A LAST UPDATE 2024 - A LAST UPDATE
1)LAST UPDATE 2024
10 MAR 2024. Added one picture from the funeral of one crewmember from Swedish Merchant Hammaren in one cemeter at Salvador Bahia following the sinking of the ship made by U-507.
01 MAR 2024. Added two rare pictures showing the large infra structure erected at Recife harbor during 1942 1943
25 FEB 2024. Added one very rare picture from one four engined Sikorski moored at the Pan American quay at Recife, one of its stop in the long journey across south America to Buenos Aires circa 1940.
24 FEB 2024. Added one picture from British Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Darkdale sunk by U-68 on 22 OCT 41 off Santa Helena.
31 JAN 2024. Added one picture from British Merchant Fort Halkett sunk Aug. 6 1943 some 600 miles southeast off Recife.
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15 DEC 2023.- Added one picture of Brazilian Corvette Rio Branco when in patrol in high seas.
12 DEC 2023 - Added one picture from Recife Ibura airbase with detailed view from above showing several compounds of that large base. Later in 1943 two more runways were built, one of them for the purpose of a parking area but used for training of small aircraft.
11 DEC 2023 - Added one new rare view from Aratu seen from above circa 1943 In the detail the picture shows six PBM Mariners largely used in the south Atlantic. Photo kindly sent by Brazilian historian Manoel Fonseca.
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10 DEC 2023. Added one picture from the sinking of US Merchant Anne Hutchinson occurred 26 OCT 1942
12 NOV 2023. Added the picture from one PBY4 Liberator from US Navy seen overflying the Morro do Pico Hill heading for one lone patrol over the south Atlantic.
05 NOV 2023. Added one excerpts on the sinking of SS Veerhaven containing details on the sinking of that important Dutch ship occurred 11 NOV 1942.
01 NOV 2023. Added the picture of British merchant SIRE sunk in the South Atlantic by U-107 on 31 MAY 1941 off Freetown when sailing in ballast from UK to Pepel, Sierra Leone.
14)SIRE U-107 - S T U - SHIPS HIT BRITAIN 239 * - Articles - Sixtant - War II in the South Atlantic
29 SEP 2023. Added one more page at ARTICLES RAIDER THOR, this time on the capture of Dutch merchant KERTOSONO occurred 01 JUL 1940. the ship was ladden with Agricultural Machinery, Oil, Asphalt and timber and sailed from New Orleans to Dutch East Indies via Curaçao and Freetown along with 56 crewmwmbers and 9 passengers. Ship was sent under a prize crew to Lorient.
19 SEP 2023. Added one picture of survivors from U.S Merchant Samuel Jordan Kyrkwood sunk 07 May 1943 by U-195 some 125 miles from Ascension Is. All 70 survivors were rescued by one USAAF crash boat and taken in tow.
06 AUG 2023. Added one rare picture from survivors of Dutch merchant Benakat sunk some 140 miles northeast of Ascension Island on 20 May 1943 by U-197. All 44 crewmembers survived. One boatload went ashore at Ascension Is. The second boat was rescued after 17 days adrift by AMC HMS Corfu and landed them at Freetown.
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29 JUL 2023. Added picture of British Merchant Kohinur sister ship Ranee sunk 15 NOV 40 by U-65 on pos 04º 24’’N 13º 46’W. She was loaded with Government stores and departed from Port Talbot, Wales, to Alexandria and Port Said.
22 JUL 2023. Added the picture of British merchant Ilorin, completed in December 1920 as Marion Merrett for D.R. Llewellyn, Merrett & Price Ltd, Cardiff. 1924 renamed Kirkwynd for McIntyre, Inglis & Co Ltd, Glasgow. 1926 renamed Smerdis for J. & P. Hutchison Ltd, Glasgow. 1934 renamed Ilorin for Elder Dempster Lines Ltd, Liverpool.
19 JUN 2023. Added report by US Navy Depatment 08 May 1943 reporting the departing of supply ship Regensburg from Yokohama to France. The same was sunk South West off Azores on 05 March 1943.
9)SUPPLY SHIP REGENSBURG - SHIPS TANKERS - Articles - Sixtant - War II in the South Atlantic
26 MAY 2023. Added an updated picture of German Blockade runner Goslar scuttled at Paramaribo on 10 MAY 1940 to avoid seizure.
15 MAY 2023. Added a short archival footage on the capture by Royal Navy of German ship Uhenfels in 1939 off Freetown.
27 APR 2023. Added a new article - SHIPS SUNK BY MONTH 1939 1945. An easier way to find any ship by month and day of sinking.
SHIPS SUNK BY MONTH 1939 1945 - Articles - Sixtant - War II in the South Atlantic
09 APR 2023. Added one picture from British ship SS Cingalese Prince Sunk 20 SEP 41 by U-111 on pos. 02º 00’S 25º 30’W
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04 MAR 2023. Added a rare picture from British ship SS Dalhousie sunk 09/08/42 by Raider STIER on pos. 20º 22”S 24º 40”W. The picture was kindly sent by Ian Archibald, Convenor Burntisland Heritage Trust.
28 FEB 2023. Added one picture from the moment the British merchant Sarthe is broken in two after being hit forward of the bridge by one torpedo from U-68 on 8 OCT 42 in pos. 34° 50'S 18° 40'E.
6)SARTHE U-68 - S T U - SHIPS HIT BRITAIN 238 * - Articles - Sixtant - War II in the South Atlantic
25 FEB 2023. Added one rare picture taken following the sinking of Burgenland depicts the ocean surface with a vast quantity of rubber bales. This vital cargo now in the hands of the allies would suffice to produce thousands of aircraft tires.
14 JAN 2023. Added the picture of Panamanian merchant Aneroid ex War Trefoil.
12 JAN 2023. Added the picture of Panamanian merchant Bayou ex Lake Fairfax.
22 DEC 2022. Added a new picture from the sinking of German Blockade runner Rio Grande sunk: 4/Jan/1944 by USS Cruiser Omaha and Destroyer Jouett on position 06º 40’S 25º 39’W.
20 DEC 2022 - Updated the picture of Dutch merchant Mandalika sunk 19 Mar 1941 by U-105 on pos. 18° 16'N 21° 26'W.
15 DEC 2022 - Added rare pictures from the sinking of German Blockade Runner Anneliese Essberger scuttled 21/11/42 400 miles east off St. Paul Rocks on position 00°54'N - 22°34'W to avoid capture by US Navy cruiser Milwaukee.
01 DEC 2022. - Added the list of prisoners of German blockade runner Carl Fritzen and also a letter from "Falkland Islands Defence Regulation Order for Detention and Control of Enemy Subjects issued by the Island's Governor regarding the transfer of 140 Germans from Carl Fritzen and Ussukuma to Bavianspoort Camp near Simonstown.
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14 AUG 2022 - Added picture from one lifeboat used by the survivors from Brazilian merchant Itapage sunk off the coast of Alagoas state some 100 miles off Recife.
18 JUL 2022 - Added two pictures from Brazilian AFB Cumbica at Sao Paulo which headquartered one squadron with 30 Douglas A-20K twin engine bombers.
15 MAY 2022 - Added a new Article RECIFE AND CONVOY AS4 telling the story of the vital Allied Convoy, the first in importance to mobilize a large fleet of merchants loaded with 300 Sherman tanks and 100 pieces of artillery to the beleaguered British 8th Army in Lybia and Egypt. Shrouded in absolute secrecy it departed New York having made one stop at Recife where one active Axis spy ring operated. The Convoy eventually reached the Suez Canal via South Atlantic Indian and Red Sea unscathed.
25 APR 2022 - Added five pictures at US NAVY BASES IN BRAZIL IGARAPE AÇU the Blimp remote base US Navy erected late in 1942 in Northern Amazon state of Para. The pictures show the remains of the runway, ammunition depot and mooring masts sites still visible.
24 APR 2022 - Adde one more page at BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE FAB, including the Italian trimotor Savoia Marchetti SM 79T which along with other two aircrafts made a daring raid Rome- Rio in 1938, the first one to be flown with landplanes in crossing the South Atlantic between Dakar and Natal.
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ADDITIONS 2021
18 DEC 2021 - Updated information on aircraft B-25 crashed some 82 miles east of São Luis NAF Northeastern Brazil. Written off . All crew of 6 died in the crash in one remote beach. All them were buried in two cemeteries of the region but later in August 1943 one team from US Army Corps removed the remnants and transferred them for burial in the US. In July 2021 the wreckage was found by local fishermen. 13 MAY 43. NORTH AMERICAN B-25 D MITCHELL BuNo 41-30348
16 SEP 2021 - Added one updated picture from US merchant Mae
11 SEP 2021 - Added one picture from US merchant La Salle seen as former George Peirce.
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08 SEP 2021 - Added one picture of the rescuing of survivors from British merchant Empire Nomad sunk 13/Oct/42 by U-159 on pos. 37º 50”S 18º 16”E
07 SEP 2021 - Added one picture from the last moments of U. S. merchant William Boyce Thompson sunk off Brazilian coast on 07 Jul 43 by U-185 on pos. 04º05"S 35º58"W.
06 JUN 2021 - Added one more category, THE AXIS AND ALLIED MARITIME OPERATIONS AROUND SOUTHERN AFRICA 1939 1945 with 36 chapters originated from the brilliant doctorate dissertation presented at the University of Stellenbosch by Dr. Evert Kleynhans. An in depth analysis on the allied effort to curb Axis submarine onslaught in the waters around South Africa and farther in Indian and South Atlantic.
05 JUN 2021 - Added one more category, RAIDER SUPPLY SHIPS & TANKERS, this time featuring 5 ships which had a paramount role in assisting the German Raiders in the Atlantic Indian and Pacific. Only in the south Atlantic the raiders Atlantis, Michel, Kormoran, Python, Stier, Thor and Widder sunk 52 merchants from several countries.
Articles - Sixtant - War II in the South Atlantic
08 MAY 2021 - Added one picture from SS LEIGHTON, the merchant which rescued greek survivors from SS GRANICOS sunk by Italian submarine GIUSEPPE FINZI on her way from Rio to Freetown. Also added a detailed report from one survivor.
24 APR 2021 - Added one picture from SS BALFE at BRAZILIAN NAVY NORTHEAST NAVAL FORCE - BAHIA. This British merchant was of paramount importance when rescued the last 36 remaining survivors from the Brazilian cruiser Bahia sunk by accidental explosion when during routine training the machine gunner volleyed the depth charges rack ensuing a huge explosion killing 333 crewmembers including five US Navy personnel responsible for establishing radio communications with US aircrafts returning home from Europe in Aug 1945.
07 MAR 2021. Added one picture from German prisoners from blockade runner Anneliese Essberger taken aboard USS light cruiser Milwaukee at SHIPS HIT GERMANY - ANNELIESE ESSBERGER. The prisoners were transferred to a Brasilian Army regiment in the state of Minas Gerais.
28 FEB 2021. Added one picture of Auxiliary transport ship JOSE BONIFACIO at BRAZILIAN NAVY SOUTHERN NAVAL FORCE - Incorporated in 1931 she served until 1965 when carried vital supplies during the war to several Brazilian ports.
01 FEB 2021 - Added one new picture at BRAZILIAN NAVY NORTHEAST NAVAL FORCE - SUB CHASER GRAUNA plying the waters off south Atlantic
19 JAN 2021 - Added one new picture at BRAZILIAN NAVY NORTHEAST NAVAL FORCE - SUB CHASER JUTAI seen during one patrol mission
18 JAN 2021 - Added one picture at BRAZILIAN NAVY NORTHEAST NAVAL FORCE - SUB CHASER JAGUARIBE seen during fuel transfer operation
ADDITIONS 2020
05 DEC 2020 - Added at B.d.U. UBOATS IN FRENCH BASES - DOENITZ AT KERNEVEL (a new page with details of Admiral Doenitz new Headquarters.)
25 NOV 2020 - Added one picture of Royal Navy cruiser HMS Dorsetshire at CAMP INGRAM RECIFE - RECIFE HARBOR BASE FOX.
04 NOV 2020 - Added one picture at CAMP INGRAM RECIFE - KNOX FIELD HOSPITAL with a picture of the Quonset Huts surrounded by the tropical landscape with the coconut trees.
03 NOV 2020 - Added one picture at US NAVY BASES IN BRAZIL - NAF IPITANGA with a large picture of a PBY 5A Catalina on the tarmac and US Navy sailors in formation.
25 SEP 2020 - Added one page of all losses of US aircrafts in the south Atlantic.
The year 1943 saw an immense traffic of aircraft towards the front of North Africa, England and via Iran to Russia in an unceasing flow. Thousands of aircraft and aircraft components were shipped in crates on merchant ships, more than 200 of which went to the bottom of the sea in the South Atlantic on the following vessels: ALFRED JONES - AGWIMONTE - BENVENUE - ELMDENE - EURYLOCHUS - GLOUCESTER CASTLE - INCOMATI - LYLEPARK - PRIMROSE HILL - QUEEN MAUD - RABAUL - TOTTENHAM - TRAFALGAR - WELLPARK - PANDIAS - ALIOTH - BARNEVELD - BERHALA - MARISO - MARKEN - MENDENAU - FERNLANE - KG MELDAHL - MALOJA - CAPE NEDDICK - GEORGE CLYMER.
20 SEP 2020 - Added a new photo at US NAVY BASES IN BRAZIL - Fernando de Noronha,whichs shows an array of Quonset huts erected by US Navy at that Brazilian Island some 300 miles off Recife.
07 SEP 2020 - Added four new pages covering all aircraft accidents occurred in the south Atlantic. The year 1942 was the period when thousands of planes made the southern Atlantic route via Natal and Takoradi in order to support the British garrison which was fighting desperately against Afrika Korps forces in Libya. General Montgomery's 8th army was not defeated, but thanks to the US war effort to bring more than 5000 planes to Egypt via Natal, Ascension Island and Takoradi.
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05 AGO 2020 - Added one page completing the analysis of the anti-submarine aircrafts, this time on the Lockheed PV-1 Ventura, largely employed in the North and South Atlantic with great effectivity being responsible for the sinking of several U-boats. Fourteen PV-1 were used by Brazilian Air Force based at Recife.
23 JUL 2020 - Added one more page at ASW SOUTH ATLANTIC with the history of the Lockheed PV-2 Harpoon, a derivative and more powerful than its predecessor PV-1 Ventura. Heavier and with more endurance the same was also operated by the Brazilian Air Force with six units.
19 JUL 2020 - Added one more page at ASW SOUTH ATLANTIC with the history of the Lockheed A-28 Hudson, the versatile twin engine bomber used by several navies in the Atlantic War. Twenty eight were used by Brazilian Air Force.
16 JUL 2020 - Added one more page at ASW SOUTH ATLANTIC with the history of the legendary PBY5-A Catalina which shared an important role with PBM Mariner in hunting uboats and blockade runners. One of the them, a Brazilian Air Force unit was responsible for sinking U-199 off Rio de Janeiro.
05 JUL 2020 - Added 2 pictures at BRITISH SHIP HIT - ENA DE LARRINAGA showing survivors of the British merchant and the headlines on the rescue of the crew.
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23 JUN 2020 - Added one more page at ASW SOUTH ATLANTIC with the history of the PBM Martin Mariner which had important role in the south Atlantic with several Uboats being sunk.
18 JUN 2020 - Added one photo at THE NEUTRALITY PATROL - THE OBJECTIVE, showing a stern view of the Cruiser USS WICHITA CA 45 when moored at recife during Neutrality Patrol.
10 JUN 2020 - Added one picture at CAMP INGRAM RECIFE - ATLANTA RECREATIONAL CENTER showing several US sailors gathered at the balcony.
08 JUN 2020 - Added one picture at CAMP INGRAM RECIFE with a panoramic view fro the harbor with several ships moored including the Brazilian Battleship Sao Paulo circa 1943.
26 Apr 2020 - Added two pictures at BRAZILIAN NAVY SOUTHERN NAVAL FORCE - BARRETO DE MENEZES, A full broadside view and one from the bow gun.
24 APR 2020 - Added one picture at US NAVY BASES FORTALEZA with details of barracks erected at Adjacento Field late in 1943.
20 MAR 2020 - Added two pages at BRAZIL THE HARD ROAD TO WAR with details of the breaking of relations between Brazil and Germany in August 1942.
http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=brazil-the-hard-road-to-war-*&sub=the-hard-road-to-war-&tag=19)german-ambassador-karl-ritter
Ambassador Karl Ritter
Ambassador Kurt Prüffer (C)
26 FEB 2020 - Updated the picture of US ship John Worthington, sunk 28 May 1943 by U-154.
22 FEB 2020 - Updated the picture of French ship Oued Grou sunk 4 Nov 1942 by U-126.
26 JAN 2020 - Added one picture kindly sent by Ron Leach at Royal Navy Freetown HMS BIRDLIP showing crewmembers at the ship's deck
ADDITIONS 2019
08 dec 2019 - Added an update picture from Brazilian Sub Chaser Guapore seen in high seas off Northeastern coast during a routine mission.
06 DEZ 2019 - Added one photo from Submarine chaser Jutai taken during one convoy escort mission in south Atlantic.
23 NOV 2019 - Added a new page including the Patrol Gunboat Paraguassu. The same was assigned for patrolling duties off the Salvador harbor.
02 NOV 2019 - Added one picture from Recife Harbor where 3 Brazilian Classs C Corvettes are seeen sided by two merchants. http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=camp-ingram-recife-*-&sub=camp-ingram-&tag=6)recife-harbor-base-fox
09 jul 2019 - Added one more page at ASW South Atlantic. The Depth Charges devices against Uboats http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=a.s.w.-south-atlantic-&sub=anti-submarine-tactics&tag=1)depth-charges
16 JUN 2019 - Added the picture of British oiler Dinsdale. The RFA tanker was sunk Sunk 31/May/42 by italian submarine Cappelini on pos. 00º45”S 29º50”W
24 APR 2019 - Added one picture showing the Brazilian scout Cruiser Bahia launching one depth charge on a presumable u-boat during a convoy mission
20 APR 2019 - Added a new page, the fierce encounter with both armed ships deep in the south Atlantic off the Brazilian coast. A battle that endured four-and-a-half-hour was too costly to HMS Alcantara. the ship sustained several hits despite her superior speed and armament. Alcantara shrouded in a pall of smoke, listing, left the area and limped for Rio de Janeiro for emergency repairs.
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06 APR 2019. - Added a new page at ROYAL NAVY SOUTH ATLANTIC COMMAND - ROYAL NAVY J K L M N SHIPS "AMC MOOLTAN. The same acted as an Armed Merchant Cruiser at South Atlantic Station (October 1939 - April 1940 and June-July 1940)and the Freetown Escort Force (May 1940 and August 1940 - January 1941.)
04 APR 2019 - Added one more page HEDGEHOG ATTACK at A.S.W SOUTH ATLANTIC with archival footage on the operation of hedgehog the new and precise weapon against U boats.
03 APR 2019 - Added a new page SHORT SUNDERLAND at ASW DEPTH CHARGES LEIGH LIGHT SUNDERLAND with details on the four engined Short brothers flying boat
01 APR 2019 - Updated picture of German Blockade runner Portland at SHIPS SUNK GERMANY
30 MAR 2019 - Updated ITALIAN SUBMARINES IN SOUTH ATLANTIC. Added 39 pictures of all merchants sunk, being 1 Brazilian, 17 British, 3 Greeks, 3 Dutch, 4 Norwegeans, 3 Panamanians, 1 Swedish, 6 Americans and 1 Spanish.
21 MAR 2019 - Added a new page at SHIPS BRAZIL TAUBATÉ THE FIRST BRAZILIAN SHIP ATTACKED. The event occurred in eastern Mediterranean when the steamer was straffed several times by one JU-88 with the loss of one brazilian crewmember, the Cargo Inspector Francisco Fraga.
20 MAR 2019 - Added at SHIPS GERMANY, the picture of German blockade runner NORDERNEY scuttled on 15 Aug 1941, and also the nature of cargo she carried.
16 MAR 2019 - Added one picture at US NAVY BASES IN BRAZIL - SANTA CRUZ with a Blimp from ZP 42 over the mess hall at that airbase.
28 FEB 2019 - Added at SHIPS GERMANY the history of the German ship Goslar scuttled at Suriname 10 May 1940
ADDITIONS 2018
20 DEC 2018 - Added archival footage on BRAZILIAN NAVY - NORTHEAST NAVAL FORCE the first Brazilian troop convoy of the war put to sea.
25 SEP 2018 - Added rare archival footage showing scenes from the Recife harbor area during World War II, where it is possible to observe:
11 SEP 2018 Added at SURVIVORS ADRIFT IN SOUTH ATLANTIC, archival footage on the rescue of merchant sailors fished out in the south Atlantic by one Belgian Freighter after 19 days adrift.
15 AUG 2018 - Added at UBOATS SUNK SOUTH ATLANTIC, the sinking of UIT-22 a former Italian submarine sunk off south African coast with a mixed German Italian crew
10 JUL 2018 - Added at FREE FRENCH SHIPS SOUTH ATLANTIC, archival footage of the launching of French Cruiser Georges Leygues
05 APR 2018 - Added at ROYAL NAVY FREETOWN, the history of AMC's ARAWA, CORFU, COMORIN, CATHAY, CARTHAGE.
ADDDITIONS 2017
05 MAR 2017 - Added at BRAZIL THE HARD ROAD TO WAR - THE LAST STRAW page.
05 MAR 2017 - Added one picture at ROYAL NAVY AT FREETOWN with a large view of one British Convoy plying the waters of the south Atlantic circa 1942.
28 FEB 2017- Added at US SHIPS SUNK S/Z WILLIAM BOYCE THOMPSON PAGE, Two pictures from the damage the US ship sustained when attacked by U-558 some 120 miles south of Kingston Jamaica.
10 FEB 2017 - Added at SHIPS SUNK USA (ABC) ANNE HUTCHINSON, the picture of the Liberty ship when struggling to remain afloat. Torpedoed twice, on October 28, 1943 the Liberty Ship SS Anne Hutchinson remained afloat thanks to welded construction. Picture taken 10/28/43 after the ship broke in two forward of # 4 hold. Photo www.armed-guard.com
25 JAN 2017 - Added at ROYAL NAVY'S LOSSES IN SOUTH ATLANTIC a clipping from a British newspaper reporting the sinking of HMS Dunedin at the ship's page. Her survivors experienced a terrible ordeal when their lifeboats were attacked by furious sharks and many died from thirst when in delirous jumped in the sea. Only sixty five survived when they were rescued by US cargo shp Nishmaha bound for Philadelphia.
ADDITIONS 2016
15 dec 2016. Added one picture at BRAZILIAN NAVY - CV HENRIQUE DIAS The picture shows the Brazilian Navy Corvette during the launching ceremony at Henrique Lages Shipyard Rio de Janeiro Sep 1943.
17 NOV 2016 - Added one picture at BRAZIL THE HARD ROAD TO WAR - DEFENSE PLANNING 29 SET 2016 - Added one page at RAIDER ADM GRAF SPEE Article. It tells the story of the German tanker and supply ship Altmark and her involvement in the famous Altmark incident whe in february 1940 whilst under cover in Norway fjord the same was approached by the Royal Navy Destroyer HMS Cossack that rescued 299 crewmembers of British merchants sunk by the Graf Spee in south Atlantic. The raider had already released 66 crewmembers of British ships sunk in South Atlantic and the SS Africa Shell off Mozambique.
25 SEP 2016. Added the picture above at BRAZIL THE HARD ROAD TO WAR / WE WANT WAR page. The same depicts the US Embassy at Rio de Janeiro. Ambassador Jefferson Caffery and his staff developed intense diplomatic activity aiming to involve and attract the country into allied cause. Caffery had a close relationship with Brazilian President Getulio Vargas.
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15 SEP 2016 - Added 3 more pictures at ASCENSION ISLAND / THE BUILDING OF AN AIRFIELD from USAT Coamo, Freighter Luckenbach, SS Pan Royal and a large view of the runway at Ascension soon after its paving. That distant airbase in the middle of the south Atlantic 1200 miles from Recife had paramount importance on the flow of thousands of aircrafts ferried since US bases to the African and European theater.
30 AUG 2016. Added one picture at FAB - BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE Douglas B 18 BOLO. In the picture three B 18 from 99th Bombardment Group overfly the Amazon jungle. one of them depth charged and sunk U- 512 off Cayenne French Guyana 02 Oct 1942
20 AUG 2016 - Added 3 pictures at RECIFE FOURTH FLEET HEADQUARTERS AP 112 GAL MANN.
01 JUL 2016 - Added one more page at SWEDISH SHIPS SUNK. This time the merchant ship Japan which was sunk on 4 May 1941 250NM off Freetown. 54 Survivors landed in two lifeboats at French Guinea, and were interned by Vichy authorities. Later 27 Swedish crewmembers were released and returned to Sweden.
22 JUN 2016 - Added one new page at GERMAN PLANS TO SEIZE GIBRALTAR (OPERATION FELIX) The German plan to seize Gibraltar and close British access to the Mediterranenan by West thus turning the task of protecting bases in Egypt a very difficult task, increasing in months the journey of Royal Navy ships assist and supply Alexandria via the Suez Canal very dangerous and risky.
17 JUN 2016 - Added one rare picture at US NAVY BASES IN BRAZIL (Page 15 NAF RECIFE) with a panoramic view from Ibura Airfield at Recife and its three runways. The base was used for ferry flights to African front, and for use of Brazilian and US patrol planes over the south Atlantic.
29 MAY 2016 - Added one new page at GERMAN RAIDERS, (Page 25 RAIDER THOR) with the story of the German Raider which in action in the south Atlantic sank 14 merchant ships and engaged with British Armed Merchant Cruiser Alcantara off Brazilian coast inflicting severe damage to the AMC
27 MAY 2016 - Added one page and pictures at BELGIAN SHIPS SUNK (Page 4 BRUGES.) One more allied merchant ship sunk in the south Atlantic now totalling 405 allied merchants sunk south of 10º 00" N, the area considered the South Atlantic theater.
23 May 2016 - Added 3 pictures at BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE (Page 31 VULTEE VENGEANCE) The versatile sturdy Vengeance served at Brazilian Air Force as a dive bomber and patrol escorting convoys.
22 May 2016 - added picture on PARNAMIRIM FIELD (Page 20) and text on the construction of the Air Base, its facilities for fuel covering twenty steel surface tanks with a total capacity of 528,300 gallons, twelve underground steel tanks five-seven fixed platforms pumps. The supply of fuel to the base was carried out by tank trucks and lines plumbing (pipe-line) which amounted to about twenty kilometers.
15 May 2016 - Added American newspaper clipping about the rescue of the 9 survivors including a boy from SS Robin Moor sunk by U-69 some 500 miles off Natal on Northeastern coast. They were rescued by the Brazilian merchant Ozorio after 19 days adrift in South Atlantic.
http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=ships-sunk-usa-&sub=u-s-ships-r--s&tag=3)robin-moor-u-69
10 May 2016 - Added a picture of one brazilian Lockheed Hudson and its crew which took part in the sinking of the German uboat U 199 off Rio de Janeiro.
08 May 2016. Added 2 pictures at GERMAN BLOCKADE RUNNERS / ANNELIESE ESSBERGER. German prisoners loading a US Army truck at Recife harbor following their rescue by USS Marblehead. Panoramic view of Brazilian Army Quarters at the town of Pouso Alegre where they were interned for several months.
06 May 2016. Added 5 pictures at GERMAN BLOCKADE RUNNERS / PORTLAND where German survivors are fished out by French Cruiser Georges Leygues and landed them at Dakar
23 APR 2016. With deep sorrow we announce the death of Maj. John Buyers. Born to American parents in Brazil, his family moved to the United States before the war. After Brazil's entry into the war in 1942, Buyers was sent to the newly created base Parnamirim Field in Natal where he made contact with Major Nero Moura, future commander of Fighter Group in Italy. With the creation of 1st Fighter Group on 1 Dec 43 Moura asked Buyers who spoke fluent Portuguese he could be assigned as the liaison officer of the Brazilian unit. Buyers followed all the training in Florida Panama and New York and embarked with them to Italy on Sep 44. In the theater he was a link between the Brasilian and American pilots and managed to get one B 25 Mitchell that was used as transport plane for the group to the end of campaign. With the accumulation of lost pilots in combat Buyers volunteered to fly in combat having flown to the end of the campaign 22 missions in P 47 all voluntarily. After the war he retired with the rank of Major and returned to Brazil where he established family. With his death the chapter of the Brazilian pilots who fought in Italy in World War II is closed. Rest in peace brave friend of Brazil.
21 APR 2016. Added at BRITISH SHIPS SUNK on LULWORTH HILL page one picture of the raft with the only two survivors being rescued by Royal Navy Destroyer Rapid after 49 days at sea.
06 APR 2016. Added at BRITISH SHIPS SUNK page the history and saga of the prisoners of ship CRITON and their ordeal at the prisoner's Camp of Timbuctoo. Extracted from " Reminiscences of Peter De Neumann.
27 MARCH 2016. Added a page at CAMP INGRAM RECIFE - FOURTH FLEET FARM. The effort of Admiral Jonas Ingram, the Fourth Fleet Commander in providing the best nutrition for his subordinates. Thousands of American sailors were based at Recife and they felt the lack of fresh vegetables and alike. The solution was found when the Pernambuco government ceded an rural area in the vicinities of Recfife where thechnicians in agriculture aided by Brazilian natives erected an important farm that supplied the American troops.
27 MARCH 2016. Added at CAMP INGRAM RECIFE one more page titled ATLANTA RECREATIONAL CENTER. A Brazilian Hospital located in the woods, a suburban area of Recife that served as a Rehabilitation for many American sailors after long and tiresome journeys. The same was visited by Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox.
25 MARCH 2016. Added at BRITISH SHIPS SUNK on CITY OF CAIRO, one picture and text from Margareth Gordon, the brave Australian woman who was fished out by one Brazilian Corvette after sailing for 52 days and more than 2000 miles in the south Atlantic when her ship was torpedoed south of Santa Helena Is.
10 MARCH 2016. At CAMP INGRAM RECIFE, repaginated and added 2 more pictures and included the whole story with detailed text about the fire that took the US tanker LIVINGSTON ROE
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ADDITIONS 2015
08 SEP 2015. Added one more page at PARNAMIRIM FIELD. A new page containing 19 pictures from the life and hard work undertaken by those men which lived at that bustling airbase. A kindly contribution from Col. Ret. Tomic Neto (Brazilian Air Force)
ADDITIONS 2014
12 MAY 2014. Added one aerial picture from the Island of BAILIQUE on the Northern State of Amapa where the only survivor of Italian submarine ARCHIMEDI went ashore following an ordeal of 28 days in a raft. His sub was attacked and sunk some 100 miles northeast off Fernando de Noronha Is. by two US Navy PBY 5 Catalinas from VP Squadron 83.
12 MAY 2014. Added one picture at British Merchant Kirkpool page when ship plummeted beneath the waves.
11 MAY 2014. Added two large pictures at the British Merchant Empire Heath page, with details of the catapult and its operation as a CAM SHIP.
10 MAY 2014. Added one picture from the sinking of British Merchant DARKDALE occurred when moored at St. Helena Is. Picture shows the capsized bow of the ship.
http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=ships-sunk-england-&sub=d-e-f-&tag=5)darkdale-rfa-u-68
09 MAY 2014. Added eleven pages with detailed information about the sinking of British Merchant CHARLBURY including a letter from the British consul at Recife to the Commander of USS OMAHA praising the 42 survivors for their courage in face of enemy attack.
http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=ships-sunk-england-&sub=a-b-c&tag=39)charlbury-(it-sub)
25/ABR/2014. Added 3 pictures at US SHIPS SUNK/ Survivors of US merchant ship ALASKAN
http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=ships-sunk-usa-&sub=u-s-ships-a--c-&tag=4)alaskan-u-172
13/JAN/2014. Added one picture and one page at US NAVY BASES IN BRAZIL Page 5 USN NAF Belem dedicated to Bill Fritz a US Navy veteran still alive 91, who served in several US bases in Brazilian coast.
12/JAN/2014, Added 3 pictures at BRAZIL THE HARD ROAD TO WAR Page 14 (Doenitz at Kernevel) including a brief comment on the Admiral's activity at his new Northern base in France.
ADDITIONS 2013
04 DEC 2013. Added one picture of Brazilian Tender Belmonte taken at Recife harbor circa 1943.
31 OCT 2013. Added 15 more pictures at the page US NAVY ZP Squadrons in Brazil. The same show the activities of Navy Blimps at PICI field at Fortaleza and Santa Cruz Rio de Janeiro.
15/AUG/2013. The site was completely redesigned and reprogrammed, including dozens of previously unpublished photos. Now with the opening of any page, the same can be sent instantly through social networks like Facebook and Tweeter including email. We still have much work ahead but we believe that by February 2014 we will add dozens of new pages
13/APR/2011. Added 3 rare pictures from US Navy Blimps at Amapa airfield.
ADDITIONS 2011
12/APR/2011. Reprogrammed the Articles of all ships sunk in South Atlantic. Now they are split into 3 categories, being those which were sunk bu U-Boats, Raiders and Italian Submarines.
10/MAR/2011 Added several pages with history of British Navy in the south Atlantic. More than 170 ships were deployed at several bases along African coast.
30/JAN/2011. Added a new page with history and photos of Brazilian Naval Base at Natal.
25/JAN/2011- Added 5 photos of the main gates of Camp Ingram Recife as well as the Brazilian Naval base which was located adjacent to Camp Ingram.
07/JAN/2011. With the valuable help of the prestigious John H. Marsh Maritime Research Centre we acquired the rights to display the pictures of these 9 merchants sunk in the South Atlantic. They are the British LLANDILO, HAMLA, TRAFALGAR, SOLON II, RABAUL and TOWER GRANGE. The Norwegean ALFRED OLSEN, the American (Panamanian flag) CARDINA, and the Egyptian RADAMES.
ADDITIONS 2010
10/SEP/2010. Added a new page titled ROYAL NAVY IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC. A page devoted to Royal Navy would be more than timely and necessary once its presence in the south Atlantic was a decisive factor in the maintenance of the sea lanes and a support to the Fourth Fleet in chasing the menacing U-boats and raiders. Meanwhile it was the gallant British Merchant Navy which suffered by far the heaviest losses in men and merchants in the south Atlantic scenario. 5100 lost their lives and 850 were made POWs. Nearly 13,000 survived. We will add nearly 180 warships of the Royal Navy which had a constant presence in the south Atlantic along with 87 from South African Navy.
10/JUL/2010. Added one more article at COMMANDER SOUTH ATLANTIC FORCE. The 12th of this series tells the story of the the fuel problems the American Forces found at Brazilian ports and the urgency in building an efficient storage system along the bases at the long Brazilian Northeastern coast.
http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=commander-south-atlantic-force
03/JUN/2010. Added two pictures of British planes being uncrated at Takoradi, as well as a few others being carried in trucks through Cairo.
02/JUN/2010. Added one long article written by Frank Mc Cann "Brazil the Forgotten Ally", an in depth analysis on the country's weakness and isolation before the war and the modernization and challenges it faced after the conflict.
http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=brazil-the-forgotten-ally-
01/JUN/2010. Added one more article of the COMMANDER SOUTH ATLANTIC FORCE regarding the links between Brazilian-U.S.- Royal Navy, concerning the defence of the south Atlantic sea lanes including the preparations for the establishment of the U.S. bases and delivery of warships to Brazil.
29/MAY/2010. Added 5 pictures to the U-164 and U-863 pages.
14/MAY/2010. Added one more ship to the BRAZILIAN NAVY AT WAR, the survey ship Parnaiba.
10/MAY/2010. Reformatted several pages enclosing them in one single article page like US NAVY SQUADRONS IN BRAZIL and THE FOURTH FLEET. This system enabled a much easier way to search any page.
22/APR/2010. Added the complete story of the most operative Navy Air Squadron in Brazil, VP-94 with several interesting pages.
21/MAR/2010. Added one more page at RECIFE THE FOURTH FLEET HEADQUARTERS, “Recife Harbor”, code named Base Fox.
20/MAR/2010. Several pictures added in PARNAMIRIM FIELD “The Ferry Flights” The gigantic operation to ferry thousands of airplanes across 3 continents, a 10,000 mile journey from Miami to the beleaguered British Army in Egypt.
19/MAR/2010. Added several new pictures at AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, The Building of Parnamirim” showing the great effort undertaken by Pan American Engineers in building in a record time the biggest airbase outside US
18/MAR/2010. Added the page PREDECESSORS, at L.A.T.I. .The same was sent by Marino Miccoli son of Antonio Miccoli one crewmember of Italian Destroyer Antonio Pancaldo. The same was part of the support fleet that came to the south Atlantic with 14 flying boats in a historical Raid Roma-Rio de Janeiro in 1931. Antonio Miccoli was chief Petty officer at the Cruiser FIUME during the War II.
17/MAR/2010. Added one more page in COMMANDER SOUTH ATLANTIC FORCE, “BRAZIL DECLARES WAR”, from unedited documents provided by Patrick Clancey.
20/FEB/2010. Added one more ship captured in the south Atlantic, this time the Norwegian tanker Sandefjord, captured by Adm. Scheer.
19/FEB/2010 Added several more interesting pages. Created one more article, SURVIVORS IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC. It deals with the impressive number of almost 20,000 survivors and where they landed. For now we put all those who were landed in Brazilian ports. Next pages will be dedicated for those who were rescued by the British in African ports.
http://www.sixtant.net/2011/artigos.php?cat=survivors-adrift-in-south-atlantic-*
10/FEB/2010. Added the last remaining UBOATS IN ACTION IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC: U516, U-58, U-532, U-547, U-572, U-582, U-590, U-618, U-752, U-757, U-843, U-848, U-852, U-861, U-862. They were responsible for the sinking of 366 foreign ships and damages in other 10. They also sank 18 Brazilian ships and damaged one.
11/FEB/2010. Added one page at BRAZILIAN NAVY NORTHEAST NAVAL FORCE, LIEUTENANT FREIRE'S JOURNEY INTO WAR. A timely tribute to the young Brazilian sailor who was a crewmember of the Cananeia, one of the six Anti submarine minelayers converted into Corvettes.
24/JAN/2010. Added the stories of the following UBOATS IN ACTION IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC: U-202,U-505, U-506, U-507, U-508, U-509, U-510, U-512, U-513, U-514, U-515. Also added 4 more ships in FOREIGN SHIPS SUNK IN SOUTH ATLANTIC. They are: MARK HANNA, EVERAGRA, S.B. HUNT, GEORGE MEAD, now rising to 431 allied ships sunk/damaged in the south Atlantic area.
17/JAN/2010. Added one nice picture in NORTHEAST NAVAL FORCE page showing a joint exercises between one Brazilian submarine, a Sub Chaser and one US Navy Destroyer escort during a torpedo fire drill off Recife. 14/JAN/2010. Added a few more Uboats in UBOATS IN ACTION IN THE SOUTH ATLANTIC. They are: U-156, U-159, U-160, U-161, U-162, U-164, U-170, U-172, U-174, U-175, U-176, U-177, U-179
