28 May 1942

GERMANY: Berlin: Goebbels writes that "10 Jews in a concentration camp or 6 feet under are preferable to one roaming at large."

BALTIC SEA: Soviet submarine M-95 is sunk by depth charges east of Suursaari by Tupolev SB-2 code SB-1 from 2/LeLv 6.

NORWAY: 258 Jews are executed by the SS to avenge an alleged plot to blow up a Nazi anti-Bolshevist exhibition.

PACIFIC OCEAN: Those Imperial Japanese Naval forces that have not previously sailed, leave today for the Midway operation.

US TF 16, carriers Enterprise and Hornet under Admiral Spruance, sail from Pearl Harbor for Midway. Admiral Fletcher will leave later with the Yorktown and TF 17.

The Enterprise Air Group in USS Enterprise (CV-6) consists of Bombing Squadron Six (VB-6) with SBD Dauntless, Fighting Squadron Six (VF-6) with F4F Wildcats, Scouting Squadron Six (VS-6) with SBDs, and Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6) with TBD Devastators. The Hornet Air Group in USS Hornet (CV-8) consists of VB-8 with SBDs, VF-8 with F4Fs, VS-8 with SBDs and VT-8 with TBDs.

U.S.A.: Admiral Nimitz approves Lieutenant General Holcomb's plan for a Joint Military Intelligence centre at Pearl Harbor, Hawai'i coming from the proposal of 24 March. Nimitz suggests that the centre include Army and Navy radio intelligence sections, and officers dealing with estimates, information filing, photographic interpretation, mapping and the tracking of naval activity. CINCPAC requested that a naval officer command the unit and the Army, Navy and Marines provide officers plus a contingent of about five yeomen. (Mike Yared)(184)

CARIBBEAN SEA: German submarine U-103, sinks an armed U.S. merchant tanker southwest of the Cayman Islands.

At 1142, the unescorted New Jersey was hit by one torpedo from U-103 about 90 miles SW of Grand Cayman Island, after the U-boat had missed her with a first torpedo at 0759. The torpedo struck on the port side behind the bridge at the #5 and #6 tank. The engines were secured and the eight officers, 29 crewmen and five armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in and two .30cal guns) abandoned ship in two lifeboats. At 1205, a coup de grâce was fired, which struck at the #8 tank. When the ship stayed afloat the U-boat surfaced and fired 25 rounds into the waterline. The after housing of the tanker caught fire and the ship sank by the stern at 1255. 23 crewmembers and three armed guards were picked up after 33 hours by USS Tattnall and landed at Kingston, Jamaica on 30 May. USS Biddle picked up 13 crewmembers and two armed guards on 1 June.

At 0208, the unescorted Mentor (Master Alexander Pope) was hit on the port side in the stern by one torpedo from U-106 north of Cabo Catoche and sank within six minutes, following a coup de grâce at 0238. The U-boat surfaced and questioned the crew, which told them that the name of the ship was Bengloe. The fourth engineer and three Chinese crewmembers were killed on watch below when the engine room was flooded. The master, 74 crewmembers and seven gunners were picked up after three days by the British merchantman Antilochus and landed at Key West, Florida.

At 2000 on 27 May, U-155 had sighted an unescorted steamer of estimated 5000 tons near Barbados and unsuccessfully tried to overtake the vessel, so Piening decided to attack surfaced during the night. At 0500 hours on 28 May, a first spread of two torpedoes missed but at 0630 another spread of two torpedoes was fired of which one hit the ship between the stack and the mast aft. Shortly thereafter a boiler explosion caused the ship to sink by the stern quickly. It is quite sure that his victim was the Poseidon.

At 0200, the zigzagging, unescorted and unarmed Alcoa Pilgrim was hit by a torpedo from U-502 on the starboard side just below the waterline in the engine room. The ship sank in 90 seconds about 150 miles south of the Mona Passage. The crew of nine officers and 31 men had no time to launch a lifeboat and only nine managed to get on board of two rafts. U-502 came alongside one of the rafts and an officer inquired about the name of the ship, her nationality, tonnage and cargo. He also asked if the rafts had sails and wished the men luck. Six days later, the American SS Thomas Nelson picked up the surviving three officers and six men and landed them at Port of Spain on 5 June.