V-weapons vast majority aimed at London; 2,515 reached the city, killing 6,184 civilians and injuring 17,981. Croydon to the south, on the flight path of the V1s suffered severely taking 142 hits. V-2 rocket launching sites were set up by the Germans around The Hague in the Netherlands on 6 September 1944. The first was launched from here against London on 8 September 1944 and took an estimated 5 minutes to fly the 200 miles from the Hague to London where it struck at 6.43pm on 8 September on Chiswick causing thirteen casualties. As the V2 explosions came without warning, the
USS Snatch (ARS-27) about her wide ranging research voyages. "Snatch" was laid down on 28 September 1943 by the Basalt Rock Company in Napa, California; launched on 8 April 1944; sponsored by Mrs. S. B. Johnson; and commissioned on 11 December 1944. "Snatch" conducted her shakedown cruise off San Diego, California, and returned to San Francisco, California from where she steamed on 20 February 1945 for Manus, Admiralty Islands. Under tow were the vessels (Covered Lighter (Self-propelled)) "YF-622", "YF-919", and "YF-926". On 4 March, she ran into heavy seas which caused "919" and "926" to collide. "YF-926" was taking water and down by