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COMMANDER SOUTH ATLANTIC FORCE AT RECIFE - COMMANDER SOUTH ATLANTIC

35)CHRONOLOGY OF 1942


28 JAN  Construction begun at Ipitanga airfield; fully completed in two years.


10 FEB  Admiral Ingram promoted to Vice Admiral and designation of Task Force 3 changed to Task Force 23.


27 MAR  Units of TF 23 escorts USAT's Coamo and Luckenbach to Ascension with men and materials to set up Army air base.


07 APR  Six PBY5A's of VP-83 arrive Natal; six more arrive 13 June; squadron relieves VP-52.


13 APR  Admiral Ingram in Memphis visits Montevideo for conference with Uruguayan officials.


22 APR  Admiral arrives Rio from Montevideo; has first conference with President Vargas, who gives him responsibility for guarding Brazilian shipping.


02 MAY   First A/S attack by USN planes in SoLant by VP-83 off Fernando de Noronha.


07 MAY   Winslow, escorting Patoka, attacks submarine in 02° 25' S, 45° 55' W; recorded as first U-boat kill by U. S. forces in the South Atlantic.


09 MAY Jouett claims kill of surfaced U-boat off Dutch Guiana.


18 MAY Lloyd Brasileiro's Commandante Lyra torpedoed but not sunk off Cape Sao Roque. Rescue and salvage by USN.


25 MAY Construction begun on land plane base at Natal. Fully completed 19 months later.


30 MAY Construction begun on Ibura Field, Recife; completed in 21 months.


19 JUN Navy medical and dental officers report to Recife for Naval Dispensary; 13 Quonset huts and hospital equipment also arrive. 


01 JUL Area petroleum officers set up in Rio; assistant area petroleum officer established in Recife.


08 JUL Area petroleum officers set up in Rio; assistant area petroleum officer established in Recife.


11 JUL Conference with British shipping authorities improves exchange of shipping information between U. S. and British reporting agencies.


21 JUL Convoy AS-4, carrying tanks and equipment that later helped Montgomery beat Rommel at El Alamein, begins voyage across South Atlantic with TF 23 escorts; escort group turns over convoy to British near Cape Town on 5 August.


25 JUL Fleet Post Office begins operation at Recife.


14 AUG U-boats begin offensive against Brazilian shipping; six merchantmen sunk, 500 lives lost.


18 AUG Popular demonstrations in Brazil against Axis representatives.


19 AUG Admiral Ingram shifts Flag and administration from Memphis to Patoka in Recife Harbor.


21 AUG Arrangements completed for unified operations of all forces in SoLant; U. S. Navy, U. S. Army, Brazilian Navy, Army and Air Force, and Royal Navy.


22 AUG Brazil declares war on Germany and Italy.


12 SEP Brazilian Navy placed under command of Admiral Ingram by order of President Vargas via Minister of Marine.


15 SEP Admiral Ingram made Commander South Atlantic Force retaining rank of Vice Admiral


16/17 SEP Destroyers of DesRon9 claim two kills in A/S action off Trinidad, with assistance of other craft.


24 SEP PC-544 and PC-547 transferred to Brazil.


26 SEP Secretary Knox visits Brazil. Goes to Rio with Admiral Ingram.


30 SEP Admiral confers with President Vargas, who offers him complete operational control of all branches of the defense of Brazil.


10 OCT Rear Admiral O. M. Read reports as relief for Admiral Ingram as Commander Cruiser Division Two.


15 OCT Rear Admiral O. M. Read reports as relief for Admiral Ingram as Commander Cruiser Division Two.


07 NOV Patrol Squadron 74 (PBM3C's) establishes headquarters at Natal; operates from Natal and Aratu until detached 20 October 1943.


10 NOV Construction begun on Ordnance depot at Jiquia (near Recife, where MKM Radio transmitter also was built later); in use by February 1943.


21 NOV TG 23.2 (Milwaukee, Cincinnati, and Somers, Rear Admiral Read in Milwaukee) intercepts southbound Anneliese Essberger in 01° N, 23° W; 62 prisoners are taken after runner is scuttled.


25 NOV British troop convoy in South Atlantic; it includes Empress of Scotland, largest ship to ever enter Bahia.


26 NOV Ten communications offices report to ComSoLant; Force Communications Center set up on Patoka.


01 DEC Reorganization of Naval Observers' offices effective; Alunobs under operational control of ComSoLant for purposes of routing and reporting merships.


01 DEC Naval Operating Base, Rio de Janeiro commissioned.


04 DEC Probable sub sinking in plane attack 06° 36' S, 33° 40' W.


15 DEC Probable sub sinking in plane attack 06° 36' S, 33° 40' W.


15/20 DEC Blackout ordered during submarine alert from Recife to Fortaleza; this was the only real blackout of the war.


19 DEC First patient admitted to unfinished Knox Hospital.


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


 

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