Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 401

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Jan. 6, 1944: Soviets cross Polish border near Olevsk. Maj. Gen. James Doolittle assumes command of US Eighth Air Force in England.

Today in World War II History

B-17G Flying Fortress Shoo Shoo Baby of the
91st Bomb Group (USAF Museum)70 Years Ago—Jan. 5, 1944: In the US Eighth Air Force in England, the 91st Bomb Group becomes the first group to complete 100 missions.

Today in World War II History

Gregorio Diamare and the ecclesiastical
 authorities of Monte Cassino abbey
 giving German Luftwaffe troops
 permission to remove artwork to Germany,
4 Jan 1944 (German Federal Archive)70 Years Ago—Jan. 4, 1944: Church authorities at the Abbey of Monte Cassino give Luftwaffe permission to remove artwork to Germany. Fascist northern Italy seizes Jewish assets and forbids Jews from owning land or stock.

Today in World War II History

Senior staff of the 7th Marines on Cape Gloucester,
New Britain, Jan 10 1944. (US Marine Corps)70 Years Ago—Jan. 3, 1944: Top US Marine ace, Maj. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, shot down by Japanese Zero near Rabaul, but he survives the war as a POW. In the Solomons, US launches offensive on New Britain from Cape Gloucester.

Today in World War II History

LSTs (Landing Ship, Tank) at Saidor, New Guinea
2 January 1944
(US Army Center for Military History)70 Years Ago—Jan. 2, 1944: US Sixth Army lands at Saidor, New Guinea, finds little opposition, takes harbor and airfield. Gen. Jean de Lattre de Tassigny named commander of Free French forces in North Africa.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Jan. 1, 1944: Gen. Alexander Vandegrift replaces Gen. Thomas Holcomb as commandant, US Marine Corps. US penny production switched from steel to an alloy with copper from used shell casings.

Today in World War II History

Submarine USS Barbero being launched,
Groton, Connecticut, 12 December 194370 Years Ago—Dec. 31, 1943: Soviets take Zhitomir, sweep west toward Polish border. Movie premiere of Destination Tokyo, starring Cary Grant, in New York City.

Today in World War II History

US Marines at Cape Gloucester, New Britain, Solomons,
December 1943 (US Marine Corps)70 Years Ago—Dec. 30, 1943: British/Indians launch Second Arakan Campaign toward Akyab, Burma. US Marines secure crucial airfield at Cape Gloucester, New Britain in the Solomons.

Today in World War II History

Gen. Sir Henry Maitland Wilson (Supreme Allied Commander, Mediterranean)
and Gen. Sir Oliver Leese (Commander, British Eighth Army), Italy,
30 April 1944 (Imperial War Museum photo)70 Years Ago—Dec. 29, 1943: Lt. Gen. Sir Oliver Leese replaces Gen. Bernard Montgomery over British Eighth Army in Italy.

Today in World War II History

Canadian troops in Ortona, Italy, December 1943
(National Archives of Canada)70 Years Ago—Dec. 28, 1943: Canadians take Ortona, Italy after fierce house-to-house fighting. In Naples, US Army opens mass delousing stations for civilians to control typhus epidemic.