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- COMMANDER SOUTH ATLANTIC

37)CHRONOLOGY OF 1944


01 JAN Fourth Fleet's "Triple Play" begins with sighting of blockade runner Weserland by a VB-107 plane.


02 JAN USS Somers chases runner and sinks her; a plane of 107, damaged by the German ship's AA fire, crashes before reaching base at Ascension.


04 JAN USS Omaha and Jouett intercept and sink blockade runner Rio Grande, next day sink Burgenland.


10 JAN Area of south of Maceio obtained from Brazilian Army for use as target area for shore bombardment exercises by ships.


15 JAN Admiral Ingram visits Montevideo in Memphis.


21 JAN CominCh increases complement of airships for the two squadrons of Wing 4 from six to eight.


24 JAN VB-134 (Venturas, and the first rocket-equipped squadron in SoLant) establishes headquarters at Ibura.


26 JAN YFD-27, badly needed floating drydock, arrives at Bahia.


04 FEB K-114 and K-90, from Igarape Assu, rescue RAF officers of plane wrecked west of Igarape


11 FEB K-106 and K-114 from Amapa rescue men from two Army planes in jungle.


20 FEB Gunnery area "Man" established off Bahia for training purposes.


26 FEB Vice Admiral P. N. L. Bellinger and party visit Recife on tour of Naval Air Stations.


01 MAR Rear Admiral Barthes visits Recife in French cruiser Suffren.


09/15 MAR Blimps of airship wing begin to operate from Caravellas and Santa Cruz, farthest southern bases for airships.


12/16 MAR Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt visits Brazil; the First Lady makes stops at Belem, Natal, and Recife.


31 MAR First Brazilian Air Group, Ibura, a Ventura squadron, established after Brazilians receive USBATU training and a squadron of American PV's.


01 APR Rear (later Vice) Admiral Teixeira receives Rear Admiral Jose Maria Neiva as Naval Commander of the Northeast; Admiral Neiva leaves Recife to take command of the central district, Rio.


02 APR Captain R. D. Workman, Chief of Navy Chaplains, visits Recife.


10 APR Brazilian School of Instruction for ASW Tactics formally opened by Admiral Soares Dutra in Recife.


20 APR Construction begun on blimp base at Vitoria; completed in 45 days.


29 APR VP-45 (PBY5A's) establishes headquarters at Belem.


01 MAY Rear Admiral Read detached from command of CruDiv 2, assigned duty as Commandant NOB Trinidad


26 MAY Submarine sanctuary "Yoke" established off Rio for tame submarine exercises, and area "Roger" set up for bombing and strafing practice.


10 JUN Captain Dodd made Chief of Naval Mission with rank of Commodore.


17 JUN Permanent rocket range established near Maceio for practice by aircraft.


20 JUN Commander Gene Tunney visits area.


02 JUL First contingent of Brazilian Expeditionary Force sails from Rio on USS General W. H. Mann; conveyed by Brazilian destroyers and Fourth Fleet ships.


13 JUL Rear Admiral Rosendahl and Commodore Willis arrive in Brazil to inspect blimp stations.


01 AUG Destroyer Escorts Pennewill and Herzog transferred to Brazil at Natal. Two more transferred 15th.


01 AUG NOF Victoria closed. Brazilian Port Captain takes over mership reporting functions; the first of the long series of turnovers as the Fleet prepared to leave Brazil.


15 AUG NOF's Fortaleza and Sao Luiz closed.


19 AUG NOF Maceio closed.


21 AUG Sao Luiz blimp lowers doctor to USS Lapwing to treat emergency case aboard.


23 AUG NOF Florianopolis closed.


11 SEP NOF Rio Grande do Sul closed.


15 SEP Rear Admiral W. O. Spears, Chief of Pan-American Division of CNO, touring area.


22 SEP Largest contingent of Brazilian troops embarks on two transports at Rio; conveyed to Gibraltar by Fourth Fleet.


29 SEP Last sub sinking in SoLant by plane of VB-107.


29 SEP Coastal navigation lights turned on in Brazil to increase safety of shipping.


15 OCT Play begins in all-Fleet basketball tournament, first of a series of all-area sports contests.


11 NOV CHANGE OF COMMAND. Vice Admiral Ingram relieved by Rear Admiral Munroe; goes to U. S. to become CinCLant with rank of Admiral; new Commander Fourth Fleet, former Commandant Third Naval District, promoted to Vice Admiral.


22 NOV All escort vessels except four DE's ordered detached from Fourth Fleet to return to U. S. for further assignment to Pacific.


27 NOV Twenty-two officers and men killed in crash of PBY 45 miles east of Sao Luiz; Fleet's worst air accident.


04 DEC Admiral sails from Recife for inspection of Bahia and Rio bases.


11 DEC JT-TJ convoy system placed on five-day cycle to speed shipping.


12 DEC First Brazilian Catalina Air Group, Rio, becomes operational; planes of former VP-94.


19 DEC Admiral Monroe presents two more DE's to Brazil at Natal; Cannon and Christopher, which are re-christened Baependi and Benevente.


25 DEC After raising funds in drive for voluntary contributions, American servicemen give parties for local orphans to celebrate Christmas; second annual charity program.


31 DEC Building at Tejipio returned to State of Permambuco; Captain Toper. CO of receiving station and recreation center, leaves area.

 


Hyper War. Commander South Atlantic Force. U.S Naval Administration in WW II


 

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