Wednesday, February 23, 1944. Truscott assumes command at Anzio.

Lucian Truscott on the  Anzio beachhead, wearing cut down U.S. Army cavalry boots (not M1943 boots which they resemble) and an A2 flight jacket, which he routinely wore, with General Sir Harold R. L. G. Alexander, Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Allied Armies in Italy, who is wearing a  British sherling flight jacket and riding boots.

Today in World War II History—February 23, 1944: Maj. Gen. Lucian Truscott assumes command of US VI Corps at Anzio. First US Army blood bank in the Mediterranean Theater opens at Naples medical center.

Cavalryman Lucian Truscott was one of the great ones.

Of interest, Truscott, who had started off his adult life as a school teacher before entering the Army during World War One (he did not see overseas service), was replacing another cavalryman, Gen. Lucas.  His entry into teaching was based upon a lie, in that he represented, at age 16, that he was a high school graduate, which he was not.  His entry into the Army, which was combined with a petition to become an officer, was based upon a compounded lie that he had attended, but not graduated from, college.

Truscott with British troops, later in Anzio.  In this photograph we see the same A2 jacket but he's wearing riding breeches and three strap riding boots.

Truscott was an extremely able commander and the author of the excellent cavalry memoir, Twilight of the Cavalry.  He's an example, additionally, on how the era allowed capable individuals to excel without full accreditation, something that does not occur nearly as much now.

The Soviet mass deportation of the Chechens commenced.

Resistance on Parry Island ended, and with it the hard fought Eniwetok campaign.  Of the 3,400 Japanese troops committed to the defense of the atoll, 66 survived.

The Battle of Admin Box also ended in an Allied victory.

The late bluesman Johnny Winter was born in Beaumont, Texas.  He passed away in 2014 at age 70.

Tuesday, February 22, 1944. Change of command at Anzio, Cementing Poland's fate.

John P. Lucas was relieved as the commander of VI Corps due to the ongoing problems at Anzio.  Perhaps ironically, he had been critical of plans for the operation, Operation Shingle.

Lt. Jack C. Montgomery, a Cherokee, performed the actions that would cause him to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on February 22, 1944, near Padiglione, Italy. Two hours before daybreak a strong force of enemy infantry established themselves in 3 echelons at 50 yards, 100 yards, and 300 yards, respectively, in front of the rifle platoons commanded by 1st Lt. Montgomery. The closest position, consisting of 4 machineguns and 1 mortar, threatened the immediate security of the platoon position. Seizing an M1 rifle and several hand grenades, 1st Lt. Montgomery crawled up a ditch to within hand grenade range of the enemy. Then climbing boldly onto a little mound, he fired his rifle and threw his grenades so accurately that he killed 8 of the enemy and captured the remaining 4. Returning to his platoon, he called for artillery fire on a house, in and around which he suspected that the majority of the enemy had entrenched themselves. Arming himself with a carbine, he proceeded along the shallow ditch, as withering fire from the riflemen and machinegunners in the second position was concentrated on him. He attacked this position with such fury that 7 of the enemy surrendered to him, and both machineguns were silenced. Three German dead were found in the vicinity later that morning. 1st Lt. Montgomery continued boldly toward the house, 300 yards from his platoon position. It was now daylight, and the enemy observation was excellent across the flat open terrain which led to 1st Lt. Montgomery's objective. When the artillery barrage had lifted, 1st Lt. Montgomery ran fearlessly toward the strongly defended position. As the enemy started streaming out of the house, 1st Lt. Montgomery, unafraid of treacherous snipers, exposed himself daringly to assemble the surrendering enemy and send them to the rear. His fearless, aggressive, and intrepid actions that morning, accounted for a total of 11 enemy dead, 32 prisoners, and an unknown number of wounded. That night, while aiding an adjacent unit to repulse a counterattack, he was struck by mortar fragments and seriously wounded. The selflessness and courage exhibited by 1st Lt. Montgomery in alone attacking 3 strong enemy positions inspired his men to a degree beyond estimation.

He passed away in 2002 in his native Oklahoma at the age of 84.

The VIII Bomber Command became the 8th Air Force, as Big Week carried on.

Nijmegen was bombed by the U.S. Army Air Force by mistake, killing 200 civilians. Dense fog caused the error.

A Dominican monastery in Zagred was hit in bombing.  Eight theology students died in the incident. Archbishop of Zagreb Aloysius Stepinac sent a letter to the British ambassador to the Holy See in response.

The Red Army took Krivoy Rog.  The Germans wisely withdrew from the city rather than be encircled, wisdom that Hitler hadn't always allowed it to display in the face of Soviet offenses.  3/4s of Soviet Territory had now been retaken by the Red Army.

In an example of realpolitik, Churchill stated in the House of Commons that he supported Soviet border demands and that the UK had not guaranteed the Polish border.

French poet and Resistance member Robert Desnos was arrested in Paris.  He would die in June 1945 shortly after being liberated from a concentration camp.

British lead Greek resistance fighters derailed a troop train in the Tempe Valley and killed 400 German troops.

The US landed forces on Parry Island on the Eniwetok Atoll. There is fierce Japanese resistance.

As Sarah Sundin notes, Eniwetok Atoll was pre-war Japanese territory, having been taken by the Japanese from the Germans in 1914.  Interestingly, the Japanese had not really bothered to administer the island until World War Two, leaving it up to locals to govern the islands themselves for the most part.

The Germans had administered it as a colony from 1885 to 1914.

The I-37 sank the British tanker British Chivalry in the Indian Ocean and then surfaced and fired on the survivors.  It's commander, Nakagawa Hajimi was found guilty of war crimes for this incident in 1948.  He'd be sentenced ti eight years hard labor, of which he served six.

In 1978, it was revealed that Nakagawa had also been responsible for the sinking of the Australian hospital ship Centaur in April 1943.

Monday, February 21, 1944. Eniwetok secured, Japanese staff changes.

Today in World War II History—February 21, 1944: 80 Years Ago—Feb. 21, 1944: US secures Eniwetok Island in Eniwetok Atoll, and lands on and takes 7 other islands in the atoll.

Sarah Sundin's blog.

The islands had been fiercely defended by the Japanese. 

On the same day, Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo became the Chief of Staff of the Imperial Japanese Army in addition to his political role..  Admiral Shimada replaced Admiral Nagano as Chief of Staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

Japanese resistance on the Green Islands ends.

It was Day Two of the Big Week.

US crewed German anti tank gun, Cisterna, Italy.  February 21, 1944.

Churchill informed Stalin that the Polish government in exile would accept the Curzon Line and that they would cooperate in the future with the USSR, but Stalin remained recalcitrant.

On the same day, the Red Army took Soltsy and Kholm.

Lt. Col. Henry G. Leanard Jr. explaining assault tactics to visiting Russian naval officers at the U.S. Assault Training Center. February 21, 1944.

Saturday, February 19, 1944. Landing on Eniwetok.

Marines and Coast Guardsmen display a Japanese flag, Engebi, Eniwetok Atoll, 19 February 1944.

Marines land on Eniwetok in regimental strength.  Fighting is heavy.  Among the casualties is John A. Bushemi, noted combat photographer.  He was 26 years of age.

Landing craft  headed towards Eniwetok, February 19, 1944.

And also Cpl. Anthony Damato.

Corporal Anthony P. Damato

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with an assault company in action against enemy Japanese forces on Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands, on the night of 19[-20 February 1944. Highly vulnerable to sudden attack by small, fanatical groups of Japanese still at large despite the efficient and determined efforts of our forces to clear the area, Cpl. Damato lay with two comrades in a large foxhole in his company's defense perimeter which had been dangerously thinned by the forced withdrawal of nearly half of the available men. When one of the enemy approached the foxhole undetected and threw in a hand grenade, Cpl. Damato desperately groped for it in the darkness. Realizing the imminent peril to all three and fully aware of the consequences of his act, he unhesitatingly flung himself on the grenade and, although instantly killed as his body absorbed the explosion, saved the lives of his two companions. Cpl. Damato's splendid initiative, fearless conduct, and valiant sacrifice reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his comrades.

From Sarah Sundin:

Today in World War II History—February 19, 1944: The major Japanese air & naval base at Rabaul is officially neutralized by Allied forces as the last Japanese planes are moved to Truk.

The Luftwaffe hit London with 187 planes, the heaviest raid since May, 1941.

The Germans ended Operation Sumpfhahn against partisans in Belarus.

The U-386 and U-264 were both sunk by the Royal Navy in the Atlantic.

Billboard modified its "Most Played Juke Box Records" chart to rank records rather than songs.

Friday, February 18, 1944. Operation Jericho and Operation Hailstorm

Mosquitoes over Amiens prison. Mosquitos and Typhoons featured in the raid.

Royal Air Force and Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft breached the walls of the Amiens prison, allowing 258 prisoners to escape.

French Resistance members were staged outside to spirit escapees to freedom, or at least away from the Germans.  2/3s of them were recaptured.  However, half of those due to be executed did escape, although many escapees were shot by guards as they felt.  Resistance escapees exposed over sixty Gestapo agents and informers, which was a blow to the Germans.  Prisoners re arrested by the French were simply let go.

The mission was requested by somebody, but the details of it remain a secret to this day.

Heavy fighting occured at Anzio on the Anzio Campoeone Road.  German armored reserves  consisting of the 26th Panzer Division and 29th Panzer Grenadier Division were committed to the attack but Allied artillery prevents significant gains. 

The HMS Penelope was sunk off of Naples by the U-410.

At Cassino attacks by Indian and New Zealand forces fail to advance.

The Battle of Karavia Bay, a nighttime action, ended up blocking the Japanese port.

The Red Army captured Staraya.

Lots of Japanese Imperial Navy ships were headed to the bottom in Truk Lagoon.

Truck was a Japanese disaster.

The Germans lost the U-406 and U-7, the latter in an accident.

Marines landed on Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands.

President Roosevelt vetoed the Bankhead Bill ending food subsidies.

Thursday, February 17, 1944 German defeat at Korsun and near victory at Anzio. Japanese setbacks in the Pacific.

German forces escaped the Korsun Pocket but abandoned most of their heavy equipment, ending the Battle of Korsun-Cherkassy.  

35,000 troops out of the original 56,000 escaped.  General Stemmerman was killed in the breakout. Six German divisions were rendered combat ineffective.

While the bulk of the German forces escaped, their evacuation is not regarded as particularly triumphal, given that these formations were basically destroyed.

At Anzio the German counterattacks continued, with the Germans nearly breaking through the 45th Infantry Division.  The HMS Penelope was damaged offshore by a torpedo attack.  A British counterattack briefly takes Point 593, but the Germans retake it.  On this day, therefore, the Germans nearly prevailed in pushing the Allies back into the sea.

Soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division preparing to leave Enubuj Island for another small island, February 17, 19.

US forces land on Eniwetok Atoll on islets near Engebi, commencing the Battle of Eniwetok.

The U.S. Navy launched a massive areal offensive against the Japanese at Truk Lagoon in Operation Hailstorm.  Japanese losses would be massive.

Japanese shipping under air attack at Dublon Island, February 17, 1944.

U.S. destroyers bombarded the Japanese at Rabaul and Kavieng in a nighttime raid in what is known as the Battle of Karavia Bay.