On Oct 15, the 38 remaining ships encountered a wolf pack (German U-boats lying in wait to attack Allied supply convoys) about 400 miles off the coast of Iceland. Three merchant ships were sunk by torpedoes that night. The convoy sent out a call for help.

The US Navy, stationed in the Atlantic, responded to the call for help, sending a division of 5 US destroyers under the command of Captain L.H. Thebaud. The division included the Plunkett, the Livermore, the Kearney, the Greer, and the Decatur. The US destroyers were joined by the HMS Broadwater and the French corvette Lobelia. The escorts were in place by the evening of October 16.

The convoy’s escorts were stationed only 1000 to 1500 yards from the convoy. This allowed the u-boats to attack from a distance of 4000-5000 yards, beyond the range of the destroyer’s sound gear. The destroyers were not yet equipped with radar. During the night of Oct 16 the u-boats successfully attacked six of the merchant ships.

At approx, 0200 Oct 17, 1941, four more ships were successfully attacked by the wolf pack. The flames from one of these ships lit the sky around the destroyer Kearny and left her open for attack. As she tried to maneuver out of sight, the U-568 struck her on the starboard side, killing eleven men and wounding 22 others. After approx, ten minutes she was able to turn her engines over and head to Iceland on her own power, escorted by the Greer.

An official list of those who perished on the Kearny included; George Alexander Calvert F1c, Floyd Andrew Camp SC1c, Luther Asle Curtis WT1c, Louis Dobnikar WT2c, Herman August C. Gajeway WT1c, Lloyd Dalton La Fleur PhM2c, Sidney Gerald Larriviere F1c, Dwight Floyd Pyle S2c, Iral William Stoltz F1c, Russell Burdick Wade F3c, and Harry Tull Young F1c.

After this battle certain changes were made in the way escort duty was carried out. Escorts were ordered to patrol at a distance of 2000-5000 yards as opposed to 1000-1500 to keep the wolf packs at a greater distance from the convoys. Also destroyers were equipped with SG radar.

Later that same year, November 1919, President Wilson called for the first Armistice Day celebration. The celebration was to occur on November 11, 1919 and be marked with parades and the 2 minute cessation of all business at 11 am. In President Wilson’s words the day was to “be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory…”

In 1920, France and the United Kingdom also held Armistice Day ceremonies. At President Wilson’s request, American churches prayed for peace the Sunday before Armistice Day. In 1921, Congress approved the establishment of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and chose Armistice Day for the date of the ceremony. Congress also declared November 11, 1921 a Federal Holiday to honor all those who served in WW I.

Throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s individual states declared November 11 a legal holiday, celebrating Armistice Day. On June 4, 1926 the United States Congress officially passed a resolution with these words; “Whereas the legislatures of twenty-seven of our States have already declared November 11 to be a legal holiday: Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), that the President of the United States is requested to issue a proclamation calling upon the officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on November 11 and inviting the people of the United States to observe the day in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies of friendly relations with all other peoples.” However, it was not until May 13, 1938 that Armistice Day was declared a federal holiday to be celebrated on November 11 of each year.

Armistice Day was a day to honor all Veterans, those who passed and those still living who served in WW I. It was also a day to pray for world peace. After WW II and the Korean War, Veterans organizations requested a change in the Armistice Day celebration. On June 1, 1954 President Eisenhower changed the name Armistice Day to Veterans Day in order to honor Veterans who served the United States in all wars.

Veterans Day changed slightly in 1968. In a law passed that year the date of the Veteran’s Day celebration was changed to the fourth Monday in October, in order to create a three day week end. The concept of the three day weekend was to stimulate the economy, by encouraging travel and celebrations. The first Monday, Veterans Day was celebrated October 25, 1971.

Many states disapproved of the change and did not follow the federal holiday, but kept the observance on the traditional and patriotic date. (States are not required to follow federal holidays, although most do.) On September 20, 1975 President Gerald Ford restored the celebration of Veterans Day to November 11, each year. It has remained such since.

Many confuse Memorial Day and Veteran’s Day. There is one significant difference. Memorial Day honors those who lost their life while serving the United States of America in the military. Veteran’s Day honors both those who lost their life and those who survived but were willing to offer that ultimate sacrifice for their country.

Fresh from their victories to conquer Borneo and Celebes, the Japanese were eager to begin the next phase of their conquest. The first step in the plan to conquer Java was to secure the flanks of Java. To achieve this, the Japanese started by landing on Sumatra on February 14th. Bali was next.

With scattered and damaged forces, and little warning, Dutch Admiral Karel Doorman knew that an invasion of Bali could not be ignored as it would give the Japanese an airbase within striking distance of an important allied naval base at Surabaya.

Using what forces he could call upon, Admiral Doorman came up with a plan to attack the Japanese in three waves. The first wave consisted of two light cruisers, and four destroyers. The second group was supposed to be one light cruiser, and four light cruisers. The final group, which was supposed to attack at the same time as the second group contained nine torpedo boats.

On February 18th the Japanese successfully managed to land on Bali. Initially, they had sent a group of two transports, one light cruiser, and 8 destroyers to complete the mission. The Japanese were well aware that their position was exposed to enemy attack, so they hurried the landing. By the time the first ABDA strike group arrived, the cruiser, and three of the destroyers were far enough away that they could play no further part in the battle.

The first wave of the ABDA assault didn’t do nearly as much damage as Admiral Doorman had hoped, the cruisers having left after only a few minutes of fighting. The Japanese managed to sink the Destroyer Piet Hein.

The second wave of the fight occurred three hours after the first. The allies failed to inflict any serious harm on the Japanese until, during their retreat, they blindly blundered into two of the Japanese destroyers. The allies managed to inflict serious enough damage that one of the two destroyers had to be towed away. The Japanese on the other hand managed to severely damage one of the Dutch cruisers.

Having been ordered to finally leave, the Japanese departed with due haste, their foothold on Bali established. Thus, by the time the third wave of the ABDA assault arrived, no Japanese ships remained for them to engage.

Bali’s garrison was unable to fight off the invading Japanese forces, which resulted in the capture of its airfield. This allowed the Japanese forces to continue their conquest of the Dutch East Indies, ultimately winning the series of engagements later on at the Battle of the Java Sea, in which Admiral Doorman himself would be killed.

After studying in the US at Harvard University and taking an interest in the military, he was able to convince his contemporaries that a surprise attack would be Japan’s only advantage against the US. He also believed that Japan could not win a long term war against the United States. Yamamoto felt if the war went longer than six months Japan would not be able to defeat the United States. In this sense some considered Yamamoto an ally. There were those among the American military leaders who believed that Yamamoto would one day convince his contemporaries to stand down.

As he predicted, war efforts against the United States went well for Japan for several months, but then the tide turned. After several losses in the Solomon Islands and Guadalcanal, Admiral Yamamoto decided to visit his troops as means of boosting their moral.

On April 14, 1943, United States decrypted a message from the Japanese outlining Admiral Yamamoto’s proposed tour, including arrival and departure times. A trip was to be made on April 18, 1943 to visit his troops at Ballale airfield off Bougainville. The United States decided to risk the knowledge of its decoding capabilities and execute an attack on Admiral Yamamoto’s convoy. This decision was jointly made by Admiral Nimitz and Commander Layton, and likely Naval Secretary Knox. It is important to note that Commander Layton and Admiral Yamamoto had a friendly relationship in peace time. The two attended social functions together while Layton functioned as an assistant naval attaché in Tokyo.

It was determined that the P-38 Lightnings were ideal for the task. They were better suited against the Japanese Zero’s at this range than the P-39, P-40 and P-47, as well as the Corsair. The P-38’s twin engines and noted ruggedness made them invaluable. On April 18, 1943 members of the 339th fighter squadron launched a surprise attack on Admiral Yamamoto. Traveling the four hundred and fifty plus miles to Ballale airfield, the combined army/navy team under direction of Army Commander John Mitchell, succeeded in striking 2 Japanese Betty bombers carrying Admiral Yamamoto and his staff. The six Zero’s traveling with the Admiral for his protection were not struck down. There remains controvery today of who actually shot down the Betty transporting Admiral Yamamoto.

The loss of their great leader devastated Japan. It was in fact so devastating that it was kept secret from the general population until May 21, 1943 when his cremated remains were brought ashore in Japan. The same event that brought Japan devastation brought renewed strength to the American military.

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World War II had several unforgettable battles, battles that often left many dead and lessons learned. One of the bloodiest battles in American military history was the three day Battle of Tarawa, which started November 20, 1943.

Tarawa was just one of the stops during an island hopping campaign to take American air power closer to the island of Japan. The island of Tarawa was surrounded in part by a coral reef making it almost impossible for boats to get through. To add to the barrier problem; the Japanese had already been occupying the island and covered the beaches with mines and barb wire. Hundreds of concrete “gun emplacements and bunkers,” had been built by Korean slave labor.

The generals knew that the best way to attack the Japanese and take control of the island was to employ surprise frontal assaults. Under the command of Major General Julian Smith, the 2nd Battalion would deploy to the northern part of the island first assisted by a mere 125 amphibious tractors.

Proposed implementation of the attack did not go as planned. Before the attack even began, dangerous situations arose. Setting up for an attack in the dark was complicated enough, but “choppy seas made cross deck transfers between the small craft dangerous.”

The Plan for the first round of attacks included approximately thirty minutes of bombing air raids at roughly 0545. “Then the fire support ships would bombard the island from close range for the ensuing 130 minutes.”

Unfortunately for the American troops nothing went according to plan. The Japanese were aware of the activities going on out at sea and were the first to attack- almost forty minutes before the first round of air raids were scheduled. Although the battery ships; the Colorado and the Maryland were able to offer counter fire, the situation turned grimmer as the day progressed. Within moments communication had been lost between the admirals and pilots. Without knowing the timing of possible air raids, troops were sent to shore.

Nearly ten percent of the first battalion died, and as many as twenty percent of each group that followed. Even though the end of the three day battle for United States military meant a victory, it had come with a very important lesson. With the need for frontal assaults, also came the need for supporting air raids and ship bombardments. The bloody battle of Tarawa embedded the American generals with a better understanding of the importance of communication, planning, and strategic coordination.

In the morning hours of June 4, 1942, Japan’s Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo ordered his fleet of four Japanese attack carriers to a location just north of Midway- two small islands located approximately 1,300 miles from Hawaii. With a series of air strikes, Nagumo attempted to destroy American air power. By crippling the U.S. Pacific fleet, Japan would be free to commit further attacks on Fiji and Samoa, as well as a full invasion of Hawaii.

What the Japanese had not expected was the impressive defensive strategies of their opponents. The Japanese forces had planned the attack intending to catch the U.S. off guard; however, due to “superior communications intelligence,” The United States Pacific fleet, under the command of Admiral Chester W. Nimitiz, was able to successfully coordinate an effective ambush on the unknowing Japanese navy.

After the three day battle, Japan’s dominating presence in the Pacific theater had taken a devastating blow with the loss of four fleet carriers and over two hundred naval aviators. The U.S. only suffered the loss of one aircraft carrier and one destroyer.

Midway proved to be a turning point for not only World War II, but also for the role of the United States’ Navy. The soldiers had no idea at the time the significance roles they were playing. According to Aviation Ordnance man Pete Montalvo, “With Midway things were just getting started. The march across the Pacific had not begun. After Midway there was no feeling that we had won the war. No doubt it was the all-important turning point, but we still had a tenacious enemy to deal with and a difficult job to do,”

Midway changed not only how the Americans perceived the war, which would continue on for three years after the Battle of Midway, but perhaps even the course of history. “[T]his memorable American victory was of cordial importance, not only to the United States but to the whole Allied cause…At one stroke, the dominant position of Japan in the Pacific was reversed,” stated Winston Churchill.

Without the successful ambush and defensive strategies of the United States’ Pacific Fleet, there may never have been the 1942 invasion of Guadalcanal. In the control of Midway would have been given to the Japanese, the security of Hawaii may have been jeopardized, and the role of America in the modern era may be significantly different.

Exactly six months to the day that the raid on Pearl Harbor weakened the United States Pacific Fleet, the Battle of Midway was coming to an end. The American victory of the historically superior Japanese seamen is considered by many to be the most significant moment in American naval history.

In the morning hours of June 4, 1942, Japan’s Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo ordered his fleet of four Japanese attack carriers to a location just north of Midway- two small islands located approximately 1,300 miles from Hawaii. With a series of air strikes, Nagumo attempted to destroy American air power. By crippling the U.S. Pacific fleet, Japan would be free to commit further attacks on Fiji and Samoa, as well as a full invasion of Hawaii.

What the Japanese had not expected was the impressive defensive strategies of their opponents. The Japanese forces had planned the attack intending to catch the U.S. off guard; however, due to “superior communications intelligence,” The United States Pacific fleet, under the command of Admiral Chester W. Nimitiz, was able to successfully coordinate an effective ambush on the unknowing Japanese navy.

After the three day battle, Japan’s dominating presence in the Pacific theater had taken a devastating blow with the loss of four fleet carriers and over two hundred naval aviators. The U.S. only suffered the loss of one aircraft carrier and one destroyer.

Midway proved to be a turning point for not only World War II, but also for the role of the United States’ Navy. The soldiers had no idea at the time the significance roles they were playing. According to Aviation Ordnance man Pete Montalvo, “With Midway things were just getting started. The march across the Pacific had not begun. After Midway there was no feeling that we had won the war. No doubt it was the all-important turning point, but we still had a tenacious enemy to deal with and a difficult job to do,”

Midway changed not only how the Americans perceived the war, which would continue on for three years after the Battle of Midway, but perhaps even the course of history. “[T]his memorable American victory was of cordial importance, not only to the United States but to the whole Allied cause…At one stroke, the dominant position of Japan in the Pacific was reversed,” stated Winston Churchill.

Without the successful ambush and defensive strategies of the United States’ Pacific Fleet, there may never have been the 1942 invasion of Guadalcanal. In the control of Midway would have been given to the Japanese, the security of Hawaii may have been jeopardized, and the role of America in the modern era may be significantly different.

1. Allen Thomas B. “Midway: The Story that Never Ends,” Naval Institute Proceedings 133 no. 6 (2007) Academic Search Premiere.
2. Frank, Richard, “Nagumo’s Fatal Hesitation at Midway, Explained,” World War II 22 no 7 (Nov. 2007). Academic Search Premiere.
3. The Battle of Midway Roundtable- http://home.comcast.net/`r2russ/midway/about.bom.html
4. Mullen, Admiral Mike “Why Midway Matters,” Naval History 21 no.3 (June 2007). Academic Search Premiere.
5. The Battle of Midway Roundtable- http://home.comcast.net/`r2russ/midway/about.bom.html

On November 4, 1941, the British oiler Owlen reported being attacked by a German ship. The US Naval Task force headed south to help search for the German ship or any other signs of the attack. The search continued throughout the 4th and 5th of November 1941, but no signs of the attack were found.
The US Naval task force began to head to Recife, Brazil in order to refuel. While en route, the Omaha sighted a suspicious vessel. The ship was flying the American flag and claimed to be the U.S. freighter Willmoto from Philadelphia. However, as the Omaha approached, the Willmoto tried to evade her. When the Omaha dispatched a boarding party, crewmen on the Willmoto began to take to life boats. As the boarding party reached the Willmoto they heard explosions coming from the ship. The Germans had apparently set off internal charges in an attempt to skuttle the ship. Once aboard, the US crew saved the ship and discovered her real name was the Odenwald. The Odenwald was a blockade runner transporting rubber from Japan to Germany.

The Odenwald was successfully escorted to San Juan, Puerto Rico on November 11, 1941. One of the crew aboard the Odenwald was actually a member of the German Navy, named Helmut Ruge. Helmut Ruge was serving as a Radio Operator aboard the Odenwald. Captain Chandler, Captain of the Omaha, was unsure of the legality of taking Prisoners of War, as the United States was still declared neutral. He reported the Odenwald was suspected of being involved in the slave trade. A tactic which he knew was successful 100 years earlier.

In a reported released March 12, 1942 by the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Helmut Ruge was officially declared “first German prisoner of war captured by the United States” The capture of the Odenwald occurred 1 month prior to the United States Declaration of War on Japan.