Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 196
December 25, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 25, 1943
US troops eating Christmas dinner on a haystack, Italy, 25 December 1943 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—Dec. 25, 1943: US airborne engineers land at Shingbwiyang, Burma, build the first airfield behind Japanese lines.
Throughout the world, Christmas is celebrated!
December 24, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 24, 1943
Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, 31 Dec. 1943 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—Dec. 24, 1943: British Gen. Sir Henry Maitland Wilson is named to replace Gen. Dwight Eisenhower as Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater, while Eisenhower will go to England as Supreme Commander, Allied Expeditionary Force for Operation Overlord (D-day).
Pres. Franklin Roosevelt broadcasts a Fireside Chat about the Tehran and Cairo Conferences.
Movie premiere of Jane Eyre, starring Orson Welles & Joan Fontaine.
Pres. Franklin Roosevelt at his home in Hyde Park, NY, delivering a Fireside Chat, 24 Dec 1943 (US National Archives)
December 23, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 23, 1943
US COMAIRSOLS B-25 Mitchell bombers attacking Rabaul, New Britain, late 1943; note Lakunai airfield in top center of photo (public domain via WW2 Database)
75 Years Ago—Dec. 23, 1943: Allied air forces in the Solomon Islands (COMAIRSOLS) begin all-out offensive against Rabaul area that continues through March 1944.
Aircraft drop 1500 American Red Cross Christmas packages to isolated US Tenth Air Force detachments in India.
Movie premiere of A Guy Named Joe, starring Spencer Tracy & Irene Dunne.
December 22, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 22, 1943
First edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, 1902
75 Years Ago—Dec. 22, 1943: Allies officially recognize and agree to support Marshal Tito’s partisans in Yugoslavia.
Children’s author Beatrix Potter (Peter Rabbit) dies at her home in Lancashire, England, age 77.
December 21, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 21, 1943
“Canadian Armour Passing Through Ortona,” by Dr. Charles Comfort (public domain via Canadian War Museum)
75 Years Ago—Dec. 21, 1943: Canadians enter Ortona, Italy, and begin first large urban battle in Mediterranean Theater of Operations.
Movie premiere of religious drama The Song of Bernadette, starring Jennifer Jones.
December 20, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 20, 1943
The effect of “Window” on the display of a German Giant Würzburg (Würzburg-Riese) radar: the right half shows a normal display with a target blip in the 3 o’clock position; the left half shows the effect of jamming by “Window,” making target blips indistinguishable. (Imperial War Museum)
75 Years Ago—Dec. 20, 1943: In bombing mission to Bremen, the US Eighth Air Force first drops “Window,” strips of foil that confuse German radar (first used by the RAF in July 1943).
Bolivian government is overthrown in a coup; President Enrique Peñaranda goes into exile, succeeded by Maj. Gualberto Villarroel López.
December 19, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 19, 1943
Canadian recruiting poster, WWII
75 Years Ago—Dec. 19, 1943: In Kharkov Trials, the first war crimes trials, four Germans are executed by the Soviets for murdering 30,000 civilians in Ukraine.
In Italy, Canadian troops take the gully Torrente Saraceni below Ortona.
December 18, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 18, 1943
V-disc with Bing Crosby recordings of “White Christmas” and “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” 1945 (public domain via Wikipedia)
75 Years Ago—Dec. 18, 1943: Chiang Kai-shek gives US Gen. Joseph Stilwell full command of Chinese troops in India & Burma.
New song in Top Ten: “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
Gen. and Madame Chiang Kai-shek and Gen. Joseph Stilwell, April 1942 (US National Archives)
December 17, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 17, 1943
US Army medics entering San Pietro, Italy, Dec 1943 (US Army Center for Military History)
75 Years Ago—Dec. 17, 1943: US Fifth Army takes San Pietro, Italy, after Germans retreat.
Wings are first awarded to WASPs (Women’s Airforce Service Pilots).
US Congress finally repeals all Chinese Exclusion Acts.
December 16, 2018
Today in World War II History—Dec. 16, 1943
German pillbox on Monte Lungo, Italy, 1943 (US Army Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—Dec. 16, 1943: US Fifth Army takes Monte Lungo in Italy, almost encircling San Pietro, but third attack on San Pietro fails.
After mission to Berlin, RAF loses 29 Lancaster bombers in landings in England in the fog, the RAF’s worst losses to accidents of the war.
