Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 412

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Oct. 10, 1943: Franco orders “Blue” Division of Spanish volunteers serving in German army back to Spain; a few thousand disobey and remain.Time bomb in Naples kills 23 US combat engineers.

Today in World War II History

  B-17F of US 94th Bomb Group over Marienburg, Germany, 9 October 1943
(US National Archives)70 Years Ago—Oct. 9, 1943: US Eighth Air Force sends 378 B-17s and B-24s to bomb Marienburg, Anklam, Danzig, and Gdynia—their longest mission to date, which allows them to surprise the Germans.

Today in World War II History

  Caserta Palace (US Army Center for Military History)70 Years Ago—Oct. 8, 1943: In Italy, US occupies Caserta Palace, future Headquarters of US Fifth Army.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Oct. 7, 1943: Japanese execute all 98 US civilian construction POWs on Wake Island in reprisal for US air raids. First German time bomb explodes in Naples, in the main post office, leading to 70 casualties; more bombs will explode over the next 3 weeks.

Today in World War II History

  Destroyers USS Selfridge (bow shot off) and USS O'Bannon
at New Caledonia for repairs after Battle of Vella Lavella
(US Navy photo)70 Years Ago—Oct. 6, 1943: Naval Battle of Vella Lavella: US fails to prevent evacuation of island; US and Japanese each lose 1 destroyer; last surface engagement in Solomons, last clear-cut naval victory for Japanese. US reaches Volturno River in Italy.

Today in World War II History

  USS Minneapolis, USS San Francisco, and USS New Orleans
bombard Wake Island (US National Archives)70 Years Ago—Oct. 5, 1943: US naval aircraft bomb Wake Island, destroying 61 Japanese planes. US declares Naples secure.

Today in World War II History

  Engineer-built pier over hull of sunken ship, Naples
(US Army Center for Military History)70 Years Ago—Oct. 4, 1943: Only US carrier action in north Atlantic: USS Ranger aircraft attack two German convoys at Bodo, Norway, sink 5 ships. Free French secure Corsica. First Liberty ship docks at Naples’s wrecked harbor.

Today in World War II History

  70 Years Ago—Oct. 3, 1943: Japanese finish evacuating Kolombangara, their last air base in the Solomons, which had been bypassed and isolated by the Allies.

Today in World War II History

  Australian transport company unloads supplies at
Finschhafen (Australian War Mermorial)70 Years Ago—Oct. 2, 1943: Australians take Finschhafen, New Guinea.NFL season opens with new team, the Philadelphia-Pittsburgh Combine, the “Steagles,” since Steelers and Eagles had been decimated by the draft.New song in Top Ten: “Pistol Packin’ Mama.”

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Oct. 1, 1943: In Italy, US Fifth Army and British 10 Corps enter Naples, while British Eighth Army occupies Foggia and its airfields. US Third War Loan Drive ends, raising $19 billion (quota $15 billion).