Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 46

Today in World War II History—July 30, 1944

Destroyed German vehicles in Avranches, France, July 1944. (US Army Center of Military History)

80 Years Ago—July 30, 1944: US 6th Infantry Division lands on Vogelkop Peninsula on northwest tip of New Guinea with little opposition.

In drive out of Normandy, US First Army takes Avranches.

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Today in World War II History—July 29, 1944

US Marines Gunnery Sergeant J. Paget and Privates L.C. Whether and V.A. Sot, Guam, 28 July 1944 (US National Archives: 80-G-239015)

80 Years Ago—July 29, 1944: On Guam, US Marines clear Orote Peninsula and take Orote Airfield.

New song in Top Ten: “It Could Happen to You.”

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Today in World War II History—July 28, 1944

American armored and infantry forces pass through the battered town of Coutances, France, July 1944 (US National Archives: 111-SC-199774)

80 Years Ago—July 28, 1944: In Poland, Soviets cross the Vistula River south of Warsaw and take Brest-Litovsk.

In the drive out of Normandy, US First Army takes Coutances.

German Messerschmitt Me 163 Komet jet fighter goes into combat with Luftwaffe.

Movie premiere of comedy The Canterville Ghost, starring Charles Laughton, Robert Young, and Margaret O’Brien.

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Today in World War II History—July 27, 1944

Map showing the Allied breakthrough at Saint-Lô, France, 25-31 July 1944 (US Military Academy)

80 Years Ago—July 27, 1944: In Operation Cobra in Normandy, US First Army breaks through German defenses south of Saint-Lô.

First operational use of RAF Gloster Meteor jet fighters, which will down 14 V-1 buzz bombs by the end of the war.

Gloster Meteor over England (Imperial War Museum: CL 2946)

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Today in World War II History—July 26, 1944

Pres. Franklin Roosevelt in conference with Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Adm. Chester Nimitz, and Adm. William Leahy, Hawaii, July 1944. (US Navy photo)

80 Years Ago—July 26, 1944: President Roosevelt arrives in Honolulu to meet with Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Admirals Chester Nimitz and William Leahy to determine strategy in the Pacific; the decision will be made to invade the Philippines rather than Formosa (Taiwan).

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Today in World War II History—July 25, 1944

Lt. Gen. Lesley McNair, 1944 (US Army Signal Corps photo)

80 Years Ago—July 25, 1944: Operation Cobra: US First Army begins breakout from Normandy.

While supporting Operation Cobra, US Eighth Air Force accidentally bombs Allied troops, killing 102, including Lt. Gen. Lesley McNair, former commander of US Army Ground Forces.

An RAF Dakota flies to Zaborów, Poland, where it picks up components of a V-2 rocket captured by Polish partisans; these will be taken to Britain for study.

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Today in World War II History—July 24, 1944

US Marines landing on Tinian, 24 July 1944 (US Marine Corps Archives and Special Collections: COLL/3948)

80 Years Ago—July 24, 1944: Soviets liberate first Nazi German concentration camp, at Majdanek near Lublin in occupied Poland.

US Marines land on Tinian in the Marianas.

Movie premiere of The Seventh Cross, starring Spencer Tracy and married couple Hume Cronyn & Jessica Tandy in their first film together.

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Today in World War II History—July 23, 1944

Artillerymen of Chinese 2nd Army in Sung Shan area of Burma. (US Army of Center of Military History)

80 Years Ago—July 23, 1944: In Italy, US Fifth Army takes portion of Pisa south of the Arno River.

Chinese renew attack against Japanese at Sung Shan, Burma, in Salween region.

Canadian First Army becomes operational in Normandy, with Lt. Gen. Harry Crerar in command.

Canadian Gen. Harry Crerar, 1945 (Library and Archives Canada: 4233611)

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Today in World War II History—July 22, 1944

Japanese Prime Minister Kuniaki Koiso (3rd from left, front row) and his cabinet, 22 July 1944 (public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—July 22, 1944: German SS glider troops land in the Vercors region of France and break up the Maquis uprising; over 800 French resistance members and civilians will be killed.

Gen. Kuniaki Koiso becomes Prime Minister of Japan.

The post Today in World War II History—July 22, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.

Today in World War II History—July 21, 1944

US officers plant flag eight minutes after troops begin landing on Guam, 21 July 1944 (US National Archives: 127-N-88073)

80 Years Ago—July 21, 1944: US Army and Marines invade Japanese-held Guam with heavy opposition.

Many of the July 20 Operation Valkyrie conspirators who attempted a coup are arrested, and Col. Count Claus von Stauffenberg, who attempted to assassinate Hitler, is executed.

The post Today in World War II History—July 21, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.