Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 80

Today in World War II History—September 15, 1943

With USS LST-1 in the background, US Army Engineers haul a roll of wire mesh to make a beach roadway, Salerno, Italy, September 1943 (US National Archives: USA C-276)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 15, 1943: US and British forces repulse German attacks at Salerno, Italy, and secure the beachhead.

Germans announce death penalty for Italians caught with firearms.

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Today in World War II History—September 14, 1943

US guards at the Temple of Neptune, Paestum, Italy, which served as US Fifth Army HQ after the landings at Salerno, Italy, September 1943 (US National Archives)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 14, 1943: At Salerno, Italy, US repels German counterattack. Meanwhile, British Eighth Army progresses to control “heel” and “toe” of Italy.

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Today in World War II History—September 13, 1943

USS LST-1 landing US troops on a beach near Salerno, Italy, September 1943 (US National Archives: USA C-175)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 13, 1943: At Salerno, Italy, Germans counterattack down the Sele River and drive to within 3 miles of the beach, and paratroopers of the US 82nd Airborne are dropped behind US lines near Paestum as reinforcements.

British hospital ship Newfoundland is sunk by the Luftwaffe off Salerno, Italy; 23 killed, including all physicians and 6 nurses.

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Today in World War II History—September 12, 1943

Otto Skorzeny, Harald Mors, and Benito Mussolini in front of Hotel Campo Imperatore, Gran Sasso, Italy, 12 Sept 1943 (German Federal Archive: Bild 101I-567-1503C-15)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 12, 1943: German SS detachment in gliders rescues Mussolini from Gran Sasso, where he was imprisoned by the Italian government.

In New Guinea, Australians take Salamaua and its airfield.

US War Ration Book Three becomes active (Read more: “Make It Do – Meat and Cheese Rationing in World War II”).

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Today in World War II History—September 11, 1943

Light cruiser USS Savannah immediately after being hit by German FX-1400 bomb in Salerno Bay, Italy, 11 September 1943 (US National Archives: SC 364342)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 11, 1943: Germans finish occupation of Rome & northern Italy, capturing most of Italian army.

Light cruiser USS Savannah is damaged by a German FX-1400 guided bomb off Salerno, Italy, 206 killed.

New song in Top Ten: “Paper Doll.”

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Today in World War II History—September 10, 1943

Italian fleet steaming into Malta to surrender to the Allies, 10 September 1943 (US National Archives: SC 188574)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 10, 1943: Naval battle of the Mediterranean concludes as the Italian fleet arrives at Malta & surrenders to the Allies.

British X Corps secures Salerno town in Italy.

On New Guinea, Australians begin push from Nadzab to Lae.

At the “Frau Solf Tea Party,” a Gestapo agent infiltrates the anti-Nazi Solf Circle at a Berlin tea party; all members will be arrested in January 1944, most will be killed except Hanna Solf, widow of the former ambassador to Japan, by special request from Japan.

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Today in World War II History—September 9, 1943

US Fifth Army landing via LST at Paestum in Salerno Bay, Italy, 9 September 1943 (US National Archives: SC 181224)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 9, 1943: Operation Avalanche: US Fifth Army and British X Corps land at Salerno, Italy, while British Eighth Army lands at Taranto.

Italian fleet departs La Spezia, Genoa, and Taranto as Germans occupy the country; Italians scuttle warships that can’t sail.

German Luftwaffe sinks Italian battleship Roma as it tries to escape, 1253 killed.

Esther Forbes’s classic children’s book Johnny Tremain is published.

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Today in World War II History—September 8, 1943

US troops en route to landing beaches at Salerno, Italy cheer the Italian surrender, 8 September 1943 (US Center for Military History)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 8, 1943: Eisenhower announces secretly negotiated Italian surrender at 6:30 pm, 9 hours before the Allied landings at Salerno and Taranto.

Germans activate Operation Achse (occupying Italy and Italian-occupied French Riviera) at 8 pm, entering Rome and taking over the Italian coastal division at Salerno.

On Corsica, civilians rise up against the Italians and occupy capital of Ajaccio.

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Today in World War II History—September 7, 1943

Wedding of Orson Welles and Rita Hayworth, with Joseph Cotten as best man, Santa Monica, CA, 7 September 1943 (International News Photo, public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 7, 1943: German 17th Army begins evacuating the Kuban bridgehead in southern Russia as the Soviets advance.

Off Salerno, Italy, sub HMS Shakespeare sinks Italian sub Velella, the last Italian sub lost to enemy action; all others will surrender to the Allies the following day.

Actor Orson Welles marries actress Rita Hayworth.

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Today in World War II History—September 6, 1943

1953 Bowman baseball card of Carl Scheib of the Philadelphia Athletics (public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 6, 1943: New high-speed Congressional Limited train derails at Frankford Junction, Philadelphia, PA, 79 killed.

Carl Scheib, age 16, becomes the youngest pitcher in the American League, playing for the Philadelphia A’s.

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