Lago Bulletin Board
Remembering
Aruba, World War II
We might pause for a moment
on Friday, February 16 and remember
that it was 65 years ago on this day
that Lago Refinery was attacked by
German U-Boat 156 with the resulting
loss of 51 lives. (47 sailors
and, the next day 4 members of a
Dutch demolition team).
Ray Burson ~ Class of '54
E-mail:
Larry's Note: I agree with
Ray. Commemorating Aruba during its
darkest hours of World War II is a
reminder of that terrible time in
history and how lucky we are to be
here today. Below are a few photos,
et al, I put together that will
bring those memories back.
Nazi Propaganda Drawing Of The
Attack on Aruba, February 16,
1942
Photo courtesy of Dan
Jensen's Website,
Photo courtesy of Dan Jensen's
website
Photo courtesy of Dan
Jensen's website
|
7.5 INCH GUNS
IN ARUBA |
FROM: Volume
11, Issue 2 The Coast
Defense Study Group Journal
The United States Coast
Artillery Command on Aruba
and Curaçao in World War II
By: William C. Gaines |
|
William C.
Gaines wrote the following
in this Journal: |
|
"The
Netherlands colonial
coast artillery manned a
battery of three
7.5-inch
guns
on the island’s
northeast coast at Juana
Morto.
This
battery, established
early in 1940, test
fired
its
guns on May 17, 1940."
|
|
THIS
IS A PHOTO OF ONE OF THE
GUNS.
THE
PHOTO WAS SUPPLIED BY
DOLFI KOCK IN ARUBA
|
Photo courtesy of Dan Jensen's
website
The following are excerpts from an
ariticle (including attack on Aruba)
provided by THE VIRTUAL MUSEUM OF
THE CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO. If you
wish to read the entire article
please go to:
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist9/aaf1.html
THE ARMY AIR FORCES IN WORLD WAR II;
DEFENSE OF THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
By an order of 11 December,
the Western Defense Command became a
theater of operations; on 20
December, a similar order provided
for an eastern theater along the
Atlantic coast.” By these acts,
defense received priority over all
training activity in both coastal
zones, which were now raised to a
new category of defense (Category C)
in recognition of the fact that
minor attacks were not only possible
but probable. It will be noted that
it was not anticipated that enemy
forces could bring to bear any
sustained attack on the continental
area, but, as Pearl Harbor had so
forcefully demonstrated, a single
and well-directed blow could inflict
serious injury.
In spite of the grave concern for
the safety of the West Coast, the
first attack on a land objective in
the Americas actually was directed
against Aruba, in the Caribbean.
On this small Dutch-owned island,
and on neighboring Curacao, were
located large refineries which
processed oil from wells in
Venezuela and currently accounted
for one-third of the United Nations’
supply of high-octane gasoline. In
May 1940 the British had furnished
small garrisons for the islands, but
the increased danger after Pearl
Harbor led the Anglo-American
planners at the ARCADIA conference
to decide that larger forces of U.S.
troops were needed. Two flights of
light bombers from the Caribbean Air
Force accordingly were sent to Aruba
and Curacao in mid-January 1942, but
attempts to send ground forces
encountered diplomatic difficulties.
At the end of January, President
Roosevelt advised the President of
Venezuela that, in deference to the
latter’s objections, the United
States would delay the dispatch of
troops; but he indicated that the
situation was so serious that steps
would have to be taken to safeguard
the vital refineries. Public
announcement of the troop movement
was made on 11 February.
Early in the morning of 16 February,
aggressive enemy submarine action in
the Caribbean area began with an
attack on shipping off the harbor at
San Nicholas, Aruba. After
destroying two tankers, a submarine
surfaced and shelled buildings of
the Standard Oil refinery and then
moved upshore for further attacks on
shipping. The damage to the refinery
was only superficial, but a torpedo
which landed on shore exploded the
next day, killing four men. Attempts
by Army planes to bomb the submarine
were apparently unsuccessful. In any
case, the air patrols were powerless
to prevent a second attack on Aruba
on 19 February and additional
nuisance shellings of shore
installations in Puerto Rico on 2
March 1942 and of a refinery on
Curacao on 19 April.
The initial attack on Aruba
prompted President Roosevelt to warn
the nation that enemy ships could
shell New York City, or enemy planes
drop bombs on Detroit. Secretary [of
War Henry] Stimson added that the
public might as well prepare itself
to accept “occasional blows, ”
because the Army was determined not
to disperse its forces in small
fragments to serve as security
garrisons. The New York Times, in an
editorial on 20 February, pointed
out that American seaboard cities
were well within the enemy’s reach,
but that the only danger was that
attacks might create a popular
demand for protection at all costs.
The real need, it was suggested, was
for the perfection of the defense
machinery already in existence.
More
on WWII and Aruba ....
Yes, believe it or
not, Cuba was an ally of the
United States during WWII.
Check out the following link
for details of an
interesting article
also featuring the attack on
Aruba.
Highlander Cameron
WWII:
Don't forget to
check out Dan Jensen's
website:
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