The Official Chronology of the U.S. Navy in World War II. Robert J. Cressman
Control Board composed of the Secretaries of State, Treasury, War, Navy, and Commerce.
President Roosevelt declares area around British Isles a combat zone.
5 Sunday
U.S. freighter Black Condor is detained by British authorities at Weymouth, England (see 17 November). Freighter Scanmail is detained by the British at Kirkwall, Orkneys; part of her cargo is seized (see 21 November). Steamship President Polk is detained by the British at Port Said, Egypt, and certain items of her cargo confiscated for inquiry; freighter Black Eagle, detained by the British since 26 October, is released.
U.S. freighter Hybert, detained by the British since 30 October, arrives at Rotterdam, Holland.
6 Monday
U.S. freighter Exeter is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities. She is released the same day after 700 bags of U.S. mail are removed from the ship (see 8 and 10 November). Freighter Exminster, detained at Gibraltar by the British since 1 November, is released without any confiscation of cargo.
7 Tuesday
Naval Attaché, Berlin, is informed by an official of the German Navy Ministry that it had been “definitely established that no German U-boat had torpedoed the Athenia.” The German Navy considers the incident “closed as far as the Navy was concerned” and possesses only “an academic interest in how the ship was sunk.”
8 Wednesday
U.S. freighter Exeter is detained by French authorities (see 10 November).
U.S. freighter Express is detained by British authorities at Gibraltar but is released the same day after her cargo is examined; freighter Wacosta, detained by the British since 24 October, is released after cargo billed for delivery to Rotterdam, Holland, is seized as contraband.
9 Thursday
U.S. freighter Tulsa, detained by British authorities at London since 23 October, is released.
10 Friday
U.S. freighter Exeter, detained by French authorities since 8 November, is released after 1,400 bales of cottonseed hulk consigned to a Swiss buyer are removed as contraband.
11 Saturday
U.S. freighter Nishmaha is detained by British authorities at Gibraltar (see 17 November); freighter Yaka is detained by the British and her cargo examined.
U.S. freighter Scanpenn, detained by the British at Kirkwall, Orkneys, since 30 October, is released.
12 Sunday
U.S. freighter Express, with cargo earmarked for Greece, Turkey, and Romania, is detained by British authorities at Malta (see 21 and 23 November).
13 Monday
British steamship Sirdhana, bound for Hong Kong, blunders into British minefield off Singapore; 10 U.S. citizens (a troupe of magicians) are among the survivors. There are no casualties.
U.S. freighter Black Hawk is detained by British authorities at Ramsgate, England.
15 Wednesday
Interior Department motorship North Star (U.S. Antarctic Service) departs Boston, Massachusetts, for the south polar regions (see 12 January 1940).
German armored ship Admiral Graf Spee stops and sinks British tanker Africa Shell 160 miles northeast of Lourenço Marques, 24°45′S, 35°00′E; Japanese freighter Tihuku Maru happens upon the scene of the action but is unmolested.
16 Thursday
U.S. freighter Lafcomo is detained by British authorities at Weymouth, England; freighter West Harshaw is detained by the British at Ramsgate.
German armored ship Admiral Graf Spee stops Dutch freighter Mapia in Indian Ocean but, since the latter is a neutral vessel, permits her to proceed.
17 Friday
U.S. freighter Black Gull is detained by British authorities.
U.S. freighter Nishmaha, detained at Gibraltar since 11 November, is given option of submitting to further detention or proceeding to Barcelona, Spain, and thence to Marseilles, France, to unload items seized by British authorities. Nishmaha’s master chooses the latter (see 23 November). On the same day the British allow Nishmaha to clear Gibraltar; however, they detain U.S. freighter Examiner and seize 11 bags of first-class mail (see 4 December). Freighter Black Condor, detained at Weymouth, England, since 5 November, is released after British authorities seize part of her cargo and 126 bags of mail.
20 Monday
U.S. freighter Excambion is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities (see 27 November).
21 Tuesday
“Navicert” system is instituted by the United States in an attempt to avoid incidents at sea. U.S. merchant ships are to obtain clearances for their cargoes (certificates of nonenemy origin for all items) prior to leaving port.
U.S. freighter Express, detained by British authorities at Malta since 12 November, is released and allowed to proceed on her voyage after declaring the nature of her cargo (see 23 November).
Freighter Scanmail, detained by British authorities at Kirkwall, Orkneys, is released and departs for the United States.
22 Wednesday
Auxiliary Bear (AG 29) departs Boston, Massachusetts, as part of the U.S. Antarctic Service. Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd, USN (Retired), is to investigate and survey the land and sea areas of Antarctica (see 14 January 1940).
U.S. freighter Exmouth is detained at Gibraltar by British authorities (see 5 December).
23 Thursday
U.S. freighter Express, released from her detention at Malta on 21 November by British authorities, continues on her voyage to Greece, Turkey, and Romania.
U.S. Consul at Gibraltar William E. Chapman declines to consent to execute agreement wherein the master of freighter Nishmaha (detained since 11 November) will agree to proceed via Barcelona, Spain, to Marseilles to unload cargo deemed contraband by the Gibraltar Contraband Control Board (see 24 November). Secretary of State Cordell Hull subsequently (27 November) approves Consul Chapman’s action. U.S. merchantmen that left the U.S. with cargoes prior to 4 November are not subject to the restrictions of the Neutrality Act.
24 Friday
U.S. freighter Nishmaha, her master having signed an agreement (see 23 November) under protest to proceed to Marseilles, France, via Barcelona, Spain, clears Gibraltar.
25 Saturday
Destroyer Yarnall (DD 143) drifts aground in Lynnhaven Roads, Virginia; refloated that same day, she enters the Norfolk (Virginia) Navy Yard for repairs on 26 November.11
26 Sunday
German armored ship Admiral Graf Spee and tanker Altmark rendezvous in South Atlantic (see 27 and 29 November).
27 Monday
U.S. freighter Effingham is detained at Ramsgate, England, by British authorities (see 7 December); freighter Azalea City is detained at London (see 11 December). Freighter Excambion, detained at Gibraltar by the British since 20 November, is released.
German armored ship Admiral Graf Spee refuels from tanker Altmark in South Atlantic (see 29 November).
28 Tuesday
USSR denounces its 1932 Non-Aggression Pact with Finland (see 30 November).
U.S. freighter Winston Salem is detained at Ramsgate, England, by British authorities (see 7 December).