Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 119

Today in World War II History—September 24, 1942

Gen. Franz Halder, 1938 (German Federal Archive: Bild 146-1970-052-08)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 24, 1942: Over Stalingrad, Soviet pilot Olga Yamschchikova becomes the first female pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft.

Hitler dismisses Gen. Franz Halder, Chief of Army General Staff, for criticizing policy; he is replaced by Gen. Kurt Zeitzler.

In occupied France, Germans intern 1400 US citizens ages 16-65, including 400 women, through September 26.

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Today in World War II History—September 23, 1942

Portrait of René Blum, 1912, by Édouard Vuillard (public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 23, 1942: Brig. Gen. James Doolittle is named the new commander of the US Twelfth Air Force, which will go to North Africa.

US Marines launch an offensive on the Lunga perimeter on Guadalcanal to drive Japanese out of range of Henderson Field.

René Blum, founder of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and brother of former French prime minister Léon Blum, is deported to Auschwitz, where he will be killed, age 64.

US poster honoring Jimmy Doolittle, WWII

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Today in World War II History—September 22, 1942

Damaged buildings in southern Stalingrad, Russia, 23 Sep 1942 (German Federal Archive: Bild 169-0882)

US Army rank insignia for master sergeant, WWII

80 Years Ago—Sept. 22, 1942: Germans split Soviet 62nd Army in Stalingrad and occupy the southern half of the city.

US Army raises grade of first sergeant to that of master sergeant and adds third “rocker” to chevron.

The post Today in World War II History—September 22, 1942 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 21, 1942

Boeing XB-29, 1942 (US Air Force photo)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 21, 1942: British and Indian troops launch assault into the Arakan Peninsula in Burma.

First test flight of Boeing XB-29 Superfortress heavy bomber, Seattle, WA.

The post Today in World War II History—September 21, 1942 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 20, 1942

US poster, WWII

80 Years Ago—Sept. 20, 1942: As of this date, US production of Liberty ships exceeds sinkings of cargo ships.

Allied Combined Chiefs of Staff approve final plan for Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa in November 1942.

British & Norwegian commandos destroy a hydroelectric plant at Glomfjord, Norway, cutting aluminum production at the plant.

The post Today in World War II History—September 20, 1942 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 19, 1942

British poster recruiting women for Fire Service, WWII

80 Years Ago—Sept. 19, 1942: Britain expands Compulsory Fire Watch duty to women ages 20-45 with exemptions for pregnant women and mothers of children under 14.

Canada begins rationing gasoline—civilians receive 2.5 gallons per week.

The post Today in World War II History—September 19, 1942 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 18, 1942

US Marine Corps recruiting poster, 1945

80 Years Ago—Sept. 18, 1942: On Guadalcanal, Marine reinforcements arrive, also supplies, fuel, vehicles, and ammunition, allowing restoration of full rations.

The post Today in World War II History—September 18, 1942 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 17, 1942

Robert Oppenheimer and Maj. Gen. Leslie Groves at the Trinity test site, New Mexico, September 1945 (US Army Corps of Engineers)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 17, 1942: German Admiral Karl Dönitz issues the Laconia Order, forbidding rescue operations by U-boats after US B-24s bombed U-boats rescuing survivors of the Sept. 12 sinking of the Laconia.

Col. Leslie Groves is placed in command of the Manhattan Project to develop an atom bomb.

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Today in World War II History—September 16, 1942

U-156 and U-507 with survivors of RMS Laconia in the Atlantic Ocean, 15 Sep 1942 (public domain via Wikipedia; picture taken by Oblt. z. S. Leopold Schuhmacher)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 16, 1942: Japanese drive on Port Moresby, New Guinea, halts at Ioribaiwa Ridge.

Laconia Incident: US B-24 Liberator bomber attacks German U-boat U-156 while it’s rescuing survivors from the sinking of British troop transport Laconia, primarily Italian POWs.

Bob Hope flies to Anchorage for his first USO tour, entertaining US troops in Alaska and the Aleutians.

The post Today in World War II History—September 16, 1942 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—September 15, 1942

Carrier USS Wasp after being torpedoed by Japanese sub I-19 off Guadalcanal, 15 Sep 1942 (US National Archives: 80-G-16331)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 15, 1942: Off Guadalcanal, Japanese submarine I-19 damages carrier USS Wasp (scuttled by destroyer USS Lansdowne) and shoots the bow off destroyer USS O’Brien, which is repaired.

US forms Women’s Flying Training Detachment under Miss Jacqueline Cochran to train pilots, a precursor to the WASP program.

Jacqueline Cochran (center) with WASP trainees, WWII (US Air Force photo)

The post Today in World War II History—September 15, 1942 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.