Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 189
February 23, 2019
Today in World War II History—Feb. 23, 1944
Maj. Gen. Lucian Truscott, 1944 (US Army Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—Feb. 23, 1944: Maj. Gen. Lucian Truscott assumes command of US VI Corps at Anzio in Italy.
First US Army blood bank in the Mediterranean Theater opens at Naples medical center.
February 22, 2019
Today in World War II History—Feb. 22, 1944
US Marines on Eniwetok (US Marine Corps photo)
75 Years Ago—Feb. 22, 1944: US secures Eniwetok Atoll and all Marshall Islands, the first time Japanese lose prewar territory.
Gen. Mark Clark arrives at Anzio and removes Maj. Gen. John Lucas from command of US VI Corps.
Stalin announces that the Soviets have reclaimed three-quarters of the territory captured by the Germans.
February 21, 2019
Today in World War II History—Feb. 21, 1944
A US Marine dirty after two days of fighting on Eniwetok, Feb 1944 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—Feb. 21, 1944: Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo removes Field Marshal Hajime Sugiyama from position as Chief of Army General Staff and takes his place.
US secures Eniwetok Island in Eniwetok Atoll, lands on and takes 7 other islands in the atoll.
February 20, 2019
Capture Me, by Sherry Kyle
Capture Me, by Sherry Kyle
Ashley Stevens loves her job as a veterinary technician, the family who adopted her, and her boyfriend Bryan—if only he’d propose!—but something is missing. While making scrapbooks for her grandmother, she discovers a childhood photograph of herself with a toddler who looks just like her. Who is the little girl? And why won’t her family answer her questions?
Kayla Witherspoon is about to flunk out of medical school. As the only adopted child of high-achieving, high-achievement-expecting physicians, Kayla doesn’t dare follow her dream of becoming a fashion designer. When Ashley’s sister Lauren tells Kayla she has a biological sister, put-together Kayla finds her life in disarray.
Heartwarming and rich, Capture Me by Sherry Kyle did, in fact, capture me. Ashley and Kayla’s struggles with identity and the meaning of family resonate and remind us to treasure the people in our lives—no matter how flawed. Throw in a glorious beach setting, two sweet romances, a moody teenager, and a lovable Labrador retriever—what’s not to love? Highly recommended.
Today in World War II History—Feb. 20, 1944
Map of Allied bombing targets during Operation Argument “Big Week,” February 20-26, 1944 (Source: US Air Force)
75 Years Ago—Feb. 20, 1944: Allies launch Operation Argument (“Big Week”), a week-long aerial attack which devastates the German aircraft industry; RAF bombers fly 2300 sorties; US Eighth and Ninth Air Forces fly 3300 sorties from England; US Fifteenth Air Force flies 400 sorties from Italy.
Norwegian Resistance fighters blow up ferry Hydro carrying the only German shipment of heavy water (for atomic bomb) on Lake Tinnsjø, Norway.
February 19, 2019
Today in World War II History—Feb. 19, 1944
Japanese ships burning at Rabaul, Feb 1944 (US Army Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—Feb. 19, 1944: The major Japanese air & naval base at Rabaul is officially neutralized by Allied forces as the last Japanese planes are moved to Truk.
February 18, 2019
Today in World War II History—Feb. 18, 1944
Mosquito aircraft of RNZAF bombing prison (center left) at Amiens, France, 18 February 1944 (United Kingdom government photo)
75 Years Ago—Feb. 18, 1944: RAF launches Operation Jericho as Mosquitos & Typhoons bomb the German prison in Amiens holding members of the French resistance; of 1000 prisoners, 102 are killed and 258 escape.
Peak of German counterattack at Anzio, as they come within six miles of the sea by noon, but are turned back by artillery and infantry by the end of the day.
Hitler dissolves the Abwehr, German military intelligence, after evidence of infiltration by Allied agents and resistance members; functions taken over by Reich Main Security Office (RSHA).
February 17, 2019
Today in World War II History—Feb. 17, 1944
US Marines landing on Eniwetok, 17 February 1944 (US Marine Corps Photo)
US Navy SBD Dauntless bombers over Truk Atoll, 16-18 February 1944 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—Feb. 17, 1944: US Army & Marines land on Eniwetok Atoll in Marshall Islands.
Soviets close Korsun pocket and take 18,000 German POWs; 28,000 Germans break out of the pocket, but thousands drown crossing a swollen river.
US Navy carriers strike Japanese base at Truk in the Pacific, sinking 37 ships, shooting down 121 Japanese fighter planes (the highest one-day total in the Pacific war to date), and destroying 150 Japanese planes on the ground.
February 16, 2019
Today in World War II History—Feb. 16, 1944
Ruins of Abbey of Monte Cassino, 1944 (US Army Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—Feb. 16, 1944: New Zealanders launch assault on Monte Cassino after previous day’s bombing, but fail to take it.
Germans launch “Fischfang” offensive at Anzio; the first use of German Panther tanks in the west fails in the mud.
Movie premiere of Passage to Marseille, starring Humphrey Bogart & Claude Rains.
February 15, 2019
Today in World War II History—Feb. 15, 1944
Bombing of the Abbey of Monte Cassino, 15 Feb 1944 (US Army Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—Feb. 15, 1944: Allied bombing destroys Abbey of Monte Cassino in Italy, 400 refugees killed. German troops occupy abbey ruins that night.
In the South Pacific, New Zealanders occupy Green Islands, only 100 miles from crucial Japanese base at Rabaul.
