Showing posts with label 1944 at the Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1944 at the Movies. Show all posts

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Thursday, November 16, 1944. Attack on the Siegfried Line.

"Soldiers of a tank destroyer battalion warm themselves with coffee before going into action against the Germans near Stolberg, Germany. 16 November, 1944. Company D, 692nd Tank Destroyer Battalion."

The U.S. Frist and Ninth Armies commenced Operation Queen, aimed at the Siegfried Line.  The attack is supported by heavy Allied air strikes.

"German prisoners being taken to the rear were captured less than two hours after new American offensive started inside Germany. Beggendorf, Germany. 16 November, 1944. 2nd Armored Division."

Political disagreements between the Belgian government nad the Belgian resistance resulted in the resignation of three ministers.

The Jussi Awards for Finnish films were conveyed for the first time, with the ceremony in Helsinki.

Ansa Ikonen, best actress for 1944.

Last edition:

Wednesday, November 15, 1944. Early war movie released late in the war.

Friday, November 15, 2024

Wednesday, November 15, 1944. Early war movie released late in the war.

"Pvt. Zeb Turner, Bridgeport, Conn., adjusting the pack of Pvt. Robert [illegible]. Dunlap, Iowa, as infantrymen replacements prepare to leave for the front. Nancy, France, 15 November, 1944."  Note that these troops are still wearing leggings.  Also, the supposed private has a horizontal stripe on the front of his helmet.  This is the first time I've ever seen that.  The same on the back of his helmet would indicate he was an NCO.

The Fifth Army captured Modigliana, Italy.

Soviet forces took Jasbereny, Hungary.

The Japanese landing craft depot ship Akitsu Maru was sun by the USS Queenfish in the Korea Strait.  2,000 went down with her.

The 2nd Battalion, 167th Infantry Regiment landed at Pegun Island in the Mapia islands.

Project Hermes, a U.S. Army Ordinance Corps rocket research program, commenced.

Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo was released.

Last edition:

Tuesday, November 14, 1944. The death of Leigh-Mallory.

Sunday, October 13, 2024

Friday, October 11, 2024

Wednesday, October 11, 1944. To Have and Have Not.

A Hungarian delegation signed a ceasefire agreement in Moscow agreeing to abandon territory gained since 1937 and to declare war on Germany.  Hungary was enduring turmoil in its government over this general topic.

The obscure Tuvan People's Republic was absorbed by the Soviet Union.

The U.S. Army Air Force bombed Okinawa.

To Have and Have Not premiered.  It was Lauren Bacall's premier film.


Last edition:

Tuesday, October 10, 1944. The murder of the Romani children.

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

Today in World War II History—October 11, 1939 & 1944: 80 Years Ago—Oct. 11, 1944: US First Army begins battle for Aachen, Germany. Movie premiere of To Have and Have Not, starring Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall.

Thursday, August 1, 2024

Monday, August 1, 1944. The Warsaw Uprising Starts.

The Polish uprising commenced in Warsaw.  A massive uprising, and part of a series of the same, it was the most tragic of the group. The Red Army, which was already on the outskirts of the city, and which had been advancing, ground to a halt and allowed the insurrection to go on for 63 days.

Polish fighter with German MP3008, a rarely scene German copy of the British Sten gun.

The US prevailed on Tinian.

The Philadelphia Transit Strike of 1944 began.

British scientists announced that DDT was an effective insecticide.

Manuel L. Quezon, age 65, died and Sergio Osmeña thereupon became the 4th President of the Philippines.

The film Wilson, about the 28th President, which is nearly a piece of hagiography, was released.

Lasts edition:

Monday, July 31, 1944. Cobra concludes.

Saturday, May 11, 2024

Thursday, May 11, 1944. Operation Diadem.

Japanese foxholes located under bank of draw in the 129th Infantry, 37th Division sector on Bougainville, Solomon Islands. The jungle growth has been cleared by the fierce artillery fire.  May 11, 1944.

Allied forces broke through German defenses in the Liri Valley in Operation Diadem with the first attacks being by the British 4th Infantry Division and the 8th Indian Infantry Division, with fire support from the 1st Canadian Armoured Brigade.  All the Allies fighting in Italy would participate in the offensive.

Allied air forces raided the French coast, with Calais particularly hard hit.


Oberst Walter Oesau (123 victories) was shot down and killed over the Eifel Mountains.  

Oesau had been goaded into flying by Luftwaffe chief Hermann Göring on that day even though he'd been sick in bed with the flu, Göring calling his command to see if he was flying.  Göring had been turning his ire on unit commanders who were not regularly flying, and upon learning that Oesau was in bed he basically accused him of cowardice.  He did skillfully fight three P-38s but was killed by cannon fire from one of the aircraft attempting to make an emergency landing.\

Oesau had fought in the Spanish Civil War, but there's little known about him overall.  He was not a flamboyant figure and included no special markings on his aircraft.

The RAF Lancaster "S for Sugar" completed its 100th mission.

Today in World War II History—May 11, 1944 In Italy, Germans release Jews of Turkish, Spanish, Portuguese, Swedish, Finnish, and Swiss citizenship under pressure from these neutral governments.

Movie premiere of The White Cliffs of Dover, starring Irene Dunne.

Social Security Administration ruling reflecting a marriage on this date, and a complicated set of relationships.

SSR 60-9. STATUS OF CHILD IN THE WOMB

A child conceived during its mother's marriage to her first husband, but born after her re-marriage to her second husband is the stepchild of the second husband from the date of such marriage.

M was divorced from F on March 25, 1944. She married P on May 11, 1944. A child, C, was born to M on July 13, 1944. P died on May 20, 1945. An application for child's benefits on P's social security account was filed September 23, 1959, on behalf of C.

Section 216(e) of the Social Security Act defines the term "child" as including a stepchild of a deceased individual who has been a stepchild "for not less than one year immediately preceding the day on which such individual died."

In view of the general principle that when justice or convenience requires, the child in the womb is dealt with as a human being even though physiologically it is part of the mother, the marriage of P and M created a steprelationship between P and M's child, C, even though C was unborn at that time. Since the marriage of P and M occurred more than one year prior to P's death, and C had been conceived and was in existence at the time of the marriage, it is held that C was P's stepchild for one year prior to his death as required by section 216(e) for becoming entitled to benefits on his earnings record.

Last prior edition:

Wednesday, May 10, 1944. New Medals.

Saturday, May 4, 2024

Thursday, May 4, 1944. Smoke on the Water.

Sgt. Sam Marinkovich, Anaconda, Mont., Sgt. Raymond Pasvogel, Davenport, Iowa, write up daily paper "The Cyclops Sentinel". Hollandia, Dutch New Guinea. 4 May, 1944.  Sgt Marinkovich is wearing heavily hobnailed boots, something the US generally did not issue in World War Two.  The boots are almost certainly British pattern "clodhoppers" that were issued as replacements in Australia.  Boots are one of the very few items of Commonwealth issuance that Americans sometimes issued in World War Two.

Troops making C-Ration coco.  The soldier on the far left is wearing the rarely seen light pattern field jacket.   This photograph illustrates something that surprised Japanese soldiers, which was that American uniforms were comfortable and practical.  Of interest, every single uniform item depicted in this photograph came into US use either since the start of the war, or immediately before, except for the boots depicted.

From "Uncle Mike":

May 4, 1944: The St. Louis Browns Desegregate Sportsman's Park


Gaslight premiered in New York City.


It's another one I haven't seen, but should.

Sarah Sundin reports that another Overlord exercise occured:
Today in World War II History—May 4, 1944: In Exercise Fabius, a full-scale rehearsal for D-day, Allied troops who will land on Sword, Juno, Gold, and Omaha Beaches make landings on English beaches.
The RAF hit rail facilities at Budapest at night.

The U-371 was scuttled off of Algeria.  The U-846 was attacked and sunk in the Bay of Biscay by the RCAF.

Smoke on the Water was recorded. . . the patriotic Red Foley one . .  not the Deep Purple one.


Last prior edition:

Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Monday, April 24, 1944. Violating Swiss Airspace.

L-R: Lt. Col. Earl Hormell, aide to Gen. Devers, and Lt. Gen. Jacob L. Devers, Deputy Supreme Commander, Me. Theater, pose with Ghurka troops as the general visits the front that the Ghurka was fighting on. Orsogna Sector, Italy, April 24, 1944.  Lt. Gen. Devers is wearing a non-regulation set of pull on "engineer's boots".  Devers was an artilleryman who was an early advocated of mechanization and who had participated in the development of the Army's armored forces, including the design of the M4 Sherman and the M26 Pershing.  Upon his retirement in 1949 at age 62, he became a cattle farmer.

The Finisterre Range Campaign in New Guinea concluded in an Allied victory.  US forces reached Lake Sentani near Hollandia. Australian forces took Madang.

The RAF violated Swiss airspace in order to evade Munich's air warning system.  Earlier in the day, the U.S. Army Air Force had raided the heavily defended city, losing 55 aircraft, 14 of which crashed into Switzerland.

Italy started fielding a "Co Belligerent Air Force" in support of the Allies over the Adriatic.

The Special Boat Service raided Santorini in the Aegean.

A British blockade of mutinous Greek troops in Egypt ceased.

Double Indemnity was released in Brazil, a few months ahead of the American release.


Why Brazil?  I have no idea.

Funeral for German POW Richard Jasker, Camp Robinson Nebraska. 24 April, 1944.

Last prior edition:

Sunday, April 23, 1944. Hollandia taken, MacArthur lands, John C. Squire's posthumous MoH, Greek troubles, Pyrgoi Massacre, Tragic accident, Missing mobster.

Wednesday, March 20, 2024

Monday, March 20, 1944. Landings, port stops, potential halts.

U.S. Marines landed unopposed on Emirau in the last stage of Operation Cartwheel in the Bismarks. 


The Battle of Sangshak began in Minipur on the Burmese frontier with India.

African American crew members of the USS Mason, March 20, 1944. Boston.

The Red Army took Vinnytsia and Mohyliv-Podilskyi.  Vinnytsia had been the site of Hitler's headquarters in Ukraine.

Gen. Alexander agrees to call off attacks at Monte Cassino if progress is not made within the next two days.

The Rita Hayworth film Cover Girl was released.

Last prior edition:

Sunday, March 19, 1944. Germany invades Hungary.

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Friday, March 10, 1944. Soviets say no to Finns.

The Soviets rejected a Finnish reply to armistice terms requesting further guarantees.

Ireland rejected a U.S. request that it expel Axis diplomats.


An award winning Irish army boxing team was photographed on the same day.

The Red Army made major advances on the Ukrainian front.

The Political Committee of National Liberation, Πολιτική Επιτροπή Εθνικής Απελευθέρωσης was formed.  Often called the "Mountain Government", the communist body was opposed to collaborationist in Athens and the royal government in exile.

American forces captured Talasea on New Britain.  On Bougainville, the Japanese took Hill 260 but lost ground to an American counterattacks elsewhere.


PT Boats at Bougainville, March 10, 1944.

The Japanese attacked rear positions of the British 17th Indian Division in Burma.

U-343, U-450, U-625 and U-8459 were lost in the Atlantic.

The Fighting Seabees, which is a pretty bad movie in my view, was released.

Last prior:

Thursday, March 9, 1944. Bombing of Tallinn.

Thursday, December 14, 2023

Tuesday, December 14, 1943. The Death of Captain Waskow.

 

Captain Henry T. Waskow, who became the subject of Ernie Pyle's most famous column, and who was the inspiration for the protagonist in The Story of GI Joe, was killed in action in the Battle of San Pietro.

The French Committee of National Liberation granted French citizenship to Algerians classified as "Moslem elites", those being the ability to fluently read and write French.  It was expected that this would enfranchise between 20,000 to 30,000 Algerians.

This also abandoned a prior requirement that those obtaining French citizenship abandon Islam.

This would have been a huge move had it come in the 30s, but now, it would prove to be too little, too late.

The Germans raided Nantua, France, in reprisal for resistance activities.

Allied aircraft raided Luftwaffe airfields near Athens at Eleusis, Kalamaki and Tatoi, as well as the harbor facilities at Piraeus in the heaviest raid on Greece to date.

Sarah Sundin's blog, reports that:

Today in World War II History—December 14, 1943: US Army Air Force decides to stop using camouflage paint on planes, with the exception of night fighters and transports, to increase speed and range.

The reason I've always been told that this was done was to save weight.  You wouldn't think that this would make much of a difference, but if you consider the overall surface area of an airplane, it's a fair amount.  Less weight means fuel savings and increased speed.

The Red Army took Cherkasy.

John Harvey Kellogg, creator of cornflakes (1878) and founder of the Battle Creek Sanitarium ain Battle Creek, Michigan, died at age 91.