Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 122

Today in World War II History—August 25, 1942

The Duke of Kent shakes hands with a BOAC pilot as he boards a Liberator of Ferry Command, Prestwick, Scotland, 1941-42 (Imperial War Museum: CH 3161)

80 Years Ago—Aug. 25, 1942: RAF officer Prince George, Duke of Kent, brother of King George VI, is killed in a plane crash in Scotland, age 39, the first death of a member of the Royal family in military service since Richard III (450 years).

Japanese land at Milne Bay on Papua New Guinea.

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Today in World War II History—August 24, 1942

Bomb exploding on the flight deck of carrier USS Enterprise during Battle of the Eastern Solomons, 24 Aug 1942 (US National Archives: 80-G-17489)

US poster, WWII

80 Years Ago—Aug. 24, 1942: In the Battle of the Eastern Solomons, aircraft from carrier USS Saratoga sink Japanese carrier Ryujo; Japanese carrier aircraft damage carrier USS Enterprise.

In one of the last cavalry charges in history, Italians successfully charge Soviets at Izbushensky, Russia.

US and Mexico agree to allow Mexican temporary farm workers in the US; 200,000 Mexican braceros will work in the US during war.

On Guadalcanal, F4F pilot Capt. Marion Carl shoots down 4 Japanese aircraft to become the first ace (5 victories) in US Marine Corps history.

The post Today in World War II History—August 24, 1942 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—August 23, 1942

 

Soldiers of the German 24th Panzer Division during the fighting for the southern station of Stalingrad, 15 September 1942 (Berliner Illustrierte Zeitung, 1 Oct 1942, public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Aug. 23, 1942: Battle of Stalingrad officially begins: German Army Group B reaches the Volga River near Stalingrad.

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Today in World War II History—August 22, 1942

Soldiers of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force during the Battle of Monte Castello, Italy, 29 November 1944 (public domain via Força Expedicionária Brasileira – Exército Brasileiro via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Aug. 22, 1942: Brazil declares war on Germany and Italy after having lost 16 ships to German U-boats—this opens Brazilian airbases to cover Allied shipping and opens the South Atlantic air route; Brazil will be the only South American country to send troops to fight overseas—Brazilian troops will serve with distinction in Italy.

Germans reach northern suburbs of Stalingrad.

Capitol Records releases its first hit, Ella Mae Morse’s “Cow Cow Boogie.”

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

Today in World War II History—August 21, 1942

Map of the Battle of the Tenaru River, Guadalcanal, 21 Aug 1942 (US Army Center of Military History)

80 Years Ago—Aug. 21, 1942: Japanese attack on Guadalcanal at the Ilu (Tenaru) River, but are soundly defeated by US Marines.

In Hartford, CT, five German spies are convicted of espionage, including Gerhard Kunze, the former leader of the German-American Bund (an American Nazi group).

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

Today in World War II History—August 20, 1942

US Marine Corps (and maybe Navy) Grumman F4F-4 Wildcats at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal, 14 April 1943 (US Navy photo 80-G-41099)

Patch of the US Twelfth Air Force, WWII

80 Years Ago—Aug. 20, 1942: “Cactus Air Force” arrives at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal: 31 US Marine F4F-4s and SBD-3s.

US Twelfth Air Force is activated at Bolling Field, DC, under Lt. Col. Roger Browne, designated to go to North Africa.

Dim-out regulations are issued on the US West Coast.

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Today in World War II History—August 19, 1942

British & Canadian Churchill tanks and landing craft burning on the Dieppe beach, France, 19 Aug 1942 (German Federal Archives: Bild 101I-291-1229-17A)

80 Years Ago—Aug. 19, 1942: British & Canadians make disastrous raid on Dieppe, France; of 6100 soldiers, 1179 are killed & 2190 captured—mostly Canadians.

Forty-nine US Rangers participate in the Dieppe raid in the first combat by these commando troops.

RAF Mustang I fighter planes (P-51s) cover Dieppe raid—first victory by a Mustang.

Author Irène Némirovsky is killed in Auschwitz, age 30; her book Suite Française will be published posthumously.

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Today in World War II History—August 18, 1942

Gee navigation receiver in a Handley Page Halifax of No. 462 Squadron RAAF, Foulsham, England, April 1945 (Australian War Memorial: P01523.009)

80 Years Ago—Aug. 18, 1942: RAF Bomber Command flies its first mission with the Pathfinder Force, a group of bombers which uses Gee navigational radar to locate the target and marks the target with flares for the following bombers.

Japanese land at Basabua near Gona, New Guinea, undetected.

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Today in World War II History—August 17, 1942

Lt. Col. Evans Carlson, USMC, Carlson’s Raiders, after the Makin Island Raid, August 1942 (US Naval History and Heritage Command: 80-G-11727)

80 Years Ago—Aug. 17, 1942: US Eighth Air Force flies its first official bombing mission: 12 B-17s of the 97th Bomb Group hit marshalling yards in Rouen, France.

“Carlson’s Raiders”: 221 US Marines conduct two-day raid on Makin Island in Gilberts to destroy a radio station; the first US amphibious landing from submarines.

Future president Richard Nixon enlists in the US Navy.

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Today in World War II History—August 16, 1942

Aft turret of USS Alabama during her shakedown period, Casco Bay, ME, 1 Dec 1942 (US National Archives: 80-G-K-497)

Patch of the US 101st Airborne Division

80 Years Ago—Aug. 16, 1942: US airfield on Guadalcanal is named Henderson Field after Midway hero Maj. Lofton Henderson.

German bombers conduct first major air raid on Stalingrad.

US 101st Airborne Division is activated at Camp Claiborne, LA, under Maj. Gen. William Lee.

Battleship USS Alabama is commissioned at Norfolk, VA.

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