I don’t suppose the notion that they were taking soundings of the Bay ever entered your mind; but since I am not in a mood to deliver another lecture, “The Importance of Accurate Charts to Naval Operations,” I will let that pass without comment.
“…these maneuvers lasting until the lower limits of Samborombón Bay, and thus Argentinean waters, were reached. Whereupon, the American destroyer headed on a due east course into the Atlantic Ocean at a high rate of speed. The corvette San Martín lost sight of her approximately thirty minutes later.”
Which means what? That the American Captain wanted to rub in the face of the Captain of the San Martín the overall technical superiority of a U.S. Navy destroyer over an Armada Argentina corvette? Or that he didn’t wish the San Martín to guess which course he assumed when he reached the Atlantic Ocean? Or that he had a schedule to keep, a rendezvous with another vessel?
“Habanzo, I presume the Armada was monitoring the radio frequencies the American warship was likely to use?”
“Of course, mi Coronel.”
“And did the American warship use its radios?”
“Twice, mi Coronel. First, there was a message to the Captain of the San Martín, just before he left Argentinean waters. I have it here.”
He handed Martín a sheet of typewriter paper:
* * *
FROM: CAPTAIN USS ALFRED THOMAS DD-107
TO: CAPTAIN ARMADA ARGENTINA VESSEL SAN MARTIN
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE, COURTESY AND COOPERATION.
COME SEE US SOMETIME
JERNIGAN, LIEUTENANT COMMANDER, USN
* * *
“And shortly after they began to move at a high rate of speed, there was another message,” Habanzo reported, handing Martín another sheet of typewriter paper.
* * *
OPERATIONAL IMMEDIATE
FROM: USS ALFRED THOMAS DD-107
TO: CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS WASHDC ALL RECEIVING USN VESSELS AND SHORE STATIONS TO RELAY
USS ALFRED THOMAS DD-107 LEFT ARGENTINE WATERS 0125 GREENWICH 28DEC42. RECEIVED COMPLETE COOPERATION IN ARGENTINA.
PROCEEDING.
JERNIGAN, LTCOM USN COMMANDING
* * *
This was sent in the clear. As a courtesy? Or because they wanted to lull us into thinking that they have no other intentions in this area?
“Was there anything else of interest, Habanzo?”
El Teniente Coronel Habanzo smiled.
“Some of the destroyer’s men found Argentina, or perhaps Argentinean woman, impossible to leave, mi Coronel.”
“What, precisely, does that mean, Habanzo?”
“Several of the destroyer’s sailors missed the sailing of their ship, mi Coronel,” Habanzo said. “Just before the pilot left the vessel, the Captain gave their names to the pilot, together with a letter to the American Ambassador, asking him to inform the proper Argentine authorities, and to arrange for the men to be held in custody when they finally turn up.”