The story
USAAF 14th Air Force deployed naval mines at the entrance of Haiphong harbor in northern French Indochina. US Navy Sino-American Special Technical Cooperative Organization (SACO) intelligence officers Raymond Kotrla, Ralph DuBois, and Duncan McCann were aboard to provide naval expertise. As they departed, the lead ship of a Japanese convoy struck a mine, blocking the harbor entrance for the rest of the war. The remainder of the convoy fled toward Hainan island, China to the east, but they would be discovered by a second wave of B-24 bombers, which sank six of the ships.
There's more to discover
You have arrived at just one small part of Back to Normandy — a personal project dedicated to preserving stories, images, music and memories of the Second World War.
Every record is a doorway to a larger story. Explore Back to Normandy to discover more, or visit Fred Vogels' personal website to learn about the person and the projects behind it.