63 years since Romania entered the war / day by day events

In this topic I will try to post each day one event or more that had happened exactly 63 years ago.

18 June 1941

Hitler notified Antonescu in a letter that the command of the future attack operation would be concentrated "into one hand", but the prestige of the leaders of the allied states (of the Axis) would be fully respected.

In this day, General Ion Antonescu and General Eugen vor Schobert discussed the organization of the command structure of the German-Romanian joint forces.

19 June 1941

The Romanian General HQ emitted Order of operations no. 19, to be executed on 20 June, that specified the reorganization of the command echelon of the Romanian forces in Moldavia. According to this order, the 3rd Romanian Army and 4th Army Corps were subordinated to 11th German Army. The 4th Romanian Army was assigned in the reserve of the 11th German Army, but remained under Romanian leadership.

On 19 June, General Eugen vor Schobert declared:
"It is a great honor for me to have under my command the valuable Romanian troops. I am convinced that these troops, as they showed in the past, will fight - in case of war - shoulder to shoulder with the German troops, until the victory."

20 June 1941

Ion Antonescu emitted the Order no. 120, that read: "Romanian Army will enter the battle shoulder to shoulder with the German allies, to repair the injustice that was brought upon us. (...) The mission of the allied armies in Romania is, in the first place, to defend our borders against any enemy attack."

The Romanian General HQ emitted the Order no. 23 that instituted the state of alert: "An attack of the Soviet Army is possible at any time. All land, water and sea forces, on the Eastern Front and on Dobruja will be on alert, ready to respond to an enemy attack."

21 June 1941

The Romanian command structure is reorganized by the Decree no 1798. General Ion Antonescu becomes comandant de capetenie (supreme commander). The Romanian operative forces remaining under Romanian leadership (4th Army and II Army Corps) are commanded by the Romanian General Headquartes.

22 June 1941

According to the Decree no. 1798, at 0 hours the land army, airforce and navy is mobilized. Starting with 3 AM, reconnaissance flights are carried out over the Soviet occupied Bessarabia. At 3.15 AM the Romanian and German artillery open fire, while on the entire front small detachments are send into the Soviet controlled perimeter. Several bridges over the Prut are secured by the 4th Army, at Bogdanesti, Falciu, Oancea and Giurgiulesti.

The Romanian airforce bombs the Soviet airfields of Chisinau, Bolgrad, Bulgarica, Ialoveni, Ismail, the parking lots of Tiraspol and the railroad north of Bolgrad. The Airforce General HQ reports the destruction of 8 aircrafts in dogfights, 37 aircrafts on the ground and 3 claimed by the AAA, and the loss of 10 aircrafts.

At 10 AM, "Radio Romania" announces the state of war with Soviet Union.

It's interesting to note that - apart of tiny Slovakia - Rumania was the only Axis power to join Germany in attacking the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941.

23 June 1941

The most bitter fights take place at Bogdanesti and Falciu, where the Guard Division defends the bridges over Prut. The Soviets attacks are repelled with the cost of 28 dead, 8 missing and 24 wounded.

The Soviet airforce bombs Galati, Constanta, Tulcea, Iasi, Radauti, Dorohoi and Bucharest. Lt Horia Agarici, of the 1st Fighter Flotilla, shoots down three Soviet aircraft over Constanta.

24 June 1941

Along the frontline continues the local incursions and artillery firings, having as purpose the revealing of the Soviet defense disposal. The Soviet forces keep attacking the several Romanian bridgeheads east of Prut, but the attacks are feeble and they are repelled. The bridge at Falciu is destroyed by the Soviet heavy artillery.

At Kremlin it is officially instituted state of war between Romania and the Soviet Union.

25 June 1941

According to the evolution of the front north of Romania, the 11th Army HQ issues order no 0129, that specifies the temporary maintaing of the initial line. The full-scale offensive in Bessarabia and Bukovina is scheduled for 2 July.

26 June 1941

A Soviet naval task force led by Voroshilov cruiser, with six destroyers and several other ships tried to raid the Constanta port facilities. The intervention of the Romanian destroyers Regina Maria and Marasesti, supported by the German coastal batteries, led to the sinking of Moskva and the damaging of Harkov and Voroshilov.

26 July 1941

The Red Army had been expelled from Romanian soil.

According to http://www.worldwar2.ro/operatii/?article=...e=2&language=en

QUOTE

It's interesting to note that - apart of tiny Slovakia - Rumania was the only Axis power to join Germany in attacking the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941.

Only having the excuse the eliberation of URSS occupied Bessarabia and N Bukovine. After that it's another history...
Bm

From a text (compilation) of Russian author Serghey Zhukov 2 "The Losses of german generals" :
On the night of 27 June, Sov. troops landed on the Kilia arm area and attacked the 15th Romanian Marine Battalion, who was preparing for ofensive. The battalion was almost destroyed, 358 KIA.
On 28-29 June, Sov. planes have attacked rom. ships on the Sulina arm. One tugboat, one barge, one motor dredge (20 crewmen lost) - sunk and the monitor "Lascar Catargiu" damaged, with 7 KIA and 20 WIA.
Around Kishinev, the Sov. troops counterattacked on 7 July and crushed 2 battalions of the 67th Regiment of the 35th Division (reserve), then striked in flank the 63rd Artillery Regiment which were on march. In the fight the CO of the regiment Col. Cochinshi (?) has been wounded, two CO of battalions killed, all cannons of the regiment, also two batteries of the 55th Heavy Artillery Regiment were lost.
In fights on the Prut area on 6-8 July the Romanian armies have suffered heavy losses. Only in the first day have lost 400 men. On 8 July the Soviet troops have broken to the command point of the 6th Guard Infantry Regiment "Mihai Viteazu". Lt.Col. Gheorge Iliescu became the first CO of a romanian regiment KIA on the Soviet front. The losses of the Romanians for one day on this direction were above 1600 men. In the next day the CO of the 12th Regiment "Dorobanti", Col. Gh. Iliescu was killed, and the losses of the regiment were above 200 men.
In fights on Moldova and Northern Bucovina in 2-26 July, the Romanian army has lost 22.775 men (almost 10.500 killed).

This post has been edited by Petre on December 25, 2009 08:52 pm

Are more precise details known from the Rumanian side? Are these anti-shipping attacks confirmed?

Thanks,

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on December 26, 2009 12:29 pm