RUSSIANS STILL GAIN AT KHARKOV, BUT ARE HARD PRESSED IN CRIMEA (5/16/42)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 5/16/42 | Ralph Parker, G.H. Archambault, Robert P. Post, Daniel De Luce, Byron Darnton

[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
Southwest Russia, 1942: German Summer Offensive, Operations, 7 May-23 July 1942
North Africa, 1940: Rommel’s Second Offensive, 21 January-7 July 1942

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Nazis Hurled Back (Parker) – 2-3
Line Stabilization is Seen in Russia (Archambault) – 4
27 Perish in Gulf – 5
Corregidor Wealth Got Out by Submarine, Navy Reveals – 6-7
War News Summarized – 6
British Remnants Elude Burma Trap (Post) – 7-8
Delay in Accepting Aid of Chinese Held Major Cause of Burma Debacle (by Daniel De Luce, first-time contributor) – 8
On the Burma Front; A Trio United Against Japanese (photo) – 9
New Guinea Raid Spectators Lie Packed in Hole in Ground (Darnton) – 10
U.S. Cruiser Sunk in Arctic, Nazis Say – 11
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on Fighting in Various Zones – 13-14

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/may42/f16may42.htm

Red Army attacking toward Kharkov
Saturday, May 16, 1942 www.onwar.com

Red Army soldiers supported by T-34s [photo at link]

On the Eastern Front... The Red Army continues its offensive towards Kharkov.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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

May 16th, 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: Rescue tug HMS Griper launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY:
U-967 laid down.

U-303, U-467, U-468 launched.

U-180 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)

BALTIC SEA: U-600 collided with U-512 off Danzig (Baltic Sea). U-600 was damaged in this accident. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.S.R.: Crimea: German forces have captured Kerch from the Russians.

AUSTRALIA: Minesweeper HMAS Bunbury launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

U.S.A.: German U-boats continue their attacks on U.S. merchant vessels in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. U-506 attacks three tankers off Louisiana; one is damaged but escapes to New Orleans, a second is torpedoed and shelled but does not sink; but the third is sunk. In the Caribbean, U-103 sinks the unarmed freighter SS Ruth Lykes. The U-boat crew rescues one sailor and transfers him to a lifeboat and the U-boat captain apologizes stating, “You can thank Mr. Roosevelt for this. I am sorry.” The captain then gives the survivors cigarettes and bandages before departing. (Jack McKillop)
Minesweeper USS Strive launched.

Minesweeper USS Caravan laid down. (Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Steam tankers Sun and William C. McTarnahan damaged by U-506 at 28N, 90W.

At 1900 on 14 May 1942, the Amapala sailed from New Orleans and anchored at Pilottown about 01.00 hours on 15 May. At 12.00 hours she left the anchorage and cleared Southwest Pass around 1330 hours. About 0005 on 16 May, U-507 was seen coming up fast on the starboard quarter, about four miles away. At the time the unescorted and unarmed Amapala was making 15 knots and was zigzagging. The master immediately ordered a change of the course to put the ship’s stern to the U-boat and send out an SOS and SSS four times in position 26°40N/88°17W. At 0012, U-507 began to attack the ship with shell and machine gun fire and soon hit the Amapala on the starboard side, destroying the lifeboat #3, wounding a fireman and throwing five men into the water. These men were picked up by the boat #4, which had been launched first, followed by two other boats. During this time, U-507 only fired with the AA guns and continued shelling the vessel after the crew had abandoned ship. About three hours after the attack an aircraft appeared, sighted the U-boat and dropped depth charges, but without damaging U-507. It remained in the area for an hour and then left. The wounded fireman was placed in a lifeboat, but died at 0400 and was buried at sea. In the morning a USCG aircraft spotted the lifeboats and directed the fishing schooner Gonzalez out of Mobile to the boats. Shortly after 1600, another USCG aircraft landed on the water and brought two injured men to the Pensacola Naval Hospital. The remaining survivors were picked up by the Gonzalez and were landed at Burrwood Naval Base at 1500 on 17 May. The Amapala was still afloat when the survivors were picked up but her whole after deck was awash. She was taken in tow by the USCGC Boutwell but foundered in 26°30N/89°12W at midnight.

At 0415, the unescorted Nicarao was hit by one torpedo from U-751 north of San Salvador, Bahamas. The torpedo was spotted by the master about 20 feet from the ship and struck on the starboard side just forward of the #2 hold. The explosion ruptured the deck plates, tore a hole into the side and broke the back, causing her to sink by the bow within three minutes. The eight officers, 27 crewmen and four armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in and two .30cal guns) tried to abandon ship in the two lifeboats, but both swamped and the survivors had to jump overboard and swim to three rafts, one officer and seven crewmen drowned. One of the boats was later righted and bailed out until the next morning. 31 survivors were picked up 21 hours later by the Esso Augusta and landed at Norfolk on 20 May. The master, Cecil Desmond, lost another ship to a U-boat when the William Eustis was torpedoed and sunk by U-435 17 Mar 1943 in Convoy HX-229.

Due to serious technical problems U-68 had to go to El Ferrol, Spain.

U-103 rendered medical aid to shipwrecked survivors of the sunken Ruth Lykes. (Dave Shirlaw)

[PzLdr]

“Step into my parlor, said the Panzer to the fly”.

[BroJoeK]

---

May 16, 1942:

"A poster advertises the anti-Bolshevik Nazi propaganda exhibit that was displayed in the Berlin Lust-garten.
The exhibit, entitled The Soviet Paradise, was designed to demonstrate the superiority of Nazism over communism.
The Nazi propaganda machine worked tirelessly throughout the war years to bolster the regime's military campaigns.
The exhibit was particularly repugnant to the Baum Group since most of its members belonged to Communist and other left-wing organizations."

---

[central_va]

The cruser sunk May 15th in the North Atlantic by JU-88’s attack aircraft was the HMS Trinidad and not the USS Pensacola as was mistakenly reported by the Nazi Propaganda Ministry. Amazing how poor ship recognition was back then.

[Leto]

For history buffs there is a very good series on the History of the german army in WW2. Below is part 1 of the 5 part series. I think this was a British production.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lNiOf0SYKg

A lot of the new information comes from newly released archives from British intel. They housed captured German Senior officers in a luxurious mansion in the country and bugged the conversation of the unsuspecting Generals.

This series was on the history channel (I must have missed it) and is on the German Russian campaign again very well done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKleq0AKKz8

Fascinating stuff,

[fso301]

Something tells me if this second battle for Kharkov goes badly for the Red Army, the Wehrmacht could be at Stalingrad and into the Caucases by August.

[PAR35]

Pensacola

Displacement: 9,100 long tons (9,200 t)
Length: 585 ft 8 in (178.51 m)
Beam: 65 ft 3 in (19.89 m)
Draft: 15 ft 2 in (4.62 m)
Installed power: 107,000 shp (80,000 kW)
Propulsion: 4 × geared Parsons steam turbines
8 × White-Forster boilers
4 × shafts
Speed: 32.7 kn (37.6 mph; 60.6 km/h)[1]
Range: 10,000 nmi (12,000 mi; 19,000 km) at 15 kn (17 mph; 28 km/h)
Capacity: 1,500 short tons (1,400 t) fuel oil
Complement: 1,200 officers and enlisted[2]
Sensors and
processing systems: CXAM RADAR from 1940[3]
Armament: 10 × 8 in (200 mm)/55 cal guns (2x3, 2x2)
4 × 5 in (130 mm)/25 cal anti-aircraft guns[4]
6 × 21 in (530 mm) torpedo tubes
Armor: Belt: 3 in (7.6 cm)
Deck: 1–2 in (2.5–5.1 cm)
Gunhouses: 1.5 in (3.8 cm)
Aircraft carried: 4 × floatplanes
Aviation facilities: 2 × catapults

Trinidad

Displacement: 8,000 tons
Length: 169.3 m (555.5 ft)
Beam: 18.9 m (62 ft)
Draught: 5.0 m (16.5 ft)
Propulsion:

Four oil fired 3-drum Admiralty-type boilers,
4-shaft geared turbines, 4 screws, 54.1 megawatts (72,500 shp)
Speed: 33 knots
Complement: 907
Armament: Twelve 6 inch guns (3 × 3),
eight 4 inch guns (4 × 2),
eight 40 mm Bofors AA (4 × 2) guns,
3 quadruple 2 pounder (”pom-pom”) AA mounts, 12 20 mm AA (6 × 2) guns.
Six 21 inch (2 × 3) torpedo tubes
Armour: Main belt: 83 mm,
deck: 51 mm,
turrets: 51 mm,
Director control tower: 102 mm.
Aircraft carried: Two Supermarine Walrus aircraft

(The 3x3 being obviously a typo - 4 turrets of 3 guns each.)

[central_va]

Even in the heat of the moment I don’t think these two ships look alike....