history · 30 March 1942 · 82 years ago
German armed merchant cruiser Thor attacked British freighter Wellpark in the South Atlantic at 1400 hours, which was later scuttled by demolition charges; 7 were killed, 41 survived. At 2243 hours, U-68 sank British transport Muncaster Castle 200 miles south of Liberia; 24 were killed, 329 survived. To combat such attacks in the South Atlantic, US Army engineers arrived at Ascension Island on this day to began building an airfield; upon completion, it would be named Wideawake Field.
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