Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 47
July 20, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 20, 1944
Col. Count Claus von Stauffenberg and Adm. Karl-Jesco von Puttkamer greet Hitler at Rastenburg, 15 July 1944, 5 days before assassination attempt. (German Federal Archive: Bild 146-1984-079-02)
80 Years Ago—July 20, 1944: Operation Valkyrie—German officers attempt to assassinate Hitler, led by Col. Count Claus von Stauffenberg, but fail; the following coup attempt also fails.
Movie premiere of Since You Went Away, starring Claudette Colbert and Joseph Cotten; it will be nominated for nine Academy Awards.
First American Red Cross service club in France opens, Club Victoire in Cherbourg.
Adolf Hitler showing Benito Mussolini the wreckage after the unsuccessful assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler, Wolfsschanze, Rastenburg, Germany, late July 1944 (German Federal Archive: Bild 146-1969-071A-03)
The post Today in World War II History—July 20, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.
July 19, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 19, 1944
Japanese-American troops of 100th Infantry Battalion of US 442nd Regimental Combat Team resting in Livorno, Italy, 19 July 1944 (Hawaii War Records Depository: 1616l)
80 Years Ago—July 19, 1944: Democratic convention opens in Chicago; President Roosevelt will be nominated for an unprecedented fourth term on July 20, Sen. Harry Truman will be nominated for vice president on July 21.
US Fifth Army takes crucial port of Leghorn (Livorno), Italy, with little opposition, but Germans have destroyed the harbor.
The post Today in World War II History—July 19, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.July 18, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 18, 1944
Two French boys watch as Allied vehicles pass through the ruins of Saint-Lô, France, July-August 1944 (US National Archives: USA C-2242)
80 Years Ago—July 18, 1944: Japanese Prime Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo resigns with his whole cabinet.
In Normandy, British Second Army breaks out of Caen in the biggest British tank battle of WWII (200 British tanks & 100 German tanks lost).
Allies send over 2000 bombers to the Caen area in the largest ground support operation to date.
In Normandy, US First Army takes critical crossroads town of Saint-Lȏ.
The post Today in World War II History—July 18, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.July 17, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 17, 1944
Damage at US Naval Magazine, Port Chicago, CA, from explosion 17 July 1944 (US Naval History and Heritage Command: NH 96823)
80 Years Ago—July 17, 1944: Port Chicago Explosion: freighters E.A. Bryan and Quinalt Victory explode at the US Naval Magazine in Port Chicago, CA, killing 322 (mostly Black sailors) in the largest US home front disaster of the war; the resulting controversy exposes discrimination in the armed forces and leads to the desegregation of the Navy.
In Normandy, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel is injured by a strafing RAF Spitfire.
First-ever use of napalm, by US P-38 Lightnings, on a fuel dump at Coutances, France.
To read more about the Port Chicago Explosion, please see my blog series:
1) Segregation in the armed forces and the situation at Port Chicago.
5) The aftermath and desegregation of the US Navy
The post Today in World War II History—July 17, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.July 16, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 16, 1944
Lt. Gen. Jacob Devers (US Army Center of Military History)
80 Years Ago—July 16, 1944: Allied Sixth Army Group (US Seventh Army & French First Army) is established under Lt. Gen. Jacob Devers for Operation Anvil, the invasion of Southern France (later named Operation Dragoon).
Lt. Cdr. R.B. Goodwin of New Zealand escapes a Japanese POW camp in Hong Kong and swims to mainland China, the only man to escape from Hong Kong.
The post Today in World War II History—July 16, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.July 15, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 15, 1944
Sergeants Kalle Niemelä and Heino Nikulassi of Finnish Infantry Regiment 12 near Tali-Ihantala, Finland, 30 June 1944 (Finnish Wartime Photograph Archive: 155431)
80 Years Ago—July 15, 1944: Finnish forces stop the Soviet advance in the Karelian Isthmus.
US Navy PB4Y Liberators bomb Iwo Jima, Chichi Jima, and Haha Jima.
The post Today in World War II History—July 15, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.July 14, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 14, 1944
B-17 of US 94th Bomb Group drops supplies to French Resistance in Vercors region, 14 July 1944 (US Army Air Force photo)
80 Years Ago—July 14, 1944: On Bastille Day, US Eighth Air Force B-17s make a supply drop to resistance forces in France.
Glenn Miller first performs at an airfield in England—for the 306th Bombardment Group in a hangar at Thurleigh with 3500 in attendance.
Japanese conscript women ages 12-40 for war work.
In California, Shasta Dam opens.
The post Today in World War II History—July 14, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.July 13, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 13, 1944
Native litter bearers evacuate an American casualty across the Driniumor River in New Guinea, 1944. (US Center of Military History)
80 Years Ago—July 13, 1944: On New Guinea near Aitape, US troops push back to Driniumor River, dividing the Japanese 18th Army.
German Ju 88 night-fighter mistakenly lands at RAF Woodbridge in England, revealing secrets of Luftwaffe FuG Flensburg equipment which homed in on British radar.
In Normandy, US generals Bradley & Gerow observe hedgerow-cutting device improvised by 102nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron and put it into production to attach to tanks.
The Mayo Clinic announces that cigarettes may harm wounded men due to vasoconstriction.
US tank, modified with iron teeth, cuts through the bocage (hedgerows) in Normandy, France, July 1944 (US Army Center of Military History)
The post Today in World War II History—July 13, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.July 12, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 12, 1944
Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr. in his Jeep “Rough Rider,” Normandy, June 1944 (Library of Congress: LC-USZ62-99501)
80 Years Ago—July 12, 1944: Brig. Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., son of the former president, dies of a heart attack in Normandy, age 56; he had landed with his troops on Utah Beach on D-day.
US Office of Naval History is established.
The post Today in World War II History—July 12, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.July 11, 2024
Today in World War II History—July 11, 1944
Captured German Fourth Army being paraded through Moscow, 17 July 1944 (Russian Archives)
80 Years Ago—July 11, 1944: Soviets capture the surrounded German 4th Army near Minsk in Byelorussia and take 37,000 POWs.
The post Today in World War II History—July 11, 1944 first appeared on Sarah Sundin.
