This Day, Seventy years ago, 11/04/1942

This Day, Seventy years ago

Seventy years ago on this day, Wednesday, November 4, 1942 during the Battle of the Atlantic six merchant ships were sunk.  Three were sailing with Convoy SC-107: the British steam merchant Empire Lynx was torpedoed and sunk by the U-132; the Dutch steam merchant Hobbema was also torpedoed and sunk by the U-132; and the British steam merchant Daleby was torpedoed and sunk by the U-89. A straggler from Convoy SC-107, the British steam merchant Hatimura was torpedoed and sunk by the U-442. During the attack, it was believed that U-132 was destroyed by the explosion of the Hatimura which was carrying roughly a thousand tons of munitions.

Also, the unescorted British steam merchant Oued Grou was torpedoed and sunk by the U-126 off the coast of central Africa in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean;

The unescorted American steam merchant William Clark was torpedoed and sunk by the U-354 off Jan Mayen Island in the Arctic Ocean. The William Clark was one of thirteen vessels sent unescorted and alone on the Murmansk run due to the high losses in previous convoys. This operation was code named Operation FB. Only five vessels reached their destination.

In the Indian Ocean, U-178 sunk the unescorted Norwegian steam merchant Hai Hing; and the unescorted British steam merchant Trekieve.  This was U-178s first patrol. It lasted 125 days (six ships were sunk, 47,097 tons).

On Novermber 4, 1942 there were 122 U-Boats at Sea (Events this day - U-Boat Net). During the previous month, of October 1942, 105 ships (566,939 tons) were sunk and 15 ships (99,709 tons) were damaged by U-boats.

This day, seventy years ago, 10/21/1943

Seventy years ago on this day, Wednesday, October 21, 1942 during the Battle of the Atlantic no merchant ships were sunk. Two Japanese merchant ships were sunk by American submarines in the Pacific. 

There were 116 U-Boats at Sea (Events this day - U-Boat Net).

Highline Transfer - Right way and Wrong Way

The above video shows the rightway to do a highline ship-to-ship transfer.  It details a transfer between the USS King and the USS Orleck.  Today, the USS Orleck is a museum ship in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The entire deck log for the Orleck is available on-line. 

This transfer above took place on Friday, October 7, 1967.  Here are the log entries:

	Friday, 6 October 1967
0000	Steaming in company with Task Element 70.8.2.2 composed of COMDESRON 3, COMDESDIV 72, USS KING (DLG 10), USS ORLECK (DD 886), USS LEONARD F. MASON (DD 852), USS WILTSIE (DD 716), and USS BUCK (DD 761), enroute from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to Guam, M.I., in accordance with COMDESRON THREE Operation Order 301-67.  This ship in station #3 of a circular screen 11C4.  Formation course 258°, speed 18 knots, formation Axis 258°T.  SOPA, OTC is COMDESRON THREE in USS KING (DLG 10).  USS KING (DLG 10) is guide, bearing 213°T, distance 3000 yards.  Condition of Readiness FOUR and Material Condition YOKE set.  Ship darkened except for running lights.
before 1417	**** Entries before Highline Omitted ****
1417	Set the Special Highline and Transfer Detail.
1430	C/s to 20 knots.  C/c to 190°, maneuvering to take stand-by station 500 yards astern of the USS KING (DLG 10) for highline transfer of personnel.
1437	By order of OTC, highline transfer delayed until 1500.  Maneuvering to regain assigned station five.
1455	C/form/c to 300°.
1459	C/form/c to 320°.
1505	C/form/c to 255°, c/form/s to 12 knots.
1507	Commenced maneuvering on various courses at various speeds to obtain assigned stand-by station 500 yards astern of the USS KING (DLG 10).
1512	Obtained stand-by station, began making approach on USS KING (DLG 10) to facilitate starboard side for highline transfer of personnel.  Using various speeds on various courses to obtain alongside station.
1530	First line over.
1537	McGHEN, M.A., SN, 997 07 03, departed this ship by highline transfer to USS KING (DLG 10) to facilitate early departure on emergency leave.
1552	All lines clear.  Maneuvering on various courses at various speeds to clear USS KING (DLG 10) and return to assigned station five in Formation 20.
	J. S. CLARK, LT, USN
1600	Underway as before.  Maneuvering to take station 5 in Formation 20, 255°T, speed 16 knots.

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This video (The Secret Land) details the wrong way to do a highline transfer (twice). The highline clips are depicted around 46 minutes.  The entire video details Operation High Jump, a Navy expedition made to Antarctica in 1946-47, under the command of Admiral Richard E. Byrd. The video received an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 1948.    However, one ship depicted during the highline sequence was the Destroyer Escort USS Robert F. Keller (DE-419).  DE-419 wasn't assigned to Operation High Jump.

This day, seventy years ago, 10/07/1942

Seventy years ago on this day, Wednesday, October 7, 1942 during the Battle of the Atlantic four merchant ships were sunk: unescorted British steam passenger ship Andalucia Star was torpedoed and sunk by the U-107; The unescorted British motor merchant Boringia was torpedoed and sunk by the U-159; The unescorted American steam merchant Chickasaw City was torpedoed and sunk by the U-172; and The unescorted Panamanian motor merchant Firethorn was torpedoed and sunk by the U-172.

German Schnellboots (S-Boots - S.101, S.46, S.46, S.62, S.80, S.105, S.108 of the 2nd and S.63, S.79, S.117) of the 4th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotillas attacked convoy FN.32, escorted by destroyers Westminster and Vanity, 12 miles NE of Cromer in the North Sea. Rescue tug Caroline Moller was sunk by S.80. Also lost were freighters Jessie Maersk to S.117, Ilse to S.105, Sheafwater to S.46 and S.63, and Motor Launch 339 to S.62.

There were 114 U-Boats at Sea (Events this day - U-Boat Net).