Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 59

Today in World War II History—March 31, 1944

Adm. Mineichi Koga, 1940s (public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Mar. 31, 1944: Vice Adm. Mineichi Koga, Commander-in-Chief of Japanese Combined Fleet, is killed in a plane crash on Mindanao in the Philippines.

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Today in World War II History—March 30, 1944

Peleliu Island under attack by aircraft of US Navy Task Force 58 (note F6F fighter in flight), 30 March 1944 (US National Museum of Naval Aviation: 1987.096.001.026)

80 Years Ago—Mar. 30, 1944: RAF loses 95 of 795 bombers on raid to Nuremberg, Germany, its heaviest loss in the war.

Japanese surround major British base of Imphal, India.

US Navy’s Task Force 58 with 11 carriers begins a 3-day air strike against the Caroline Islands in the Central Pacific; it will destroy 150 Japanese aircraft at a cost of 20 US aircraft, and will sink over 40 ships and vessels.

RAF Lancaster B Mark Is of No. 50 Squadron, based at Skellingthorpe, flying in spread formation, 26 August 1943 (Imperial War Museum: TR 1156)

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Today in World War II History—March 29, 1944

Flight nurse based in Prestwick, Scotland, preparing patients for transatlantic flight, 1944 (USAF photo)

80 Years Ago—Mar. 29, 1944: Countdown to D-day: US expands North Atlantic medical air evacuation to move 200 patients per day, clearing hospitals in England for D-day (Read more: “Medical Air Evacuation in World War II”).

Japanese cut Imphal-Kohima road in India.

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Today in World War II History—March 28, 1944

Poster for Australia’s First Victory Loan, March 28-May 9, 1944 (Australian War Memorial: ARTV10405)

80 Years Ago—Mar. 28, 1944: Germans begin evacuation of Odessa, Ukraine.

Soviets take Nikolaev, Romania, on the Black Sea.

Headquarters US XX Bomber Command (B-29 Superfortress bombers) arrives at Kharagpur, India, under Maj. Gen. Kenneth Wolfe.

Australia launches first Victory Loan drive to raise £150 million.

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Today in World War II History—March 27, 1944

Raupenschlepper Ost prime mover attempts to tow a 150-mm heavy field howitzer sFH 18 in spring mud in Kamenets-Podolsky pocket in Ukraine, March 1944 (German Federal Archive: Bild 101I-023-3496-29)

80 Years Ago—Mar. 27, 1944: Soviets take Kamianets-Podilskyi in Ukraine as they work to close the “Kamenets-Podolsky pocket.”

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Today in World War II History—March 26, 1944

New Zealand troops guard German POWs at Cassino, Italy, March 1944 (German Federal Archive: Bild 146-1975-014-31)

80 Years Ago—Mar. 26, 1944: In Italy, the New Zealand Corps is disbanded at Cassino and sent to the Adriatic Coast to recover.

Soviets reach River Pruth at the Romanian border.

Germans and Milice (pro-Nazi French police) attack Maquis (French resistance) hideout on Glières Plateau in Haute-Savoie region, causing over 400 Maquis to scatter; 125 Maquis killed or executed, 700 Germans & 150 Milice killed.

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Today in World War II History—March 25, 1944

Map of Japanese and Allied airfields in the Southwest Pacific Area, April 1944 (Source: US Air Force)

80 Years Ago—Mar. 25, 1944: On New Guinea, heavy US Fifth Air Force bombing at Wewak causes Japanese to move air headquarters to Hollandia.

US secures Manus in the Admiralty Islands in the Pacific.

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Today in World War II History—March 24, 1944

German troops and Italian collaborators round up civilians in front of the Palazzo Barberini, Rome, 23 March 1944, before the Ardeatine Caves Massacre (German Federal Archive: Bild 101I-312-0983-05)

80 Years Ago—Mar. 24, 1944: Ardeatine Caves Massacre—Nazis kill 335 Italian civilians in reprisal for partisan bombing in Rome the day before.

“The Great Escape”—76 Allied airmen escape from German POW camp Stalag Luft III near Sagan; 50 are recaptured and murdered, 3 escape to Allied or neutral territory.

Countdown to D-day: Allies decide to postpone Operation Anvil (invasion of southern France) to free up more landing craft for Operation Overlord (landings in Normandy).

The word “gobbledygook” is invented, used in a memorandum from US Smaller War Plants Corporation director Maury Maverick promoting short and plain writing.

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Today in World War II History—March 23, 1944

B-25 of the US 340th Bombardment Group at Pompeii Airfield, covered with volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, 23 March 1944 (USAF Photo)

80 Years Ago—Mar. 23, 1944: Italian partisan bombing decimates a German SS police unit in Rome, 33 Germans & 10 Italian civilians are killed.

Volcanic ash from Vesuvius destroys almost all (about 80) B-25 Mitchell medium bombers of the US 340th Bombardment Group at Pompeii Airfield in Italy.

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Today in World War II History—March 22, 1944

Poster explaining US gasoline rationing cards in WWII

80 Years Ago—Mar. 22, 1944: New Zealanders make final assault on Monte Cassino, Italy, which fails.

RAF bombing raid to Frankfurt destroys the Altstadt (old town), and the house of Goethe’s birth is destroyed on the anniversary of his birth.

In US, “A” gas rationing cards (basic passenger car ration) are cut from three gallons per week to two gallons. Read more: “Make It Do—Gasoline Rationing in World War II”

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