19 Jan 1940

Atlantic Ocean
  • German submarine U-9 torpedoed and sank Swedish merchant ship Patricia, which escaped U-9's first attack on two hours prior, in the North Sea at 0145 hours. 19 men were killed; 4 survivors were later picked up by Swedish merchant ship Frigg. ww2dbase [North Sea | CPC]
  • German submarine U-55 sank Norwegian vessel Telnes off the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom; 18 lives were lost. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • German submarine U-59 torpedoed and sank French steamer Quiberon off Great Yarmouth, England, United Kingdom at 2100 hours. All men aboard were killed. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • German submarine U-44 began tracking Greek steamer Ekatontarchos Dracoulis at 2200 hours in the Bay of Biscay. Around midnight, U-44 fired a torpedo at the Greek ship, but the torpedo detonated prematurely before reaching the target. ww2dbase [Bay of Biscay | CPC]
  • British submarine Sunfish fired 4 torpedoes at German submarine U-14 off Helgoland, Germany; all torpedoes missed. ww2dbase [North Sea | CPC]
Japan
  • Kanemasa Akiyama was attached to the staff of the Japanese Army Technical Research Institute. ww2dbase [Kanemasa Akiyama | CPC]
United Kingdom
  • British destroyer Grenville hit a naval mine and sank in the Thames Estuary in southern England, United Kingdom at 1250 hours, killing 77. 108 survivors were rescued by two destroyers that braved the minefield. ww2dbase [England | CPC]
United States
  • Senator William Borah, leader of the isolationists in the United States, died suddenly of cerebral hemorrhage in Washington DC. ww2dbase [Washington | AC]



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Wrecked Mikazuki being inspected by USMC personnel, off Cape Gloucester, New Britain, 10 Feb 1944; note radio direction finder antenna

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"With Germany arming at breakneck speed, England lost in a pacifist dream, France corrupt and torn by dissension, America remote and indifferent... do you not tremble for your children?"

Winston Churchill, 1935


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