Wednesday, December 23, 1942. Bond Drive Ends.

Today in World War II History—December 23, 1942: 80 Years Ago—Dec. 23, 1942: US First War Loan Drive ends, raising $13 billion (quota was $9 billion). Read more: War Bonds in World War II.

So notes Sarah Sundin.

On the same day, Operation Winter Storm officially ended, dooming the German soldiers at Stalingrad to death or imprisonment at the hands of the Red Army. 

Saturday, December 19, 1942. The storm ends.

Today in World War II History—December 19, 1942: 80 Years Ago—Dec. 19, 1942: Free French take Pichon, Tunisia from Germans.

From Sara Sundin's blog.

Today saw the high water mark of Operation Winter Storm, the German effort to relieve Stalingrad.  German troops advanced to a point 30 miles south of Stalingrad, which is not close in military offensive terms.  They could not advance further, and the trapped forces had insufficient fuel to commence an effort to break out.

Saturday, December 12, 1942. Winter Operations.

The Germans launched Operation Winter Storm, an offensive that aimed to break through to trapped forces at Stalingrad.

Red Army T-34s in Operation Little Saturn.

The Soviets launched Operation Little Saturn on south of the Don.

The Knights of Columbus Hostel fire occurred in St. John's Newfoundland.  The fact that many suspicious items are associated with the fire, that other fire attempts happened in the same locality within a proximate time frame, and that the Catholic hostel housed many military and shipping personnel at the time have caused it to be suspected that the fire arose due to a Nazi act of sabotage.  99 people died as a result of the fire.

Sarah Sundin notes:

Today in World War II History—December 12, 1942: M3 submachine gun enters service with US Army. UCLA football team beats USC for the first time, 14-7; a war bond drive at the game raises $2 million.

The M3 was a wartime design that made use of stamping technology. The goal was to produce a reliable submachine gun at a much lower cost than the competing machined examples that then existed, a goal which was largely achieved.

The U.S. used submachine guns in a much different way than depicted in films and different from the way it was used in many other armies.  Generally they never showed up in the TO&E's of infantry units of any kind, including airborne units.  They did end up in those units, but through unofficial routes.  Submachine guns really served as defensive weapons for armored vehicle crews, for the most part, in the U.S. Army.  The M3 occupied that role into the 1990s.

Solider armed with M3 guarding German prisoners during Operation Overlord.  The jeep is unusual in that it's had a back deck extension afixed to it.

The M3 was nicknamed the "Grease Gun" due to its resemblance to that tool by U.S. troops.

As it was a Saturday, the Saturday weekly magazines were out.

The Saturday Evening Post had an illustration of a hunting dog by tools of the trade and a photo of its owner, now in the service.

Colliers had an illustration by Polish artist Arthur Szyk in his unique style depicting the Japanese allegorically as a bat over Pearl Harbor.