US Naval Ships that have been attacked, while we were not at war.

[SparrowHawk62]

I'll be plugging away at this from time to time. I'll work on compiling a list of the US Navy ships that have been attacked, while we have not been at War with the attacking country.

The USS Liberty AGTR-5 (intelligence gathering)
08 July 1967 Killed 34 Wounded 171

http://www.usslibertyinquiry.com/

"The USS Liberty, a neutral ship in international waters, was attacked with-out warning by air and naval forces of the state of Israel. USS Liberty had not engaged in any provocative conduct, nor was she any kind of obvious threat to other ships or aircraft in the area."

The USS Pueblo AGER-2 (Intelligence gathering)
23 January 1968 Killed 1 Taken Pow 82

http://www.usspueblo.org/

"The USS PUEBLO was a U. S. Navy vessel sent on an intelligence mission off the coast of North Korea. The USS PUEBLO was attacked by North Korean naval vessels and MiG jets. Eighty-two surviving crew members were captured and held prisoner for 11 months."

The USS Stark FFG-31 (guided missile frigate)
17 March 1987 Killed 37 Wounded 21

http://www.mobrien.com/twr/gulfwar/uss-stark.htm

A guided missile cursier, attacked by an Iraqi jet. The jet was ***** made and carrier French made missiles.

The USS Cole DDG-67 (guided missile destroyer)
12 October 2000 Killed 17 Wounded 39

USS_Cole_bombing
The USS Cole suffered severe damage in a suicide bombing attack when the ship was in the port of Aden, Yemen for a routine fuel stop.

[Dragon Lady]

I had the very sad honor to serve on her crew's memorial service at Dover AFB.
This is the website that I pulled the following info from:

http://www.worldhistory.com/wiki/U/USS-Stark-(FFG-31).htm


The USS Stark (FFG-31) was a short hulled Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate of the US Navy. She was laid down in August 1979 and commissioned on October 23, 1982 with the homeport of Mayport, Florida. She was named after Admiral Harold Rainsford Stark.

The Stark was deployed to the Middle East Force in 1984 and 1987. She is remembered for the incident of May 17, 1987 when she was struck by two missiles from an Iraqi Mirage fighter during the Iran-Iraq War. The fighter had taken off from Shaibah at 20.00 and had flown south into the Persian Gulf. Shortly after being routinely challenged by the frigate at around 22.10 the fighter fired two Exocet ASM missiles. The frigate did not detect the missile attack and both missiles struck without warning. The first hit the port-side hull and left a three metre by four metre gash when it exploded in crew quarters; the second missile hit the superstructure of the frigate. Thirty-seven crew were killed and twenty-one were injured. The frigate was afire but this was brought under control during the night and the ship returned to Bahrain under her own power. $142 million was spent repairing the vessel.

[82Rigger]

...the Ruben James, torpedoed by a German sub about a month before Pearl Harbor.

[SparrowHawk62]

Originally posted by 82Rigger ...the Ruben James, torpedoed by a German sub about a month before Pearl Harbor.

Thank you, I'll do some checking into this. Also found a few Shallow Water ships whos fates are questioned.

[Tamaroa]

Taken from the Dictionary of Amarican Navy Fighting Ships:

The "Greer Incident" occurred 4 September At 0840 that morning Greer, carrying mail and passengers to Argentia, was signaled by a British plane that a Nazi submarine had crash-dived some 10 miles ahead. Forty minutes later the DD's soundman picked up the underseas marauder, and Greer began to trail the submarine. The plane, running low on fuel, dropped four depth charges at 1032 and returned to base, while Greer continued to dog the U-boat. Two hours later the German ship began a series of radical maneuvers and Greer's lookouts could see her pass about 100 yards off. An impulse bubble at 1248 warned Greer that a torpedo had been fired. Ringing up flank speed, hard left rudder, Greer watched the torpedo pass 100 yards astern and then charged in for attack. She laid a pattern of eight depth charges, and less than two minutes later a second torpedo passed 300 yards to port.

Greer lost sound contact during the maneuvers, and began to quarter the area in search of the U-boat. After 2 hours, she reestablished sound contact and laid down a pattern of 11 depth charges before discontinuing the engagement. Greer had held the German raider in sound contact 3 hours and 28 minutes; had evaded two torpedoes fired at her; and with her 19 depth charges had become the first American ship in World War II to attack the Germans.

Bill

[Boats]

Destroyers
USS Allen (DD-66)
Allen commissioned 24 January 1917, 1,070 tons, 4- 4" guns, 12 torpedo tubes, and escorted the first WWI troop convoy from the U. S. to France. On 23 August 1940 Allen was recommissioned. She was moored at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 without sustaining any casualties. Allen, the lowest numbered DD, saw duty in the Pearl Harbor area until August 1945.

USS Jacob Jones (DD-130) commissioned 20 October 1919, 1,090 tons, 4- 4" guns, 12 tt and served many years as a plane guard in the North Atlantic and Caribbean. In September 1940, Jacob Jones underwent intensive ASW sound school training and joined in Neutrality Patrol. With Pearl Harbor, she began convoy patrol in the Atlantic. She made depth charge attacks 4Jan42, 2Feb42, and 22Feb42. Jacob Jones was torpedoed 28Feb42 off Cape May, New Jersey, there were 11 survivors.

USS Ward (DD-139 / APD-16) commissioned 24 July 1918, decommissioned 1921, and recommissioned 15Jan41. Assigned to harbor entrance patrol, she was on duty the night of Dec 6-7 with orders to "shoot to kill". Routinely making figure-eights off the harbor entrance, she sighted and sank a miniature submarine attempting to penetrate the harbor. Ward, fired the first shot and made the first kill in the Pacific War at 0645, over an hour before the air attack on Pearl Harbor began. As new destroyers arrived, the older ships were converted to other uses. Wardwas refitted as a troop transport in late 1942, a boiler room replaced for birthing troops and equipped with four landing craft. Designated APD-16, she got underway for the Solomons in February 1943. She fought in New Guinea and Philippines. On Dec 7, 1944 she was attacked by three Betty bombers, rammed by one and set afire. Ward was sunk three years after she began the war. Ward earned nine battle stars for WW2 service.

USS Greer (DD-145) commissioned 31 December 1918, decommissioned 22 June 1922, and was placed in reserve. Greer recommissioned 31 March 1930 till 13 January 1937. As war swept across Europe, Greer recommissioned 4 October 1939, joined the Neutrality Patrol in February 1940.
The "Greer Incident" occurred 4 September. Greer, carrying mail and passengers to Argentina, Newfoundland, was signaled by a British plane that a Nazi submarine had crash-dived some 10 miles ahead. Forty minutes later the DD's soundman picked up the undersea marauder, and Greer began to trail the submarine. The plane, running low on fuel, dropped four depth charges before returning to base, while Greer continued to dog the U-boat. Two hours later the German ship fired a torpedo that passed 100 yards astern Greer charged in to attack with depth charges.

When news of the attack against an American ship on the high seas reached the United States, President Roosevelt seized this occasion to make a "fireside chat," declaring that Germany had been guilty of an act of piracy and authorized first strike by American ships and planes "in the waters which we deem necessary for our defense." The period of "undeclared war" in the Atlantic had begun.

Greer spent the war patrolling North Atlantic and Caribbean and escorting convoys to Europe and North Africa until 1944 when the old four-stack destroyer and her sister ships were replaced by newer and faster escorts ; she spent the remainder of her long career performing a variety of tasks in American waters.


USS Long (DD-209 / DMS-12) commissioned 20 October 1919 and was converted to destroyer minesweeper DMS-12 on 19 November 1940.
She was at sea with Indianapolis off Pearl Harbor Dec 1941 and served all over the Pacific in convention destroyer duties with occasional mine sweeping when required. Long was sunk by two kamikaze hits in Lingayen Gulf, 6 Jan 1945. Long received nine battle stars for World War II service.

USS Edsall (DD-219) commissioned 26 November 1920, 1,190 tons, 4- 4"/50 guns, 12 torpedo tubes. With the Asiatic fleet during the raid on Pearl Harbor, she searched for survivors of British Force Z, escorted shipping to Darwin and sank I-124 attempting to mine that harbor. Escorting Langley (AV-3) when she was sunk, took on survivors. Edsall ran into the Japanese battle fleet and evaded massive surface attack until she was finally hit and stopped by aircraft. Chikuma was sent to sink Edsall at point blank range. See new and correcting information from the survivors.

USS Stewart (DD-224) commissioned 15 Sept 1920, 1,190 tons, 4- 4" guns, 12 torpedo tubes. Damaged in the strike on Badung Strait, she entered dry dock, where hasty bracing did not hold. Stewart, on 2 Mar 42, rolled over in dry dock and was wrecked by demolitions before evacuation of Java. Stewart was salvaged by the Japanese as Patrol Boat No. 102.

USS Pope (DD-225) commissioned 1920, 1,190 tons, 4- 4" guns, 12 TT, joining the Asiatic fleet in 1922.
Pope was at Manila as the war started and departed 11 December 1941 for Balikpapan.
Pope had a distinguished record in the Netherlands East Indies. During the battle of Makassar Strait she made torpedo and gun attacks to delay Japanese landings at Balikpapan and later in the battle of Badoeng Straits she impeded the invasion of Bali. In the Battle of the Java Sea, Pope and HMS Encounter were directed to escort HMS Exeter away from the action. On the evening of 28 February 1942 the heavy cruiser and two destroyers left Soerabaja and proceeded north. Midway between Java and Borneo enemy surface and air forces launched an attack the next morning. The three Allied ships fought four Japanese heavy cruisers and four destroyers. Pope fired all torpedoes and 140 salvoes of ammunition. Shortly before noon the two British ships were destroyed by gunfire, and an hour later Pope was attacked and sunk by 12 dive-bombers and scuttling charges.

USS Pillsbury (DD-227) commissioned 15 December 1920, 1,190 tons, 4- 4" guns, 12 TT. She served for many years with the Asiatic Fleet and was off Borneo when the Japanese struck at Pearl Harbor.
Assigned to ABDA force, Pillsbury saw action at Badoeng Strait 4 Feb 1942; again, Badoeng Strait on the night of 19-20 February damaging a Japanese destroyer. About 1Mar42, Pillsbury and Asheville (PG-21) were sunk in a night surface action with three IJN cruisers and two destroyers in Bali Strait.
Pillsbury received two battle stars for World War II service.

USS Reuben James (DD-245) commissioned on 24 September 1920, 1,190 tons, 4- 4" guns, 12 torpedo tubes.
Reuben James sailed from Newfoundland with four other destroyers to escort eastbound convoy HX-156 as far as Iceland to deliver war material to Britain. The ship had postured itself between an ammunition ship and the known position of a German U-boat wolf pack. On 31 October 1941, Reuben James was torpedoed by German submarine U-552. She sank quickly. Of the crew, 44 survived, and 100 died. Reuben James was the first U.S. Navy ship sunk by hostile action associated with World War II.

USS Monaghan (DD-354). Farragut class, 1375 tons, commissioned 1935. One of eight of the first group of modern destroyers since the flush deck ones commissioned in 1919-20. Monaghan was the "ready" destroyer at Pearl Harbor and was standing out to assist Ward when she sighted a miniature submarine that had fired on Curtiss (AV-4). She charged to ram and dropped two depth charges, sinking the submarine. [more] Monaghan foundered, with sister ship Hull (DD-350) and Spence (DD-512), in a typhoon E. of Philippines on 8Dec44.

USS Porter (DD-356), the first of her class of eight destroyers, commissioned 25 August 1936, 1,800 tons, 8- 5"/38, 8 TT. She operated continuously with the Pacific Fleet from 5 Aug 37 and was at sea during the attack on Pearl Harbor. As TF 16 exchanged air attacks with strong Japanese forces northeast of Guadalcanal in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, 26 Oct 1942, Porter was torpedoed by submarine I-21.

USS Cassin (DD-372), a Mahan class destroyer commissioned in 21Aug36.
Cassin was in drydock with Downes (DD-375) and Pennsylvania (BB-35) at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. In the Japanese attack, a bomb exploded Downes' fuel tanks, causing uncontrollable fires on board both Downes and Cassin. Cassin tipped over against Downes. Both ships were considered lost, Cassin decommissioned as of 7 December 1941. However, superb salvage saved her. She was towed to Mare Island Navy Yard and a new hull rebuilt around her. Recommissioned 6 February 1944, Cassin fought at Tinian, Marcus, Leyte, Luzon, and Iwo Jima.
Cassin received six battle stars for World War II.

USS Shaw (DD-373) . Mahan class destroyer commissioned in 18Sep36.
On 7 December, Shaw was drydocked in YFD-2. During the Japanese attack, she took three bomb hits. Fires spread through the ship and the order to abandon ship was given five minutes before the forward magazine blew up. Temporary repairs were made at Pearl Harbor. On 9Feb42, Shaw sailed for San Francisco where she completed repairs, including the installation of a new bow at the end of June. She then fought in the Solomons, New Guinea, Marshalls, and Philippines. Shaw earned eleven battle stars during World War II.

USS Downes (DD-375). Mahan class destroyer commissioned 15Jan37.
When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941, Downes was in drydock with Cassin (DD-372); and Pennsylvania ( BB-38). The three came under heavy attack starting raging fires fed by oil from a ruptured fuel tank causing ammunition and torpedo warheads on board to explode. Later Cassin slipped from her keel blocks and rested against Downes. She was listed as a complete loss and officially decommissioned, but her machinery was salvaged and shipped to Mare Island Navy Yard where a new hull was built and recommissioned at Mare Island on 15Nov43. The rebuilt Downes received four battle stars for World War II service.

USS Bagley (DD-386) a Gridley class destroyer, 1,500 tons, 4- 5". Commissioned 12June37.
On December 7, 1941 the USS Bagley was moored at the Navy Yard Pearl harbor in a position to fire upon torpedo bombers attacking battleship row and knocked down five before they could launch their destruction. She then provided escort in the Eastern Pacific and participated in the raid on Bougainville, 20Feb42, and Salamaua-Lae, 10Mar42, invasion of Guadalcanal, and took part in the disastrous Battle of Savo Island, 9Aug42. She continued to provide convoy escort in the South Pacific and the invasion of New Britain. Overhaul in early 1944 prepared her for bombardment of Marianas, Volcano Islands, Yap, Palau, Formosa, Philippines, Battle of Leyte Gulf, invasions of Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. She received the surrender of Marcus Island.
Bagley received 12 battle stars for her World War II service.

USS Blue (DD-387) a Gridley class destroyer, 1,500 tons, commissioned 14 Aug 1937.
On Pearl Harbor day, she safely made her way to sea with only four officers on board (all Ensigns). She joined the Enterprise (CV-6) task force and made raids on Pacific Islands. She was present at the battle of Savo Island. Later, while patrolling in Ironbottom Sound during the Battle of Eastern Solomons, Blue was torpedoed by the Japanese destroyer Kawakaze, 22 August 42, killing nine men and wounding 21. After unsuccessful attempts to tow her to Tulagi, she was scuttled on 23 Aug 1942. Blue received five battle stars for her nine months service in World War II.

USS Helm (DD-388) a Gridley class destroyer, 1,800 tons, 4- 5", commissioned 16 Oct 1937.
Helm was underway in West Loch when the Japanese attacked and fired on them. She rescued government workers from Howland and Baker Islands in 31Jan42. She survived the disaster at Savo Island. She participated in invasion in the South and SW Pacific until overhaul Spring 1944. Then sailed with the fast carrier fleet screening in the major battles to the end of the war. Helm received 11 battle stars for World War II service.

USS Jarvis (DD-393) a Gridley class destroyer, 1,500 tons, commissioned 27 October 1937.
She emerged from the attack on Pearl Harbor with only superficial damage and performed ASW and convoy escort duties until participating in the invasion of Guadalcanal. Jarvis was torpedoed 8 Aug 1942 by aircraft while screening transports at the Guadalcanal landing. After receiving emergency repairs she proceeded towards Sydney for permanent repairs. She passed through the Battle of Savo Island, apparently unhit. Reported as a cruiser, Japanese planes for Rabaul found and sank her with all hands on 9 Aug.

USS Benham (DD-397) commissioned 2 February 1939 as the first of her class: 1,500 tons, 4- 5"/38, 16-21"TT, 251 men.
An escort with Enterprise (CV-6) when Pearl Harbor was attacked, she also escorted the Doolittle Raid, and fought at Midway, invasion of Guadalcanal, and Battle of Eastern Solomons. During 14-15 Nov42 Naval Battle of Guadalcanal Benham took a torpedo from an IJN destroyer and had to be abandoned. She received five battle stars for her 11 months service in World War II.

USS Sims (DD-409) first of her class, commissioned in 1939, 1,570 tons, 4- 5"/38, 8x4 21" TT, 251 men. The destroyer operated with the Neutrality Patrol in Caribbean and Atlantic waters.
With the outbreak of war she became part of Task Force 17 formed around Yorktown (CV-5) participating in raids on Marshall Islands and Lae and Salamaua. She was sunk by Japanese aircraft during the Battle of the Coral Sea, 7 May 1942, while escorting Niesho (AO-23) to the next refueling station. The oiler and destroyer were mistaken as a carrier and cruiser and subjected to all out attack from planes of two Japanese fleet carriers. Sixteen survivors of Sims were rescued with the survivors of Niesho. Two battle stars.

USS Hammann (DD-412) a Sims class destroyer, commissioned 11 August 1939. At Iceland when war began, she departed 6 January 1942 for the Pacific with TF-17 and fought at the Battle of Coral Sea and at Midway. Hammann was torpedoed 6July42 by I-168 after the Battle of Midway while aiding salvage of Yorktown (CV-5).

USS Niblack (DD-424)
While picking up 3 boatloads of survivors, detected U-boat and attacked with depth charges. First contact with Germans before WW2 on 10Apr41. Impressive war record in the Atlantic. [It may be interesting to follow up on German radio controlled bombs off Italy that hit Philadelphia and severely damaged Savannah while Niblack was providing air cover.] Niblack earned 5 battle stars.

USS Kearny (DD-432), a Gleaves class destroyer, 2,450 tons, commissioned on 13 September 1940.
On Neutrality patrol escorting a convoy before we entered the war, Kearney was depth charging an attacker when torpedoed by U-568. She lost 12 men but returned to service by the Spring of 1942. Later earned 3 battle stars in Africa, Med, France.

USS De Haven (DD-469) a Fletcher class destroyer, 2,050 tons, commissioned 21 September 1942.
Escorted troopships and patrolled to stop the Tokyo Express around Guadalcanal. On 1 February 1943 De Haven screened a beachhead at Marovo on Guadalcanal when sunk by enemy aircraft bombs with 167 killed.


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

Destroyer Escorts


USS Parle (DE-708). a Rudderow class destroyer escort, 1,810 tons, commissioned 29July44.
Initially assigned to Atlantic Fleet for convoy duty, she joined the Philippine Sea Frontier in early 1945. Decommissioned in July 1946, Parle recommissioned March 1951 and was the last wartime DE to serve on active duty.


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

Gunboats and Patrol Craft
USS Isabel (PY-10), Yacht, 710 tons, 245' long, 26 knots, 4- 3" guns.
Isabel was purchased by the Navy before completion in 1917, numbered SP-521, converted for use as a destroyer in WWI. Her torpedo tubes were removed and she was designated as an armed yacht (PY-10) in 1920 and she sailed for the Far East to join the famous Yangtze Patrol gunboat fleet charged with protecting American commerce from pirates. In 1928, Isabel joined the Asiatic Fleet. In December 1941 she made a reconnaissance of the coast of Indo China and returned to be straddled by bombs at Cavite Navy Yard. She commenced operations as an antisubmarine escort for convoys, Isabel arrived in Australia March 1942. Based at Freemantle, she took up new duties as escort and training ship for submarines. Isabel received one battle star for World War II service.

USS Panay (PR-5). River gunboat. 474 tons; 191 ft; 15 knot; 59 men; armament. 2- 3" guns; 8- .30 cal. mg.
As the Japanese moved through South China, American gunboats evacuated most of the Embassy staff from Nanking during November 1937. Panay was assigned to guard the remaining Americans and take them off at the last possible moment. They came on board 11 December and Panay moved upriver to avoid becoming involved in the fighting around the doomed capital. She took three American oil barges with her. The Japanese senior naval commander in Shanghai was informed of this movement. Japanese naval aircraft were ordered by their Army to attack "any and all ships" in the Yangtze above Nanking. Knowing of the presence of Panay and the merchantmen, their Navy requested verification of the order, which was received before Panay was sunk by shore based naval aircraft on 12 December 1937. Three men were killed, 43 sailors and 5 civilian passengers wounded.

USS Sacramento (PG-21). a gunboat with a 4" main gun

USS Ashville (PG-21). Gunboat. 1,270 tons; 241 ft; 12 knots; 162 men; 3- 4", 9- 1" guns.
Commissioned in 1920. Served on Yangze River patrol, with Panay (PR-5) and sister ship Tacloban (PG-22), from 1920 to 1941; then variously in China and Philippines until Ashville was sunk on her way to Australia on 3 Mar 42 in a surface action S. of Java.

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

MineCraft - - Mine Layers

USS Gamble (DM-15). Destroyer Minelayer; 1,090 tons; 314 ft; 4?- 4"; 2- 3"
Commissioned as DD-123 on 29 Nov 1918, Gamble reclassified (DM-15) on 13 June 1930 as a light minelayer.
Gamble had returned from offshore patrol when Japanese carrier planes pounded American ships in Pearl Harbor. In mid-February 1942 she escorted a convoy to Pago Pago where she lay protective mine fields off Tutuila and Nandi. Returning to Pearl Harbor she helped safeguard convoys to Midway during that crucial battle, before returning south with Breese and Tracy to lay a defensive mine field off Espiritu Santo.
On the morning of 29Aug42, off Guadalcanal, she spotted and sank enemy submarine I-123, then proceeded to rescue four stranded aviators from Saratoga. Her patrol, escort, and transport duty continued in the drive for Guadalcanal.
6 May 1943, Gamble, with minelayers Preble and Breese, laid mines at the entrance to Kula Gulf in the favorite route of the worrisome "Tokyo Express." Four Japanese destroyers entered the mined waters, one went down, two others were damaged and sunk by aircraft. Gamble continued with mine laying, escort duty, fire support, mine sweeping during 1943-45.
On 18 February 1945 Gamble was hit two 250 pound bombs off Iwo Jima and was towed to Saipan for repair, but on 1 June 1945 she decommissioned and was sunk off Guam.
Gamble received seven battle stars for service in World War II.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Boats]

Neutrality Acts 1935-1941
1935 NEUTRALITY ACT
Aug. 19 - Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved Pittman bill

Aug. 21 - Senate passed bill and sent to House

Aug. 23 - House passed bill with 6-month time limit

Aug. 24 - Senate passed amended bill

Aug. 31 - FDR signed bill

1. mandatory arms embargo:

"upon the outbreak or during the progress of war between, or among, two or more foreign states, the President shall proclaim such fact, and it shall thereafter be unlawful to export arms, ammunition, or implements of war to any port of such belligerent states."
2. discretionary travel restrictions

3. will expire in 6 months - Feb. 29, 1936

1935 ETHIOPIAN WAR

Oct. 5 - FDR invoked Neutrality Act

1. proclaimed mandatory arms embargo with belligerents Italy and Ethiopia

2. warned against travel on belligerent ships

FDR also urged "moral embargo" on all trade with Italy, but U.S. exports to Italy increased

1936 EXTENSION

Feb. 12 - Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved Thomas 14-month extension bill rather than Pittman-McReynolds discretionary bill or Nye-Clark-Maverick mandatory total trade restriction bill

Feb. 29 - FDR signed Thomas bill

1. mandatory arms embargo with belligerents and new belligerents entering a war in progress

2. discretionary travel restriction

3. mandatory ban on loans to belligerents but short-term credits exempt

4. American Republics exempt

1936 SPANISH CONFLICT

Aug. 7 - U.S. did not invoke Neutrality Act but urged non-interference and a "moral embargo"

Aug. 10 - Glenn Martin Co. sought sale of 8 bombers to Spanish Nationalist government

- opposed by FDR but not illegal

Dec. 28 - U.S. reluctantly granted export license to Robert Cuse to sell aviation parts to Spanish rebels

- denounced by FDR as unpatriotic but legal

Jan. 6, 1937 - Congress quickly passed Pittman bill for mandatory arms embargo in Spanish conflict

1937 PERMANENT NEUTRALITY BILL

May 1 - FDR signed permanent bill

1. mandatory arms embargo with belligerents

2. mandatory travel ban on belligerent ships

3. mandatory loan ban to belligerents

4. mandatory ban on arming of American merchant ships trading with belligerents

5. discretionary cash-and-carry for 2 years (Bernard Baruch's plan to allow trade with belligerents in non-contraband goods if paid in cash and carried in foreign ships)

1937 CHINA INCIDENT

Aug. 17 - FDR did not invoke Neutrality Act but said it was on "a 24-hour basis" until a formal

declaration of war or a real threat to the U.S.

Aug. 29 - U.S. freighter Wichita sailed from Baltimore with 19 planes for China after Japan

declared blockade of China coast

Sept. 13 - Maritime Commission chairman Joseph Kennedy ordered American Pioneer Line to

detain Wichita in San Pedro - unloaded planes and continued on to Hong Kong

Sept. 14 - FDR declared no government-owned ship to carry arms to China or Japan

Sept. 20 - DuPont Co. agreed not to sell arms to China or Japan, but U.S. exports to China and Japan continued, especially through England

July 1, 1938 - Joseph Green, head of National Munitions Control Board, would issue export licenses for aircraft to nations that bomb civilians only "with great regret" - private aircraft industry complied and stopped aircraft exports to Japan, although total 1938 exports to Japan = $9M

Sept. 12, 1938 - Munich conference - danger of war with Germany - FDR wanted discretionary powers

in case war breaks out to export arms to England and France

Sept. 23, 1938 - Gallup poll showed 73% favor keeping mandatory arms embargo

1939 REVISION ATTEMPT FAILS

Jan. 4 - FDR annual message to Congress calls for "methods short of war" to defend the nation

Jan. 23 - Douglas DB-7 bomber crash in California - Frenchman injured - press reveals FDR plans to sell advanced U.S. aircraft to England and France & that the U.S. frontier was "on the Rhine"

March 15 - Germany occupies Czechoslovakia in violation of the Munich agreement

March 17 - FDR announces he wanted revision of the Neutrality law to aid the democracies

May 1 - Cash-and-carry neutrality law expired, yet 72% approve discretionary embargo of aggressors

June 29 - House approved Vorys amendment to keep mandatory arms embargo but allow export of"implements of war" - 51% approve - public opinion mixed and vacillating

July 10 - Senate Foreign RElations Committee voted 12-11 to postpone neutrality revision

- FDR and Pittman failed to win vote of Walter George of Georgia and Guy Gillette of Texas

1939 REVISION SUCCEEDS

Sept. 3 - British liner Athenia sunk - 28 of 112 killed were Americans

Sept. 5 - FDR invoked 1937 Neutrality Law after England and France declare war

Sept. 22 - Gallup poll showed 62% favor repeal of mandatory arms embargo

Oct. 3 - Declaration of Panama - 300-mile Security Zone around western hemisphere

Nov. 4 - FDR signed revision bill

1. arms embargo repealed, but trade must be cash-and-carry

2. no U.S. ships in war zone around British Isles

3. no loans to belligerents

4. not travel on belligerent ships

5. no armed merchant ships

1940 AID TO ENGLAND

July 10 - Battle of Britian begins

Aug. 27 - FDR executive order traded destroyers for bases - also allowed British pilots to train in U.S., British ships to be repaired in U.S. ports, Flight Ferry Command, Eagle Squadron

Nov. 7 - FDR allocated 1/2 of all arms to England, but England lacks cash to pay for orders made

Dec. 17 - lend-lease proposed at press conference - passed Congress and signed by FDR March 11

1941 BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC

Mar. 24 - FDR froze $50M Yugoslavian assets when Prince Paul signed Tripartite Pact, but Mar. 27 Gen. Simovic overthrows Markovic - Hitler invades Apr. 6 - FDR pledges "all material aid possible"

Mar. 27 - Congress approved initial $7B lend-lease appropriation

Mar. 30 - Coast Guard siezed 64 Axis ships in U.S. ports for lend-lease convoys

Apr. 2 - FDR transfers 10 Coast Guard ships to England, allowed Royal Navy to use U.S. ports for

repair and refueling

Apr. 9 - Denmark's Henrik Kauffmann allowed U.S. occupation of Greenland

Apr. 10 - Security Zone extended to 26? longitude including Greenland and Azores - also Red Sea; removed from list of forbidden combat zones, allowing lend-lease to British in Mideast

Apr. 11 - U.S. destroyer Niblack fired 3 depth charges at German U-boat - began undeclared naval war

Apr. 17 - Neutral Egyptian liner Zam-Zam sunk in S. Atlantic, 140 U.S. aboard - 1 American died of injuries, 2 other seriously wounded passengers remained captive as "Guests of the German Navy" aboard the German merchant raider Atlantis (Hilfskreuzer) due to their injuries for another seven months

Apr. 24 - Navy ordered to begin observation patrols in Security Zone

Apr. 28 - FDR froze $50M Greek assets after Greece fell to Hitler

May 20 - Zam-Zam passengers and crew arrived at St. Jean-De-Luz in Occupied France aboard German Blockade Runner Dresden - Americans only debarked - Crewmen and passengers of belligerent nations taken to port of Bordeaux for transfer to internment camps - Americans repatriated through Spain and Portugal over next 35-days

May 26 - German battleship Bismarck located by US-built PBY with US pilot

May 27 - FDR declared "unlimited national emergency" - need to build ships, help British

June 6 - FDR seized 80 foreign merchant ships in U.S. ports under new law of Congress

June 10 - U.S. freighter Robin Moor lifeboats found - was 1st U.S. ship sunk May 21

June 14 - FDR froze Axis funds in U.S.

June 16 - FDR ordered German consulates closed, expels diplomats - ordered secret occupation of Iceland

June 20 - U.S. battleship Texas enters combat zone near England & tracked by U-boat

June 21 - Hitler ordered U-boats to avoid all U.S. warships

June 22 - Hitler invaded Russia

June 24 - U.S. released $39 million Soviet funds previously frozen

June 25 - FDR did not invoke Neutrality Act with Russia, sent Hopkins to Moscow in July and Averill Harriman in September, and Congress approved lend-lease appropriation of $1B in October

JULY THRESHOLD

July 7 - FDR made public the arrival of 4000 Marines in Iceland, extended Security Zone and Navy patrols to Iceland - Gallup poll showed 61% approved

Aug. 9-13 - Atlantic Conference at Placentia Bay with Churchill, FDR and their staffs

- decided to follow Plan Dog, make public declaration of liberal war aims, affirmed secret guarantees

to defend British possessions, start search-and-destroy security patrols, provoke and incident

Sept. 4 - U.S. destroyer Greer attacked U-652, eluded 2 torpedos

Sept. 11 - FDR declared Greer attack was "piracy" as was Aug. 17 sinking of U.S.-Panamanian freighter Sessa killing 24 of 27 crew, and the Sept. 5 sinking of U.S. freighter Steel Seafarer clearly flying

U.S. flag - ordered "shoot-on-sight" - Gallup poll 62% approved

Sept. 11 - U.S. freighter Montana sunk en route to Iceland, none killed

Sept. 19 - armed U.S.-Panamanian freighter Pink Star sunk en route to Iceland with cargo of food

Sept. 27 - U.S.-Panamanian oil tanker I.C. White sunk en route to South Africa, 3 killed

1941 REVISION

Oct. 9 - FDR sought revision of 1939 Neutrality Act to arm merchant ships

Oct. 16 - U.S. tanker W.C. Teagle sunk and U.S.-Panamanian freighter Bold Venture sunk

Oct. 17 - U.S. destroyer Kearny torpedoed and damaged with 11 killed inside Security Zone

Oct. 19 - U.S. freighter Lehigh sunk in South Atlantic

Oct. 27 - FDR Navy Day speech: "America has been attacked" - claimed he had German map of Americas

Oct. 30 - U.S.-Panamanian armed tanker Salinas torpedoed and damaged

Oct. 31 - U.S. destroyer Reuben James sunk inside Security Zone, 115 killed - was the 1st U.S. warship lost

Nov. 5 - Gallup poll showed 81% favored arming merchant ships & 61% favored ships entering war zones

Nov. 6 - German blockade runner Odenwald , with cargo of rubber from Japan, captured inside Security

Zone off Brazil by U.S. cruiser Omaha

Nov. 7 - Senate approved revision 50-37 - closest vote since 1939

Nov. 13 - House narrowly approved revision 212-194

1. merchant ships may be armed

2. U.S. ships may enter combat zones

3. U.S. ships may enter belligerent ports

Nov. 24 - U.S. Army to occupy bauxite-rich Dutch Guiana

[SparrowHawk62]

Thank you Boats and my Rockland Shipmate! Great info!