Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 180
May 17, 2019
Today in World War II History—17 May 1944
P-51B Mustang “Old Crow” of the US 357th Fighter Group in invasion stripes for D-day (Imperial War Museum, Roger Freeman Collection)
75 Years Ago—17 May 1944: Countdown to D-day: Allied Expeditionary Air Force approves “invasion stripes” for Allied aircraft for D-day, not announced yet to maintain security (black & white stripes to prevent friendly fire).
Chinese troops and Merrill’s Marauders (US guerillas) take Myitkyina airfield, the only hard-surfaced field in northern Burma.
US 879th Engineer Aviation Battalion arrives at Myitkyina Airfield by gliders and opens airstrip that night.
Chinese crew of a 105-mm howitzer at Myitkyina, Burma, May 1944 (US Army Center of Military History)
May 16, 2019
Today in World War II History—16 May 1944
World War II poster
75 Years Ago—16 May 1944: US, Britain, USSR, and the governments-in-exile of Belgium, Norway, and the Netherlands sign an agreement concerning the administration of countries as they are liberated.
May 15, 2019
Today in World War II History—15 May 1944
Gen. Bernard Montgomery and King George VI at Montgomery’s headquarters in Britain, 22 May 1944 (Imperial War Museum)
75 Years Ago—15 May 1944: Countdown to D-day: General Dwight Eisenhower accepts the final mission plans for Overlord and a conference is held in London for all the top commanders with King George VI and Prime Minister Winston Churchill in attendance.
Nazis begin the deportation of Hungary’s 440,000 Jews to Auschwitz.
May 14, 2019
Today in World War II History—14 May 1944
US troops entering Santa Maria Infante, Italy, 14 May 1944 (US Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—14 May 1944: In Italy, US II Corps breaks German Gustav Line, opening the route to Rome.
May 13, 2019
Today in World War II History—13 May 1944
Publicity photo of Roy Rogers and Trigger (public domain via Wikipedia)
75 Years Ago—13 May 1944: In drive for Rome, French troops break through Gustav Line into Aurunci Hills.
In a raid off the English coast, German torpedo boat S-141 is sunk and Klaus Dönitz, the only surviving son of Adm. Karl Dönitz, is killed.
Movie premiere of Cowboy and the Senorita, starring Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, their first film together.
May 12, 2019
Today in World War II History—12 May 1944
Monte Cassino (US Army Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—12 May 1944: Operation Diadem: US Fifth & British Eighth Armies launch offensive on Gustav Line in Italy, crossing Rapido River and assaulting Cassino.
German Oblt. Oskar Kusch, former commander of U-boat U-154, is executed for anti-Hitler views, betrayed by his second in command—who was killed in the sinking of U-193 on April 24.
Frederick Schiller Faust, the author of 400 Western novels under the name of Max Brand, is killed in Operation Diadem.
Liberty ship SS Juliette Low is launched, named after the founder of the Girl Scouts.
May 11, 2019
Today in World War II History—11 May 1944
British 99th Light AA Regiment, Cassino, Italy, 12 May 1944. (Imperial War Museum)
75 Years Ago—11 May 1944: Operation Diadem: Allied drive to Rome opens before midnight with artillery barrage from Cassino to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
Countdown to D-day: Allies officially begin pre-invasion bombing of German airfields in France to drive the Luftwaffe away from the invasion beaches.
In Italy, Germans release Jews of Turkish, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, and Swiss citizenship under pressure from these neutral governments.
Movie premiere of The White Cliffs of Dover, starring Irene Dunne.
May 10, 2019
Today in World War II History—10 May 1944
James V. Forrestal, US Secretary of the Navy (US Navy photo)
75 Years Ago—10 May 1944: President Roosevelt appoints James V. Forrestal as Secretary of the Navy.
At Heart Mountain relocation camp in Wyoming, 63 Japanese-Americans are indicted for resisting the draft.
May 9, 2019
Today in World War II History—9 May 1944
Soviet soldiers crossing the Syvash into the Crimea, Dec 1943 (public domain via Wikipedia)
75 Years Ago—9 May 1944: Soviets take Sevastopol and 36,000 German POWs, securing the Crimea.
Due to a revolt and general strike, President of El Salvador Gen. Maximiliano Hernández Martinez resigns and flees to Guatemala; succeeded by Andrés Menéndez.
May 8, 2019
Today in World War II History—8 May 1944
Maj. Gen. Edward Brooks (behind Eisenhower) demonstrating M1 Carbines to Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and Gen. Omar Bradley, England, 15 May 1944 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—8 May 1944: Countdown to D-day: General Eisenhower sets D-day for Normandy invasion as June 5—this will be signaled to the commanders on May 23.
US Congress extends Lend-Lease to June 1945.
German Army Group G established in southern France under Col. Gen. Johannes Blaskowitz.
