military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (05/26/91)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Tuesday, 27 May, 1941 The battleships King George V and Rodney, with the cruisers Dorsetshire and Sheffield, close with the Bismarck and quickly disable her main guns and fire control. After a prolonged shelling, which wrecks the Bismarck's topsides, the order is given to abandon ship and scuttling is commenced. Simultaneously, the Dorsetshire torpedoes the Bismarck, leading to controversy over the exact cause of her sinking. Efforts to rescue the ship's crew are undertaken, but quickly halted when U-boats are sighted in the area. Over 2200 of her crew are killed in the shelling or die in the water; 110 are rescued. President Roosevelt declares a national emergency, and places the United States on war footing. Allied troops begin evacuating Crete, despite constant air attacks which damage the battleship Barham. In North Africa, German forces recapture Halfaya Pass, and 88mm flak guns are dug in to protect the vital position. Reporter: Bob Beville (rbeville%tekig5.pen.tek.com@RELAY.CS.NET) -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@att.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "TO C IN C AFLOAT: I THANK YOU IN THE NAME OF THE ENTIRE GERMAN PEOPLE. ADOLPH HITLER TO THE CREW OF THE BATTLESHIP BISMARCK: ALL GERMANY IS WITH YOU. ALL THAT CAN STILL BE DONE, WILL BE DONE. YOUR DEVOTION TO DUTY WILL FORTIFY OUR PEOPLE IN THEIR STRUGGLE FOR EXISTENCE. ADOLPH HITLER." - German signal transmitted to Bismarck, deciphered by Bletchley Park Naval section