Wednesday, June 21, 1944. Operation Bagration commences with artillery.

The Red Army commenced Operation Bagration with massive artillery and bombing raids.

Tailed first by a ME109, and then by a dispatched HE111, the Luftwaffe learned that the U.S. Army Air Force was using the Ukrainian airfield at Poltava.  German aircraft shadowed the B-17s headed to Poltava, Ukraine, following a raid.  The Luftwaffe then struck the base at night, destroying 15 P-51 fighters and more than 40 B-17s.  Soviet air defenses were ineffective, and P-51s were not allowed by the Soviets to take off during the raid.

Sarah Sundin's blog has a great photograph taken during this air raid:

Today in World War II History—June 21, 1944

The HMS Fury struck a mine off of Sword Beach and was wrecked.

Meanwhile, the Channel storm continued and was effecting British operations on land.

French refugees pass destroyed German self-propelled gun.

The Battle of Val-de-Saire started on the Cotentin Peninsula.  US troops enter Cherbourg following a massive bombardment.  Intense fighting occurs in Cherbourg and the German commander, Lt. Gen. Von Schlieben ordered the port and navy assets destroyed.  The US attacks towards Saint-Lô in the face of a German order to hold at all costs.

Mail call.  Note how heavily these soldiers are dressed.

Destroyed German artillery, June 21, 1944.

The British 8th Army reached the German Trasimene Line in Italy.

The US 2nd Marine Division captured Mount Tipo Pole and then started fighting for Mount Tapotchau on Saipan.  The 4th Marine Division progressed east on the Kagman Peninsula.

Marines in ox cart, Saipan, June 21, 1944.

The British broke the Siege of Imphal in Burma.

The Royal Navy raided the Andaman islands in an aircraft carrier raid.

Oliver Lyttelton addressed his remarks in front of the American Chamber of Commerce before the House of Commons, stating:

I was trying, in a parenthesis, to make clear the gratitude which this country feels for the help given to us in the war against Germany, before Japan attacked the United States, the words I used, however, when read textually, and apart from the whole tenor of my speech, seemed to mean that the help given us against Germany provoked Japan to attack. This is manifestly untrue. I want to make it quite clear that I do not complain of being misreported, and any misunderstanding is entirely my own fault. I ask the House to believe, however, that the fault was one of expression and not of intention. I hope this apology will undo any harm that the original words may have caused here or in the United States.

Last prior edition:

Tuesday, June 20, 1944. End of the Battle of the Philippine Sea.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, Battle of the Philippine Sea, boats and ships, Disaster, Finland, France, Imperial Japanese Navy, Lithuania, New Britain, Operation Overlord, Outer space, Rocketry, United Kingdom, World War Two

Sunday, June 11, 1944. D+5. Carentan taken.

Photograph taken the moment the No. 1 Cannoneer fires a M3 105 howitzer at Carentan, June 11, 1944.

The U.S. 1st Army captured Carentan and Lison.  The British and Canadians experienced heavy fighting in their effort to take Caen, including the deployment of the most recent German armor. The 46 Royal Marines Commando took Cairon after heavy fighting against the 12th SS Panzer Division Hitlerjugend.  They then took Lasson, Rots and Rosel.

The HMS Halstand was torpedoed and rendered a loss by E-boats off of Normandy.

Gooseberry 1, an artificial breakwater formed from sunken obsolete ships, was in palce.

The French Expeditionary Corps captured Montefascone, Italy.

The US 15th Air Force raided Axis airfields at Focsani, Romania and flew on to Ukraine.

Task Force 58 began raids on Saipan and Tinian, causing the Japanese to lose 36 aircraft, three warships and 30,000 tons of merchant transport.

The USS Missouri was commissioned.  She is now a museum ship at Pearl Harbor.

USS Missouri, Pearl Harbor Hawaii

 USS Missouri viewed from the USS Arizona Memorial.

 Small trailed mortar, probably of a Japanese pattern.

 Dual Bofars 40mm Anti Aircraft guns formally on the USS Missouri.

 The "tears" of the USS Arizona.  Oil slick from oil leaking from the bunkers of the Arizona.

 The spot on which World War Two came to an end on the decks of the Missouri.

 The instrument of surrender.

 Oil from the USS Arizona alongside the USS Missouri.

 Tomahawk Missile platform.

 The location on the USS Missouri where she was hit by a Kamikaze aircraft.  The result was this dent in the side.  The Japanese pilot was buried in a formal burial at sea the following day.

 While not labeled on the ship, these are powder bags for 16 in guns.

Last prior edition:

Saturday, June 10, 1944. D+4. The Oradour-sur-Glane and Distomo Massacres.

Labels: 1940s, 1944, baseball, Distomo Massacre, Eastern Front, French Resistance Movements, German SS, Greek Partisans, Italy, Operation Overlord, Oradour-sur-Glane Massacre, Waffen SS, War Crimes, World War Two