Attack on Aruba
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2010) |
Attack on Aruba | |||||||
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Part of World War II, Battle of the Caribbean | |||||||
Pedernales, heavily damaged after being struck by a German torpedo. | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Netherlands United States |
Italy | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Frank Andrews | Werner Hartenstein | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Land: ~300 light bombers | 7 submarines | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
~51 killed 6 tankers sunk 2 tankers damaged |
1 killed 1 wounded 1 submarine damaged | ||||||
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The attack on Aruba was an attack on oil installations and tankers by Axis submarines during World War II. On 16 February 1942, a German U-boat attacked the small Dutch island of Aruba. Other submarines patrolled the area for shipping and they sank or damaged tankers. Aruba was home to two of the largest oil refineries in the world during the war against the Axis powers, the Arend Petroleum Company, situated near the Oranjestad harbor, and the Lago Oil and Transport Company at the San Nicolas harbor. The attack resulted in the disruption of vital Allied fuel production.
Background
The Dutch island of Aruba had two major oil installations. The production of aviation fuel had been expanded to supply British requirements prior to the American entry into the war. It was the largest such refinery in the world[citation needed] and a strategic target.
In early 1942, several Axis submarines patrolled the southern Caribbean with the objective of attacking Allied convoys and disrupting the oil operations.
Previously[when?] the commander had coordinated an attack on oil-related targets in between Aruba and Maracaibo in order to disrupt the production of aviation fuel. U-156 was assigned to attack the refineries, while the six other submarines attacked merchant ships wherever found. These other submarines were U-502, U-67, U-129 and U-161 and two Italian submarines. They patrolled the Gulf of Venezuela, to the southwest of Aruba, and other nearby waters for oil tankers.
Attack
On 16 February, after observing the area for a few days, U-156 came around to the refineries. There in front of her target were two Lago Company steamers,
At 03:13, U-156 attacked the Texaco owned tanker SS Arkansas which was berthed at Eagle Beach next to the Arend/Eagle Refinery. Just one of the torpedoes struck Arkansas and partially sank her but the damage was moderate and caused no casualties.[3] Commander Hartenstein then steamed further around Aruba and directed his men to take to the deck guns and prepare for a naval bombardment of the large oil tank in view. The crew of the 105 mm (4.1 in) gun forgot to remove the water cap from the barrel, so when Hartenstein ordered them to fire, the gun blew up in the faces of the two gunners. Gunnery Officer Dietrich von dem Borne was wounded badly, one foot having been severed. His comrade and trigger man Heinrich Büssinger was badly wounded as well and died several hours after the attack. Hartenstein ordered the 37 mm (1.46 in) flak gun to continue the attack.
Sixteen rounds from the 37mm AA gun were fired, but only two hits were found by the Allies: a dent in an oil storage tank and a hole in a house. Hartenstein ordered a cease-fire, and set his course toward the other end of the island. En route, U-156 was found and attacked by a Fokker F.XVIII maritime patrol aircraft of the Netherlands West Indies Defense Force which took off from Oranjestad, Aruba at 05.55 hours and dropped a number of 8 kg (18 lb) or 80 mm improvised anti-submarine bombs without achieving a hit.[4] The U-boat continued towards Oranjestad harbor and at 09.43 hours torpedoed Arkansas lying at the pier of the Eagle Refinery, after missing with two torpedoes.[citation needed]
Meanwhile, the six other Axis boats patrolled the area in search of oil tankers. U-502 under
The four other U-boats and submarines were apparently unsuccessful in engaging Allied ships that morning. The Dutch patrol boats did not engage either.
Aftermath
After the attack, the Axis force steamed for Martinique, where they offloaded their two casualties for medical treatment. Four Allied ships had been sunk accounting for 14,149 tons. Pedernales, Arkansas and Rafaela survived the encounter; although damaged or sunk, they were repaired and put back to use transporting goods for the Allied war effort. During U-156's attack on Arkansas, one of the missed torpedoes slid up "Arend"/"Eagle" Beach and did not explode. On 17 February, four Dutch Marines were killed when it detonated while they were dismantling it. At least 47 Allied merchant sailors were killed, and several more wounded.
The American
See also
- American Theater (World War II)
- Bombardment of Ellwood
References
Notes
- ^ "Ships hit by U-boats - Pedernales". Uboat.net. Retrieved 2014-09-07.
- ^ "Ships hit by U-boats - Oranjestad". Uboat.net. Retrieved 2014-09-07.
- ^ "Ships hit by U-boats - Arkansas". Uboat.net. Retrieved 2014-09-07.
- ISBN 0 85130 210 6
- ^ "Ships hit by U-boats - Tia Juana". Uboat.net. Retrieved 2014-09-07.
- ^ "Ships hit by U-boats - San Nicolas". Uboat.net. Retrieved 2014-09-08.
- ^ "Ships hit by U-boats - Monagas". Uboat.net. Retrieved 2014-09-08.
- ^ "Ships hit by U-boats - Rafaela". Uboat.net. Retrieved 2014-09-08.
Sources
- "Shells at Aruba", Time, February 23, 1942, [1], retrieved 7/11/2010
- Pedernales, The Phoenix of Aruba [2]
- Woodman, Richard. The Real Cruel Sea: The Merchant Navy in the Battle of the Atlantic, 1939–1943 (2004) ISBN 0-7195-6403-4