Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 345
April 25, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 25, 1945
American 2nd Lt. William Robertson and Russian Lt. Alexander Sylvashko met near Torgau, Germany, 25 Apr 1945 (US National Archives)
70 Years Ago—Apr. 25, 1945: US First Army and Soviet troops meet on the Elbe at Torgau, severing northern and southern Germany. Eisenhower will drive north and south to cut off German retreat to Denmark or the Alps and let the Soviets take Berlin as agreed. US Eighth Air Force flies its final bombing mission of the war. The United Nations Conference opens in San Francisco with representatives from fifty nations.
April 24, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 24, 1940 & 1945
A Marine of the US 1st Marines Division pointed his Thompson submachine gun at a Japanese sniper, Okinawa, Apr-Jun 1945 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—Apr. 24, 1940: Germans appoint Josef Terboven as Reich Commissar of Norway.
70 Years Ago—Apr. 24, 1945: On Okinawa, US Tenth Army breaches Japanese defenses at the Shuri Line, and Marines take Kakazu Ridge. Blackout lifted in Britain except certain coastal areas.
April 23, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 23, 1940 & 1945
US Army engineers place a steel treadway bridge across the Po River (US Army Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—Apr. 23, 1940: About two hundred people die in a fire at the Rhythm Night Club in Natchez, Mississippi.
70 Years Ago—Apr. 23, 1945: Soviets enter Berlin proper. US Fifth Army crosses Po River in Italy.
April 22, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 22, 1945
Soviet BM-13 Katyusha rocket launchers firing on Berlin, Germany, Apr 1945 (Russian Archives)
70 Years Ago—Apr. 22, 1945: As Soviet troops enter outskirts of Berlin, Hitler vows to stay in the city, and SS troops execute the last twenty conspirators in the July 20 Hitler assassination attempt. US troops hold a victory parade in Nuremberg rally grounds (Zeppelinfeld) and blow up the swastika.
April 21, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 21, 1940 & 1945
German troops in a fierce struggle against Norwegian troops in a village, 40 km west of Lillehammer. (German Federal Archives)
75 Years Ago—Apr. 21, 1940: British and German troops engage in heavy fighting at Lillehammer, Norway. First US military casualty of WWII—Army Air Force observer Capt. Robert Losey killed by German bombing at Dombås, Norway.
70 Years Ago—Apr. 21, 1945: US Fifth Army and Polish forces take Bologna, Italy. In Italy, future senator Lt. Daniel Inouye, serving with the Japanese-American 442nd RCT, is injured in battle, loses arm, earns Distinguished Service Cross and Bronze Star. French take Stuttgart, Germany.
M24 Chaffee light tank of US Army 1st Armored Division in Bologna, Italy, late Apr 1945 (US Army photo)
April 20, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 20, 1940 & 1945
An American soldier observed the destruction of an industrial town near Nürnberg, Germany, 20 Apr 1945 (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—Apr. 20, 1940: Hitler authorizes formation of Norwegian-Danish “Viking” SS regiment.
70 Years Ago—Apr. 20, 1945: US Seventh Army takes Nuremberg and raises flag in Zeppelinfeld, famous Nazi stadium. Hermann Göring destroys his lavish Karinhall home, transporting art to Berchtesgaden and Unterstein.
April 19, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 19, 1940 & 1945
US Army soldiers crossing the Machinato Inlet on foot bridge, Okinawa, 19 Apr 1945 (US Army photo)
75 Years Ago—Apr. 19, 1940: First clash between British and German troops in Norway, at Verdal north of Trondheim.
70 Years Ago—Apr. 19, 1945: US Tenth Army opens offensive on the Japanese Shuri Line on Okinawa, supported by one of the largest naval bombardments of the war. The musical Carousel opens on Broadway.
April 18, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 18, 1940 & 1945
Canadian Infantry of the Regiment de Maisonneuve, moving through Holten, the Netherlands, 9 Apr 1945. (US National Archives)
75 Years Ago—Apr. 18, 1940: British troops land at Åndalsnes, Norway. Gone with the Wind premieres in London’s blacked-out cinemas.
70 Years Ago—Apr. 18, 1945: US First Army closes the Ruhr pocket in Germany and takes 325,000 prisoners. Canadians reach Zuider Zee, cutting off German forces in Holland. American news correspondent Ernie Pyle is killed by a Japanese sniper on the island of Ie Shima.
Ernie Pyle talking to a Marine infantryman on Okinawa a few hours after its invasion. (US Army Center of Military History)
April 17, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 17, 1940 & 1945
LCM Carrying Troops, Mindanao River, 1945 (US Army Center of Military History)
75 Years Ago—Apr. 17, 1940: Adm. Karl Dönitz withdraws U-boats from Norwegian waters to study torpedo failures.
70 Years Ago—Apr. 17, 1945: US Eighth Army lands on Mindanao in the Philippines.
April 16, 2015
Today in World War II History—April 16, 1945
Soviet ZiS-3 guns bombarding German positions near Seelow Heights, Berlin, Germany, 16-19 Apr 1945 (German Federal Archives, Bild 183-E0406-0022-012)
70 Years Ago—Apr. 16, 1945: Gen. Carl Spaatz of the US Strategic Air Forces in Europe declares the strategic air war is over—only tactical targets remain. Soviets cross Oder river and launch offensive on Berlin.
