THE TERRIBLE KILLING OF THE POLISH NATIONALS ( THE KATYN MASSACRE) BY THE NKVD.

The Katyn Massacre was a series of mass executions of Polish nationals carried out by the NKVD ("People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs", the Soviet secret police) in April and May 1940.

Though the killings took place at several places, the massacre is named after the Katyn Forest, where some of the mass graves were first discovered.

The massacre was prompted by NKVD chief Lavrentiy Beria's proposal to execute all captive members of the Polish officer corps, dated 5 March 1940, approved by the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, including its leader, Joseph Stalin.

The number of victims is estimated at about 22,000. The victims were executed in the Katyn Forest in Russia, the Kalinin and Kharkiv prisons, and elsewhere. Of the total killed, about 8,000 were officers imprisoned during the 1939 Soviet invasion of Poland, another 6,000 were police officers, and the rest were Polish intelligentsia the Soviets deemed to be "intelligence agents, gendarmes, landowners, saboteurs, factory owners, lawyers, officials, and priests".

An investigation conducted by the office of the Prosecutors General of the Soviet Union (1990–1991) and the Russian Federation (1991–2004) confirmed Soviet responsibility for the massacres, but refused to classify this action as a war crime or as an act of mass murder.

The investigation was closed on the grounds the perpetrators were dead, and since the Russian government would not classify the dead as victims of the Great Purge, formal posthumous rehabilitation was deemed inapplicable.

In November 2010, the Russian State Duma approved a declaration blaming Stalin and other Soviet officials for ordering the massacre.

World War II Arrives Off The Shores Of Jacksonville Beach.....

The US-built and operated "SS Gulfamerica" remains submerge beneath the waves after being torpedoed by a roving German U-Boat off Jacksonville Beach. The steam powered tanker was traveling along the Eastern coastline when it was spotted by U-123. The tanker was illuminated by the lights around the Jacksonville Beach resort which had not shifted to "black out" conditions.

The extremely bright lights made the unescorted tanker a sitting target. The crew quickly identified the security risk posed by the lights and attempted to zig-zag their course to avoid a potential attack but around 10pm U-123 launched a spread of torpedoes which impacted the lightly armed merchant vessel.

The "SS Gulfamerica" was carrying 101,500 barrels of furnace oil which immediately began an fire. The Captain ordered all engines to stop and began damage control as fire and thick smoke erupted all around the men. Frantic distress calls were made for naval assistance but to no avail. U-123 surfaced and began firing her main deck gun into the burning tanker. The merchant sailors were helpless as 12 x shells blasted the port side of the ship.

All hands were ordered to abandoned ship which began a panic as one of the lifeboats fell over and capsized with crewmembers onboard. US Coast Guard and Navy patrol boats raced to the burning tanker and began rescue operations and depth charges were dropped near where U-123 was last seen. The USN destroyer USS Dahlgren engaged U-123 and damaged the German U-Boat which was forced to return back to occupied France for repairs.

The "SS Gulfamerica" remained afloat until 16 April when it finally rolled under the seas. For the 48 personnel assigned to the tanker it had been a deadly experience. 5 sailors x were killed by torpedo/gunfire and another 14 x sailors drowned or were burnt alive by the fire on the water. Jacksonville Beach residents could see the burning tankers explode as German shells ripped apart her superstructure.

One resident recalled hearing the screams of the men in the water and the continued blast by U-123's deck gun firing at the ship. The entire ordeal occurred less than 5 miles off shore of the beaches which were packed with tourists and locals. Debris and the dead would begin to wash up on shore the following days.

World War II. "SS Gulfamerica" Off the coast of Jacksonville Beach. Jacksonville, Florida. 11 April 1942

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