Friday, February 4, 1944. Operation Ha-Go.

The Japanese launched Operation Ha-Go in the Arakan, a major offensive against British forces in Burma.  As was typical for Japanese offensive operations, it featured a strict timetable.

Stemming from the same region, the Swiss passed on a protest from Thailand, stating:

The Swiss Minister (Bruggmann) to the Secretary of State

Th. 1 Thailand

The Minister of Switzerland presents his compliments to The Honorable, The Secretary of State, and has the honor to submit a communication from the Government of Thailand which has been received from the Federal Political Department in Berne, with the request that it be transmitted to the Government of the United States:

“In air raids about the end of 1943 and January 1944 Anglo-American aeroplanes dropped bombs on Chulalongkon Hospital, Saowapha, on the Pasteur Institute of the Red Cross Bangrak Hospital and two mental disease hospitals. Such humanitarian establishments cannot be said in any way to be military objectives and the indiscriminate bombing thereof is not only a violation of the Geneva Convention [Page 1322]of 192925 but also of the principles of humanity. His Majesty’s Government therefore enters a strong protest against the unjustifiable act of destruction above mentioned.”

The Minister would be grateful to The Honorable, The Secretary of State, for an acknowledgment of this communication.26

Washington , February 4, 1944.

All Japanese organized resistance on Kwajalein ceased.  Of 8,700 defenders, 265, many of them Korean laborers, survive.   The American forces sustained 370 KIA and 1,500 WIA.

Men of the 7th Infantry Division getting cigarettes.  Note the rifle, probably a M1903, with a grenade launcher attachment and that the men have bayonets fixed.  Note also that one of the men has a M3 fighting knife.

M3's on Kwajalein.

7th Infantry Division torching Japanese position with flamethrower, February 4, 1944.

The Germans attacked the British 1st Division at Anzio, forcing it to fall back.  The US 5th Army gained ground further south.

The Soviet 42nd Army took Gdov.  Hitler ordered the 24th panzer Division to assist in the relief of the Korsun Pocket.  Relieving forces are spearheaded by the Heavy Panzer Regiment Bake.

The U-854 struck a mine in the Baltic and sank.

President Roosevelt established the Bronze Star.

Executive Order 9419—Bronze Star Medal

February 04, 1944

By virtue of the authority vested in me as President of the United States and as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, it is hereby ordered as follows:

There is hereby established the Bronze Star Medal, with accompanying ribbons and appurtenances, for award to any person who, while serving in any capacity in or with the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States on or after December 7, 1941, distinguishes, or has distinguished, himself by heroic or meritorious achievement or service, not involving participation in aerial flight, in connection with military or naval operations against an enemy of the United States.

The Bronze Star Medal and appurtenances thereto shall be of appropriate design approved by the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, and may be awarded by the Secretary of War, or the Secretary of the Navy, or by such commanding officers of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard as the said Secretaries may respectively designate. Awards shall be made under such regulations as the said Secretaries shall severally prescribe, and such regulations shall, so far as practicable, be of uniform application.

No more than one Bronze Star Medal shall be awarded to any one person, but for each succeeding heroic or meritorious achievement or service justifying such an award a suitable device may be awarded to be worn with the medal as prescribed by appropriate regulations. The Bronze Star Medal or device may be awarded posthumously, and, when so awarded, may be presented to such representative of the deceased as may be designated in the award.

Signature of Franklin D. Roosevelt

FRANKLIN D ROOSEVELT

The White House,

February 4, 1944.

It's a surprise, really, to realize that Bronze Star was created this late, but like the Silver Star, it was created to reflect combat conditions that the US had not experienced since the Civil War.

Thursday, February 3, 1944. Formation of the New Zealand Corps, Victory at Kwajalien.

Today in World War II History—February 3, 1944: 80 Years Ago—Feb. 3, 1944: In Italy, New Zealand Corps is formed under Lt.-Gen. Sir Bernard Freyberg, over New Zealand 2nd Division and Indian 4th Division.

Freyberg was born in the United Kingdom but raised in New Zealand.  He was a championship swimmer when young, and was licensed as a dentist in New Zealand in 1911.  He left New Zealand in 1914 to join the Villista's, and served as a Captain in those forces.  He left the fighting in Mexico, however, in August of that year upon learning that World War One had broken out, taking time to win a swimming championship in Los Angeles, and having earned passage to the UK by boxing.  He served first in a ground unit of the Royal Navy, and then transferred to the British Army.  He remained in the British Army between the wars.

A controversial general outside of British circles, he's somewhat emblematic of the British Army of the period in that his nationality was pretty fluid, but always British.  He was appointed Governor General of New Zealand after World War Two, and passed away in 1963.

German POW's, Anzio.  February 3, 1944.  Note the mixed uniforms, and also that some of these men are wearing camouflage smocks.  German POWs at this stage of the war often look very bitter about having been captured.

The Germans sealed off the Anzio beachhead.

Eniwetok, February 3, 1944.

The U.S. prevailed at Kwajalein.  Task Group 58 raided Eniwetok.  US forces landed on Burton Island.

Soldier's of the 7th Infantry Division moving a light artillery piece on Kwajalein.  Note the mid to late war characteristic baggy clothing of the US Army, with cargo pockets appearing.

75mm Pack howitzer on Kwajalein.

Bangalore torpedo team, 7th Infantry Division, Kwajalein.  February 3, 1944.

The Red Army encircled the Germans at the Korsun Pocket, where Hitler, on the same day, ordered them not to retreat.  Manstein organized an armored force with the goal of relieving the pocket.

The movie The Fighting Sullivan's was released, memorializing the November 1942 death of the Sullivan brothers, which we've discussed previously.

Off of the Solomon's, the Japanese sank the U.S. Navy light cruiser Juneau, which took 687 men with it, including five brothers of the Irish Catholic Sullivan family of Iowa.

The Sullivans.

It's commonly asserted that after this the U.S. military would not allow siblings to serve together, but in fact many siblings were already serving together in combat in North Africa as members of Federalized National Guard units. Entire towns would end up loosing huge numbers of their male citizens in the combat actions to come. There was a policy change, which relieved a sole survivor from military service, but it did not come until 1943, and was partially due to the deaths of the Borgstrom brothers of Utah as well.  Indeed, the Navy already had a policy precluding siblings from serving on the same vessel, but they did not actively enforce it.

A sister of the Sullivan brothers remained in Navy service.  Indeed, their enlistment in the Navy, or in once case a reenlistment, was to avenge the death of her boyfriend, who died at Peal Harbor.

The Sullivan family was not informed of the death of their sons until 1943, at which time their father was informed of all of their deaths at one time.  The Navy would commission a ship in their honor during the war, and oddly enough, one of the sons of the one of the men lost would later serve as a post-war officer aboard it. That ship has been decommissioned, but a second The Sullivans was commissioned to take its place.  

The current The Sullivans.

The tragic story was also made into a patriotic movie during the war itself, which was released in 1944.

The Sullivan story was the inspiration for the film Saving Private Ryan, although it's obviously in a much different setting.

The Renunciation Act of 1944 made it possible for a US citizen to renounce their citizenship during time of war by applying to the US Attorney General.  The hope was that interned Japanese Americans would do so, so that they could be deported to Japan.

It's doubtful that many would have ever exercised that option, but it should be noted that by this time of the war, the news was dealing with American advances in the Pacific nearly daily.  Hard fighting was occurring, but the Japanese were losing and that was fairly obvious.  Internees had full access to the news and to the extent that this tempted anyone, that surely would have reduced that desire.

Australian lumberjacks, February 3, 1944.  New South Wales.

Wednesday, February 2, 1944. Roi and Namur taken. Battle of Narva begins.

American forces completed offensive actions at Roi and Namur.

Lieutenant Colonel Donald L. Dickson puts up flag on coconut stump. The sign says Namur Press Office. On right is Staff Sergeant Martin Kivel, a Marine Corps Combat Correspondent. February 2, 1944.

Fighting on Kwajalien carried on.

Today in World War II History—February 2, 1944: Soviets enter German-occupied Estonia. In Italy, US II Corps enters outskirts of Cassino town and takes Italian barracks area at Montevilla.

Sarah Sundin's Today in World War II History—February 2, 1944.  Indeed, the Soviets took Vanakula.

As part of this, the Battle of Narva and the Battle for Narva Bridgehead began.

The German force was heavily represented by SS forces, with non-German SS units participating. The German resistance was fierce, and the battle would go on for months.  Estonian conscripts were also used on the Axis side.

The Germans won the Battle of Cisterna, part of the Battle of Anzio, wrecking the Rangers deployed to it.

 PT-216 taking Lieutenant General Mark Clark to the advance command post at the Anzio Beachhead, February 2, 1944.

While an American loss, it did disrupt German plans to launch an assault on the Anzio beachhead.  In a way, therefore, while a German victory, it was a Pyrrhic one.

Kingfisher launch, February 2, 1944.

Monday, January 31, 1944. Landings at Kwajalein.

The Battle of Kwajalein commenced with landings by the 4th Marine Division and the 7th Infantry Division under the command of Marine Corps General Holland "Howlin Mad" Smith, an acknowledged expert on amphibious warfare that some have called the "father of amphibious warfare".

Smith went to Auburn University, graduating in 1901, but his goal was to become an Army officer.  He was already a cavalry 1st Sergeant in the Alabama National Guard.  Nonetheless, following his undergraduate degree, he went to law school and obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree (JD's were not yet common) from the University of Alabama.  He thereafter practiced law in Montgomery, Alabama for a year.

Apparently he had second thoughts about that and determined to revive his interest in joining the Army.  He sought a commission, but none were available, so he instead obtained one from the Marine Corps, entering the Corps on March 20, 1905.  He'd later claim not to have known of the existence of the Marine Corps until the Army recruiter told them they were not accepting applicants, and referred him to the Marine recruiter down the block, although that's almost certain false.  The Marines were well known by 1905, and as he was seeking entry through a direct commission, an application process would have existed, rather than simply joining.

His first assignment as a Marine was in the Philippines.  He first saw action in 1916 in the Dominican Republic.  He was deployed to France in World War One in June 1917.  He was awarded the Purple Heart for service in the Great War, for merit, something that was not done after World War One.  During World War Two, he became instrumental in training both Marine and Army units in amphibious operations.

Smith, during World War Two, tended not to plan for disengagement of his forces once they were committed, something the Army regarded as foolhardy but which reflected the reality of amphibious operations.  The "no plan for retreat" ethos, however, crept into the Marine Corps as a result, and was evidenced in it long after.

He retired in 1946, and lived until 1967, dying at age 84.  His wife had already passed, but he was survived by a son, Rear Admiral John V. Smith, a 1934 Naval Academy graduate.

Sarah Sundin's entry on this event:

Today in World War II History—January 31, 1944: US Army and Marines land on Kwajalein & Majuro in the Marshall Islands, with the first use of the DUKW amphibious vehicle in the Pacific .

The Allies took Majuro in the Marshall's.

U.S. ships at Majuro.

The landing force had expected opposition, but the Japanese had withdrawn to Kwajalein and Eniwetok, leaving a single warrant officer as a caretaker in what must have been an anxiety filled roll.  He was captured, and along with him, one of the largest anchorages in the Pacific. 

The U-592 was sunk by three Royal Navy sloops. All hands were lost.