Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 95

Today in World War II History—April 30, 1943

US troops advancing near Hill 609 in Tunisia, 28 April 1943 (US Army Center of Military History)

80 Years Ago—Apr. 30, 1943: In Tunisia, US II Corps takes Hill 609 en route to Mateur.

Operation Mincemeat: submarine HMS Seraph puts a corpse dressed as a Royal Marine officer into the sea off Spain, with phony papers detailing an Allied invasion of Greece—as a diversion from the actual planned invasion of Sicily; the Spanish send the papers to the Germans, who fall for the ruse.

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Today in World War II History—April 29, 1943

US poster, 1943 (US Office of War Information O-520464)

80 Years Ago—Apr. 29, 1943: US War Labor Board demands equal pay for equal work for women in war industries, retroactive to April 5.

US Civil Air Patrol is transferred from the Office of Civilian Defense to the War Department as an Army Air Force auxiliary.

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Today in World War II History—April 28, 1943

“Hedgehog” anti-submarine mortar on destroyer HMS Westcott, 1945, a weapon used by escort ships in battle of convoy ONS-5 (Imperial War Museum: A 31000)

80 Years Ago—Apr. 28, 1943: Allied Atlantic convoy ONS-5 begins battle with U-boats: by May 6, six U-boats and thirteen Allied ships will be sunk; the battle is considered a crucial turning point in the Battle of the Atlantic.

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Today in World War II History—April 27, 1943

Brig. Orde Wingate in India after returning from operations in Japanese-occupied Burma with his Chindits unit in 1943 (Imperial War Museum: IND 2237)

80 Years Ago—Apr. 27, 1943: Radar-jamming devices become operational in eastern England.

British & Indian Chindits cross the Chindwin River in return to India from raids in Burma.

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Today in World War II History—April 26, 1943

Wendell Willkie, 3 March 1940 (Library of Congress: cph.3a38684)

80 Years Ago—Apr. 26, 1943: British take Longstop Hill in drive for Tunis, Tunisia.

One World by former Republican presidential candidate Wendell Willkie tops the bestseller list.

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Today in World War II History—April 25, 1943

Hill complex in Sidi Nsir area, 1943 (US Army Center of Military History)

80 Years Ago—Apr. 25, 1943: In Tunisia, US II Corps takes Hill 438 near Sedjanane after heavy fighting, and takes three hills near Sidi Nsir.

On Easter Sunday, Britain allows ringing of church bells, officially only to be rung in case of invasion.

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Today in World War II History—April 24, 1943

Women’s Flying Training Detachment class 43-3, January 1943, Houston Municipal Airport, TX (Photo by Lois Hailey, public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Apr. 24, 1943: US 99th Fighter Squadron arrives in Casablanca to serve with the US Twelfth Air Force, the first Black USAAF unit to serve overseas.

First Women’s Flying Training Detachment class (precursor of WASPs) graduates from flight training.

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Today in World War II History—April 23, 1943

Norfolk House, St. James’s Square, London, September 2017 (Photo: Sarah Sundin)

80 Years Ago—Apr. 23, 1943: US II Corps launches final drive in Tunisia, aiming for Mateur and Bizerte.

Allied Combined Chiefs of Staff establishes COSSAC (Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander) for planning the invasion of western Europe (D-day), under Lt. Gen. Sir Frederick Morgan, based at Norfolk House in London.

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Today in World War II History—April 22, 1943

US Navy PBY Catalina on patrol, 1942-43 (US Navy photo: 80-G-K-14896)

80 Years Ago—Apr. 22, 1943: US Navy PBY Catalinas based in Iceland and Greenland drive off U-boats threatening Allied convoy HX-234.

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Today in World War II History—April 21, 1943

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

80 Years Ago—Apr. 21, 1943: Adm. Mineichi Koga replaces Yamamoto as commander of Japanese Combined Fleet.

Capt. Frederick M. Trapnell makes the first jet flight by a US naval aviator, in a Bell XP-59A Airacomet at Muroc Army Air Field, CA.

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