Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 209

Today in World War II History—Sept. 3, 1943

Map showing Allied invasion of Italy on September 3, 1943 (British at Reggio di Calabria) and on September 9, 1943 (US & British at Salerno and Taranto) [Map: US Army Center of Military History]

75 Years Ago—Sept. 3, 1943: Operation Baytown: British Eighth Army lands unopposed in Calabria on the toe of Italy at Reggio, Gallico, and Catona.

Italy signs secret armistice with the Allies.

Today in World War II History—Sept. 2, 1943

Maj. Gen. Adolf Galland and Albert Speer, September 1943 (German Federal Archive: Bild 183-H28427)

75 Years Ago—Sept. 2, 1943: In Germany, Albert Speer is appointed Reich minister for arms and war production.

Movie premiere of musical The Sky’s the Limit, starring Fred Astaire & Joan Leslie, featuring hit song “One for My Baby (and One More for the Road).”

Today in World War II History—Sept. 1, 1943

US Navy PBY Catalina used for antisubmarine patrols (US Navy photo)

75 Years Ago—Sept. 1, 1943: US Navy assumes aerial antisubmarine warfare responsibility in the Atlantic from the US Army Air Force.

Civil Air Patrol is relieved of antisubmarine duties; the civilian pilots had spotted 173 subs, 91 vessels in distress, and lifeboats carrying 363 survivors.

US 5th Ranger Battalion is activated at Camp Forrest, Tullahoma, TN; the 5th Rangers will land on Omaha Beach on D-day.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 31, 1943

US Navy pilot Lt. Cdr. James Flatley’s F6F Hellcat fighter on the USS Yorktown before raid on Marcus Island, 31 Aug 1943 (US Navy photo)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 31, 1943: First use of Grumman F6F Hellcat in combat, from carrier USS Yorktown in raid on Marcus Island in the Pacific—only 18 months after first flight of F6F prototype.

US Civil Air Patrol’s Coastal Patrol program discontinued as U-boat threat has waned.

Destroyer escort USS Harmon commissioned at Quincy, MA, the first US Navy ship named for an African-American—Leonard Ray Harmon, who died in action in the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal while caring for the wounded.

US Office of War Information poster about USS Harmon and her namesake (US National Archives)

Today in World War II History—Aug. 30, 1943

Aircraft carrier USS Hornet, Alameda, CA (Photo: Sarah Sundin, November 2015)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 30, 1943: The second (and current) carrier USS Hornet is launched, Newport News VA (now a museum ship in Alameda, CA).

Today in World War II History—Aug. 29, 1943

King Christian X riding through Copenhagen on his 70th birthday, 26 September 1940 during the German occupation of Denmark (public domain via Wikipedia)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 29, 1943: Germans impose martial law in Denmark.

Germans dissolve Danish army and navy and interns personnel.

In Denmark, King Christian X and royal family are confined to the palace.

Danes scuttle fleet: 13 ships escape to Sweden, only 5 captured.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 28, 1943

Prince Simeon of Bulgaria, 1943 (Central State Archive, Sofia, Bulgaria)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 28, 1943: Bulgaria’s Tsar Boris III (age 49) dies of unknown reasons, possibly poisoned (he resisted fascists and protected Jews); succeeded by six-year-old Simeon II.

Danish government resigns; German Gen. Hermann von Hanneken takes control.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 27, 1943

Royal Air Force reconnaissance photograph of V-2 rocket test sites at Peenemünde, Germany, 12 June 1943 (British government photo)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 27, 1943: US Eighth Air Force flies its first mission to “Crossbow” sites—associated with testing, production, and launching of German V-1 & V-2 weapons.

British sloop HMS Egret is sunk by a German Hs 293 radio-controlled bomb in the Bay of Biscay, the first ship ever sunk by a guided bomb.

Movie premiere of Watch on the Rhine, starring Paul Lukas (who will win Oscar for best actor) & Bette Davis.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 26, 1943

Poster from the US 4th War Loan Drive, 1944

75 Years Ago—Aug. 26, 1943: Germans occupy Alpine passes in Italy in anticipation of Italian surrender and German occupation.

Soviets launch offensive into eastern Ukraine over River Dnieper.

War Bond Jubilee Game held at Manhattan’s Polo Grounds, an exhibition baseball game between all-stars and GIs, in which Babe Ruth hits his last home run in a major league park; game raises $800 million in war bond sales.

Today in World War II History—Aug. 25, 1943

Maj. Gen. Lawton Collins and Maj. Charles Davis, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, 14 Aug 1943 (US Army photo)

75 Years Ago—Aug. 25, 1943: US secures New Georgia in the Solomons after seizing Bairoko Harbor.

Allies begin air raids on France and Low Countries to make Germans suspect a Pas de Calais invasion and to draw Luftwaffe up into battle (Operation Starkey).

Germans impose 72-hour work week in occupied Holland.