On this page many significant WW2 events on and around Aruba, Curaçao and the larger ABC (Aruba-Bonaire-Curaçao) area are visualised and described. More details can be found in my book.
Aruba
3 – 10 May 1940. The German ship ANTILLA is sunk at Malmok by her own crew to prevent capture by Netherlands troops.
4 – 10 May 1940. Arrest and search in homes of appr. 200 German, Austrian and collaborating Dutch persons on Aruba and Curaçao.
6 – 10 May 1940. French troops land on Aruba to protect the Lago refinery against possible sabotage. They will stay until 6 July 1940.
7 – 12 May 1940. British troops (2nd Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry) arrive on Curaçao. After 6 July they relieve the French on Aruba.
8 – 3 September 1940. New British troops (4th Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders) arrive on Aruba. The detachement of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry returns to Curaçao.
10 – 11 February 1942. American troops arrive on Aruba and Curaçao. The British troops leave for England.
11 – 16 February 1942. Attack of German submarine U-156 on the tankers PEDERNALES (UK)(a), ORANJESTAD (UK)(b) and ARKANSAS (USA)(d) near Aruba. 23 sailors die in the attack. The Oranjestad sinks, but Pedernales en Arkansas are damaged and can be repaired. U-156 attempts to attack the refinery with her deckgun(c), but the gun crew forgets to remove the saltwater plug from the barrel. The gun explodes at the first shot, one man dies and one is severely hurt. The damaged midsection of Pedernales is removed at Palm Beach(e).
14 – 17 February 1942. A German torpedo of U-156 misses Arkansas on 16 February and runs onto Eagle Beach. When a Navy salvage team tries to dismantle it the next day, the torpedo explodes. 4 men die, 2 are injured.
15 – 17 February 1942. Another German submarine, U-502, hits the reef in front of Oranjestad and has to surface. Many astonished witnesses see the U-boat struggle for minutes to free herself from the reef. Then she is free and dives, attacked shortly afterwards by several bombers. But U-502 escapes.
47 – 18 juli 1943. A USAAF Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter (USAAF 32nd Fighter Squadron) crashes in Paardenbaai during a close combat exercise with another P-39. The pilot is killed.
52 – 21 December 1943. A P-39 Airacobra fighter (USAAF 32nd Fighter Squadron) crashes into the sea during an interception exercise. The pilot is killed.
61 – 18 September 1944. Collision between the tankers PUNTA GORDA (Lago) and AMPETCO II (Belgium). Both ship catch fire and Punta Gorda beaches in shallow water near the coast of Paraguana (Venezuela). The Ampetco II remains floating and is towed to Aruba, but is declared a total loss. 52 crewmembers on both ships lose their lives.
Curaçao
1 – 10 May 1940. Capture of five German cargo ships (ALEMANIA, FRISIA, HENRY HORN, KARIBIA and PATRICIA) at Fuikbaai.
2 – 10 May 1940. Capture of two German cargo ships (ESTE and VANCOUVER) at Caracasbaai.
4 – 10 May 1940. Arrest and search in homes of appr. 200 German, Austrian and collaborating Dutch persons on Aruba and Curaçao.
7 – 12 May 1940. British troops (2nd Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry) arrive on Curaçao. After 6 July they relieve the French on Aruba.
8 – 3 September 1940. New British troops (4th Battalion, Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders) arrive on Aruba. The detachement of the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry returns to Curaçao.
10 – 11 February 1942. American troops arrive on Aruba and Curaçao. The British troops leave for England.
12 – 16 February 1942. Attack by German submarine U-67 on tanker RAFAELA(a) in front of Willemstad. The tanker is damaged and towed into the Annabaai, but there it breaks in two. Later the ship is repaired. A torpedo of U-67 runs onto the reef near the Riffort and is later blown up. Later that day U-67 is attacked by American bombers(b) and (c).
16 – 17 February 1942. Attempt by U-67 to attack Bullenbaai, but patrol vessels drive the submarine away(a). Later that day U-67 is attacked by another bomber(b).
17 – 18 February 1942. Another attempt by U-67 to attack Bullenbaai, again prevented by patrol vessels.
19 – 20 February 1942. Another attack on U-67 by a bomber.
20 – 21 February 1942. Attack by German submarine U-67 on tanker KONGSGAARD (Norway). The ship sinks close to Curaçao, 38 of her crew are killed.
24 – 19 April 1942. Nightly attack by German submarine U-130 with her 10,5 cm deck gun on the oiltanks at Bullenbaai. The Netherlands 12cm battery “T” at Bullenbaai responds and fires back, forcing U-130 to break off and dive.
25 – 20 April 1942. An attempt by the authorities to separate Chinese sailors on strike in the CPIM camp on Suffisant ends in a drama as the Chinese attack the Police troops. 15 Chinese sailors die, many are wounded on both sides.
30 – 6 June 1942. Battery “T” at Bullenbaai detects a periscope. The American 15,5 cm battery “F” at Blauwbaai and the Netherlands battery “T” fire resp. 5 and 2 grenades on the target. The submarine is driven away.
37 – 18 August 1942. Attack by German submarine U-217 on tanker ESSO CONCORD when it is entering Annabaai. Three torpedoes miss the ship and explode on the reef at Riffort.
41 – 12 November 1942. Attack by German submarine U-163 on convoy TAG-20 in front of Willemstad. Gunboat USS ERIE is torpedoed, heavily damaged and beached by her own crew near Piscaderabaai, west of Willemstad. 6 crewmembers die, 8 are severely injured (of which one dies the next day). Ship is refloated and brought into the Schottegat, but capsizes later.
45 – 23 February 1943. A USAAF A-20A Havoc light bomber (USAAF 59th Bombardment Squadron) crashes into the sea, just after take off from Hato. 3 crewmembers die.
48 – 21 July 1943. A USAAF Bell P-39 Airacobra fighter (USAAF 32nd Fighter Squadron) crashes during the start from Hato due to engine failure. The pilot dies.
49 – 27 July 1943. Attack by German submarine U-615 on the tanker ROSALIA (CSM). 23 crewmembers die. The submarine manages to evade the Allied ships and aircraft at first, but is sunk a few days later after continuous attacks by patrol aircraft.
53 – 22 December 1943. A USN Lockheed PV-1 Ventura patrol aircraft (USN Bombardment Squadron VB-141) departs for a nightly anti-submarine patrol. The aircraft is seen to crash into the sea north of Hato. 6 crewmembers are killed.
56 – 25 February 1944. Tanker ROSAURA (CSM) and sailing vessel IRENE collide near Caracasbaai. The Irene is damaged and 3 people drown. Both ships remain afloat.
57 – 11 June 1944. Attack by German submarine U-539 on the tanker CASANDRA (CSM) with torpedoes and grenades, but the ship fights back and manages to escape with minor damage.
62 – 20 September 1944. A Douglas SBD-5 Dauntless dive bomber (USN Scouting Squadron VS-37) crashes into the sea northeast of Hato during a training flight. 2 crewmembers are killed.
ABC area
5 – 10 May 1940. The interned Germans (incl. the crews of the eight ships) and Austrians are transported to Bonaire on two ships. There they are housed in schools and guarded, while construction starts on an internee camp.
9 – 14 September 1941. Four internees escape from the camp on Bonaire, steal a boat and try to reach Venezuela. Close to the coast they are captured and returned to Bonaire.
13 – 16 February 1942. Attack by German submarine U-502 on the tankers TIA JUANA (a), MONAGAS (Venezuela)(b), SAN NICOLAS(c) and an unknown lake tanker(d) in the Golf of Venezuela. The Monagas floats around burning until she beaches, the Tia Juana and San Nicolas sink. The unknown lake tanker is missed by one torpedo and escapes. 29 crewmembers are killed.
18 – 19 February 1942. U-67 is located by a passing airliner. Soon afterwards the submarine is attacked by a bomber.
21 – 23 February 1942. Attack by German submarine U-502 on the tankers THALIA (Panama)(a) and SUN (USA)(b). Thalia is sunk, but the damaged Sun manages to reach Aruba. One man dies in the attack.
22 – 25 February 1942. U-502 detects a modern, fast merchant vessel 120 miles northwest of Curaçao, enroute to Willemstad. Hours later she comes into an attack position, 80 miles north of Curaçao. She opens fire with her 105mm deck gun, but the unknown merchant ship fires back. Both ships fire several shots without causing damage, then the merchant ship escapes.
23 – 6 March 1942. Attack by German submarine U-67 on the troop tranportship BRASTAGI (Netherlands). Two torpedos miss the ship and she escapes.
26 – 26 April 1942. Attack by German submarine U-66 on the freighter ALCOA PARTNER (USA). The ship is lost, 10 are dead. The survivors land on Bonaire after two days.
27 – 12 May 1942. Attack by German submarine U-69 on the tanker LISE (Norway). The tanker sinks, 12 men do not survive the attack.
28 – 12 May 1942. Attack by German submarine U-69 on the freighter NORLANTIC (USA). The ship is lost, 7 of her crew die.
29 – 18 May 1942. Attack by (probably) German submarine U-502 on patrol vessel HNLMS JAN VAN BRAKEL. The torpedo is heard approaching on the detection gear, but barely misses the ship.
31 – 17 June 1942. Attack by German submarine U-161 on the schooners NUEVA ALTAGRACIA and COMERCIO (both Dominican Republic). First ship is sunk and crew is captured by U-161. Later the COMERCIO is stopped, the cargo destroyed and the captured crew is put on board.
32 – 17 June 1942. Attack by German submarine U-159 op the freighter FLORA (KNSM). The ship sinks and the crew lands on the coast of Colombia. One man dies of his wounds.
33 – 19 June 1942. American seaman Archie Gibbs is torpedoed twice in a short time and is picked up by the attacking submarine U-126. He remains on board for four days and is then transferred to a passing Venezuelan ship. He reaches Willemstad shortly afterwards. Later he writes a book about his adventures and Hollywood makes a movie about it. In the meantime U-126 is discovered and attacked by US bombers from the USAAF 59th Bombardment Squadron. Later British and Netherlands warships join the attack, but the U-126 manages to escape.
34 – 19 June 1942. Attack by German submarine U-159 on the freighter ANTE MATKOVIC (Yugoslavia). Het schip is lost and 6 crewmembers lose their lives.
35 – 23 June 1942. Attack by German submarine U-68 on tanker ARRIAGA (Panama). The tanker sinks, one man dies.
36 – 6 July 1942. A Douglas A-20A bommenwerper (USAAF 59th Bombardment Squadron) from Aruba detects the German submarine U-153 and attacks her with four depth bombs. De submarine is damaged, but able to continue her mission. A day earlier U-153 has been attacked also by planes from Aruba, but there was no damage to the submarine then. A week later U-153 is sunk.
38 – 19 August 1942. Attack by German submarine U-217 on the schooner SEA GULL D (UK) with grenades. The ship remains afloat for a while, but sinks later. 3 men die.
39 – 6 September 1942. Attack by German submarine U-164 on the freighter JOHN A. HOLLOWAY (Canada), resulting in the loss of the ship and one dead seaman.
40 – 5 November 1942. Nightly attack by German submarine U-129 on convoy TAG-18. She torpedoes the tankers METON (USA)(a) and ASTRELL (Norway)(b). The intense fire on the Astrell is visible on Aruba and Curaçao. Two men die.
42 – 13 November 1942. The German submarine U-163 shadows convoy TAG-20 when she is detected at sunrise by a USAAF Douglas B-18B Bolo bomber (USAAF 59th Bombardment Squadron). The plane attacks with depth bombs, and they fall very close to the submarine. U-163 dives and a large oil stain is left. But U-163 manages to survive the attack.
43 – 3 January 1943. During a patrol a Douglas B-18B bomber (USAAF 12th Bombardment Squadron) detects the German submarine U-214 at sunrise. The plane attacks twice, after which the submarine dives and manages to evade.
44 – 3 January 1943. A OS2N-1 Kingfisher patrol aircraft detects U-214 and attacks with two depth bombs. The submarine escapes.
46 – 12 March 1943. Attack by German submarine U-68 on convoy GAT-49. She torpedoes the tanker CITIES SERVICE MISSOURI (USA)(a) and the freighter CERES (KNSM)(b). On the two ships 4 men die.
50 – 8 November 1943. Enroute from Puerto Rico to Curaçao a Lockheed PV-1 Ventura patrol aircraft (USN Bombardment Squadron VB-133) detects the German submarine U-516 on the surface. The plane attacks with six depth bombs, but the submarine fights back. Her machinegun damages the plane, which has to break off the attack and return to Curaçao.
51 – 16 December 1943. Attack by German submarine U-516 on the tanker McDOWELL (USA). The ship sinks and 3 men lose their lives.
54 – 11 January 1944. The Venezuelan schooner PORVENIR sinks in bad weather, two crewmembers remain missing.
55 – 16 January 1944. The British schooner ANNIE EUDORA is sailing from Barbados to Curaçao, as she founders on the coast of Bonaire. Little is known about this accident, but at least 7 passengers die.
58 – 11 June 1944. U-539 detects a convoy, but is attacked by several patrol vessels and driven away.
59 – 12 June 1944. A USN Martin Mariner patrol aircraft (unknown squadron) detects U-539 on the surface 15 miles north of Aruba and attacks with depth bombs. The submarine escapes.
60 – 6 July 1944. Attack by German submarine U-516 on tanker ESSO HARRISBURG (USA). The ship is lost and 8 men die.
63 – 23 September 1944. Collission between the tankers JUSTINA (CSM) and YAMHILL (USA). The Justina sinks and one crewmember dies.