12 Days to BARBAROSSA.
Operation EXPORTER, the British Commonwealth invasion of Syria and Lebanon, continues. Progress slows today, 10 June 1941.
Following its contested crossing of the Litani River, the Australian 21st Brigade advanced north past Tyre toward Sidon. However, the French stop it during the afternoon. In the center of the front, the 25th Brigade advances toward Merdjayoun. The Vichy French, though, are readying powerful forces to defend Merdjayoun and gathering forces at other points along the front as well.
Free French 1st Infantry Brigade and 2nd Infantry Brigade attack Kissoue south of Damascus. They capture several villages.
The French military orders the French 7 Squadron, 1st Fighter Group to “drive off small units of the British Navy.” The Royal Navy effectively has been parking offshore and aiding the advance onshore. The fighters fail in this task because they quickly find out that the entire British 15th Cruiser Squadron is in action and fighters have no chance of making a dent in this force. The French 6 Squadron, 3rd Fighter Group (Capitaine Jacobi) is shot down by British anti-aircraft guns.
The RAF, for its part, forms No. 127 Squadron at Habbaniyah, Iraq. It begins operations with four Hawker Hurricanes and four Gloster Gladiators.
This afternoon the air crews of French 7 Squadron, 1st Fighter Group received orders to “drive off small units of the British Navy” that were firing uninterruptedly at the French-held coast; but it turned out that these “small units” were the whole of the British 15th Cruiser Squadron, and the French swiftly halted their operations.
The British troops of 3rd battalion of 15th Punjab Regiment captured Assab in Ethiopia from Italian garrison by surprise. Operation CHRONOMETER begins. British troops of the 3rd battalion of 15th Punjab Regiment based in Aden land at Assab, the last Italian port on the Red Sea. They are carried there by a transport escorted by light cruiser HMS Dido (which bombards the port from 05:05-05:12), armed boarding vessel Chakdina, and Indian sloops Clive and Indus. The troops land at 05:19 and achieve complete surprise. They capture five batteries of coastal guns manned by the Italian Navy. The port is captured by 06:00, with 547 Italians and 35 Germans going into captivity.
The capture of Assab is of huge importance because it enables the US Government to retract the designation of the Red Sea as a combat zone. Thus, once Assab is captured, U.S. freighters no longer will have to unload their cargoes for transfer to British ships at Cape Town, but instead can sail uninterrupted up to Suez. This provides a huge efficiency advantage.
In Massawa, the dockyard sappers are already preparing for the arrival of US-registered ships in the Red Sea. This is the prize for the Allied victory in Eritrea. Last year, when Italy declared war, the US Congress declared the Red Sea a combat zone. Neutral US ships must stay out. For 11 months supplies were unloaded at the Cape, reloaded onto British ships and brought to Egypt. Now with the entire East African coast in Allied hands, and Italy’s naval squadron at the bottom of the Red Sea, Congress will reverse its position, and US ships may sail to Suez.
The encircled Tobruk garrison is beset with artillery fire and air raids. There are several casualties. One of the main difficulties for the Australian defenders, though, is flies — there are hordes of them in the cookhouse. Many of the Luftwaffe bombs turn out to be duds, so there are many unexploded bombs scattered about the port. Discipline is lagging in certain quarters due to the extended encirclement, with men falling asleep while on guard duty and the like. The siege of Tobruk is a war of nerves along with one laced with bullets and bombs.
An Axis convoy of six vessels departs from Naples bound for the forces encircling Tobruk.
Prime Minister Winston Churchill appears before the House of Commons to defend the government’s handling of the failed defense of Crete. He has testy exchanges with former Secretary of State for War Leslie Hore-Belisha, a frequent adversary, who notes correctly that, “For the first time in history an island has been captured by an airborne attack.” Churchill lamely claims that the German capture of Crete was a good learning experience and diverts the focus to British triumphs instead:
“I have not heard that Herr Hitler had to attend the Reichstag and say why he sent the Bismarck on her disastrous cruise. I have not heard that Signor Mussolini has made a statement about losing the greater part of his African Empire.”
Comparing himself to Hitler and Mussolini is a remarkable moment for Churchill, who does not see anything wrong with that — and something that a minority of Great Britain’s people would see as entirely appropriate for very unflattering reasons. Churchill expresses irritation that the House is interfering with his conduct of the war, suggesting that the government — meaning him — should decide when the House debates war issues. There is little question that this is a low point of the war for Churchill. He fiercely defended the government, but insisted that as Parliament’s “lifelong servant” he will do as it says.
King George VI visits the Lines Bros. Ltd. factory at Merton, South London. He inspects the munitions production being undertaken by the Lines Bros, which is a toy manufacturer.
British steamship Royal Scot hit an acoustic mine and sank in the Humber estuary on the eastern coast of England, United Kingdom. Patrol vessel HMS Pintail arrived to assist, but also struck a mine, sinking immediately; 55 were killed aboard Pintail, 22 survived.
Lord Simon met with Rudolf Heß for 2.5 hours, during which Hess asked Lord Simon to work with the British government to negotiate peace with Germany.
Premier Mussolini told his people today that the United States is at war with the axis in fact if not legally, but that “American intervention” will not prevent a Nazi-Fascist victory. In effect, Il Duce defied the United States to declare war formally. On the first anniversary of Italy’s entry into the war, Mussolini said in a speech to the Grand Council of Fascism that the United States was already in a de facto state of war with the Axis, but that “America’s attitude does not bother us excessively … American intervention would merely lengthen the war and would not save England..”
Vice-Premier Admiral Jean Darlan tonight warned the nation that France must cleave to Germany or perish. By emphatic repetition, Darlan indicated he believed eventual German victory was assured and that France must wholeheartedly play the role of “loyal” collaborator in order to merit a favorable peace settlement and a secure place in a Nazi-dominated new Europe. The vice-premier, in a speech broadcast to the nation, appealed for unreserved support in his collaboration policy and declared the government had three essential tasks: “One, to ease the present situation of the French people; “Two, to prepare for peace insofar as the vanquished can; “Three, to prepare for France’s future in a new Europe.” Darlan warned of those who were “trying to darken the nation’s understanding.” Darlan said that “de Gaullist and Communist propaganda” both had “the same goal — to create disorder in the country, to increase the misery of the population, to prevent the rebirth of the nation … Frenchmen, beware and help the government in its heavy, very heavy task. This task of the government is triple: to ameliorate the French people’s situation, to prepare for peace in that measure a conquered nation can, and to prepare France’s future in a new Europe..”
The German authorities expel most of the foreign diplomatic staff from Paris.
Continuing his round of diplomatic audiences in preparation for Operation BARBAROSSA, Adolf Hitler hosts Romanian strongman General Ion Antonescu at the Fuhrer’s Building in Munich. Also attending are Foreign Minister Joachim Ribbentrop and Field Marshal Wilhelm Keitel. They have a reception afterward. Hitler spends several hours talking with Antonescu — and Hitler indeed usually does all the talking at such meetings — and it is likely that he briefs Antonescu on preparations for Operation BARBAROSSA.
The Finnish military begins mobilizing for Operation BARBAROSSA. This will be known in Finland as the “Continuation War.” As the Finns do not know about Operation BARBAROSSA, at least officially, the military call-up is for “maneuvers.” The troops are ordered to deploy according to wartime plans even though there is no war — yet.
Aerial units of the German Luftwaffe begin to form up in preparation for Operation BARBAROSSA.
The Luftwaffe bombs Pembroke with 35 bombers during the night.
RAF Bomber Command, Day of 10 June 1941
8 Blenheims bombed shipping off Stavanger. 2 Stirlings to Emden turned back but one claimed to have shot down an Me 109. No losses.
RAF Bomber Command, Night of 10/11 June 1941
Brest
104 aircraft — 39 Hampdens, 38 Wellingtons, 27 Whitleys — to bomb the 3 German warships now at Brest. Many bombs fell in the dock area but there were no hits on the ships. No aircraft lost.
RAF forms a new 127 Squadron at Habbaniyah, Iraq, equipped with four Hurricanes and four Gladiators.
U-108, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Klaus Scholtz, sank Norwegian steamer Christian Krohg (1992grt) from convoy OB.328 in 45N, 36-30W. The Christian Krohg (Master Ingvart Hagen) had been sailing in convoy OB.329, which was dispersed in 51.48N/20.48W on 5 June 1941 and she proceeded alone. On 9 June, she was missed by U-108 with one torpedo, but U-108 sank her the next day. All 23 on board died: 17 Norwegian, three British, one Swedish, one Estonian and one Canadian. The 1,992-ton Christian Krohg was carrying ballast and was headed for Canada.
U-204, commanded by Kapitänleutnant Walter Kell, sank Belgian steamer Mercier (7886grt) in 48-30N, 41-30W. At 0248 hours on 10 June 1941 the unescorted Mercier (Master Maurice Lambé), dispersed from convoy OB.330 on 7 June, was hit by one of two torpedoes from U-204 when steaming on a non-evasive course at 12 knots about 450 miles east of St. John’s, Newfoundland. The officer on watch sighted the U-boat breaking surface about 500 yards off the port beam shortly before the attack and course was immediately altered to starboard under full helm, but it proved to be too late and the track of one torpedo was seen before it struck on the port side in #2 hold, while the second was apparently a dud. The explosion tore open the deck from the rail to the hatch combing and threw the hatch covers and a large amount of water into the air. The ship took a list to starboard which gradually increased when the engines were stopped after going full astern to slow her down, making a 180° turn in the progress. The crew of 57 men, five gunners (the ship was armed with one 4in and four machine guns) and six passengers (one Canadian and five Poles) prepared to abandon ship after distress signals were sent, but no reply received. At 0257 hours, U-204 fired one G7e torpedo as coup de grâce which struck on the starboard side squarely in the middle of #3 hold. A violent explosion shuddered the Mercier, put the radio out of action and the list to starboard increased rapidly because the back of the ship was broken and the bow and stern began to raise. The survivors left as quickly as possible in two lifeboats, but rough sea and heavy swell made it difficult and many men fell overboard during the launch of the starboard aft boat. The port aft boat was launched when the ship was already sinking and those who remained aboard were told to jump into the water. The whistle of the ship was faintly heard several times before her boilers exploded and the Mercier sank about 20 minutes after being hit by the second torpedo. Her stern raised vertically and then sank rapidly as last part, the scene being illuminated by two Holmes lights which had been ignited to facilitate abandoning ship. The master and six crew members were lost and six men were injured. The U-boat waited for the ship to sink and then left the area without questioning the survivors. The lifeboat in charge of the chief officer searched the sinking position during the night and rescued the wireless operator and another survivor clinging to wreckage, but seriously damaged their boat when they rowed through the large field of debris that included an empty raft and a white wreck buoy. The boats heard each other during the night but then lost contact. At daylight the chief officer spotted smoke in a south westerly direction and fired three rockets but to no avail. Shortly thereafter an object was sighted to the northeast that soon disappeared and was thought to have been the conning tower of the U-boat. In the afternoon, the boat set sail and steered west-southwest in a light breeze until the wind died down the next day, forcing them to proceed under oars until a breeze sprang up around noon on 12 June. However, the boat had to ride to the sea anchor when the weather worsened the following night and rain began to fall. The survivors also had to build an improvised sea anchor after theirs was lost during the afternoon on 13 June and then continued to sail towards Cape Race the following morning. The next evening a flare was fired after an aircraft engine was heard but they were not spotted. In the early morning of 15 June, the 35 occupants of this boat were picked up by the Finnish steam merchant Hammarland (Master E. Nordstrom) after firing a series of parachute flares to attract her attention in 48°03N/44°02W and were landed at Norfolk on 26 June. All survivors suffered much from exposure. The other lifeboat was in charge of the second officer and its 26 occupants, including four passengers, were picked up by the Finnish steam merchant Kemi in 43°35N/47°50W on 17 June. Because four of the men were very ill and the ship was bound for Finland, the survivors were later transferred to the British steam tanker Imperoyal and landed at Halifax. The 7,886-ton Mercier was carrying ballast, mail, and training aircraft as deck cargo and was headed for Montreal, Canada.
U-552, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Erich Topp, sank British steamer Ainderby (4860grt) in 55-30N, 12-10W. At 1055 hours on 10 June 1941 the unescorted Ainderby (Master George Robert Cobb) was torpedoed and sunk by U-552 130 miles west by north of Bloody Foreland. Eleven crew members and one gunner were lost. The master, 27 crew members and one gunner were picked up by HMS Veteran (D 72) (Cdr W.T. Couchman, OBE, RN) and landed at Greenock. The 4,860-ton Ainderby was carrying iron ore and was headed for Tyne, England.
9 Hampdens minelaying in Quiberon Bay. None lost.
Minelayers HMS Agamemnon and HMS Menestheus and destroyers HMS Brighton, HMS St Marys, HMS Impulsive, and HMS Anthony departed Loch Alsh on the 9th. Light cruiser HMS Nigeria departed Scapa Flow on the 9th and joined at sea for escort duties. The minelayers laid minefield SN.64 on the 10th in the Faroes North Rona minefield. The minelayers and destroyers Brighton and St Marys arrived at Loch Alsh on the 11th. Destroyers Impulsive and Anthony parted company with the minelaying force off Cape Wrath arrived at Scapa Flow at 1030/11th. Light cruiser Nigeria arrived at Skaalefjord on the 11th to refuel before proceeding on patrol.
Light cruisers HMS Edinburgh and HMS Nigeria departed the Denmark Strait patrol to refuel at Hvalfjord.
Light cruiser HMS Arethusa departed the Iceland Faroes patrol and arrived at Scapa Flow.
Polish destroyer ORP Krakowiak departed Scapa Flow at 0700 for Scapa Flow to work up. The destroyer arrived at 2000/11th.
Anti-aircraft ship HMS Alynbank departed Scapa Flow at 2315 to join convoy WN.38 in Pentland Firth and escort it southeastward. During the afternoon of 11 June, the ship transferred to convoy EC.31 south of Buchan Ness. Off Duncansby Head on the 12th, the ship shifted to convoy WN.39 and escorted it to Methil where they arrived at 1200/13th.
Patrol sloop HMS Pintail (Lt J.L.E. McClintock) was sunk on a mine off the Humber, escorting convoy FN.477. McClintock, Lt J. Brunton RNR, T/Sub Lt W.A. Johnson RNR, Gunner J.E. Lucie, Commissioned Engineer S.W. Paris, and forty eight ratings were lost. Twenty two survivors were picked up by destroyer HMS Quantock and another ship.
British steamer Royal Scot (1444grt) was sunk on a mine five cables 70° from 62 Buoy, Humber River entrance. Ten crewmen and one gunner were lost on the steamer.
British steamer Clearpool (5404grt) was damaged by German bombing off 18B Buoy, Scarborough. Two crewmen were lost on the steamer. The steamer arrived at Tees on the 11th.She was repaired at Hartlepool.
Force B of light cruisers HMS Phoebe and HMS Ajax, anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Coventry, and destroyers HMS Kandahar, HMS Kimberley, HMS Jackal, HMS Ilex, HMS Isis, HMS Hotspur, and HMS Hero. Destroyers HMAS Stuart, HMS Jaguar, HMS Griffin, and HMS Defender acted as a separate anti-submarine force.
Submarine HMS Torbay unsuccessfully attacked a six ship convoy, including steamers Utilitas, Albaro, and Giusepina Ghiradi, in the Dardanelles. In a second attack, the submarine struck steamer Utilitas with a torpedo which did not explode, but imbedded in the hull. In a third attack, submarine Torbay sank Italian steamer Giuseppina Ghirardi (3319grt), which was straggling, fifteen miles off Cape Helles.
British steamer Durenda (7241grt) was damaged by German bombing approaching Port Said. British steamer Raby Castle (4996grt) in company was not damaged. The steamers were not escorted. Steamer Durenda received temporary repairs at Port Said and permanent repairs at Bombay.
British operation CHRONOMETER was carried out. Indian troops were landed at Assab from a transport covered by light cruiser HMS Dido, armed boarding vessel HMS Chakdina, and Indian sloops HMIS Clive and HMIS Indus. Light cruiser Dido carried out a bombardment prior to the landing. On the 11th, light cruiser Dido and sloops Clive and Indus departed for Aden.
Anti-submarine trawlers HMS St Melante and HMS Runswick Bay departed Gibraltar for Bathurst, escorting salvage tug Valkyrie, which was en route to the Eastern Mediterranean.
Convoy OB.333 departed Liverpool, escorted by destroyer HMS Walker and corvettes HMS Gentian, HMS Wallflower, and HMS Zinnia. Destroyers HMS Avon Vale, HMS Eridge, and HMS Farndale joined on the 11th and were detached on the 13th. Destroyer Walker and corvette Wallflower were detached on the 14th. The convoy was dispersed on the 21st.
Convoy HX.132 departed Halifax, escorted by battleship HMS Revenge, destroyer HMCS Annapolis, and auxiliary patrol vessel HMCS Reindeer. The destroyer and the patrol vessel were detached later that day. Convoy BHX.132 departed Bermuda on the 8th escorted by ocean escort armed merchant cruiser HMS Maloja. The convoy rendezvoused with convoy HX.132 on the 13th and the armed merchant cruiser was detached. Destroyers HMCS Niagara and HMCS Saguenay joined on the 14th. Corvette HMCS Cobalt joined on the 15th. On the 16th, destroyers HMS Columbia, HMS Ramsey, HMCS Restigouche, and HMS Richmond and corvette HMS Candytuft joined the convoy. Destroyers Columbia and Restigouche were detached on the 18th.Battleship Revenge was detached on the 20th. Destroyers Richmond and Saguenay and corvette Cobalt was detached on the 23rd. On the 23rd, destroyers HMS Broke and HMS Saladin, corvettes HMS Abelia, HMS Anemone, and HMS Veronica, minesweeper HMS Hussar, and anti-submarine trawlers HMS St Elstan, HMS St Kenan, and HMS St Zeno joined. Corvette Candytuft was detached on the 24th. The remainder of the escort arrived with the convoy arrived at Liverpool on the 28th.
Convoy SC.34 departed Sidney CB, escorted by armed merchant cruiser HMS Ranpura and auxiliary patrol boats HMCS Raccoon and HMCS Reindeer. The patrol vessels were detached in the harbor approaches on the 11th. Destroyer HMCS Restigouche joined on the 15th and was detached on the 18th. Destroyers HMS Columbia, HMS Niagara, HMS Ramsey, HMS Richmond, and HMCS Saguenay and corvettes HMS Candytuft and HMCS Cobalt joined on the 16th. Destroyers Ramsey and Richmond were detached on the 22nd. The rest of the original escort, less destroyer Niagara, but including the armed merchant cruiser was detached on the 23rd. On the 23rd destroyer Broke joined the escort. On the 24th, destroyers HMS Lincoln, HMS Sabre, HMS Shikari, and HMS Venomous, corvettes HMS Alisma and HMS Sunflower, minesweepers HMS Gossamer, HMS Hazard, and HMS Hebe, and catapult ship HMS Pegasus joined. Destroyers Lincoln and Niagara and corvette Alisma were detached on the 27th. Destroyers Broke, Sabre, Shikari, and Venomous and the minesweepers were detached. The convoy arrived in the Clyde on the 29th.
In Washington, President Roosevelt conferred today on the strike situation with Attorney General Jackson; Secretary Stimson and Sidney Hillman; met with leaders from Capitol Hill, lunched with Bernard M. Baruch, and held his usual press conference.
The Senate approved an amendment to the Selective Service Act authorizing deferment of men over 27, considered amendments to authorize property seizure and recessed at 4:50 PM, until noon tomorrow. The Post offices and Post Roads Committee favorably reported the bill for strategic and defense access highways; the Interstate Commerce Committee heard Mutual Broadcasting System officials approve the Federal Communications Commission monopoly report. The Defense Investigating Committee heard OPM officials testify on production of machine tools.
The House considered the relief appropriation bill and adjourned at 5:52 PM until noon tomorrow. The Military Affairs Committee heard Albert P. Patterson, Assistant Secretary of War, approve bills for seizure of strike-bound factories; a Dies subcommittee heard testimony on communism in Cleveland labor unions; the Ways and Means Committee agreed to retain present personal exemptions in the new tax bill; the Naval Affairs Committee continued hearings of progress of air defense.
U.S. Secretary of State Hull reassured Portugal as to its islands in the Atlantic. The United States cautioned Portugal today against allowing any use of its strategic islands in the Atlantic by Nazi forces which “now threaten the peace and safety” of the western hemisphere. Secretary of State Hull assured the Portuguese government in formal note that the United States has “no aggressive intentions against the Cape Verde islands or the Azores, or the territory of any other country. But he emphasized that the American government views “with increasing anxiety the constantly expanding acts of aggression on the part of a certain belligerent power which now threatens the peace and safety of countries of this hemisphere.”
The 5,000-ton ship Robin Moor, flying the American flag, went down in American waters, it was emphasized today at the White House, where President Roosevelt made known his desire to have Americans suspend judgment as to the cause of the sinking May 21 until the full facts, being sought as rapidly as possible by this government, had been obtained.
William “Wild Bill” Donovan, a Roosevelt crony, submits a proposal for a new intelligence agency based on his contacts with British Intelligence (MI6) during his recent trip to Europe. The United States at this time has no formal spy agency, and Donovan proposes one. This will lead to his being appointed Coordinator of Information on 11 July. This results eventually in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), which becomes the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) after the war.
President Roosevelt would be authorized to defer compulsory military service for men 28 years of age or older under legislation which won tentative senate approval today. Final action on the measure awaited disposition of amendments to permit the government to take over strike-bound defense plants. A committee recommendation for the deferment authority was accepted on a voice vote and with little debate.
The House started a sharp debate today on the Relief Appropriations Bill, which proposes to cut the Work Projects Administration budget from $1,350,650,000 to $875,000,000 for the fiscal year 1942. Though President Roosevelt recommended the cut, which would reduce the number of workers on WPA from 1,700,000 to 941,315, a large faction in his own party opposed the measure on the ground that, while many defense industries were providing jobs, non-defense industries were reducing their staffs because of the inability to get such strategic raw materials as steel and aluminum. At present, this faction argued, some 2,874,000 persons had been certified as eligible to receive WPA funds, while the present appropriation would take care of only 941,315, or 17 percent of the 5,500,000 persons who are expected to be out of work during the 1942 fiscal year.
The five-day strike at the North American Aviation factory at Inglewood ended when U.A.W. strikers agreed yesterday at an open-air meeting to return to work under military orders. A few hours later, army officers said 3,304 night shift workers had filtered into the plant. Each man was subjected to close examination and the process was slow. The influx began after Lieut.-Col. Charles E. Branshaw, military boss at the plant, refused to grant a mass meeting request that the strikers be permitted to march back to the factory in a body.
An agreement was reached yesterday for settlement of a strike at five aluminum plants. The defense mediation board in Washington announced an agreement to give workers at the Cleveland plants of the Aluminum Co. of America a general wage increase of one cent an hour, with a bonus for night work, and to raise the minimum wage from 72 to 73 cents an hour.
As Washington, officials grapple with new defense strikes — just a fortnight after President Roosevelt’s declaration of a national emergency — a nation-wide survey of American voters shows those with opinions 4 to 1 (76%) in favor of the extreme step of forbidding defense strikes altogether.
With a view to symbolizing popular support for President Roosevelt’s handling of the North American Aviation Company strike, and in order to give him a ready statute to use in like cases in the future, Administration leaders in Congress began pressure today for a law specifically empowering the government to take possession of strike-bound defense plants.
Anticipating “very grave danger of shortage” of coal next winter, the government urged householders throughout the country tonight to buy winter coal now. At the same time Secretary Ickes removed the qualification “probably” from forecasts of an oil shortage and said definitely that easterners “will have to get along with less gasoline for their cars and probably less oil to heat their homes.” No indication was given, however, as to when restrictions would be imposed.
The trial in New York of Charles (The Bug) Workman for the murder of Arthur (Dutch Schultz) Flegenheimer, came to an abrupt and dramatic end this aftrnoon when the defendant changed his plea from not guilty to no defense and was sentenced immediately by Common Pleas Judge Daniel J. Brennan to life imprisonment in State prison.
The U.S. Army Air Corps forms the 3d Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron.
My father turns 12 this day in 1941 in Brownsville, Texas.
Major League Baseball:
It almost happened again yesterday at Ebbets Field. The Dodgers had a 4-0 lead, lost three-quarters of it when Arky Vaughan homered in the eighth and a Ladies’ Day crowd of 16,550 fidgeted nervously. The Brooks, beaten three straight by late-inning rallies, found themselves in an uncomfortable position, a habit they had cultivated in the previous three days. But this time it was different. Fat Freddy Fitzsimmons retired three men in a row in the ninth and pitched the Dodgers to a 4–3 triumph over Frankie Frisch’s Pirates. Fitz, who will be 40 years old next month, went all the way, fashioning a neat six-hitter. Except for Vaughan’s round-tripper, which followed successive singles by Frank Gustine and Jeep Handley, the roly poly veteran was rarely in trouble.
Frank McCormick’s three two-baggers enabled the Reds to gain the National League’s third rung today when they came from behind to defeat the Braves, 4–3. It was the world champions’ fifth straight victory and the ninth in their last 11 starts. McCormick’s long-range clouting accounted for all of the Reds’ scoring. He drove in Lonnie Frey with the first Cincinnati run in the opening frame, scored the second tally himself in the sixth on Bob Mattick’s single, and in the seventh his final double came after Frey and Jimmy Ripple beat out infield hits. Johnny Vander Meer went the distance for the Reds and had eight strikeouts while keeping the Braves’ nine hits fairly well scattered. Manuel Salvo, who had won but one of his previous eight starts, allowed all of the Reds’ eight hits before he was relieved by Frank Lamanna in the ninth.
In Chicago, Frankie Crosetti hits a 6th inning grand slam to pace the Yankees to an 8–3 victory. Chicago scores 3 in the 9th off rookie Steve Peek but he picks up the win. New York Yankee Joe DiMaggio gets a close call from the official scorer which extends his hitting streak to 25 games. In the seventh inning, he hits a sharp liner directly at Chicago White Sox’ third baseman, Dario Lodigiani. Lodigiani is “handcuffed” by the sharply hit ball and cannot make a play. This call could go either way, but the scorer marks it down as a hit. Since the game is played in Chicago’s Comiskey Park, it definitely is not an instance of “homefield scoring” in favor of DiMaggio.
Bob Feller still is in the midst of one of his “hot” streaks. The Senators discovered that today as Rapid Robert held them to four hits for a 4–1 triumph, his thirteenth of the season for league-leading Cleveland. It was the Indians’ fifth victory in a row, and the eighth straight for the 22-year-old fireballer. Feller has been beaten only twice this season and it quickly became apparent that Washington wasn’t going to spoil his victory string. He struck out six and never was in danger.
The Tigers came from behind with two runs in the ninth inning today to defeat the Athletics, 4–3, for the sixth successive time this season. Al Benton, who went to the aid of Tommy Bridges in the eighth inning, was credited with the victory, his fifth in a relief role this year. The tying tally was scored when Pinch-Hitter Barney McCosky doubled, Pat Mullin singled and took second on the throw to the plate and Charley Gehringer singled Mullin home with the deciding run. The defeat was charged to Tom Ferrick, Connie Mack’s third pitcher.
At the Polo Grounds, Hank Lieber hits a first inning grand slam off Bill McGee, recently acquired from the Cardinals, and the Cubs roll to an 11–0 shutout. Vern Olson applies the shutout for the Cubs, holding the Giants to seven singles. McGee lost his sixth straight game as he lasted seven innings this time, and in that stretch yielded ten hits and six walks.
Cardinal starter Lon Warneke yields a single to Phillies lead off hitter Emmett Mueller, then gives up no more safeties as he wins, 3–0. Warneke permitted only three other Phillies to reach first, all on walks, and retired the last eighteen men in order. It was the third one-hit game at Shibe Park in a week. Last Tuesday Tommy Hughes blanked the Cubs with one hit for the Phils. Johnny Vander Meer of Cincinnati turned the trick against the Phillies Friday night.
The scheduled game between the Boston Red Sox and the Browns at St. Louis was postponed due to rain. The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on August 19.
Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Brooklyn Dodgers 4
Cincinnati Reds 4, Boston Braves 3
New York Yankees 8, Chicago White Sox 3
Washington Senators 1, Cleveland Indians 4
Philadelphia Athletics 3, Detroit Tigers 4
Chicago Cubs 11, New York Giants 0
St. Louis Cardinals 3, Philadelphia Phillies 0
Desperate for sources of raw materials, Japanese leadership was infuriated when the United States won the contract to purchase all the Tungsten mined in Bolivia over the next three years. Rejecting a Japanese offer, Bolivia agrees to sell its tungsten to the USA for the next three years. Tungsten is important in machine tools and anti-tank shells. Axis war production is short of tungsten carbide throughout the war, Germany’s main source in China ended in July 1937 when the Japanese invaded. All of this relates to an important but little-remembered war over economic resources during World War II.
Japanese and Soviet negotiators, concluding secret talks taking place in China, reach an agreement on Manchurian/Russian border delineation. Japanese diplomats at Hsinking, Manchukuo also send reports to Tokyo and the embassy in Moscow concerning 27 Soviet armored trains carrying 800 trucks they notice en route between Chita and Manchuli. The Japanese interpret this as possible warlike intentions by the Soviets.
Increasing tension between Chungking and Communist forces resulted in a serious clash south of Yenan, the Communists’ capital in Shensi Province, according to an announcement by the Japanese military spokesman here today. The spokesman declared Chungking troops killed ten Communists, following a dispute, which led to a further clash involving large forces on both sides, in which the Communists suffered 700 casualties. He said the fighting possibly would lead to further and more serious engagements. When questioned regarding possible recognition of Wang Chingwei’s Nanking regime by Japan’s partners, Germany and Italy, the spokesman refused to give an official answer. He said he personally expected recognition but would not guess a date.
Withdrawal of the Japanese trade mission from Batavia and therewith the rupture of Japanese-Netherlands Indies negotiations appeared imminent this morning. This was the consensus following detailed consideration of the Netherlands Indies reply to Japan’s final note by both Foreign Office deparmental chiefs under Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka and by a joint conference of the Foreign Office and War and Navy Ministries.
New Zealand Division light cruiser HMS Achilles departed Wellington with convoy AP 41. This convoy, as convoy VK.12, was escorted to Wellington by Australian heavy cruiser HMAS Australia. The light cruiser escorted the convoy to 230 miles east of Chatham Island.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 121.89 (+1.73)
Born:
Jürgen Prochnow, German actor (Das Boot), in Berlin, Germany.
Mickey Jones, American drummer (Trini Lopez; The First Edition; Bob Dylan), and actor (“Home Improvement”; “Tin Cup”; “Justified”), in Houston, Texas (d. 2018).
Shirley Owens Alston, American singer (Shirelles — “Soldier Boy”; “Will You Love Me Tomorrow”), in Henderson, North Carolina.
Philip Caputo, American Vietnam War veteran, author (“A Rumor of War”) and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist (1973), in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2026)
James A. Paul, writer and executive, in New York City.
Naval Construction:
The Royal Navy Bar-class boom defense vessel HMS Bardell (Z 195) is laid down by the Blyth Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. Ltd. (Blyth, U.K.).
The U.S. Navy PC-461-class (173-foot steel hull) submarine chaser USS PC-495 is laid down by the Dravo Corp. (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXC/40 U-boat U-184 is laid down by AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1024).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type IXD2 U-boat U-196 is laid down by AG Weser, Bremen (werk 1042).
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-665 is laid down by Howaldtswerke Hamburg AG, Hamburg (werk 814).
The Royal Navy harbor defence motor launch HMS HDML 1097 is launched by Thornycroft (Singapore).
The Royal Navy MMS I-class motor minesweeper HMS MMS 51 (J 551) is launched by United Engineers (Singapore).
The Royal Navy Bangor-class (Reciprocating-engined) minesweeper HMS Stornoway (J 31) is launched by Henry Robb Ltd. (Leith, U.K.); completed by Plenty.
The U.S. Navy 77-foot Elco patrol motor torpedo boat USS PT-33 is launched by the Electric Launch Company Ltd. (Elco), (Bayonne, New Jersey, U.S.A.).
The Royal Navy “T”-class (Second Group) submarine HMS Tempest (N 86) is launched by the Cammell Laird Shipyard (Birkenhead, U.K.).
The Royal Navy “U”-class (Second Group) submarine HMS Una (N 87) is launched by the Chatham Dockyard (Chatham, U.K.).
The Royal Navy “P”-class destroyer HMS Porcupine (G 93) is launched by Vickers Armstrong (Newcastle-on-Tyne, U.K.); completed by Vickers Armstrong (Barrow-in-Furness, U.K.).
The Royal Navy Fairmile B-class motor launch HMS ML 263 is commissioned.
The U.S. Navy transport ship USS Leonard Wood (AP-25) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Commander H. G. Bradbury, USCG.
The U.S. Navy transport ship USS Joseph T. Dickman (AP-26) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant Commander C.W. Harwood, USCG.
The Royal Navy MMS I-class motor minesweeper HMS MMS 40 (J 540) is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is T/Lieutenant W. K. Alexander, RNVR.
The Royal Navy harbor defence motor launch HMS HDML 1040 is commissioned.
The Royal Navy British Power Boat 63-foot motor anti-submarine boat HMS MA/SB 22 is commissioned.
The U.S. Navy coastal patrol yacht USS Opal (PYc-8) [ex-yacht Coronet] is commissioned. Her first commanding officer is Lieutenant William C. Jennings, USNR.
History Diaries 