air Force B-24s bomb the city area and 100+ P-40's hit shipping at Messina and in the Straits of Messina, as the enemy continues the withdrawal of rear guard troop to mainland Italy. Before midnight, US patrols enter Messina, which is under fire from the Italian coast. (Jack McKillop)

In the Solomon Islands, 9 US Thirteenth Air Force B-24s bomb Papatura Fa Island while 12 B-25 Mitchells, 5 B-17s, and 30+ USMC aircraft attack Vila Airfield on Kolombangara Island. On New Georgia Island, Munda airfield is bombarded by IJN artillery on Baanga Island.  (Jack McKillop)

Oil tanks at Balikpapan, Borneo are hit by 2 US Fifth Air Force B-24s.  (Jack McKillop)

In the Mediterranean, the armed U.S. freighter SS Benjamin Contee is hit by an aerial torpedo 16 miles (25.7 km) north of Bone, Algeria. The ship is carrying 1,800 Italian POWS, 26 British guards and 7 US Army security men. The explosion kills 264 POWS and injures another 142. The ship is in no danger of sinking. (Jack McKillop)

U.S.S.R.: The Soviet Army begins an offensive against the Mius line toward Stalino.  (Jack McKillop)

1944:     The Russian attacks reach Osow, 7 miles NE of Warsaw where they are pushed back by a German counterattack.

Canadian troops from II Corps enter Falaise.  Polish units of the British I Corps advance west over the River Dives.  The US XX Corps liberates Chartres, France.

The French II Corps lands and passes forward through the US lines in the South of France.

In India, the last IJA troops retreat to Burma. (Jack McKillop)

The US Eighth Air Force in England flies 2 missions.
     Mission 556: 1,090 bombers and 692 fighters, in 4 forces, are dispatched to make visual attacks on oil refineries and aircraft plants in central Germany; 23 bombers and 3 fighters are lost (number in parenthesis indicate number of bombers attacking). (1) B-17s hit Delitzsch air depot (102), the aviation industry at Schkeuditz (92) and Halle (60) and the oil industry at Bohlen (88); other targets are Naumburg (15), Halberstadt Airfield (13) and targets of opportunity (9); they claim 6-4-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 10 B-17s are lost; escort is provided by 246 P-47s and P-51 Mustang; they claim 15-1-6 Luftwaffe. (2) B-17s are dispatched to hit the oil industry at Rositz (105) and Zeitz (101); 3 others hit targets of opportunity; 6 B-17s are lost; escort is provided by 166 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 5-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; 2 P-47s are lost. (3) B-24s are dispatched to Halberstadt Airfield (51); 10 others hit Quedlinburg Airfield and 1 hits a targets of opportunity; escort is pr
ovided by 42 of 46 P-38 Lightnings. (4) B-24s are dispatched to hit the aviation industry at Dessau (99), Kothen (71) and Magdeburg/Neustadt (67) and the oil industry at Magdeburg/Rothensee; 2 others hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-24s are lost; escort is provided by 156 P-47s and P-51s; they claim 12-0-0 aircraft; 1 P-51 is lost.
     Mission 557: 8 of 8 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.    (Jack McKillop)

In France, the US Ninth Air Force dispatches about 130 B-26s and A-20 Havocs, with fighter escort, to hit a Foret de Roumare ammunition dump and rail bridges at Pont-Audemer, Thibouville, Brionne, Nassandres, and Le Bourg; fighters give air cover to an armored division and infantry forces, and fly patrol and armed reconnaissance over northern and western France.    (Jack McKillop)

The US Fifteenth Air Force in Italy bombs targets in Germany and France.
     In Germany, 89 B-24s, with fighter escort, bomb a chemical works at
Friedrichshafen.
     In France, 108 B-17s, supporting Operation DRAGOON, attack railroad bridges at Saint-Vallier, Saint-Pierre-d'Albigny, Grenoble, and Isere-Valence. (Jack McKillop)

In support of the landings in Southern France (Operation DRAGOON):
     US Twelfth Air Force fighters and fighter-bombers continue to blast
enemy defenses and communications on the beaches and in the invasion area
of southern France; A-20s hit lights and vehicles during the night of 15/16
August from north of the beachhead to the Rhone River and during the day
raid ammunition stores; medium bombers pound Rhone River bridges and gun
positions throughout the general area.
     42 US Fifteenth Air Force P-51s escort MATAF C-47 Skytrains on a supply dropping mission to the beachheads.

US Seventh Air Force B-24s from Saipan Island hit Chichi Jima Island and Pagan Island in the Bonin Islands while Marshall Island-based B-24s bomb Truk Atoll.   (Jack McKillop)

FRANCE: Adolf Hitler orders the withdrawal of all German forces in southern France.  (Jack McKillop)

U.S.S.R.: Soviet Premier Josef Stalin announces the Soviets will give no help to the "reckless" Warsaw uprising by the anti-Communist Polish Home Army.  (Jack McKillop)

1945:    The  Japanese Cabinet under PM Suzuki resigned after the Emperor's radio broadcast yesterday.  They resign because they were unable to make a decision without consulting the Emperor.  They also realize their job is done and a new cabinet will assist their country in making the transition to peace.  In their last final act the open up military warehouses of food and other supplies for the civilian population.

Prince Higashikuni, with Prince Konoye as advisor, is appointed as Prime Minister and asked to form a new cabinet.

In the Aleutians, US aircraft are ordered not to approach closer than 50 miles (80.5 km) near Japanese or Soviet-held territory.    (Jack McKillop)

While 100 miles (161 km) east of Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands, the US destroyer USS Healy (DD-672) establishes sonar contact with an underwater
object and carriers out a depth charge attack.  (Jack McKillop)

In Manchuria, Soviet forces free Lieutenant General Jonathan Wainwright, USA, from a POW camp. Wainwright had been captured on Corregidor Island in Manila Bay on 6 May 1942 and spent the next three and a half years as a POW in Luzon, Formosa, and Manchuria. The years of captivity took its toll on the general. The man who had been nicknamed "Skinny" was now emaciated, his hair had turned white, and his skin was cracked and fragile. He was also depressed, believing he would be blamed for the loss of the Philippines to the Japanese. When Wainwright arrived in Yokohama, Japan, to attend the formal surrender ceremony, General of the Army MacArthur, his former commander, was stunned at his appearance-literally unable to eat and sleep for a day. Wainwright was given a hero's welcome upon returning to the U.S. (Jack McKillop)