Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 184
April 10, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 10, 1944
A copy of Operation Neptune orders and a weather map, on display at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, Portsmouth, England, September 2017 (Photo: Sarah Sundin)
75 Years Ago—April 10, 1944: Countdown to D-day: Adm. Sir Bertram Ramsay (Allied Naval Commander, Expeditionary Force) issues 700-page Naval Orders, Operation Neptune (naval plan for D-day).
Soviets & partisans take Odessa, Ukraine.
April 9, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 9, 1944
Park Street Church, Boston, MA, July 2014 (Photo: Sarah Sundin)
75 Years Ago—April 9, 1944: Japanese surround 155,000 British & Indian troops in Imphal, India.
On Easter, churches around the nation donate $600,000 to the new War Relief Fund, started by Park Street Church in Boston, MA; in 1950, the organization will become World Relief.
April 8, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 8, 1944
Maj. Richard Bong in his P-38 (US Air Force photo)
75 Years Ago—April 8, 1944: Over New Guinea, Capt. Dick Bong of the US Fifth Air Force surpasses Eddie Rickenbacker’s 26 victories in WWI to become the top US ace.
New song in Top Ten: “Long Ago and Far Away” from the movie Cover Girl.
April 7, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 7, 1944
“Selection” of Hungarian Jews on the ramp at Auschwitz-II-Birkenau in German-occupied Poland, May/June 1944 (public domain via Yad Vashem)
75 Years Ago—April 7, 1944: Slovak Jews Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler escape from Auschwitz; they will write a detailed report that will be published in Geneva on May 17 and will lead Hungary to halt deportations in July 1944.
At besieged Kohima in India, Japanese troops seize the city’s water supply.
April 6, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 6, 1944
Garrison Hill at Kohima, India (Imperial War Museum)
75 Years Ago—April 6, 1944: Japanese besiege 3500 British & Indian troops in Kohima, India.
United Kingdom introduces PAYE (Pay As You Earn) tax system.
Movie premiere of Cover Girl, starring Gene Kelly & Rita Hayworth; Oscar winner for orchestration for Carmen Dragon (of Antioch, CA).
April 5, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 5, 1944
Stella Romana oil refinery at Ploesti, Romania after US 15th Air Force bombing, 1944 (USAF photo)
75 Years Ago—April 5, 1944: US Strategic Air Forces (in England and Italy) begins campaign against German oil production: US Fifteenth Air Force sends 334 bombers to oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania.
In Hungary, all Jews are required to wear yellow stars.
April 4, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 4, 1944
Gen. Charles de Gaulle, 1942 (US Library of Congress)
75 Years Ago—April 4, 1944: Gen. Charles de Gaulle is named head of Free French military forces, replacing Gen. Henri Giraud.
April 3, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 3, 1944
Fleet Air Arm attack on the German battleship Tirpitz at Alta Fjord, Norway, 3 April 1944 (Imperial War Museum: A 22633)
75 Years Ago—April 3, 1944: In Alta Fjord, Norway, British Fleet Air Arm aircraft damage German battleship Tirpitz (438 killed).
In Smith v. Allwright, US Supreme Court declares all-white primaries in the South are unconstitutional.
April 2, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 2, 1944
B-29 Superfortress (USAF photo)
75 Years Ago—April 2, 1944: Soviet troops enter Romania.
First US B-29 Superfortress arrives at Kharagpur, India, near Calcutta.
Armed revolt erupts in El Salvador, led by intellectuals, business leaders, and disaffected military, which will be put down with martial law, brutally enforced; 300 killed.
April 1, 2019
Today in World War II History—April 1, 1944
Adm. Sir Bertram Ramsay, Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Forces, at his London Headquarters at Norfolk House, 1944 (Imperial War Museum)
75 Years Ago—April 1, 1944: Countdown to D-day: Adm. Sir Bertram Ramsay (Allied Naval Commander, Expeditionary Force) takes operational control of US naval forces for D-day.
Allied Combined Bomber Offensive officially ends as Allies achieve air superiority over Europe.
US Fifteenth Air Force based in Italy begins operations to evacuate partisans, women, and children from Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia.
B-17s of the US 3rd Bombardment Division over Europe, WWII (USAF photo)
