The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Robert J. Cressman
again comes to the Americas: Canadian destroyer HMCS Assiniboine stops German freighter Hannover in Mona Passage, off the coast of the Dominican Republic, at which point the merchantman’s crew sets fire to the ship and abandons her. Boarding party from British light cruiser HMS Dunedin, however, saves Hannover from destruction. Conflicting representations by British and German diplomats as to Hannover’s exact position prompt the Dominican government to drop the question of violation of territorial waters (see 24 May).18 The effort expended to capture Hannover, however, allows German freighters Mimi Horn and Seattle to escape the Caribbean and make a break for Germany.19
9 Saturday
U.S. freighter Exmoor is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities (see 11 March).
10 Sunday
U.S. freighters Explorer, Exchester, and West Cohas are detained at Gibraltar by British authorities; all are released, however, after only several hours.
11 Monday
U.S. freighter Exmoor, detained at Gibraltar by British authorities since 9 March, is released.
12 Tuesday
Russo-Finnish War ends. Finnish desire to win back territory lost to Soviet encroachment (city of Viborg and areas along Finland’s eastern borders) will push them closer toward the Axis.
13 Wednesday
Fleet Landing Exercise (FLEX) No. 6 concludes at Culebra, Puerto Rico. The Fleet Marine Force makes progress in developing techniques for rubber boat landings, getting heavy combat materiel ashore, and improving ship-to-shore supply.
16 Saturday
President of Panama transmits protest to King of England over British violation of Pan-American Neutrality Zone in the Wakama Incident that took place off the coast of Brazil on 12 February.
21 Thursday
Auxiliary Bear (AG 29) and Interior Department motorship North Star (U.S. Antarctic Service) depart Bay of Whales, Antarctica, for the United States. Staying behind are the men who will spend the long winter night at East and West Bases (see 5 June).
25 Monday
Heavy cruiser Augusta (CA 31) is damaged when she strikes an uncharted pinnacle in Coron Bay, P.I.
APRIL
2 Tuesday
U.S. Fleet departs West Coast for maneuvers in Hawaiian waters. Fleet Problem XXI is the last of the large prewar fleet exercises that mark the culmination of the training year. Conducted in two phases, Parts II and VI of the annual fleet exercises, it takes place in the waters of the Pacific in the vicinity of Hawaii to the westward. Part II exercises two fleets (the augmented Battle Force vs. the augmented Scouting Force) of approximately equal strength, one side concentrated and the other widely dispersed, in scouting, screening, and conducting major fleet engagements. Part VI exercises two fleets of approximately equal strength (the same opponents as in Part II), each dispersed, in scouting, screening, protecting convoys, seizing and defending advanced bases, and conducting major fleet engagements. The worsening world situation will prompt the cancellation of Fleet Problem XXII.
3 Wednesday
Destroyer Crosby (DD 164) accidentally sinks U.S. fishing boat Lone Eagle in collision in heavy seas off Point Arguello, California; Crosby rescues the seven-man crew.
4 Thursday
See photo and caption, top p. 21.
5 Friday
Operation WILFRED: British mining of Norwegian waters begins.
7 Sunday
Destroyer J. Fred Talbott (DD 247) departs Canal Zone to rendezvous at sea with Japanese steamship Arimasan Maru (see 13 April).
Destroyer Twiggs (DD 127), on neutrality patrol off the coast of Cuba, attempts to tow Norwegian freighter Spind off rocks six miles off Cape San Antonio, but is unsuccessful in two tries. Salvage tug Warbler, however, frees the merchantman from her predicament. Twiggs resumes her patrol.
8 Monday
Norway protests British minelaying operations off the Norwegian coast. Amid growing tensions in this region, U.S. freighter Charles R. McCormick arrives at Bergen, Norway, en route to her ultimate destination of Narvik. Freighter Flying Fish is also in Norwegian waters.
9 Tuesday
Operation WESERÜBUNG: Germany invades Denmark and Norway, claiming that they are only establishing a “protectorate.” Norway, however, declares that a state of war exists with Germany.
Joint Planning Committee of the Joint Board submits a new general estimate of the world situation in relation to American defense and preparations for war. This is part of the revision of existing plans, and for developing or completing new plans of the RAINBOW series. Formulators of the RAINBOW plans envision multiple, simultaneous enemies instead of individual enemies, each designated by a single color (ORANGE, for example, stands for Japan).
Submarine tender Bushnell (AS 2), operating as a survey ship under the auspices of the Hydrographic Office, arrives in Venezuelan waters to commence hydrographic surveys of the Cape San Roman to Bahia Vela de Coro region (see 15 June).
Destroyer Williams (DD 108) transports hydrographic survey party to Palmetto Island, British West Indies.
10 Wednesday
President Roosevelt, acting under the Neutrality Act of 1939, issues proclamation extending the combat zone to include the northwestern part of the USSR on a line to the southern point of Svalbard, a Norwegian possession, to the northwestern tip of the combat zone issued in the President’s proclamation of 4 November 1939.
11 Thursday
Rear Admiral Claude C. Bloch relieves Rear Admiral Orin G. Murfin as Commandant Fourteenth Naval District and Commandant Navy Yard Pearl Harbor, T.H.
Carrier Saratoga (CV 3) (right) launches a Douglas TBD-1 while heavy cruiser Portland (CA 33) steams in the carrier’s screen (left), during Fleet Problem XXI, 4 April 1940. Broad black vertical stripe (adorned with an “E” and a hash mark) on Saratoga’s stack distinguishes her from her nearly identical sister ship Lexington (CV 2). Portland carries Curtiss SOC floatplanes on her catapults and on her well-deck amidships. (NA, 80-CF-372-3)
12 Friday
Submarine rescue vessel Falcon (ASR 2) and U.S. freighter El Oceano are damaged when they collide in heavy fog in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, near Hen and Chickens Lightship.
13 Saturday
Destroyer J. Fred Talbott (DD 247) returns to Canal Zone after providing medical assistance to passenger on board Japanese steamship Arimasan Maru. The warship’s medical officer remains with his patient until the Japanese vessel reaches Balboa.
15 Monday
Naval Reserve affairs pertaining to the administration of naval districts are transferred to the Naval Reserve Policy Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, to prepare for expansion.
16 Tuesday
Captain Albert C. Read relieves Captain Aubrey W. Fitch as Commandant Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida.
Great Britain issues mobilization order for men who turn 27 years of age during the months of April and May 1940.
Iceland declares its independence and asks the United States to recognize it as such.
19 Friday
Japanese government informs the United States that Japan has no aggressive intentions toward the Netherlands East Indies.
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