Friday, July 9, 1943. Operation Husky commences.

Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, commenced with airborne landings by British and American airborne and glider troops.  The American forces were blown strongly off course by high winds which scattered them so badly that by July 14 half of the U.S. paratroopers still had failed to reach their rallying points.  British airborne forces likewise were badly scattered.  Ironically, the very widespread landings created Axis confusion and their professionalism allowed them to mount scattered but effective attacks.

British glider borne troops of the 1st Battalion, Border Regiment, 9 July 1943, just prior to take off. Folding bicycle in the foreground.  Note the shorts these men, experienced in desert combat, are wearing, even though they are completely unsuitable for it.

With the commencement of the Invasion of Sicily, the Western Allies had returned to the continent and resumed ground offensive operations against the Axis.  The break in action between the fighting in North Africa and Sicily had been a mere matter of weeks.  During that short break in ground action, although not because of it, the Germans had launched Operation Citadel.  Already running into men and material shortages in that action, the Germans would soon have to withdraw forces from the East in order to redeploy them to counter Operation Husky.

Often sometimes missed, it should be noted that the Western Allies had committed troops with Operation Husky to the European continent, unless Sicily is not regarded as part of it due to its island status, almost a year before Operation Overlord.

A German air raid on East Grinstead killed 108 people, many of whom were children, in a movie theater.  The bombers struck at 5:17 p.m.

Congress recessed for the first time since 1939, the last time the body had allowed for vacations.