RUSSIANS WIN KRASNOGRAD, PAVLOGRAD; ALLIES REPEL TWO TUNISIAN THRUSTS (2/21/43)

Microfilm-New York Times archives, Monterey Public Library | 2/21/43 | Drew Middleton, Charles McMurtry, Hanson W. Baldwin, Ralph Parker, William Henry Chamberlin

[Homer_J_Simpson]

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THE NEWS OF THE WEEK IN REVIEW

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THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW

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[Homer_J_Simpson]

Free Republic University, Department of History presents World War II Plus 70 Years: Seminar and Discussion Forum
First session: September 1, 2009. Last date to add: September 2, 2015.
Reading assignment: New York Times articles delivered daily to students on the 70th anniversary of original publication date. (Previously posted articles can be found by searching on keyword “realtime” Or view Homer’s posting history .)
To add this class to or drop it from your schedule notify Admissions and Records (Attn: Homer_J_Simpson) by freepmail. Those on the Realtime +/- 70 Years ping list are automatically enrolled. Course description, prerequisites and tuition information is available at the bottom of Homer’s profile. Also visit our general discussion thread.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Selections from West Point Atlas for the Second World War
Central Tunisia, 1943: Battle of Kasserine Pass-Operations, 14-22 February 1943
Southwest Russia, 1942: German Counteroffensive, Operations, 19 February-18 March 1943
The Far East and the Pacific, 1941: Status of Forces and Allied Theater Boundaries, 2 July 1942
India-Burma, 1942: Allied Lines of Communication, 1942-1943

[Homer_J_Simpson]

Trap Set for Nazis – 2-3
War News Summarized – 3
Patrols Probing Allied Lines Beaten Off in Tunisian Hills (Middleton) – 4-5
Our Warships Rake Japanese on Attu – 6
Heroic Fight Made by Doomed Chicago (McMurtry) – 7
Manpower Problems-VI (Baldwin) – 9
The Texts of the Day’s Communiques on the War – 10-11

The News of the Week in Review
The Battle for Tunisia Mounts in Tempo (map) – 12
Rommel Strikes – 13
Russia Presses On – 13-14
Twenty News Questions – 15
Our Men in Tunisia Meet Famed German ‘Blitz’ (Middleton) – 16-17
The Advancing Russian Tide Breaks Into the Ukraine (map) – 18
Red Army Grows in Power (Parker) – 19
Answers to Twenty News Questions – 20

The New York Times Book Review – 21-23
Tokyo Record, by Otto D. Tolischus (Chamberlin)

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/feb1943/f21feb43.htm

British Armor Holds German Panzers
Sunday, February 21, 1943 www.onwar.com

Axis armor destroyed in battle [photo at link]

In Tunisia... British armor holds out against attacks from the German 10th Panzer Division attempting to advance toward Thala. By the evening the front is still 3 miles south of the town. A detachment of 15th Panzer Division launches a diversionary attack on Tebessa which is strongly held by the US 1st Armored Division. The 21st Panzer Division attack toward Sbiba is stalled.

In the Solomon Islands... Operation Cleanslate. Troops of the US 43rd Division (commanded by General Hester) occupy Banika and Pavuvu in the Russell Islands. There is no Japanese resistance. By the end of the month about 9000 American troops occupy these islands.

In the Atlantic... Convoy ON-166 is attacked by U-boats over the next five days (February 21-25th). It will lose 14 ships of 85,000 tons. One German U-boat is sunk by the convoy escorts.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/frame.htm

February 21st, 1943 (SUNDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: A message from Joseph Stalin was read out at meetings all over Britain today in honour of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Red Army. Stalin thanked British citizens for their demonstrations of “friendly feelings” and expressed confidence in joint victory. Prayers were said for Russia in churches.

At Cardiff, Clement Attlee, the deputy prime minister, said that the battle of Stalingrad was decisive: “Let me pay tribute to the steadfastness of mind of Stalin in holding the Russian reserves until the time for counter-attack.” At Sheffield. Sir Stafford Cripps said of Stalin: “For his courage, leadership and consummate skill we and the world owe the deepest gratitude.”

Tonight in London 2,000 serviceman and women presented a pageant in honour of the Red Army to an audience of 6,000, including Mrs Churchill, who heads the Aid for Russia fund, and the Soviet ambassador, Mr Maisky, Lieutenant Laurence Olivier, RNVR, gave the call to arms from Alexander Nevsky and Lt-Cdr Ralph Richardson narrated. John Gielgud as “the voice of Moscow radio” described the battle for Stalingrad. No mention was made of the Red Army’s founder, Leon Trotsky.

Submarine HMS Scythian laid down.

Rescue tug HMS Weazel launched. (Dave Shirlaw)

GERMANY: Munich: Hans and Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst, leaders of the “White Rose” rebellion, are guillotined.

U.S.S.R.: German forces launch a big counter-offensive to regain Kharkov.

NORTH AFRICA: With Field Marshal Rommel at the front the German attacks at the Kassarine Pass reach their maximum effect and then stop.

INDIA: Delhi: A day of prayer is observed for Gandhi.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: The US 43rd. Division occupies the Russell Islands.

U.S.A.: Benis M. Frank turns 18 today. He asks to be inducted as soon as possible into the United States’ forces.

We were sent to the joint examination center in Hartford, CT, where, after your physical, you could opt for which service you wanted to join. When my mother took me to the train station to catch a train to Hartford, the last thing she said was, “Whatever you do, don’t join the Marine Corps.” I must have misunderstood her. I opted for the Marine Corps and have never regretted it. We, who joined he Corps this way were classified as Selective Service-Volunteers. (Benis M. Frank, USMC)

Corvette HMCS Fredericton arrived New York City for Guantanamo escort duties.

Destroyer USS Callaghan laid down.
Destroyer escort USS Stanton launched.

Destroyer USS Brown launched.

Submarine USS Bluefish launched.

(Dave Shirlaw)

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-623 (TypeVIIC) is sunk in position 48.68N, 29.15W, by 6 depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqdn. 120/T). 46 dead (all hands lost). (Alex Gordon)

USCGC Spencer received credit from the US Navy for attacking and sinking the U-225 in the North Atlantic. The British have since recorded that the U-225 was actually destroyed by the Liberator “S” of RAF No. 120 Squadron on 15 February and they have changed the official British records to reflect this change. The renowned German historian, Professor/Dr. Jurgen Rohwer states that the Spencer “probably” attacked and sank the U-529 on this date, although the Spencer has not received official credit for this sinking.

At 2135, U-664 fired torpedoes at Convoy ONS-167 about 600 miles west of Ireland and sank SS Rosario in station #11 and tanker SS H.H. Rogers in station #13. H.H. Rogers was struck by one torpedo on the port side around #10 main tank rupturing the tank and the decks in the vicinity and the fireroom bulkhead. This resulted in the engine and fire rooms flooding. After 30 minutes, the officers decided that the ship could not be saved and the order to abandon ship was given. All 47 American crewmembers and 26 armed guards abandoned ship in three lifeboats (one lifeboat had been destroyed in the explosion) and all rafts. One of the lifeboats picked up several survivors from the Rosario, which had been in the water for about one hour. Almost all survivors were picked up by the British rescue ship Rathlin and landed at Halifax on 6 March. Four men on a raft were picked up by a British corvette and landed at St John’s on 1 March. The wreck of the tanker was later sunk by U-664 with a coup de grâce in 50°13N/24°48W.

SS Empire Trader was ordered to the Azores with corvette HMCS Dauphin after the ship straggled from Convoy ON-166. At 2226, Empire Trader was torpedoed and damaged by U-92 north of the Azores. The next day, the vessel was abandoned and at 2000 Dauphin tried to sink her with gunfire on Admiralty orders in 48°27N/29°47W. On 23 February, the drifting wreck was last seen in 47°40N/28°46W. The master, 89 crewmembers and 16 gunners were picked up by the British rescue ship Stockport, transferred to Dauphin and landed at St John’s, Newfoundland.

The Stigstad in Convoy ON-166 was hit at 1659 by torpedo from U-332 in the starboard tank 16. At 1705, two torpedoes fired by U-603 struck amidships and engine room, which sank the ship. The 34 men abandoned their ship in a lifeboat and received some food supplies from U-603. The survivors were picked up by the trawler Thomas Boot after 14 days and were landed on the next day. (Dave Shirlaw)

[centurion316]

Here’s hoping that you will soon post the missing dates. I can live with FR being down for a time, but I don’t know if I can handle a single missed day of the NYT circa WWII. Your work is appreciated far more than you will ever know.

[Homer_J_Simpson]

I’m glad you enjoy the threads. I posted Feb. 19, 20 and 21 in order this afternoon.

[centurion316]

I can see that you have already done it. Thank you. I take a short break to go out and start shoveling snow and the frustrated posters on FR are going nuts. It’s going to take a while to catch up.