Monday, May 8, 1944. Red Army defeated in Romania again.

The Second Battle of Târgu Frumos ended in Axis victory, as had the first, thereby preserving Romania from Soviet occupation for the time being.

Meanwhile, Romanian troops, along with Germans, were being evacuated from Sevastopol and Crimea.  It can't help but be noted that at this point in the war, Romania desperately needed Romanian troops in Romania.  Of course, they had figured prominently in the Axis advance into Ukraine, including Crimea, earlier.

Irrespective of the Axis victory near their country, the Czechoslovak government in exile granted permission for the Red Army to enter and liberate their country in a convention in London.  Clearly, they could see what was coming.

Gen. Eisenhower selected June 5 as the new date for the commencement of Operation Overlord.

The U.S. Senate voted to extend Lend Lease to June 1945.  Wait until Marjorie Taylor Greene hears about that . . . 

A TBM-1C making a training flight over Cape Cod went down when a fuse went off on a 100 lb bomb the lane was carrying caught on fire. The pilot attempted to and the plane but the open bomb bay doors rapidly sank it, taking the crew,  Lt.(Jg.) Norwood H. Dobson, (27),  AOM3/c John William Dahlstrom and ARM3/c Arthur N. Levesque down with it.

Sgt Floyd A. Ott, Jerone, Idaho, of 41st Div., cleans rust off M2 machine gun by means of a buffer. Hollandia, New Guinea. 8 May, 1944.  The gun may very well still be in service.

Last prior edition:

Sunday, May 7, 1944. Hitting Berlin, Assaulting Sapun.

1940s, 1944, Berlin Germany, boats and ships, Canadian Navy, Crimea, Franklin Roosevelt, New Guinea, Polish Army, Red Army, Royal Air Force, Siege of Sevastopol, U.S. Air Force, Weapons, World War Two

Tuesday, May 2, 1944. Sensing a change.

As true now, as then.

The Second Battle of Târgu Frumos began in Romania, which would provide another example of the Red Army not doing well in its Romanian campaigns at this point in the war.

A Swordfish sank a second German submarine, the U-674, in consecutive days, in the Arctic.

The USS Parrott collided with the John Morton at Norfolk, Virginia and was severely damaged. It was never repaired.

Span stopped exporting tungsten to Germany under Allied pressure, a move that was risky given the German proclivity for invading allies that attempted to pack out of association with them.

In perhaps an even riskier move, the management of the Aubert and Duval steel works at Ancizes, France shut the plant down in cooperation with the French Resistance.

Or was it that it was obvious in France, and Spain, that the Germans would soon be leaving?

Last prior edition:

Monday, May 1, 1944. Unmet expectations.

1940s, 1944, boats and ships, Caroline Islands, Dwight Eisenhower, George S. Patton, Greece, Greek Partisans, Office of Strategic Services, Operation Overlord, Special Operations Executive, World War Two