Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 214
July 18, 2018
Today in World War II History—July 18, 1943
US Navy blimp K-110 of Airship Patrol Squadron ZP-42 escorting a convoy along Brazilian coast, 1943-45 (US Navy photo)
75 Years Ago—July 18, 1943: Only US blimp lost in action during WWII: off Florida, US Navy airship K-74 fires on German U-boat U-134, but is shot down.
July 17, 2018
Today in World War II History—July 17, 1943
Lt. Katye Swope of the 802nd Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron checks patients being evacuated from Agrigento, Sicily to North Africa for further medical treatment, 25 July 1943. (US Air Force photo)
75 Years Ago—July 17, 1943: Off Bougainville in the Solomons, 192 Allied aircraft (US Thirteenth Air Force, US Navy, US Marine Corps & RNZAF) shoot down 44 Japanese planes.
US 802nd Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron arrives at Ponte Olivo Airfield; air evacuation begins from Sicily. (Read more: three-part series starting with Medical Air Evacuation in World War II)
New song in Top Ten: “All or Nothing at All.”
July 16, 2018
Book Beat – The Weaver’s Daughter, by Sarah Ladd
The Weaver’s Daughter, by Sarah Ladd
The Dearborne family is committed to preserving the traditional ways of weaving. The Stockton family runs a mill, weaving cloth the modern way. When young Henry Stockton returns from war, he is struck by the lovely and bright Kate Dearborne, but family loyalties and distrust run deep on both sides.
Will Kate and Henry’s growing love be strong enough to unite them when violence erupts in Amberdale?
The Weaver’s Daughter is a fresh take on the Regency Romance. Focusing on the birth of the Industrial Revolution, Sarah Ladd shows us how the painful beginnings changed society – all brought to life through the eyes of appealing characters. Henry and Kate’s romance is sweet and compelling, and the story is an exciting and romantic read. Highly recommended!
Today in World War II History—July 16, 1943
Commandos of Australian 2/3rd Independent Company north of Orodubi (between Mubo and Salamaua), New Guinea, 29 July 1943 (Australian War Memorial: 127976)
75 Years Ago—July 16, 1943: Australians advance from Wau, New Guinea toward Salamaua.
Generaloberst Walter Model, CO of German Ninth Army, assumes second role as CO of Second Panzer Army after the Gestapo arrests Generaloberst Rudolf Schmidt.
Britain announces plan to remodel secondary schools (ages 11-15) into grammar, modern, and technical tiers.
July 15, 2018
Today in World War II History—July 15, 1943
US DUKW carrying supplies in Porto Empedocle, Sicily (US Army Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—July 15, 1943: US Seventh Army takes Agrigento and Porto Empedocle, Sicily.
Germans capture & execute most British Special Operatives in Paris.
Lt. Louis Zamperini (Unbroken) and Lt. Russell Phillips are rescued by Japanese after 45 days in a lifeboat; they will survive the war as POWs.
US Navy changes aircraft carrier designations: CV—large, CVL—light, CVE—escort (formerly auxiliary carriers), CVB—large Midway class.
July 14, 2018
Today in World War II History—July 14, 1943
Sherman tank of XIII Corps, British Eighth Army in Francofonte, Sicily, 13-14 Jul 1943 (Imperial War Museum: 4700-39 NA 4448)
75 Years Ago—July 14, 1943: On Sicily, British Eighth Army takes Vizzini, Lentini, and Simeto.
In Krasnodor, Russia, Soviets try 11 Germans in the first war crimes trial of the war.
Movie premiere of For Whom the Bell Tolls, starring Gary Cooper & Ingrid Bergman.
July 13, 2018
Where the Fire Falls – Book Giveaway Winner!
Where the Fire Falls, by Karen Barnett
Thank you so much to the 197 (!!) people who entered the giveaway for Karen Barnett’s Vintage National Parks novel, Where the Fire Falls. You can read more about this wonderful novel set in Yosemite in 1929 here.
And the randomly selected winner is…
Tammy Cordery!
Tammy, I’ll send you an email so I can mail you the book.
Today in World War II History—July 13, 1943
Survivors from Japanese light cruiser Jintsu, dressed in US Navy uniforms, aboard destroyer USS Nicholas, 13 Jul 1943 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—July 13, 1943: Due to the Allied invasion of Sicily, Hitler orders a halt to the Kursk offensive in Russia.
Battle of Kolombangara: in the Solomon Islands, US & New Zealand ships sink Japanese light cruiser Jintsu, but fail to prevent Japanese reinforcement of Kolombangara.
July 12, 2018
Today in World War II History—July 12, 1943
Pharmacist at the US 8th Evacuation Hospital, Teano, Italy, March 1944 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—July 12, 1943: Battle of Prokhorovka at Kursk—in the largest tank battle in history, Soviets advance as Germans lose 400 tanks. On Sicily, US and British forces link at Ragusa.
President Roosevelt signs bill establishing the Army Pharmacy Corps; 72 officers are authorized, but most pharmacists remain enlisted men. (Read more: Pharmacy in World War II: The Military)
July 11, 2018
Today in World War II History—July 11, 1943
American transport SS Robert Rowan exploding after being hit by German Ju 88 bombers, Gela, Sicily, 11 July 1943—all 421 aboard survive (US Army Signal Corps photo)
75 Years Ago—July 11, 1943: German Luftwaffe bombers attack Allied invasion fleet off Sicily.
On the heels of Luftwaffe attack, US ships fire on US C-47s loaded with paratroopers, one of the worst fratricidal incidents of the war; 23 C-47s lost, 318 casualties.
At Gela, Sicily, US cruisers and destroyers halt a German armored counterattack.
American Red Cross field director James Shaw rescues men from sinking landing ship USS LST-158 off Licata, Sicily under German air attack; he will be awarded the Silver Star, the first for a Red Cross member in WWII.
Light cruiser USS Boise firing on armored forces near Gela, Sicily as USS LST-325 approaches landing beaches, 11 Jul 1943 (US National Archives)
