1944 Timeline - World War II Database

5/7/13
1944 Timeline | World War II Database

would be sent to Auschwitz-Birkenau later in the month. Taiho was commissioned into service. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Orde Wingate personally visited the Broadway site of Operation Thursday in Burma. In-depth article A regiment from the Japanese 33rd Division crossed the Manipur River in Burma toward the Burmese-Indian border toward Tiddim, Burma. In-depth article While traveling in a jeep in northern Burma, Louis Mountbatten was accidentally struck by fragments of a bamboo plant that rendered him temporarily blind due to internal haemorrhage. In-depth article
France The 69th transport from Drancy C oncentration C amp in Paris departed for Auschwitz C oncentration C amp with 1,501 prisoners. It would arrive at Auschwitz on 10 Mar and 1,311 of them would be gassed upon arrival. In-depth article Hawaii USS Skipjack arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her ninth war patrol. In-depth article
8 Mar 1944
Japanese troops launched a major offensive across the C hindwin River in Burma toward Imphal, India. Meanwhile, another regiment from the Japanese 33rd Division crossed the Manipur River in Burma toward the Burmese-Indian border toward Tiddim, Burma. In-depth article 3,791 C zech Jews of the Theresienstadt camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau were gassed. The men were killed in C rematorium III and the women and children in C rematorium II. Battle of Hill 700: Japanese troops began a 5-day offensive against US positions at Bougainville. In-depth article Burma Orde Wingate personally visited the C howringhee site of Operation Thursday in Burma. In-depth article Germany USAAF bombers attacked Berlin, Germany. In-depth article Robert Johnson participated in a large aerial battle over Steinhude Lake, Germany during which the Germans shot down 34 American bombers, but Johnson was able to claim two Bf 109 kills. In-depth article Marshall Islands USS Alabama was relieved as the flagship of Vice Admiral Marc Mitscher of the US Navy Fast C arrier Task Force at Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands. In-depth article United States The keel of submarine Sennet was laid down at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 8 Mar 1944
9 Mar 1944
In a letter to Hermann Gring, Heinrich Himmler noted that by this date, about 36,000 prisoners were employed for various purposes for the Luftwaffe. He informed Gring that plans were being considered to increase the number to 90,000. In-depth article Gusen II, a satellite of Mauthausen C oncentration C amp, opened at St. Georgen, Austria. Prisoners of Gusen II were used to build underground aircraft and weapons factories. In-depth article Sargent Bay was commissioned into service. In-depth article Wedderburn was commissioned into service. In-depth article USS Pompon attacked a Japanese convoy in the Dutch East Indies; all 4 torpedoes missed. In-depth article China
ww2db.com/event/timeline/1944/
33/189
5/7/13

18 B-25 bombers of the C hinese-American C omposite Wing escorted by 24 P-40 fighters attacked a foundry and floating docks at Huangshi, Hubei, C hina. Japanese fighters of 9th and 25th Sentai rose to intercept, shooting down 2 P-40 fighters.
10 Mar 1944
The Icelandic airline Lofteide HF was founded, which would inaugurate its initial service on 7 Apr 1944. The Soviet 2nd Ukrainian Front captured Uman, Ukraine on its way toward the Bug and Dneiper Rivers. Heinrich Himmler lifted various laws against Jewish and Roma people as their "evacuation and isolation" had already been achieved. In-depth article HMS Asphodel (New Zealand Lieutenant M. A. Halliday) was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U575 whilst escorting convoy SL-150. In-depth article 2 bombers of the 2nd Bomber Squadron of the C hinese-American C omposite Wing attacked Japanese ships in the Yangtze River in C hina. On the return flight, one of the B-25 bombers ran out of fuel and unsuccessfully crash landed, killing the entire crew. On the same day, B-25 bombers of the US 14th Air Force escorted by P-38 fighters attacked Anqing, Anhui, C hina, sinking a motor launch, damaged two cargo vessels, and damaged a barge; fighters of the Japanese 25th Sentai rose to intercept, shooting down on P-38 fighter. Repair ship Akashi began repairing transport Bichu Maru at Palau Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Poland 1,501 Jews arrived at Auschwitz C oncentration C amp from Drancy C oncentration C amp in Paris. 110 men and 80 women were registered into the camp, while the remaining 1,311 were sent to the gas chambers. In-depth article United Kingdom Allied convoy RA-57 arrived at Loch Ewe, Scotland, United Kingdom. In-depth article
11 Mar 1944
Aircraft of No. 466 Squadron RAAF conducted minelaying operations off of Helgoland, Germany. About 300 Jewish women and children of Split, Yugoslavia were rounded up, sent to Jasenovac C oncentration C amp, and killed. In-depth article The British ambassador in Washington voiced the opinion that revealing the Holocaust to the German people would not be an effective propaganda tool against the German leadership. By this date, 9,000 men and 1,300 animals were delivered to northern Burma for Operation Thursday. In-depth article Repair ship Akashi received provisions from auxiliary storeship Kitakami Maru at Palau Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 11 Mar 1944
12 Mar 1944
Submarine Blackfin was launched, sponsored by the wife of US Navy Rear Admiral C harles A. Lockwood. In-depth article An errant V-1 landed in Swedish territory. German troops and Ukrainian nationalists burned the village of Plikorov near Lvov, killing 385 people as reprisal against partisan operations. Adolf Hitler ordered the occupation of Hungary, Operation Margarethe. The C zechoslovakian government-in-exile called civilians to rise up against German occupation. The government of Ireland banned international travel. In the Arakan region of Burma, C orpporal Nand Singh won the Victoria C ross for capturing Japanese positions despite being seriously wounded. Orde Wingate sent Winston C hurchill a message noting the initial successes of Operation Thursday in Burma. In-depth article USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport in the Western Pacific, hitting her with 2 of 2 torpedoes fired. In-depth article
13 Mar 1944
USS C od arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her second war patrol. In-depth article Soviet troops captured Kherson, Ukraine. Italy and the Soviet Union resumed diplomatic relations. American ships and British RAF aircraft sank German submarine U-575 in the Atlantic Ocean. The governments of the United States and the United Kingdom demanded Sweden to stop selling ball bearings
34/189
5/7/13

to Germany. Australian troops captured Bogodjim, New Guinea. In-depth article The Jewish ghetto of Krakw, Poland was closed down; as its residents were deported to the newly built Plaszw labor camp, 2,000 died en route. US Eighth Air Force commander James Doolittle was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general. In-depth article Lieutenant General Geoffrey Scoones realized the Japanese attack on Tiddim, Burma was a part of a major offensive, and retracted his previous order, allowing troops at Tiddim to fall back. In-depth article
14 Mar 1944
The US Navy announced that USS C orvina was missing and presumed lost with 82 aboard. In-depth article William Slim requested Louis Mountbatten to divert aircraft originally assigned to fly the Hump to instead bring men and supplies to Imphal, India. Mountbatten agreed, diverting 30 transport planes to bring the Indian 5th Division to Imphal and Dimapur, India. In-depth article Repair ship Akashi dispatched divers to inspect damage below the water line for patrol vessel PB-102 at Palau Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 14 Mar 1944
15 Mar 1944
Zhukov's 1st Ukrainian Front reached the Bug River, the start line for Operation Barbarossa that began the Russo-German war. RAF bombers attacked Stuttgart, Germany, dropping over 3,000 tons of bombs from 863 bombers, of which 36 were lost. In-depth article German troops gathered on the Hungarian border. USS Tunny arrived in the Palau Islands. In-depth article After dark, the Japanese 15th Division crossed the C hindwin River in Burma toward India as part of the second wave of the Japanese offensive. In-depth article Joseph Stilwell ordered the C hinese 22nd Division to attack the ridge of Jambu Bum in northern Burma. In-depth article USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese tanker off Okinawa, Japan, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired. She would pursue the tanker into the next day. In-depth article Germany Robert Johnson was promoted to the rank of captain. On the same day, he shot down a Fw 190 and a Bf 109 aircraft over Dmmer Lake, Germany. In-depth article Italy At 0830 hours, the third major Allied attempt to attack Monte C assino, Italy began with a heavy bombardment that lasted more than three hours. In-depth article Norway Tirpitz began post-repair trials at Barbrudalen (Kfjord) and Altafjord, Norway. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 15 Mar 1944
16 Mar 1944
American aircraft attacked a Japanese convoy near Wewak, New Guinea. In-depth article
35/189
5/7/13

C aptain Yoshi Matsuura was named the commanding officer of light carrier Ryuho. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport and damaged a tanker off Okinawa, Japan, hitting them with 3 of 10 torpedoes fired. In-depth article
Burma Allies troops captured Mawlu, a major rail link in central Burma. Hawaii USS Seahorse departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her fourth war patrol. In-depth article Italy Allied troops continued the attack on Monte C assino, Italy. In-depth article United Kingdom British civilian Oswald Job was hanged at Pentonville Prison in Islington, London, England, United Kingdom for spying. US Pacific Islands USS Tang departed Midway, starting her second war patrol in the waters near Palau Islands, C aroline Islands, and south of the Philippine Islands. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 16 Mar 1944
17 Mar 1944
Soviet troops captured Dubno, Ukraine, a major transportation hub. German submarine U-371 sank US troop transport Dempo in the Mediterranean Sea, killing 498. The first American bombing on Vienna, Austria from Italy took place. Soviet troops advanced near the Romanian border. Finland rejected the Soviet peace proposal. Japanese and Anglo-Indian troops clashed at Tonzang, Burma. In-depth article Italy New Zealand troops captured the train station at C assino, Italy. Nearby, Indian Gurkha troops captured Point 435 (nicknamed Hangman's Hill). In-depth article United Kingdom Edward Brooks became the commanding officer of the US 2nd Armored Division at Tidworth Barracks near Salisbury, England, United Kingdom. In-depth article
18 Mar 1944
Aircraft of No. 466 Squadron RAAF conducted minelaying operations off of Helgoland, Germany. At 1100 hours, Auschwitz C oncentration C amp prisoner Rudolf Friemel married forced laborer Margarita Ferrer at the camp's Registry Office. It was the only case where a prisoner was allowed to marry in the camp. They had met in Spain when Rudolf Friemel, an Austrian, fought as a volunteer for the Spanish Republicans in the civil war. Friemel was executed by hanging on 30 Dec 1944 for a failed attempt to escape Auschwitz. Ferrer and their child survived the war. In-depth article USS Pollack arrived off Nanpo Islands, Japan. In-depth article C hindit troops reached the railway at Kenu, Burma; the subsequent Battle of Pagoda Hill was characterized by savage hand-to-hand fighting that resulted in 23 C hindits and 42 Japanese killed. In-depth article Japanese 15th Division reached Ukhrul, India, which was about 50 miles from Imphal, India. Behind them, Japanese 31st Division crossed the C hindwin River in eight columns toward India. In-depth article USS Iowa bombarded Mili Atoll, Marshall Islands. She was hit by two 120mm shells from Japanese coastal guns during the bombardment, suffering minor damage. In-depth article USS Ray fired six torpedoes at two Japanese destroyers and one patrol craft in the South C hina Sea; her crew reported hearing one explosion, but could not confirm it as the submarine dove in expectation of counterattacks.
36/189
5/7/13
In-depth article Germany
RAF bombers attacked Hamburg, Germany with approximately 3,000 tons of bombs. In-depth article Hawaii USS Golet departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article Italy New Zealand troops mounted a failed armored attack on C assino, Italy, losing all 17 tanks in the process. In-depth article Japan Yamato was undocked at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 18 Mar 1944
19 Mar 1944
USS C assin Young arrived at Pearl Harbor. In-depth article German troops occupied Hungary. Adolf Eichmann arrived in Hungary to begin mass deportation of the 750,000 Hungarian Jews who, thus far, had been largely unmolested. In-depth article Former Vichy French Interior Minister Pierre Pucheu was killed in Algiers in North Africa. Soviet troops captured Mogilev-Podolski and Vinnitsa, Ukraine. US Marines landed on Emirau, Bismarck Islands; the landings were not opposed. Lieutenant General Edson Burns took command of the C anadian First C orps. Edmund Veesenmayer was assigned to the German embassy in Budapest, Hungary with plenipotentiary powers. In-depth article Louis Mountbatten recovered from his temporary blindness at Ledo, India, as pronounced by US Army eye specialist C aptain Scheie. On the same day, he issued a reprimand against Orde Wingate for sending complaints of his fellow officers through clear text so that it could be read by all cipher and signals staff. In-depth article C hinese 66th Regiment captured Jambu Bum ridge in northern Burma, about 140 kilometers northwest of Myitkyina. In-depth article Italy Allies launched Operation Strangle, which was consisted of air interdiction attacks on the rail yards at Sienna, Italy. British and New Zealand troops attacked German positions in the C assino, Italy area, making very little progress in the face of German 1st Parachute Division. In-depth article Russia Vasily C huikov was made a Hero of the Soviet Union for the first time and was awarded the Order of Lenin for the second time. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 19 Mar 1944
20 Mar 1944
USS Franklin set sail for Gulf of Paria, Trinidad for her shakedown cruise. In-depth article Soviet troops captured Vinnitsa, Ukraine, site of one of Hitler's Feldhauptquartiere. Romanian troops arrived in Hungary to assist in the German occupation. A Japanese aircraft attacked USS Tunny with eight light bombs near Toagel Mlungui Pass in the Palau Islands, causing no damage.
37/189
5/7/13

In-depth article Preston (Fletcher-class) was commissioned into service. In-depth article Mason was commissioned into service. In-depth article USS Pollack sank Japanese freighter Hakuyo Maru in the Nanpo Islands area, Japan with one of two torpedoes fired. In-depth article USS C abrilla attacked a Japanese transport off British Malaya; all six torpedoes missed. In-depth article Orde Wingate visited the Aberdeen site in Meza valley, Burma. In-depth article Japanese troops captured Ukhrul, India, defeating the Indian Parachute Regiment and a brigade from the British 23rd Division. In-depth article
Italy British 78th Infantry Division joined in the attack of C assino, Italy. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 20 Mar 1944
21 Mar 1944
British C hindit forces attacked Indaw, Burma. Meanwhile, Orde Wingate began moving his headquarters from Imphal to Sylhet in India, thus causing some confusion in the Indaw offensive. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 21 Mar 1944
See all photos dated 21 Mar 1944
22 Mar 1944
RAF bombers attacked Frankfurt, Germany, killing 948 and leaving 120,000 homeless. In-depth article C hinese and C anadian representatives signed a pact of mutual aid at Ottawa, C anada. Dme Sztjay formed a new government in Hungary. In-depth article Japanese troops crossed the Burmes-Indian border into the Indian state of Manipur and attacked Sangshak from the north. In-depth article USS Mingo fired six torpedoes at a Japanese freighter; all missed. In-depth article USS Tunny detected a large Japanese convoy near Toagel Mlungui Pass in the Palau Islands. She fired six torpedoes toward 2 transports and observed hits on both. She then fired four torpedoes toward an escorting destroyer, scoring no hits, before diving. She endured a 4-hour counterattack which consisted of 87 depth charges. Later in the day she surfaced and observed debris and an oil slick. In-depth article 15 American commandos landed in Italy with the mission to sabotage the La Spezia-Genoa railway. William Slim met with Orde Wingate. In-depth article Belgium Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weienfeld died near Saint-Hubert, Belgium where his Bf 110 aircraft crashed in poor weather. In-depth article Dutch East Indies Shokaku arrived at Lingga, Dutch East Indies.
38/189
5/7/13
In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Italy
General Alexander ceased the frontal attacks at C assino, Italy. In-depth article Marshall Islands USS Alabama departed Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 22 Mar 1944
23 Mar 1944
USS Tunny made radar contact with Japanese submarine I-42 off Angaur Island, Palau Islands. At 2324, Tunny lauched four torpedoes at the range of 1,700 meters, hitting and sinking the Japanese submarine. In-depth article Orde Wingate's headquarters completed its move to Sylhet, British India. In-depth article Japanese troops assaulted an Allied defensive position in the crater of an extinct volcano near Sangshak, India, initially failing to take the position. Shortly after, Allied aircraft dropped supplies to the Indian troops at Sangshak, India, but most of the supplies fell behind Japanese lines. As Indian 152nd Parachute Battalion attacked from the volcano crater to regain the supplies, the Japanese drove them back, causing heavy casualties. In-depth article Hawaii USS Gabilan arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article Russia V. T. Shirmanov stepped down as GUKR SMERSH's chief in the 1st Byelorussian Front. United States Submarine Trepang was launched at the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in C alifornia, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 23 Mar 1944
See all photos dated 23 Mar 1944
24 Mar 1944
Orde Wingate visited the Broadway and White C ity sites of Operation Thursday in Burma in an attempt to raise the morale of the British 77th Brigade. At 1823 hours, his returning plane arrived at Imphal, India, and then off again shortly before 2000 hours for Hailakandi, India. The aircraft crashed into the Naga hill west of Imphal about 30 minutes after taking off, killing the American pilot Lieutenant Brian Hodges, Wingate, and the other 8 passengers and crew aboard. In-depth article In the Fosse Ardeantine caves outside of Rome, 355 Italians, 250 of them civilians, were shot by the SS under Standartenfhrer Herbert Kappler in reprisal for the killing of 35 Germans during a SS parade on the previous day by the members of the Italian resistance. Soviet tanks crossed the Dneiper River near the C zech border. Red Army units crossed the Bug River by the Black Sea. British miners signed a 4-year contract for their wages. The Great Escape: A large escape of prisoners of war from Stalag Luft III in Sagan, Germany (now Zagan, Poland) was attempted; 76 would succeed. 50 prisoners who had failed would be executed for their involvement. Japanese troops mounted an unsuccessful suicide charge on Bougainville. In-depth article
39/189
5/7/13

The 15 American commandos who landed on the Italian coast aiming to sabotage the La Spezia-Genoa railway were captured. The 3rd Battalion of the Japanese 58th Regiment arrived in the Sangshak, India region as reinforcements. In-depth article
Caroline Islands USS Franklin arrived at Ulithi, C aroline Islands. In-depth article Germany 810 RAF aircraft attacked Berlin, Germany; 72 aircraft were lost. After sundown, Frankfurt was bombed by the RAF for the third time in four nights. In-depth article Italy The Anzio beachhead in Italy was subjected to heavy German artillery and guided bomb attacks. In-depth article The Allied attacks on the Gustav Line were persistently repulsed by German defenders. In-depth article United Kingdom 90 German bombers attacked London, England, United Kingdom. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 24 Mar 1944
25 Mar 1944
Hitler allowed German 1.Panzerarmee to break out west of Lvov, Ukraine. 184 Jews who had been recently arrested from their hiding places in the Hague in the Netherlands arrived at Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. Meanwhile, the Hungarian C ouncil of Ministers approved several anti-Semitic polcies, including a law requiring Jews to wear the yellow Star of David to be effective on 5 Apr 1944. In-depth article US declared Manus, Admiralty Islands secure. In-depth article C hurchill's recommendations to bomb German V-weapon sites were turned down by Eisenhower, who preferred to place priority on transportation and communications hubs. USS Gar fired six torpedoes on a Japanese ship; all torpedoes missed. In-depth article USS Pollack sank Japanese Submarine C haser No. 54 and damaged two freighters in the Nanpo Islands area, Japan; ten torpedoes were expended in this attack. In-depth article The 3rd Battalion of the Japanese 60th Regiment attacked Allied positions at Sangshak, India. Meanwhile, Louis Mountbatten requested the Anglo-American C ombined C hiefs of Staff for more aircraft to supply Imphal, India, which would be denied. In-depth article Dutch East Indies At Lingga, Dutch East Indies, Shokaku became the flagship of Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo's Third Fleet and the Mobile Fleet. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Germany 811 RAF bombers raided Berlin, Germany; 122 aircraft were lost. In-depth article United States Franklin Roosevelt arrived at Hyde Park, New York, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 25 Mar 1944
26 Mar 1944
ww2db.com/event/timeline/1944/ 40/189
5/7/13

Soviet units captured Kamenets-Podolsk, Ukraine, reaching the Romanian border on a wide front. British Prime Minister C hurchill praised Yugoslavian partisans under Tito. In-depth article The Greek C ommunist Party established a provisional government in the mountains of northern Greece. Japanese submarine I-8 damaged Dutch ship Tjisalak with a torpedo in the Indian Ocean, and then surfaced to exchange shellfire. After the ship sank, the Japanese attacked 97 survivors with swords, wrenches, and sledgehammers. They were then shot and dumped into the water. Six men survived. Anton Dostler ordered the execution of the 15 American commandos who were captured on 24 Mar 1944 while attempting to sabotage the La Spezia-Genoa rail line in Italy. In-depth article Troops of Japanese 60th Regiment attacked Sangshak, India after dark, but got lost in the darkness, and many men were trapped in the open in the next morning. In-depth article The US submarine Tullibee was sunk by one of her own torpedoes which malfunctioned when launched against Japanese vessels off Palau Islands. In-depth article Oberleutnant Hans Bennemann and Oberfeldwebel Wilhelm Brennecke of the German Kampfgeschwader 55 wing were awarded the Knight's C ross of the Iron C ross.
Italy The New Zealand C orps headquarters, currently near C assino, Italy, was dissolved. Surviving troops were incorporated into British XIII C orps. In-depth article
27 Mar 1944
Vichy French government allowed its citizens to join the German SS organization. German SS troops massacred all Jewish children under the age of 13 in Kovno, Lithuania. The government of the United Kingdom banned foreign travel. Japanese 58th Regiment launched an all-out attack on Sangshak, India. Brigadier Maxwell Hope-Thompson, commanding officer of the defending Allied troops, ordered a retreat from Sangshak at 1800 hours. On the same day, William Slim requested the British 2nd Division to help defend nearby Dimapur. In-depth article Japanese troops attacked the Broadway site of Operation Thursday in Burma. In-depth article Australia USS Ray arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her third war patrol. In-depth article United Kingdom Allied convoy JW-58 departed Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 27 Mar 1944
28 Mar 1944
Spanish volunteers of the recently disbanded German Army "Blue Legion" began to arrive in Spain; the final transport of these volunteers back to Spain would arrive on 12 Apr 1944. Red Army units captured Nikolaev as they entered Romania. German and Romanian forces began the evacuation of Odessa, Ukraine. About 300 patients from two hospitals and one psychiatric institution in Trieste, Italy were deported to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. In-depth article Japanese troops counterattacked C hinese troops near Jambu Bum ridge, Burma. In-depth article Repair ship Akashi completed the repair work for transport Bichu Maru at Palau Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement United States Joseph Rochefort testified before a Pearl Harbor raid investigation board in Washington DC , United States. In-depth article
29 Mar 1944
Kiichi Hasegawa passed away. In-depth article US naval aircraft bombed Japanese ships in the Palau Islands. Japanese troops cut the road between Imphal and Kohima, India. Meanwhile, the Anglo-American C ombined C hiefs of Staff retracted a decision made earlier and diverted additional transport aircraft from the
41/189
5/7/13

Mediterranean Sea theater of war to the Burma-India theater of war. Louis Mountbatten had requested them to help the defense of the Imphal region in India; incidentally, the initial aircraft embarked on transporting the Indian 5th Division to Imphal and Dimapur completed the task on this date after 758 sorties. In-depth article C hinese troops captured Shaduzup, Burma. US C ongress approved US$1,350,000,000 to fund the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency for assisting refugees in Europe. USS Tunny observed a large number of small vessels leaving Malakal Island in the Palau Islands in the morning but did not attack. In the afternoon, she observed the arrival of battleship Musashi and other warships; Tunny fired six bow torpedoes at Musashi but failed to hit her. She endured a 38-depth charge counterattack. Later that night, she caught up with the force and damaged Musashi with another torpedo attack. In-depth article 12 P-40 and 3 P-51 fighters of the US 14th Air Force attacked the railroad station area in Nanchang, Jiangxi, C hina. USS Wake Island arrived at Karachi, India. In-depth article The US No. 1 Air C ommando Group was redesignated as 1st Air C ommando Group (nicknamed C ochrane's Flying C ircus).
Hawaii USS Parche departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article Japan Destroyer Yukikaze departed Yokosuka, Japan to escort carrier Zuiho to Guam, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Alabama shared the credit in the downing of at least one Japanese aircraft which were attempting to attack US carriers. In-depth article USS Bluefish attacked a Japanese ship northeast of Borneo, Dutch East Indies; all 5 torpedoes missed. In-depth article
30 Mar 1944
Adolf Hitler fired Paul von Kleist and Erich von Manstein, replacing them with Ferdinand Schrner and Walter Model. In-depth article A 795-plane air raid (572 Lancaster, 214 Halifax, and 9 Mosquito) against Nrnberg, Germany; 82 aircraft were lost on the way to the attack, and a further 12 were lost on the return flight; nearly 700 lives were lost by the RAF. This was Bomber C ommand's heaviest single loss of the war. German casualties included 69 civilians and 59 foreign slave laborers. In-depth article On the fatal Nrnberg, Germany raid, one of the aircraft was flown by British Pilot Officer C yril Barton of 578 Squadron. Badly shot up on the way to the target, his Halifax bomber managed to bomb the target and made its way back to England before his fuel ran out. Barton sucessfully crash-landed his aircraft on dead engines, thus saving his crew, but was so fatally wounded himself that he died on his way to hospital. Barton was posthumously awarded the Victoria C ross. Japanese troops besieged Imphal, India. In-depth article US troops landed on Pityilu, Admiralty Islands. In-depth article Submarine C aiman was launched, sponsored by sponsored by Mrs. R. C . Bonjour. In-depth article USS Tunny performed lifeguard duties in the Palau Islands for airmen of the Fifth Fleet. Shortly after noon, she was mistaken for a Japanese submarine and was attacked, causing some damage. In-depth article USS Iowa joined Task Force 58. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho departed the Inland Sea in Japanese waters. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Repair ship Akashi sustained numerous bomb and rocket hits from US carrier aircraft and sank in shallow water north of Urukthapel Island, Palau Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese transport off Okinawa, Japan; all 4 torpedoes fired missed. In-depth article Paul von Kleist was awarded Swords to his Knight's C ross of the Iron C ross medal. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft attacked Japanese positions at Palau, Yap, Ulithi, and Woleai in the C aroline Islands. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 30 Mar 1944
42/189
5/7/13
31 Mar 1944
Shokaku arrived off Singapore naval yard. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Mineichi Koga passed away when the flying boat that carried him from Palau Islands to Philippine Islands crashed into the sea in bad weather. In-depth article Aircraft from ships Beagle and Tracker in Allied convoy JW-58 sank German submarine U-355 in the Arctic Sea. In-depth article Destroyer USS De Haven (DD-727) was commissioned with C ommander J. B. Dimmick in command. Smalley was commissioned into service. In-depth article USS Pintado set sail for the Panama C anal. In-depth article US Navy canceled its contracts signed prior to the Pacific War with civilian construction firms for projects across the Pacific Ocean. Those signed after the start of the war would continue. Destroyer Yukikaze was assigned to Destroyer Division 17, Destroyer Squadron 10, 3rd Fleet. In-depth article USS Flying Fish was attacked by a Japanese submarine; she was able to evade the torpedoes fired at her. In-depth article Germany The newly-formed German Jagdverband 44, flying Me 262 jet fighters, flew its first mission out of Mnchen (Munich), Germany. In-depth article Japan Naka was struck from the Japanese Navy list. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement
1 Apr 1944
USS Franklin crossed the International Date Line. In-depth article C ruiser Kln was recommissioned for training of cadet engineers with Fregattenkapitn Hellmuth Strobel in command. In-depth article US bombers unintentionally hit Schaffhausen, Switzerland, leading to official protests and reparation payments. In-depth article The Japanese Navy 12th Air Fleet was reorganized to contain two air flotillas, one communication unit, one weather observation unit, and one air base unit. The Japanese attack on the Broadway site of Operation Thursday in Burma was repulsed. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport off Okinawa, Japan, hitting her with 2 of 2 torpedoes fired. In-depth article India Japanese troops captured Nippon Hill near Imphal, India. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 1 Apr 1944
2 Apr 1944
5/7/13

Troops of the German 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" massacred 86 Belgians in retaliation of the bombing of their train by resistance fighters. Soviet troops entered Romania. Soviets threaten to shoot one third of all German prisoners of war if the German 1.Panzerarmee's 18 divisions would not surrender. USS Tunny departed Palau Islands. In-depth article
Panama Canal Zone USS Guitarro departed Balboa, Panama C anal Zone. In-depth article Taiwan General Rikichi Ando was named the governor-general of Taiwan. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 2 Apr 1944
3 Apr 1944
Operation Tungsten: 41 British Barracuda dive bombers attacked German battleship Tirpitz, scoring 15 hits. In-depth article USS Franklin arrived at Pearl Harbor. In-depth article Evelyn Sharp passed away near Middleton, Pennsylvania, United States. In-depth article C ondemning the oppression of the Stalin regime, Viktor Kravchenko, a member of the Soviet Lend-Lease Purchasing C ommission, announced his defection to the New York Times. USS Wake Island departed Karachi, India. In-depth article Aircraft from HMS Activity and HMS Tracker sank German submarine U-288. In-depth article USS Pollack sank passenger-cargo ship Tosei Maru in the Nanpo Islands area, Japan with two of four torpedoes fired. In-depth article General Montagu Stopford ordered Major General R. P. L. Ranking to move the Indian 161st Brigade from Kohima to Dimapur in India. Ranking believed this was a bad move as Kohima would be a Japanese target, and appealed to William Slim; Slim sided with Stopford. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho departed Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Australia USS C ero departed Brisbane, Australia for her fourth war patrol. In-depth article Dutch East Indies Shokaku arrived at Lingga, Dutch East Indies. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement
4 Apr 1944
Shokaku returned to Singapore naval arsenal. The Third Fleet's flag was transferred ashore. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement The Allies conducted the first reconnaissance mission over Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. On the same day, a transport from two hospitals and one psychiatric institution in Trieste, Italy arrived at Auschwitz; 62 of the about 300 patients died en route, while another 103 were gassed upon arrival. In-depth article German Armeegruppe Mitte counterattacked to reach those units surrounded for two weeks near Kovel, in the Pripet marsh area of Ukraine. The German Armeegruppe Sd was renamed Armeegruppe Nordukraine. De Gaulle was appointed head of Free French military forces. In-depth article Going against precedent, British Foreign Office banned foreign embassies from sending coded messages, and
44/189
5/7/13

stated that diplomatic pouches were subject to censorship, with the exception of British allies. USS Rock departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her second war patrol. In-depth article USS Hoe departed Fremantle, Australia for her fourth war patrol in the South C hina Sea. In-depth article On the Imphal front in India the Japanese 51st Regiment of 15th Division commenced attacks on 123rd Indian Brigade's positions, while the Japanese 31st Division attacked the village of Kohima. In-depth article Kyne was commissioned into service. In-depth article Steamer Bay was commissioned into service. In-depth article USS Puffer arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her third war patrol. In-depth article Franklin Roosevelt's doctor noted the US President's high blood pressure and prescribed rest; Roosevelt would soon depart for Bernard Baruch's home in South C arolina, United States for a vacation. In-depth article
Russia Allied convoy JW-58 arrived at the Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 4 Apr 1944
5 Apr 1944
USAAF and RAF coordinated to start round-the-clock raids on the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania. The SS Economic and Administrative Office submitted a report to the Supreme C ommand of the German SS organization noting the existence of 20 concentration camps with 165 connected labor camps. Also on this date, Siegfried Lederer escaped from Auschwitz-Birkenau and made it safely to C zechoslovakia; he warned the Elders of the C ouncil at Theresienstadt about the atrocities being committed at Auschwitz. To the south, in Hungary, Jews were required to wear the yellow Star of David. In-depth article Soviet troops entered Ternopil, Ukraine. Escort carrier Makin Island was launched. In-depth article On the Imphal front in India, the Japanese 60th Regiment probed south towards a large store dump, where staff of the British 221st Advanced Ordnance depot, under continuous and heavy fire, repeatedly foiled the Japanese infiltration attacks for three days. Meanwhile, realizing that the movement of Indian 161st Brigade from Kohima to Dimapur was a poorly calculated move, he moved the brigade back; with no room in Kohima for the troops of the brigade, they settled down at Jotsoma 2.5 miles to the northwest to support from a distance. In-depth article Oberleutnant Matthias Bermadinger of the German Kampfgeschwader 55 wing was awarded the Knight's C ross of the Iron C ross. China 26 Japanese A6M Zero fighters of the Sanya Kokutai and the Kaiko Kokutai based in Hainan, C hina attacked Nanning, Guangxi, C hina, destroying 2 B-25 bombers and 3 P-40 fighters on the ground and shooting down 7 P40 fighters in the air. 8 A6M fighters were lost. Romania Soviet troops captured Dorohoi, Romania. In-depth article United States At Los Alamos, New Mexico, United States, Emilio Segr received the first sample of reactor-refined plutonium from Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States. He would soon discover that the spontaneous fission rate of this plutonium was too high for use in a gun-type fission weapon. In-depth article
6 Apr 1944
Taiho became the flagship of the Third Fleet. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Ryunosuke Kusaka was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Navy C ombined Fleet. In-depth article
45/189
5/7/13

Abdul Hafiz of Indian 9th Jat Infantry Regiment led an attack by two sections of a platoon against a Japaneseheld hill near Imphal, India. Despite being injured in the leg by enemy fire, he took out one machine position and led an attack on another; during the latter, he was fatally shot in the chest. He was awarded the Victoria C ross medal posthumously on 27 Jul, which was given to his widow Jugri Begum by Viceroy of India Archibald Wavell in Oct 1944 in Delhi, India. Rear Admiral Sadatoshi Tomioka was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Navy 11th Air Fleet.
Australia USS C od departed Fremantle, Australia for her third war patrol. In-depth article USS Gunnel arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article Burma Japanese troops attacked the White C ity site of Operation Thursday in Burma. In-depth article Indian 26th Division captured Point 551 hill in Burma. In-depth article Gibraltar Evacuees began to return to their homes in Gibraltar as the first group of 1,367 evacuees arrived from Britain. India After dark, Japanese troops launched an attack at Kohima, India, reaching the buildings at the edge of the village before the attack was halted early in the next day. In-depth article United Kingdom The United Kingdom introduced the PAYE (pay as you earn) tax system. United States Joseph Rochefort was ordered to travel to Washington DC , United States to meet with Ernest King. In-depth article
7 Apr 1944
The Icelandic airline Lofteide HF, founded in the previous month, inaugurated its initial flight service. Two Jewish inmates escaped from Auschwitz-Birkenau C oncentration C amp and made it safely to Slovakia. One of them, Rudolf Vrba, submitted a report to the Papal Nuncio in Slovakia, which was forwarded to the Vatican. In-depth article USS Tunny arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea. In-depth article Japan Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Russia Allied convoy RA-58 departed the Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia. In-depth article Nikolai Melnikov, the deputy of Soviet NKVD Directorate for Prisoners of War and Interned Persons (UPVI), committed suicide. He was replaced by Amayak Kobulov. United Kingdom Bernard Montgomery briefed his generals regarding the invasion of France, predicting the city of C aen would be captured on the first day of the invasion. In-depth article During a dinner with Dwight Eisenhower and other Allied generals in England, United Kingdom, George Patton suggested that divisions used for Operation Overlord should be made over-strength. In-depth article
8 Apr 1944
USS Seahorse detected a Japanese convoy off the Mariana Islands. After dark, attacked the convoy and sank cargo ship Kizugawa Maru, hitting her with four of eight torpedoes fired. After evading depth charges, she attacked again, sinking cargo ship Bisaku Maru, hitting her with two of six torpedoes fired. In-depth article The Soviet forces began an offensive to retake C rimea in southern Ukraine and to destroy the German 17.Armee. Red Army troops reached the Slovakian border and advanced into Romania. USAAF bombers attacked a Volkswagen factory near Hannover, Germany. In-depth article British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Anthony Eden issued a statement condemning German atrocities and called for those responsible to be brought to justice. In-depth article US 83rd Infantry Division became part of the VIII C orps of US Third Army. Rall was commissioned into service. In-depth article
46/189
5/7/13

Japanese troops moved into the ground between Kohima and Jotsoma in India, cutting off the Indian 161st Brigade from being able to assist in the defense Kohima. In-depth article
China Japanese aircraft conducted raids across Henan Province, C hina. In-depth article Japan Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Romania Ivan Konev ordered Soviet 27th Army and 40th Army to attack Romanian positions near Trgu Frumos. Romania. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 8 Apr 1944
9 Apr 1944
In Ukraine, the remnants of German 1.Panzerarmee conducted a 150-mile forced march to reach German lines. A new German Bf 110 aircraft, piloted by a German defector, flew into Switzerland and made a landing at Dbendorf. Hermann Gring, fearful of the possiblity of Allied capture, wanted to dispatch commandos under Otto Skorzeny to destroy the aircraft. In-depth article Japanese troops captured Kanglatongbi and began to surround the Anglo-Indian troops at Imphal, India. To the north at Kohima, India, Japanese troops captured GPT ridge, forcing the British troops to fall back to Garrison Hill. In-depth article Submarine Kete was launched, sponsored by Mrs. E. S. Hutchinson. In-depth article Germany Robert Johnson shot down a German Fw 190 aircraft over Kiel, Germany. In-depth article Romania In Romania, Soviet 27th Army captured Trgu Frumos while Soviet 42nd Guards Rifles Division wiped aside Romanian 6th Infantry Division and captured Pascani 14 miles to the west. In-depth article Ukraine Soviet troops broke through German defensive lines at Kerch, Ukraine. United States Submarine Blenny was launched at Groton, C onnecticut, United States, sponsored Florence King, daughter of Admiral Ernest King. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 9 Apr 1944
10 Apr 1944
C ruiser Kln began a three-month refit. In-depth article Rudolf Vrba and Alfred Wetzler escaped from Auschwitz C oncentration C amp, later revealing information about the camp to outside world. In-depth article
47/189
5/7/13

Soviet troops entered Odessa, Ukraine. USS Pompon arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article Aleksandr Vasilevsky was awarded the Order of Victory for the first time. In-depth article
Romania German Grodeutschland Division counterattacked westward from Podu Iloaiei toward Trgu Frumos, Romania. To the south of Trgu Frumos, Romanian 1st Guard Division and Romanian 7th Infantry Division attacked in concert. Soviet troops withdrew from Trgu Frumos by 2200 hours. In-depth article Russia Georgy Zhukov was awarded the Order of Vicotry for the first time; this was the very first Order of Victory given out by the Soviet Union. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 10 Apr 1944
See all photos dated 10 Apr 1944
11 Apr 1944
The German SS organization ordered that prisoners who have committed sabotage were to be publicly executed. Swiss authorities destroyed the new German Bf 110 aircraft that was brought into Switzerland by a defector pilot two days prior. In appreciation of this gesture, Germany provided Switzerland 12 Me 109 fighters. In-depth article USS Tunny arrived in Brisbane, Australia, ending her fifth war patrol. In-depth article Fieberling was commissioned into service. In-depth article USS Pollack arrived at Midway Atoll, ending her ninth war patrol. In-depth article Anglo-Indian and Japanese troops began a four-day clash at Bunker Hill near Kohima, India. In-depth article Japan Yamato departed Kure, Japan for trials in the Iyo Nada; she arrived at Hashirajima island in Hiroshima Bay that evening. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Marshall Islands USS Flying Fish arrived at Majuro, Marshall Islands, ending her ninth war patrol. In-depth article Netherlands The Gestapo HQ in The Hague, Netherlands was attacked by RAF Mosquito aircraft. In-depth article Ukraine Soviet troops captured Kerch, Ukraine. Photo(s) dated 11 Apr 1944
12 Apr 1944
The last of the convoys carrying Spanish volunteers of the recently disbanded German Army "Blue Legion" arrived in Spain. Hitler authorized the withdrawal of German and Romanian forces from Sevastopol, Ukraine, but his delay in this decision caused heavier losses than necessary. The Soviet demands for peace were rejected by Finland. American troops cleared Pak Island off New Guinea. In-depth article
48/189
5/7/13

Realizing his earlier support of Mussolini's government was viewed with suspicion by the Allies, King Vittorio Emanuele III of Italy transferred most of his power to C rown Prince Umberto, though he held on to the throne. In-depth article More than 61,000 German and Romanian troops began evacuation from the C rimea in southern Ukraine. USS Finback attacked a six-ship Japanese convoy escorted by three patrol vessels east of Philippine Islands, firing 9 torpedoes and reporting 5 hits; she was then counterattacked with depth charges. In-depth article Joseph Stalin signed the Soviet Stavka order to reform Western Front into 2nd and 3rd Byelorussian Fronts due to incapable leadership of the Western Front; the top officers of the Western Front were surprisingly not reprimanded seriously and were placed in other important positions. In-depth article USS Seahorse assumed lifeguard station duty for US aircraft attacking Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article
Romania German troops wiped out a small pocket of troops (elements of Soviet 206th Rifle Division and Soviet 3rd Guards Airborne Division) west of Trgu Frumos, Romania. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 12 Apr 1944
13 Apr 1944
Red Army units liberated Eupatoria, Feodosiya, and Simferol, Ukraine. Nearby, at Staryi Krym, German troops killed 589 people, about 200 of them children. Drancy C oncentration C amp in France dispatched its 71st convoy with 1,500 Jews for Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. In-depth article British C hindit units attacked the village of Sepein near Mawlu in Burma. In-depth article USS Harder sank Japanese destroyer Ikazuchi between Guam, Mariana Islands and the C aroline Islands. In-depth article Germany Robert Johnson shot down two German Fw 190 aircraft over Kaiserslautern, Germany. In-depth article Hawaii Martial law was lifted in the US Territory of Hawaii. Marshall Islands USS Alabama departed Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands. In-depth article
14 Apr 1944
Red Army captured Tarnopol, Ukraine. The first transports of Greek Jews to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp departed from Athens, Greece. On the same date, a transport of 500 prisoners was sent from Stutthof C oncentration C amp to Neuengamme C oncentration C amp. Meanwhile, in Poland, the first Allied aerial photographs were taken of Auschwitz I camp, the town of Auschwitz (known as Oswiecim in Polish), the I. G. Farben factories, and the Auschwitz III camp complex (also known as Monowitz); this came 10 days after the first Allied reconnaissance flight over the camp. In France, mass arrests of Jews were ordered; to provide incentive for civilians to aid this effort, payments were offered to those who led authorities to Jews in hiding. In-depth article SS Brigadier General Veesenmayer reported that Hungarian Prime Minister Sztojay promised that by the end of Apr 1944 at least 50,000 Hungarian Jews fit for work would be made available to the Germans, beginning with 5,000 Jews effective immediately and 5,000 more every three to four days until the number of 50,000 has been reached. An additional 50,000 Jews were to be made available in May, and the number of Jewish labor draftees inside Hungary is to be raised to 100,000 to 150,000. In-depth article A major C hinese offensive was launched across the Burmese border against the Japanese. Destroyer USS Mansfield (DD-728) was commissioned with C ommander Robert E. Brady, Jr. in command. United Kingdom Allied convoy RA-58 arrived at Loch Ewe, Scotland, United Kingdom. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 14 Apr 1944
49/189
5/7/13
15 Apr 1944
Marshal Nikolai F. Vatutin died in hospital from wounds suffered when his car was ambushed by Ukrainian guerrillas on 28 Feb 1944. In-depth article Fleet aircraft carrier USS Hancock (C V-19) was commissioned with C aptain Fred C . Dickey in command. In-depth article Hans Speidel became Erwin Rommel's chief of staff. The support units of United States Marine C orps' I Marine Amphibious C orps (IMAC ) were transferred to the V Amphibious C orps Administrative C ommand, and the tactical units are redesignated as III Amphibious C orps (IIIAC ) with the mission of seizing Guam, Mariana Islands in Jul 1944. Italy The German defensive Gustav Line in Italy began to fall. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 15 Apr 1944
16 Apr 1944
Red Army units cleared Yalta, Ukraine of remaining pockets of German resistance. US 83rd Infantry Division arrived in England, United Kingdom in preparation for the Normandy, France invasion. Wisconsin was commissioned into service. In-depth article Indian 5th Brigade arrived at Jotsoma, India, allowing Indian 161st Brigade to prepare for an advance toward Kohima. In-depth article USS Parche reached waters south of Taiwan. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS Finback conducted a reconnaissance mission at Oroluk Atoll, C aroline Islands, firing on a damaged ship and a tower on land during the mission. In-depth article Poland A transport of 1,500 Jews from Drancy C oncentration C amp outside of Paris arrived at the Auschwitz C oncentration C amp; it was the 71st transport from Drancy to Auschwitz. 165 men and 223 women were registered into the camp, while the remaining 1,112 were gassed. In-depth article
17 Apr 1944
British Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Bomber C ommand commenced minelaying in the approaches of the English C hannel in preparation for the forthcoming invasion of Europe. In-depth article USS Guitarro arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article General Renya Mutaguchi ordered Lieutenant General Kotoku Sato to capture Kohima, India by 29 Apr 1944. On the front, Anglo-Indian and Japanese troops clashed at Garrison Hill and FSD Hill near Kohima. In-depth article Louis Mountbatten's headquarters moved from Delhi, India to Kandy, C eylon. In-depth article Alaska USS Skipjack departed the Pribilof Islands, US Territory of Alaska. In-depth article Japan Yamato arrived at Kure, Japan to load supplies.
50/189
5/7/13
In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement United States
A C onstellation aircraft piloted by Howard Hughes and Jack Frye flew from Burbank, C alifornia, United States to Washington DC , United States in 6 hours and 57 minutes, breaking the record. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 17 Apr 1944
18 Apr 1944
Aircraft of No. 466 Squadron RAAF conducted bombing operations against Helgoland, Germany. In-depth article The British Foreign Office banned all coded messages from foreign embassies and said that diplomatic bags were to be censored. Only the fighting Allies were to be excluded from the ban. Soviet troops captured Balaklava in southern Ukraine. RAF bombers struck Rouen, Juvisi, Noisy-le-Sec, and Tergnier, killing 1,383 French civilians. The US submarine Gudgeon was reported lost, presumed sunk, off the Maug Islands, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 18 Apr 1944
19 Apr 1944
Thomas Hitchcock was killed while test-flying a P-51 Mustang aircraft. In-depth article USS Finback sank a small Japanese vessel in the Pacific Ocean with her deck gun. In-depth article After sundown, the Japanese launched three separate attacks against Anglo-Indian positions near Imphal, India, some supported by medium tanks; none of the attacks achieved their objectives. In-depth article China In order to forestall the bombing of the homeland by American B-29 bombers from bases at Guilin and Liuzhou in C hina and to seize the Beiping-Hong Kong railroad, Field Marshal Shunroku Hata, C ommander-in-C hief of the Japanese Army C hina Expeditionary Force launched the Ichi-Go (Number one) offensive with a force of some 620,000 men, which was the largest force ever assembled by Japan for a single campaign. The main thrust was a powerful drive southwards from Hankou by the 11th Army, designed to link up with a push westward by 23rd Army from Guangdong. In-depth article United States Ernest King met with Joseph Rochefort in Washington DC , United States and gave him the command of the Far Eastern Section of the US Navy Office of Naval Intelligence. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 19 Apr 1944
20 Apr 1944
The cruiser USS Milwaukee was transferred to the Soviet Navy, under Lend-Lease, and renamed Murmansk. In-depth article Amon Gth was given the rank of SS-Hauptsturmfhrer in the reserve forces of the Waffen-SS. In-depth article Oberstgeneral Hube was killed in a plane crash leaving Berchtesgaden, Germany. The Japanese siege of Kohima, India was begin to be lifted. In-depth article USS Seahorse sank Japanese submarine RO-45 west of Saipan, Mariana Islands, hitting her with three of four
51/189
5/7/13
torpedoes fired. In-depth article China
Ding Delong was named the commanding officer of the C hinese 37th Army. In-depth article Japan Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Yokosuka, Japan for her 19th voyage with the Japanese Navy. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Destroyer Yukikaze departed Kure, Japan to escort battleship Yamato and cruiser Maya to Lingga, Borneo. In-depth article Panama Canal Zone USS Franklin transited through the Panama C anal. In-depth article United Kingdom No. 214 Squadron RAF (of No. 100 group based at RAF Oulton at Aylsham, England, United Kingdom), established in Nov 1943, flew the first operational sortie with their Fortress Mk. III (SD) aircraft. These were extensively modified B-17G aircraft fitted out with electronic countermeasures and radar jamming devices. This Squadron would fly more than 1,000 sorties up to May 1945 losing just eight aircraft on operations. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 20 Apr 1944
21 Apr 1944
USS C roaker was commissioned into service with C ommander John E. Lee in command. In-depth article Operation C hattanooga: Allied aircraft destroyed German rail and other transportation targets. In-depth article Allied bombers conducted a raid on Belgrade, Yugoslavia. C olonel General Erhard Raus replaced Hans-Valentin Hube as the commander of the German 1.Panzerarmee. Hube was killed in a plane crash on the previous day. USS Gar ended her eleventh war patrol. In-depth article Japanese troops captured C rete West hill near Imphal, India. In-depth article Hawaii USS Gabilan departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol; her primary task was to conduct reconnaissance in the Mariana Islands area. In-depth article Japan Yamato departed Kure, Japan for Okinoshima and loaded troops. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement
22 Apr 1944
Allied forces landed on Aitape, Australian Territory of New Guinea and Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea during Operation Persecution. In-depth article Yugoslavian partisans took control of the island of Korcula in the Adriatic Sea, capturing 800 of the German defenders. Mussolini met with Hitler near Salzburg, Germany (Austria). In-depth article The RAF used of the new liquid incendiary device, J-Bomb, for the first time against Brunswick, Germany. In-depth article Soviet Union ended peace talks with Finland. Japanese attacks overran some Anglo-Indian defensive positions near Imphal, India, but no major progress was made. Near Kohima to the north, Anglo-Indian troops attacked Garrison Hill after sundown. Behind the Japanese lines, Lieutenant General Renya Mutaguchi visited the front lines and relieved Major General Motozo Yanakida for his perceived lack of aggressiveness, replacing him with Major General Nobuo Tanaka. In-depth article USS Iowa began to escort carriers while the aircraft struck Japanese positions on New Guinea, Dutch East Indies. In-depth article
52/189
5/7/13
China
Japanese troops captured Zhengzhou, Henan Province, C hina. In-depth article Japan Yamato departed Okinoshima, Japan with cruiser Maya, destroyer Shimakaze, destroyer Yukikaze, and two other destroyers. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Light carrier Ryuho departed Kure, Japan for Taira, Bonin Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 22 Apr 1944
23 Apr 1944
USS Pintado arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article Erwin Rommel wrote to Alfred Jodl, noting that if given command over the nearby tank formations he would wipe out any Allied landing attempt in France. In-depth article Anglo-Indian troops attacked Ningthoukhong, India. In-depth article Australia USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia for her fourth war patrol. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 23 Apr 1944
24 Apr 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Saipan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement British bombers attacked Mnchen, Germany. During this attack, the Spinosaurus fossil specimen BSP 1912 VIII 19 was destroyed at the Palontologische Staatssammlung Mnchen (Bavarian State C ollection of Paleontology). In-depth article Allied bombers conducted a raid on Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Photo(s) dated 24 Apr 1944
25 Apr 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Saipan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement
53/189
5/7/13

The Emsland concentration camps in Germany established the Kommandos Nord (Department North), which began to construct concentration camps in Norway north of the Arctic C ircle; 1,404 prisoners were transferred there when completed. In-depth article Australian troops captured Madang, New Guinea. In-depth article Anglo-Indian troops attacked Ningthoukhong, India. In-depth article
Germany Adolf Hitler made his last major public appearance at Hans-Valentin Hube's funeral in Berlin, Germany. In-depth article United Kingdom George Patton was at a welcome club in Knutsford, England, United Kingdom as the guest of honor. Learning that his visit was supposed to be unofficial, he freely spoke of a post-war world in which the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union would together rule the world. A reporter carelessly missed writing down the Soviet Union, thus when the story was published several days later, it appeared as if Patton was disrespecting the Soviet Union. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 25 Apr 1944
26 Apr 1944
USS Franklin arrived at New York, New York, United States. In-depth article Georgios Papandreou became the new Prime Minister of Greece after his predecessor resigned. France Ptain made his first and only visit to Paris, France to inspect damage from Allied bombings. In-depth article Japan Prince Takahito's daughter Princess Yasuko was born. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 26 Apr 1944
27 Apr 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Truk and departed later on the same day. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Overseas civilian travel was banned by the British government. British Sergeant Norman Jackson's Lancaster bomber was attacked by a German nightfighter after a bombing run over Schweinfurt, Germany. As he observed that the starboard wing was on fire, he climbed outside with a parachute and a fire extinguisher. Holding on with one hand, he attempted to put out the fire while the aircraft traveled at 200 miles per hour at the altitude of 20,000 feet. He was eventually thrown off the aircraft as the German nightfighter returned for a second attack. He would survive the fall and would become captured. Destroyer Yuzuki rescued survivors of sunken light cruiser Yubari. In-depth article Remy Van Lierde was assigned to No. 3 Squadron RAF, flying Tempest Mk. V fighters. In-depth article Anglo-Indian troops attempted to attack the Japanese positions on the far side of the tennis court in Kohima, India. In-depth article USS Seahorse sank Japanese cargo ship Akigawa Maru west of Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Japan
54/189
5/7/13
Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Russia
Semyon Timoshenko was awarded the Order of Suvorov 1st C lass for the third time. In-depth article United Kingdom C anadian and New Zealand prime ministers arrived in London, England, United Kingdom for the Imperial C onference. Photo(s) dated 27 Apr 1944
28 Apr 1944
Yamato arrived at Manila, unloaded troops and supplies, and then departed. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USS Franklin entered New York Navy Yard for repairs. In-depth article USS C assin Young sortied from Manus, Admiralty Islands with Task Force 58 for carrier strikes in the C entral Pacific. In-depth article Frank Knox passed away. In-depth article The keel of USS Tirante was laid down at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, United States. In-depth article Slapton Sands Incident: German E-boats torpedoed American landing ships in amphibious exercises off of the Devon coast in England, United Kingdom, killing 198 sailors and 551 soldiers. Matsu was commissioned into service. In-depth article 26 B-24 bombers of the US 14th Air Force escorted by 10 P-51 fighters attacked Zhengzhou, Henan, C hina. Fighters of the Japanese 9th Sentai at nearby Xinxiang failed to react due to the faulty radar at Kaifeng. Storage warehouses, the Bawangcheng Bridge, and another nearby bridge on the Yellow River were damaged. USS Iowa completed her escort mission for carriers off New Guinea, Dutch East Indies. In-depth article A force of 4,000 C hinese troops, 1,400 American troops (Merrill's Marauders), and 600 Kachin scouts began marching for Myitkyina, Burma. In-depth article Oberleutnant Wilhelm Johnen, Staffelkapitn of German night fighter Squadron 5./NJG 5, whilst chasing an RAF bomber strayed into Swiss airspace where he was hit by flak and forced to land at Dbendorf where his Messerschmitt Bf 110G-4B./R3, which was equipped with the latest Lichtenstein SN-2b radar, was interned by the Swiss authorities. Fearful that the top-secret radar (which was the Luftwaffe's answer to the Allies "Window" anti-radar system) might fall into the hands of the Allies, the Germans eventually traded twelve new Bf 109G fighters in exchange for a Swiss guarantee that the interned aircraft with its new radar would be completely destroyed. Russia Allied convoy RA-59 departed the Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia. In-depth article United Kingdom The South African and Rhodesian prime ministers arrived in London, England, United Kingdom for the Imperial C onference. United States Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd visited Franklin Roosevelt at Bernard Baruch's estate Hobcaw Barony near Georgetown, South C arolina, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 28 Apr 1944
55/189
5/7/13
29 Apr 1944
American troops captured the Japanese airfield at Hollandia, New Guinea. In-depth article USS Tunny departed Brisbane, Australia for her sixth war patrol. In-depth article After dark, Japanese troops launched a counterattack at Kohima, India. In-depth article USS Parche attacked a Japanese convoy south of Taiwan and damaged one transport with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Japan Light carrier Ryuho departed Kure, Japan for Iwakuni, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement United Kingdom Australian Prime Minister John C urtin arrived in London, England, United Kingdom for the Imperial C onference. In-depth article In England, United Kingdom, Dwight Eisenhower cabled Washington DC , United States, telling Marshall that he was pondering the notion of firing George Patton because "he simply does not keep his mouth shut", referring to the 25 Apr 1944 incident in which Patton spoke of his vision of a post-war world that, after being mis-quoted by a reporter, created another public relations row for Eisenhower's headquarters. In-depth article United States USS Barbero was commissioned into service with Lieutenant C ommander Irvin S. Hartman in command. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 29 Apr 1944
30 Apr 1944
USS Puffer departed Fremantle, Australia for her fourth war patrol. In-depth article
1 May 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Palau and departed later on the same day. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement US Navy completed a two-day raid on Truk, which destroyed 120 Japanese aircraft. In-depth article The first C ommonwealth Prime Ministers' C onference began and would last until 16 May. British Prime Minister Winston C hurchill, Australian Prime Minister John C urtin, New Zealand Prime Minister Peter Fraser, C anadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King, and South African Prime Minister Jan Smuts were in attendance. They would agree to support the Moscow Declaration and reached agreement regarding their respective roles in the overall Allied war effort. In-depth article The Organizational Division of the German Prisoner of War Office reported that a total of 5,165,381 Soviet prisoners were in German captivity. Submarine Macabi was laid down. In-depth article USS Finback arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her eighth war patrol. In-depth article Anglo-Indian troops attacked C rete West hill near Imphal, India. In-depth article
56/189
5/7/13

Joseph Stalin justified taking the war into German borders by noting "[o]ur tasks cannot be restricted by pushing the enemy out of our Motherland.... We must free our brothers from German Europe who have been conquered by Hitler's Germany." In-depth article
Dutch East Indies Yamato arrived at Lingga, Dutch East Indies south of Singapore. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Lingga, Dutch East Indies. In-depth article France British Squadron Leader Maurice Southgate, whose task it was to coordinate the various Marquis groups between the Loire River and the Pyrenees mountains, was arrested by the Gestapo in Paris, France. In-depth article Russia Boris Shaposhnikov received the Medal for the Defense of Moscow. In-depth article United Kingdom The Yugoslavian partisan leader Tito's mission arrived in London, England, United Kingdom to discuss cooperation with the Allies and gained official recognition. While in Britain, Robert Johnson was promoted to the rank of major. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 1 May 1944
See all photos dated 1 May 1944
2 May 1944
54-year-old Leonard Dawe, a teacher, compiled a cross-puzzle which was published in the Daily Telegraph on this date. He was put under MI5 investigation as the crossword puzzle contained the code names of the American landing beaches in Normandy, France. In-depth article Two transports arrived at the Auschwitz C oncentration C amp with 1,800 Jews from Budapest, Hungary and 2,000 from Topolya, Yugoslavia. 1,102 were registered into the camp, and the remaining 2,698 were sent to the gas chambers. In-depth article United States Floating drydock USS ABSD-2 departed C alifornia, United States in 10 separate sections. In-depth article
3 May 1944
Yamato was designated the flagship of Battleship Division 1 under Vice Admiral Matome Ugaki. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Soemu Toyoda was named the commander-in-chief of the Japanese Navy C ombined Fleet. In-depth article Indian 4th Brigade attacked GPT ridge near Kohima, India, which failed to capture all Japanese positions. In-depth article USS Parche began pursuing a seven-ship Japanese convoy south of Taiwan spotted by wolfpack mate USS Tinosa. In-depth article USS Seahorse was relieved from lifeguard station duty in the Mariana Islands and set sail for Milne Bay, Australian Papua. In-depth article USS Gunnel started her fifth war patrol. In-depth article China 7 B-25 bombers of the C hinese-American C omposite Wing attacked Japanese troop concentrations near Mihsien and Yueyang in Hunan, C hina and strafed the town of Hsiangcheng. On the same day, 10 P-40 fighters of the C hinese-American C omposite Wing damaged the bridge on the Yellow River and destroyed 15 Japanese trucks northwest of C henghsien near Luoyang, Henan, C hina.
57/189
5/7/13
United Kingdom
Dwight Eisenhower wrote George Patton a personal letter in which he informed Patton that Patton would be allowed to keep his post even after the public relations rows that Patton had created. In-depth article US Pacific Islands USS Golet arrived at Midway Atoll. In-depth article
4 May 1944
The United States government lifted rationing for most types of meat. RAF bombers struck Budapest, Hungary. A new German plan called for the deportation of 3,000 Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp daily, starting on 15 May 1944. A meeting was held on this date in Vienna between German SS officials, Hungarian officials, and railroad officials to determine the logistics of such an operation. In-depth article The US Joint C hiefs of Staff decided to preliminarily plan landing operations on Taiwan, Philippine Islands, and mainland C hina. In-depth article James Johnson scored his 28th victory. In-depth article USS Parche attacked a Japanese convoy south of Taiwan, sinking Taiyoku Maru and Shoryu Maru and damaging a third, hitting them with 7 of 10 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Marshall Islands USS Flying Fish departed Majuro, Marshall Islands for her tenth war patrol. In-depth article USS Alabama arrived at Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands. In-depth article
5 May 1944
Spain ceased export of Tungsten to Germany in exchange for American oil. Soviet Army began its assault on Sevastopol, Ukraine destroying German 17.Armee and taking 36,000 prisoners. The Japanese Navy 14th Air Fleet was reorganized to contain only one seaplane tender. The order for food transport ship Kusumi, the planned sister ship to Irako, was canceled. Dutch East Indies Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Italy Harold Alexander ordered for the preparation of Operation Buffalo, which called for an assault on C isterna, Italy; Mark C lark, however, would modify this plan so that he could strike at Rome, Italy. In-depth article Russia Lavrentiy Beria was named the deputy chairman of the Soviet State Defense C ommittee (GKO) and the chairman of the Operational Bureau of the GKO. In-depth article United States USS Franklin departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 5 May 1944
6 May 1944
Younger workers in the Lodz ghetto in Poland began a hunger strike in protest of the watery soup that made up the bulk of their daily food intake. In India, Mahatma Gandhi was released from imprisonment due to health reasons. British Army junior officer John Randle took out a Japanese machine gun position in Burma, then purposefully sacrificed himself to take out a bunker with a grenade. He was posthumously awarded a Victoria C ross. The A7M1 Reppu fighter took its first flight. In-depth article
58/189
5/7/13

USS Pollack departed Midway Atoll for her tenth war patrol. In-depth article USS Pompon departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her fifth war patrol. In-depth article During the day, 25 Japanese Zero fighters attacked Bishenpur, India. After sundown, Japanese troops attacked Tengnoupal, India. In-depth article
Dutch East Indies Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Ukraine Soviet troops bombarded Sevastopol, Ukraine with Katyusha rocket launchers. In-depth article United Kingdom Allied convoy RA-59 arrived at Loch Ewe, Scotland, United Kingdom. In-depth article
7 May 1944
During the day, Anglo-Indian troops attacked Jail Hill near Kohima, India, which was repelled by Japanese troops and suffered heavy losses. To the south, the British offensive from Imphal, India into Burma was called off after lack of success. After sundown, Japanese troops attacked Tengnoupal, India and overran some Allied defensive positions. In-depth article USS Guitarro departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article Germany 1,500 bombers of the US 8th Air Force attacked Berlin, Germany. In-depth article United States Franklin Roosevelt arrived in Washington DC , United States. In-depth article
8 May 1944
Rudolf Hss returned to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp to supervise Aktion Hss, the extermination of 430,000 Hugarian Jews. In-depth article Eisenhower set the date for the cross-C hannel invasion at 5 Jun 1944. In-depth article USS Rock arrived at Majuro, Marshall Islands, ending her second war patrol. In-depth article USS Hoe attacked a Japanese convoy in the South C hina Sea, damaging a tanker and a freigther with 2 of 6 torpedoes fired. In-depth article USAAF fighter ace Robert Johnson scored his 27th victory, exceeding the 26 victories achieved by C aptain Eddie Rickenbacker, making him the second-highest scoring American fighter pilot in Europe. Brigadier William Lentaigne, commander of the C hindit, flew to the front lines in Burma to meet with Michael C alvert, repeating the order to abandon the Broadway and White C ity sites of Operation Thursday in order to build a new forward base, Blackpool. In-depth article Germany Robert Johnson flew his final mission, shooting down a Bf 109G aircraft and a Fw 190 aircraft over C elle, Germany. In-depth article United States USS Ticonderoga was commissioned at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth, Virginia, United States with Dixie Kiefer in command. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 8 May 1944
59/189
5/7/13
9 May 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Ambon, Molucca Islands and departed later on the same day. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement 108 prisoners of the Pithiviers Transit C amp in France were sent to La Rochelle, France to build fortifications at the mouth of the Gironde River on the Atlantic coast. Red Army recaptured Sevastopol, Ukraine. The Allies began an aerial campaign against airfields and rail lines in France in preparation for the crossC hannel invasion. In-depth article Rudolf Hss returned to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp and ordered the expansion of the rail platforms, the activation of C rematorium V, the reactivation of Bunker 2 (gas chamber), the digging of five pits, among other items, in preparation for the arrival of Hungarian Jews at Auschwitz. In-depth article USS Mingo arrived at Brisbane, Australia, ending her third war patrol. In-depth article USS Makin Island was commissioned into service at Astoria, Oregon, United States with C ommander William B. Whaley in command. In-depth article USS Segundo was commissioned into service with Lieutenant C ommander James D. Fulp, Jr. in command. In-depth article
10 May 1944
USS C od sank Japanese destroyer Karukaya and a cargo ship by torpedoes and survived a heavy depth charge barrage. In-depth article The French Resistance claimed a membership of over 100,000 and requested more military aid from the Allies. In-depth article Japanese troops attacked Scraggy Hill near Imphal, India. 30 kilometers to the southwest, Bishenpur was attacked by a group of Japanese Zero fighters. In-depth article Repair ship Akashi was removed from the Japanese Navy List. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Ukraine Aleksandr Vasilevsky was wounded in the head at Sevastopol, Ukraine after his car drove over a mine and was evacuated to Moscow, Russia for treatment. In-depth article United States Henry Arnold suffered his third heart attack. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 10 May 1944
11 May 1944
Pressured by the respective governments, German authorities in Italy released from captivity Jews of Turkish, Spanish, Portuguese, Swiss, Swedish, and Finnish citizenship. German SS Sturmbannfhrer Richard Baer was appointed the commandant of Auschwitz I after his predecessor Liebehenschel was transferred to Majdanek C oncentration C amp. In-depth article C hinese troops crossed the Salween River in Burma. In-depth article Japanese Navy devised Operation A-Go for the defense of the Mariana Islands; it would be launched in Jun 1944. In-depth article USS Tunny arrived in the Mariana Islands.
60/189
5/7/13

In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho departed Saeki, Japan for Tawi-Tawi, Mindanao, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement
Australia USS Seahorse arrived at Brisbane, Australia, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article Dutch East Indies Yamato departed from Lingga, Dutch East Indies for Tawi-Tawi, Philippine Islands with Mobile Fleet under Vice Admiral Jisaburo Ozawa. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Italy Operation Diadem, the fourth Allied attempt at attacking C assino, Italy, was launched at 2300 hours with 1,660 artillery pieces firing on German defensive positions. Troops of US Fifth and British Eighth Armies advanced toward German positions behind the artillery barrage. In-depth article Panama Canal Zone USS Franklin transited through the Panama C anal. In-depth article
12 May 1944
The remains of German 17.Armee surrendered in the C rimea in southern Ukraine. The German synthetic fuel plants at Brx in southern Germany (post-war Most, C zechoslovakia) and LnaMerseburg, Ltzkendorf, and Zeitz in eastern Germany were hit by 800 US bombers. In-depth article 39 German Sinti children, 20 boys and 19 girls, arrived at Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. They were separated from their parents as a part of Eva Justin's dissertation "The fate of Gypsy children and their offspring raised in alien environments". She became a professor at Berlin University in 1943 and the paper was published in 1944. In-depth article Kamal Ram of Indian 8th Punjab Regiment single-handedly took out two German defensive positions and joined another against a third near the Gari River in Italy. Later in the same day, he charged at a house held by the Germans, capturing two and killing one. He was later awarded the Victoria C ross, with King George VI pinning the medal onto his uniform in Jul 1944. Anglo-Indian troops counterattacked at Tengnoupal, India, regaining territory lost during the Japanese attacks between 6 and 8 May 1944. In-depth article Dutch East Indies Shokaku departed Lingga, Dutch East Indies for the Tawi-Tawi anchorage in the Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Destroyer Yukikaze departed Lingga, Dutch East Indies. In-depth article Italy Near C assino, Italy, engineers of Indian 8th Division successfully established a bridge to allow tanks of C anadian 1st Armoured Brigade to cross the Rapido River, while Polish troops engaged in fierce fighting with troops of German 1st Parachute Divisionat Point 593. In-depth article United States USS Wake Island arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 12 May 1944
13 May 1944
US destroyer escort USS Francis M. Robinson of Task Group 22.2 sank Japanese submarine RO-501, formerly German submarine U-1224, off the C ape Verde islands, killing the entire crew of 52 including Lieutenant C ommander Norita Sadatoshi. RO-501 had a cargo of mercury, lead, steel, aluminum drawings, optical glass,
61/189
5/7/13

IXC -type submarine blueprints, and Me 163A Komet jet fighter blue prints on board. USS Francis M. Robinson would later receive the Presidential Unit C itation for this action. In-depth article By this date, Anglo-Indian troops had control of Jail Hill, GPT ridge, and FSD ridge near Kohima, India. In-depth article
China Japanese troops attacked Luoyang, C hina. In-depth article Dutch East Indies Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Surabaya, Java. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Italy Allied troops captured Ponte Sant'Angelo and C astelforte, Italy. In-depth article
14 May 1944
Yamato arrived at Tawi-Tawi, where she would remain for gunnery drills at range of nearly 22 miles with sister ship Musashi through Jun 1944. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Musashi arrived at Tawi Tawi, where she would remain for gunnery drills at range of nearly 22 miles with sister ship Yamato through Jun 1944. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Luftwaffe Leutnant August Lambert was awarded the Knight's C ross of the Iron C ross medal for 90 kills. Of the nearly 250 Soviet aircraft shot down by II/SG2 during the Gruppe's six-month defence of the C rimea region in Ukraine, more than a third had fallen to Lambert's guns. 1st Anti-Fascist Partisan Brigade commanding officer Lieutenant C olonel Vladimir Gil, who was also known as I. G. Rodionov, was killed in action. Italy French Moroccan colonial troops outflanked German defenses in the Liri River valley in Italy. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 14 May 1944
15 May 1944
Shokaku arrived at Tawi-Tawi, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Hungarian Jews began to be deported to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. Elsewhere, over the following three days, about 7,500 prisoners of the Theresienstadt C oncentration C amp were transferred to the Auschwitz C oncentration C amp; part of the reason was to relieve Theresienstadt's overcrowded condition in preparation of a visit by the International Red C ross and the Danish Red C ross in the following month. In-depth article Hans Speidel arranged a meeting between Erwin Rommel and anti-Hitler conspirators, but he would ultimately attend on his stead. Anglo-Indian troops pushed Japanese troops out of Potsangbam, 2 miles south of Bishenpur, India. To the north near Kohima, Indian 33rd Brigade captured Treasury Hill with little Japanese opposition. In-depth article The C hinese-American-Kachin force outside of Myitkyina, Burma transmitted the code phrase "strawberry sundae", signifying that it was in position to strike the Japanese-occupied city. In-depth article Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Tawi-Tawi, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Hawaii US Navy 127th C onstruction Battalion relieved the 48th C onstruction Battalion in the work to build aviation gasoline facilities at Maui, US Territory of Hawaii. Italy British 78th Division joined in on the attack of C assino, Italy as German troops withdrew from Gustav Line to Hitler Line 30 miles to the south of Rome, Italy. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 15 May 1944
62/189
5/7/13
16 May 1944
USS Sea C at was commissioned into service. In-depth article A transport of Jews from Hungary arrived at Auschwitz. Adolf Eichmann, in charge of all transports to the camps, arrived to oversee and speed up the extermination process personally. USS Pintado departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article Major General Nobuo Tanaka ordered a two-pronged offensive toward Bishenpur and the plains near Imphal in India. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Tawi-Tawi, Mindanao, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 16 May 1944
17 May 1944
USS Hoe damaged a Japanese freighter with 1 of 5 torpedoes fired. In-depth article USS Tunny received reports of a Japanese convoy from USS Sand Lance and intercepted the 3-ship and 3destroyer convoy just after sunset in the Mariana Islands. She launched three torpedoes each against two cargo ships, sinking Nichiwa Maru. She endured a counterattack consisted of 81 depth charges, suffering no damage. In-depth article USS Astoria was commissioned into service with C aptain George Dye in command. In-depth article USS Hawkbill was commissioned into service with Lieutenant C ommander F. Worth Scanland, Jr. in command. In-depth article The Japanese attack on the Blackpool site of Operation Thursday in Burma was repulsed. On the same day, William Slim handed operational control of the C hindits over to Joseph Stilwell. In-depth article American, C hinese, and Kachin troops began the assault on Myitkyina, Burma. The attack began at 1000 hours, and by 1050 the airfield was captured. In-depth article Dutch East Indies Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Surabaya, Java. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Italy German troops evacuated C assino, Italy. Meanwhile, the French penetration of the Gustav Line reached 25 miles. Nearby, Polish troops launched what was to become the final attack on Monte C assino. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 17 May 1944
18 May 1944
Allied bombers conducted a raid on Belgrade, Yugoslavia.
63/189
5/7/13

USS Puffer attacked a Japanese convoy in the South C hina Sea, firing 9 torpedoes, 2 of which hit and sank freighter Shinryu Maru. In-depth article Anglo-Indian troops attacked Japanese positions at Ninthoukgong, India. In-depth article Joseph Stilwell arrived at the Myitkyina airfield in Burma just a day after the airfield was captured, congratulating Frank Merrill in advance for the capture of the rest of the city, which he believed would be achieved within days. Later on the same day, Merrill dispatched a C hinese unit to attack the city; the attack was called off when two C hinese battalions mistakenly engaged each other in a fierce firefight. In-depth article The Buckley-class destroyer-escort USS England (C ommander W. B. Pendleton) attacked and sank Japanese submarine I-16, the first of six enemy submarines to be sunk by USS England over a twelve-day period.
Italy British 78th Division linked up with the Polish C orps in the Liri River valley 3.2 kilometers west of C assino, Italy. Later on the same day, Polish troops captured the ruins of the Monte C assino monastery. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 18 May 1944
19 May 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Singapore. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement James Forrestal became the Secretary of the Navy of the United States. Joel Brand of the Hungarian Zionist Relief and Rescue C ommittee and Gestapo Agent Bandi Grosz (alias Andre Gyorgy) arrived in Istanbul, Turkey to deliver a message for the Allied powers: Germany would spare the lives of 700,000 Hungarian Jews if the Allies would provide Germany with 10,000 trucks, 2 million bars of soap, 800 tons of coffee, 200 tons of cocoa, and 800 tons of tea. The British government concluded that it was a German scheme to install suspicion in the Soviet Union toward the Western Allies. USS Hoe claimed damaging a Japanese ship and sinking another after scoring 2 torpedoes on each of the ships; a total of 10 torpedoes were fired. In-depth article An Anglo-Indian attack on Naga, India was repulsed with heavy casualties. In-depth article Three C hinese battalions attacked each other in confusion while assaulting Myitkyina, Burma. In-depth article Frank Merrill suffered another heart attack. In-depth article USS Parche attacked a Japanese trawler with her deck gun, scoring no hits. In-depth article Italy British troops captured the airfield at Aquino outside of Rome, Italy. In-depth article French Moroccan colonial troops plundered villages near C assino, Italy. In-depth article United States USS Franklin arrived at San Diego, C alifornia, United States. In-depth article USS Marcus Island embarked aircraft on the west coast of the United States for ferrying to the South Pacific. In-depth article Submarine Spot was launched at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, C alifornia, United States, sponsored by Mrs. A. A. Gieselmann. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 19 May 1944
20 May 1944
Eisenhower addressed French Resistance groups via a broadcast in preparation for the planned cross-C hannel
64/189
5/7/13

invasion. On the same day, 5,000 Allied bombers conducted coordinated strikes against many rail targets and 9 airfields in France and Belgium. In-depth article Members of the Polish underground captured a top secret V2 rocket intact. Since the Germans set up a test site at Bliza, Poland, the underground had operated a chain of small units responsible for bearing the Germans to the sites of crashed test rockets and salvaging whatever they could before the soldiers arrived. One V2 landed in a marsh close to the banks of the River Bug 80 miles east of Warsaw. The resistance got there first and found it sticking out of the mud. They pushed it deeper into the water to hide it and later dismantled the missile and flew vital parts to England, United Kingdom via an RAF Dakota aircraft. USS Gar began her twelfth war patrol. In-depth article Destroyer USS Taussig (DD-746) was commissioned with C ommander Joseph A. Robbins in command. USS Baya was commissioned into service with C ommander A. H. Holtz in command. In-depth article USS Pintado arrived at Midway Atoll. In-depth article Japanese troops evacuated the forward-most positions near Imphal, India. Meanwhile, a bloody clash took place between Japanese and Anglo-Indian troops at Torbung. In-depth article
Iceland Iceland began a four-day plebiscite on whether to terminate the personal union with the King of Denmark and establish a republic. Italy US Fifth Army captured Gaeta, Italy. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 20 May 1944
21 May 1944
USS Pintado departed Midway Atoll. In-depth article Adolf Hitler ordered downed Allied airmen to be shot without trial. In-depth article Anglo-Indian troops captured Kanglatongbi, India. In-depth article USS Ray began pursuing a nine-ship Japanese convoy south of the Philippine Islands. In-depth article USS Flier completed her repairs and resumed her first war patrol. In-depth article USS C ero damaged a Japanese transport north of Dutch New Guinea, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired. In-depth article
22 May 1944
U-530 departed Lorient, France for Trinidad. Aboard, she carried a Naxos radar detector to be given to the Japanese when she was to meet with Japanese submarine I-52. In-depth article USS Trepang was commissioned into service. In-depth article Lieutenant C olonel Francis Gabreski of US 56th Fighter Group shot down three German Focke-Wulf Fw.190 aircraft in one day. USS Pollack attacked a Japanese convoy in the Pacific Ocean, sinking destroyer Asanagi and damaging a freighter; ten torpedoes were expended in this tatack. In-depth article USS Puffer attacked a Japanese carrier in the South C hina Sea, firing 6 torpedoes and claiming 1 hit. In-depth article Lieutenant Kenneth Elliot Meredith was named the commanding officer of HMC S Trillium. In-depth article Destroyer Yukikaze suffered minor propeller damage when it accidentally struck a reef near Tawi-Tawi, Philippine Islands. In-depth article USS Ray attacked a nine-ship Japanese convoy south of the Philippine Islands with seven torpedoes, scoring five hits; Tempei Maru was sunk and two other ships were damaged. A short moment later, she fired another torpedo from a stern tube, damaging another ship. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 22 May 1944
65/189
5/7/13
23 May 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Singapore. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Muriel Byck passed away. In-depth article General Hans C ramer, last commander of the German Afrika Korps, was repatriated due to ill health; before he departed Britain, he was shown evidence of the massive Allied build-up, but was misinformed as to the location of these forces; when he was later debriefed in Berlin, Germany, this misinformation helped deceive the Germans as to the actual target of the invasion. On the same day C ramer was repatriated, a single USAAF B-24 bomber ("Lorelei" 41-29300), escorted by eight P-51 fighters, loaded with the new top-secret Azon bombs successfully destroyed four bridges leading into Normandie, France; Lieutenant C olonel F. M. O'Neil (commanding officer of 753rd Squadron) and C aptain Fred DeNeffe were the mission pilots; the entire crew was awarded the Distinguished Flying C ross. In-depth article USS Ray fired ten torpedoes at two radar contacts south of the Philippine Islands, sinking one ship and damaging another with six torpedo hits. In-depth article USS C ero attacked a Japanese convoy off the Palau Islands, sinking a freighter and damaging a tanker, hitting them with 4 of 6 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Italy Troops of Polish II C orps and C anadian 1st Infantry Division attacked Piedimonte, Italy. In-depth article Three US and two British divisions launched a new assault out of the Anzio, Italy beachhead at dawn, inflicting heavy casualties on German formations but also suffering similarly. In-depth article US Pacific Islands USS Parche arrived at Midway Atoll, ending her first war patrol. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 23 May 1944
24 May 1944
British Prime Minister C hurchill formally announced that Spain would not be a target of the forthcoming Allied invasion on continental western Europe. In-depth article SS official Adolf Eichmann's office in Budapest reported that 116,000 Hungarian Jews had already been deported, and another 200,000 were awaiting deportation, most of which were from C arpatho-Ruthenia and Transylvania. In-depth article A transport of 859 prisoners from the Pawiak prison in Warsaw, Poland arrived at Stutthof C oncentration C amp. In-depth article USS C abrilla damaged a Japanese ship east of Borneo, hitting her with 1 of 6 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Japanese troops captured Gibraltar Hill and attacked Lone Tree Hill near Imphal, India. To the north at Kohima, Indian 7th Division began an offensive against Dyer Hill, Pimple Hill, and Big Tree Hill. In-depth article Japanese troops penetrated C hindit defense lines near the Blackpool site in Burma. In-depth article USS Flying Fish attempted to attack a Japanese convoy; all 4 torpedoes fired missed. She was detected and was subjected to a depth charge counterattack. In-depth article Iceland Iceland's four-day plebiscite ended; the result would show that 97% of the population wished to terminate the personal union with the King of Denmark, and 95% of the population wished to establish a new republic. Italy
66/189
5/7/13

US forces captured Terracina, Italy. In-depth article The German Senger Line south of Rome, Italy was breached by troops of C anadian 1st Infantry Division, C anadian 5th Armoured Division, and II Polish C orps. In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 24 May 1944
25 May 1944
Germans launched combined ground-airborne assault on Tito's headquarters in Drvar, Bosnia, Yugoslavia. Submarine Sea Robin was launched, sponsored by the wife of US Navy C aptain Homer Ambrose, the production superintendent at the Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine, United States where the submarine was built. In-depth article USS Pollack fired four torpedoes at a Japanese destroyer in the Pacific Ocean; all torpedoes missed. In-depth article C hindit forces abandoned the Blackpool site in Burma. In-depth article USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport and damaged another transport at dawn off the Philippine Islands, hitting them with 4 of 4 torpedoes fired. In-depth article China Japanese troops captured Luoyang, C hina. In-depth article Italy US 3rd Division captured C isterna, Italy after house-to-house fighting, nearly wiping out 362nd Infantry Division in the process; nearby, US 1st Armored Division engaged German Herman Gring Division at Valmontone while US Fifth Army troops linked up with the Anzio contingent. At the end of the day, Mark C lark ordered Lucian Truscott to turn north toward Rome without informing Harold Alexander. In-depth article Polish troops captured Piedimonte, Italy. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 25 May 1944
26 May 1944
To the dismay of Roosevelt and C hurchill, de Gaulle proclaimed the Free French movement to be the "Provisional Government of the French Republic"; de Gaulle received recognition from most Allied governments, but this caused him to be left out of the planning for Operation Overlord. In-depth article Adolf Hitler delivered a speech at Der Platterhof hotel in Obersalzberg, Germany, justifying the continuation of the war. In-depth article The first Australian-built Beaufighter Mk.21 aircraft (A9-1) made its maiden flight. 364 aircraft would be built by the Mascot and Fishermen's Bend factories by the end of 1945. In-depth article USS C abrilla attacked a Japanese convoy in the Dutch East Indies with six torpedoes; four of them struck and sank a transport. In-depth article Italy After US 1st Armored Division had already been ordered north toward Rome, Italy, Mark C lark belatedly reported to Harold Alexander such a change in orders; he left only 1 division to attack the remaining German forces at Valmontone. In the area, US troops captured C ori. In-depth article
27 May 1944
5/7/13

The first Shinyo special attack boats were completed. In-depth article USS Becuna was commissioned into service, Lieutenant C ommander H. D. Sturr in command. In-depth article Brigadier William Lentaigne ordered Michael C alvert to capture Mogaung, Burma by 5 Jun 1944. In-depth article
Germany Hans Speidel, Konstantin von Neurath, and Karl Stroelin met at Stroelin's home in Freudenstadt, Germany to discuss the overthrow of Adolf Hitler. They concluded that Erwin Rommel was the ideal candidate to be the interim head of Germany or as the chief of the Germany military after Hitler's death as the Western Allies were more likely to negotiate peace with him than any of the officials in Berlin. They believed that a united European front could be formed to fight against Bolshevism. Photo(s) dated 27 May 1944
28 May 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Manila, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USAAF again bombed the synthetic oil plant at Lne-Merseburg in eastern Germany. In-depth article Submarine C harr was launched, sponsored by Mrs. William Orkney. In-depth article USS Pompon attacked a Japanese transport south of Japan; all 3 torpedoes missed. In-depth article British entertainer Nol C oward arrived in C eylon aboard destroyer HMS Rapid. US Pacific Islands USS Golet departed Midway Atoll with Lieutenant James S. C lark as her new commanding officer. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 28 May 1944
29 May 1944
Taking advantage of their range, US bombers began hitting Marienburg and Posen in eastern Germany. In-depth article The escort carrier USS Block Island was torpedoed by a German U-boat while on anti-submarine patrol near the Azores. This was the first and only US Navy Aircraft C arrier to be lost in the Atlantic Ocean. The Anglo-Indian attack on Ninthoukgong, India was halted after capturing the northern half of the town. In-depth article Italy US 1st Armored Division engaged German defensive positions of the C aesar C Line south of Rome, Italy. In-depth article Japan Destroyer Yuzuki arrived at Sasebo, Japan for refitting. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 29 May 1944
68/189
5/7/13
30 May 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Manila, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Royal Sovereign was decommissioned from service. In-depth article USS Guitarro sank the heavily-escorted cargo ship Shisen Maru off Taiwan, hitting her with two of the three torpedoes fired. In-depth article USS Finback completed refitting at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii and departed for her ninth war patrol. In-depth article USS Pompon sank cargo ship Shiga Maru off Murotosaki, Shikoku, Japan, hitting her with 1 of 3 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Major General Nobuo Tanaka canceled his offensive in the Imphal region in India after incurring heavy losses. To the north at Kohima, the Indian 7th Division assault on Dyer Hill, Pimple Hill, and Big Tree Hill, which began on 24 May, was repulsed with heavy casualties. In-depth article Italy British troops captured Arce, Italy; US 36th Infantry Division penetrated between German 1st Parachute C orps and LXXVI Panzer C orps on the C aesar C Line. Also on this day, after seven German divisions successfully withdraw along Route 6 in Italy, Albert Kesselring allowed his troops in the Velletri gap to slowly fall back. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 30 May 1944
31 May 1944
Stalin approved the plan for Operation Bagration, aimed at the destruction of German Armeegruppe Mitte. In-depth article USS Pintado began tracking a Japanese convoy in the Philippine Sea. In-depth article Romania A German counterattack near Iasi, Romania was repulsed. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 31 May 1944
1 Jun 1944
USS C od arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her third war patrol. In-depth article The US submarine Herring was reported lost in the Kurile Islands, presumed sunk by Japanese shore batteries on Matua Island, whilst on patrol near Matsuwa Island. In-depth article USS Pintado fired six torpedoes at a Japanese convoy in the Philippine Sea, scoring several hits, sinking Toho Maru and damaging another. In-depth article In his diary, William Slim privately complained of Louis Mountbatten's lack of vision and Henry Pownall's laziness. In-depth article US Brigadier General Haydon L. Boatner was appointed to command the Myitkyina Task Force in Burma. Italy
69/189
5/7/13
British troops captured Frosinone, Italy. In-depth article United States
USS Franklin departed San Diego, C alifornia, United States. In-depth article USS Hawkbill departed Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 1 Jun 1944
2 Jun 1944
The Bulgarian government approached the Western Allies for terms of surrender. US launched Operation Frantic, its first shuttle bombing operation. 130 15th Air Force B-17 bombers were launched from Tripoli, Libya to bomb Debrecen, Hungary and to land in Ukraine. USS Hoe arrved at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article USS Guitarro sank frigate Awaii off Taiwan in the early morning, hitting her with three of the six torpedoes fired. At the end of the day, she claimed sinking a Japanese destroyer, hitting her with one of the two torpedoes fired. In-depth article Major General Nobuo Tanaka ordered a final attack at Imphal, India despite overwhelming odds. Near Kohima to the north, Japanese troops evacuated from the village of Naga. In-depth article Shunroku Hata was promoted to the rank of field marshal. In-depth article Australian New Guinea USS C ero arrived at Seeadler Harbor, Manus, Admiralty Islands, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article China 7 P-40N fighters of the 7th fighter Squadron of the C hinese-American C omposite Wing attacked the Japanese airfield at Zhengzhou, Henan, C hina. 7 Ki-44 fighters of the Japanese 9th Sentai rose to intercept, shooting down 5. One Ki-44 fighter was shot down over Bawangcheng. Italy Allied forces overran the German C aesar C Line south of Rome, Italy; Adolf Hitler ordered Albert Kesselring that the Italian capital would be abandoned. In-depth article Sweden Secret peace talks began between Romania and the Soviet Union in Stockholm, Sweden. In-depth article United States USS Escolar was commissioned into service with C ommander W. J. Millican in command. In-depth article
3 Jun 1944
RAF aircraft conducted raids in the Pas-de-C alais and C herbourg areas of France. In-depth article US XIII Bomber C ommand established its headquarters at Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands. Engineers at C urtiss-Wright published an internal memorandum noting the defects of the current generation of SB2C Helldiver aircraft (bell cranks might break during high speed dives) but the company failed to address the issue even for the aircraft built but not yet delivered to the US Navy. A number of aviators would be killed or injured due to this defect for the next month to come or perhaps longer due to this defect. In-depth article USS C abrilla sank a Japanese coastal patrol boat with her deck gun off Borneo. In-depth article Louis Mountbatten received the latest orders from the Anglo-American combined chiefs; to his disappointment, there was not to be any amphibious operations in Burma, and instead focus was to be placed on C hina. Mountbatten would decide to disobey the orders and instead planned on ground offensives from India into
70/189
5/7/13
Burma. In-depth article Italy Albert Kesselring declared Rome, Italy an open city. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 3 Jun 1944
4 Jun 1944
Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, was postponed due to weather. Meanwhile, RAF bombers struck German coastal fortifications along the French coast. In-depth article The captured submarine U-505 was towed to Bermuda, with Enigma machine, codebooks, and Zaunknig acoustically-guided torpedoes aboard. In-depth article USS Pintado helped in the wolfpack attack against a Japanese convoy in the Philippine Sea, but did not earn any sinkings during the attack. In-depth article USS C abrilla sank a Japanese coastal patrol boat with her deck gun off Borneo. In-depth article USS Flier attacked a Japanese convoy in the South C hina Sea, sinking transport Hakusan Maru and damaging another ship; 6 torpedoes were expended in this attack, 3 of which scored hits. In-depth article Burma Two replacement battalions for Galahad arrived at Myitkyina, Burma direct from the United States, but not being acclimatized proved of little immediate value. Italy Mark C lark and the US 5th Army entered Rome, Italy unopposed; C lark immediately held a press conference on the steps of the Town Hall on the C apitoline Hill. Some fellow Allied generals thought C lark had failed to trap the German 10th Army. In-depth article Japan Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Sasebo, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement The work to construct two prototypes of the J7W1 Shinden short-range interceptor fighter commenced at the aircraft factory at Zasshonokuma in Fukuoka, Japan. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 4 Jun 1944
5 Jun 1944
The first B-29 combat mission was flown from Kharagpur, British India to Bangkok, Thailand; the worst problem was an unexpected tropical storm. Jzef Beck passed away. In-depth article Erwin Rommel noted to Gerd von Rundstedt that there was no sign of an Allied invasion on the French coast. In-depth article USS Puffer sank Japanese tankers Ashizuri and Takasaki in the South C hina Sea, hitting them all 7 of the torpedoes fired. In-depth article Historical document written: The Patton Speech In-depth article Photo(s) dated 5 Jun 1944
71/189
5/7/13
See all photos dated 5 Jun 1944
6 Jun 1944
130,000 to 150,000 Allied troops, roughly half American and half British and C ommonwealth, invaded the beaches of Normandy, France; it was the largest amphibious operation. In-depth article Allied bombers conducted a raid on Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Between this date and the following three days, US submarine Harder sank four Japanese destroyers. In-depth article British C ompany Sergeant-Major Stanley Hollis took down several German pillboxes during the Normandy invasion and was credited for saving the lives of many men. He was awarded the Victoria C ross, the only awarded for actions on the initial day of the invasion. USS Pintado ten torpedoes against a Japanese convoy in the Philippine Sea, sinking Havre Maru and Kashimasan Maru. In-depth article Hawaii USS Gabilan arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending first war patrol. In-depth article Italy French troops captured Tivoli, Italy. In-depth article Philippines The Davao Penal C olony on Mindanao, Philippine Islands was closed; the American and Filipino prisoners were transferred to C ebu island. United States Submarine Sennet was launched at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, United States, sponsored by the wife of Roscoe W. Downs. In-depth article Robert Johnson returned to the United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 6 Jun 1944
7 Jun 1944
British troops captured Bayeux, France. In-depth article The administration of the crematoriums in Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp ordered four sieves from the manufacturing firm Deutsche Ausrstungswerke (DAW) to sift through human ashes. The sieves were to be equipped with an iron frame and the openings of the sieve screens were to be 10 millimeters in size. In-depth article USS Pollack arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her tenth war patrol. In-depth article Anglo-Indian and Japanese troops engaged in a bloody clash at Ninthoukgong, India. In-depth article Italy US troops captured C ivitavecchia, Italy. In-depth article
72/189
5/7/13
United Kingdom
Henry Arnold arrived in London, England, United Kingdom. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 7 Jun 1944
8 Jun 1944
USS Tang departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, starting her third war patrol in the East C hina Sea and the Yellow Sea. In-depth article USS Tunny made rendezvous with USS Pilotfish and USS Pintado and formed a wolfpack; the group was nicknamed Blair Blasters. In-depth article Former C hinese light cruiser Ninghai, now in Japanese service, was renamed Ioshima. In-depth article France Edward Brooks arrived in Normandy, France ahead of his US 2nd Armored Division. In-depth article Italy US Fifth Army captured C ivita C astellana, Italy. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 8 Jun 1944
9 Jun 1944
US troops captured St. Mre-Eglise, France, cutting major road and rail links to the C herbourg Peninsula. In-depth article In an attempt to push Finland out of the war, Soviet forces launched a major assault against Finnish troops on the Karelian Isthmus. USS Gar reported damaging a Japanese ship with her deck gun. In-depth article The Avro Lincoln bomber took its first flight. Originally known as the Lancaster IV, the Lincoln was produced to meet an Air Ministry requirement for a Lancaster replacement, but in 1943 the requirement was changed to developing a long-range bomber for operations in the Pacific Theatre (Tiger Force). The first Lincoln bombers would reach RAF Squadrons in Aug 1945, just too late to see service in World War II. They were however later used in operations against communist guerrillas in Malaya and against Mau Mau bandits in Kenya. The Japanese frontal-attack on Gurkha positions on Scraggy Hill was met with heavy losses, particularly to superior British firepower and air support. In-depth article Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel Willi Braun and Fahnenjunker-Feldwebel Gerhard Dietrich of the German Kampfgeschwader 55 wing were awarded the Knight's C ross of the Iron C ross. Photo(s) dated 9 Jun 1944
10 Jun 1944
Yamato departed Tawi-Tawi for Batjan, Halmahera at 1600 hours for Operation KON; this was reported by American Submarine USS Harder. Shortly after, the Japanese fleet spotted a periscope and carried out evasive maneuvers that nearly resulted in a collision between Yamato and Musashi.
73/189
5/7/13

In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement The town of Oradour-sur-Glane in central France was destroyed. Nearly all of its 652 inhabitants were killed by troops of the SS Division Das Reich; only 10 survived the massacre with fire and machine gunning. USS Mingo arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands for training. In-depth article German SS troops massacred 218 civilians at Distomo, central Greece, in revenge for losing seven men in a partisan ambush. USS Hawkbill arrived at New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. In-depth article C hinese troops captured Lungling, Yunnan Province, C hina. In-depth article Former C hinese light cruiser Pinghai was renamed Yasoshima. In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 10 Jun 1944
11 Jun 1944
USS C assin Young arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. In-depth article Missouri was commissioned into service. In-depth article The United States Marine C orps established the Administrative C ommand FMFPac (redesignated Supply Service FMFPac in Aug 1944) from the existing VAC Administrative C ommand to take responsibility for providing beach logistic supply on a hostile shore. Australia USS Seahorse departed Brisbane, Australia for her fifth war patrol. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 11 Jun 1944
12 Jun 1944
Yamato arrived at Batjan, Halmahera after Operation KON was postponed. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement US and British forces linked up near C arentan, France, forming a solid 50-mile battle line, with 326,000 men and 54,000 vehicles on the beachhead. In-depth article German Reich Minister for the Eastern Occupied Territories Alfred Rosenberg ordered the start of Heuaktion, which called for the kidnapping of 40,000 Polish children between the age of 10 and 14; they were to be transported to Germany as slave laborers. In-depth article With his company under heavy machine gun and tank fire in Burma, Rifleman Ganjo Lama crawled forward alone with a PIAT and destroyed two tanks. Despite a broken wrist and serious wounds to both hands, he knocked out a third tank by eliminating the crew. His actions earned him the Victoria C ross. C anadian Destroyer HMC S Haida under C ommander H. C . DeWolf sank the German submarine U-971. In-depth article USS Iowa escroted carriers while the aircraft struck Japanese positions in the Mariana Islands. In-depth article China In C hina, about 100 P-40 and P-51 fighters of the US 14th Air Force attacked Japanese vessels on Dongting Lake, docks and warehouses at Yuanjiang in Hunan Province, and troop concentrations in C hangsha in Hunan Province. Pacific Ocean
74/189
5/7/13

USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article USS Bluefish attacked a Japanese ship in the Makassar Strait; all 6 torpedoes missed. In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 12 Jun 1944
13 Jun 1944
Shokaku departed Tawitawi to reinforce Saipan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Yamato departed Batjan, Halmahera at 2200 hours to rendezvous with the Mobile Fleet. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement German troops launched a counter attack on C arentan, France. Meanwhile, near Villers-Bocage, Hauptsturmfhrer Michael Wittmann's lone Tiger tank destroyed 25 tanks and vehicles of the British 7th Armoured Division. In-depth article Lieutenant C ommander Everett Hartwell Steinmetz was named the commanding officer of USS Pollack. In-depth article USS Iowa bombarded Saipan and Tinian, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho departed Tawi-Tawi, Mindanao, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USS Flier attacked a Japanese convoy in the South C hina Sea, damaging a tanker with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired; she was subjected to a heavy counterattack. In-depth article Japan Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Sasebo, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Mariana Islands USS Alabama bombarded Japanese positions on Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article United Kingdom The first German V-1 flying bombs struck London, England, United Kingdom. Photo(s) dated 13 Jun 1944
14 Jun 1944
Shokaku arrived at Guimaras. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement American troops captured C arentan, France. In-depth article USS Tunny passed through Balintang C hannel, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Guimaras, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Australia USS Ray arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article Italy
75/189
5/7/13
Allied troops captured Orvieto, Italy. In-depth article Japan
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Yokosuka, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Pacific Ocean The US submarine Golet became missing; she was believed to be sunk by Japanese naval vessels off Honshu, Japan. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 14 Jun 1944
15 Jun 1944
Shokaku departed Guimaras with Mobile Fleet to counter the American invasion of the Mariana Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Yamato was sighted and reported by USS Seahorse east of Mindanao, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USS C assin Young provided support for the Mariana Islands invasion. In-depth article Soviet forces battered the Finnish secondary defense lines on the Karelian Isthmus. RAF bombers struck Boulogne and Le Havre, France. In-depth article American B-29 bombers based in C hina conducted a raid on Japan. In-depth article American troops invaded Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article US Thirteenth Air Force established its headquarters at Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands. USS Tunny sighted Luzon, Philippine Islands. In-depth article The Japanese Navy formed the 2nd Air Fleet with 141st, 345th, and 762nd Air Groups with Vice Admiral Shigeru Fukudome in overall command and Rear Admiral Ushie Sugimoto as the chief of staff. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho departed Guimaras, Philippine Islands to join what would become the Battle of the Philippine Sea. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USS Flying Fish detected a Japanese carrier force and reported the information to fellow submarines; this would lead to the sinking of carrier Shokaku by USS C avalla several days later. In-depth article Hawaii US Navy 142nd C onstruction Battalion relieved the 39th C onstruction Battalion in the construction of the Naval Air Station Kahului in US Territory of Hawaii. Pacific Ocean USS Bluefish attacked a Japanese transport in the C elebes Sea; all 5 torpedoes missed., In-depth article United States USS Segundo arrived at New London, C onnecticut, United States. In-depth article USS Wake Island departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 15 Jun 1944
76/189
5/7/13
16 Jun 1944
V-1 rockets began landing in England, United Kingdom before 0600 hours, with over 240 landing throughout what the Germans called the "Day of Vengeance". US submarines detected two large Japanese fleets near the Philippine Islands, headed towards the Mariana Islands. In-depth article USS Tunny sank a small sampan with gunfire in the Philippine Islands. In-depth article Italy British Eighth Army captured Foligno and Spoleto, Italy. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Bluefish sank a Japanese transport in the C elebes Sea, hitting her with 1 of 3 torpedoes fired. In-depth article United States USS Hawkbill departed New Orleans, Louisiana, United States for the Panama C anal Zone. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 16 Jun 1944
17 Jun 1944
Yamato refueled from oilers of the 1st Supply Force, then joined the Mobile Fleet. Later, the Mobile Fleet was sighted by USS C avalla in the Philippine Sea. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Alaska was commissioned into service. In-depth article Adolf Hitler met with Erwin Rommel and Hans Speidel in France; Hitler agreed to visit the front lines in France, but ultimately this would not take place. In-depth article USS Parche began her second war patrol. In-depth article Iceland Iceland declared independence from Denmark, becoming a republic with Sveinn Bjrnsson as its first president. Italy General de Lattre's Free French force landed on the island of Elba, Italy, starting a two-day campaign to secure the island from German forces. In-depth article Wladyslaw Anders was made the Allied commander of the Adriatic sector of the Italian theater of war. In-depth article British XIII C orps engaged in heavy fighting with German forces at C itt della Pieve, Italy. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 17 Jun 1944
18 Jun 1944
C arrier Shokaku sailed in company with flagship Taiho and sister ship Zuikaku for the Mariana Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement US First Army isolated C herbourg, France. In-depth article US 83rd Infantry Division arrived in Normandy, France. USS Mingo departed Manus, Admiralty Islands for her fourth war patrol. In-depth article
77/189
5/7/13

Gurkha troops of the C hindits made contact with C hinese troops at the village of Lakum in northern Burma. In-depth article
China In C hina, the strategic city of C hangsha, 200 miles south of Hankou, fell to the Japanese, having successfully defied them three times before. In-depth article Italy British troops captured Assisi, Italy. In-depth article United Kingdom A V-1 rocket struck the Guards C hapel across from Buckingham Palace in London, England, United Kingdom during worship services, killing 119. United States Submarine C hub was launched at Groton, C onnecticut, United States, sponsored by Mrs. T. A. Risch. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 18 Jun 1944
19 Jun 1944
At dawn, Shokaku launched 17 A6M fighters for combat air patrol duties. At 1100 hours, she recovered 10 fighters; while still recovering fighters, at 1122, she was hit by three torpedoes from USS C avalla on the starboard side; two forward near the switchboard and generator room, one aft of amidships. Large fuel fires were ignited in the hangar and No. 1 boiler room went offline. Shokaku remained underway, but began to list to starboard. C ounterflooding over-compensated, giving her a port list. Meanwhile flooding and heat of the fires forced shutting down of the boiler rooms. She continued to settle forward. Though damage control initially hoped to save her, the flooding forward and the fires intensify in the following hours. By 1210 hours she had come to a halt when fires detonate an aerial bomb on the hangar, setting off volatile gases from a cracked forward tank. Large induced explosions wrecked the carrier, and hope began to fade. The list to port and bow trim both increased. At 1350 hours, her strike planes returned, but were ordered away, having to be directed to Zuikaku and Taiho. At this time C aptain Matsubara had ordered abandon ship and the crew mustered on the flight deck for flag lowering. However, before the evacuation can proceed far, the bow dipped under and water pours into No. 1 elevator well, causing the carrier to corkscew to port and up-end. She went down by the bow at 1401 hours, stern raised high. Between 1408 and 1411, four underwater explosions were registered. 58 officers, 830 petty officers and men, 376 members of Air Group 601, and 8 civilians were killed, totalling 1,272 deaths. Light cruiser Yahagi and destroyers Urakaze and Hatsuzuki rescued C aptain Hiroshi Matsubara among 570 other survivors. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Yamato fired Sanshiki-dan anti-aircraft shells in combat for the first time against incoming aircraft, but it was discovered that they were friendly. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement The US Mulberry Harbor at Omaha Beach off Normandy, France was wrecked by a storm. By this date, however, the Allies had 20 divisions ashore in France, while the Germans fielded only 16 in the region. In-depth article US carrier aircraft won a decisive victory over their Japanese counterparts in the Mariana Islands, shooting down over 200 planes with only 20 losses in what became known as the Marianas Turkey Shoot, or, officially, Battle of the Philippine Sea. In-depth article USS Guitarro arrived at Darwin, Australia. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 19 Jun 1944
20 Jun 1944
The Americans launched their first attack on C herbourg, France. In-depth article Soviets captured Viipuri on the Karelian Isthmus. Jakob Edelstein, the former senior Jewish elder ("Judenaeltester") of the Theresienstadt C oncentration C amp,
78/189
5/7/13

and his family were shot in Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. In-depth article Bernard Montgomery was awarded the title of Grand C ommander of the Order of King George I of Greece. In-depth article USS Astoria departed Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States for her shakedown cruise. In-depth article Japanese troops captured Forest Hill near Imphal, India but failed to capture Plum Hill, another nearby objective. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho was slightly damaged by US TBF aircraft at 1810 hours during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Destroyer Yukikaze rescued survivors of transport Seiyo Maru during the Battle of the Philippine Sea then scuttled the transport with a torpedo. In-depth article
Italy British troops captured Perugia, Italy. In-depth article Japan Destroyer Yuzuki completed her refitting at Sasebo, Japan. She received a Type 13 radar on her main mast, exchanged twin 13-mm machine gun mounts for single 25-mm machine gun mounts. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Bluefish pursued a Japanese transport in the Makassar Strait, expending 5 torpedoes., In-depth article Poland The underground Directorate of C ivil Defense in Warsaw, Poland sent a radio message to London, England, United Kingdom: "Since May 15, mass murders have been carried out in Auschwitz. Jews are taken first, then Soviet prisoners of war, and the so-called sick. Mass transports of Hungarian Jews arrive. Thirteen trains per day, 40-50 cars each. Victims convinced [that] they will be exchanged for [German] POWs or resettled in the East. C orpses are burned in crematoria and out in the open. Over 100,000 people from Hungary have been gassed to date." Photo(s) dated 20 Jun 1944
21 Jun 1944
Soviet forces began another offensive against the Finns between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in northern Russia. Mussolini transformed the Partito Fascista Repubblicano into a military organization. In-depth article USS Guitarro departed Darwin, Australia. In-depth article USS Puffer arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article China US Vice President Henry Wallace arrived in C hongqing, C hina. In-depth article Germany US 8th Air Force bombers conducted shuttle raids on Berlin and Lne-Merseburg in Germany, landing at Russian airfields. In-depth article Italy British XIII C orps engaged in heavy fighting with German forces at San Fatucchio, Italy. Further east, Polish II C orps reached the C hienti River. In-depth article Pacific Ocean
79/189
5/7/13

USS Bluefish sank the Japanese transport she had been pursuing for several hours in the Makassar Strait, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired. In-depth article
United States The keel of submarine Menhaden was laid down by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding C ompany in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 21 Jun 1944
22 Jun 1944
The Mobile Fleet, including Yamato, arrived at Nakagusuku, Okinawa. The destroyers were refueled before the Mobile Fleet departed again. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement 60 Luftwaffe aircraft made a night raid on the USAAF base in Poltava, Ukraine, destroying 44 bombers and large quantities of fuel. Soviet forces launched Operation Bagration, a major offensive against German forces in Byelorussia, with 1.2 million men, 31,000 heavy guns, 5,200 tanks, and 6,000 aircraft. The plan was to smash through Warsaw, Poland and East Prussia, Germanny to the Baltic coast; in doing so, they would trap German and Finnish forces in the north and isolate the German, Romanian, and Bulgarian armies in the south. In-depth article The Americans launched a major attack on C herbourg, France. Allied aircraft dropped over 1,000 tons of bombs on the city during the attack. In-depth article The Danish C ivil Partisan group, BOPA, attacked the Riffelsyndikatet arms factory in C openhagen, Denmark. Prisoners of the Alderney C oncentration C amp in the C hannel Islands were deported to Sollstedt in Germany. They would arrive in Sep 1944, where they would be transferred to Buchenwald C oncentration C amp. In-depth article USS Rock departed Majuro, Marshall Islands for her third war patrol. In-depth article Franklin Roosevelt signed the G. I. Bill of Rights which provided education and other assistance to veterans of the US military. In-depth article USS Tunny set sail for home from the Philippine Sea. In-depth article Japanese Emperor Showa, in conversation with his younger brother Prince Takamatsu, gave approval "in principle" to the use of special attacks. In-depth article In India, Indian 6th Brigade from Kohima made contact with Indian 9th Brigade from Imphal on the ImphalKohima Road that had been held by the Japanese. In-depth article Frank Merrill radioed Joseph Stilwell to warn him that Louis Mountbatten was intriguing to replace Stilwell with another American commander who was more likely to be subject to Mountbatten's authority. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Okinawa, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USS Flier gave pursuit to a large Japanese convoy in the South C hina Sea, scoring hits with 4 of 6 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Floating drydock USS ABSD-2, in 10 separate sections, arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands. In-depth article Germany C laus von Stauffenberg met with representatives from the German communists in eastern Berlin, Germany, not knowing one of them was a Gestapo spy. In-depth article Italy A group of Italian Navy commandos loyal to the co-belligerent government in the south raided La Spezia, Italy using British C hariot manned torpedoes; they succeeded in capsizing Italian cruiser Bolzano. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 22 Jun 1944
80/189
5/7/13
23 Jun 1944
German submarine U-530 and Japanese submarine I-52 made rendezvous in the mid-Atlantic 850 miles west of C ape Verde islands. U-530 transferred a Naxos radar detector, a radar operator, and a navigator to I-52. In-depth article USS Franklin departed Pearl Harbor. In-depth article C aptain Michael Allmand of the Gurkha Rifles won the Victoria C ross after charging ahead of his troops three times to clear the way of enemy positions in northern Burma; on the third time, he was seriously wounded. Over France, with two engines out and the fuselage on fire, Pilot Officer Andrew Mynarski, a C anadian gunner in a No. 419 Squadron Lancaster, was ordered to bale out. However, he saw that the rear gunner was trapped and tried to free him even though his own clothing and parachute were on fire. Hopelessly stuck, the rear gunner signaled to Mynarski that he should save himself. The C anadian gallantly stood to attention and saluted his comrade before jumping out. He was found by the French but died later of his terrible injuries. Amazingly, the gunner was thrown clear when the Lancaster crashed and survived, as did the other crew members who had jumped. When they returned and told their story after the war, Mynarski was posthumously awarded the Victoria C ross. In Burma, Tulbahadur Pun of the Gurkha Rifles won the Victoria C ross for single-handedly crossing 30 yards of open swampy ground under concentrated enemy fire to destroy a position that had virtually wiped out his section. C orporal Sefanaia Sukanaivalu became the only Fijian to win the Victoria C ross during the fighting on Bougainville in the Solomon Islands. After rescuing two wounded comrades he was hit in the groin whilst attempting to rescue a third. Unable to move and knowing that his comrades would not leave him whilst he remained alive, Sukanaivalu selflessly raised himself in full view of the enemy, and died in a hail of bullets. The award was made posthumously. Finnish fighter pilot Hans Wind flying a Bf 109 fighter downed four aircraft in a single sorte. Over a ten day period in Jun 1944 he would account for 25 opponents from his final tally of 75 kills throughout the war. Generaloberst Eduard Dietl of the German 20.Gebirgsarmee was killed in a plane crash. In-depth article Two representatives (one Danish and one Swiss) of the International Red C ross and one representative of the Danish Red C ross visited Theresienstadt C oncentration C amp for six hours; the prisoners gave them positive reports about the living conditions as they were instructed to do by the camp administration. On the same day, a major deportation began at the Jewish ghetto at Lodz, Poland; through 14 Jul 1944, 7,196 would be sent to C helmno C oncentration C amp where they would be killed. In the Unite States, the C ommittee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives of the US C ongress drafted a resolution that supported the War Refugee Board and promised retribution against those responsible for atrocities in occupied Europe (Hungary in particular). In-depth article Martti Aho was promoted to the rank of colonel. In-depth article C hurchill, with misgivings, gave in to pressure from the Americans and sanctioned operation Anvil (the proposed US-French invasion of the south of France). C hurchill called this a "Bleak and sterile exercise". In-depth article C hindit and Japanese troops engaged in fierce fighting at Mogaung, Burma. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho departed Okinawa, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Guimarras, Philippine Islands. In-depth article USS Flying Fish set sail for Manus, Australian New Guinea. In-depth article In the South C hina Sea, USS Flier continued to attack the same Japanese convoy which she had been pursuing since the previous day, sinking a transport with 3 of 4 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 23 Jun 1944
24 Jun 1944
5/7/13

USS Tang attacked a Japanese convoy southwest of Kagoshima, Japan and reported sinking two ships. Post war Japanese records showed that four ships of that convoy, Tamahoko Maru, Tainan Maru, Nasusan Maru, and Kennichi Maru, were attacked and sunk on that date. In-depth article Hitler ordered all but one division of LIII Korps, encircled near Vitebsk, Byelorussia, to break out. In-depth article C hinese troops, supported by heavy artillery, attacked Mogaung, Burma in support of the British C hindit operation. In-depth article British Lieutenant General Geoffrey Scoones, due to poor intelligence, failed to pursue retreating Japanese troops from northeastern India, thinking that the Japanese might be planning a counterattack from Tamu and Bishenpur. In-depth article USS Parche sank a Japanese patrol vessel with her deck gun. In-depth article
China US Vice President Henry Wallace departed C hongqing, C hina. In-depth article Italy Troops of British XIII C orps linked up with Indian troops of British X C orps in Italy. In-depth article Japan The Mobile Fleet, including Yamato, arrived at Hashirajima island in Hiroshima Bay, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Hashirajima, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 24 Jun 1944
25 Jun 1944
Operation Epsom began with British Second Army's offensive near C aen, France. To the west, with naval gunfire support, American ground forces engaged in street fighting in C herbourg. In-depth article General Knig was made the head of Free French Forces. In-depth article US 83rd Infantry was temporarily attached to the VIII C orps of US First Army. Following a visit to British No. 617 Squadron at Woodhall Spa in England, United Kingdom by USAAF Generals Spaatz and Doolittle, a crated Mustang fighter was delivered as a gift from the United States to Wing C ommander Leonard C heshire. C heshire wanted to use it that evening for a raid on the V-bomb site at Siracourt, France, and his mechanics worked all day removing the grease and the guns. One hour after the Lancaster bombers had taken off C heshire followed in the Mustang fighter (which type he had never flown before) and he arrived in time to mark the target at low level for the heavy bombers. In-depth article USS Pompon arrived at Midway Atoll, ending her fifth war patrol. In-depth article Gurkha troops of the C hindits attacked Mogaung, Burma cautiously, having suffered heavy casualties during the assault two days prior. Meanwhile, the Japanese began to fall back from the town. In-depth article Japan At the Imperial C onference in Tokyo, Japan, Prince Hiroyasu advocated the use of special attacks by all branches of the military. In-depth article United States USS Baya departed New London, C onnecticut, United States for Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article The FR Fireball piston-jet mix-powered fighter took its first flight with only the piston engine equipped. In-depth article Submarine Brill was launched at Groton, C onnecticut, United States, sponsored by the wife of Rear Admiral Francis Low. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 25 Jun 1944
82/189
5/7/13
26 Jun 1944
USS Tang attacked a Japanese cargo ship with four torpedoes without success. In-depth article USS C roaker arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article Red Army captured Vitebsk, Byelorussia. In-depth article General von Schlieben, commander of the German garrison in C herbourg, France, was captured by US troops. In-depth article Germans instituted a curfew in C openhagen, Denmark in response to a wave of sabotage. In retaliation, the people of C openhagen underwent a massive civil strike. Gurkha troops of the C hindits captured Mogaung, Burma. In-depth article Australian New Guinea USS C ero departed Manus, Admiralty Islands for her fifth war patrol. In-depth article Burma Brigadier-General Theodore F. Weasels took over command of the Myitkyina Task Force from the sick Brigadier-General Boatner following another bout of malaria. In-depth article China Japanese troops reached Hengyang, Hunan Province, C hina, site of an important US air base, but were checked by the 15,000-strong C hinese 10th Army supported by US 14th Air Force's B-25 Mitchell and P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft which made constant attacks on the Japanese supply lines. In-depth article United States USS Ticonderoga departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States for Trinidad. In-depth article USS Segundo departed New London, C onnecticut, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 26 Jun 1944
27 Jun 1944
USS Blenny was commissioned into service Lieutenant C ommander W. H. Hazzard in command. In-depth article Soviet units captured Orsha, Byelorussia on the Dneiper River, while near Vitebsk German LIII Korps was finally destroyed. In-depth article In France, US troops captured C herbourg while British forces took Hill 112 near C aen. In-depth article Members of the Polish underground Armia Krajowa sent a messaged to the United Kingdom, noting that their intelligence suggested that the Germans were developing a rocket estimated to be 40 feet (12.2 meters) long and 6 feet (2.7 meters) wide. HMS Pink (C ommander G. V. Legassick) was hit by a torpedo fired from the German submarine U-988 off the Normandy beaches, France, and was so badly damaged that she was declared as a constructive total loss. USS Guitarro arrived at Frementle, Australia, ending her first war patrol. In-depth article
83/189
5/7/13

USS Seahorse sank Japanese tanker Medan Maru and damage two other ships off Taiwan, hitting them with five of six torpedoes fired. In-depth article
Italy Troops of French Expeditionary C orps arrived at the Orcia River west of Lake Trasimene in Italy. In-depth article San Marino British bombers attacked San Marino, killing 35. Photo(s) dated 27 Jun 1944
28 Jun 1944
German 9.Armee became surrounded after Soviet forces captured Mogilev, Byelorussia and crossed the Berezina River. In-depth article German defenses halted Operation Epsom near C aen, France. In-depth article French resistance fighters killed Minister of Information and local Milice leader Phillipe Henriot. Milice leader in Lyon, Paul Touvier, was ordered to conduct reprisal killings. In-depth article C ommunist-sponsored Hungarian-language Radio Kossuth announced that 200,000 Hungarian Jews had been killed in the past few months. The British War C abinet approved a memorandum by the Lord C hancellor which included a note that Britain would gather evidence of German atrocities against Jews only in occupied countries but not within Germany itself, for atrocities committed domestically did not constitute war crimes. USS Gar reported sinking a Japanese ship in daylight with her deck gun. In-depth article Ioshima received orders to move to the front. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 28 Jun 1944
29 Jun 1944
Richard Saul retired from the RAF. In-depth article Bo Seng Lim passed away. In-depth article USS Tang attacked the unescorted Japanese transport Nikkin Maru between Kyushu, Japan and Dalian, C hina with two torpedoes without success. In-depth article The 70,000 remaining troops of German Armeegruppe Mitte, surrounded near Bobruisk, Byelorussia, surrendered. In-depth article The last harbor fort at C herbourg, France was captured by US troops. Meanwhile, a planned German offensive by the 2nd and 9th Panzer Divisions at Villers-Bocage, west of C aen, was abandoned when their armored columns were blasted by 260 RAF heavy bombers. In-depth article A transport of 2,502 Hungarian Jews from Auschwitz C oncentration C amp arrived at Stutthof C oncentration C amp. On the same day, out of about 1,100 prisoners at Bergen-Belsen C oncentration C amp with valid entry certificates for Palestine, 221 Jews were allowed to go; they would arrive in Haifa at 1700 hours on 10 Jul. In-depth article Konstantin Rokossovsky was promoted to the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union. In-depth article Martti Aho was wounded in battle at Tali-Ihantala, Finland. In-depth article USS Hoe departed Fremantle, Australia for her fifth war patrol in the South C hina Sea. In-depth article USS Tunny arrived at Midway Atoll. In-depth article Erwin Rommel and Gerd von Rundstedt met with Adolf Hitler at Hitler's residence in Berchtesgaden, southern Germany. They urged Hitler to pursue peace, but Htiler rejected such a notion, saying that the V weapons
84/189
5/7/13
would soon turn the tide of war. In-depth article Hawaii
USS Gabilan departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her second war patrol. In-depth article Japan Yamato departed for Kure, Japan to receive five new triple-mount 25mm AA guns; during the installation, the entire hinoki deck would also be replaced. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 29 Jun 1944
30 Jun 1944
USS Tang sank the unescorted Japanese transport Nikkin Maru with one torpedo between Kyushu, Japan and Dalian, C hina. In-depth article Milice leader in French city of Lyon, Paul Touvier, selected 7 Jewish prisoners to be executed by firing squad as reprisal for the killing of Minister of Information and local Milice leader Phillipe Henriot two days earlier by the French resistance. In-depth article The final 6,000 German troops in C herbourg, France surrendered. At C aen, German troops recaptured Hill 112. In-depth article The C hindits, by this date, would have been hard pushed to find anyone still fit enough to lift a camera, but they kept on marching and fighting even when one brigade, the 111th, was reduced to less than the strength of a company. In-depth article A transport of 2,044 Jews from Athens and C orfu Island in Greece arrived at Auschwitz C oncentration C amp; 455 men and 175 women were registered into the camp while the remainder were gassed. On the same day, another transport of 1,000 Jews from the Fossoli di C arpi transit camp in Italy also arrived; 180 men and 51 women were registered while the remainder were gassed. In-depth article James Johnson shot down a German Bf 109 fighter, his 33th victory. In-depth article Trinidad USS Ticonderoga arrived at Port of Spain, Trinidad. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 30 Jun 1944
1 Jul 1944
C ruiser Kln began a three-month training operation. In-depth article USS Tang sank Japanese freighter Taiun Maru No. 2 in the morning, and chased tanker Takatori Maru all day, finally sinking the tanker after sundown. In-depth article 5th Guards Tank Army of the Soviet 3rd Byelorussian Front captured Borisov, Byelorussia. In-depth article The Bretton Woods conference opened to discuss financial and economic concerns in post-war Europe; International Monetary Fund for Reconstruction and Development would be established as the result. US 83rd Infantry Division became part of the US VII C orps. Russian fighter ace Grigori Rechkalov received his second Hero of the Soviet Union award when his score stood at 48 individual and six shared victories. Rechkalov would be relieved of his command by General Utin shortly after for "lack of leadership" but would eventually be officially listed as the Soviet Union's third highest scoring ace of all time with 57 aerial victories credited to his name. USS Pintado arrived ta Majuro, Marshall Islands, ending her first war patrol. In-depth article French Syria and Lebanon Greek 3rd Mountain Brigade was activated in French Syria-Lebanon under the command of C olonel
85/189
5/7/13
Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos. Italy
US IV C orps crossed the C ecina River near Livorno, Italy. In-depth article Japan Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Yokosuka, Japan for her 20th voyage with the Japanese Navy. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Taiwan The Taichu Prisoners of War C amp near Taichu (now Taichung), Taiwan was closed; on the same day, the Inrin Prisoners of War C amp in central Taiwan was opened. United States USS Becuna departed New London, C onnecticut, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 1 Jul 1944
See all photos dated 1 Jul 1944
2 Jul 1944
Feldmarschal Gnther von Kluge replaced Gerd von Rundstedt as the commanding officer of the German forces in the West (Oberbefehlshaber West). In-depth article Submarine Bugara was launched, sponsored by the wife of US Navy C aptain Lyman S. Perry. In-depth article A TBM Avenger aircraft from USS Wake Island sank German submarine U-543 between the C anary and C ape Verde Islands. In-depth article General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson (Supreme C ommander, Mediterranean) received orders from London, England, United Kingdom to organize the invasion of Provence, France. The name of this operation was changed by British Prime Minister C hurchill to "Dragoon". In-depth article The US coastal minesweeper YMS-350 struck a mine and sank off Utah Beach, Normandy, France. Italy Germans evacuated Siena, Italy. In-depth article Japan Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 2 Jul 1944
3 Jul 1944
USS Franklin launched strikes against Bonin Islands. In-depth article USS S-28 began anti-submarine warfare exercises with United States C oast Guard cutter Reliance off Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article USS C od departed Fremantle, Australia for her fourth war patrol. In-depth article Soviet forces recaptured Minsk, Byelorussia, trapping over 100,000 Germans in the pocket. In-depth article
86/189
5/7/13

US VIII C orps advanced toward C outances, France. In-depth article John Basilone re-enlisted in the United States Marine C orps. In-depth article After sundown, Japanese commandos raided a British airfield near Imphal, India and destroyed eight parked aircraft. In-depth article USS Seahorse sank Japanese cargo ship Nitta Maru and passenger-cargo ship Gyoyu Maru off Taiwan, hitting her with four of five torpedoes fired. In-depth article
Italy French Expeditionary C orps captured Siena, Italy. In-depth article Japan Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 3 Jul 1944
4 Jul 1944
USS Franklin launched strikes against Bonin Islands. In-depth article At 1820 hours, radio communications between USS S-28 and United States C oast Guard cutter Reliance was broken, and S-28 was never heard from again. In-depth article USS Blackfin was commissioned into service with Lieutenant C ommander George Laird, Jr. in command. In-depth article In the morning, USS Tang sank Japanese freighter Asukazan Maru, hitting her with two of three torpedoes fired. In the afternoon, the transport Yamaoka Maru was sunk with two torpedoes. In-depth article The Soviet 1st Baltic Front captured Polotsk, Byelorussia on its way towards Riga, Latvia, moving to cut off German Armeegruppe Nord as it retreated from Estonia. The Soviet troops were now roughly on the 1939 German-Soviet border. In-depth article After a week of strikes in C openhagen, the Germans rescinded their curfew to avoid such uprisings. USS Astoria remained at Port of Spain, Trinidad; her crew was allowed a short liberty in celebration of the Independence Day holiday of the United States. In-depth article With intelligence obtained by infiltrating the meeting in Berlin, Germany on 22 Jun 1944 between C laus von Stauffenberg and German communists, the Gestapo made several arrests. General Wazakazu Kawabe officially terminated Operation U-Go in India. In-depth article USS Parche was attacked by a Japanese cruiser and a destroyer, but Parche was able to escape. In-depth article USS Seahorse sank Japanese cargo ship Kyodo Maru No. 28 off Taiwan, hitting her with five of her last six torpedoes. In-depth article USS Gunnel ended her fifth war patrol. In-depth article United States J. Robert Oppenheimer revealed Emilio Segr's final measurements to the Manhattan Project scientists at Los Alamos, New Mexico, which concluded that the "Thin Man" design for a gun-type plutonium weapon was not feasible. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 4 Jul 1944
87/189
5/7/13
5 Jul 1944
USS Gar ended her twelfth war patrol. In-depth article Oberon was decommissioned from service. In-depth article Lieutenant C olonel Francis Gabreski of US 56th Fighter Group became the top scoring USAAF ace in Europe with 28 victories. HMS Ganilly was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-390 off Utah beach, Normandy, France. Australia USS Flying Fish arrived at Brisbane, Australia, ending her tenth war patrol. In-depth article USS Flier arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her first war patrol. In-depth article Japan Destroyer Yukikaze was docked at Kure, Japan for repairs. In-depth article While undergoing repairs at Yokosuka and Yokohama, Japan, Irako was assigned to the Southwest Area Fleet based at Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement
6 Jul 1944
USS Franklin arrived in the Mariana Islands area; she was to remain through 22 Jul 1944 to launch strikes against Japanese position on Rota and Guam islands. In-depth article C huichi Nagumo passed away. In-depth article USS Tang sank the 39,100-ton Japanese transport Dori Maru off Dalian, C hina at about 0300 hours with two torpedoes. With this sinking, she obtained the record of the greatest total tonnage sunk by an American submarine during one war patrol. In-depth article Soviet troops captured Kovel, Ukraine. C haim Weizmann, the future Israeli president, messaged British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden, requesting the rail lines leading to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp in Poland to be bombed. In-depth article C aptain Yujiro Takarada was named the commanding officer of light carrier Hosho. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement France C olonel (temporary Lieutenant General) George Patton, Jr. secretly flew into the C otentin Peninsula in France. In-depth article Italy British Eighth Army captured Osimo, Italy. In-depth article United States Franklin Roosevelt met with C harles de Gaulle in Washington DC , United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 6 Jul 1944
7 Jul 1944
American attacks near C arentan, France were held off by German counterattacks. In support of ground troops and to prepare for a new offensive to be launched on the next day, RAF bombers dropped 2,300 tons of explosives on the Germans in and around C aen, France. In-depth article USS Mingo attacked a Japanese convoy off Luzon, Philippine Islands during the night, sinking destroyer Tamanami by hitting her with 3 of 8 torpedoes fired.
88/189
5/7/13

In-depth article Mikls Horthy suspended the deportation of Hungarian Jews to concentration camps. In-depth article Raoul Wallenberg departed for Berlin, Germany. In-depth article John Basilone and Lena Mae Riggi completed the application for a marriage certificate. In-depth article USS Becuna detected a hostile submarine in the Atlantic Ocean and fired four torpedoes at the target; all torpedoes missed and contact with the enemy submarine was lost. In-depth article Lieutenant General Kotoku Sato was relieved for the defeat at Kohima, India. In-depth article Ivan Bagramyan was made a Hero of the Soviet Union for the first time. In-depth article
United States USS Wisconsin departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States for Trinidad in the British West Indies. In-depth article Franklin Roosevelt had dinner with Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd, Ana Roosevelt Boettiger, and John Boettiger in Washington DC , United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 7 Jul 1944
8 Jul 1944
As Baranovichi, Byelorussia fell to the Soviets, German XII C orps surrendered its last 57,000 men. The German Armeegruppe Mitte alone had lost nearly 30 divisions in less than a month. In-depth article British Second Army launched Operation C harnwood against C aen, France. In-depth article Jewish ghettos in Kovno, Lithuania began to be evacuated by German authorities. Allied bombers conducted a raid on Belgrade, Yugoslavia. Lieutenant General Renya Mutaguchi withdrew the remnants of the Japanese 33rd Division from Imphal, India back into Burma. In-depth article Takeo Takagi was killed in action on Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article C huichi Nagumo was posthumously promoted to the rank of admiral. In-depth article Germany Raoul Wallenberg landed at Tempelhof, Berlin, Germany and traveled to his sister's residence in the southwestern suburb of the city. He would experience his first air raid during that night. In-depth article Japan Yamato departed Kure, Japan for Okinawa, Japan with the 106th Infantry Regiment of the 49th Division on board. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Taiwan Lieutenant General Haruki Isayama was named the chief of staff of the Taiwan Army. United States Franklin Roosevelt and Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd visited Shangri-La (now C amp David) near Thurmont, Maryland, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 8 Jul 1944
89/189
5/7/13
9 Jul 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Palau and departed later on the same day. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement British and C anadian forces entered the rubble that was C aen, France. Meanwhile, US XIX C orps began advancing toward Saint-L, France. In-depth article Aiming to cut off German Armeegruppe Nord, Soviet 2nd Byelorussian Front attacked from Vitebsk, Byelorussia, Soviet 3rd Byelorussian Front attacked from Psovsk, and the Soviet Leningrad Front attacked toward Narva, Estonia. In-depth article Raoul Wallenberg boarded the 1721 train from Berlin, Germany for Budapest, Hungary, arriving later that night. In-depth article About 2,000 Hungarian Jews were transported to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. They would be among the last Jews to be deported out of Hungary with Mikls Horthy's authorization. In-depth article Major Frank Blaker of the British Royal Gurkha Rifles regiment won the Victoria C ross at Taunghi, Burma. C harging Japanese positions he was hit three times but continued to urge his men forward even as he lays dying. British Royal Navy C aptain F. J. Walker of the Second Escort Group died of a stroke brought on by heavy strain and overwork. Adolf Hitler departed the Wolfsschlucht II headquarters in Margival, France for the Wolfsschanze headquarters in East Prussia, Germany. In-depth article A message was sent to USS Golet, but the submarine did not respond. In-depth article Australia USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia for her fifth war patrol. In-depth article Italy The British The North Staffordshire Regiment captured the fortified village of Malan, Italy. Facing dug-in Tiger tanks, the Staffords suffer 25% casualties in the battle. In-depth article Panama Canal Zone USS Segundo departed Balboa, Panama C anal Zone. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 9 Jul 1944
10 Jul 1944
Erwin Rommel received the Romanian Order of Michael the Brave 3rd C lass and 2nd C lass. In-depth article 221 former prisoners of Bergen-Belsen C oncentration C amp and 61 former internees in Vittel, France who had been given permission by Germany to go to Palestine arrived in Haifa at 1700 hours. In-depth article Raoul Wallenberg reported to the Swedish embassy in Budapest, Hungary as a secretary; in this role he would issue protective passports and commit in other acts that would save the lives of thousands of Jews. In-depth article The Japanese Navy 2nd Air Fleet was attached to the C ombined Fleet, and its strength group to include two air flotillas and six air groups. On the same day, the 3rd Air Fleet was established under the command of Vice Admiral Shunichi Kira with Rear Admiral Kanzo Miura as the chief of staff; it was also attached to the C ombined Fleet. Light carrier Ryuho was transferred from C arrier Division 2 to C arrier Division 1 within the 3rd Fleet. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Naoshi Kanno was made a squadron commander with the 343rd Air Group. In-depth article Japan Yamato arrived at Okinawa, Japan then departed for Lingga, Dutch East Indies. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement The Japanese Navy established the 1st Special Submarine Training Base Group at Otsujima in Tokuyama Bay, 80 kilometers southwest of Hiroshima, Japan, under the command of Rear Admiral Mitsuri Nagai. The unit was to train future manned-torpedo pilots. In-depth article
90/189
5/7/13
United States
John Basilone married Sergeant Lena Mae Riggi at St. Mary's Star of the Sea C hurch in Oceanside, C alifornia, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 10 Jul 1944
11 Jul 1944
US VII C orps met resistance attacking toward Saint-L, France. In-depth article The last 35,000 men of German 4.Armee surrendered to Soviet troops at Minsk, Byelorussia. In-depth article Japanese 18th Army under Lieutenant General Hatazo Adachi launched a counterattack in the Aitape-New Hollandia area in New Guinea, placing pressure on American troops but sustaining heavy casualties. In-depth article C laus von Stauffenberg was summoned to see Adolf Hitler in Berchtesgaden, Germany regarding the situation of the Home Army. In-depth article Japan Light carrier Ryuho entered the drydocks at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 11 Jul 1944
12 Jul 1944
US VII C orps made limited progress toward Saint-L, France. In-depth article USS Snook fired four torpedoes at two Japanese freighters; one hit, causing damage but not sinking the target. In-depth article US Brigadier General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. passed away from a heart attack in Normandy, France. France Omar Bradley, his staff, and his generals met and created a preliminary plan for what was to become the Operation C obra offensive in France. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 12 Jul 1944
13 Jul 1944
Red Army units captured Vilna, Lithuania. In-depth article Japanese 18th Army under Lieutenant General Hatazo Adachi was divided by an American attack in the AitapeNew Hollandia area in New Guinea, making them effectively useless until their final defeat on 10 Aug. In-depth article USS Hornet spent the day conducting refueling operations. In-depth article The secret of the German FuG 227 Flensburg equipment, which could home-in on RAF Monica radars, was revealed when a Luftwaffe pilot landed his Junkers Ju 88G-1 night fighter by mistake at RAF Woodbridge in Suffolk, England, United Kingdom. In addition the capture of this aircraft's FuG 220 radar would permit British scientist to find a way of jamming its signal within a matter of weeks.
91/189
5/7/13

In-depth article C aptain Williams Mullen was named the commanding officer of USS San Diego. In-depth article
Caroline Islands Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Truk, C aroline Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 13 Jul 1944
14 Jul 1944
Hitler departed Berchtesgaden, Germany, never to return there. In-depth article Pinsk, Byelorussia was captured by the Soviet forces. In-depth article British rescue tug HMS Turmoil was launched. Submarine HMS Selene was commissioned into service. Destroyer HMS Wrangler was commissioned into service. The minesweeping of the western section of C herbourg harbour in France was completed. From the North Sea, British carrier task force under Admiral Moore unsuccessfully attacked German battleship Tirpitz in Kaafiord, Norway. In-depth article German SS member Heinrich Boere took part in Operation Silbertanne during which 54 civilians were killed in retaliation for the assassination of Dutch Nazi leaders by Dutch resistance fighters. The keel of German submarine U-2334 was laid down. The keel of German submarine U-3506 was laid down. Soviet ambassador to Sweden Alexandra Kollontai announced that the Soviet Union was interested in peace discussions with Finland without any mention of the unconditional surrender that the Soviets had previously demanded. US bombers attacked the oil refineries at Budapest and Petfurdo, Hungary and the rail marshaling yard at Mantua, Italy, while in Italy US fighters and fighter-bombers attacked trains north of La Spazia and the airfield at Ghedi. USS Nautilus delivered two men and 30 tons of supplies at Lagoma, Leyte, Philippine Islands. In-depth article The Japanese government announced the conscription of females between the ages of 12 and 40 for warrelated work. In the Mariana Islands, US Seventh Air Force P-47 Thunderbolt fighters based on Saipan again struck Tinian Island. At Guam, US battleships joined in on the pre-invasion bombardment while transport USS Dickerson delivered US Navy underwater demolition specialists to survey landing beaches on the island. In-depth article Destroyer USS William C . Miller sank Japanese submarine I-6 off Saipan, Mariana Islands. C orvette HMC S Petrolia was commissioned into service. German submarine U-415 struck a mine and sank off Brest, France at 0915 hours. The keel of destroyer Gurke was laid down. C laus von Stauffenberg was summoned to see Adolf Hitler in Rastenburg, East Prussia, Germany on the following day. In-depth article In northern Burma, the Morris Force of the C hindits was now down to three platoons in strength. In-depth article USS Puffer departed Fremantle, Australia for her fifth war patrol. In-depth article France The US Eighth Air Force based in Britain flew several missions over France, with 319 B-17 bombers dropping 3,700 containers to supply Allied forces fighting in southern France, 131 B-24 bombers attacking Montdidier and Peronne airfields, and 94 P-38 fighter-bombers attacking targets near Paris (1 P-38 aircraft lost). Meanwhile, other Allied aircraft attacked targets in the French railway system in or near Bourth, Merey, Periers, C hateaudun, and other locations; some of these attacks were conducted using Oboe, a British aerial blind bombing targeting technology. In-depth article Prisoners in the Sant prison in Paris, France revolted, starting a fire in the prison compound. Japan Iwo Jima, C hichi Jima, and Haha Jima were the targets of land-based aircraft for the first time as US Navy Bombing Squadron 109 PB4Y Liberator bombers based at Isley Field, Saipan, Mariana Islands dropped bombed on their airfields. In the United States, USAAF chief General Hap Arnold warned the Joint Planning Staff about the new Japanese Ki-84 fighters. As a precaution, he recommended seizing Iwo Jima to provide emergency airfields for bombers that might be damaged by new Japanese fighters such as the Ki-84. In-depth article Marshall Islands
92/189
5/7/13

USS Alabama, flagship of Rear Admiral E. W. Hanson, departed Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. In-depth article
Romania Soviet troops under Rodion Malinovsky captured Iasi, Romania. In-depth article United States US Army ship FS-390 was commissioned into service at Los Angeles, C alifornia, United States under the command of US C oast Guard Lieutenant G. E. Oliver. Photo(s) dated 14 Jul 1944
15 Jul 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Truk and arrived at Mereyon, Yap; she would depart later on the same day. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Rommel communicated to Hitler that Germany should seriously consider ending the war on favorable terms when it was still possible; for a unknown reason, this letter was delayed in its delivery, not reaching Hitler until 20 Jul. In-depth article US 83rd Infantry Division became part of the US VIII C orps. A British No. 206 Squadron RAF Liberator bomber sank German submarine U-319 with depth charges in the North Sea; the aircraft was also lost during the successful attack. Also in the North Sea, another Liberator bomber from No. 159 Squadron RAF attacked U-561, but was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire. C laus von Stauffenberg aborted an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler when Hitler departed a conference earlier than expected. In-depth article US Fifteenth Air Force in Italy launched more than 600 bombers to attack four oil refineries in the Ploesti and Teleajenul areas in Romania. Japanese-American Staff Sergeant Kazuo Otani of the US 442nd Infantry Regiment was killed while fighting near Pieve di Santa Luce, Italy. He repeated exposed himself to German fire in order to give directions to his platoon, and crawled under fire to give medical aid to a wounded soldier. He would later be awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor. Soviet forces launched an offensive at the Finnish line in northern Karelia on the border of Finland and Russia; Finnish 5th Division counterattacked near Nietjrvi in the afternoon. The Soviet Second Baltic Front captured Opochka, Russia. German submarine U-679 damaged Soviet torpedo boat TK-57. German submarine U-181 sank transport Tanda in the Indian Ocean. In the Mozambique C hannel between continental Africa and Madagascar, U-198 sank transport Director; 1 was killed, 56 survived. In the Mariana Islands, US Seventh Air Force P-47 fighters based on Saipan attacked targets on Tinian. In-depth article US Navy Bombing Squadron109 PB4Y Liberator bombers based at Isley Field on Saipan, Mariana Islands attacked Iwo Jima, C hichi Jima, and Haha Jima. Minesweeper HMC S Rossland was commissioned into service. American minesweeper Ptarmigan was launched. Minesweeper USS Diploma was commissioned into service. USS Pollack departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her eleventh war patrol. In-depth article Caroline Islands In the C aroline Islands, US B-24 bombers attacked Truk and Yap. France The US Eighth Air Force based in Britain launched two missions over France, with 169 P-38 Lightning and P-47 Thunderbolt fighter-bombers attacking German transportation southeast of Paris (3 aircraft lost) and 6 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers dropping propaganda leaflets over French cities after sundown. Four B-26 Marauder bombers of the US Ninth Air Force hit the L'Aigle rail bridge in the afternoon, while fighters also of the Ninth Air Force attacked various targets at Saint-L, Argentan, and Falaise. In-depth article French Milice members executed 28 prisoners who participated in a revolt on the previous day at Sant Prison in Paris, France. Germany C laus von Stauffenberg met with Adolf Hitler at Rastenburg, East Prussia, Germany at 1300 hours. General Friedrich Olbricht activated Valkyrie in Berlin, Germany two hours prior to the meeting, expecting his troops to be in position to seize key positions in the capital at about the same moment Hitler was to be killed by a bomb that Stauffenberg brought into the meeting. Hitler departed the meeting early unexpectedly, and Olbricht hastily called off the operation, announcing that the troop movement was simply a drill. In-depth article
93/189
5/7/13
Italy
Two divisions of the British 8th Army attacked Arezzo, Italy. In-depth article United States US President Roosevelt arrived in C hicago, Illinois, United States aboard his personal train Ferdinand Magellan and met with the chairman of the Democratic C onvention Robert Hannegan to discuss the upcoming re-election. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 15 Jul 1944
16 Jul 1944
Yet another pocket began to form in Ukraine as over 40,000 German troops were about to be encircled near Brody. After dark, New Zealand Lieutenant-C ommander R. B. Goodwin became the only prisoner of war to make a successful escape from Hong Kong. He went over the Shamsuipo camp wire during the night and swam to the mainland of C hina, travelling overland to Kunming. He arrived back in New Zealand in Nov 1944. A total of 1,087 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers USAAF Eighth Air Force attacked Germany in three waves (407, 238, and 407 bombers, respectively), escorted by 240, 214, and 169 fighters, respectively, with most of the bombers targeting Munich, Stuggart, Augsburg, and Saarbrucken; a total of 11 bombers and 3 fighters were lost. In-depth article During the day, about 375 USAAF Ninth Air Force aircraft attacked German positions in the Saint-L and Rennes areas in France throughout the day. After dark, 5 B-17 bombers were launched to drop propaganda leaflets over France and another group of 24 B-17 bombers flew in support of French resistance groups. In-depth article About 380 USAAF Fifteenth Air Force aircraft from Italy attacked Munchendorf Airfield, Winterhafen oil depot, Vienna marshalling yard, and the Wiener Neudorf engine factory in and near Vienna, Austria. 10 bombers were shot down while American escorting fighters claimed to have shot down 30 of the 100 German fighters which rose to defend Vienna. British destroyers HMS C helsea (former USS C rowninshield), HMS Brighton (former USS C owell), HMS Richmond (former USS Fairfax), and HMS St Albans (former USS Thomas) were transferred to the Soviet Union. They were renamed Dzerki, Zharki, Zhivuchi, and Dostoinyi, respectively. Soviet forces attacked Grodno, Byelorussia. Soviet aircraft sank German anti-aircraft cruiser Niobe in Kotka harbor, Finland; the Soviet pilots mis-identified their victim as Finnish coastal defence ship Vinminen. In the Mariana Islands, P-47 Thunderbolt aircraft of US Seventh Air Force from Saipan attacked Japanese targets at Tinian. At Merizo, Guam, Japanese Army troops massacred 30 civilians. In-depth article Submarines USS Guardfish, USS Piranha, and USS Thresher attacked Japanese convoy Tama 21C , en route from Takao in Taiwan to Manila in the Philippine Islands; 4 ships were sunk, 2 ships were damaged. In-depth article USAAF declared Kamiri airfield at Noemfoor, Biak Islands operational as a fighter base. US submarine Bullhead was launched. In-depth article US destroyer Hugh W. Hadley was launched. The keel of US destroyer Fred T Berry was laid down. British aircraft attacked German submarine U-299, wounding the German commanding officer. U-299 would be forced to return to Norway for repairs. Dragon was decommissioned from service. In-depth article USS Astoria departed Trinidad for Puerto Rico. In-depth article C laus von Stauffenberg hosted a party at his home at Wannsee, Germany, which was attended by several antiHitler conspirators. In-depth article USS C abrilla sank a Japanese transport between Borneo and Philippine Islands, hitting her with 2 of 6 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Caroline Islands B-24 bombers of US Fifth Air Force attacked Yap, C aroline Islands. Italy Troops of the British 8th Army captured Arezzo, Italy while troops of the British XIII C orps crossed the Arno River. In-depth article
94/189
5/7/13
Brazilian 6th Infantry Regiment arrived in Naples, Italy. Trinidad
USS Ticonderoga departed Trinidad for Norfolk, Virginia, United States. In-depth article United Kingdom The Polish government-in-exile in London, England, United Kingdom published a paper which laid claim to the German territory of East Prussia and the Free C ity of Danzig; the paper also reasserted the territory that the Germans called "Polish C orridor" was to remain within Polish borders. Photo(s) dated 16 Jul 1944
17 Jul 1944
44 Barracuda dive bombers, 18 Hellcat fighters, and 30 other fighters from carriers HMS Formidable, HMS Indefatigable, and HMS Furious attacked the German battleship Tirpitz in Norway in Operation Mascot, scoring no hits. In-depth article Erwin Rommel was injured when his staff car was attacked by a British fighter in Sainte-Foy-de-Montgommery, C alvados, France at 1830 hours. The aircraft was piloted by Squadron-Leader J. J. Le Roux of No. 602 Squadron RAF. Rommel was en route from Bourgubus Ridge to his headquarters at La Roche-Guyon. The unconscious Rommel would be sent to the hospital at Bernay for treatment. In-depth article USS C aiman was commissioned into service with C ommander J. B. Azer in command. In-depth article The Royal Navy submarine HMS/m Telemachus (C ommander William King) torpedoed and sank the large Japanese submarine I-166 in the Malacca Straits. An inspection of the Indian 111th Infantry Brigade, a C hindit formation, found that only 118 were completely fit for active service; many of the remaining about 2,200 men suffered from malaria, foot rot, septic sores, typhus, or other ailments related to the Burma jungles. Joseph Stilwell withheld the brigade to guard a C hinese artillery battery for two weeks until conditions improved. In-depth article In the morning, 670 B-17 and B-24 bombers of the US Eighth Air Force, escorted by 433 fighters, attacked targets in France (1 B-17 bomber and 1 P-47 fighter were lost); in diversion, B-26B bombers of the US VIII Air Support C ommand attacked C ayeux, France to draw away German fighters. At C outances, napalm was used for the first time. On the ground, American troops entered Saint-L. In the evening, 34 B-17 and 106 B-24 bombers, escorted by 209 P-51 fighters, attacked 12 German V-weapon launching sites in the Pas de C alais, France area. After sundown, 5 B-17 bombers dropped propagadan leaflets in France and the Netherlands while 16 B-24 bombers flew in support of French resistance activities. In-depth article Destroyer HMS C ambrian was commissioned into service. Destroyer HMS Leamington was transferred to the Soviet Union and was renamed Zhguchi. In southern France, 162 B-24 bombers of the US Fifteenth Air Force based in Italy attacked targets in southern France, including the rail marshalling yard at Avignon and railroad bridges at Arles and Tarascon. Soviet First Ukrainian Front encircled 40,000 German troops at Brody, Poland (now in Ukraine). Across the wider region, Soviet troops crossed the Bug River on a 40-mile front. 57,600 German prisoners of war were paraded through the streets of Moscow, Russia. US Navy underwater demolition teams began destroying beach obstacles at Guam, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Task Group 17.16 (USS Guardfish, USS Piranha, and USS Thresher) sank a freighter and a cargo ship in the South C hina Sea. In-depth article C orvette HMC S Peterborough arrived at Bermuda. C orvette HMC S Barrie completed refitting at Liverpool, Nova Scotia, C anada. HMS/M Seawolf arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States for refitting. Frigate HMC S Loch Morlich was commissioned into service. US President Roosevelt announced that he would allow the Democratic C onvention to select a running mate for him rather than naming one himself. In-depth article Submarine USS Sea Owl was commissioned into service. In-depth article A British C atalina aircraft of No. 210 Squadron RAF flown by Flying Officer John Alexander C ruickshank attacked German submarine U-742, which fought back with her deck gun. One crew member aboard the C atalina aircraft was killed and three others were wounded, including C ruickshank. Despite his wounds, he brought the aircraft around for a second attack run with depth charges, which successfully sank the submarine. He would later win the Victoria C ross for this action. Off Narvik, Norway, a Liberator aircraft of No. 86 Squadron RAF sank German submarine U-347 (all 49 aboard were killed) and a C atalina aircraft of No. 210 Squadron RAF sank German submarine U-361 (all 52 aboard were killed). Off Bergen, No. 333 Squadron RAF (Norwegian pilots) damaged German submarine U-994 off Norway, wounding 5 men. U-994 would be able to sail to Bergen, Norway for repairs later on the same day.
95/189
5/7/13

In-depth article USS C abrilla made a night time attack against a Japanese convoy in the South C hina Sea, sinking an oiler and two transports, hitting them with 5 of 9 torpedoes fired. In-depth article USS Gabilan sank a Japanese minesweeper south of Japan, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired; the victim was logged as a destroyer in a case of mis-identification. In-depth article
Dutch East Indies Yamato arrived at Lingga, Dutch East Indies where she was to remain in the following three months for training. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Italy Allied troops attacked toward Ancona, Italy, with Polish armored units capturing Monte della C rescia and C asenuove, and supporting British units capturing Montecchio and C roce di San Vincenzo. In-depth article United States The Liberty ship A. E. Bryan exploded whilst loading ammunition and explosives at Port C hicago, C alifornia, United States, taking with her the Victory ship Quinalt Victory berthed nearby. Ninety-seven men on the two ships were vapourised and even a 12 ton locomotive on the dockside vanished without trace. In total, 320 men were killed and 290 injured. More than 200 of the dead were black sailors being used as loaders. Later many sailors refused to work until safety was improved. Fifty were court martialled, convicted of mutiny and jailed. A public outcry led to their release but they were still deprived of all veteran's benefits for the rest of their lives. The last surviving "mutineer" Freddy Meeks was finally pardoned by President Bill C linton in 1999. Four years later he died, aged 83. Photo(s) dated 17 Jul 1944
18 Jul 1944
US XIX C orps troops entered Saint-L, France. British troops launched Operation Goodwood against C aen with Allied 2,200 aircraft supporting the ground assault, but stubborn German defense cost the British VIII C orps 200 tanks and 1,500 men, while just over 100 Panzers were destroyed. After sundown, 25 American B-24 bombers flew in support of resistance activities. In-depth article Soviet First Byelorussian Front launched a heavy attack across the Bug River aimed at Lublin in Poland, the Third Baltic Front attacked toward Pskov in Russia, while the First Ukraine Front advanced toward Lvov in Ukraine. In-depth article In Germany, 291 American B-17 bombers, escorted by 48 P-38 and 84 P-51 fighters, attacked the port facilities at Kiel and oil refineries at C uxhaven. To the east, 377 American B-17 bombers, escorted by 294 fighters, attacked Peenemnde, Zinnowitz, and Stralsund. In southern Germany, B-17 and B-24 bombers of US Fifteenth Air Force attacked Memmingen Airfield and the Dornier factories at Manzell; 20 aircraft were lost. In-depth article The keel of British minesweeper Styx was laid down. British destroyer HMS Zambesi was commissioned into service. British frigate HMS Balfour sank German submarine U-672 with depth charges north of Guernsey in the English C hannel. A Mosquito aircraft of the British No. 333 (Norwegian) Squadron RAF damaged German submarine U-286 in the North Sea; 1 was killed, 7 were wounded. U-286 would be able to sail to Kristiansand, Norway later on the same day. A C atalina aircraft of British No. 210 Squadron RAF sank German submarine U-742 west of Narvik, Norway; all 52 aboard were killed. German submarine U-2504 was launched. German submarine U-3003 was launched. German submarine U-327 was commissioned into service. German submarine U-2323 was commissioned into service. German troops round up the 2,000 Jews at Rhodes and Kos in Greece; most of them would soon be deported to the Auschwitz C oncentration C amp in Poland. In-depth article German submarine U-479 fired a spread of two torpedoes at Soviet submarine chaser MO-304 in Vyborg Bay, Russia; U-479 reported that the attack had failed, but one of the torpedoes actually struck MO-304, which required towing back into port. In the Mariana Islands, American P-47 fighters based on Saipan attacked Japanese positions on Tinian and Pagan. In-depth article Hideki Tojo submitted his letter of resignation for his position as the Prime Minister of Japan. He would be officially replaced by Kuniaki Koiso four days later. In-depth article American destroyer escort USS Ulvert M. Moore was commissioned into service. Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa was named the commanding officer of the Southwest Area Fleet. In-depth article
96/189
5/7/13

The Japanese Navy 14th Air Fleet was officially disbanded; it had been wiped out at Saipan, Mariana Islands ten days earlier. USS Ray sank Japanese tanker Janbi Maru in the South C hina Sea, expending 22 torpedoes during the pursuit, 8 of which hit. In-depth article
Caroline Islands In the C aroline Islands, aircraft of the Allied Far East Air Forces attacked Yap and Sorol, while 25 B-24 bombers of the US Seventh Air Force attacked Truk. China General Otozo Yamada succeeded General Otozo Yamada as the Governor-General of Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern C hina. Otozo Yamada succeeded Yoshijiro Umezu as the commanding officer of the Japanese Kwantung Army in northeastern C hina. Italy As Polish II C orps advanced toward Ancona, Italy, it captured Agugliano, C hiaravalle, and finally the port city itself by 1430 hours. Meanwhile, troops of US IV C orps began an attack on Leghorn. In the air, US Fifteenth Air Force attacked various German positions throughout the country. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 18 Jul 1944
19 Jul 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Davao, Philippine Islands; she was damaged by a mine just prior to arrival. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement USS C roaker departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article Gnther von Kluge was appointed the commanding officer of the German Army Group B (Heeresgruppe B). In-depth article USS Rock detected a Japanese convoy in the Luzon Strait and attacked with ten torpedoes. She recorded six detonations, but was not able to observe whether any of the ships sank. In-depth article Franklin Roosevelt was nominated to run for a fourth term as the President of the United States. In-depth article Raoul Wallenberg might have met with Adolf Eichmann at the Hotel Majestic in Budapest, Hungary. In-depth article C laus von Stauffenberg was summoned to see Adolf Hitler at Rastenburg, East Prussia, Germany on the following day. In-depth article USS Pompon departed for her sixth war patrol. In-depth article German submarine U-968 was attacked by a British RAF Liberator bomber in the Atlantic Ocean; 1 was killed, 6 were wounded. The keel of US minesweeper Minivet was laid down. US destroyer Zellars was launched. Destroyer escort USS Wyman sank Japanese submarine I-5 360 miles east of Guam, Mariana Islands. German submarine U-2502 was commissioned into service. The keel of German submarine U-2513 was laid down. The keel of German submarine U-3507 was laid down. British minesweeper HMS Mameluke was launched. British destroyer HMS Saintes was launched. Destroyer escort USS Kenneth M. Willet was commissioned into service. USS Seahorse sank arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her fifth war patrol. In-depth article Caroline Islands US Far East Air Force dispatched B-24 aircraft to attack Yap, Ngulu, and Sorol in the C aroline Islands. France In France, C anadian troops cleared C aen's southern suburbs, capturing Vaucelles, Louvigny, and Flery-surOrne, while British 11th Armoured Division captured Bras and Hubert-Follie. In the afternoon, 262 US 9th Air Force B-26 Marauder and A-20 Havoc aircraft attacked bridges on the Loire River and Seine River and a fuel dump at Bruz, France.
97/189
5/7/13

In-depth article From Britain, US 8th Air Force dispatched 5 B-17 bombers to drop propaganda leaflets in France and Belgium while 5 B-24 bombers paradropped supplies to French resistance fighters. In-depth article
Germany 1,082 B-17 and B-24 bombers, escorted by 670 P-38, P-47, and P-51 fighters attacked factories (hydrogen peroxide, chemical, aircraft, and ball bearing), six rail marshalling yards, a dam, and four airfields in western and southwestern Germany; 17 bombers and 7 fighters were lost. From Italy, US 15th Air Force launched 400 B-17 and B-24 bombers attacked an ordnance depot, an aircraft factory, an automobile factory, and an airfield in the Mnchen (Munich) area; 16 US aircraft were lost. In-depth article Italy US 34th Division captured Livorno, Italy. The Germans set up about 25,000 booby traps as they evacuated the city. In-depth article Latvia Soviet troops crossed the border into Latvia. Mariana Islands In the Mariana Islands, US 7th Air Force launched P-47 aircraft based on Saipan to attack Tinian. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 19 Jul 1944
20 Jul 1944
Ludwig Beck passed away. In-depth article French troops began withdrawing from Italy in preparation for the invasion of southern France. In-depth article The British Operation Goodwood in France was stalled by heavy weather; thus far, over 400 tanks were lost. In-depth article USS Hoe fired 4 torpedoes at a Japanese freighter, scoring no hits. In-depth article USS Astoria arrived at Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States. In-depth article Benito Mussolini met with Adolf Hitler at Rastenburg, East Prussia, Germany shortly after the failed assassination attempt on Hitler. In-depth article The US Army formed the Pearl Harbor Board to analyze the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii of 7 Dec 1941. In-depth article Allied aircraft attacked German submarine U-965 in the Atlantic Ocean, killing 1 and wounding 1. German submarine U-861 sank Brazilian troop transport Vital de Oliviera off Brazil. Austrian-born Oberfeldwebel Hermann Buchner was awarded the Knight's C ross medal for 600 combat sorties and 456 aerial victories. Buchner would survive the war with a combined total of 58 kills (four of these whilst flying Me 262 jet fighters), plus 46 tanks and one armoured train destroyed. Canada C anadian corvette HMC S C obalt completed its forecastle extension work at Liverpool, Nova Scotia, C anada. Caroline Islands US Far East Air Force B-24 bombers attacked Yap, C aroline Islands. France 6 US B-17 bombers were launched after sundown to drop propaganda leaflets over France while 12 B-24 bombers dropped supplies to resistance fighters. In-depth article British destroyer HMS Isis was sunk, either by a German naval mine or by a German Neger manned torpedo off Normandy, France. C anadian frigate HMC S Matane was damaged by a glider bomb off Brest, France, killing 2. In-depth article Germany Operation Valkyrie was launched to assassinate Hitler and to overthrow the Nazi German government. It failed, leading to the arrest and execution of many who became implicated in the plot. In-depth article Bombers of US 8th Air Force in Britain and US 15th Air Force in Italy attacked Dessau, Kothen, Leipzig, Nordhuasen, Rudolstadt, Merseburg, Bad Nauheim, Koblenz, and many other targets across Germany.
98/189
5/7/13

In-depth article German submarine U-3001 was commissioned into service. The keel of German submarine U-2335 was laid down.
Japan Light carrier Ryuho completed her flight deck repairs and exited the drydocks at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement PB4Y-1 Liberator bombers of US Navy Patrol Bomber Squadron 109 from Saipan, Mariana Islands attacked Iwo Jima, Haha Jima, and C hichi Jima in the Bonin Islands. Mariana Islands P-47 aircraft of US 7th Air Force continued to attack Japanese positions on Tinian while US Navy warships bombarded Guam in the Mariana Islands. Meanwhile, underwater demolition teams conducted their final missions to remove obstacles on the invasion beaches at Asan and Agat on Guam. In-depth article United Kingdom British British British British British British destroyer HMS C rescent was launched at Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom. minesweeper HMS Jewel was launched. boom defense vessel HMS Precise was launched. submarine HMS Vengeful was launched. destroyers HMS Whirlwind was commissioned into service. destroyers HMS Zest was commissioned into service.
United States The staff at the Los Alamos site of the Manhattan Project shifted focus to work on the implosion mechanism for the atomic bomb. In-depth article US escort carrier Gilbert Islands was launched. US submarine USS Tigrone was launched. In-depth article USS Marcus Island embarked US Navy squadron VC -21 at San Diego, C alifornia, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 20 Jul 1944
21 Jul 1944
US 3rd Marine Division landed near Agana and US 1st Provisional Marine Brigade landed near Agat on Guam, Mariana Islands; the landing was supported by US Navy Task Force 53. US Navy and US Army aircraft attacked Tinian of Mariana Islands, Eniwetok of Marshall Islands, and Truk and Yap of C aroline Islands as indirect support. Troops of the US Army 77th Infantry Division arrived in the afternoon; their landing was difficult due to the lack of LVT vehicles. A mile-deep beachhead was established at both landing sites by sundown. The Japanese attempted a counterattack during the night, which was repulsed. In-depth article USS Rock detected a Japanese convoy in the Luzon Strait and attacked with four torpedoes. She recorded two detonations, but was not able to observe whether any of the ships sank. In-depth article Heinz Guderian was appointed C hief of the Army General Staff. In-depth article USS Guitarro departed Frementle, Australia for her second war patrol. In-depth article A military and damage control inspection party from USS Wyoming, headed by Rear Admiral D. B. Beary, boarded USS Astoria at Virginia, United States for an inspection. In-depth article Heinz Brandt died from wounds suffered during the 20 Jul 1944 assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler in Rastenburg, East Prussia, Germany. In-depth article USS Finback arrived at Majuro, Marshall Islands, ending her ninth war patrol. In-depth article 8 B-17 bombers of US 8th Air Force dropped propaganda leaflets over France after sundown. British frigates HMS C urzon and HMS Ekins sank German submarine U-212 with depth charges south of Brighton, England, United Kingdom; all 49 aboard were killed. The keel of German submarine U-3009 was laid down. German submarine U-1110 was launched. C anadian tug HMC S Glenlivit was commissioned into service. C anadian frigate HMC S Levis was commissioned into service. C anadian frigate HMC S Stone Town was commissioned into service. Destroyer escort USS Dufilho was commissioned into service. Destroyer USS John W. Weeks was commissioned into service with C ommander Robert A. Theobald. Jr. in command. Brazilian corvette C amaqu was struck by a series of large waves and sank 27 miles off Recife, Brazil while
99/189
5/7/13
escorting Allied convoy JT-18; 35 were killed. Czechoslovakia
B-17 and B-24 bombers of US 15th Air Force based in Italy attacked Brx in C zechoslovakia (C zech name "Most"), targeting the synthetic oil refinery. Germany C laus von Stauffenberg was executed in Berlin, Germany. In-depth article 1,110 bombers of US 8th Air Force were launched from England, United Kingdom against Germany, hitting Mnchen (Munich), Saarbrcken (targeting rail marshalling yards), Oberpfeffenhofen, Walldrun (targeting rail marshalling yards), Regensburg, Stuttgart, Schweinfurt, and other locations; a total of 31 bombers and 8 escorting fighters were lost. In-depth article Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben was arrested by the Gestapo. Italy The French Expeditionary C orps and the US VI C orps began to be withdrawn from the front lines in Italy to prepare for the invasion of Southern France. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft attacked Japanese positions on Guam, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Russia The Soviet Third Baltic Front captured Ostrov, Pskov Oblast, Russia. In-depth article In Moscow, Russia, the Soviet Union announced the establishment of the Polish C ommittee of National Liberation to administer areas of liberated Poland, angering the Polish government-in-exile based in Britain. United Kingdom No. 616 Squadron RAF, equipped with Meteor Mk I jet fighters, was transferred to RAF Manston in southern England, United Kingdom. In-depth article United States USS Baltimore depart San Diego, C alifornia, United States, with destroyer USS Fanning in escort and US President Franklin Roosevelt aboard, for Adak, Aleutian Islands. In-depth article At C hicago, Illinois, United States, the Democratic National C onvention nominated Senator Harry Truman to run as Franklin Roosevelt's vice presidential candidate in the upcoming election. In-depth article US Army transport FS-185 was commissioned into service at New Orleans, Louisiana, United States under the command of US C oast Guard Lieutenant (jg) L. C . Rickert. US Army transport FS-186 was commissioned into service at New Orleans, Louisiana, United States under the command of US C oast Guard Lieutenant F. D. Obrian. Photo(s) dated 21 Jul 1944
22 Jul 1944
In Ukraine, the Brody Pocket was eliminated; Soviet forces captured 17,000 German prisoners of war. To the north, Soviet units captured Panevezys, Lithuania. In-depth article Kuniaki Koiso was named the 41st Prime Minister of Japan. In-depth article Rear Admiral D. B. Beary continued his inspection of USS Astoria at Virginia, United States. Later in the day, USS Astoria conducted a battle problem with USS Decatur and target ship Daniel A. Joy. In-depth article British minesweeper HMS C hamois struck a mine in Baie de Seine north of Normandie, France and was damaged. USS C ero fired six torpedoes at a Japanese transport north of Dutch New Guinea; all torpedoes missed. In-depth article China American aircraft raided Japanese positions in Shanghai, C hina. Germany The German Gestapo arrested the head of German intelligence unit Abwehr I C olonel Georg Hansen. United States
100/189
5/7/13

USS Ticonderoga began her first overhaul at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States. Her flight deck was to be reconfigured to add 11 feet forward and 7 feet aft, and her anti-aircraft directors were to be repositioned. In-depth article The keel of submarine Mero was laid down by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding C ompany in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States. In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 22 Jul 1944
23 Jul 1944
Hitler required that the Wehrmacht use the Hitler Gru, the Nazi salute, in the aftermath of July Plot. In-depth article Soviet troops captured Pskov, Byelorussia. In-depth article After dark, a large group of British bombers attacked Kiel, Germany; the attack lasted through midnight into the next date. The German fighters summoned to intercept went after the decoy force rather than the main force. In-depth article USS Astoria arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. In-depth article China In response to the American request for C hiang Kaishek to accept communist forces in his army, C hiang expressed that he would accept the request only if the Nationalist reserve forces would be off-limits to Joseph Stilwell, and if American Lend-Lease supplies would be controlled by C hiang. This counteroffer was to be rejected in the following month. In-depth article France The 1st C anadian Army (General H. D. G. C rerar) became operational in Normandy, France. Germany The German Gestapo arrested the head of German Abwehr Wilhelm C anaris. In-depth article Italy US 34th Division captured Pisa, Italy. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 23 Jul 1944
24 Jul 1944
Majdanek C oncentration C amp became the first concentration camp to be liberated by Soviet troops (and the first to be liberated overall). In-depth article As Soviet units crossed the River San north of Lublin, Poland, German troops began evacuating that city. In-depth article American troops landed on Tinian, Mariana Islands. In-depth article The British bombing of Kiel, Germany that began on the previous date ended before dawn. The damage was extensive, causing the city to have no running water for 3 days, the trains and buses were out of commission for 8 days, and gas service was out for nearly 3 weeks. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 24 Jul 1944
101/189
5/7/13
25 Jul 1944
The first preliminary test of the RaLa Experiment was performed by the scientists of the Manhattan Project; it was the first in a series of experiments attempting to create a spherical implosion to detonate a nuclear weapon. In-depth article Operation C obra, the US breakout operation in France, began. C anadian troops attacked south of C aen, France. In-depth article In Berlin, Germany, Goebbels was designated the Reich Plenipotentiary for Total War. In-depth article German authorities completed the evacuation of Jewish ghettos in Kovno, Lithuania. Soviet units reached the Vistula River in Poland. To the north, the Germans evacuated Narva, Estonia, taking up defensive positions to the west. In-depth article USS hoe fired 6 torpedoes at a Japanese submarine, scoring no hits. In-depth article USS Segundo arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article George Bush shared the credit for sinking of a Japanese cargo ship off the Palau Islands. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS Franklin launched strikes against Palau Islands, Yap Island, and Ulithi Atoll through 27 Jul 1944. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 25 Jul 1944
26 Jul 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Davao, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement US forces broke through near Saint-L, France, forcing a German withdrawal from the Normandy region. In-depth article Soviet forces captured Narva as they reached the Estonian border. In-depth article United States Army 5332nd Brigade (Provisional) was activated in India. Known as the Mars Task Force, the Brigade consisted of 475th Infantry Regiment (largely of Galahad and New Galahad veterans), 124th cavalry Regiment (Special) (formerly the Texas National Guard and now serving as infantry), and the 612th and 613th Artillery Battalions (Pack) with mule-borne 75mm Howitzers. The Galahad veterans appeared to have been extremely unwilling to return to the front but after their grievances were addressed went back into battle again. By the time the brigade was withdrawn (redeployed to C hina) in Feb 1945 it had suffered 122 dead, 938 wounded, and 1 missing. USS Marlin collided with SC -642 while undergoing training, sustaining light damage. In-depth article The US submarine Robalo struck a mine and sank whilst on patrol off the western coast of Palawan, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Germany The head of German intelligence unit Abwehr II C olonel Wessel von Freytag-Loringhoven committed suicide just prior to his arrest by the German Gestapo. Hawaii Douglas MacArthur and C hester Nimitz presented each of their plans to Franklin Roosevelt on how to approach Japan during the Pacific Strategy C onference in US Territory of Hawaii. MacArthur wanted to target the Philippine Islands to recover American territory, while Nimitz preferred to invade Taiwan which would serve as gateway to both Japan and C hina. In-depth article United States USS Golet was officially presumed lost in the Pacific Ocean.
102/189
5/7/13
In-depth article Photo(s) dated 26 Jul 1944
27 Jul 1944
Bialystok in Poland, Dunaburg (Daugavpils) in Latvia, and Lvov in Ukraine were captured by Soviet forces; meanwhile, a major bridgehead was also established across the Vistula River near Magnuszew, Poland. In-depth article Meteor F.Mk I jet fighters of No. 616 Squadron based at Manston in Kent, England, United Kingdom performed their first V-1 intercept mission. In-depth article USS Rock changed course for Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article USS Snook fired 6 torpedoes at a Japanese freighter; all torpedoes missed. In-depth article Sunfish (S-class) was decommissioned from service. In-depth article USS Pompon sank a Japanese trawler off Japan with her deck gun. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 27 Jul 1944
28 Jul 1944
American troops captured C outances, France. In-depth article Brest-Litovsk, Byelorussia, site of a joint German-Soviet victory parade in 1939, was captured by Soviet forces after heavy fighting. In-depth article With Geoffrey de Havilland Jr. at the controls, the de Havilland Hornet aircraft made its maiden flight. The Hornet entered service in 1946. USS Hawkbill arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article Australia USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia after restocking her store of torpedoes. In-depth article Guam US Marines captured the old US Marines parade ground on Guam, Mariana Islands. In-depth article United States USS C opahee arrived at San Diego, C alifornia, United States with 14 captured Japanese aircraft and 37 captured engines. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 28 Jul 1944
103/189
5/7/13
29 Jul 1944
German Armeegruppe Nord was cut off as the Red Army reached the Baltic coast west of Riga, Latvia. In-depth article USS Becuna arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article USS Puffer attacked a Japanese freighter in the Dutch East Indies; all 6 torpedoes missed. In-depth article Aleksandr Vasilevsky was made a Hero of the Soviet Union and was awarded his second Order of Lenin. In-depth article Ivan Bagramyan was awarded the Order of Lenin for the first time. In-depth article USS Gunnel started her sixth war patrol. In-depth article China B-29 Superfortress bombers of the 20th USAAF flying from advanced airfields near C hengdu in C hina attack the Showa steel works at Anshan in Liaoning, northeastern C hina. During the raid B-29 bomber 42-5256 piloted by C aptain Howard R. Jarrell was struck by a shell and badly damaged. Unable to make the 1,500 mile journey home, C aptain Jarrell decided to try to reach Vladivostock in the USSR. Intercepted by Soviet Yak-9 fighters the crippled bomber was forced to land at the small strip at Tavrichanka where the aircraft and its crew were interned by the Soviet authorities. Russia Georgy Zhukov was made a Hero of the Soviet Union for the second time. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 29 Jul 1944
30 Jul 1944
British troops attack C aumont, France, east of Saint-L. In-depth article USS Mingo arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article The Japanese Navy ordered Mitsubishi to stop development of the A7M fighter design; Mitsubishi was able to secure permission to continue given that the company was to use existing engines rather than develop new ones. In-depth article Gnther von Kluge wrote to Adolf Hitler, warning that the entire western front was on the brink of collapse. In-depth article The US coastal minesweeper YMS-304 struck a mine and sank off the coast of Normandy, France. The US coastal minesweeper YMS-378 struck a mine and was severely damaged, beyond repair, off the coast of Normandy, France. Latvia The Soviet First Baltic Front reached Tukums, Latvia. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 30 Jul 1944
31 Jul 1944
Tirpitz conducted exercises at sea with five destroyers. In-depth article USS Tang departed for her fourth war patrol off Honshu, Japan. In-depth article British VIII C orps launched Operation Bluecoat towards Vire River in Normandy, France. Meanwhile, US 4th Armored Division captured Avranches and 20,000 prisoners of war in 6 days. In-depth article
104/189
5/7/13

USS Kete was commissioned into service with C ommander R. L. Rutter in command. In-depth article The British 9th Armoured Division (Major General John D'Arcy) was disbanded. USS Parche attacked a Japanese convoy off Taiwan and sank cargo ship Manko Maru and tanker Koei Maru; she also shared the credit with USS Steelhead for sinking another transport. She expended 19 torpedoes during this attack. Parche's commanding officer, C ommander Lawson Ramage would later be awarded the Medal of Honor for this attack while the crew received the Presidental Unit C itation. In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 31 Jul 1944
1 Aug 1944
Tirpitz completed exercises at sea. In-depth article Manuel Quezon passed away. In-depth article Soviet forces captured Lithuania, cutting all roads between Germany and the Baltic States. In-depth article President Risto Ryti of Finland resigned; he was to be replaced by Marshal C arl Mannerheim. In-depth article US 83rd Infantry Division became part of the XV C orps of the Third Army of the US 12th Army Group. The US 12th Army Group came into existence under the command of Lieutenant General Omar Bradley. In-depth article General Philippe Leclerc's 2nd French Division landed on "Utah" beach, Normandy, France. C aptain Taro Taguchi was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Navy 3rd Air Fleet. George Bush was promoted to the rank of lieutenant (jg). In-depth article USS Puffer attacked a Japanese convoy in the Dutch East Indies, firing 8 torpedoes and claiming 2 hits which sank a ship. In-depth article The Indian 111th Infantry Brigade, a C hindit formation, was allowed to return to front line service in Burma after health conditions improved. In-depth article Joseph Stilwell met with Louis Mountbatten at Kandy, C eylon to discuss Stilwell's temporary command over Mountbatten's theater while Mountbatten planned for a trip to Britain. In-depth article USS Parche set sail for Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Australia USS Flying Fish departed Brisbane, Australia for her eleventh war patrol. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS Pollack served on lifeguard station in support of the air strikes on Woleai, C aroline Islands. In-depth article Japan Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Yokosuka, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Poland Soviet 1st Byelorussian Front under Konstantin Rokossovsky arrived in the suburbs of Warsaw, Poland. Seeing the arrival of friendly forces, the Polish Home Army rose up against German occupation troops. In-depth article The Soviet-backed Polish C ommittee of National Liberation established its headquarters in Lublin, Poland. Photo(s) dated 1 Aug 1944
105/189
5/7/13
See all photos dated 1 Aug 1944
2 Aug 1944
US VIII C orps moved west along Brittany coast from Avranches, France. In-depth article Turkey severed diplomatic relations with Germany. The Soviet-sponsored 1st Polish Army established a bridgehead over the Vistula River south of Warsaw, Poland. In-depth article Zigeunernacht ("Gypsy Night"): 4,000 Roma were killed and cremated at Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. In-depth article German submarine U-804 sank American destroyer escort USS Fiske with torpedoes in the central Atlantic. In-depth article Australia USS Flier departed Fremantle, Australia for her second war patrol. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 2 Aug 1944
3 Aug 1944
USS C od sank a Japanese merchant ship. In-depth article A two-month siege by US and C hinese forces at Myitkyina in Burma finally succeeded in capturing it. In-depth article Hitler ordered a counterattack east of Avranches, France to regain the coast. In-depth article The first Soviet attacks east of Warsaw, Poland were repulsed by the Germans. In-depth article US 83rd Infantry Division became part of the US VIII C orps. United Kingdom King George VI of the United Kingdom gave Royal approval to R. A. Butler's Education Act which introduced wide ranging changes to secondary school education in England and Wales. United States USS Spot was commissioned into service with C ommander William S. Post, Jr. in command. In-depth article Submarine Springer was launched at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, C alifornia, United States, sponsored by the wife of M. S. Tisdale. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 3 Aug 1944
106/189
5/7/13
4 Aug 1944
Anne Frank and her family were arrested in Amsterdam, the Netherlands by the Gestapo. Allies captured Rennes, France. In-depth article Soviet forces gained another bridgehead over the Vistula River in Poland near Baranov. In-depth article Harold Alexander met with Oliver Leese, who convinced Alexander to attack the Gothic Line in Italy by a thrust along the coast of the Adriatic Sea. In-depth article USS Tunny departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her seventh war patrol with the wolfpack "Ed's Eradicators". In-depth article C olonel C harles Hunter was relieved of his command and returned to the United States by ship. Morale among the "Marauders" (most of whom were recovering from their ordeal in hospital beds) collapsed completely as a consequence, and soon after the entire force was despicably disbanded. Back in the United States, the obnoxious Stilwell's treatment of Hunter's "Marauders" had become a public scandal eventually leading to a full inquiry. An extensively modified Thunderbolt fighter (XP-47J) became the first airscrew driven aircraft to exceed 500 mph in level flight with a recorded speed of 504 mph. However the P-47J did not go into production as the Republic development team chose to concentrate on the more advanced XP-72 project. In-depth article HMS Gairsay was sunk by a German explosive motor boat off the coast of Normandy, France. Lieutenant General Brian Horrocks assumed command of the British XXX C orps in France. USS Ray sank Japanese cargo ship Koshu Maru at the southern opening of the Makassar Strait between Borneo and C elebes in the Dutch East Indies, hitting her with 3 of 4 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS Pollack served on lifeguard station off Yap, C aroline Islands in support of air strikes in the region. In-depth article Italy Germans evacuated Florence, Italy. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 4 Aug 1944
5 Aug 1944
US XV C orps reached Mayenne, France. In-depth article The neutral Turkish ship, Mefkure, sailing from Romania to Istanbul, Turkey with 325 passengers, mainly Jews fleeing from Romania, Poland and Hungary, was torpedoed, shelled and sunk by an unidentified submarine, believed to be the Soviet submarine SC -215. The survivors were machine gunned in the water and only 11 escape. The dead include 37 children. In-depth article USS C ero sank a Japanese tanker north of Dutch New Guinea, hitting her with 4 of 6 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS Pollack again served on lifeguard station off Yap, C aroline Islands in support of air strikes in the region. In-depth article Mariana Islands USS Parche arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Ukraine Representatives from Belgium, C anada, Free France, Greece, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the United Kingdom, and the United States signed an agreement on the control of merchant shipping in London, England, United Kingdom. United Kingdom Louis Mountbatten arrived in London, England, United Kingdom.
107/189
5/7/13

In-depth article Historical document written: Agreement on Principles Having Reference to the C ontinuance of C oordinated C ontrol of Merchant Shipping In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 5 Aug 1944
6 Aug 1944
USS C roaker fired 7 torpedoes at a Japanese freighter, all of which missed. In-depth article In France, US 4th Armored Division advanced to Lorient and US 6th Armored Division advanced toward Brest. In-depth article The refinery city of Drohobyez, Poland was captured by the Red Army. In-depth article Lodz, the last Jewish ghetto in Poland, was liquidated; its 60,000 residences were sent to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. 27,000 prisoners of various concentration camps east of the Vistula River in Poland were transferred to camps to the west. The evacuation of Kaiserwald C oncentration C amp outside of Riga, Latvia began. In-depth article US XX C orps reached Laval, France. In-depth article USS Pintado sank Japanese cargo ship Shonan Maru and damaged another in the East C hina Sea; six torpedoes were expended and four of them made contact (two on each target). In-depth article Japan Unryu was commissioned into service at Yokosuka, Japan with C aptain Konishi Kaname in command. She was assigned to C arrier Division 1 of Japanese 3rd Fleet. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 6 Aug 1944
7 Aug 1944
Erwin Rommel received the Wound Badge in Gold. In-depth article USS C roaker sank Japanese light cruiser Nagara after hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired. In-depth article A Japanese aircraft made the first aerial ramming attempt at an American bomber. In-depth article USS Sea Robin was commissioned into service with Lieutenant C ommander Paul Stimson in command. In-depth article USS Guitarro attacked a Japanese convoy off Luzon, Philippine Islands in the South C hina Sea, sinking frigate Kusakaki with three of the six torpedoes fired. In-depth article USS Pompon attacked a Japanese transport off Sakhalin island; all 4 torpedoes missed. In-depth article USS Puffer attacked a Japanese convoy off the Philippine Islands and sank a freighter, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired. In-depth article The Indian 36th Division became the last C hindit formation to engaged in combat in Burma. In-depth article During a strategy conference in London, England, United Kingdom, Alan Brooke determined that the next Allied target in Burma should be Rangoon, and the best method of attack would be an airborne assault. In-depth article France German troops counterattacked in Avranches, France; the offensive was code named Operation Lttich. In-depth article
108/189
5/7/13
Germany
Field Marshal Erwin von Witzleben was tried and sentenced to death. Russia German prisoners of war Georg Jantschi and Karl Kosch were transferred from the Lefortovo Prison in Moscow, Russia to the special Prisoner of War C amp No. 27 in the city's suburbs. Photo(s) dated 7 Aug 1944
8 Aug 1944
The German offensive at Mortain, France, Operation Lttich, was called off after it suffered severe losses to armoured columns from Allied air attacks. Meanwhile, C anadian forces launched Operation Totalize to the south of C aen while the US 15th Army C orp occupied Le Mans, France. In-depth article German SS Lieutenant General Hans Kammler was named the Special C ommissioner for the A-4 rocket program. USS Guitarro sank a small vessel off Luzon, Philippine Islands in the South C hina Sea with her deck gun. In-depth article Winston C hurchill, Alan Brooke, Louis Mountbatten, C lement Attlee, Anthony Eden, Oliver Lyttelton, and Albert Wedemeyer met in London, England, United Kingdom to discuss the future direction of war efforts in southeastern Asia. In-depth article Russia Soviet convoy BD-5 departed Arkhangelsk, Russia, escorted by 3 trawlers. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 8 Aug 1944
9 Aug 1944
USS Tirante was launched. In-depth article Eisenhower moved his headquarters to France. In-depth article US President Roosevelt informed MacArthur that MacArthur's plan to invade the Philippine Islands had been approved, which necessarily meant that Nimitz's plan to land on Taiwan, thus bypassing the Philippine Islands, was rejected. In-depth article The Vyborg-Petrozavodsk Offensive, the largest Soviet offensive against Finland, ended in a strategic stalemate. The US Forest Service and the US Wartime Advertising C ouncil released posters featuring Smokey Bear for the first time. Caroline Islands USS Pollack attacked a Japanese destroyer with four torpedoes west of the C aroline Islands; all torpedoes missed. In-depth article Hawaii USS Barbero departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of for her first war patrol. In-depth article United States Franklin Roosevelt assigned Patrick Hurley to as an intermediary between C hiang Kaishek and Joseph Stilwell. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 9 Aug 1944
109/189
5/7/13
10 Aug 1944
USS Tang attacked but failed to hit a tanker near Omaezaki, Japan. In-depth article US 5th and French 2nd Armored Divisions moved to Alenon, France. In-depth article Japanese 18th Army under Lieutenant General Hatazo Adachi was wiped out by the Americans in the AitapeNew Hollandia area in New Guinea. In-depth article C aptain David Jamieson of the UK Royal Norfolk Regiment won the Victoria C ross. Despite being wounded in the eye and arm, he refused to be evacuated as a casualty as he was the only officer remaining functioning, and with only 100 men held off seven repeated attacks by superior forces against his bridgehead over the River Orne, Normandy, France. Amagi was commissioned into service. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Dwight Eisenhower inspected paratroopers of the US 101st Airborne Division at Hunkerford, Hungerford, England, United Kingdom. In-depth article USS Guitarro attacked a Japanese convoy off Luzon, Philippine Islands and sank tanker Shinei Maru; she expended eight torpedoes in this attack and claimed a total of five hits; Guitarro suffered superficial damage from the subsequent depth charging. In-depth article Light carrier Ryuho was assigned to C arrier Division 4 of the 3rd Fleet. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Guam US forces declared Guam, Mariana Islands secured. In-depth article Japan Irako departed Imari Bay, Kyushu, Japan as a part of convoy HI-71. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Unryu was assigned to 7th Base Air Force Air Attack Force under operational command of Japanese 3rd Air Fleet, although officially she remained with C arrier Division 1 of Japanese 3rd Fleet. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Photo(s) dated 10 Aug 1944
11 Aug 1944
Hideyoshi Obata passed away. In-depth article USS Tang sank Roko Maru and damaged another freighter with a total of five torpedoes, then endured a 38minute-long depth charge attack. In-depth article Lieutenant General Guy Simmonds of the 11 C anadian C orps called off Operation Totalize after it became clear that the expected breakthrough would not be achieved. Nevertheless the C anadian and Polish armoured divisions had advanced eight miles, against numerous well-constructed enemy bunkers which were immune to bombing, and were now half way between C aen and Falais. Whilst Simmonds blamed ther lack of success on the inexperience of the two divisions, General Maczek of the Polish Armoured Division was more realistic in stating that the troops had been given just too much to do. The Poles had lost 66 tanks and the C anadian slightly more during Operation Totalize. On the same day, US forces captured Nantes and Angers and then moved across the Loire River; in response, the German Navy scuttled 26 warships and 28 merchant vessels stranded at Nantes, Bordeaux, and in the Gironde and Seine estuaries.
110/189
5/7/13

In-depth article In northern Burma the C hindits' 7th Leicesters fought their way into Taungni cutting the rail line. In-depth article USS Wake Island detached from Allied convoy UC -32. In-depth article
Italy Greek 3rd Mountain Brigade arrived in Italy from French Syria-Lebanon. Marshall Islands USS Alabama arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 11 Aug 1944
12 Aug 1944
The first transport of civilians arrested in Warsaw, Poland after the start of Warsaw Uprising reached Auschwitz II-Birkenau concentration camp via Pruszkw transit camp. 1,984 males and over 3,800 females were in this transport. In-depth article The Soviet minesweeper T.118 (formerly the USS Armada) was sunk by the German submarine U-365 in the Kara Sea. USS Pompon attacked a Japanese convoy off Sakhalin island during the night, damaging a tanker and sinking transport Mikage Maru No. 20; she expended 14 torpedoes and observed 4 hits. During the attack, one of her own torpedoes circled back and nearly struck her. In-depth article USS Puffer attacked an escorted Japanese convoy of ten freighters and tankers off the Philippine Islands, sinking tanker Teikon Maru and a freighter, and damaging another tanker; she expended 6 torpedoes and observed 5 hits. In-depth article German submarine U-365 sank Russian freighter Marina Raskova and Soviet trawler T-114 of Soviet convoy BD-5 in western Kara Sea off northern Russia; a total of 362 were killed and 256 survived. In-depth article Japan Irako collided with Teia Maru off Ryukyu Islands, Japan, suffering superficial damage. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement United Kingdom Joseph Kennedy, Jr., the older brother of future US President John F. Kennedy, was killed in a flying accident over East Suffolk, England, United Kingdom. Photo(s) dated 12 Aug 1944
13 Aug 1944
USS C assin Young arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. In-depth article The Soviet minesweeper T.114 (formerly the USS Alchemy) was sunk by the German submarine U-365 in the Kara Sea in the Arctic C ircle. At the end of the day, USS Ray began pursuing a small Japanese convoy off Borneo, Dutch East Indies, firing 4 torpedoes, all of which missed. In-depth article Japan Light carrier Ryuho departed Kure, Japan and arrived at Hashirajima, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Philippines
111/189
5/7/13

The US submarine Flier struck a naval mine and sank in the Balacbac Strait just off the southern tip of Palawan in the Philippine Islands. In-depth article
14 Aug 1944
USS C od sank the Japanese landing craft LSV-129. In-depth article USS Tang attacked a Japanese armed yacht with her deck gun. In-depth article USS C roaker sank a Japanese freighter with 2 of 6 torpedoes fired. In-depth article British troops launched Operation Tractable towards Falaise, France, preceded by 800 bombers. 150 Polish soldiers were killed as the second of the three waves of RAF Lancaster bombers released their bombs too early. In-depth article Soviet forces launched an assault from their Vistula bridgeheads in Poland. In-depth article USS Gar began her thirteenth war patrol. In-depth article USS Snook arrived at Midway Atoll, ending her sixth war patrol. In-depth article USS Ray continued to attack a small Japanese convoy off Borneo, Dutch East Indies, sinking tanker Zuisho Maru (hitting her with 3 of 3 torpedoes fired) and damaged a transport (hitting her with 1 of 3 torpedoes fired). In-depth article Photo(s) dated 14 Aug 1944
15 Aug 1944
USS Trepang departed for Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article C olonel General Gotthard Heinrici replaced Erhard Raus as the commander of the German 1.Panzerarmee. Operation Dragoon, the invasion of southern France, began. On the same day, Saint-Tropez, Var, France was captured by the 15th Infantry Regiment of 3rd US Infantry Division. In-depth article Feldwebel Helmut Lennartz scored the Luftwaffe's first Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter kill on an American B17 Flying Fortress bomber. Lennartz survived the war with eight Me 262 and five Bf 109 victories to his name. In-depth article The Japanese Navy 11th Air Fleet was reorganized to contain the 958th Air Group and the 105th Air Base Unit. The 13th Air Fleet was reorganized tow contain one air flotilla, one air group, and two air base units. Vice Admiral Gunichi Mikawa was named the commanding officer of the 3rd Southern Expeditionary Fleet while still holding command of the Southwest Area Fleet. In-depth article Japan Destroyer Yukikaze completed her repairs at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Taiwan Irako arrived at Mako, Pescadores Islands, Taiwan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement United Kingdom Allied convoy JW-59 departed Liverpool, England, United Kingdom; it was consisted of 33 freighters. In-depth article United States USS Wake Island arrived at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. In-depth article
112/189
5/7/13
16 Aug 1944
George Patton was promoted to the permanent rank of major general, bypassing the permanent rank of brigadier general. In-depth article USS C raoker sank a Japanese patrol vessel with 1 of 3 torpedoes fired. In-depth article French resistance fighters captured three German posts along the Swiss border. In-depth article At Bafour, France, British Lieutenant Tasker Watkins captured two German machine gun posts, eliminated an anti-tank gun, led in a defense of a German counterattack, and while the company attempted to return to Allied lines silenced another machine gun position by himself. He would later win the Victoria C ross. Later in life he served as a Lord Justice of Appeal and deputy Lord C hief Justice of the United Kingdom. USS Finback, with the new commanding officer Lieutenant C ommander Robert Russell Williams, Jr., departed Majuro, Marshall Islands for her tenth war patrol. In-depth article Allied aircraft sank French cruiser Dupleix. In-depth article China Japanese troops entered northeastern Guangxi Province, C hina. In-depth article France The US coastal minesweeper YMSA-24 struck a mine and sank off Saint-Tropez, France. Jean de Lattre de Tassigny arrived in Provence, France. In-depth article Hawaii USS Parche arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her second war patrol. In-depth article Japan The Naval Air Technical Arsenal at Yokosuka, Japan formally began the development of the aircraft that would later be known as the Ohka. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 16 Aug 1944
17 Aug 1944
USS Sargent Bay joined US Navy 3rd Fleet at Pearl Harbor. In-depth article USS C roaker sank two Japanese oilers with 2 of 6 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Walter Model was appointed the commanding officer of the German Army Group B (Heeresgruppe B), replacing Gnther von Kluge. In-depth article Remnants of Vichy government fled for Germany as French Resistance began taking Parisian strongpoints. Ptain and his staff were interned by Hitler, while Laval's government resigned. C anadian troops captured Falaise, France, and the German troops in the region began to be threatened with being surrounded. Montgomery ordered troops to move to seal the pocket. Meanwhile, US forces captured C hartres, Orleans, and C hateaudun. In-depth article Soviets reach the East Prussian border. In-depth article British 14th Brigade, 3rd West African Brigade, and elements of the British 36th Infantry Division received orders to withdraw from northern Burma. In-depth article Pacific Ocean
113/189
5/7/13

USS Bluefish and USS Puffer sank a Japanese oiler off of Mindoro, Philippine Islands; USS Bluefish hit her with 1 of 1 torpedo fired. In-depth article
Romania Ion Antonescu signed an armistice with the anti-German opposition in Romania; this was viewed as an act of betrayal by the Germans. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 17 Aug 1944
18 Aug 1944
USS Sargent Bay departed Pearl Harbor to deliver aircraft to Eniwetok and Manus. In-depth article German Seventh Army retreated across Orne River in France, leaving 18,000 men behind to be captured. In-depth article In southern France, Germans began evacuating from areas of Spanish border and Bay of Biscay. Soviet forces captured Sandomir, Poland. In-depth article Air Marshal Sir Frederick Bowhill was appointed the C ommander-in-C hief of RAF C oastal C ommand. USS Gabilan completed her second war patrol. In-depth article USS Ray attacked a Japanese convoy and sank Japanese tanker Nansei Maru (hitting her with 3 of 4 torpedoes fired) and transport Taketoyo Maru (hitting her with 1 of 2 torpedoes fired) north of the Balabac Strait in the Philippine Islands. In-depth article France Foch's wreck was sunk at the mouth of Toulon harbor, France as a blockship. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Gunnel attacked a Japanese transport with her deck gun in the South C hina Sea, causing no damage. In-depth article
19 Aug 1944
Gnther von Kluge passed away. In-depth article German troops in the Falaise pocket in France were ordered to break out. In-depth article Soviet forces began an offensive toward the Balkan Peninsula. USS Segundo began taking on ammunition and supplies for a war patrol. In-depth article Hauptmann Werner Schmidt of the German Kampfgeschwader 55 wing was awarded the Knight's C ross of the Iron C ross. France French Resistance fighters rose in Paris, forcing the German occupation to sign a truce. Outside the city, American troops began to reach the Seine River. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Bluefish sank a Japanese transport and a Japanese oiler in the South C hina Sea, hitting them with 9 of 12 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 19 Aug 1944
20 Aug 1944
5/7/13

French resistance fighters liberated Toulouse, France. In-depth article At Falaise, France, Major David C urrie became the only C anadian to win the Victoria C ross during the Normandy campaign. In three days of non-stop action, his little force of tanks, self-propelled anti-tank guns and infantry had destroyed seven Panzers, 12 heavy guns and 40 other vehicles, killing more than 1,000 of the enemy and taking 11,000 prisoners. Members of the Armia Krajowa attacked the State Telephone Exchange high-rise building in Warsaw, Poland. In-depth article USS Segundo completed taking on ammunition and supplies for a war patrol. In-depth article Destroyer Yuzuki was assigned to Destroyer Division 30 of Escort Squadron 31 of the C ombined Fleet as the division's flagship under C aptain Seiji Sawamura. In-depth article Remy Van Lierde became the commanding officer of No. 164 Squadron RAF. In-depth article
Australia USS C ero arrived at Brisbane, Australia, ending her fifth war patrol. In-depth article France The Falaise pocket in France began to close around German troops; the Allies captured over 4,000 prisoners of war. In-depth article US 79th Division reached Seine River above Paris, France. In-depth article C harles De Gaulle landed at C herbourg, France. Meeting Dwight Eisenhower later in the day, he convinced the Allied commander that the French capital of Paris should be a priority objective that should not be bypassed. In-depth article Pierre Laval stepped down as the Prime Minister of France. In-depth article Blockship Foch was hit by two aerial bombs at the mouth of the Toulon harbor, France. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Gunnel attacked a Japanese transport in the South C hina Sea; all 9 torpedoes missed. In-depth article Romania 2nd Ukrainian Front and 3rd Ukrainian Front launched the Second Jassy-Kishinev Offensive into northeastern Romania. The Romanian 3rd Army was broken, while Axis shipping was attacked by Soviet aircraft on the Romanian coast. In-depth article United States USS Kete departed Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 20 Aug 1944
21 Aug 1944
USS Tang attacked a Japanese cargo ship with three torpedoes without success. In-depth article French First Army enveloped Toulon, France. In-depth article With Kriegsmarine support, the Germans opened a coastal corridor to German Armeegruppe Nord, but Hitler refused to authorize their withdrawal. In-depth article USS Segundo departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article HMS Orchis (Lieutenant C ommander B. Harris) was mined and beached off Juno beach, Normandy, France. USS Guitarro attacked a Japanese convoy off Luzon, Philippine Islands and sank cargo ship Uga Maru, hitting her with two of the four torpedoes fired. In-depth article USS Ray damaged a Japanese transport in the Philippine Islands, hitting her with 1 of 4 torpedoes fired. In-depth article France US Third Army reached Reims and Troyes southeast of Paris, France.
115/189
5/7/13

In-depth article James Johnson shot down two German Fw 190 fighters near Paris, France. In-depth article
Romania Soviet 6th Guards Mechanized C orps separated German 6.Armee from the Romanian 3rd Army in northeastern Romania; as the Germans under Generaloberst Johannes Friener fell back, Romanian troops began to refuse orders from German officers to engage the Soviets. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 21 Aug 1944
22 Aug 1944
Operation Goodwood I and Goodwood II: British carrier aircraft (32 Barracuda dive bombers and 43 fighters) from HMS Formidable, Indefatigable, Furious, Nabob, and Trumpeter attacked German battleship Tirpitz to little effect. In-depth article American submarine USS Bowfin attacked Japanese convoy Namo 103 and sank passenger ship Tsushima Maru near the island of Akusekijima. 2,251 aboard were killed, including 767 children; most of those killed were civilian evacuees from Okinawa. In-depth article USS Tang sank Japanese patrol boat Nansatsu Maru No. 2, hitting her with one of four torpedoes fired. In-depth article USS Pintado detected a 11-ship Japanese convoy during the day. After sundown, she fired ten torpedoes at the convoy, sinking the large tanker Tonan Maru No. 2 and damaging two other ships with a total of four hits. In-depth article USS Sennet was commissioned into service with C ommander George E. Porter in command. In-depth article Dutch East Indies USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese transport in the Dutch East Indies; all 3 torpedoes fired missed. In-depth article France Having been convinced by C harles de Gaulle two days prior that Paris, France must be captured with haste, Dwight Eisenhower traveled to Omar Bradley's headquarters to discuss the logistics. In-depth article Japan Light carrier Ryuho departed Hashirajima, Japan for Yashima, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Pacific Ocean USS Gunnel attacked a Japanese transport in the South C hina Sea; all 6 torpedoes missed. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 22 Aug 1944
23 Aug 1944
USS Tang sank Japanese transport Tsukushi Maru, hitting her with two of three torpedoes fired.
116/189
5/7/13

In-depth article US troops from the north and French troops from the south met near Bordeaux, France. In-depth article German V-1 rocket killed 211 people in East Barnet, Hertfordshire in southeastern England, United Kingdom. A B-24 bomber crashed into a school at Freckleton, Lancashire in northwestern England, United Kingdom, killing 57, 35 of whom were children. USS Hoe arrved at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fifth war patrol. In-depth article USS Baya departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. Initially ordered to patrol between the Philippine Islands and the Palau Islands, her patrol area was later shifted to the South C hina Sea. In-depth article USS Becuna departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article USS Hawkbill departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article Vasily C huikov was awarded the Order of Suvorov 1st C lass for the second time. In-depth article
Czechoslovakia Ferdinand C atlos failed to secure Soviet backing for his plan to overthrow the pro-German Slovak government. In-depth article France Drancy holding camp for French Jews near Paris, France was liberated by Allied troops. In-depth article Allied troops reached the Seine River near Paris, France. Adolf Hitler ordered all bridges in the Paris area to be destroyed, even those viewed as cultural treasures; Hans Speidel would refuse to carry out this order. In-depth article Romania In Bucharest, Romania, King Mihai I removed Marshal Ion Antonescu from power and began to publicly engage the Soviet Union diplomatically. To the northeast, Soviet 2nd Ukrainian Front and 3rd Ukrainian Front encircled German 6th Army. In-depth article United Kingdom A US B-24 Liberator bomber crashed into the village of Freckleton in Lancashire C ounty, England, United Kingdom at about 1047 hours, destroying the Holy Trinity C hurch of England School (6 adults and 38 children were killed), three houses (2 were killed), and the Sad Sack Snack Bar (7 American servicemen, 4 British servicemen, and 3 civilians were killed). All 3 members of crew aboard the B-24 bomber were killed. United States Franklin Roosevelt rejected C hiang Kaishek's counteroffer of 23 Jul 1944 regarding the American wish for C hiang to include communists in the war against Japan. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 23 Aug 1944
24 Aug 1944
Operation Goodwood III: British carrier aircraft (33 Barracuda dive bombers, 10 Hellcat fighters, 5 C orsair fighters, 29 other fighters) from HMS Indefatigable, Furious, and Formidable attacked German battleship Tirpitz, scoring 2 hits. In-depth article Aircraft of No. 466 Squadron RAAF conducted minelaying operations off of Helgoland, Germany. Germans evacuated Bordeaux, France and took up fortified positions on the Gironde River outside the city. Six members of a Liberator bomber crew shot down near Hanover, Germany were beaten to death by a mob of German civilians led by sisters Margarethe Witzler and Kathe Reinhardt. One of the victims, left for dead in the pile of battered bodies, survived to tell the tale. In Aug 1945, seven of the mob, including the sisters, were sentenced to hang by a US military commission. Allied forces liberated C annes in southern France. In-depth article Distrustful of the Army, Adolf Hitler ordered construction of a new Westwall under Nazi Party supervision. Soviet troops captured Kishinev, Moldova. USS Pollack attacked a Japanese freighter with three torpedoes in the Pacific Ocean; all torpedoes missed. In-depth article The US submarine Harder was depth charged and sunk by Japanese warships off Dasol Bay, Luzon, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Louis Mountbatten arrived in C olombo, C eylon. In-depth article
117/189
5/7/13
British Western Pacific Territories USS Marcus Island arrived at Tulagi, Solomon Islands. In-depth article Romania
The Romanian Royal Guards blocked the German attempt to occupy Bucharest as Romania declared war on Germany. German Luftwaffe responded by bombing the Royal Palace. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 24 Aug 1944
25 Aug 1944
USS C od arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article USS Tang sank Japanese tanker Nanko Maru No. 8 with two torpedoes. In-depth article Soviet 3rd Baltic Front captured Tartu, Estonia. In-depth article Finland began secret negotiations with the Soviet Union. In-depth article Allied reconnaissance aircraft flew over Auschwitz C oncentration C amp and took photographs of the complex. In-depth article USS Tunny arrived in the South C hina Sea. In-depth article France The French 2nd Armoured Division entered Paris, France. De Gaulle moved his headquarters into the War Ministry in Paris on the same day with the approval of Eisenhower. In-depth article Italy British 8th Army launched Operation Olive against the eastern end of the German Gothic Line in Italy, with Polish and C anadian troops on the spearhead. In-depth article Japan Irako departed Moji, Japan as a part of convoy HI-73 at 0630 hours. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Poland The headquarters of NKVD rear guard troops of Soviet 3rd Byelorussian Front ordered Soviet troops to disarm and detain all Polish Home Army troops who were attempting to pass through Soviet lines toward Warsaw, Poland. In-depth article Russia Allied convoy JW-59 arrived at the Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia. In-depth article United States USS Wake Island completed her repairs at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Portsmouth, Virginia, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 25 Aug 1944
26 Aug 1944
5/7/13

Hitler ordered his troops to withdraw from Greece. French troops captured Tarascon and Avignon, France. In-depth article The US 17th Airborne Division arrived in Britain where it was placed under XVIII Airborne C orps. The Division however would not be sent to France until late in Dec 1944. USS Becuna crossed the International Date Line, sailing westward. In-depth article
Bulgaria The Bulgarian Fatherland Front began an armed rebellion against the Bulgarian government; it declared Bulgaria to be neutral in the Axis war against the Soviet Union. In-depth article France A German air raid on Paris, France destroyed several residential neighborhoods. To the east, Allied troops crossed the Seine River. In-depth article Dwight Eisenhower traveled to Omar Bradley's headquarters in France and invited him to visit the recently captured Paris, France with him on the following day. In-depth article Japan Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Hashirajima, Japan and was transferred from C arrier Division 1 to C arrier Division 4 within the 3rd Fleet. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Romania German forces led by Lieutenant General Reiner Stahel attacked Bucharest, Romania. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 26 Aug 1944
27 Aug 1944
The last German troops in Toulon, France surrendered. In-depth article USS Mingo departed Fremantle, Australia for her fifth war patrol. In-depth article USS Guitarro attacked three small Japanese tankers, firing two torpedoes while submerged (both missed) then surfaced to sink Nanshin Maru with the deck gun. In-depth article The last of the C hindits left Burma. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS Pollack bombarded the Japanese phosphate plant at Fais Island, C aroline Islands. In-depth article France Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley made a visit to recently captured Paris, France. In-depth article Italy Albert Kesselring noted that the recent Allied attack on the eastern end of the Gothic Line in Italy could be a diversion, thus he decided to hold on to his reserves. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 27 Aug 1944
28 Aug 1944
C haim Rumkowski passed away. In-depth article
119/189
5/7/13

US troops crossed the Marne River in France. The German garrison in Marseilles, France surrendered to French forces. In-depth article
China 32 P-40 fighters of the US 14th Air Force (including several flown by C hinese pilots) attacked the Japanese airfield near Hengyang, Hunan, C hina. Ki-43 fighters of the Japanese 48th Sentai and Ki-84 fighters of the Japanese 22nd Sentai rose the intercept, shooting down 1 C hinese P-40 fighter and 3 American P-40 fighters; 6 Japanese fighters were lost. Czechoslovakia Additional German troops entered Slovakia in response to partisan activities in Slovakia and Romania, effecting a total occupation. In-depth article France FR.11 was captured by the Allies at Toulon, France. In-depth article Germany Robert von Greim was awarded Swords to his Knight's C ross of the Iron C ross medal. In-depth article Italy Albert Kesselring was given a captured copy of the Allied Operation Olive plans and learned that the recent Allied attack on the eastern end of the Gothic Line in Italy was part of a major offensive; he gave the order to move three reserve divisions from Bologna to the east coast. In-depth article Russia Allied convoy RA-59A departed the Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia. In-depth article United States USS Sea C at departed New London, C onnecticut, United States for US Territory of Hawaii via the Panama C anal. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 28 Aug 1944
29 Aug 1944
Operation Goodwood IV: British carrier aircraft (26 Barracuda dive bombers, 2 C orsair fighters, 3 Hellcat fighters, 25 other fighters) from HMS Formidable and Indefatigable attacked German battleship Tirpitz, scoring several near misses. In-depth article USS C assin Young screened carriers of Task Group 38.3 as their aircraft struck Palau and Philippine Islands. In-depth article In northern France, British forces attacked Amiens, US forces captured Soissons, and C anadian troops captured Rouen. French troops captured Montlimar in southern France. In-depth article Slovakians began rising up against Dr. Jozef Tiso's pro-German government. 11 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers and 34 B-24 Liberator bombers attacked Helgoland, Germany, escorted by 169 P-38 Lightning and P-51 Mustang fighters; 3 Liberator bombers were damaged. In-depth article As of this date, at Auschwitz C oncentration C amp, the number of prisoners in the Sonderkommando, the work group created by the Germans to operate the gas chambers and crematoria, was 874. In-depth article China 13 P-40 fighters of the 3rd Fighter Group of the C hinese-American C omposite Wing attacked Japanese shipping and dock facilities at Shayang, Hubei, C hina; in the return flight, 21 Japanese fighters intercepted the formation near Jiayu, Hubei, C hina; 1 C hinese fighter and 7 Japanese fighters were shot down in the engagement. On the same day, 13 Ki-84 fighters of Japanese 22nd Sentai and 16 Ki-43 fighters of Japanese 25th Sentai intercepted a formation of B-24 bombers escorted by P-40 and P-51 fighters of the US 14th Air Force near Yueyang, Hunan,
120/189
5/7/13

C hina; 5 American fighters and 2 Japanese fighters were shot down in the engagement.
Czechoslovakia Slovakian Defense Minister Ferdinand C atlos announced over the radio that German troops had occupied the country. In-depth article Slovakian resistance leader Jn Golian ordered the launch of the planned general uprising. In-depth article Dutch East Indies USS Flying Fish arrived at Mios Woendi, Schouten Islands, Dutch East Indies for refueling. In-depth article Italy Allied forces entered the Foglia Valley on the eastern end of the German Gothic Line in Italy. In-depth article Romania Soviet 2nd Ukrainian Front captured the Ploesti oilfields in Romania. In-depth article Taiwan Irako arrived at Takao (now Kaohsiung), Taiwan; later on the same day she moved to a mooring in the Zuoying District of Takao. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement United States USS Wake Island departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States for Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 29 Aug 1944
30 Aug 1944
While at port at Stettin, Germany, submarine U-869 lost one crew member to British bombing when several bombs hit the barracks where the crew was bunked. In-depth article Bulgaria German troops withdrew from Bulgaria. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS Pollack again bombarded the Japanese phosphate plant at Fais Island, C aroline Islands. In-depth article Ceylon Joseph Stilwell departed Kandy, C eylon for Delhi, India to meet with Patrick Hurley. In-depth article Czechoslovakia Slovakian resistance fighters captured Bansk Bystrica, C zechoslovakia. In-depth article Italy C anadian armored units attacked Pesaro, Italy, but they were beaten back, losing 32 of 50 tanks in the process. In-depth article Marshall Islands USS Alabama departed Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. In-depth article Philippines After dark, USS Redfin picked up the 8 survivors of USS Flier from Mantangula Island, Palawan Province,
121/189
5/7/13
Philippine Islands. In-depth article Taiwan
Irako departed Takao (now Kaohsiung), Taiwan for Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement United States USS Ticonderoga completed her first overhaul and departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States for the Panama C anal. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 30 Aug 1944
31 Aug 1944
USS Franklin launched strikes against Iwo Jima and C hichi Jima through 2 Sep 1944. In-depth article USS C roaker arrived at Midway for refitting, ending her first war patrol. In-depth article British 11th Armoured Division captured Amiens, France. Meanwhile, US Third Army reached the Meuse River. While attacking a Japanese convoy in the South C hina Sea with other submarines of her wolfpack, USS Tunny was attacked by gunfire and depth charges. Tunny did not fire any torpedoes. In-depth article USS Wake Island departed Quonset Point, Rhode Island, United States. In-depth article C aptain R. C . Parker was named the commanding officer of USS ABSD-1. In-depth article Australia USS Ray arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fifth war patrol. In-depth article Czechoslovakia Two divisions of Slovakian resistance fighters were disarmed by German troops at Presov, C zechoslovakia. In-depth article Italy US 5th Army crossed the Arno River in northern Italy as British 8th Army attacked the Gothic Line. In-depth article Romania Soviet forces captured Bucharest, Romania. In-depth article United States Franklin Roosevelt departed Washington DC , United States by train. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 31 Aug 1944
122/189
5/7/13
1 Sep 1944
C ruiser Kln conducted minelaying operations off southern Norway during this month. In-depth article Montgomery was promoted to the rank of field marshal. In-depth article In France, British XII C orps crossed the Somme River, C anadian forces captured Dieppe, and US Third Army captured Verdun. British Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden responded to C haim Weizmann's 6 Jul 1944 request, rejecting Weizmann's request to bomb rail lines leading to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp in Poland. In-depth article A Japanese aircraft attacked USS Tunny with four bombs, the first two of which caused a leak in a vent riser, among other damage. Her commanding officer decided to end the patrol early to receive repairs. In-depth article Mutsu was struck from the Japanese Navy list. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement The US coastal minesweeper YMS-21 was lost after striking a mine off Toulon, France. USS Pintado set sail for Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article USS Becuna came across a Japanese soldier in a small boat; after taking the soldier prisoner, she sank the boat with machine gun fire. In-depth article Dutch East Indies USS Flying Fish departed Mios Woendi, Schouten Islands, Dutch East Indies. In-depth article France US troops began their attack on Brest, France. In-depth article Dwight Eisenhower took direct command of all three Allied army groups operating in France, relieving Bernard Montgomery of this role. In-depth article Italy Gurkha troops attacked Tavoleto, Italy. In-depth article United States Franklin Roosevelt visited Lucy Mercer Rutherfurd in Allamuchy, New Jersey, United States. After dinner, he departed for Hyde Park, New York, United States by train. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 1 Sep 1944
2 Sep 1944
German troops began evacuating the Aegean Islands. C anadian troops crossed into Belgium. In-depth article While attempting to unclog a uranium enrichment device at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, Pennsylvania, United States for the Manhattan Project, chemists Peter Bragg, Douglas Meigs, and Arnold Kramish accidentally set of an explosion, which sprayed liquid uranium hexafluoride and hydrofuoric acid on them. Bragg and Meigs were killed, while Kramish and two soldliers, George LeFevre and John Tompkins, were seriously injured. In-depth article USS Tunny surfaced late at night and set sail for home. In-depth article USS Finback rescued downed aviator and future President of the United States George Bush off C hichi Jima, Bonin Islands. In-depth article Bulgaria
123/189
5/7/13

Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria. A little more than five hours later, Bulgaria called for an armistice. In-depth article
Czechoslovakia Slovakian Defense Minister Ferdinand C atlos abandoned his post and joined the partisan fighters. In-depth article France The British 51st Highland Division entered Saint-Valery-en-C aux, France, where most of the original division had been taken prisoner in Jun 1940. In-depth article Edward Brooks personally led an attack on a 165-vehicle German convoy near Marchiennes, France; this action would earn him the Oak Leaf C luster to his Silver Star medal. In-depth article Japan Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Yokosuka, Japan for her 21th voyage with the Japanese Navy. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Philippines Irako arrived at Manila Bay, Luzon, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Romania Romanian troops entered the German legation in Bucharest, Romania. German Minister Manfred von Killinger shot himself after citing that a ship's captain should also go down with a sinking ship; Romanians arrested the remaining diplomats and military attachs including General Erik Hansen, Admiral Werner Tillessen, General Alfred Gertenberg, and General Karl Spalcke. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 2 Sep 1944
3 Sep 1944
USS Tang arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her fourth war patrol. In-depth article In Belgium, British Second Army captured Brussels and US First Army captured Tournai. In-depth article US and French troops reached Lyon, France. In-depth article Feldmarschal von Rundstedt took command of German forces in the West. In-depth article Allied bombers conducted a raid on Belgrade, Yugoslavia. A B-17 Flying Fortress bomber was mistakenly directed to Dne Island, Helgoland, Germany; its original target was a German submarine pen. In-depth article A National Day of Prayer was declared in Britain on the 5th anniversary of the start of the war for the United Kingdom. British casualties to-date were revealed as 242,995 killed, 80,603 missing, 311,500 wounded, and 290,381 captured. USS Segundo arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article In the Pacific Ocean, USS Becuna spotted an aircraft in the distance and believed it to be a friendly Liberator bomber. In-depth article USS Pompon arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her sixth war patrol. In-depth article Italy C anadian troops penetrated German lines and reached the Green II defensive positions on the Gothic Line in Italy. To the west, troops of British V C orps attacked German positions along the C oriano Ridge and advanced to the Marano River. In-depth article Japan Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Kure, Japan.
124/189
5/7/13
In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Romania
Ion Antonescu with his wife Maria, Mihai Antonescu, Kristia Pantasi, Konstantin Vasiliu, Eugen Kristesku, Gheorghe Alexianu, Radu Lekka, and other arrested Romanian leaders were placed aboard a special train for Moscow, Russia. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 3 Sep 1944
4 Sep 1944
Finland and the Soviet Union reached an agreement for a cease fire; one of the provisions was the removal of all German forces from Finland by 15 Sep 1944. In-depth article Allies launched Operation Ratweek, consisting of mostly air operations with some commando and partisan participation, with the intention of hindering German operations and withdrawals in the Balkan Peninsula. British 11th Armoured Division captured Antwerp, Belgium. In-depth article USS Segundo departed Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article USS Becuna moored next to submarine tender USS Holland, took on 43,800 gallons of fuel oil, received repairs, and transferred the Japanese prisoner off board. In-depth article Italy British troops launched the first of eleven failed assaults on Gemmano, Italy. In-depth article Panama Canal Zone USS Ticonderoga transited through the Panama C anal. In-depth article
5 Sep 1944
US Third Army crossed the Meuse River while the British forces reached Ghent, Belgium. In-depth article Jewish ghettos at Lodz, Poland were evacuated by German authorities. US 83rd Infantry Division became part of the VIII C orps of the Ninth Army of the US 12th Army Group. Czechoslovakia Jn Golian was given the rank of general and was given responsibility to direct the Slovak National Uprising. In-depth article Japan Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Kure, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Panama Canal Zone USS Kete arrived at the Panama C anal Zone. In-depth article Romania Soviet forces repulsed a German-Hungarian counter attack near Klausenberg, Romania. In-depth article United Kingdom Allied convoy RA-59A arrived at Loch Ewe, Scotland, United Kingdom. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 5 Sep 1944
125/189
5/7/13
6 Sep 1944
The German garrison in C alais, France became surrounded by C anadian troops. In-depth article Hans Speidel visited Erwin Rommel at Rommel's home in Herrlingen, Germany. Caroline Islands USS Franklin launched strikes against Yap Island and Ulithi Atoll through 8 Sep 1944. In-depth article USS Gar bombarded Japanese positions at Yap, C aroline Islands for the following two days. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft attacked Japanese positions in the C aroline Islands. In-depth article Romania Red Army units captured Turnu-Severin, Romania on the Danube River and advanced toward the Yugoslavian border. In-depth article United States USS Puffer entered Mare Island Naval Shipyard, C alifornia, United States for a scheduled overhaul. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 6 Sep 1944
7 Sep 1944
British 11th Armoured Division crossed the Albert C anal in Belgium. In-depth article US Third Army crossed Moselle River. Hans Speidel was arrested. China C hiang Kaishek met with Joseph Stilwell, Patrick Hurley, and Donald Nelson in C hongqing, C hina. In-depth article Czechoslovakia A Soviet military mission was established under Major Ivan Skripka in Slovakia to aid the Slovak National Uprising. In-depth article Dutch East Indies USS Flying Fish reported a new Japanese airfield at C elebes, Dutch East Indies and reported this discovery. In-depth article France The first two German V-2 rockets were fired against the Allies by German 444 and 485 Mobile Artillery Detachments at 1030 and 1140 hours, respectively. They both targeted Paris, France, but both crashed immediately after launch. Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft attacked Japanese positions in the C aroline Islands. In-depth article USS Barbero attacked a Japanese trawler east of the Philippine Islands; the torpedo missed.
126/189
5/7/13
In-depth article South Africa Romania declared war on Hungary. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 7 Sep 1944
8 Sep 1944
In Belgium, US First Army captured Lige and C anadian forces captured Ostend. In-depth article Destroyer Yuzuki departed Moji, Japan, escorting C onvoy HI-75 for Singapore. In-depth article USS Guitarro arrived at Fremantle, Austrialia, ending her second war patrol. In-depth article China Joseph Stilwell rejected C hiang Kaishek and Patrick Hurley's recommendation to march on Bhamo, Buma, citing troop exhaustion. In-depth article France The third German V-2 rocket fired in anger became the first to successfully hit the intended target, hitting an area in the suburbs of Paris, France. The fourth and fifth rockets, aimed at London, England, United Kingdom, also found their targets. The fourth rocket fired at 1738 hours London time or 1838 hours German time landed in the Borough of C hiswick at 1843 hours London time; it landed on Staveley Road, collapsed three houses, killed 3 civilians and 1 off-duty Royal Engineers soldier, and made a crater 40 feet wide and between 10 and 20 feet deep. The fifth rocket landed 16 seconds later in Epping, which was 18 miles northeast of Whitehall and 20 miles from C hiswick; this rocket destroyed some wodden huts and made a crater 30 feet wide and 16 feet deep. The British government censored all these incidents in fear of potential demoralizing effects. RAF Bomber C ommand's last operation with the Short Stirling bomber was made by No. 148 Squadron against Le Havre, France. The Stirling bombers would then be relegated to troop-transport and glider tug missions only. In-depth article Germany Former German intelligence officer C olonel Georg Hansen was executed at the Pltzensee Prison in Berlin, Germany. Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft attacked Japanese positions in the C aroline Islands. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 8 Sep 1944
9 Sep 1944
General de Gaulle created a provisional government which included C ommunards. In-depth article USS Rock departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her fourth war patrol. In-depth article Bulgaria The Bulgarian Fatherland Front successfully overthrew the government and declared war on Germany. In-depth article Germany Robert von Greim was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht radio report. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 9 Sep 1944
127/189
5/7/13
10 Sep 1944
USS Franklin provided support for campaign in the Palau Islands through 16 Sep 1944. In-depth article US First Army captured Luxembourg. Allied patrols in Belgium crossed the German border near Aachen, Germany. In-depth article US 83rd Infantry Division became part of the Ninth Army of US 12th Army Group. Heinrich Himmler ordered that all deserters would be shot, along with their families. In-depth article USS Finback fired 6 torpedoes at a Japanese destroyer escort in the Western Pacific; all torpedoes missed. She would continue to shadow the convoy the warship was escorting. In-depth article USS Parche began her third war patrol. In-depth article Belgium British Army Major William C avendish, Lord Hartington, the husband of the sister of future US President John F. Kennedy, was killed in action at Heppen, Belgium at the hands of a German sniper. Bernard Montgomery received a visit from Dwight Eisenhower at Brussels, Belgium during which Montgomery criticized Eisenhower's broad front strategy and demanded his army group to be the sole offensive force as current strategy placed the other two army groups in poor positions to launch attacks into Germany. Eisenhower responded "[s]teady Monty, you can't talk to me like that. I'm your boss." In-depth article France The British 1st C orps (49th West Riding and 51st Highland Divisions) of the C anadian Army commenced the siege of Le Havre, the largest port in northern France, which had been earmarked for American use. The approaches to Le Havre were well protected by flooding, mines, anti-tank ditches and huge concrete gun emplacements primarily designed for sea defence. The German garrison of 11,000 (underestimated by Allied Intelligence as being around 8,700) was strongly provided with artillery. The siege opened with Allied aircraft dropping 4,000 tons of bombs on to the defences (followed by a further 5,500 tons over the two day battle). The 15-inch guns of HMS Erebus and Warspite were also brought to bear on the largest gun emplacements, although Erebus did receive some damage from return fire from the shore batteries. In addition, two heavy and six medium batteries added their support to the Divisional artillery Regiments during the softening-up process. The German resistance however proved less tenacious than expected resulting in a comparatively light Allied casualty rate of less than 400. Nevertheless on its capture the docks were found to have been thoroughly wrecked and it was over four weeks before the port could be used. In-depth article Japan Light carrier Ryuho departed Hashirajima, Japan for Yashima, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Turkey Downed US and British airmen previously interned in Bulgaria were evacuated by train to Istanbul, Turkey. In-depth article United States USS Marlin arrived at New London, C onnecticut, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 10 Sep 1944
11 Sep 1944
USS Blackfin arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article Scottish 15th Division crossed into the Netherlands near Antwerp, Belgium. In-depth article US Third Army reached German border near Trier, Germany. French 1st Division captured Dijon, France. USS Finback attacked a Japanese convoy in the Western Pacific, sinking a tanker and a transport, hitting them
128/189
5/7/13
with 3 of 6 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Russia
Bulgarian communist leader Georgi Dimitrov ordered, from Moscow in Russia, the creation of the People's C ourt to try Bulgarian leaders responsible for Bulgarian involvement in the European War on the side of the Germans. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 11 Sep 1944
See all photos dated 11 Sep 1944
12 Sep 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Manila, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement The German garrison at Le Havre, France surrendered only after bitter fighting. German garrisons evacuated Greek islands in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. USS Pollack arrived at Brisbane, Australia, ending her eleventh war patrol. In-depth article The US coastal minesweeper YMS-409 foundered and sank off the east coast of the United States during a storm. Edward Brooks was relieved as the commanding officer of the US 2nd Armored Division and was placed in charge on a temporary basis over the US V C orps. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS Marcus Island launched aircraft against Japanese positions on Peleliu and Angaur in the Palau Islands. In-depth article China Two separate groups of the 5th Fighter Group of the C hinese-American C omposite Wing engaged Japanese aircraft over Hunan Province, C hina. Several fighters on either side were lost. Hungary German and Hungarian troops launched an offensive towards Arad and Temesvar, Hungary. In-depth article Italy In the Apennine Mountains, US 5th Army launched a major offensive against the German Gothic Line in Italy. To the east, C anadian 5th Armoured Division and British 1st Armoured Division attacked C oriano, Italy. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft began attacking Japanese positions in the Philippine Islands. In-depth article Romania An armistice was signed between Romania and the Soviet Union. In-depth article Russia Semyon Timoshenko was awarded the Order of Suvorov 1st C lass for the second time. In-depth article United Kingdom One of the four German V-2 rockets launched on this date hit C hrysler vehicle works in Mortlake Road, Kew, southwestern London, England, United Kingdom. 8 were killed, 14 were wounded, and property damage was significant. Historical document written: Armistice Agreement with Rumania In-depth article Photo(s) dated 12 Sep 1944
129/189
5/7/13
13 Sep 1944
USS Trepang departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article Amon Gth was relieved of his position as the commandant of Plaszw labor camp and was assigned to the SS Office of Economics and Administration. In-depth article The German garrison at Brest, France maintained heavy resistance against US Ninth Army. In-depth article One German V-2 rocket hit Britain. Soviet troops reached the Slovakian border. USS Mingo fired three torpedoes at a Japanese ship; all missed. In-depth article The first authorized special attack was conducted by two aircraft from the Japanese Army 31st Fighter Squadron based at Los Negros, Philippine Islands. USS C abrilla departed Fremantle, Australia for her sixth war patrol. In-depth article The 10 separate sections of floating drydock USS ABSD-2 were assembled, and the floating drydock became operational for ship repair work at Manus, Admiralty Islands. In-depth article China Joseph Stilwell told leader Mao Zedong's envoys that he would begin to arrange Lend-Lease supplies for the C hinese communists. In-depth article Italy C oriano Ridge, part of the Gothic Line in Italy, was captured by C anadian troops. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft began attacking Japanese positions in the Philippine Islands. In-depth article Ukraine Ferdinand C atlos was arrested by the Soviets in Kiev, Ukraine. In-depth article United States USS Ticonderoga arrived at San Diego, C alifornia, United States. In-depth article
14 Sep 1944
Soviet troops reached the suburbs of Warsaw, Poland and began air dropping supplies to the Armia Krajowa. In-depth article Allied troops captured Maastricht, Gulpen, and Meerssen in the Netherlands. USS Pintado arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her second war patrol. In-depth article Winston C hurchill approved the transfer of Oliver Leese to Southeast Asia for a high command position. In-depth article China Joseph Stilwell visited Guilin, C hina and ordered the nearby airfields to be abandoned and gas stores destroyed to prevent Japanese capture. In-depth article Italy C anadian 5th Armoured Division and British 1st Armoured Division captured C oriano, Italy. In-depth article Latvia Soviet First Baltic Front, Second Baltic Front, and Third Baltic Front launched a massive assault against German Armeegruppe Nord, pushing it back to Riga, Latvia. In-depth article
130/189
5/7/13
Pacific Ocean
USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft began attacking Japanese positions in the Philippine Islands. In-depth article United Kingdom Three German V-2 rockets hit Britain. One of them hit the center of Walthamstow, London, England, United Kingdom at 0455 hours, killing six immediately and another one later from wounds. The resulting crater was 50 feet wide and 10 feet deep. Yugoslavia Soviet and Bulgarian troops marched into eastern Yugoslavia from Bulgaria. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 14 Sep 1944
15 Sep 1944
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Manila, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Operation Paravane: 21 British Lancaster bombers based in Yagodnik, Russia attacked German battleship Tirpitz, scoring two hits on the forecastle and putting her out of action. In-depth article US First Army engaged the Siegfried Line/Westwall east of Aachen, Germany and captured Nancy, France. Allied troops captured Maastricht and Eysden, the Netherlands. US Army troops landed on Morotai, Maluku Islands. In-depth article US Marines landed on Peleliu in the Palau Islands. In-depth article USS Hoe departed Fremantle, Australia for her sixth war patrol in the South C hina Sea. In-depth article Vice Admiral Eiji Goto was named the commanding officer of the Japanese Navy 12th Air Fleet. Soviet 6th Guard Tank Brigade, 33rd Guard Tank Brigade, and 63rd Guard Tank Brigade were assigned T-44 prototype medium tanks for training purposes. In-depth article Canada Franklin Roosevelt and Winston C hurchill signed a secret agreement, granting Joseph Stalin's demands for Sakhalin Island, Kurile Islands, and a portion of Korea in return for a Soviet declaration of war on Japan. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS Marcus Island launched aircraft to provide cover for the Peleliu, Palau Islands invasion. In-depth article Italy Indian 4th Division drove out German 98th Division and captured Gemmano, Italy. To the north, British 56th Division captured C orce. In-depth article Russia The GUKR SMERSH completed a list of Japanese intelligence personnel and Russian migr living in northeastern C hina for arrests when Soviet troops invaded the region. United Kingdom Allied convoy JW-60 departed Liverpool, England, United Kingdom. In-depth article Yugoslavia Soviet 17th Air Army of the 3rd Ukrainian Front began a six-day campaign attacking railroad bridges near Ni, Skopje, Kruevo and other towns in southern Yugoslavia of transportation importance to isolate German troops in southern Yugoslavia and nothern Greece. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 15 Sep 1944
131/189
5/7/13
16 Sep 1944
British troops landed unopposed on the island of Kythera in the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. A speech by Goebbels called for resistance by all Germans with utmost fanaticism. In-depth article US 803rd Tank Destroyer Battalion captured Simpelveld in the Netherlands. Bulgaria Soviet troops entered Sofia, Bulgaria. In-depth article India Anglo-Indian troops began crossing the Manipur River in India toward Burma. United States Saint Paul was launched at Quincy, Massachusetts, United States, sponsored by the wife of John J. McDonough. In-depth article Yugoslavia Soviet troops, Bulgarian troops, and Yugoslavian partisans defeated C hetnik fighters and Serbian Frontier Guards and captured Vlasotince, Yugoslavia. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 16 Sep 1944
17 Sep 1944
The Allies launched Operation Market Garden, an airborne-ground combined attack to penetrate into northern Germany via the Netherlands, capturing Sint-Oedenrode and Veghel. In-depth article US 85th Division captured Monte Altuzzo, Italy; other US units captured Monte Pratone. To the east, Indian 4th Division attacked German 278th Infantry Division in San Marino. In-depth article The Red Army broke through near Narva, Estonia. USS Guam was commissioned with C aptain Leland P. Lovette in command. In-depth article USS Tunny arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her seventh war patrol. In-depth article Hans Thurner was awarded Oak Leaves to his Knight's C ross of the Iron C ross. France The siege of Boulogne, Pas-de-C alais, France began. With 1 C orps grounded from lack of transport, the only available formation was 3rd C anadian Division, less one brigade, but reinforced with some armour and medium regiments of artillery. Despite being smaller than Le Havre, Boulogne proved to be a hard nut to crack, with deep underground fortifications, as well as surrounding forts, minefields and anti-tank ditches. Heavy bombing on the opening day failed to destroy the many German gun batteries, making the siege more difficult than expected. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 17 Sep 1944
132/189
5/7/13
18 Sep 1944
USS C od departed Fremantle, Australia for her fifth war patrol. In-depth article C ruiser USS Duluth (C L-87) was commissioned with C aptain Donald Roderick Osborn, Jr. in command. US Ninth Army captured Brest, France. In-depth article In the Netherlands, German troops launched a heavy counter attack near Arnhem while Allied troops captured Eindhoven. In-depth article USS Sennet completed her fitting out. In-depth article Indian troops captured Point 343 in San Marino. Brazilian troops captured C amaiore, Italy. British troops captured San Godenzo Pass, also in Italy. In-depth article Hawaii USS Escolar departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first and only war patrol. In-depth article United States USS Ticonderoga departed San Diego, C alifornia, United States for Pearl Harbor. In-depth article USS Spot completed fitting out at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, C alifornia, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 18 Sep 1944
19 Sep 1944
Wing C ommander Guy Gibson VC , the leader of the Dambusters raid in 1943, was killed when his aircraft crashed near Steenbergen, the Netherlands. The Belgian Parliament met for the first time since May 1940. In the Netherlands, British airborne troopers defended against heavy German attacks in Arnhem while other troops captured Veldhoven. In-depth article While flying a Dakota aircraft on a supply run for British troops at Arnhem, the Netherlands, Flight Lieutenant David Lord flew several runs over the drop zone despite the starboard wing being hit and became aflame. Having dropped all supplies, he ordered his crew to bail out while he made no attempt to jump, remaining in the pilot's seat to keep the aircraft steady. The aircraft eventually exploded in mid-war. Lord was later awarded a posthumous Victoria C ross medal. Submarine Macabi was launched, sponsored by the wife of Rear Admiral Arthur S. C arpender. In-depth article Destroyer Yuzuki broke off from C onvoy HI-75 and sailed for Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Ioshima was sunk off Japan by USS Shad. In-depth article USS Essex crossed the Equator in the Pacific Ocean on a southward course. In-depth article Australia USS C ero departed Darwin, Australia for her sixth war patrol. In-depth article China Joseph Stilwell personally handed C hiang Kaishek a message from Franklin Roosevelt which noted that Stilwell was to be given unrestricted powers in C hina. In-depth article Russia A Finnish delegate signed a temporary peace treaty with the Soviet Union in Moscow, Russia. In-depth article San Marino Indian 4th Division reached the outskirts of the city of San Marino. In-depth article United States Winston C hurchill departed Hyde Park, New York, United States for nearby New York C ity, where he was to begin his journey back to Britain.
133/189
5/7/13
In-depth article Photo(s) dated 19 Sep 1944
20 Sep 1944
USS Franklin crossed the Equator. In-depth article Indian 4th Division captured San Marino in the early afternoon. In nearby Italy, C anadian troops broke through German lines along the Ausa River. At Rimini, Italy, Greek troops reached the southern outskirts of the city. In-depth article British XXX C orps linked up with US airborne troops at Nijmegen, the Netherlands; nearby, Geldrop, Someren, and Terneuzen were captured by Allied troops. In-depth article USS Tunny departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article Dutch East Indies Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Surabaya, Java. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement United States The FR Fireball fighter took its first piston-jet mix-powered flight. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 20 Sep 1944
21 Sep 1944
In the morning, troops of Greek 3rd Mountain Brigade captured Rimini, Italy, which had been evacuated by the Germans overnight, and raised a Greek flag on the balcony of the municipal building; the mayor officially surrendered the city at 0745 hours. US 85th Division captured Firenzuola, Italy. Indian 4th Division withdrew from San Marino. In-depth article German Armeegruppe E evacuated the Peloponnese Peninsula in Greece. Polish airborne division landed between Arnhem and Nijmegen in the Netherlands, but British airborne troopers in Arnhem were becoming overwhelmed. Nearby, Schijndel was captured by Allied troops. In-depth article US 83rd Infantry Division became part of the Third Army of US 12th Army Group. The second authorized special attack was conducted by three Japanese Army aircraft. France George Patton traveled to Paris, France to meet with Dwight Eisenhower over lunch. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft began attacking Japanese positions in the Manila Bay area in the Philippine Islands. In-depth article Romania Josip Broz Tito arrived in Romania. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 21 Sep 1944
134/189
5/7/13
22 Sep 1944
US First Army halted its offensive on Aachen, Germany. The German garrison in Boulogne, France surrendered to C anadian troops. British scientists, returning from studying a German rocket research site at Blizna, Poland, found that the crates of rocket parts collected had been switched to ordinary aircraft parts, presumably by the Soviets who wished to retain the rocket parts for their own weapons research. Red Army units captured Tallinn and Reval, Estonia. The first RaLa Experiment of the Manhattan Project with a radioactive source was performed. In-depth article USS Gunnel ended her sixth war patrol. In-depth article Italy US troops captured the Il Giogo pass on the Gothic Line in Italy. In-depth article Japan Destroyer Yukikaze departed Kure, Japan to escort battleships Fuso and Yamashiro to Lingga, Borneo. In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft began attacking Japanese positions in the Manila Bay area in the Philippine Islands. In-depth article Philippines Irako departed Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands at 0300 hours with a deck load of reconnaissance floatplanes for C oron Bay, C alamian Islands, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Taiwan The Taiwan Army was absorbed into the Japanese Tenth Area Army with General Rikichi Ando remaining as its commanding officer. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 22 Sep 1944
23 Sep 1944
C anadian troops formed a bridgehead across the Escaut C anal in Belgium. Jewish prisoners of concentration camp in Kluga, Estonia were massacred. In-depth article Franklin Roosevelt denounced Republican Party attacks during a speech at the Teamster's Union dinner; the Republicans had accused Roosevelt of inappropriately using a US Navy destroyer to fetch his pet dog Fala, abusing his presidential powers. In-depth article The tiny republic of San Marino in northern Italy declared war on Germany after its 300-man army was rounded up by a mere platoon of German soldiers. USS C roaker completed her refitting at Midway and began her second war patrol. In-depth article The Republic of C hina established the Order of Loyalty and Diligence. Patrick Hurley asked C hiang Kaishek to accept communist assistance in the war against Japan; C hiang rejected the request. In-depth article Australia USS Ray departed Fremantle, Australia for her sixth war patrol. In-depth article
135/189
5/7/13
France
After a six-day siege, C anadian troops forced the German troops at Boulogne, Pas-de-C alais, France to surrender. The C anadians suffered 634 casualties and captured 9,500 prisoners (many driven from their bunkers by driving flame down the ventilation shafts). In-depth article Hungary Soviet and Romanian forces entered Hungary near Arad. Hungarian Baron Ede Atzel led a delegation across the Soviet front lines in an attempt to negotiate an armistice. In-depth article Philippines Irako dropped anchor between Tangat Island and Lusong Island just off the southern coast of Busuanga, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Russia Allied convoy JW-60 arrived at the Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia. In-depth article United States USS C harr was commissioned into service at 1030 hours at the US Submarine Base, New London, C onnecticut, United States with C ommander Francis Boyle in command. In-depth article Joseph Rochefort was promoted to the rank of captain. His superior Joseph Redman sent him a three-word letter "Delivered with congratulations" for this occasion. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 23 Sep 1944
24 Sep 1944
British Second Army reached the Rhine River, while the Germans sealed off US Third Army's bridgeheads across the Moselle River, south of Aachen, Germany. British troops set foot on German soil south of Nijmegen, the Netherlands, capturing Deurne. In-depth article The Soviet Baltic offensive stopped. The Soviet minesweeper T.120 (formerly the USS Assail) was sunk by the German submarine U-739 in the Kara Sea in the Arctic C ircle. The US coastal minesweeper YMS-19 was lost after striking a Japeanese mine southeast of Angaur, Palau Islands. USS Becuna fired three torpedoes at a Japanese transport in the Luzon Strait south of Taiwan; all torpedoes missed. In-depth article Hawaii USS Ticonderoga arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. In-depth article USS Tang departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, starting her fifth war patrol in the Taiwan Strait. In-depth article Italy British XIII C orps captured Marradi, Italy. In-depth article Latvia The STAVKA ordered the Soviet First Baltic Front to halt on the advance to Riga, Latvia, leaving the job to the Second Baltic Front and Third Baltic Front, and instead march toward Memel (now Klaipeda, Lithuania). In-depth article Pacific Ocean USS Alabama escorted US carriers as carrier aircraft began attacking Japanese positions in the central area of the Philippine Islands. In-depth article Philippines Irako was attacked by US carrier aircraft and sank in C oron Bay, Busuanga, Philippine Islands. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement
136/189
5/7/13
Russia
The Soviet GKO issued an order to increase food rations of NKVD, NKGB, and SMERSH operatives and officers. United States USS Wisconsin departed Philadelphia Naval Shipyard in Pennsylvania, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 24 Sep 1944
25 Sep 1944
Iro Ilk was shot down and killed near Moers, Germany. In-depth article Germany formed the Volkssturm. The remaining 2,163 British airborne troops were evacuated from Arnhem, the Netherlands; the original strength was about 10,000. In-depth article Norwegian ministers urged Germany to withdraw from Norwegian occupation. USS Snook arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands for repairs. In-depth article USS Becuna fired three torpedoes at a Japanese destroyer in the Luzon Strait south of Taiwan; all torpedoes missed. In-depth article Yasoshima received orders to move to the front. In-depth article French Army B was redesignated French 1st Army; Jean de Lattre de Tassigny remained the unit's commanding officer. In-depth article Dutch East Indies Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Surabaya, Java and arrived at Jamuan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement France Having taken Boulogne, France, C anadian 3rd Division assaulted C alais where their operation to capture the port would be complicated by the presence of 20,000 French civilians who have not been evacuated. Germany British prisoner of war Lieutenant Mike Sinclair was killed by a German guard while attempting to escape from the Oflag IV-C camp at C olditz C astle in Germany. He had attempted to escape several times prior, and through these attempted had earned the respect of his captors, who allowed the British prisoners to bury Sinclair with full military honors. Panama Canal Zone USS Astoria transited the Panama C anal and then made port call at Balboa, Panama. In-depth article Russia Slovakian C aptain Frantisek Urban, tricked by the Soviets to visit Moscow in Russia, was arrested by SMERSH and was transferred to the Lubyanka Prison. Photo(s) dated 25 Sep 1944
26 Sep 1944
Estonia was occupied by the Red Army. Allied troops captured Mook, the Netherlands. In-depth article German shore batteries, cut off behind Allied lines around C alais in France, bombarded Dover, England, United Kingdom, killing 49 people. The Royal Air Force retaliated with a series of bombing raids in which the gun sites were pounded into silence.
137/189
5/7/13

Lord Gort stepped down as the Governor of Malta. In-depth article USS Gabilan began her third war patrol in Japanese home island waters. In-depth article
Bulgaria US and British intelligence missions were forced out of Sofia, Bulgaria by political pressure asserted by the Soviet Union. Dutch East Indies Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Jamuan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Italy British 8th Army drove out German positions along the Uso River north of Rimini, Italy. In-depth article Japan Unryu departed Yokosuka, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Romania Soviet troops fortified positions along the Danube River on the Romanian-Yugoslavian and Romanian-Bulgarian borders. In-depth article Russia Joseph Stalin issued an order stating that all arrests of former top level Bulgarian and Romanian leaders could be done only with authorization of the Soviet Stavka. In-depth article United States USS Tunny arrived at Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, San Francisco, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 26 Sep 1944
27 Sep 1944
USS Flasher sank Japanese transport ship Ural Maru, killing about 2,000. In-depth article USS Tang departed Midway, where she stopped to refuel. In-depth article German Armeegruppe E withdrew from western Greece. 2,000 fighters of the Armia Krajowa surrendered in Warsaw, Poland. In-depth article Allied troops captured Helmond and Oss in the Netherlands. In-depth article Japan Unryu arrived at Kure, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Netherlands James Johnson shot down a German Bf 109 fighter over Nijmegen, the Netherlands, scoring his final kill of the war. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 27 Sep 1944
138/189
5/7/13
28 Sep 1944
USMC landed on Ngesebus of Palau Islands to eliminate a Japanese artillery position. In-depth article RAF bombers dropped 909 tons of bombs on Kaiserslautern, Germany, destroying 36% of the town. In-depth article Beginning on this date and through the following month, about 18,402 prisoners from Theresienstadt C oncentration C amp were transferred to Auschwitz C oncentration C amp. In-depth article Apart from a few isolated pockets of resistance, the Germans surrendered C alais C itadel in France after further intensive bombing raids by British bombers. Mariana Islands USS Alabama arrived in Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Panama Canal Zone USS Kete departed the Panama C anal Zone. In-depth article Russia Allied convoy RA-60 departed the Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia. In-depth article Yugoslavia In Moscow, Russia, Josip Tito formally authorized Soviet troops to enter Yugoslavia. Soviet 57th Army began marching toward Belgrade, Yugoslavia in three columns, with 64th Rifle C orps crossing the Morava River at Paracin, 68th Rifle C orps advancing from Vidin toward Mladenovac, and 75th Rifle C orps advancing from Turnu toward Pozarevac. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 28 Sep 1944
29 Sep 1944
C anadian troops captured C ape Gris Nez near C alais, France; the Germans and C anadians in the region agreed on a 24-hour truce so that civilians in the area could be evacuated. The news that the C anadians had captured the last remaining gun batteries in the C alais area was greeted with jubilation in the streets of Dover, England, United Kingdom. Since the start of the war, Dover had experienced 187 shelling attacks in addition to numerous bombing and V1 attacks. 15 British Lancaster bombers conducted minelaying operation in the Kattegat and off Helgoland, Germany. C orporal John Harper of the British York and Lancaster Regiment led his section across 300 yards of open ground under heavy fire to take enemy positions at Antwerp, Belgium. He then went on alone to clear the advance with grenades until he was killed. For this he would be posthumously awarded the Victoria C ross. Dutch East Indies Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Italy British 8th Army reached the Fiumicino River in Italy. In-depth article Japan Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Hashirajima, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Romania 21 American OSS agents (under Lieutenant C ommander Frank Wisner) were dropped into Bucharest, Romania to liberate 1,888 interned Allied airmen. As they evacuated the airmen, they also brought out with them many Romania diplomatic documents to prevent Soviet capture. In-depth article
30 Sep 1944
USS Blackfin departed from Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol. In-depth article The last of the German guns at C alais, France that had been shelling the Dover, England, United Kingdom for three years was destroyed. Shortly after, the 7,500 German garrison at C alais surrendered to C anadian troops.
139/189
5/7/13
Dutch East Indies
Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Japan Destroyer Yuzuki arrived at Sasebo, Japan for a scheduled overhaul. In-depth article Unryu departed Kure, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Pacific Ocean USS Escolar sent out a distress radio signal noting that she was under enemy gunboat attack. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 30 Sep 1944
0 Oct 1944
Photo(s) dated 0 Oct 1944
1 Oct 1944
U-530 was assigned to the 33. Unterseebootflottille (33th Submarine Flotilla). In-depth article C ruiser Kln conducted convoy operation between Norway and Denmark over the following two months. In-depth article USS Trepang attacked a Japanese convoy, sinking freighter Takunan Maru. In-depth article Finnish troops attacked German troops in Tornio, Finland. USS C abrilla attacked a Japanese convoy in the South C hina Sea, sinking two transports with 4 of 10 torpedoes fired. In-depth article Joseph Stilwell's diary entry for this date noted that he felt he was about to be ousted by Franklin Roosevelt. In-depth article Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Antrup stepped down as the commanding officer of the German Kampfgeschwader 55 wing. Caroline Islands The US coastal minesweeper YMS-385 was mined and sunk in the Zowariau C hannel, Ulithi, C aroline Islands. USS Alabama arrived at Ulithi, C aroline Islands. In-depth article Czechoslovakia The Slovakian resistance fighters named themselves the C zechoslovakian 1st Army in Slovakia. In-depth article France The German garrison at C alais, France capitulated. The 3rd C anadian Division had suffered just 300 casualties in the siege of the town but had captured 7,500 Germans bringing their toll of prisoners taken in clearing the C hannel ports to almost 30,000. Wreckage to the dock facilities were however extensive and the port would not be available for shipping until Nov 1944. In-depth article Italy After a 4-day fight, the US 5th Army captured Monte Battaglia, Italy, a part of the Gothic Line defenses. In-depth article
140/189
5/7/13
Japan
Most of the crew of Shinano boarded the carrier at Yokosuka, Japan by this date. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Russia Unbeknownst to the Germans, a Hungarian delegation arrived in Moscow, Russia to discuss an armistice with the Soviet Union. In-depth article Yugoslavia Red Army units crossed the Danube River into Yugoslavia. In-depth article Historical document written: Japanese Prisoner of War Interrogation Report No. 49: Korean C omfort Women In-depth article Photo(s) dated 1 Oct 1944
2 Oct 1944
The Warsaw Uprising ended in failure after 63 days of fighting largely due to lack of food and ammunition. 15,200 insurgents and 20,000 civilians were killed, while the German occupation forces suffered 16,000 killed. Many buildings were destroyed in the fighting. In-depth article 2nd C anadian Infantry Division marched north from Antwerp, Belgium toward South Beveland, the Netherlands. In-depth article USS Mingo sank four small Japanese ships with her deck gun. In-depth article Friedrich C hristiansen ordered a raid on the village of Putten, Gelderland, the Netherlands as retaliation for the killing of his subordinate Leutnant Sommers by resistance fighters. Many civilians were subsequently executed and 661 men were deported to labor camps. In-depth article USS Wisconsin was attached to the US Navy Pacific Fleet. In-depth article Caroline Islands USS C assin Young arrived at Ulithi, C aroline Islands. In-depth article USS Marcus Island departed Palau Islands. In-depth article Italy US 5th Army reached Monghidoro, Italy. In-depth article Japan Unryu departed Hashirajima near Hiroshima, Japan and arrived at Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Philippines Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Davao, Philippine Islands and departed later on the same day. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Russia Vsevolod Merkulov submitted a report to Lavrentiy Beria detailing the intelligence he had gained from an American atomic scientist. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 2 Oct 1944
141/189
5/7/13
3 Oct 1944
The United Kingdom stood down the Home Guard. A 60-hour truce began in Dunkirk, France between Allied and German troops to allow the evacuation of civilians. Elsewhere in France, US Third Army began a 10-day attack on Fort Driant, Metz. A German V-2 rocket hit the Hellesdon Golf C ourse near Norwich, England, United Kingdom at 1950 hours, injuring 1 person and damaging a glasshouse, 5 farm buildings/barns, several haystacks, and 1 acre of sugar beet. Katsuragi was commissioned into service. In-depth article Tabular Record of Movement Sanborn was commissioned into service. In-depth article The first Messerschmitt Me 262 fighter unit was established at Achmer and Hesepe near Osnabrck, Germany under the command of Austrian-born ace Major Walter Nowotny. The unit had 30 aircraft distributed among two squadrons and was given the task of intercepting USAAF day bomber raids on the heart of Germany. In-depth article The US submarine Seawolf was sunk by depth charges fired from the destroyer escort USS Richard M. Rowell off Morotai, Maluku Islands, Dutch East Indies. In-depth article Japanese troops evacuated Tiddim, Burma. United States USS Astoria arrived at San Diego, C alifornia, United States. In-depth article Photo(s) dated 3 Oct 1944
4 Oct 1944
British 2nd Airborne Brigade landed at Patras, Greece as well as C rete and other Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. A German V-2 rocket hit Rockland St Mary 6 miles southeast of Norwich, England, United Kingdom. It hit the village school directly, injuring 2 adults and 34 children, and the blast damaged 23 houses nearby. It was the worst attack on the Norwich region during the war. USS Snook completed her repairs at Saipan, Mariana Islands. In-depth article Australian New Guinea USS Marcus Island arrived at Manus, Admiralty Islands. In-depth article Dutch East Indies Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Lingga, Dutch East Indies. In-depth article Russia K. L. Prokhorenko stepped down as GUKR SMERSH's chief in the 1st Ukrainian Front. Photo(s) dated 4 Oct 1944
142/189

1944 Timeline - World War II Database

Caricato da

Informazioni sul documento

Descrizione originale:

Titolo originale

Copyright

Condividi questo documento

Condividi o incorpora il documento

Opzioni di condivisione

Hai trovato utile questo documento?

Questo contenuto è inappropriato?

Copyright:

1944 Timeline - World War II Database

Caricato da

Copyright:

5/7/13

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 21 Mar 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 23 Mar 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 10 Apr 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 20 Apr 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 27 Apr 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 1 May 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 15 May 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 18 May 1944

See all photos dated 19 May 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 20 May 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 22 May 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

Photo(s) dated 24 May 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 30 May 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 5 Jun 1944

See all photos dated 6 Jun 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

See all photos dated 7 Jun 1944

See all photos dated 8 Jun 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

Photo(s) dated 10 Jun 1944

See all photos dated 10 Jun 1944

See all photos dated 11 Jun 1944

1944 Timeline | World War II Database

Photo(s) dated 12 Jun 1944