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 (1939-1945) WWII
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GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/27/2023 2:32:34 PM
The World War II Database website lists a large number of events that occurred on this day. I've copied and pasted a few to give as examples. Some may find this as interesting as I do.

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The Lockheed XP-38 fighter made its maiden flight. The flight lasted just 24 minutes but the prototype was damaged on landing.

515 Lancaster and 15 Mosquito aircraft of the RAF attacked Berlin, Germany; 33 Lancaster bombers were lost.

The 872-day siege of Leningrad, Russia was relieved by Soviet forces after suffering 200,000 military and 1,200,000 civilian deaths. The German 18.Armee in the region was withdrawn to the Luga River

The USAAF struck Germany proper for the first time as B-17 and B-24 bombers attacked Emden and Wilhelmshaven. ww2dbase

At 0318 hours, destroyers HMS Thanet and HMAS Vampire engaged Japanese cruiser Sendai and six destroyers, which were protecting the troop transports that the two Allied destroyers were aiming to sink, off British Malaya

100 miles off Java, HMS Indomitable launched the 48 RAF Hurricane fighters that she was transporting. These fighters would fly to Java and Dutch Borneo; they were intended to ultimately reach Singapore to bolster defenses there.

Eamon de Valera, Premier of Ireland, protested the arrival of US troops in Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom. ww2dbase

Gary

OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1887
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/27/2023 4:14:26 PM
Need years to go with the entries.
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/27/2023 4:16:46 PM
Quote:
Need years to go with the entries.

If you look at the link it will show the years. I only did a quick copy and paste.

Gary
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1887
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/27/2023 6:52:41 PM
Sorry, I have links turned off. Messes with my eyes. B&W only most of the time. Cheers and thanks for the work on this.
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4719
Joined: 2004
Today in World War II
1/27/2023 8:41:12 PM
Gary, what a great idea!

The P-38 was, IIRC, one hell of an a/c that came close to being too revolutionary for its time. Counter-rotating props were just the start; add a tricycle landing configuration, the tail booms and the twin turbos and you’ve got a lot of innovation in one a/c. I sense that the problems arose with nearly all aspects of servicing: facilities; parts; ground crew training and capabilities. Anybody out there confirm that assessment?

The RAF purchased a number of P-38s for service as early as 1939, but ordered them without the counter-rotation and (I believe) without turbo-charging. In that configuration, the P-38 was a dud. Unlike some other splendid US-built a/c, the RAF pretty much abandoned the P-38s it had bought, and continued (hope over experience!) work on the Westland Whirlwind, a fast and (for the time) heavily armed twin fighter. The engine for the Whirlwind (the Rolls-Royce Peregrine) never met expectations, and the Whirlwind was dropped by 1940 with just over 100 built. The US continued building P-38s, bringing some 10,000 on strength by the end of the war.

Cheers
Brian G
----------------------------------
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1887
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/27/2023 9:16:22 PM
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/air-space-magazine/glacier-girl-the-back-story-19218360/
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4719
Joined: 2004
Today in World War II
1/27/2023 9:32:42 PM
Quote:
515 Lancaster and 15 Mosquito aircraft of the RAF attacked Berlin, Germany; 33 Lancaster bombers were lost.
OP? 1944. It was one of the many RAF BC ops against Berlin begun in the late Fall of 1943. Bomber Harris saw this as a decisive battle which should lead to Nazi collapse; within two months,he and BC were hauled (kicking and screaming) from what is now considered by most the Battle of Berlin. They were needed as part of the communications/transportation offensive in preparation for Overlord. Harris did not acquiesce, and was obstinate to the point where he was told to obey or lose his command. (Or something like it; he was being clearly insubordinate, pushed his defiance far beyond acceptable levels.)

This particular raid was typical of many of the Berlin raids during the Battle of Berlin. Relatively ineffective bombing under heavy cloud cover. The percentage a/c loss (at 6.7%) was also pretty typical.
Quote:
The USAAF struck Germany proper for the first time as B-17 and B-24 bombers attacked Emden and Wilhelmshaven.
OP? 1943

The first US raid against occupied Europe was on July 4, 1942. It was a combined USAAF/RAF raid of small size and relatively little importance, comprising a small number RAF and USAAF medium bombers (as I recall), and it was meant as a patriotic “blooding” of US forces. IIRC, the US lost 50% of their a/c, but gained a great deal of experience. Actual a/c losses were small.

Cheers
Brian G
----------------------------------
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/28/2023 9:29:31 AM
On January 28 a few events listed in the World War II Data Base.

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1938: Franklin Roosevelt requested funding from the United States Congress to build a "Two-Ocean Navy".

1943: The US Army announced a plan to form a special Nisei combat team from Americans of Japanese parentage. Within days they receive over 10,000 volunteers for only 2,500 places.

1944: 677 RAF aircraft (432 Lancaster, 241 Halifax, and 4 Mosquito) attacked Berlin, Germany; 46 aircraft were lost.

1945: USAAF pilot Major Fredrick Austin Borsodi was killed when the tail of his YP-80A jet fighter disintegrated, causing the aircraft to crash at RAF Burtonwood near Warrington, Cheshire, England, United Kingdom. It was due to the failure of exhaust pipes in the tail section of the aircraft.

1945: The Ardennes bulge was finally pushed back to its original lines, thus ending the Battle of the Bulge.

Here is more on the YP-80A Shoooting Star from the This Day in Aviation History website.

[Read More]

Gary
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/29/2023 12:07:57 PM
A few items from today, January 29, in world war 2 listed at the World War II Data Base.

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In 1937 the British placed an order for the Handley Page later named the Hampden.

The prototype of the B-25 Mitchell first flew in 1939. Unfortunately it was considered unstable and under-powered.

The prototype of the Russian Tu-2 medium bomber first flew in 1941.

In 1941 Britain and the US held secret talks on the staff level of possible US involvement in the war.

In 1942 it became possible to move Lend-Lease supplies through Iran following the invasion of Iran by both the USSR and Britain.

In 1942 Churchill won a vote of confidence in Parliament by a vote of 464 to 1. The lone vote against was from James Maxton.

In 1943 the 10th anniversary celebration of the Nazi party in Berlin was abruptly interrupted when six RAF Mosquito aircraft attacked Berlin with the expressed purpose of spoiling the Nazi celebration.

In 1943 the US captured the 5 digit code book of the Japanese.

There are lots more in the World War II Data Base site listed at the top.

If anyone wants to add events or comment on those listed please do so.

Gary
DT509er
Santa Rosa CA USA
Posts: 1456
Joined: 2005
Today in World War II
1/29/2023 2:49:50 PM
Quote:
The prototype of the B-25 Mitchell first flew in 1939. Unfortunately it was considered unstable and under-powered.

Gary


Being that it was a prototype in 1939 and that the Army initially insisted on a engine setup used by the C-47 and the wing structure was positioned higher up on the fuselage, the refinement of engine upgrades, lowering the wing placement and the Mitchell's relatively ease and low production cost, made the B-25 the second longest fighting aircraft for the US in WWII.

The F4 Corsair had issues, the P-51/Mk I's used by the RAF were underpowered, heck even in Italy the A-36 Apaches role was modified due to performance, meaning, its fairly typical prototypes are given the moniker, 'prototype/test' platforms. Once the money started coming in along with flight/operational data, performance tests could be conducted allowing for modification upgrades, which in the case of the B-25 led to the establishment of one of the finest and efficient fighting aircraft in WWII.

And, where did this occur and what was the significance of the; "captured the 5 digit code book of the Japanese."

Dan


----------------------------------
"American parachutists-devils in baggy pants..." German officer, Italy 1944. “If your experiment needs statistics, you ought to have done a better experiment.” Lord Ernest Rutherford
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/29/2023 2:59:15 PM
Dan,

Quote:
And, where did this occur and what was the significance of the; "captured the 5 digit code book of the Japanese."


I have no idea and was hoping that OpanaPointer had some info on this. He seems well informed on the Pacific War.

Gary
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4719
Joined: 2004
Today in World War II
1/29/2023 5:22:28 PM
A slightly different read on:Quote:
In 1942 it became possible to move Lend-Lease supplies through Iran following the invasion of Iran by both the USSR and Britain.
This comes from 2194 Days of War, p 214:
Great Britain and the USSR sign a treaty of alliance with Iran, by which Iran undertakes to remain neutral; British and Russian troops will be withdrawn from the country six months after the end of the war with the Axis powers. The ‘Persian corridor’ is to be come one of the main routes by which supplies from the Western Allies reached the USSR.

Interesting how different the two readings of the same event sound!

Cheers
Brian G
----------------------------------
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/29/2023 7:20:08 PM
Brian,

It is interesting how different the same event can be stated. The actual invasion took place in August, 1941 and the Iranians offered little resistance. The shah abdicated and his young son replaced him. January 29, 1942 is the date when Iran officially agreed to be neutral and allow the movement of supplies to transit Iranian territory to Russia. Of course, the Iranians had no choice in the matter.

The old shah had favored Germans over British technicians in the country and there was concern that Iran would openly embrace Germany. A coup in Iraq with German inspiration had brought to power a leader who supported Germany and the British had moved to remove him. The British had demanded that Iran expel the Germans in Iran and when that was refused the invasion resulted.

After the US entered the war some US troops also entered Iran. I don't know how many. Both the British and US troops left Iran by the beginning of 1946. Perhaps not surprisingly to some the Russians were still there. There was some concern they would not leave, but under pressure from the US and Britain they left in May, 1946. I may be slightly off on when they exactly left but they did finally leave.

Gary
Michigan Dave
Muskegon MI USA
Posts: 8085
Joined: 2006
Today in World War II
1/29/2023 7:22:09 PM
Hi Gary, great WWII daily website, thanks for posting it!? I'm hoping for a detailed entry on the 1st US Cavalry's work against the IJA in New Guinea, & the Philippines, where my late father John was very much involved!

Also OP put your Smithsonian history site with the article on the P38, Glacier Girl, into an easy "read more".

I am currently reading " Frozen in time" by Mitchell Zuckoff, who writes of lost aircraft over Greenland during WWII, & the incredible & sometimes tragic rescue attempts!?

Now in modern times if they recover these historic aircraft, they are in immaculate condition!?

What say you?
Thanks,
MD

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----------------------------------
"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/30/2023 10:13:48 AM
A small number of items that happened on January 30 from the World War II Data Base.

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1937: Hitler stated the neutrality of The Netherlands and Belgium would be guaranteed by Germany.

1941: Germany stated any ship no matter the nationality would be attacked if it tried to bring supplies to Britain.

1943: In the Solomon Islands the Japanese won the Battle of Rennell Island and sunk the USS Chicago.

1943: Using two squadrons of Mosquito aircraft the RAF conducted its first daylight raid on Berlin.

1944: The difficulty of identifying ships under radio silence in extremely bad weather in the North Atlantic was demonstrated when the Canadian merchant cruiser HMCS Prince Henry was almost fired on by planes and escorts from the escort carrier USS Card. Only when an escorting destroyer came close to the Prince Henry was the correct identification made. From my reading elsewhere it seems that the Prince Henry may have had on board 250 British schoolchildren going home from Bermuda after having been evacuated during the Blitz.

Gary
DT509er
Santa Rosa CA USA
Posts: 1456
Joined: 2005
Today in World War II
1/30/2023 1:33:16 PM
Quote:
Dan,

Quote:
And, where did this occur and what was the significance of the; "captured the 5 digit code book of the Japanese."


I have no idea and was hoping that OpanaPointer had some info on this. He seems well informed on the Pacific War.

Gary


I found this, I am guessing this may be the captured books you mentioned:

The Japanese submarine, I-1 started the war off Hawaii, and shelled the harbor at Hilo. Later, she patrolled the East Indies, then witnessed the Doolittle raid on Tokyo, before patrolling the Aleutians. Adapted to a cargo role, her after 14cm gun was removed to make room for a 46-foot daihatsu barge. On a supply mission to Guadalcanal, she was attacked by the New Zealand frigates Kiwi and Moa and, after a 90-minute battle, sank just off the beach on 29 January 1943. The (submarine) crew took the current code books ashore, but left past and future codes aboard. Her bow remained out of the water, so the Japanese tried to destroy the boat by demolition, submarine torpedo, and air attack, but all attempts failed. The US Navy salvaged remaining code books, charts, manuals, and the ship's log, a total of 200,000 pages of intelligence booty.



----------------------------------
"American parachutists-devils in baggy pants..." German officer, Italy 1944. “If your experiment needs statistics, you ought to have done a better experiment.” Lord Ernest Rutherford
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1887
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/30/2023 2:24:56 PM
Hyperwar has her listed here: https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USN/SubLosses/SS_losses-japanese.html
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/30/2023 3:06:31 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Dan,

Quote:
And, where did this occur and what was the significance of the; "captured the 5 digit code book of the Japanese."


I have no idea and was hoping that OpanaPointer had some info on this. He seems well informed on the Pacific War.

Gary


I found this, I am guessing this may be the captured books you mentioned:

The Japanese submarine, I-1 started the war off Hawaii, and shelled the harbor at Hilo. Later, she patrolled the East Indies, then witnessed the Doolittle raid on Tokyo, before patrolling the Aleutians. Adapted to a cargo role, her after 14cm gun was removed to make room for a 46-foot daihatsu barge. On a supply mission to Guadalcanal, she was attacked by the New Zealand frigates Kiwi and Moa and, after a 90-minute battle, sank just off the beach on 29 January 1943. The (submarine) crew took the current code books ashore, but left past and future codes aboard. Her bow remained out of the water, so the Japanese tried to destroy the boat by demolition, submarine torpedo, and air attack, but all attempts failed. The US Navy salvaged remaining code books, charts, manuals, and the ship's log, a total of 200,000 pages of intelligence booty.



Thanks. That does look like what we're looking for

Gary
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4719
Joined: 2004
Today in World War II
1/30/2023 7:53:46 PM
To elaborate a bit on Quote:
[30 Jan] 1943: Using two squadrons of Mosquito aircraft the RAF conducted its first daylight raid on Berlin.

It wasn’t two squadrons of Mosquitoes, but two two separate formations of 3 Mosquitoes for a total of six aircraft. Three were with 105 Sqdn; three from 139 Sqdn.

30 Jan was a special date in Nazi hagiography. On this date in 1933 President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor of Germany. The date was usually celebrated in some fashion. In 1943, two (I believe public) speeches were planned for Berlin. Goering would speak in the morning; later in the day Goebbels would offer another oration. Both were in praise of the 1000-year Reich. The Mossies too were on their own propaganda mission. The three morning Mossies, timed to appear over Berlin at Goering’s speech time, bombed on cue and caused sufficient upset that Goering’s speech was postponed for an hour. None of the three Mossies from this raid was lost. The afternoon Mossies were less fortunate in their attack, in that one aircraft was lost.

There is a certain irony in that the German assault on Stalingrad was about to implode.

Cheers
Brian G
----------------------------------
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/30/2023 8:44:26 PM
Quote:
To elaborate a bit on Quote:
[30 Jan] 1943: Using two squadrons of Mosquito aircraft the RAF conducted its first daylight raid on Berlin.

It wasn’t two squadrons of Mosquitoes, but two two separate formations of 3 Mosquitoes for a total of six aircraft. Three were with 105 Sqdn; three from 139 Sqdn.

30 Jan was a special date in Nazi hagiography. On this date in 1933 President Paul von Hindenburg appointed Hitler Chancellor of Germany. The date was usually celebrated in some fashion. In 1943, two (I believe public) speeches were planned for Berlin. Goering would speak in the morning; later in the day Goebbels would offer another oration. Both were in praise of the 1000-year Reich. The Mossies too were on their own propaganda mission. The three morning Mossies, timed to appear over Berlin at Goering’s speech time, bombed on cue and caused sufficient upset that Goering’s speech was postponed for an hour. None of the three Mossies from this raid was lost. The afternoon Mossies were less fortunate in their attack, in that one aircraft was lost.

There is a certain irony in that the German assault on Stalingrad was about to implode.

Cheers
Brian G


Brian,

Thanks for the clarification of this attack. The World War II Data Base had the attack by the six Mosquitos as happening on January 29 and I listed that yesterday. So in truth it happened on January 30. Was that attack the first daylight attack by the RAF on Berlin?

Gary
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/30/2023 9:26:06 PM
Brian,

I checked the Bomber Command Campaign Diary for January 1943 and it does state that this raid was the first daylight attack on Berlin.

Gary
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
1/31/2023 10:02:51 AM
A few events from WWII.

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1940: Britain secretly tried to buy fighters from Italy while it was not yet at war. Germany stopped the sale.

1942: The German siege of Leningrad continued with more than 200,000 civilians dying during the month of starvation, disease, and illness. Cannibalism was reported.

1942: The main causeway linking Singapore to the mainland was destroyed.

1943: German troops in Stalingrad begin to surrender after running out of food and ammunition.

1943: On the night of January 30/31 the RAF bombed Hamburg, or at least tried to, with 148 aircraft. The pathfinders used the H2S ground radar scanner system for the first time, but it proved less than successful.

Gary
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4719
Joined: 2004
Today in World War II
1/31/2023 8:32:28 PM
Gary, I’ll try to do some checking, but I believe this is the first daylight raid by RAF BC.

At least some of RAF’s bombers had the range to reach Berlin from the onset of war. But just before Sept 1939 Bomber Command released 1 Group (I believe) for duty on the continent, as an air support unit. Other Groups of BC remained stationed on Britain’s east coast (with very little exception) throughout the war. though they freed up bases in the easternmost counties to accomodate the relatively short legs of the USAAF B-17s.

Point 1. Had Bomber Command wished to attack Berlin, they would have needed to fly (which really means “navigate”) around Holland and Belgium (not sure about Denmark), which maintained strict neutrality by disallowing British or French to overfly their territory. This added great distance to any flight which might have aimed at Berlin, which at the time would not have been a legitimate target in itself

Point 2. Early forays by RAF BC, both by day and night, were centred on ports and military facilities running across northern Germany, more or less from Bremen to Kiel. Most of these were daylight raids (Britain had little training, skill or equipment for night flying at the time). Most ops were largely both ineffective and expensive. Targets were restricted to military objects, bomb aiming was still primitive, and defensive capabilities on a/c were inadequate. BC losses were often severe, and by late January most heavy bombers (at that point in the war, the Wellington, Whitley and Hambden) were switching to night ops. The lighter bombers – the Bristols (I and IV) – were used for recon and naval patrols. They would not have ground targets until after May 10, 1940.

So that daylight raid on 30 Jan 1943, by six Mosquitos, was – IMHO – almost certainly a propaganda stunt of some significance. The Mosquito entered service only in 1941, with further models brought into service in 1942. It was a “stealth” a/c made almost entirely of wood. It could outfly most of its opponents, and could outgun others. It was hard to pick up or identify, even on Frea/Herzberg systems. I believe it was not until mid-summer 1944 that RAF BC Main Force broke with exclusive night ops, and began to implement day raids again. A few BC squadrons, hived off from Main Force, were experimenting with small raids in the afternoon against specific targets (these were largely borne out of the success of 617 Sqdn), but Harris was somewhat uncomfortable with such “elite” formations.

Cheers
Brian G
----------------------------------
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
Michigan Dave
Muskegon MI USA
Posts: 8085
Joined: 2006
Today in World War II
2/1/2023 9:51:26 AM
Hi Gary,

In checking your site yesterday, I found the US 1st Cavalry was involved in taking back the Philippines in this time frame! My dad was wounded in the operation, (he was a scout for his unit, working with Native Americans), receiving his 2nd Purple Heart Medal. Just curious what weapon was standard issue for IJA Infantry? He was lucky that most Japanese Infantry men didn't have automatic weapons!? Or I might not be here??

Thanks for your thread!
MD
----------------------------------
"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1887
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/1/2023 9:56:37 AM
http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJA/HB/
Michigan Dave
Muskegon MI USA
Posts: 8085
Joined: 2006
Today in World War II
2/1/2023 10:29:49 AM
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Thanks, OP,
----------------------------------
"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/1/2023 2:20:43 PM
Quote:
Hi Gary,

In checking your site yesterday, I found the US 1st Cavalry was involved in taking back the Philippines in this time frame! My dad was wounded in the operation, (he was a scout for his unit, working with Native Americans), receiving his 2nd Purple Heart Medal. Just curious what weapon was standard issue for IJA Infantry? He was lucky that most Japanese Infantry men didn't have automatic weapons!? Or I might not be here??

Thanks for your thread!
MD


MD,

Did any of your father's injuries effect his life after the war?

Gary
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/1/2023 2:22:36 PM
A few more events on WWII from the World War II Date Base.

[Read More]

1940: In the war between Finland and Russia the Russians reportedly fired 300,000 artillery shells at one sector of the Karelian Isthmus.

1940: The building and repair of merchant ships was put under the control of the Admiralty as would the purchase of old cargo ships from the US.

1941: The Air Training Corps was created in Britain for those over 16 years old who intended to join the RAF or Fleet Air Arm.

1942: Japanese troops arrive at Singapore and prepare to land on the island.

1943: The Japanese defeat on Guadalcanal is confirmed with the evacuation of Japanese troops.

1943: Hitler had a special train that was oddly named Amerika but was renamed Brandenburg.

1946: At the Nürnberg trials the Russians surprised everyone by bringing German generals Friedrich Paulus and Erich Buschenhagen as prosecution witnesses. Both men were POWs of the Russians.

Gary
Michigan Dave
Muskegon MI USA
Posts: 8085
Joined: 2006
Today in World War II
2/1/2023 3:31:25 PM
Quote:
Quote:
Hi Gary,

In checking your site yesterday, I found the US 1st Cavalry was involved in taking back the Philippines in this time frame! My dad was wounded in the operation, (he was a scout for his unit, working with Native Americans), receiving his 2nd Purple Heart Medal. Just curious what weapon was standard issue for IJA Infantry? He was lucky that most Japanese Infantry men didn't have automatic weapons!? Or I might not be here??

Thanks for your thread!
MD


MD,

Did any of your father's injuries effect his life after the war?

Gary




Hi Gary,

No, lucky for us, his wounds, were not in a critical area! He was wounded in his shin, in New Guinea, & in his fore arm in the Philippines! (Both from gun shots.) Once when I was a student teacher, I took my class to the school library, & paging through a book about WWII in the Pacific, I saw my dad, clear as day in a picture being carried from the field by 2 of his fellow soldiers! It was surreal! I went back days later, & I couldn't find it again in the limited time frame I had? I have 1 of his Purple Hearts, my brother has the other. I guess he was in life magazine back then as well, & the Chicago Tribune?? I have never seen these articles?

Once I asked him if he killed IJA guys, & he said yes, but he preferred not to talk about it. But no, his wartime injuries didn't effect him in any major way!?

Thanks for your interest,
Regards,
MD
----------------------------------
"The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract."
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4719
Joined: 2004
Today in World War II
2/1/2023 8:49:01 PM
Interesting statement. Can anybody confirm the numbers, or define the timespan for this use of artillery?Quote:
1940: In the war between Finland and Russia the Russians reportedly fired 300,000 artillery shells at one sector of the Karelian Isthmus.


1 Feb 1940 marks the beginning of the 2nd Summa offensive (Summa was a village turned fortress on the road to Vilnius, in Karelia). The 1st lasted from 16-22 December 1939, ending in a Finnish victory. Both Soviet attacks involved infantry, artillery and aircraft, but the 1st was not well co-ordinated, and the Finns used this lack of co-ordination to stop the Soviet forces. The 2nd assault, led by General Timoshenko, was well co-ordinated, and within 2 weeks Soviet troops would penetrate the Manstein Line.

Nonetheless, the 300,000 artillery shells seems a bit excessive for the opening day, but perhaps a bit short of what would be expected in a combined arms Soviet assautl lasting 15 days.

Cheers
Brian G
----------------------------------
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/2/2023 6:29:32 PM
A few events for February 2.

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1942: Allied ships were forced to withdraw from Singapore following Japanese air attacks.

1943: On the night of February 2/3 the RAF hit Cologne with 161 aircraft consisting of 116 Lancasters, 35 Halifaxes, 8 Stirlings, and 2 Mosquitos. The two types of pathfinders used were the Oboe Mosquitos and the H2S aircraft. The results were not good with heavy scattering of the bombs. Even worse was when a Pathfinder Stirling was shot down and the Germans recovered an H2S. Based on their analysis of the H2S the Germans developed a device called the Naxos that allowed German fighters to home on any bomber using the H2S.

1943: The last of the German troops surrendered at Stalingrad.

1944: Stalin agrees to let USAAF aircraft use Russian bases.

1945: The Germans forced Allied POWs at Stalag IID to march west away from the oncoming Russian army. Many of these POWs were Canadians who had been captured at Dieppe, France in 1942. The weather was cold and snowy, and to the make situation even worse they were strafed by British fighters believing they were German soldiers.

1945: Captain Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is arrested for privately criticizing Stalin.

Gary



GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/3/2023 6:39:47 PM
A few events for February 3.

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1941: Erwin Rommel takes command of German forces in North Africa.

1941: Plan for Operation Barbarossa given to Hitler.

1944: The US failed to break out of the Anzio beachhead.

1945: Russia orders all German males between 17 and 50 in Russian occupied territory to be deported for forced labor in Russia.

1945: USAAF bombs Berlin with one of its largest raids of the war. Called Operation Thunderclap it was to help destroy the morale of the Germans.

Gary
Brian Grafton
Victoria BC Canada
Posts: 4719
Joined: 2004
Today in World War II
2/3/2023 7:56:15 PM
Leaping back 4 days (how did we miss this!), what is arguably the worst marine disaster of all time occurred. On 30 Jan 1945 – yep, the last time Hitler’s assent to Chancellor would be publicly celebrated – MV Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk in the Baltic by a Soviet submarine (S-13). she was laden with many of those fleeing the Russian advance in Poland. The makeup of those aboard has never been settled, but most arguments now include both civilian refugees and military personnel. Surprisingly, given that the Germans kept records of everything, there is no final manifest for Wilhelm Gustloff, so a final death toll cannot be fixed. Estimates run as high as 9,400 dead.

That requires recognition on a number of counts. I don’t regret going back 4 or 5 days to bring it to mind.

Cheers
Brian G
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"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly. "The Best Things in Life Aren't Things" Bumper sticker.
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/3/2023 8:36:35 PM
Quote:
Leaping back 4 days (how did we miss this!), what is arguably the worst marine disaster of all time occurred. On 30 Jan 1945 – yep, the last time Hitler’s assent to Chancellor would be publicly celebrated – MV Wilhelm Gustloff was sunk in the Baltic by a Soviet submarine (S-13). she was laden with many of those fleeing the Russian advance in Poland. The makeup of those aboard has never been settled, but most arguments now include both civilian refugees and military personnel. Surprisingly, given that the Germans kept records of everything, there is no final manifest for Wilhelm Gustloff, so a final death toll cannot be fixed. Estimates run as high as 9,400 dead.

That requires recognition on a number of counts. I don’t regret going back 4 or 5 days to bring it to mind.

Cheers
Brian G


Wow! That should definitely be mentioned. Thanks for catching that.

Gary
Phil Andrade
London  UK
Posts: 6383
Joined: 2004
Today in World War II
2/4/2023 2:38:51 AM
Agreed: thanks for pitching this , Brian.

What an appalling episode in a war that was reaching an apocalyptic culmination.

It’s apt, I reckon, to mention that these first days of February in 1945 marked the point when the Soviets completed their mighty Vistula Oder offensive, and consolidated their gains as a jumping off point for the final onslaught on Berlin.

The loss of life on both sides was on a stupefying scale, and this maritime disaster exemplified it.

Regards, Phil
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"Egad, sir, I do not know whether you will die on the gallows or of the pox!" "That will depend, my Lord, on whether I embrace your principles or your mistress." Earl of Sandwich and John Wilkes
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/4/2023 3:23:46 PM
Some events on February 4 in WWII.

[Read More]

1938: Hitler takes control of the German military. He promotes Walther von Brauchitsch to Commander-in-Chief of the army. As well he creates the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (OKW), the Supreme command of the Armed Forces, with Wilhelm Keitel as its leader.

1941: The USO, the United Service Organizations, is organized to help with morale of the military personnel.

1941: The German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau successfully entered the Atlantic Ocean undetected.

1942: The British remove from power King Farouk of Egypt because of his pro-Axis leaning.

1942: The Japanese executed 130 Australian POWs with the excuse that an Australian officer was to blame for not having surrendered his command to them.

1943: British 8th Army enters Tunisia.

1943: Germany acknowledges the disaster at Stalingrad with three days of national mourning.

1943: On the night of 4/5 February the RAF conducted raid in Italy with four Pathfinder Lancasters to use the new proximity fuzzed 4,000 bomb that would explode between 200 and 600 feet above ground.

1944: The US struggle at Anzio continues as German counter attacks breach the US perimeter.

1945: British Pacific Fleet arrives in Australia. It consisted of four aircraft carriers, two battleships, four cruisers, eleven destroyers, and many supply ships.

1945: Seventy US B-29 bombers fire bombed Kobe, Japan.

Gary


George
Centre Hastings ON Canada
Posts: 13371
Joined: 2009
Today in World War II
2/4/2023 3:53:09 PM
Quote:
1945: British Pacific Fleet arrives in Australia. It consisted of four aircraft carriers, two battleships, four cruisers, eleven destroyers, and many supply ships.


Just for the record, this fleet consisted mostly of RN vessels but also warships from the RCN, RAN and the RNZN. It should be noted that many RN vessels contained crew members who were from Commonwealth countries. There were also many Canadians and New Zealanders flying as members of the British Fleet Air Arm.

Prior to the war Britain would permit Commonwealth sailors and aviators to join British services and many remained in those services once the war began. As well, the British Commonwealth Air Training Programme produced a lot of Commonwealth fliers and ground crew. Many Canadians would fly with the RCAF squadrons but many were also assigned to RAF and Fleet Air Arm squadrons.

So with Britain taking the lead of course, the fleet that fought in the Pacific was a Commonwealth fleet.

Cheers,

George
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/4/2023 3:58:13 PM
Quote:
Quote:
1945: British Pacific Fleet arrives in Australia. It consisted of four aircraft carriers, two battleships, four cruisers, eleven destroyers, and many supply ships.


Just for the record, this fleet consisted mostly of RN vessels but also warships from the RCN, RAN and the RNZN. It should be noted that many RN vessels contained crew members who were from Commonwealth countries. There were also many Canadians and New Zealanders flying as members of the British Fleet Air Arm.

Prior to the war Britain would permit Commonwealth sailors and aviators to join British services and many remained in those services once the war began. As well, the British Commonwealth Air Training Programme produced a lot of Commonwealth fliers and ground crew. Many Canadians would fly with the RCAF squadrons but many were also assigned to RAF and Fleet Air Arm squadrons.

So with Britain taking the lead of course, the fleet that fought in the Pacific was a Commonwealth fleet.

Cheers,

George


George,

I got this off of the World War II Data Base. I'm interested in reading more about it. What is your source for this?

Gary
OpanaPointer
St. Louis MO USA
Posts: 1887
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/4/2023 4:26:46 PM
A source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Pacific_Fleet
GaryNJ
Cumberland NJ USA
Posts: 254
Joined: 2010
Today in World War II
2/4/2023 4:48:26 PM
Quote:
A source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Pacific_Fleet


Thanks OP.

While it mostly was British ships it was made up of a diverse group from other nations. It clearly was dependent on logistical support from the US Navy. There are what appears to be some interesting pdf items listed in the references.

Gary
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