Posted on 03/10/2010 4:30:22 AM PST by Homer_J_Simpson
William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
An amusing sidelight is the "ladies painless hair eraser". Wonder if there are any ladies still alive who know what one is. I'm almost afraid to ask......ouch!
Leni
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1940/mar40/f10mar40.htm
Soviet attacks threaten Viipuri
Sunday, March 10, 1940 www.onwar.com
The Winter War... Soviet forces capture Repola, northeast of Viipuri, as well as Karppila and Ruhela on the north shore of Viipuri Bay.
In Helsinki... Marshal Mannerheim, president of Finland, urges the government to make terms with the USSR.
In Rome... The German foreign minister, Ribbentrop, meets with the Italian leader, Mussolini, and invites him to meet with Hitler.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/10.htm
March 10th, 1940
UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group. Leaflets and Reconnaissance - Warsaw. 77 Sqn. Two aircraft. Opposition en route, but none over target area. (12)
U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles, after a meeting with Adolf Hitler in Berlin, arrives in London to discuss a peacemaking proposal with Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain to prevent a widening of the European war. Welles briefs Chamberlain on Hitler’s intransigence, arguing that the only hope for a lasting peace is the progressive disarmament of the belligerents, primarily Germany. Chamberlain’s foreign ministers are less than impressed with the suggestion, believing that even a “disarmed” Germany could still invade a smaller, weaker nation. In short, Welles’ trip accomplished nothing. (Jack McKillop)
Minesweeping trawler HMS Elm commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
ITALY: The German foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, meets with the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, and invites him to meet with German Chancellor Adolf Hitler. (Jack McKillop)
GIBRALTAR: U.S. freighters SS Explorer, SS Exchester, and SS West Cohas are detained at Gibraltar by British authorities; all are released, however, after only several hours. (Jack McKillop)
U.S.A.: The National Broadcasting Company’s (NBC’s) experimental TV station W2XBS in New York City broadcasts extracts from “I Pagliacci,” performed by the Metropolitan Opera Company, the first US television presentation of opera.. The audio portion is carried over the NBC Blue Network radio station WJZ. (Jack McKillop)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 192 March 10, 1940
Finnish negotiators Ryti, Paasikivi, Walden & Voionmaa in Moscow again meet Molotov, Zdanov & Vasilevski at the Kremlin for 2 hours. The Finns try to revise the peace terms but to no avail. The Soviets will change ‘not a single comma’, according to Finnish Prime Minister Ryti. Meanwhile, Red Army closes in around Viiprui, Finland’s second city and gateway to the capital, Helsinki.
German Foreign Minister von Ribbentrop meets Mussolini in Italy. He informs Mussolini of Hitler’s plan to invade France (although not in great detail) and assures him of a swift victory, hoping for an Italian commitment to join the war with Germany. Mussolini is not convinced and, knowing that his forces are not ready to fight a modern war, prefers to sit on the sidelines and await the result. Mussolini promises only to intervene as soon as possible.
Having never read “A Navy Second to None” I’m not really in a position to determine from the Times book review who is the bigger idiot: the author or the reviewer. I can easily spot the reviewer as an idiot. He bashes the idea that the United States needs a large navy. I have two responses:
1. Even our Founding Fathers recognized the need for America, as a maritime nation, to have a large standing Navy. In the Constitution, under the enumerated powers of Congress, it states that the Congress shall “provide” an army, but shall “maintain” a navy. The difference is intentional and profound. In 1789, it was possible to raise an army on somewhat short notice. But even then, if war came and the nation needed a navy, it was already too late if the nation didn’t already have one. Navies take time to build, equip and man with trained experienced crews. Navies can’t be “provided” when you need them, they must be “maintained” in case you do.
2. The reviewer is going to find out in less than two years why the United States needs to have a large, standing navy. In fact, I’ll bet he wrings his hands and cries a river in June when Congress passes the “Two Ocean Navy Act” which will authorize construction of the the navy that will crush Japan. While naval expansion had already begun, it was minor in scope compared to what we would actually need in wartime, and minor compared to what we would actually build. The “Two Ocean Navy Act” was the most significant piece of pre-war legislation to prepare us to fight a war that we were inevitably going to be a part of. And more importantly, it enabled us to win it.
OK, enough of my rant against the “Idiot of the Day.” Back to work now. More on Finland this evening.
The Soviet troops launch their assault in the morning and break through the Finnish defences to a depth of 4 kilometres.
Photo: SA-KUVA
Finnish and Soviet negotiators meet in Moscow
“Finland’s former president, P.E. Svinhufvud is in Berlin to seek help for Finland, but is unable to gain access to members of the German leadership.”
I’m predicting he’s a year early if he wants access.
I am afraid they are birds of a feather on the big navy issue. Baldwin concludes his review with a quote from the book with which he evidently agrees:
"Let us not squander the wealth of our people upon needless armament which may jeopardize the stability of our institutions or tempt us to pursue the will-o'-the wisp of economic ambitions or power politics in distant partrs of hte world."
Maybe Baldwin - a West Point grad - allowed interservice rivalry to color his thinking on this. I wonder how he felt about improving mechanized armor in the army or expanding the army air force.
In the Constitution, under the enumerated powers of Congress, it states that the Congress shall “provide” an army, but shall “maintain” a navy. The difference is intentional and profound.
Great point! And one that I have not considered before.
I’ll bet he wrings his hands and cries a river in June when Congress passes the “Two Ocean Navy Act” which will authorize construction of the the navy that will crush Japan.
That is just three (very eventful) months away. I imagine it will be a lead story at some point and no doubt Baldwin will have a chance to both report on the developments and present his opinion. We'll be all over it.
This is why I think that ships should be Christened by breaking a liberal on the bow and stop wasting good Champagne.
Plunkett
Charles Peshall Plunkett, born in Washington, D.C., 15 February 1864, was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1879. A veteran of the Spanish-American War, during which he served in Adm. Dewey’s Squadron at Manila Bay, he had commanded both North Dakota and South Dakota and had served as Director, Target Practice and Engineering Competitions for the Navy Department before the United States entered World War I. In July, 1918, he assumed command of the 5 Naval Railway Batteries in France. Under his direction those mobile units of 14” battleship guns supported French and American armies from 6 September until the Armistice. Awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his service during the war, he later commanded Destroyers, US Atlantic Fleet, and served as Chief of Staff, Naval War College; President, Board of Inspection and Survey; and as Commandant, New York Navy Yard and the 3d Naval District. Retiring in 1928, Rear Admiral Plunkett died, in Washington, D.C., 24 March 1931.
(DD–431: dp. 2,060 (f.); l. 348’1”; b. 36’1”; dr. 17’5”; s. 35 k.; cpl. 208; a. 4 5”, 2 1.1”, 4 40mm., 2 20mm., 5 21” tt., 6 dcp., 2 dct.; cl. Gleaves)
Plunkett (DD–431) was laid down 1 March 1939 by the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J.; launched 7 March 1940; sponsored by Mrs. Charles P. Plunkett, widow of Rear Admiral Plunkett; and commissioned 17 July 1940, Lt. Comdr. P. G. Hale in command.
Prior to 7 December 1941, Plunkett operated in the Western Atlantic and in the Gulf-Caribbean area on Neutrality Patrol. Initially in the latter area, she joined other Neutrality Patrol vessels off Tampico to prevent the departure of several German steamers, then cruised off Martinique, French Antilles to prevent the dispatching of warships, equipment, and gold to the Vichy government. Patrol and convoy missions in the North Atlantic followed, and, on 7 December 1941, she was enroute from Reykjavik to Argentia.
Plunkett continued such duty until joining TF 39 on 20 March 1942. Six days later she departed the east coast for Scapa Flow and arrived in the Orkneys 4 April to commence operations with the British Home Fleet. Employed on North Sea patrols and escort work over the first leg of the Murmansk run, she was relieved, by Mayrant, in mid-May and assigned to escort New York back to the United States. Coastwise and Caribbean escort duty followed and in August she returned to the North Atlantic to accompany U.K. bound convoys. On 2 November, she departed New York on her first escort run to North Africa. Delayed enroute to allow time for the clearance of wreckage from her port of destination, her group delivered its charges with their reinforcement troops and equipment to Casablanca on the 18th. Then, after patrolling off the Moroccan coast, she returned to New York and local operations off southern New England.
Another transatlantic convoy to Casablanca preceded shore bombardment exercises in Chesapeake Bay, after which she escorted coastal convoys until May, 1943. On the 10th she sailed for Oran, Algeria, with TF 60; and, between the end of May and July, she was employed on HUK, ASW, and convoy escort assignments in North African waters.
On 6 July, she cleared Mers-el-Kebir as a unit of the Western Task Force for the invasion of Sicily. During the invasion, she screened the merchant ships and minelayers of TG 80.5, then patrolled off the Gela anchorage and covered minelaying operations. On the 12th, she departed the assault area, returning on the 17th, to Scogletti, and on the 31st, to Palermo, with convoys. During August, she participated in numerous landings on the Sicilian coast and, in September, joined TG 81.6 to screen the transports and landing craft for the assault on the Axis boot at Salerno. Early on the morning of 13 September, she aided bombed and burning British hospitalship Newfoundland. The struggle to save the ship continued for over 36 hours, but, in the evening of the 14th, Plunkett, on orders, fired on and sank the hulk.
North Africa-Naples convoys, interspersed with fire support missions, continued until 21 January 1944, when she sailed to escort the follow up assault group to Cape Anzio. After delivering the craft, she remained in the area to screen the transports. On the 24th she fell victim to one of the numerous air attacks which, previously, she had helped to drive off. At 1738 condition red was sounded. A few minutes later the attack was launched with 2 glider bombs coming in on the port beam, and 2 Ju.88’s closing in from up ahead. Speed was increased; maneuvering was radical. The glider bombs finally dropped, at 200 yards distance, but more planes had joined the foray to commence a sustained 17 minute battle. It ended at 1757 as Plunkett took a 250kg. bomb and caught fire. The bomb killed 23, left 28 missing, with as many, and more, wounded, and caused extensive damage to her fire control apparatus, armament, and port engine. By 1821, all fires were out and the destroyer proceeded, on one engine, to Palermo. Temporary repairs enabled her to reach Casablanca and, finally, New York, where repairs were completed.
On 5 May 1944, she again departed New York for European waters. Arriving at Belfast on the 14th, she remained until 3 June, then sailed toward the English Channel to join the armada staging for the invasion of France. On 6 June, she screened the transports off Omaha beach. Fire support and patrol duties followed until the 9th, when she sailed back to England. Returning to the French coast a few days later, she added shore bombardment to her duties.
In July, Plunkett returned to the Mediterranean to prepare for another assault landing, and on 13 August, she sailed from Naples to support operation “Dragoon”, the invasion of southern France. During that operation she carried officials to and from the beaches in addition to performing her screening duties. She next added fire support and shore bombardment off St. Topez, Port de Bouc, and Marseilles to her mission, and continued those duties, particularly on the Italian-French border, until 23 November. She then sailed for Oran, whence she escorted a convoy back to the United States, arriving at New York, 16 January 1945.
Plunkett engaged in training exercises, ASW patrols, and experimental testing until early May, when she resumed transatlantic escort work. The war in Europe ended before she reached the U.K., but hostilities in the Pacific still raged. On 27 May, she returned to the east coast, underwent extensive alterations and refresher training, and got underway for the Pacific 6 August. She transited the Panama Canal 13 August and was enroute to San Diego the day the war ended. In September she escorted occupation forces from the U.S. to Japan; then, in October and November, assisted in ferrying more from the Philippines. Later in November, she sailed northeast to the Aleutians, where she operated until ordered back to the east coast for inactivation.
Plunkett decommissioned 3 May 1946 and was berthed at Charleston as a unit of the Atlantic Reserve Fleet. She remained there until reactivated and transferred, under the loan provisions of the Military Assistance Program, to the Nationalist Chinese government, 16 February 1959. Renamed Nan Yang (DD–17), she remains with that country’s navy into 1970.
Plunkett earned five battle stars during the Second World War.
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/p8/plunkett.htm
Kearny
Lawrence Kearny was born in Perth Amboy, N.J., 30 November 1789 and appointed Midshipman in the Navy 24 July 1807. Commodore Kearny was known for his tenacity in capturing slave traders in West-Indian waters and his tireless efforts in fighting Greek pirates in the Mediterranean. In the early 1840’s he began negotiations with China which opened that country to U.S. trade and pointed the way toward the American “Open Door Policy” a half century later. He later served as Commandant at the Norfolk and New York Naval Shipyards. Retiring 14 November 1861, Commodore Kearny died at Perth Amboy, N. J., 29 November 1868.
(DD-432: dp. 2,060; l. 347’4”; b. 36’1”; dr. 11’10”; s. 33 k.; cpl. 208; a. 4 5”, 12.50 cal., 2 10” tt, 2 dct.; cl. Gleaves)
Kearny (DD-432) was launched 9 March 1940 by the Federal Ship Building & Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N. J.; sponsored by Miss Mary Kearny; and commissioned on 13 September 1940, Comdr. A. L. Danis in command.
After shakedown and sea trials, Kearny got underway 19 February 1941 from New York Harbor for St. Thomas, V.I., where she took part in the “Neutrality Patrol” off Fort de France, Martinique, French West Indies, until 9 March. The new destroyer patrolled around San Juan, P.R., and escorted ships in the Norfolk area until August when she sailed for Argentia, Newfoundland, to escort North Atlantic convoys.
While Kearny was escorting a convoy in the North Atlantic before the United States entered the war, three convoy merchant ships were torpedoed 16 October. Kearny immediately began dropping depth charges and continued to barrage throughout the night. At the beginning of the midwatch 17 October, a torpedo struck Kearny on starboard side. The capable crew confined flooding to the forward fire room enabling the ship to get out of the danger zone with power from the aft fire room. Regaining power in the forward fire room, Kearny steamed to Iceland at 10 knots, arriving 19 October. Kearny lost 11 bluejackets and 22 others were injured in this attack. After temporary repairs Kearny got underway Christmas Day 1941, and moored 6 days later at Boston, Mass., for permanent repairs.
From 5 April to 28 September 1942, Kearny was busy escorting convoys to the British Isles, Panama Canal, and Galveston, Tex. Late in September, she sailed to act as a fire support unit in the North African invasion. There she screened Texas and Savannah on fire support missions, shot down an enemy plane, and escorted troop ships to Safi, French Morocco. Kearny departed the invasion theater and escorted a convoy back to New York, arriving 3 December 1942.
Kearny escorted ships to Port of Spain, Recife, Brazil, and Casablanca until 15 November 1943, then joined the Core hunter-killer task group 25 November. During the day of 1 January 1944, in coordination with antisubmarine planes from Core, Kearny fired a depth charge attack on a submarine resulting in a large oil slick; she returned to New York 18 January.
Next month Kearny joined the 8th Fleet in French Algeria. She reported to Brooklyn 10 March for duty in Italy, where both warships engaged in supplying fire support for the 5th Army. Due to their daily fire-support trips to the Anzio beachhead area, the warships became known as the “Anzio Express.” They later were commended by General Mark Clark for the accuracy of this fire support.
Kearny was detached from the group the beginning of June and steamed to Anzio alone to give Allied troops their last naval fire support prior to their breakthrough and capture of Rome. The veteran destroyer saw more convoy duty before sailing for the invasion of Southern France.
Kearny was inner fire support ship for Red Beach, Cavalaire Bay, France, and rendered counter-battery fire and pre-H-hour bombardment. She screened heavy fire support ships; laid smoke screens off Toulon; and, on 19 August 1944, began 2 months of duty screening transports carrying troops between Naples and southern France.
Afterward, Kearny made several cross-Atlantic voyages from New York to Oran. On 6 August 1945, Kearny transited the Panama Canal for duty in the Pacific, arriving at Pearl Harbor late in August after hostilities had ended. She escorted a transport squadron carrying occupation troops to Japan via Saipan, arriving at Wakayama, Japan, 27 September. During the next month Kearny made voyages to Philippine Islands and Okinawa before returning to Japan in October. She sailed from Wakayama, Japan, 29 October 1945 for home via Pearl Harbor, San Diego, and the Panama Canal, arriving Charleston, S.C., 5 December 1945. She decommissioned there 7 March 1946, and went into reserve. Kearny was subsequently moved to Orange, Tex. where she remains into 1967.
Kearny received three battle stars for service in World War II.
http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/k2/kearny.htm
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