Posted on 07/02/2012 4:40:47 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
John Toland, The Rising Sun: The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1942/jul42/f02jul42.htm
German attacks on PQ-17 unsuccessful
Thursday, July 2, 1942 www.onwar.com
The ill fated PQ-17 [photo at link]
In the Arctic... The two British outbound convoys, QP-13 from Murmansk and PQ-17 from Iceland pass each other, leading to some confusion for the Germans. They attack PQ-17 unsuccessfully with both submarines and the aircraft.
From Norway... The German battleship Tirpitz, and cruiser Admiral Hipper as well as six destroyers leave their base to join in the attack on the convoys.
In London... Public dissatisfaction with the direction of the war is expressed in the House of Commons with a Motion of Censure being presented against the government. Prime Minister Churchill is criticized for attempting to manage both the war and the government simultaneously. Churchill’s response is that Parliament should either change the government or support it. The Motion of Censure is defeated 476 to 25. However, many Members of Parliament are not reassured that the war effort is going well. Also, the British Board of Trade announces an agreement to control the supply of wheat which involves grain from the USA, Britain, Argentina, Australia and Canada.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm
July 2nd, 1942
UNITED KINGDOM: The American and British Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) approve of the Arnold-Portal-Towers agreement. This agreement, signed on 21 June 42, deals with US air commitments and provides for a strong air force for Operation BOLERO, the build-up of US forces in the UK. (Jack McKillop)
The first formal vote of censure on the direction of the war is defeated 476 to 25 with 30 abstentions, in the House of Commons. With last months fall of Tobruk serious doubts were raised about the outcome of the vote. Opinion polls show less than half the public are satisfied with the conduct of the war, and press criticism is strong too. Churchill speaks to the criticisms, the PM has too heavy a burden with both the conduct of government and the war being his direct responsibility. He says that Parliament should either change the government or support it, but should not meddle with its composition.
The British Board of Trade announces an agreement to control the supply of wheat involving the USA, UK, Argentina, Australia and Canada.
Escort carrier HMS Vindex laid down.
Submarine HMS Unseen commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
FRANCE: Tony Brooks, an agent of the British Special Operations Executive, parachutes down to set up a resistance movement among railway workers.
GERMANY: U-629 is commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
NORWAY: The German battleship Tirpitz, heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper and six German destroyers sail from Trondheim (mid-Norway) to Altenfjord (northern Norway) where they refuel. (Alex Gordon)
ARCTIC OCEAN: Convoys PQ-17, eastbound, and QP-13, westbound, pass each other. Faulty reports cause the Germans some problems in finding these convoys and aircraft and U-Boats are unsuccessful in their attacks today.
U.S.S.R.: Black Sea Fleet and Azov Flotilla: Shipping loss: MS “TSch-405 “Vzrivatel”” - by field artillery, close to Eupatoria (later raised) (Sergey Anisimov)(69)
Soviet destroyer Bditel’ny bombed and sunk at Novorosiysk. (Dave Shirlaw)
NORTH AFRICA: US Army, Middle East Air Force (USAMEAF) B-17s and B-24s bomb Tobruk, Libya Harbour during the night of 2/3 July. (Jack McKillop)
EAST AFRICA: British forces occupy Mayotte, an island off the north-east coast of Mozambique.
ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: USAAF 11th Air Force flies it first mission against Japanese-occupied Attu Island when 7 B-24s and 1 B-17 fly photo and bombing missions to Attu Island, which appears deserted, and to Kiska and Agattu Islands; near misses are scored on a Japanese transport and a destroyer at Agattu. This is the first USAAF mission to Attu. (Jack McKillop)
U.S.A.: The US Government seeks the death penalty in Florida case.
The German intelligence organization, the Abwehr, had recruited eight German citizens who had lived in the U.S., spoke fluent English, and had enthusiastically quit the U.S. for Germany prior to Pearl Harbor. The eight were trained at the Abwehr’s spy school to attack strategic bridges, railways, factories and especially aluminium plants in the U.S.
In June 1942, the eight were split into two groups of four and placed in U-boats for transport to Florida and Long Island, New York. They carried nearly US $200,000 and enough fuses and explosives to keep them busy for two years.
Their saga is reminiscent of Jimmy Breslin’s book THE GANG THAT COULDN’T SHOOT STRAIGHT; the book describing them could be titled THE SPIES WHO COULDN’T SPY.
Herbert Haupt, Edward Kerling, Hermann Neubauer, and Werner Thiel were the four landed in Florida. (Drew Helevy and Jack McKillop)
The U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff define three stages for the occupation of New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. The first phase is the occupation of the eastern Solomon and Santa Cruz Islands; second, an advance through the rest of the Solomons and along the northeastern coast of New Guinea; and finally, the liberation of New Britain and New Ireland Islands and further advances in northeastern New Guinea. The first offensive will be the occupation of eastern Solomons with the code name Operation WATCHTOWER assigned to the invasion of Tulagi Island scheduled for 1 August 1942.
This also includes the directive for the Guadalcanal operation which states that Direct command of the tactical operations of the amphibious forces will remain with the Naval Task Force Commander [i.e., the attack force or amphibious commander] throughout the conduct of all three tasks”—meaning the seizure of the Santa Cruz Islands, Tulagi, and “adjacent positions,” capture of the remainder of the Solomons and northeastern New Guinea; and seizure of Rabaul and adjacent areas.
(Jack McKillop and Keith Allen)
William T. Paull (US Marine Corps) leaves San Diego docks to go to war. (William T. Paull)
Destroyer escort USS Edsall laid down.
Minesweeeper USS Symbol launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 0616, the unescorted Gundersen was torpedoed and sunk by gunfire by U-129. 22 survivors were picked up by the SS Dea and taken to Progreso on 3 July. (Dave Shirlaw)
First time I noticed El Alamein actually showing up on the map.
This may be the first time. I didn't see it until you pointed it out. Don't miss Hanson W. Baldwin's column tomorrow.
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