Operation Neuland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Operation Neuland
Part of the Atlantic Campaign of World War II
Date 16 February – late March 1942 Location Caribbean Sea Result German - Italian victory
Belligerents
Germany  Italy	United States  United Kingdom  Netherlands
Commanders and leaders
Karl Dönitz Romolo Polacchini	John H. Hoover
Strength
11 submarines	USS Barney USS Blakeley USS Lapwing
Casualties and losses
Casualties 1 killed 1 wounded Losses 1 submarine damaged	Losses 45 cargo ships sunk 1 lighthouse tender sunk 10 cargo ships damaged

Operation Neuland (meaning "New Land") was a secret plan by the German Navy during World War II. It involved sending U-boats (submarines) into the Caribbean Sea to attack ships. The goal was to stop important supplies like petroleum (oil) for the United Kingdom and aluminum for the United States.

The Allies (the countries fighting Germany) did not expect these attacks so far from Europe. The U-boats caused a lot of damage by surprise. Even though the Caribbean remained a dangerous place for submarines for a while, the U-boats never again had such an easy time sinking ships as they did during this first surprise operation.

Why the Caribbean Was Important

The Caribbean Sea was a very important place during the war. This was because of the huge Venezuelan oil fields in the southeast. Also, the Panama Canal was in the southwest, which was a key shortcut for ships.

Oil Refineries and Fuel

There were massive oil refineries in the Caribbean. The Royal Dutch Shell refinery on the Dutch island of Curaçao was the biggest in the world. It processed millions of barrels of oil each month. Another large refinery was at Pointe-à-Pierre on Trinidad, which was the biggest in the British Empire. There was also the Lago Oil and Transport Company refinery on the Dutch island of Aruba.

The British Isles needed four oil tankers of fuel every single day in the early war years. Most of this oil came from Venezuela. It was sent through Curaçao because Italy had blocked the Mediterranean Sea route from the Middle East.

Aluminum and Shipping Routes

The Caribbean was also vital for the United States. The southern US coastline, including oil facilities and the Mississippi River trade, needed protection. The US could easily defend the Straits of Florida. However, it was harder to stop ships from entering through the Yucatán Channel from the Caribbean.

Bauxite is a special rock used to make aluminum. It was one of the few important raw materials not found in the United States. US military aircraft (planes) needed aluminum, so they relied on bauxite shipped from the Guianas (in South America). These shipping routes ran right next to the Lesser Antilles islands.

Early Defenses

The United States Navy started flying PBY Catalina planes on patrol from San Juan, Puerto Rico in September 1939. The United Kingdom had also set up military bases on Trinidad. British troops took control of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire after Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands.

The French island of Martinique was seen as a possible base for Axis ships. This was because relations between Britain and Vichy France (the French government that worked with Germany) got worse. In September 1940, the Destroyers for Bases Agreement allowed the United States to build new bases. These were in British Guiana and on the islands of Great Exuma, Jamaica, Antigua, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad.

The Plan for Attack

When the United States declared war on December 8, 1941, it meant that ships in the Western Atlantic were no longer safe. German U-boats had already seen how weak the defenses were along the US Atlantic coast during an earlier attack called Operation Paukenschlag. This made them think about using their long-range Type IX submarines to attack the Caribbean.

On January 15, 1942, a meeting was held in Lorient, France. Former captains from the Hamburg America Line who knew the Caribbean well gave information to the commanders of five U-boats: U-156, U-67, U-502, U-161, and U-129.

The first three U-boats left on January 19. Their orders were to attack the Dutch oil refineries at the same time on February 16. U-161 left on January 24 to attack Trinidad, and U-129 followed on January 26. U-126 left on February 2 to patrol the Windward Passage between Cuba and Hispaniola. Five large Italian submarines also sailed from Bordeaux, France, to patrol the Atlantic side of the Lesser Antilles. These eleven submarines would spread out and attack independently. They would keep attacking until they ran out of food, fuel, or torpedoes.

The Attacks Begin

U-156's Attack

The submarine U-156, led by Werner Hartenstein, started its attack on February 16. It surfaced near Aruba and fired torpedoes at two tankers, the SS Pedernales and SS Oranjestad. Then, U-156 tried to shell the Lago refinery with its deck gun. But a crewman forgot to remove a cover from the gun, and the first shell exploded in the barrel. One gunner was killed, another was badly hurt, and the gun was damaged. U-156 then sailed past Oranjestad and fired three torpedoes at the tanker Arkansas. One hit, causing minor damage, one missed, and one washed ashore. Four Dutch marines died trying to disarm the torpedo on the beach the next day. The crew later used saws to fix the damaged gun. U-156 sank two more ships with its torpedoes and two others with the repaired gun before heading home on February 28, 1942.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Notes
16 February 1942	Pedernales	United Kingdom	4,317	Tanker torpedoed outside San Nicolaas harbor, but later repaired
16 February 1942	Oranjestad	United Kingdom	2,396	Tanker torpedoed outside San Nicolaas harbor, and capsized in 48 seconds
16 February 1942	Arkansas	United States	6,452	Tanker torpedoed at Eagle Pier near Oranjestad but later repaired
20 February 1942	Delplata	United States	5,127	Freighter torpedoed at 14°45′N 62°10′W / 14.750°N 62.167°W / 14.750; -62.167
25 February 1942	La Carriere	United Kingdom	5,685	Tanker
27 February 1942	Macgregor	United Kingdom	2,498	Freighter sunk by gunfire
28 February 1942	Oregon	United States	7,017	6 crewman killed aboard tanker sunk by gunfire at 20°44′N 67°52′W / 20.733°N 67.867°W / 20.733; -67.867

U-67's Attack

U-67, commanded by Günther Müller-Stöckheim, attacked Willemstad harbor in Curaçao on February 16. It fired six torpedoes at three anchored tankers. Four torpedoes hit but did not explode. The two torpedoes from the back of the submarine worked on the third tanker.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage (GRT)	Notes
16 February 1942	Rafaela	Netherlands	3,177	Tanker torpedoed in Willemstad harbor, but later repaired
21 February 1942	Kongsgaard	Norway	9,467	Tanker
14 March 1942	Penelope	Panama	8,436	Tanker

U-502's Attack

U-502, led by Jürgen von Rosensteil, waited to ambush oil tankers from Lake Maracaibo that were heading to the refineries. After three tankers went missing, the Chinese crews of other tankers refused to sail. News spread that tanker traffic had stopped. U-502 then moved north and headed home after using its last torpedoes on February 23.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage	Notes
16 February 1942	Tia Juana	United Kingdom	2,395	Shallow-draught 'Lake Maracaibo' crude oil tanker
16 February 1942	Monagas	Venezuela	2,650	Shallow-draught 'Lake Maracaibo' crude oil tanker
16 February 1942	San Nicholas	United Kingdom	2,391	Shallow-draught 'Lake Maracaibo' crude oil tanker
22 February 1942	J.N.Pew	United States	9,033	Tanker torpedoed at 12°40′N 74°00′W / 12.667°N 74.000°W / 12.667; -74.000,33 killed; 3 survivors
23 February 1942	Thallia	Panama	8,329	Tanker
23 February 1942	Sun	United States	9,002	No casualties aboard. Tanker damaged by torpedo at 13°02′N 70°41′W / 13.033°N 70.683°W / 13.033; -70.683

U-161's Attack

U-161, commanded by Albrecht Achilles, entered Trinidad's Gulf of Paria harbor on February 18. An electronic system detected it, but the signal was ignored. U-161 waited until dark to torpedo two anchored ships. It then left the harbor by pretending to be a small local boat. On March 10, U-161 secretly entered Castries harbor in Saint Lucia. It torpedoed two freighters that had just arrived with supplies for a new US base. The harbor, once thought safe, later got an anti-submarine net. U-161 started its journey home on March 11, 1942.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage	Notes
19 February 1942	British Consul	United Kingdom	6,940	Tanker torpedoed in Gulf of Paria, but later repaired
19 February 1942	Mokihana	United States	7,460	No casualties aboard freighter torpedoed in Gulf of Paria, but later repaired
21 February 1942	Circe Shell	United Kingdom	8,207	Tanker
23 February 1942	Lihue	United States	7,001	No casualties aboard freighter torpedoed at 14°30′N 64°45′W / 14.500°N 64.750°W / 14.500; -64.750
7 March 1942	Uniwaleco	South Africa	9,755	Whale Factory ship used as a fuel oil carrier
10 March 1942	Lady Nelson	Canada	7,970	Freighter torpedoed in Castries harbor, but later repaired
10 March 1942	Umtata	United Kingdom	8,141	Freighter torpedoed in Castries harbor, but later repaired
14 March 1942	Sarniadoc	Canada	1,940	Freighter exploded and disappeared 30 seconds after torpedo impact 21 lost no survivors
15 March 1942	Acacia	United States Navy	1,130	USCG lighthouse tender sunk by gunfire south of Haiti

Italian Submarine Luigi Torelli

The Italian submarine Luigi Torelli, led by Antonio de Giacomo, sank two ships.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage	Notes
19 February	Scottish Star		7,300 GRT	freighter
25 February	Esso Copenhagen		9,200 GRT	tanker

U-129's Attack

U-129, commanded by Nicolai Clausen, spent its fourth patrol southeast of Trinidad. It targeted ships carrying bauxite. The unexpected sinkings caused merchant ships to temporarily stop sailing. The Allies then broadcast new routes for ships without escorts. The U-boats heard this broadcast and waited at those suggested locations.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage	Notes
20 February	Nordvangen		2,400 GRT	Bauxite freighter sunk with no survivors
23 February	George L. Torian		1,754 GRT	Bauxite freighter
23 February	West Zeda		5,658 GRT	no casualties aboard freighter torpedoed at 09°13′N 69°04′W / 9.217°N 69.067°W / 9.217; -69.067
23 February	Lennox		1,904 GRT	Bauxite freighter
28 February	Bayou		2,605 GRT	Manganese freighter
3 March	Mary		5,104 GRT	Freighter torpedoed at 08°25′N 52°50′W / 8.417°N 52.833°W / 8.417; -52.833
7 March	Steel Age		6,188 GRT	33 killed;sole survivor taken captive from freighter torpedoed at 06°45′N 53°15′W / 6.750°N 53.250°W / 6.750; -53.250

Italian Submarine Leonardo da Vinci

The Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci, commanded by Luigi Longanesi-Cattani, sank one Allied ship and a neutral Brazilian freighter. There were no survivors from the Brazilian ship, and its sinking was kept secret.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage	Notes
25 February 1942	Cabedello		3,775 GRT	torpedoed at 16°00′N 42°30′W / 16.000°N 42.500°W / 16.000; -42.500; all 54 hands lost
28 February	Everasma		3,644 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 16°00′N 49°00′W / 16.000°N 49.000°W / 16.000; -49.000

U-126's Attack

U-126 patrolled the Windward Passage under the command of Ernst Bauer. This timing was perfect to take advantage of Allied anti-submarine forces being spread out. U-126 sank some ships within sight of the Guantánamo Bay Naval Base.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage	Notes
2 March	Gunny		2,362 GRT	freighter
5 March	Mariana		3,110 GRT	no survivors from freighter torpedoed at 22°14′N 71°23′W / 22.233°N 71.383°W / 22.233; -71.383 [36 lost]
7 March	Barbara		4,637 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 20°00′N 73°56′W / 20.000°N 73.933°W / 20.000; -73.933
7 March	Cardonia		5,104 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 19°53′N 73°27′W / 19.883°N 73.450°W / 19.883; -73.450
8 March	Esso Bolivar		10,389 GRT	tanker damaged by torpedoes within sight of Guantánamo
9 March	Hanseat		8,241 GRT	tanker
12 March	Texan		7,005 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 21°32′N 76°24′W / 21.533°N 76.400°W / 21.533; -76.400
12 March	Olga		2,496 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 23°39′N 77°00′W / 23.650°N 77.000°W / 23.650; -77.000
13 March	Colabee		5,518 GRT	freighter damaged by torpedoes at 22°14′N 77°35′W / 22.233°N 77.583°W / 22.233; -77.583

Italian Submarine Enrico Tazzoli

The large Italian submarine Enrico Tazzoli, commanded by Carlo Fecia di Cossato, sank six ships.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage	Notes
6 March	Astrea		1,406 GRT	freighter
6 March	Tonsbergfjord		3,156 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 31°22′N 68°05′W / 31.367°N 68.083°W / 31.367; -68.083 with 1 killed
8 March	Montevideo		5,785 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 29°13′N 69°35′W / 29.217°N 69.583°W / 29.217; -69.583 with 14 killed
10 March	Cygnet		3,628 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 24°05′N 74°20′W / 24.083°N 74.333°W / 24.083; -74.333 with no casualties
13 March	Daytonian		6,434 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 26°33′N 74°43′W / 26.550°N 74.717°W / 26.550; -74.717 with 1 killed
15 March	Athelqueen		8,780 GRT	tanker torpedoed at 26°50′N 75°40′W / 26.833°N 75.667°W / 26.833; -75.667 with 3 killed

Italian Submarine Giuseppe Finzi

The large Italian submarine Giuseppe Finzi, commanded by Ugo Giudice, sank three ships.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage	Notes
7 March	Melpomene		7,000 GRT	tanker
7 March	Skåne		4,500 GRT	freighter
10 March	Charles Racine		10,000 GRT	tanker torpedoed with no casualties

Italian Submarine Morosini

The Italian submarine Marcello-class submarine Morosini, commanded by Athos Fraternale, sank three ships.

Date	Ship	Flag	Tonnage	Notes
12 March	Stangarth		5,966 GRT	freighter torpedoed at 22°45′N 57°40′W / 22.750°N 57.667°W / 22.750; -57.667
15 March	Oscilla		6,341 GRT	tanker torpedoed with 4 killed
23 March	Peder Bogen		9,741 GRT	tanker torpedoed at 24°53′N 57°30′W / 24.883°N 57.500°W / 24.883; -57.500 with no casualties

Results of the Operation

The German Admiral Erich Raeder wanted the U-boats to shell the Aruba refinery first. However, U-boat officers chose to use torpedoes on tankers instead. They thought this would cause bigger fires from spreading oil. The first attacks on Aruba and Curaçao were less successful than planned because some weapons failed. Later attempts to shell the Aruba refinery were stopped by strong defensive fire from shore guns and patrols by planes and submarine chasers.

A key part of moving oil from Venezuela was a group of small tankers. These ships were designed to reach the oil wells in shallow Lake Maracaibo and carry crude oil to the refineries. About ten percent of these tankers were destroyed on the first day of Operation Neuland. The remaining tankers were stopped when their Chinese crews refused to sail without protection. Oil production went down while the crews were held until they agreed to sail again.

Attacking ships inside defended harbors was rare during the Battle of the Atlantic. U-boats usually laid mines to escape quietly. Even though the results seemed less important, the difficult attacks by U-161 in the Gulf of Paria and Castries were as daring as Günther Prien's famous attack on Scapa Flow.

U-126's patrol of the Windward Passage was well-timed. It took advantage of the Allied anti-submarine forces being spread out. U-126 even sank some ships within sight of the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.

Operation Neuland and Operation Paukenschlag started with similar numbers of U-boats. However, Neuland was more effective because the German and Italian submarines worked together. The success of the Italian submarines against many unprotected ships sailing alone was unusual. It showed a high point of cooperation between the Axis powers in the Battle of the Atlantic.

See also

• Bombardment of Curaçao
• Attack on Aruba

Sources

• Blair, Clay Hitler's U-Boat War: The Hunters 1939-1942 Random House (1996) ISBN: 0-394-58839-8
• Cressman, Robert J. The Official Chronology of the U.S.Navy in World War II Naval Institute Press (2000) ISBN: 1-55750-149-1
• Kafka, Roger & Pepperburg, Roy L. Warships of the World Cornell Maritime Press (1946)
• Kelshall, Gaylord T.M. The U-Boat War in the Caribbean United States Naval Institute Press (1994) ISBN: 1-55750-452-0
• Morison, Samuel Eliot, History of United States Naval Operations in World War II (volume I) The Battle of the Atlantic September 1939-May 1943 Little, Brown and Company (1975)