Posted on 05/24/2012 4:40:25 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
The News of the Week in Review
Twenty News Questions – 11
German Drive and ‘Second Front’ Loom Larger (Baldwin) – 12-13
Japan Must Risk All to Try for a Knockout (by Nathaniel Peffer) – 13-14
New Guinea War Tests Our New Army (by Byron Darnton) – 15
Answers to Twenty News Questions – 16
From The New York Times Magazine – Guide to Our Mighty Army (by Anne Boone, first-time contributor) – 17-20
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/may42/f24may42.htm
Anti-partisan operation in Soviet Union
Sunday, May 24, 1942 www.onwar.com
In the Occupied Soviet Union... Before Moscow, the Germans launch a major anti-partisan offensive, Operation Hanover, to clear the Bryansk-Vyazma railway. For six days, 45,000 German and allied troops search for an estimated 20,000 partisans. Many partisans and civilians are captured and killed.
On the Eastern Front... In the Barvenkovo salient, General Kleist’s forces reduce the encircled Soviet 6th and 9th Armies. Moscow admits a loss of 5,000 dead, 70,000 missing, and 300 tanks destroyed. The Germans claim 24,000 POWs and 1,200 tanks. The Soviets began the offensive with only 845 tanks.
In India... General Stilwell arrives in Delhi after a 140 mile retreat through the Burma jungle. In a press interview he is quoted say: “I claim we got a hell of a beating. We got run out of Burma and it is as humiliating as hell. I think we ought to find out what caused it, go back and re-take it.”
In the United States... When the Royal Canadian Air Force’s 115th Fighter Squadron lands at Alaska’s Annette Island, a US Customs officer refuses to let the pilots out of their planes until they pay duty on their arms and equipment. It takes a message from Secretary of State Cordell Hull granting the Canadians Distinguished Foreign Visitor status to end this idiocy.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm
May 24th, 1942
UNITED KINGDOM: London: de Gaulle promises the Soviet foreign minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, that he will press Churchill to open a second front in Europe.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Near Cape Spartivento, submarine ORP Dzik fires a 4 torpedo salvo and damages Italian oil tanker Carnaro (8357 BRT). After the attack, two Italian corvettes dropped over 60 depth charges. (Dave Shirlaw)
PACIFIC OCEAN: Rear Admiral Kakuhi Kakuta, commanding the 2nd Carrier Division, the heavy carrier Junyo and the light carrier Ryujo, departs Japanese waters for the Aleutian Islands with his force. (56)(Jack McKillop)
NEW CALEDONIA: The Americal Division of the US Army is constituted. It is organised as a square division, from units assigned to Task Force 6814. Command Post is at Paita since yesterday. (Yves J. Bellanger)
NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES: A USAAF Catalina arrives on Timor at 5.15pm from Darwin bringing stores, equipment and mail to the Australian troops fighting in the hills. The plane takes off with seven wounded men, one of whom Private Hallow has had his jaw shot off over a month earlier. Also on board is a list of promotions. (William L. Howard)(188, 189, 190, 191)
NEW ZEALAND: The Japanese submarine HIJMS I-21 launches a Yokosuka E14Y1, Navy Type 0 Small Reconnaissance Seaplane, Allied Code Name “Glen,” to fly a reconnaissance mission over Auckland. (Jack McKillop)
CANADA: Corvette HMCS Quebec renamed HMCS Ville de Quebec and placed in commission. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.A.: The German submarine U-558 fires a torpedo at an unarmed U.S. freighter in the Caribbean but it fails to explode and the sub surfaces to sink the ship by gunfire. The crew abandons the freighter but a U.S. Navy PBY Catalina arrives and the sub submerges. The freighter sinks the following morning. (Jack McKillop)
Nimitz replies to King that he would keep the old battleships on the West Coast “until objectives for their striking power are more definite.” (John B. Lundstrom)(225)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 1640, the unescorted Hector was hit by a stern torpedo from U-103 and sank quickly 60 miles NW of Grand Cayman Island. The ship had been spotted by the U-boat at 1200 and chased for almost five hours. The cook and the radio officer died. The survivors were soon picked up by American tanker FQ Barstow and landed at Kingston on 26 May.
At 1315, U-502 torpedoed an armed ship devoid of neutrality markings. The Gonçalves Diaz was armed with one 120-mm gun and was identified as Brazilian only after the attack. (Dave Shirlaw)
Interesting to note that the term, “daisy cutter,” was in use during WWII.
When you look at the Lane Bryant catalog today, prices don't appear to have changed much. So where was the benefit in dismantling the entire American textile industry?
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