Today in World War II History—November 28, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 28, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago: Allies open port of Antwerp, Belgium, as the first convoy of supply ships arrives. Albania is secured by partisans as Germans evacuate.

Today in World War II History—November 24, 1939 & 1944 (Friday November 24, 1944). Terrace Mutiny,

Usually I post this separately, but there are so many significant items in Sarah Sundin's blog this Sunday, I'm incorporating it into my post.

Today in World War II History—November 24, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Nov. 24, 1944: US B-29 Superfortress bombers bomb Tokyo for the first time. Japanese capture Nanning, completing a land corridor between occupied China and Indochina. In controversial decision, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower orders the 6th Army Group not to cross the Rhine but to drive north and assist Patton’s Third Army. In Terrace, BC, Canadian conscripts (many are French-Canadian) mutiny when they hear they might be sent overseas, the largest mutiny in Canadian history; put down by 11/29; news of the mutiny is censored. France establishes Commission de Récupération Artistique (CRA) to return looted artwork, with curator Rose Valland as secretary.

Wow. 

The Terrace Mutiny, which is what the mutiny was called, reflected the internal discord in Canada over conscription, something that has largely been glossed over after the war.  English Canadians were disproportionately represented amongst those who volunteered for service and volunteered to go overseas. French Canadians were disproportionally amongst those who did not.  Those who volunteered termed those who did not "Zombies" and often harassed them.  Ultimately, the needs of war could not sustain the system.

The 3d Army crossed the Saar.

Soviets completing their occupation of Saaremo in the Baltic.

The HMCS Sawinigan was sunk by the U-1228 in the Cabot Strait.

Last edition:

Thursday, November 23, 1944. Thanksgiving Day.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, Alsace-Lorraine, Army, Canadian Army, Czechoslovakia, France, French Army, Holidays, Hungary, Nazi Germany, Red Army, Royal Navy, Thanksgiving, The Holocaust, World War Two

Today in World War II History—November 23, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 23, 1939 & 1944: 85 Years Ago: US celebrates Thanksgiving after Roosevelt moved the holiday from the last to the second-to-last Thursday to extend Christmas shopping season

Today in World War II History—November 18, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 18, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago: US Third Army enters Metz, France. Submarine USS Blackfin picks up captured Japanese cryptographic equipment from Filipino resistance on Mindoro.

Today in World War II History—November 17, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 17, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Nov. 17, 1944: Submarine USS Spadefish sinks Japanese escort carrier Shinyo in the Yellow Sea, only 130 of 1,160 survive.

Today in World War II History—November 15, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 15, 1939 & 1944: 85 Years Ago: Pres. Franklin Roosevelt lays cornerstone of the Jefferson Memorial. 80 Years Ago: US Eighth Army, in its first assault, lands on Mapia Islands.

Monday, November 13, 1944. Air service returns to London.

Civil air service returned to London.  It had been stopped in September, 1939.

The Akebono, Akishimo, Hatsuharu, Kiso and Okinami was sunk in Filipino waters by the U.S. Navy.  The I-12 was sunk east of Hawaii.

The Bulgarian 1st Army captured Skopje.

SSgt Junior J. Spurrier performed the actions that resulted in his receiving a Medal of Honor.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy at Achain, France, on 13 November 1944. At 2 p.m., Company G attacked the village of Achain from the east. S/Sgt. Spurrier armed with a BAR passed around the village and advanced alone. Attacking from the west, he immediately killed 3 Germans. From this time until dark, S/Sgt. Spurrier, using at different times his BAR and M1 rifle, American and German rocket launchers, a German automatic pistol, and hand grenades, continued his solitary attack against the enemy regardless of all types of small-arms and automatic-weapons fire. As a result of his heroic actions he killed an officer and 24 enlisted men and captured 2 officers and 2 enlisted men. His valor has shed fresh honor on the U.S. Armed Forces.

Spurrier had an extremely difficult time adjusting to post World War Two life and rejoined the Army during the Korean War, where he proved to be a difficult soldier.  He was by that time an alcoholic and after his second period of service had numerous run ins with the law.  He ultimately became a teetotaler and ran an electronics repair service, dying at age 61 in 1984.

Last edition:

Sunday, November 12, 1944. Carving off part of China, Tirpitz sunk, Hitler takes time to release a long Beer Hall message, Dog Faces in chow line.

Labels: 1920s, 1923, 1940s, 1944, Adolf Hitler, Army, Beer Hall Putsch, boats and ships, France, German Kriegsmarine, Nazi Germany, Nazi Party, Republic of China, Royal Air Force, The written word, USSR, World War Two

Today in World War II History—November 11, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 11, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Nov. 11, 1944: In Italy, First Brazilian Fighter Group begins operations with US Twelfth Air Force in P-47 Thunderbolts.

Today in World War II History—November 10, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 10, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Nov. 10, 1944: Japanese take US Fourteenth Air Force air bases at Kweilin and Liuchow in their drive through southern China.

Today in World War II History—November 8, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 8, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago: Canadians secure Walcheren and the Scheldt Estuary to protect port of Antwerp, Belgium. US Third Army begins offensive toward Metz, France.

Central World War Two Display, U.S. Armored Cars: National Museum of Military Vehicles Dubois Wyoming.

The U.S. M3 Scout Car was produced by White Motor Company from 1939 to 1944.  The early version, the M3, was made in only limited numbers, but the successor M3A1 was fairly widely produced.

Envisioned as a cavalry vehicle, it really wasn't up to the task and therefore while produced, it was arguably obsolete from the onset.

The M8 was introduced in 1943 and picked up where the M3 left off, being a much more combat worthy vehicle.  It remained in service into the 1950s in the US but had a long life in other countries, with some still being used.

The M20 Armored Utility Car was another US armored vehicle that came in and supplemented the M3.  

 

Last edition:

Allis Chalmers M7 Snow Tractor. National Museum of Military Vehicles.

Labels: 1940s, 1943, 1944, National Museum of Military Vehicles, Tracked vehicles, Transportation, Wyoming (Dubois)

Today in World War II History—November 1, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—November 1, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Nov. 1, 1944: US C-47 medical air evacuation flight crashes in southern France—the crew, 15 patients, and flight nurse Aleda Lutz are killed.

Today in World War II History—October 31, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 31, 1939 & 1944: 85 Years Ago—Oct. 31, 1939: British children are advised not to go “guising” (trick-or-treating) due to the blackout. New York World’s Fair closes.

Today in World War II History—October 30, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 30, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Oct. 30, 1944: In the Vosges mountains in France, US 442nd Infantry Regiment (Nisei) rescues the Lost Battalion with heavy losses.

Today in World War II History—October 29, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 29, 1939 & 1944: 85 Years Ago—Oct. 29, 1939: Golden Gate International Exposition closes on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay (will re-open 25 May 1940).

Today in World War II History—October 28, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 28, 1939 & 1944: 85 Years Ago—Oct. 28, 1939: A Heinkel He 111 bomber is shot down over Scotland, the first German aircraft shot down over Britain.

Today in World War II History—October 27, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 27, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Oct. 27, 1944: In Italy, Gen. Sir Henry Maitland Wilson orders halt to Allied offensive for the winter due to fatigue, heavy rains, and flooding.

Today in World War II History—October 26, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 26, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Oct. 26, 1944: The Battle of Leyte Gulf concludes with a decisive US victory, despite heavy Japanese kamikaze attacks.

Today in World War II History—October 25, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 25, 1939 & 1944: 85 Years Ago—Oct. 25, 1939: First main kamikaze attacks occur in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. On the ground at Leyte, Japanese take attack US ground troops.

Today in World War II History—October 23, 1939 & 1944

Today in World War II History—October 23, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Oct. 23, 1944: Battle of Leyte Gulf begins as Japanese fleet lures the US Third Fleet away from the landing beaches at Leyte in the Philippines.

Last edition:

Today in World War II History—October 22, 1939 & 1944

Labels: 1930s, 1939, 1940s, 1944, Battle of Leyte Gulf, Imperial Japanese Navy, Philippines, U.S. Navy, World War Two