Duties of Lookouts

I ran across this excellent (but long) Royal Navy video about lookouts.  The US Navy was slightly different.  They used a 360 degree system for bearings instead of the red/green terminology.   About 22 minutes into the video they discuss sighting a U-Boat periscope and torpedo wakes.  About 43 minutes in they discuss steps for preparing for nighttime lookout duty.

This day, seventy years ago, 06/03/1942

The next day I will be available for tours is Sunday, 06/3/2012. If it's a Sunny day I start with a walk around Albany (approx. 5K, 3+ miles) at 9:00 AM. Visitors are welcome to tag along but please send me an email.

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Seventy years ago on this day, Wednesday, June 3rd, 1942 (during the Battle of the Atlantic four ships were sunk): an unescorted Norwegian motor tanker Høegh Giant was torpedoed and sunk by the U-126; an unescorted Swedish steam merchant Anna was sunk by gunfire after two torpedoes missed by the U-404; an unescorted and unarmed American steam merchant City of Alma was torpedoed and sunk by the U-172; and an unescorted American steam tanker M.F. Elliott was torpedoed and sunk by the U-502. Four smaller vessels were also sunk by gun fire. 

On June 3rd, 1942 there were 60 U-Boats at Sea.  U-109 returned from a 71 day patrol, 2 ships sunk (11,544 tons) and 1 ship damaged (6,548 tons).

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In the Pacific Ocean, the Battle of Midway and the Battle of Dutch Harbor (Alaska) started on June 3rd.

This day, seenty years ago, 05/27/1942

The next day I will be available for tours is Sunday, 05/27/2012.  If it's a Sunny day I start with a walk around Albany (approx. 5K, 3+ miles) at 9:00 AM.  Visitors are welcome to tag along but please send me an email.

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Seventy years ago (Wednesday, May 27th, 1942), during the Battle of the Atlantic four ships were sunk: the British motor tanker Athelknight (U-172); the American army transport Jack (U-558);the Dutch motor merchant Polyphemus(U-578) and the Norwegian motor tanker Hamlet (U-753).

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In the Artic Ocean, PQ16 was making it's way the Murmask. Three ships were sunk by aircraft on May 27th.

• To Murmansk and back on the SS Atlantic
• Wikipedia - PQ16
• PQ Convoy Database

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Also on May 27th, Dorie Miller received the Navy Cross, from Admiral Chester W. Nimitz—the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet— on board aircraft carrier Enterprise for his extraordinary courage during the Battle of Pearl Harbor. A year and a half later Dorie Miller was killed in action on the Carrier Liscome Bay. In 1973 a Knox class Destroyer Escort was named for Dorie Miller (USS Miller, FF-1091).