WAINWRIGHT SAVES 3,500 ON BATAAN; BRITISH CARRIER LOST OFF CEYLON (4/11/42)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 4/11/42 | Charles Hurd, Dean Schedler, Clark Lee, John MacCormac, Raymond Daniell, Roy L. Curthoys, more

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
Battle of Bataan, 1942
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941 – American Carrier Operations, 7 December 1941-18 April 1942
Micronesia, Melanesia and New Guinea: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive-Japanese Fourth Fleet and South Seas Detachment Operations, December 1941-April 1942
Luzon, P.I., 1941: Centrifugal Offensive, 10 December 1941-6 May 1942-Fourteenth Army Operations on Luzon
Netherlands East Indies, 1941: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive, December 1941-April 1942, Sixteenth Army and Southern Force (Navy) Operations
Southern Asia, 1941: Japanese Centrifugal Offensive (and Continued Operations), January-May 1942
Eastern Europe, 1941: Soviet Winter Offensive – Operations, 6 December 1941-7 May 1942
North Africa, 1940: Rommel’s Second Offensive, 21 January-7 July 1942

[Homer_J_Simpson]

John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945

[Homer_J_Simpson]

This is Homer’s father’s first letter home since joining up. It was addressed to Homer’s grandfather, Durkee, Oregon. Return address: Co. D CASC 1930, Presidio of Monterey, California. The business about the parachute outfit may not come to pass.

I invite anyone who has personal or family mementos like this to post them on these threads. They are historical source documents of a sort and it also makes a nice tribute to family members who served. You can redact any personal or identifying details you wish.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

The index by author on Homer’s profile is now updated through April 17, 1942.

Navy Men on Isle (Hurd) – 2-3
War News Summarized – 3
Dazed, Weary Troops Reach Corregidor under Foe’s Fire (by Dean Schedler, first-time contributor) – 4
Bataan Fall Laid to First Air Blow (Lee) – 4-5
Big Warship Sunk by U.S. Submarine – 5
Marshall Seeking an Offensive Now (MacCormac) – 5-6
Japanese Invaders Taken Prisoner at Bataan by U.S. Forces (photos) * – 7-9
Japanese Dive-Bombers Destroy Carrier Hermes in Bay of Bengal (Daniell) – 10-11
Air Forces Mount in Australia Area (Curthoys) – 12
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on Fighting in Various Zones – 13-15
Air Power in the War-II (by Hanson W. Baldwin) – 15

* Under the circumstances this seems like a strange subject for a photo display.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/apr42/f11apr42.htm

Soviet amphibious assault in Crimea
Saturday, April 11, 1942 www.onwar.com

Soviet naval infantry coming ashoreOn the Eastern Front... In the Crimea, Soviet landings at Eupoatoriya are contained by the German 11th Army.

In Burma... The Japanese forces in the Irrawaddy Valley strike against the British forces first.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm

April 11th, 1942 (SATURDAY)

U.S.S.R.: Russian landings begin at Eupatoriya, Crimea, but are blocked by the German 11th Army.

The Russians attack the Finnish positions in Aunus (Olonets) north of Lake Ladoga. The offensive is aimed at the dividing line between the Finnish 11th and 17th divisions (which is also the border of the V and VI Corps), and hits a stretch of thinly manned wilderness. After some initial difficulties, the Finnish troops are able to encircle the attacking Russian spearheads, and the last Russian pockets surrender on the 20th April. After the battle, Finns count some 10 000 Russian dead on the battlefield, the Finnish losses are 440 men. (Mikko Härmeinen) (Note these figures are from Finnish sources, the actual numbers of Soviet dead may be somewhat lower.)

MALTA: Whilst in dry dock at Valetta, Malta, destroyer HMS Kingston is bombed in an air raid and damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties. (Alex Gordon)(108)

BURMA: Japan attacks British positions, pushing towards Migyaungye.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The submarine USS Trout (SS-202) torpedoes a Japanese fleet tanker west of Shionomisaki, Japan. (Jack McKillop)

[iowamark]

HMS Hermes, laid down January 15, 1918, was the world's first purpose built aircraft carrier.

Sinking off Ceylon April 9, 1942:

[abb]

About time to take a look at one of the forts in Manila Bay, Fort Drum - aka the “Concrete Battleship.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Drum_%28El_Fraile_Island%29
http://concretebattleship.org/index.htm

[RitaOK]

Thank you Mr. Simpson!

We need to see what courage looks like. God Bless America’s Greatest Generation, and the many of their still patriotic sons and daughters.

[texanyankee]

Thanks for sharing the letter - no doubt a treasure.

I need to go dig out some of my Dad’s letters - it may be a few days before I can post. I’ve read thru most of them a few years ago.

[BroJoeK]

---

April 11, 1942:

• "A German proclamation issued in Lvov, Ukraine, excoriates Polish civilians who assist Jews.

• Three thousand Jews from Zamosc, Poland, are deported to the Belzec death camp."

"This and the two images that follow are from the April 1942 trial of 27 members of the French Resistance.
The tribunal was composed of German military officers."

---

[CougarGA7]

Thanks for posting this. I always like reading letters from the common soldier.

[tcrlaf]

Hermes was lost with 300+ killed, plus the Destroyer Vampire, Flower Corvette Hollyhock, and two fleet tankers in the Japanese airstrikes.

Hermes had dropped off her aircraft on Ceylon, and was running back to land-based air cover when she was attacked by 82 dive-bombers. She never had a chance, and was sunk in 20 minutes.

[tcrlaf]

The Ceylon raids caught the British flat-footed. Even though they knew a raid was coming, they had no idea the Japanese were throwing half the carrier strength at them.

They lost 23 ships in just a few days, including the Hermes, a cruiser, and a whole bunch of loaded transports.

[JustAmy]

These letters are treasures. Thank you for sharing them with us.