Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 259
June 2, 2017
Today in World War II History—June 2, 1942
Casablanca-class escort carrier USS Guadalcanal alongside captured U-505, June 1944 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—June 2, 1942: BBC reports news from the Polish underground of Nazi mass extermination of Jews.
Henry J. Kaiser proposes building auxiliary carriers; the Navy awards him a contract for the Casablanca class by end of month (renamed escort carriers in July 1943).
June 1, 2017
Today in World War II History—June 1, 1942
William Baldwin, the first African-American US Navy recruit for General Service, 2 Jun 1942 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—June 1, 1942: RAF launches 1000-bomber raid on Essen, Germany.
Nazis open Treblinka concentration camp in Poland.
US Navy lets blacks enlist in services other than mess—but not as officers, and only in segregated groups.
May 31, 2017
Today in World War II History—May 31, 1942
Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bomber with early 1942 markings (US Navy photo)
75 Years Ago—May 31, 1942: US Navy TBF Avenger torpedo bombers are first deployed in Pacific Theater: 6 are dispatched to Midway.
US War Stamp drive ends, raised $7.25 million through drugstores.
Japanese midget subs enter Sydney Harbor and sink accommodation vessel HMAS Kuttabul and damage Dutch sub K-IX; 3 midget subs are lost.
Japanese midget submarine raised from Sydney Harbor, Australia, the day after the attack, 1 Jun 1942 (Australian War Memorial)
May 30, 2017
Today in World War II History—May 30, 1942
Carrier USS Yorktown in Dry Dock #1, Pearl Harbor Navy Yard, 29 May 1942 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—May 30, 1942: RAF Operation Millennium: first 1000-bomber raid, to Cologne, Germany.
Carrier USS Yorktown leaves Pearl Harbor for Midway after hasty repairs from damage at Coral Sea.
United States commemorates Memorial Day.
US Navy sailors honoring fellow sailors killed during the Pearl Harbor attack, Naval Air Station Kaneohe, Oahu, 30 May 1942 (US National Archives)
May 29, 2017
On This Memorial Day
US Navy sailors honoring fellow sailors killed during the Pearl Harbor attack, Naval Air Station Kaneohe, Oahu, 30 May 1942 (US National Archives)
On Memorial Day, we remember those who gave their lives in defense of our country.
We live in freedom because they fought tyranny.
We live without fear because they faced danger.
We live in comfort because they gave up all comforts.
We live because of their sacrifices.
Let’s never take these gifts for granted. They were purchased at high cost.
Over 1 million Americans have given their lives in war (Source: English, June A., Jones, Thomas D., Scholastic Encyclopedia of the United States at War, New York NY: Scholastic Reference, 1998).
American Revolution: 4.435
War of 1812: 2,260
Mexican-American War: 13,283
Civil War: 498,332
Spanish-American War: 2,446
World War I: 116,708
World War II: 407,316
Korean War: 33.651
Vietnam War: 58,168
Gulf War: 293
War on Terrorism (Source: icasualties.org): 4520 in Iraq, 2396 in Afghanistan
On this Memorial Day, take a moment to remember. And take a moment to thank God for freedom and life.
Today in World War II History—May 29, 1942
Australian-built CAC Boomerang fighter Sinbad II of No. 5 (Tactical Reconnaissance) Squadron RAAF, Mareeba, Queensland 15 March 1944 (Australian War Museum).
75 Years Ago—May 29, 1942: First flight of only Australian-produced plane of WWII, the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation CA-12 Boomerang fighter.
Actor John Barrymore dies of pneumonia in Los Angeles, age 60.
May 28, 2017
Today in World War II History—May 28, 1942
Panzer III and Rommel’s command vehicle in the western desert at the time of the Gazala battles, 1942 (German Federal Archives: Bild 101I-784-0246-22A)
75 Years Ago—May 28, 1942: Germans close pocket southeast of Kharkov, taking 200,000 Soviet POWs.
British attack at Gazala forms “The Cauldron,” surrounding German troops on three sides.
Premiere of recruiting film Winning Your Wings, starring James Stewart.
May 27, 2017
Today in World War II History—May 27, 1942
Reinhard Heydrich and his wife Lina at a concert at Wallenstein Palace, Prague, 26 May 1942 (public domain via WW2 Database)
75 Years Ago—May 27, 1942: Czech resistance fighters shoot Gen. Reinhard Heydrich in Prague, deputy chief of SS and deputy governor of Czechoslovakia; he dies June 4.
German Gen. Rommel launches offensive against British at Gazala, Libya.
Doris “Dorie” Miller becomes first African-American to receive Navy Cross, for actions at Pearl Harbor.
Guide Dogs for the Blind is founded in Los Gatos CA, to help returning servicemen.
Movie premiere of Prelude to War, first of Frank Capra’s Why We Fight propaganda films.
US poster, 1943, honoring Dorie Miller, recipient of the Navy Cross for his actions at Pearl Harbor.
May 26, 2017
Today in World War II History—May 26, 1942
Northrop P-61 Black Widow night fighter (US Air Force photo)
75 Years Ago—May 26, 1942: Anglo-Soviet 20-year mutual aid agreement signed, Britain and USSR agree not to seek separate peace with Germany.
First flight of prototype P-61 Black Widow night fighter, Hawthorne, CA.
May 25, 2017
Today in World War II History—May 25, 1942
Camp Stoneman, Pittsburg, CA, June 1942 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—May 25, 1942: US Army opens Camp Stoneman in Pittsburg, CA, to process soldiers heading to the Pacific.
Andrew Higgins’s landing craft competes with Navy landing craft at Norfolk, VA; the Higgins boat defeats Navy boat in all categories and will be produced as the LCVP (Landing Craft, Vehicle or Personnel).
American troops en route to the invasion beach aboard LCVP landing craft, Normandy, France, 6 Jun 1944 (US Coast Guard photo)
