13 May 1939

UNITED KINGDOM: Today's race meeting at Market Rasen will be the last before peace in 1946.

GERMANY: Cuxhaven: The Hapag-Lloyd steamer St. Louis with 937 German Jews on board leaves bound for the Caribbean..

(Mark Horan)
HMS Glorious and HMS Furious remain at Greenock pending orders to head for Norway. HMS Sparrowhawk remains quiet. Meanwhile, HMS Ark Royal, in position 69.47N, 15.38E, continues to support Operation "OB". Weather having improved, the day begins at 0215 when two 800 Squadron Skuas led by Lt. K. V. V. Spurway, RN departed for Harjangsfjord and a peaceful patrol. At the same time, a single 810 Squadron Swordfish, with 2x250 lb and 8x20 lb bombs was dispatched on a armed reconnaissance flight for the Army, but was forced to return early due to fog.

At 0425, Lt. J. A. Rooper, RN led two more 800 Squadron Skuas to Bjerkvik to cover the fleet. They were able to perform their defensive patrol, Rooper set 6K:L3001 down at Sandsoy, both he and his observer, Petty Officer Airman W. Crawford, RN quickly reaching friendly forces. Skua 6M:L2938 set down South of Harstat at Tjeldoy, the crew, Petty Officer Airman R. E. Burston, RN (P) and Naval Airman first class G. W. Hallifax, RN eventually getting to HMS Brazen. At the same time another 810 Squadron Swordfish tried to carry out the armed recon flight requested earlier, but weather again cancelled the effort.

Meanwhile, a six plane bombing mission followed at 0430. Led by the OC of 820 Squadron, Lt-Cdr. G. B. Hodgkinson, RN, each Swordfish carried 4x250 lb bombs. They were to bomb the important railway tunnel at Sildvik. Surrounded by fog after takeoff, they climbed to 7,000 feet before breaking into the clear and continued onward. The two sub flights attacked separately, one hitting the target at both ends. Weather made the return flight difficult, and two aircraft, 4A Captain A. C. Newson, RM (P), Lieutenant-Commander Hodgkinson, RN (O), and Leading Airman R. H. McColl, RN (AG)) and 4G, (Lieutenant H. de G. Hunter, RN (P) and Leading Airman D. Smith, RN (AG)) were forced to put down in Norway, again the crews finding friendly forces ashore.

Flying was suspended after the departure of the striking force until the fog cleared at 0700. At 0710 another fighter patrol left (trio from 801 led by Lt. R. L. Strange, RN) to cover the fleet at Bjerkvik, but it was forced to return early due to fog. At the same time, two 810 Squadron Swordfish departed the ship: one for an armed reconnaissance over the high ground near HMS Aurora, the other to attack a surfaced U-Boat reported by the returned 820 Squadron. Both 2L:L2814 (Sub-Lieutenant(A) A. N. Dixon, RN (P), Midshipman(A) H. B. Dangerfield, RN (O), and Naval Airman first class V. Labross, RN (AG)) came down on a frozen lake near Reisen. Eventually the airframe was disassembled and shipped back to England. Meanwhile, 2K (Lieutenant H. E. Corbet-Milward, RN (P), Captain K. L. Ford, RM (O), and Leading Airman J. Black, RN (AG)) safely landed on the swampy Skaanland landing ground. This plane will be heard from again later. By 1200, weather had again shutdown flight operations, this time for the rest of the day.

U.S.A.: The Bell XFL-1 Airabonita naval fighter makes its maiden flight.

U.S.S.R.: An estimated 3,400 Jews are killed in Radun after the Germans sealed the ghetto there five days ago.

U.S.A.: German submarine U-506 attacks three U.S. merchant vessels off the coast of Louisiana sinking a tanker and a freighter; a second tanker is damaged. In the Atlantic, a U.S. freighter is sunk by U-69.

The motion picture "This Gun for Hire" is released in the U.S. Directed by Frank Tuttle, this picture, based on the Graham Greene novel "A Gun For Sale, " stars Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake and Robert Preston. Ladd is a hitman who is out to get a man who gave him "hot money" for a job but meets a girl (Lake) while on the run.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 0028, U-128 fired a salvo of four torpedoes at the convoy SL-109 about 300 miles NW of the Cape Verde Islands and observed one detonation after 3 minutes 25 seconds accompanied by a pillar of smoke and then another explosion. Heyse thought that he had sunk one ship and damaged another. In fact, only the Denpark was hit and sunk. The master, 15 crewmembers and five gunners were lost. 22 crewmembers and three gunners were picked up by the Danish merchantman Nordlys and British merchantman City of Windsor and landed at Clyde.

At 2205, the unescorted City of Melbourne was torpedoed by U-156 west of Barbados and broke in two. The forepart sank immediately and the afterpart was sunk by gunfire. One crewmember was lost. The master, 75 crewmembers and ten gunners landed at Barbados.

At 0358, the unescorted Koenjit was torpedoed by U-156 about 300 miles NNE of Barbados. One torpedo struck aft in the engine room and she began to sink over the stern. All crewmembers abandoned ship in two lifeboats, except the master and the first mate Folmer, who stayed aboard and searched for possible crewmembers still on board. They later had to jump overboard as the ship sank and swam to the boats. The U-boat surfaced and Hartenstein asked for the name, nationality and destination of the ship. The answers he got from the crew were so short and so vague that he was not able establish the identity. He then gave the position to the survivors and left after the ship disappeared under the surface. The motorboat Letitia Porter carried on deck went down with the Koenjit.

At 0234, the unescorted Esso Houston was hit by one torpedo from U-162 about 150 miles east of Barbados, just after lookouts spotted the U-boat crossing the bow of the tanker, which immediately put the wheel hard right. The torpedo struck on the port side instead of the starboard side, about 25 feet aft of the bridge at the #6 hatch and blew oil over the after part of the ship. The engines were stopped and the damage was examined. It was realized that the back was broken and the eight officers, 30 men and four armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in gun) abandoned ship in three lifeboats and one raft. 20 minutes later a second torpedo struck amidships, destroying the ship. U-162 surfaced near the lifeboats, questioned the crew, offered assistance and left. The U-boat returned to let the master know that one of the lifeboats was in sinking condition near the stern of the tanker. 18 survivors in one boat were picked up by the Norwegian motor tanker Havprins 40 hours later, were transferred to the Latvian SS Everagra the next day and landed at St Thomas, Virgin Islands on 18 May. 23 survivors on another boat made landfall five days after the attack on St Vincent Island. One armed guard died from injuries.

At 1230, the unescorted and unarmed Gulfpenn was steaming five miles ahead of the Gulfprince, when the other tanker was attacked by U-507. The Gulfpenn immediately left the scene on full speed and later steered zigzagging course in irregular patterns at 12.5 knots. At 2138 on the same day, U-506 fired one torpedo, which struck the Gulfpenn aft in the engine room on the starboard side, killing all men on watch below and immediately stopping the engines. 26 men from the eight officers and 30 crewmen abandoned ship in two lifeboats. One crewman later died of wounds. One officer and 11 crewmen died in the explosion or went down with the tanker; two of these died trying to retrieve personal papers. The ship made a half-circle and then plunged stern first within five minutes about 30 miles off the entrance to the Mississippi River. Three hours later, the survivors were picked up by the Hondurian Telde, which had been directed to them by a USCG aircraft and taken to Pilottown, Louisiana and thence to New Orleans. A lookout on the Gulfprince spotted the periscope one mile astern and the tanker proceeded on a zigzagging course at 10 knots. The first and second torpedo fired by U-507 at 12.38 and 13.39 hours were skilfully evaded, the first passing ahead and the second passing astern. But the third torpedo fired at 13.41 hours struck the tanker a glancing blow on the starboard side aft and abreast of the #8 main cargo tank. After glancing off, it jumped into the air about three feet and then submerged again. The collision sprung hull plates and four feet of oil leaked from the tank. The tanker continued under full steam on a zigzag course to escape. None of the eight officers and 34 crewmen on board was injured. She arrived New Orleans and went into dry dock for repairs after discharging her cargo and returned to service on 15 Jun 1942. The Gulfpince had been en route from Port Arthur, Texas to New York with a cargo of 71.000 bbls of crude oil.

At 0347, the unescorted and unarmed Norlantic was shelled by U-69 from a distance of 2000 meters after two first torpedoes at 0338 and 0339 hours missed the ship about 90 miles east of Bonaire. After the first hits, the crew of seven officers and 22 crewmen began to abandon ship in two lifeboats and two rafts. They had tried to signal the U-boat that they would abandon ship, but apparently this was not noticed. The ship sank three minutes after being hit on the port side at the boiler room by a coup de grâce at 0408. Two men on watch below went down with the ship and four were killed on deck by the gunfire, while one other men later died of wounds in a lifeboat. Late in the afternoon of 16 May, the lifeboats were sighted by the Netherlands trading schooners India and Mississippi, the latter took them in tow to the Island of Bonaire, where they landed on the morning of the next day. On 24 May, two survivors were picked up from a raft by the merchant Marpesia and landed at Port of Spain, Trinidad. The last three survivors were picked up from a raft by the tug Crusader Kingston on 19 June in 14°02N/83°13W; the raft had drifted about 1000 miles in the 37 days since the sinking.

At 0351, the Batna in Convoy ONS-92 was torpedoed and sunk by U-94 SE of Cape Farewell. One crewmember was lost. The master, 34 crewmembers and six gunners were picked up by British rescue ship Bury and landed at St John's 16 May.

SS Tolken sunk by U-94 at 51.50N, 33.35W in Convoy ONS-92.

UNITED KINGDOM: The USAAF's VIII Bomber Command in England flies Mission Number 55 against targets in FRANCE: 97 Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses are dispatched against the Avions Potez aircraft factory at Meaulte; 88 aircraft hit the target at 1628-1630 hours local.

In a second raid, 72 B-17s are dispatched against the Longuenesse and Ft. Rouge Airfields at St. Omer; 31 bomb Longuenesse at 1637-1638 hours; one B-17 is lost.

One of these B-17s was HELL'S ANGELS of the 303rd BG (H) which today completes it's tour of 25 missions. The first B-17 crew to complete a tour intact. (Skip Guidry)

ITALY: Sardinia: After two weeks of constant bombardment from the air, Italian defenders here have been joined by German troops as this island braces itself for an Allied invasion. Few Axis leaders now doubt that Sardinia will be the target, and coastal defences are being rebuilt and the airfields repaired after the Allied raids.

The intensive bombardment is an essential part of an Allied deception plan which involved a the corpse of a mythical "Major William Martin" of the Royal Marines washed up in Spain last month carrying allegedly secret documents, giving details of the landings from North Africa. Hitlers Abwehr was taken in by the apparent authenticity; hence the reinforcements. Field Marshal Kesselring, the German commander in Italy, is known to be dubious, however, and has kept strong mobile forces in Sicily and Southern Italy which he regards as the more logical area for attack. It was Mussolini who called for reinforcements for Sardinia.

Despite its huge technical ability and industrial capacity. Italy is desperately short of raw materials and cannot supply its army adequately. This was revealed today by Crown Prince Umberto in an Infantry Day statement. He did not mention the strikes which have paralysed the industrial centres of Milan and Turin.

However, opposition to the Fascist regime is becoming increasingly vocal. An illegal "freedom" radio, Milano-Liberta, has called for Sicilians to revolt. "Chase the Fascists away and open the gates of your island to the democratic powers and freedom!" it said.

In Rome, the extremist Fascist newspaper Regime Fascista has unwittingly revealed the level of discontent in the country. The editor, Roberto Farinacci, Mussolini's former second-in-command, has called for blackshirts to take to the streets and "terrorize people into obedience and to redouble their war effort."

U.S.S.R.: Volga Flotilla: GB "Vanya Communist" - mined close to Svetlii Yar, in Stalingrad area (Sergey Anisimov)(69)

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: U-616 was attacked by escorts in the Mediterranean with 64 depth charges. The boat suffered severe damage and had to return to base.

TUNISIA: Italian Field Marshall Messe surrenders the "1st Italo-German Panzer Army", the current designation of Rommel's "Panzer Army Afrika", after Rommel left Africa. The Allies will capture 250,000 POWs.

At 2.15pm today, the teleprinter chattered out a message for the British prime minister, who is in Washington. "Sir," said the Allied C-in-C, General Alexander, "it is my duty to report that the Tunisian campaign is over. All enemy resistance has ceased. We are the masters of the North African shores."
The German commander in North Africa, General von Arnim, surrendered yesterday, and the Italian General Messe, the Axis C-in-C, capitulated today. The end came quickly as Axis troops found themselves trapped between two Allied spearheads and began to give themselves up in their thousands. A small 11th Hussar squadron from Montgomery's Eighth Army found itself with 10,000 exhausted men of the once formidable Afrika Korps. Then the deluge began as General von Vaerst, commanding the 5th Panzer Army, signalled: "We will fight to the last." - only to watch his beaten troops raise their hands and march into captivity.

On a beach near Bizerta, another Hussar squadron found 9,000 disconsolate Germans awaiting rescue, some trying to build rafts. More Germans had escaped in commandeered small boats, only to be plucked out by the Royal Navy. Altogether, about 125,000 Germans are believed to be in the Allied "bag" - which including the Italians, could make as many as 250,000 prisoners.

For Hitler, who ordered a defence to "the last bullet", the implications are serious. The defeated Afrika Korps would have been invaluable in the defence of Europe.

For the British, American and French, bitter lessons have been learnt. American generals and their troops have seen German armour in action and learnt how to cope with skilled defensive fighting. The French have learnt to co-operate with the British, despite the sinking of their fleet. And the British, celebrating in the bars of Tunis, have learnt that it is a long way from Alamein.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Task Force 18 bombards Munda and Vila on New Georgia Island while minelayers sow a minefield across the northwestern approaches of Kula Gulf.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: US forces on Attu in the Aleutian Islands outnumber the Japanese 4:1 but are holding. Bad weather and the terrain work in favour of the Japanese.
As U.S. losses continue to mount, the American front-line positions remain essentially the same as they were on D-Day. At 1100 hours, the 3d Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, part of the Southern Landing Force, attempts to take Jarmin Pass; Japanese fire from fog-shrouded heights stop the attack and kill two company commanders and wound two others. The Japanese attack the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, part of the Northern Landing Force, which has occupied the crest of Hill X but their attacks are driven off.

The battleship USS Idaho (BB-42) and a destroyer silence enemy shore batteries on Attu permitting American artillery to move forward.

Bad weather keeps the air-ground liaison Consolidated B-24 Liberator from observing or hearing friendly ground forces on Attu and it returns to base. An air-ground support mission of six B-24s divert from Attu to Kiska; two of the bombers don't get the message, proceed to Attu, and bomb Chichagof Harbor and Holtz Bay; the other four bomb the Main Camp area on Kiska. Eight Curtiss P-40s dispatched to Kiska in two waves cannot see the target and instead bomb installations on Little Kiska Island.

The Japanese dispatch 19 land-based torpedo aircraft from Kiska to attack the U.S. naval forces at Attu but they must turn back because of poor weather.

U.S.A.: The motion picture "Bombardier" is released in the U.S. Directed by Richard Wallace, this propaganda war drama made for the home front stars Pat O'Brien, Randolph Scott, Anne Shirley, Eddie Albert, Robert Ryan and Barton MacLane. The film follows a group of USAAF bombardiers in training who go on to a battle in a ludicrous ending. It was nominated for Best Special Effects Academy Award.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The British have sunk three out of seven U-boats hunting convoy HX-237, which has lost three ships.

About 0930, U-176 attacked Convoy NC-18 and sank the Nickeliner and Mambi. The Mambi was hit by one torpedo and sank fast. Of 29 Cuban crewmembers and five American armed guards, only the master, nine crewmembers and one armed guard survived. A first torpedo in the port bow and a second hit the Nickeliner on the port side aft. The first explosion lifted the bow out of the water and threw water and flames about 100 feet into the air and the second released ammonia from the tanks. As the bow began to settle, the engines were secured and the eight officers, 15 crewmen, seven armed guards (the ship was armed with one 3in and two .30cal guns) and one passenger abandoned ship in two lifeboats 30 minutes after the hits. The tanker sank at 1015, while the survivors were picked up by a Cuban submarine chaser and landed at Nuevitas.

U-753 (Alfred Manhardt Von Mannstein CO) sunk at 48-37N 22-39W by HMCS Drumheller, HMS Lagan and RCAF 423 Sqn aircraft. A Sunderland from RCAF 423 Sqn sighted U-753 while flying in support of convoy HX-237. Making skilful use of cloud cover, F/Lt Musgrave approached to within a mile before being sighted by the U-boat, which opened a withering fire that drove off her attacker. The Sunderland orbited out of the U-boat's Anti-Aircraft range and called for support from the convoy escorts, only 10 miles away. As Lagan and Drumheller approached the U-boat dove, at which point the Sunderland made its attack. Two depth charges were seen to explode close to the 'swirl' and then the escorts made a series of follow-up attacks that produced oil and debris. Convoy HX-273 arrived in New York City on 17 May 43 with 45 ships. The convoy did lose 3 ships to U-boats, but theses were all 'stragglers' and no ships were lost from within the main body of the convoy.

UNITED KINGDOM: London: USAAF bombers continued their attacks on Germany's oil supplies yesterday with a massive raid by 621 Fortresses and 265 Liberators of the US 8th Air Force. They seriously damaged synthetic oil plants at Zwickau, Brux, Merseburg, Luna, Lutzkendorf and Bohlen.

An armada of American and British fighters accompanied the bombers and a tremendous air battle developed. The Americans lost 46 bombers and 12 fighters. It is known that 21 German pilots were killed and 26 wounded.

The German pilots fought skilfully, but "Tooey" Spaatz's plan to deprive them of fuel is evidently working, for fewer than 100 fighters came up to protect these most important targets. They failed, and "Ultra" intelligence reveals that there will be still less fuel for them after today's raids. The Luftwaffe will also find it increasingly difficult to replace the pilots lost.

The USAAF's Eighth Air Force in England flies Mission 355: 749 bombers and 737 fighters hit targets in Germany; 12 bombers and 5 fighters are lost; they claim 58-5-13 Luftwaffe aircraft:

1. 289 B-17s are dispatched to hit oil targets in western Poland but clouds force 215 to bomb Stettin and 57 to hit Stralsund; ten B-17s are lost.

2. 199 B-17s are dispatched to hit the marshalling yard at Osnabruck; 178 hit the primary and one bombs a target of opportunity; one B-17 is lost.

3. 261 B-24s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets at Tutow; 228 hit the primary and 12 hit targets of opportunity; one B-24 is lost.

Escort is provided by 153 P-38s, 238 P-47s and 346 P-51s; the P-47s claim 14-2-9 Luftwaffe aircraft, the P-51s claim 33-1-4; 1 P-38, 2 P-47s and 2 P-51s are lost.

An initial contract for 120 de Havilland Vampire, single-jet fighters, is placed with English Electric at Preston, Lancashire. (22)

ENGLISH CHANNEL: Admiral Dönitz loses his second son, Klaus, when the Free French destroyer La Combattante and the British frigate HMS STAYNING sink the E-boat S-147. It was his 24th birthday and he had hitched a ride with his friends on the fast boat during an attack on Selsey on the English coast. There were six survivors.

FRANCE: A Resistance attack halts production of Self-Propelled guns at the Lorraine-Dietrich Works at Bagneres de Bigorre.

In Clermont-Ferrand city (France), one of the leaders of "Resistance", Jacques Bingen is jailed by Gestapo agents. Bingen tries to escape without success. Finally he takes the decision to kill himself.

In the south of France, an important police operation against FTP (communist) "Resistance" leaders is organised by the German services.

GERMANY: One man was killed in an accident onboard U-183 working in a diving cell while preparing for its next patrol in the Far East. The boat left for the patrol from Penang on 17 May. [Obermaschinenmaat Erich Adelsheimer].

ITALY: Fierce fighting rages around Cassino.
Three major assaults have failed to dislodge the Germans from the Gustav Line at Cassino. But today, the biggest army yet - British Polish, American, Canadian and French Colonials - is advancing on a narrow front and pushing northwards against stiff German opposition.

Today the French Moroccan soldiers of General Juin's Corps Expeditionaire Français took Monte Faito - where the German 71st Division had obeyed orders to fight to the last man. On their right flank, the 8th Indian and 4th British Divisions launched assault boats into the fast-flowing Rapido river and established bridgeheads under fierce German fire. The Polish II Corps is attacking Monte Cassino from the east and north. The US II Corps is pushing forward along the coastal plain.

Intensive planning has gone into this crucial offensive - timed to coincide with the invasion of France. The 8th Army has been regrouped westwards under the cover of darkness and huge smokescreens. The Germans were fooled into moving two divisions in anticipation of a new seaborne landing north of Rome.

Two days ago, at 11pm, the silence of the Liri valley was broken by 1,600 heavy guns. At sunrise yesterday, the tanks began their attack, supported by 3,000 aircraft.

USAAF Fifteenth Air Force bombers continue interdiction in support of the ground forces. 670+ B-17s and B-24s, mostly with fighter escort, attack marshalling yards at Trento, Bronzola, Fidenza, Piacenza, Faenza, Imola, Cesena, Modena, Parma, San Rufillo, Borgo San Lorenzo, Castel Maggiore and Bologna and hit railroad bridges at Bolzano and Avisio; while fighters sweep the Bologna-Modena area.

Capt. Richard Wakeford (1921-72), Hampshire Regt, with his orderly, cut through the enemy and took 20 PoWs; next day he led an attack and, wounded, stormed the objective. (Victoria Cross)

Among the prisoners are Generals Dehmut and Kruger. Those who tried to escape from Cape Kherson by sea were harried from the air, and from the sea where MTBs and submarines sank 191 vessels, including 69 heavily-laden transports; over 8,000 men died in the evacuation. The Germans were also attacked by marine commandos who raided behind their lines. A tremendous amount of booty fell into Russian hands, including 111 tanks and self-propelled guns, 2,304 guns and 49 aircraft; much more was destroyed.

It was a complete disaster for the Germans, and the swiftness of their collapse reflects the deep divisions in the German high command after Hitler had ordered his troops to fight to the last man, against he advice of his generals.

CHINA: Chinese forces oust the Japanese from Suiping, regaining control of the Peking to Hankow railway.

U.S.A.: "Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet" sung by Ella Mae Morse from the movie "Broadway Rhythm" is released.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The Japanese submarine RO-501 is sunk by the destroyer escort USS Francis M. Robinson (DE-220) in the mid-Atlantic northwest of Cape Verde Islands, in position 18.08N, 33.13W. The submarine had been built in Germany as the Type IXC/40 U-boat, U-1224, and turned over to the Japanese on 15 February 1944. She was enroute to Japan when attacked and sunk.

NETHERLANDS: This morning, five days after the formal capitulation, a German military court delivered death sentences on two German naval deserters, Bruno Dorfer and Rainer Beck. The trial occurred in an abandoned Ford assembly plant on the outskirts of Amsterdam, a site used by the Canadian army for the concentration of German naval personnel. Later that same day, a German firing squad, supplied with captured German rifles and a three-ton truck from the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada and escorted by Canadian Captain Robert K. Swinton, executed the two German prisoners of war a short distance outside the enclosure. Dorfer and Beck were among the last victims of a military legal system distorted by the Nazi state. At the time no one, Canadian or German, questioned the justice of the event. (Russel Folsom, 253)

NORWAY: Oslo: The Royal Navy brings Crown Prince Olaf (Head of the Armed Forces) and some of the military back to Norway. (Alex Gordon)

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Heavy fighting on Mindanao. Del Monte Airfield falls to the US 40th Division.

JAPAN: Aircraft of Task Groups 58.1 and 58.2 attack airfields on Kyushu and Shikoku, in an attempt to stop the kamikaze attacks.

Twentieth Air Force Boeing B-29 Superfortresses begin Phase III of Operation STARVATION, the mining of Japanese waters. During the night of 13/14 May, 12 B-29s drop mines in Shimonoseki Strait, Japan.

Of Okinawa, the destroyer USS Bache (DD-470) and destroyer escort USS Bright (DE-747) are damaged by kamikazes. On USS Bache, the wing of the kamikaze struck near number two stack, catapulting the plane down on the main deck amidships, with its bomb exploding about seven feet (2.13 m) above the main deck; 41 of the crew were killed and 32 injured. All steam and electrical power were lost. Fires were brought under control within 20 minutes and she was towed to Kerama Retto, Okinawa, for temporary repairs.

On USS Bright, a low-flying Japanese fighter was sighted at 1919 hours and gunners opened fire scoring hits on his engine and port wing. The port wing fell off but the plane continued approaching at full speed and crashed immediately astern of the fantail. A 500-pound (227 kg) bomb exploded at the moment of crashing, causing immediate loss of steering with the rudder jammed hard left. The after-steering room was completely demolished, both port and starboard depth charge racks were damaged and inoperative, smoke screen generators blown off, the main deck aft buckled and pierced, and three compartments opened to the sea. Two men were wounded and for the following hour it was impossible to keep the ship from circling. Bright was towed to Kerama Retto, Ryukyu Islands, for emergency repairs.

1996: The death of John Ausland, Captain, US Army, 4th Division, writer and member of the WWII-L, in Oslo, Norway on Monday, May 13th of cancer. Some of his WWII letters home are on line at:

Born in LaCrosse, Wisconsin on July 14, 1920. John enlisted in the US Army shortly after Pearl Harbor and trained at Ft. Sill and then attended OCS. He attended Princeton after his discharge in 1945. Joining the US State Department heserved on the U.S. State Department's Berlin Task Force in 1961 when the Berlin Wall war built and then as an adviser to the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.

He retired from government service in 1974 and wrote six books on military and foreign affairs. His last book, KENNEDY, KHRUSHCHEV AND THE BERLIN-CUBA CRISIS 1961-1964 was published in early May, 1996.