Subject: WWII-L Digest - 17 Jan 1995 to 18 Jan 1995

From: Automatic digest processor <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 19 Jan 1995 00:09:58 -0500

There are 32 messages totalling 1057 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. GEN: SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT (2)
  2. INF: USN Chronology 01-18-95
  3. TRIV: Pacific Armor
  4. Romanian Carriers
  5. Faulty Torpedoes (3)
  6. German U-boat captains
  7. Weap: Magnetic Exploders (2)
  8. INF: 50 Years Ago - 19-JAN-1945
  9. A-bomb, Should it have been dropped
 10. [INF] USAAF 18 JAN 45
 11. REQ  Chemical corps musuim
 12. INFO (2)
 13. WW II Mysteries
 14. 50TH: SMITHSONIAN AND
 15. Lorries in the East
 16. Chemical Corps Museum
 17. "Barbarossa" (2)
 18. WEAP: German Aerial Torpedoes of WWII
 19. AWOL Fliers
 20. MEDIA: Eugene P. Wigner Obituary
 21. Inf: 3rd Army Chronology - 19Jan45
 22. Chemical Corps
 23. 50TH: HELPING THE (2)
 24. 22d Hurtgen Epilogue (2)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 07:31:43 +0100
From:    JOHN AUSLAND <[email-masked]>
Subject: GEN: SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT

FOR MIKE FETTERS

When will the Smithsonian exhibit on the Pacific war open?
  Regards, John Ausland/Oslo Norway

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 04:00:14 PST
From:    "Keller, Theron P." <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: USN Chronology 01-18-95

UNITED STATES NAVY CHRONOLOGY
from:
//byrd.mu.wvnet.edu/pub/history/military/wwii/naval_chronology/chr4(4,5).txt

1945
01/18 Thu. Two Japanese raiding parties land on Peleliu, Palau
           Islands, in an unsuccessful attempt to damage aircraft on
           the ground and destroy ammunition.
            United States naval vessels damaged, Philippines Islands
             area:
             LST 219, by grounding,
              16 d. 10'N., 120 d. 22'E.
             LST 710, by collision,
              16 d. 10'N., 120 d. 22'E.
             LST 752, by collision,
              11 d. 11'N., 125 d. 05'E.
            Japanese submarine sunk:
             RO-47, by destroyer escort FLEMING (DE-32), central
              Pacific area,
              12 d. 08'N., 154 d. 27'E.

Information compiled by U.S. Navy Historians.  For more information,
contact the Naval Historical Center at (202) 433-3940.
Archived by: "Larry W. Jewell" <[email-masked]>
Posted by:
Theron P. Keller
Logicon, Inc.
Dahlgren, VA  22448 USA
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 01:17:46 -0800
From:    Steve New <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: TRIV: Pacific Armor

You wrote:

>
>Everyone knows about the great tank v. tank battles in Africa, Europe
>and the Eastern Front.  Anyone know of any examples of tank v. tank
combat
>in the Pacific theater?
>Tim J. Watts
>Valparaiso University

The following is extracted from the Squadron/Signal publication
STUART: US Light Tanks in action.

The Americans were to learn the lessons of the desert the hard way.
With the employment of Stuarts by the 1st and 2nd Armored Divisions
in Tunisia in 1943, the United States began to fully appreciate, in
particular, the inadequacy of the 37mm gun. Shortly after the first
engagement of the Stuarts at Gabr Saleh, the first American unit to
see action in the M3 was formed. In September and November 1941, two
ships left San Francisco carrying the men and 108 M3 tanks of the
192nd and 194th Tank Battalions. On 19 November, both units were
joined, along with the 17th Ordnance company, to form the
Provisional Tank Group under Brig. Gen. James Weaver to serve
in the defense of the Philippines. Both units had been formed from
National Guard Tank Companies and neither group had ever seen an M3
before they embarked. Each battalion had 54 M3 tanks, but their
allotment of half tracks and support vehicles was far under strength.
On inspection it was found that there was no high explosive
ammunition for the guns, no oil for the guns' recuperators and no
tank radios. Not until after the war began were the tank guns able
to be fired, and when the radios arrived they proved to be the wrong
type. As a result of the radio mix up, the machine gun in the right
sponson had to be removed to make room for the new set. This left a
hole in the front armor that local ordnance refused to cover over in
the absence of written orders from stateside. Like so many other
matters, this had to be resolved by extraordinary means.

On 8 December the tanks of company D of the 194th Tank Battalion were
stationed around the perimeter of Clark Field in anti-paratroop
positions. During the Japanese air raids, the tanks brought down one
fighter which was later matched by the 192nd Tank Battalion. The
192nd Tank Battalion was eventually assigned to assist in repulsing
the Japanese amphibious invasion at Lingayen Gulf and in the first
tank vs tank engagement of the U.S. Army in World War II, met tanks
of the Japanese 4th Sensha Rentai around Damortis on 12 December
1941. A small scouting patrol of 5 tanks from Company C was sent
down a narrow jungle road where it ran into a group of Type 95 Ha
Gos which had prepared an ambush. The lead tank was destroyed and
the remaining 4 tanks all hit, but managed to escape. The 192nd
tank battalion was forced to withdraw with the rest of the Army, but
remained in contact with its adversaries in the 4th Sensha Rentai,
fighting another battle outside Moncada on 21 December without
result. Company C finally got revenge on 31 December 1941 around
Baliuag. That day, the Japanese had captured the town, and the
Company, now under Lt. Wm. Gentry, was ordered to dislodge them.
Around 1700, the M3s barreled into the town, shooting the place up
and making a general shambles of things. They soon ran into Ha-Gos
of the 4th Sensha Rentai and in the fading light, American and
Japanese tanks began chasing each other through the narrow streets.
By nightfall, the M3s had knocked out 8 Type 95s at no cost to
themselves.

During the subsequent months of action during the retreat towards
Bataan, there were few other tank vs tank engagements and the
Provisional Tank Group was used mainly in desperate rear guard
actions. These skirmishes were extremely costly in men and
equipment and many tanks had to be left behind when bridges were
prematurely blown up by other retreating units. this was such a
problem that by 20 February 1942 the Japanese had captured 31 M3s.
In the later phases of the fight, the M3s served alongside M3 Gun
Motor Carriages (M3 half tracks fitted with a 75mm anti tank gun).
The last tank action of the campaign occurred on 1 April 1942 when
the tanks of the 194th Tank Battalion destroyed two enemy tanks,
probably of the 7th Sensha Rentai. The 194th Tank Battalion was the
last American unit to withdraw into Bataan and saw action until the
end of the campaign at which point all remaining equipment was
destroyed. Many of the crews subsequently died in the infamous
Bataan Death March. Several of the M3s that had been captured by the
Japanese were sent home for evaluation, but the rest were used in the
Philippines by the 3rd Chutai of the 7th Sensha Rentai for garrison
duty. During the fighting in the Philippines in January and February
1945, some of these Stuarts were used against the Americans, being
captured or destroyed. Ironically, these Stuarts were the first and
last M3s to see action in the Pacific.

***************************************

Though the Stuarts usually took a back seat to the Sherman in the
ETO, in the Pacific they were frequently the only vehicle available.
The M5Al was first used in the Pacific by the 4th Tank battalion
during the Marine attack on Roi Namur in February 1944 and by the
same unit on Saipan later in the summer where they helped to repulse
an attack by the 9th Sensha Rentai. During this action they
destroyed a number of Type 91 Medium Chi-has and Shinhoto Chi-has.
While the M5Al was becoming obsolete by European standards, it was
more than adequate in the Pacific owing to the very low priority the
Japanese put on tank development. The Marine and Army light tank
units in the Pacific used a number of different flamethrower devices
to attack Japanese bunkers.

--

Steve L. New
[email-masked]
Just an armadillo on the shoulder of the information superhighway.

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 01:31:09 -0800
From:    Steve New <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Romanian Carriers

You wrote:

>
>Henry,
>It was the ROYAL ROMANIAN SIGNAL CORPS that was affected by the
>Treaty of MONTREAUX limitations on carriers that caused them to cancel
>the order for the additional twenty pigeons......;)
>Mike
>
>Michael Long
>Programmer Analyst II
>University of Connecticut
>196 Auditorium Road, U-138    |   Bitnet: [email-masked]
>Storrs, Connecticut, USA      | Internet: [email-masked]
>                   06269-3138 |    Phone: (203) 486-1352
>
>

Thank God!  Now I don't have to convert that IAR 80 to an IAR 80-T.

--

Steve L. New
[email-masked]
Just an armadillo on the shoulder of the information superhighway.

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 06:28:15 -0500
From:    Thoams Wildenberg <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Faulty Torpedoes

On Tue, 17 Jan 1995, Barone wrote:

>         How do torpedoes circle?  I thought that they travel in a
> straight line.
        In my opinion torpedoes were the first "weapon's system, i.e.,
they were really guided missiles with a)launching system b) propulsion
system c)guidance system (depth & direction control) d) warhead.

        If the gyro failed the torpedo would loose directional control
and the rudder, I guess, would become jammed in one possition.

Tom Wildenberg

> --
> Joe Barone
> [email-masked]
> The only way I got to keep them Tigers
> interested is to let them shoot holes in me.
>

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 12:35:07 +0100
From:    Henrik Olsen <[email-masked]>
Subject: German U-boat captains

U 248   OL (Oberleutnant) Johann Loos

U 482   KL (Kapitaenleutnant) Graf v. Matuschka

U 679   OL Ed. Aust

U 1020  OL (R) O. Eberlein

U 1051  OL H. v. Holleben

U 1172  OL J. Kuhlmann

U 1199  KL R. Nollmann

U 3520  KL S. Ballert

---------

I have the names of the first and the  last captain of most
of the german u-boats, if any interest. Other info
also available.

Henrik Olsen

e-mail: [email-masked]

'today, is the history of tomorrow'

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 06:35:28 -0500
From:    Thoams Wildenberg <[email-masked]>
Subject: Weap: Magnetic Exploders

I seem to recall reading somewhere that BuOrd was so secretive about the
exploders that they refused to release them for use in exercises once
developed.  I believe that William D. Leahy was Chief of the Bureau at
that time.  Obviously BuOrd had not perfected the device as well as they
thought! :-(

Tom Wildenberg

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 03:37:40 -0800
From:    John Davis <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: 50 Years Ago - 19-JAN-1945

On 19-JAN-1945, the following occurred -

World War II - The Battlefronts
-------------------------------
Western Front - In the British 2nd Army sector, the 7th Armoured Division
clears Stevensweerd. The 52nd Division overruns Isenburch, Breberen,
Saeffelen and Broichhoven. Other units of the division cross the Dutch
border taking Koningsbosch, west of Bocket and make contact with the 7th
Armoured Division. In the U.S. 1st Army sector, the 3rd Armoured Division
gains its final objectives taking Brisy, Rettigny, Renglez and the rest of
the zone as far south as the Ourthe River. The 30th Division, against light
resistance, takes Recht. The 1st Division clears Iveldingen, Eibertingen,
Montenau and Schoppen. In the 3rd Army sector, the 4th Division in
conjunction with the 5th Division clears Bettendorf, but is unable to
reduce the German strongpoint across the Sauer from Reisdorf. The 5th
Division takes the rest of Diekirch and occupies Bastendorf. In the 7th
Army sector, the 45th Division holds against heavy fire and contains a
counterattack from the Bitche salient. Efforts to relieve the encircled 3rd
Battalion continue. The 14th Armoured Division is unable to improve its
positions even though the Germans are less aggressive in the
Rittershoffen-Hatten area. The 79th Division attacks toward Sessenheim.

Eastern Front - Continuing rapidly across Poland the 1st White Russian
Front takes Lodz. The 1st Ukraine Front seizes Tarnow and Cracow. The 4th
Ukraine Front reaches Gorlice, south of Tarnow. The Soviets annouce a new
offensive with the 3rd Belorrusian Front capturing Schlossberg.

Philippines - The XIV Corps begins to advance toward Clark Field, gaining
the line Camiling-Paniqui-Anao 24 hours ahead of schedule. The 40th
Division drives down Route 13 to Nambalan. The 37th Division drives to
Carmen and patrols advance as far as San Manuel without incident. Other
units from the division reach Moncada and Paniqui. On Mindoro, elements of
the 21st Infantry overcome Japanese opposition along Gusay Creek.

Camotes - Units of the 7th Division are now clearing the island and making
little contact with the Japanese.

Burma - The 25th Indian Division takes Kantha on the Myebon Peninsula.

=============================================================================

Sources: "United States Army in World War II, Chronology 1941-1945" compiled
by Mary H. Williams, Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of
the Army, "2194 Days of War" by Cesare Salmaggi and Alfredo Pallavisimi,
"Facts On File Yearbook 1945, Person's Index Of World Events" edited by R.L.
Lapica.

Copyright 1995 by John B Davis, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Previous articles are archived at ftp.webcom.com in directory /pub/jbd/www
and can be accessed via the WWW by URL: http://www.webcom.com/~jbd/ww2.html.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Davis                Cary, North Carolina                 [email-masked]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 06:44:27 -0500
From:    Thoams Wildenberg <[email-masked]>
Subject: A-bomb, Should it have been dropped

Tom Macklin, a former Marine Flyer who served in WWII recently told me an
anecdote which kind of expresses people's feelings at the time.  He was
scheduled for rotation back to the Pacific to participate in the planned
invasion of Japan (he would have flown the paratroopers) when he heard
about the bomb being dropped.  He says they all got "slashed" that night!

I get really annoyed with "do gooders" who have never been in the real
world.  People forget that a) people were getting killed and b) they
started it.

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 07:13:00 EST
From:    mc killop <[email-masked]>
Subject: [INF] USAAF 18 JAN 45

COMBAT CHRONOLOGY OF THE US ARMY AIR FORCES
THURSDAY, 18 JANUARY 1945
FTP SITES
  1. ftp.rutgers.edu in directory pub/wwii/usaf
  2. byrd.mu.wvnet.edu (129.71.32.152) in pub/history/military/airforce/
     wwii_chronology

AIRCRAFT MENTIONED IN THIS REPORT:
  A-20, Douglas Havoc
  B-17, Boeing Flying Fortress
  B-24, Consolidated Liberator
  B-25, North American Mitchell
  C-46, Curtiss Commando
  C-47, Douglas Skytrain
  L-5, Stinson Sentinel
  P-38, Lockheed Lightning
  P-40, Curtiss
  P-47, Republic Thunderbolt
  P-51, North American Mustang

NOTE: A number in parenthesis after a target name indicates the number of
bombers attacking.

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS

  ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): 3 B-24s fly an unsuccessful reconnaissance
mission to Kurabu Airfield on Paramushiru Island, Kurile Islands; one of the
B-24s force-lands in the USSR on the return trip.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA THEATER

  CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, 29 B-24s bomb and 25 P-40s
pound shipping and railroad targets at Hong Kong; 7 B-25s bomb Ishan and
Chinchengchiang, 4 B-25s and 12 P-40s hit shipping in the Puchi area, 4 B-25s
bomb the town of Wanting, and 2 hit troop compounds at Chaling. 11 B-25s and
12 fighter-bombers attack Phu Lang Thuong, French Indochina. About 140 P-51s,
P-40s, and P-38s on armed reconnaissance over S China from the Burma boundary
to Hong Kong attack a huge variety of targets of opportunity.

  INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): In Burma, 23 P-47s and P-38s hit
Anisakan and Hsumhsai Airfields; 12 B-25s bomb the airfield at Nawnghkio; 20+
P-47s support ground forces at Si-U and near Yenya-u and Mahlainggon; troops,
supplies, and general targets of opportunity are attacked at Antawsai, Mong
Nak, Namhpakka, Mong Yok, Loi-pyek, Kyawnghkam, Pangnok, and in the Namtu
vicinity. 529 transport sorties are flown to forward areas. In India, the
detachment of the 6th Fighter Squadron (Commando), 1st Air Commando Group,
operating from Cox's Bazar, India with P-47s returns to base at Asansol.

EUROPEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (ETO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 799: Bad weather limits
operations; 114 of 114 B-17s attack the marshalling yard at Kaiserslautern
without loss; most are diverted to bases on the Continent after the raid
because of heavy clouds; escort is provided by 105 of 113 P-51s with the loss
of 3 aircraft and pilots. 6 of 6 B-17s fly a screening mission and 4 of 4
P-51s fly a scouting mission.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Ninth Air Force): HQ IX Tactical Air Command returns
to operational control of the Ninth AF (from the RAF Second Tactical AF) as
the US First Army returns from the Twenty First Army Group to the Twelfth
Army Group. In Belgium, HQ IX Tactical Air Command (Rear) returns to Verviers
from Charleroi. Weather prevents all Ninth AF operations except for alert
flights by 11 fighters of the IX and XXIX Tactical Air Commands. The 153d
Liaison Squadron, IX Tactical Air Command (attached to Twelfth Army Group),
moves from Rutten to Spa, Belgium with L-5s.

MEDITERRANEAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (MTO)

  STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Fifteenth Air Force): Weather prevents bombing
operations; P-38s and P-51s fly photo reconnaissance and escort missions.

  TACTICAL OPERATIONS (Twelfth Air Force): In Italy during the night of 17/18
Jan, A-20s attack Po River crossings, lights and movement throughout the Po
Valley; during the day medium bombers pound targets on the Brenner line,
including a temporary bridge between San Michele all'Adige and Ora, and an
overhanging cliff over the railroad at San Ambrogio di Valpolicella; fighters
and fighter-bombers blast communications lines in NE Italy and fuel and
supply dumps in the Piacenza area, destroying numerous railroad tracks,
trains, and vehicles, and causing explosions or fires in most of the dumps.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA)

  AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): 19 Saipan Island-based B-24s bomb targets on
Chichi Jima and Haha Jima Islands, damaging the naval base and the town of
Okimura on Chichi Jima. 10 B-24s from Guam Island pound an airfield on Iwo
Jima Island. During the night of 18/19 Jan, 3 B-24s continue snooper strikes
against Iwo Jima airfields. In Hawaii, HQ VII Fighter Command moves from
Hickam Field to Ft Kamehameha.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s blast the
Cotabato area on Mindanao Island. B-24s bomb targets in the Miti area of
Halmahera Island, and on Luzon Island, B-25s hit troop concentrations at
Bamban, A-20s hit warehouses and highway traffic N of Bataan, and P-38s
strafe parked aircraft at Tuguegarao and vehicles at Enrile and Butigui and
Calarian on Mindanao Island. A variety of FEAF aircraft fly small-scale raids
and armed reconnaissance missions against road and rail targets, bridges,
airfields, and numerous targets of opportunity throughout the Philippine
Islands. The 66th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d Troop Carrier Group, based on
Biak Island, begins operating from Hill Field, Mindoro Island and Dulag,
Leyte Island with C-46s and C-47s. The 67th Troop Carrier Squadron, 433d
Troop Carrier Group, moves from Biak Island to Tinauan, Leyte Island with
C-46s and C-47s.

SOURCES:
AIR FORCE COMBAT UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force History,
  Headquarters USAF, 1961, ISBN 0-912799-02-1
COMBAT SQUADRONS OF THE AIR FORCE, WORLD WAR II, Office of Air Force
  History, Headquarters USAF 1982
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II: COMBAT CHRONOLOGY, 1941-1945 by the
  Office of Air Force History, Headquarters USAF, 1973
THE MIGHTY EIGHTH WAR DIARY by Roger A. Freeman, ISBN 1-85409-071-2

Jack McKillop
USAF (Airways and Air Communications Service)
1955-59

-------------------------------------------------------------------
|  Jack McKillop         |  Those who have long enjoyed such      |
|  Bellcore              |  privileges as we enjoy forget in      |
|  Piscataway, NJ USA    |  time that men have died to win them.  |
|  [email-masked]  |                       FDR              |
-------------------------------------------------------------------

18/1211Z JAN

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 06:24:51 -600
From:    "L. Rick Cox" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: REQ  Chemical corps musuim

>         For a friend who served in the 83rd Chemical Morter Bn. in WWII...
>does anyone know where the Chemical Corps musieum, or a  new monument to
>this corps is located. I have tried Fort Gordon.  He saw announcment of a
>new  monument, and  would like to know the location.
>
For many years now the home of the U.S. Army Chemical Corps is Ft. Mclelan
Alabama.  I am in a National Guard Chemical Battalion, and that is where we
send our people to obtain their Chem MOS.  I have heard that they have a
museum there devoted to the Chemical Corps, and I seem to remember something
about a monument that was dedicated there in the last year or so.  If you
need more, or more specific, information let me know and I will pester the
full timers at my unit.

Sgt Rick Cox,  HHD 44th Chem Bn, IL Army National Guard

Rick Cox    [email-masked]
Ameritech National Customer Service Center
Hoffman Estates, Illinois.

Modification of an old Cav saying; If you ain't Cav, you got over!

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 07:34:58 -0500
From:    "Steven Pudlo, Dept. Computer Svcs." <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: INFO

Hey Cas;

The word is "Mettle", not "Metal". Metal is what warships are made of,
except US carrier decks, of course. ;-)

Mettle is what one tests under unfavorable circumstances.

                                                        :-)Steve
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Steven E. Pudlo  - [email-masked] |"Life may be a drag...
STC Programmer/Analyst - (203) 885-2343  |    But it sure beats the
Three Rivers Community-Technical College |       only known alternative"
574 New London Turnpike                  |                     (S.E.P.)
Norwich, CT. U.S.A. 06360                |No one gets out of it alive..
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 08:18:27 EST
From:    Mike Fetters <[email-masked]>
Subject: GEN: SMITHSONIAN EXHIBIT

We're working towards a public opening in mid- to late May, 1995. The
product ion schedule is extremely tight right now, so we'll probably
hold off on locking in specific dates for a few more weeks. I expect by
mid-February we will be able to announce the public opening date for the
"The Last Act: The Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II" exhibition.

Thanks for the inquiry. Mike

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 15:19:39 +0100
From:    Allan Myrvang <[email-masked]>
Subject: WW II Mysteries

Hi Mike,

Thank you very much for a most clarifying answer to my question :

Is Viktor Suvorow's book, The Icebreaker, reliable? Just one question

before I go to Bergen for a heart operation : Why on earth ha Stalin

concentrated almost 4 million men and all that equipment so close to

the Western border?

Allan

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 09:21:21 -0600
From:    Bob Rogers <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: 50TH: SMITHSONIAN AND

Mike Fetters writes:

>"War in the Pacific" will blend seamlessly into the original first
>section of the exhibition "Fight to the Finish." So "The Last Act: The
>Atomic Bomb and the End of World War II" exhibition now has six units:
>"War in the Pacific," "Fight to the Finish," "The Decision to Drop the
>Bomb," "Enola Gay: The B-29 and the Atomic Missions," "Hiroshima and
>Nagasaki" and "Japan Surrenders."

Will the fire bombing of Japan's cities be covered?  Will the technical
development of the B-29 itself be included?

Is there any possibility of releasing/publishing the exhibet text to
the net?

--
Bob Rogers            Internet:  [email-masked]
Instrumental, Inc.    GEnie:     R.C.ROGERS
Minneapolis, MN USA   Phone:     612-920-6188

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 10:34:09 -0500
From:    Lee Windsor u <[email-masked]>
Subject: Lorries in the East

Hello Henry!

As you mentioned, a good many of those German lorries where requisitioned
civilian vehicles, often unfit for the types of duty they would encounter
in the east.

I cannot find any mention of how much this number had been reduced after
a few years in Russia.  Do you know of any such figures?  I do recall
reading, I believe in Guderian's memoirs, that many German logistical
officers were promoting a return to horse transport in the rear
echelons.  As I remember, their reasoning was based on the experiences of
the poor Russian road network and the constant lack of petrol.

I suppose too, with German industry focusing increasingly on armoured
vehicle, artillery(88), and aircraft production, it is quite concievable
that as lorries broke down or were lost in action they could only be
replaced by horses.

If you have any more figures or know where I could look, could you please
send them.

Thanks,

Semper Fi

Lee W.

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 10:45:59 -0500
From:    Lee Windsor u <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: INFO

 I am looking for any
> information on the subject of Operations Analysis (sometimes called Oper.
> Research) during WW II, and particularly in the Pacific.  I have seen
> reference to it being done but have not been able to get a good source or
> locate any primary sources holdings.  I would appreciate any help that any-
> one could give.
>

My advisor here at Wilfred Laurier Univ., is currently doing quite abit
of work on operational research, but mostly on the North Atlantic Run and
in Normandy.  One particular area he is working on is the use of Mortars
by the Germans in Normandy.  His article in "Canadian Military History"
notes the papers of Lord Swann as well as a 1945 report titled
"Operational Research in Northwest Eruope:  The work of No.2 ORS"  I
believe this would be avaliable through the British archives.

As for the Pacific, perhaps someone more familiar with the U.S. Archives
could comment.

Hope this is of some use.

Semper Fi

Lee W.

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 08:30:00 CST
From:    Michael P LaForge <[email-masked]>
Subject: Chemical Corps Museum

Located at Fort McClellan, AL. Try 205-555-1212 for information. If you have
DSN Accsess(SP) try DSN 865-1110 for info.

******************************************************************************
* Mike LaForge                                                               *
* U.S. Army Technical Center for Explosives Safety (USATCES)                 *
* Explosives Safety Logistics Division (ESL)                                 *
* Defense Environmental Restoration Program - Formerly Used Defense Sites    *
* (DERP-FUDS)                                                                *
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Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 10:47:36 -0700
From:    Jim O'Neil <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Faulty Torpedoes

>>
>> In "Double-Edged Secrets" US Naval Intelligence Operations in the Pacific
>> during WW II; by W.J. Holmes; published by the Naval Institute Press;
>> -there is a reference to the possibility that the Germans stole our
>> Magnetic exploder on page 106. The author points out that they then had
>> many of the same problems we did...an interesting side note!
>>
>> Jim O'Neil      They don't pay me enough to fight fair!
>>
>Hmm, Dont know about stealing, they had been working on this since
>Norway 39 I belive (where boat after boat failed to sink their sitting
>ducks due to failed torpedoes). Americans were however quicker to solve
>this problem (by a year I think).
>
Apparantly the US found two German Naval Unter-Leutnants, who had signed up
as US Naval officers and were in the US Navy's Sub & torpedo courses during
1939 & '40... it is a matter of question, not fact tho'. Apparantly there
are similarities in design as well. The source is not too specific on the
Technological points.

Jim O'Neil      They don't pay me enough to fight fair!

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 10:48:16 -0700
From:    Jim O'Neil <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: "Barbarossa"

>Dear Henery,
>
>Off the top of my head, I think 50% of Lend Lease to the Soviets went
>across the Pacific, either by air via Alaska or from Seattle, Vancouver
>and San Francisco, on Soviet-flagged vessels the Japanese wouldn't attack.
>The Persian Gulf routes accounted for the great majority of the remainder.
>The Murmansk routes were heroic efforts, but strategically not that
>significant.
>
I would ask that you check on that, there were few aircraft that could
carry a 2 1/2 ton truck...C-47 was good for jeeps but not anything so
big...given the numbers, air is very unlikely... I wondered if Vladivostok
was used, but I thought that Japanese mines had closd off the Sea of
Japan... a Soviet Route through would have been exploited by US subs ,
wouldn't it? I know a fair amount of stuff went through Abadan, Persia; but
that was a poor port and a LONG way, out of the way! Transport in
Persia/Iran was very primitive in 1960... I can only imagine what it was in
1943-44.

Jim O'Neil      They don't pay me enough to fight fair!

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 12:58:37 EST
From:    Mike Long <[email-masked]>
Subject: WEAP: German Aerial Torpedoes of WWII

Hello,
Does anyone have any good data or references/sources of information on
aerial torpedoes used by the Luftwaffe during WWII. There's been some
excellant data on the Japanese weapons (both aerial/surface) but no mention
at all on Germany's. I've seen several pictures of them in references about
torpedo bombers, Ju88s, He111s etc., but no data on the torps themselves.

I am interested in any specs, anecdotes, histories, deployemnt ....,if
possible.

Thanks,
Mike

Michael Long
Programmer Analyst II
University of Connecticut
196 Auditorium Road, U-138    |   Bitnet: [email-masked]
Storrs, Connecticut, USA      | Internet: [email-masked]
                   06269-3138 |    Phone: (203) 486-1352

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 12:20:44 GMT-6
From:    "Robert T. Moore" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: AWOL Fliers

Hello, Henry!

> Thanks for the update.

    You are very welcome, and if I can be of further assistance,
please let me know.

All the best.

Terry

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 12:23:34 GMT-6
From:    "Robert T. Moore" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: MEDIA: Eugene P. Wigner Obituary

Hello, Theron!

Thanks for the post and sorry about the death of Professor Wigner.

> I was privileged to sit in on a lecture given by Dr. Wigner over 10 years
> ago while attending Mary Washington College, in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
> He was invited there by one of our Physics professors, who was a personal
> friend of Dr. Wigners.
>
> It was fascinating to listen to him recount stories of his time spent on
> these early projects with some of the greatest scientific minds of our
> century.  He was very kind and humble, and at my request, even autographed
> a sign which had been placed around campus advertising his lecture.  I'm
> sure he will be greatly missed.

    I am certain of it, and you were very fortunate to have listened
to him and acquire his autograph.

    All the best.

    Terry

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 13:42:05 EST
From:    Alan Wild <[email-masked]>
Subject: Inf: 3rd Army Chronology - 19Jan45

January 19, 1945
D-Day +227

-III Corps: 26th Inf Div, 101st & 104th Inf Regiments relieved by 28th Calv
            6th Calv moved to Corps reserve
            35th remained in Corps reserve

-VIII Corps: 17th & 11th Airborne Divs held forward positions
             101st Airborne moving from 3rd Army zone to 7th Army zone

-87th Inf Div & 2nd Calv patrolled agressively

-5th Inf Div defeated a strong counterattack and took Bastendorf

-4th Armored linked with 5th Inf Div outside of Diekirch and Bettendorf

-12th Inf Div captures Longsdorf

-XIX TAC flew 149 sorties with slight victories

-3rd Army was 34,000 understrength, mostly in Rifle Companys in Inf Divs

-Efforts were made to expedite delivery of medical supplies to the front

**********

Alan Wild, Sr. Prog/Analyst
ACC - Lippitt - URI
Kingston, RI  02881

I am the NRA.

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 11:05:31 -0800
From:    Jack Taylor <[email-masked]>
Subject: Chemical Corps

My uncle was stationed at CAMP CUSTER.  I think he was in the chemical
corps in WWII.  Where is or was Camp CUSTER?

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 14:01:17 GMT-6
From:    "Robert T. Moore" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: 50TH: HELPING THE

Hello, Ken!

I was intrigued by your post. It seems to me that both bombs were
necessary to drive home the point that a new technology in bomb
development had been introduced with devastating results. Although,
the bomb on Nagasaki was off by 5 miles, enough damage was done to
make it known to the Japanese High Council that continued resistance
was pointless.

Would appreciate your input.

Thank you.

All the best, as always.

Terry

 > You can probably talk me into
1, but not both. >
> ken koester
> maint2#ers.bitnet

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 14:08:47 GMT-6
From:    "Robert T. Moore" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: 50TH: HELPING THE

Hello, Ken and others!

> That would be a tough one to decide.  It's easy to *assume* motivations like
> that, but tough to *prove*.

    That is right. This notion seems to have been developed from the
1970's, as best I remember with the book by Charles Mee that claimed
that the "bomb was used against Japan to impress the Russians." There
is no proof of that.

 It seems pretty clear that dropping the bomb,
> as opposed to merely having it, did impress Uncle Joe & everyone else, but
> I doubt that was the primary motivation for using it.

    Certainly, but even with Truman's informing him at Potsdam in
July 1945, along with the actual employment of the bombs themselves
only spurred Stalin to entrust Lavrenti Beria with the development of
their own atomic bomb program. And Stalin's actions in the post-war
era didn't strike me as someone who was that "impressed" with
what happened over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He still did what he
wanted to do with Eastern Europe and the Far East.

      Thanks, Ken, for allowing my two cents' worth on this.

      All the best.

      Terry

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 14:12:14 GMT-6
From:    "Robert T. Moore" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: 22d Hurtgen Epilogue

Hello, again, Ken!

A very thought-provoking response!

> A US infantryman, on the other hand, knew he wasn't going anywhere until
> the war was over, unless it was on a stretcher.  Can someone suggest an
> in-depth treatment of this topic, and comparisons with the other major
> forces?

    However, didn't the American infantrymen, at least consider that
he would be relieved in the line, if he survived that long, because
we also tended to reconstitute forces pulled out of the line for rest
and replenishment which also meant replacements?

    Thanks, again.

    Terry

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 19:00:33 EST
From:    Cassady Craft <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: 22d Hurtgen Epilogue

On Wed, 18 Jan 1995 14:12:14 GMT-6 "Robert T. Moore" said:
>> A US infantryman, on the other hand, knew he wasn't going anywhere until
>> the war was over, unless it was on a stretcher.  Can someone suggest an
>> in-depth treatment of this topic, and comparisons with the other major
>> forces?
>
>    However, didn't the American infantrymen, at least consider that
>he would be relieved in the line, if he survived that long, because
>we also tended to reconstitute forces pulled out of the line for rest
>and replenishment which also meant replacements?

Terry, you probably know that the way the US reconstituted its forces was
a disaster for morale, thus weakening the Army in the end.  Replacement
troops were deployed singly, thus had to acclimatize to their squad, etc.
Slightly wounded troops would become normal replacements, with no effort to
return them to what they still considered "their units."  As you know, small
units fight not for mom, apple pie, or the USA, but because their buddy, who
they have shared experiences with, is right there next to them.

Cassady Craft
e-mail [email-masked]
or
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 21:24:32 -0500
From:    Burt Knight <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: "Barbarossa"

>I thought that Japanese mines had closd off the Sea of
>Japan... a Soviet Route through would have been exploited by US subs ,
>wouldn't it?

They didn't close off the sea of Japan for fear of pissing uncle Joe off and
yes, US subs did
take advantage of the open channels and did follow Soviet freighters thru clear
channels.  I believe
Beach recorded a Sub Captain making a perfect approach on a Maru and was about
to fire when he
noticed the Red Flag on the mast head. Another author records a US Sub shelling
and machine-
gunning a fishing boat in the Sea of Japan only to find it was Russian.

BTW and getting far afield but involving neutral ships in war zones- UBoot
captains used the same
trick to get into the Med. They would follow a Turkish ship whenever possible.

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 20:50:28 -0600
From:    "Roddy R. Rupert" <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Faulty Torpedoes

On Wed, 18 Jan 1995, Jim O'Neil wrote:

> >>
> >> In "Double-Edged Secrets" US Naval Intelligence Operations in the Pacific
> >> during WW II; by W.J. Holmes; published by the Naval Institute Press;
> >> -there is a reference to the possibility that the Germans stole our
> >> Magnetic exploder on page 106. The author points out that they then had
> >> many of the same problems we did...an interesting side note!

Here is more information on the design of the Mark 6 magnetic exploder: page
35 in the volume "War Under the Pacific" (from the Time-Life series World War
II) says:
        "The weapons designers at BuOrd had based their new exploder on a
         mechanism that the Germans had employed to trigger mines during
         the First World War."

Hmmmm. Who copied what from whom?

---------------------------
Rod Rupert
Springfield, MO

------------------------------

Date:    Wed, 18 Jan 1995 19:00:12 -0800
From:    Steve New <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: Weap: Magnetic Exploders

You wrote:

>
>I seem to recall reading somewhere that BuOrd was so secretive about
the
>exploders that they refused to release them for use in exercises once
>developed.  I believe that William D. Leahy was Chief of the Bureau at
>that time.  Obviously BuOrd had not perfected the device as well as
they
>thought! :-(
>Tom Wildenberg

It wasn't just secrecy, it was economics.  Those torpedos were
incredibly expensive for the time, and with the budget cuts of the
1930's, the Navy decided that it couldn't afford to fire torpedos in
training.

--

Steve L. New
[email-masked]
Just an armadillo on the shoulder of the information superhighway.

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End of WWII-L Digest - 17 Jan 1995 to 18 Jan 1995
*************************************************