Showing posts with label U.S. Navy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S. Navy. Show all posts

Friday, July 25, 2025

Wednesday, July 25, 1945. Truman orders the atomic bomb used on Japan.

Truman ordered the bomb dropped on Japan.  The news was conveyed to the military to accomplish the act.

The Potsdam Conference took a recess so that the British delegation could return to the UK to hear the election results.

Marshall Pétain spoke at his trial for the first time, stating he was deaf and had not heard a thing that had been said in court up to that time.

American cruisers Pasadena, Springfield, Wilkes-Barre and Astoria bombarded Japanese air bases in southern Honshu. 

US aircraft attacked Kure naval base and the airfields at Nagoya, Osaka and Miho for a second day, sinking the battleships Hyuga, Ise, and Haruna, the escort carrier Kaiyo and the heavy cruisers Aoba and Iwate are all sunk. The Japanese put up no resistance.

The US declared that Mindanao was free of organized Japanese resistance.

The Japanese pulled out of Taunggyi in the Shan states, Burma.

British naval and air units continued attacks on Japanese positions and transportation targets on the west coast of Malaya.

Last edition:

Tuesday, July 24, 1945. An unsurprised Stalin.

Thursday, July 24, 2025

Tuesday, July 24, 1945. An unsurprised Stalin.

Truman told Stalin that the US had a new and very powerful weapon that was going to be deployed against Japan, but did not provide the specifics.

Stalin, thanks to deep penetration of the US government by Soviet intelligence, already knew about the Manhattan Project and what it was about, so this was not that much of a surprise.  Stalin had actually known about the Manhattan Project three years prior to Truman knowing about it.

The Navy began to bombard Kure, Japan.

Japanese freighter hit from carrier-based aircraft near Tsugaru-Kaikyo, east of Hokkaido, Japan.

North American P-51C-11-NT of the 311th FG, 14th AF, escorting C-47s over China on July 24, 1945.

Last edition:

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

Sunday, July 22, 1945. Open to negotiations, but not threats.

Japanese forces attempting to breakout of the Pegu Hills suffered heavy casualties.

US Task Force 92 bombarded Paramushiro in the Kurile Islands.

Nine U.S. destroyers penetrated Tokyo Bay under the cover of a storm.

The Japanese government announced that it was open to peace negotiations, but not to threats.

Allied military police were allowed to cross into any zone in Berlin.

Adele Jergens was the pinup.

Last edition:

Sunday, July 20, 2025

Friday, July 20, 1945. Mistakes were made.


Belgian Prime Minister Achille Van Acker asked King Leopold III to abdicate for his "grave and unpardonable mistakes."

This entire controversy, largely forgotten outside of Belgium, where it would simmer for years, is hard to grasp, but it started with the unpopular move of surrendering to Germany, which was not supported by the Belgian people.  He did not cooperate with the Nazis during the war and in fact was imprisoned during the war, but that did not suffice for people to forgive him.  Additionally, he remarried during the war, being a widower, which people also held against him, as the poster above alludes to.

Churchill, Truman and Stalin continued to confer on politics and strategy,

US troops landed and took Balut Island in the Philippines.

Air raids over Japan continued, with P-51s now joining the effort as fighter bombers.


"Temporary location of the Industrial Dept. At the U.S. Naval Repair Base. Okinawa. 20 July, 1945.
Photographer: McGill, 3241 Sig. Photo Dept. Photo Source: U.S. National Archives. Digitized by Signal Corps Archive."

Last edition:

Friday, July 18, 2025

Wednesday, July 18, 1945. Explosions.

President Truman informed Prime Minister Churchill that the atomic bomb test had been successful in a stating: "Babies satisfactorily born." 

Not so coincidently, American interest in Soviet participation in the war against Japan was noticeably lessened.


A fire broke out on the jetty of the Bedford Magazine during the evening causing a chain reaction of fires, explosions, and concussions that continued for more than 24 hours.  Fifteen people were killed.

Captured German mines in Italy exploded destroying an American Red Cross club resulting in the death of 36 people.

Aircraft from the USS Wasp attacked Wake Island.

The U.S. Army Air Force, flying out of Okinawa, bombed Kiangwan airfield near Shanghai.

The Brazilian Expeditionary Force parades through Rio de Janeiro marking its return from Italy.

The Belgian senate voted to forbid the return of Leopold III.

Last edition:

Tuesday, July 17, 1945. The Potsdam Conference begins.

Tuesday, July 15, 2025

Sunday, July 15, 1945. Lifting the blackout.

The U.S. surface naval raid on the Japanese home islands continued with the bombardment of Muroran, a steel making location.  Air Force and Navy air raids also continued.

Australian troops captured Mount Batochampar on Borneo.

Blackout restrictions on London's West End were lifted.

Belgium's King Leopold III again refused to abdicate.

Last edition:

Saturday, July 14, 1945. Verboten und Nicht Verboten

Tuesday, July 8, 2025

Sunday, July 8, 1945. The Camp Salina Massacre.

Private Clarence V. Bertucci murdered nine German POWs at the POW camp at Salina, Utah.  He fired a Browning M1917 into their lodgings, only stopping when he ran out of ammunition.

Nineteen were wounded.

Bertucci, who had a previous court martial from his time in the UK, did not deny the killing and was court martialed and found insane.  The New Orleans native died in New Orleans in 1969 at age 48.

Australian troops landed at Penajam, Borneo.

From Sarah Sundin's blog:

Today in World War II History—July 8, 1940 & 1945: 80 Years Ago—July 8, 1945: Only international sub-to-sub rescue in history: USS Cod rescues crew of stranded Dutch submarine O-19 in the South China Sea.

The USS Saipan was launched.


She's serve until 1970.

Last edition:

Saturday, July 7, 1945. Japanese killings.

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Thursday, July 1, 1915. Synchronization Gear.

South African forces under Louis Botha defeated German colonial forces at the Battle of Otavi in German South West Africa with assistance from Canada, Great Britain, Portugal and Portuguese Angola. 

The Battle of Gully Ravine started at Gallipoli.  Two Victoria Cross awards would occur due to today's actions.

German fighter pilot Kurt Wintgens became the first person to shoot down a plane using a machine gun equipped with synchronization gear, starting the "Fokker Scourge".


Of the event, he wrote:

Dear Karl:

Unfortunately I gave you the wrong address last time, for during my voyage to Mühlhausen I got a different destination and for the time being I am with the Bavarian (unit) Abteilung 6b. Up to now nothing of real interest happened. In Mannheim I had tested the machine and then from Strasbourg by air to the Front, where lately a (Morane) Parasol fighter monoplane à la Garros had made its presence felt.

I had flown to the Front a couple of times without seeing an opponent, until yesterday evening when the big moment came. Time: 6:00 o'clock. Place: east of Lunéville. Altitude: between 2,000 and 2,500 m. Suddenly I notice a monoplane in front of me, about 300 m higher. And at the same moment he had already dived in front of me, fiercely firing his machine gun decently. But as I, at once, dived in an opposite direction under him, he missed wildly. After four attacks I reached his altitude in a large turn, and now my machine gun did some talking. I attacked at such a close distance that we looked each other into the face.

After my third attack he did the most stupid thing that he could do – he fled. I turned the crate on the spot and had him at once, beautifully, in my (gun)sight. Rapid fire for about four seconds, and down went his nose. I could follow him until 500 meters, then, unfortunately, I was fired upon from the ground too hotly; the fight (now) being far over the French lines. Hopefully, I'll soon meet a biplane.

Cordial greetings and so long,

Your friend,

— Kurt"

He'd be killed in action in September, 1916.

The US Navy started the Office of Naval Aeronautics.

The United States Forest Service combined the Jemez National Forest and Pecos National Forest in northern New Mexico to establish the Santa Fe National Forest, which luckily for us today was not hacked up to be sold by Sen. Mike Lee.

The Moapa National Forest was absorbed into the Toiyabe National Forest in Nevada, which fortunately Mike Lee has to keep his hands off of for the time being.

New York City established in the Child Welfare Board.

Blues great Willie Dixon was born.

Last edition:

Wednesday, June 30, 1915. Armenian massacre.

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Thursday, June 28, 1945. Moving in new directions.

Stricken plane landing on aircraft carrier, June 28, 1945.

While 23,000 Japanese troops remained in the field, in isolated areas, MacArthur announced that operations on Luzon were complete.

They weren't, really.  The 8th Army and the Filipinos would remain to mop the remainder up.

The Soviet backed Provisional Government of National Unity in Poland, made up of  the PPR: 7 ministers, Socialist Party: 6 ministers, People's Party: 3 ministers, PSL: 3 ministers and  Democratic Party: 2 ministers, was formed.

The Polish Government in Exile did not recognize it, although several of its members were from the Government in Exile.

The last B-24 to be produced at Ford's Michigan Willow Run plant was completed.

Last edition:

Wednesday, June 27, 1945. Giving Japan a warning.

Friday, June 27, 2025

Wednesday, June 27, 1945. Giving Japan a warning.

Under Secretary of the Navy Ralph Bard suggested giving Japan a warning about the atomic bomb.

US forces completed the occupation of Luzon's Cagayan Valley.  The island is accordingly nearly fully under US control.

The I-165 was sunk east of Saipan by a US PV-2 Harpoon.

The USS Bunker Hill was struck by a kamikaze resulting in the death of 373 men.

Dr. Emil Hacha, age 73, the former president of the German sponsored "Bohemia-Moravia Protectorate," died in the Prague prison hospital while awaiting trial.

Edward Stettinius resigned as Secretary of State to take up the post of ambassador to the United Nations.

Last edition:

Tuesday, June 26, 1945. The United Nations Charter signed, Manhattan Project scientists worry, Marilyn appears in Yank,

Tuesday, June 10, 2025

Sunday, June 10, 1945. Action in the Far East.

Today in World War II History—June 10, 1940 & 1945: 80 Years Ago—June 10, 1945: Australian troops land at Brunei on Japanese-occupied Borneo, an important port, and capture Labuan airfield.

Sarah Sundin's blog.  It was, we'd note, a largescale operation.

The also landed at Labuan and Muara.

The Battle of Porten Plantation ended in a Japanese victory.

US and Philippine forces prevailed at Davao.

The USS William D. Porter was sunk off of Okinawa by kamikazes.

"A guncrew of the 383rd Inf. Regt. loads a shell into the new 57mm recoiless rifle to fire against Jap pillboxes and caves on Okinawa. 10 June, 1945. 383rd Infantry Regiment, 96th Infantry Division."  This is the first photograph of a recoiless rifle being used in World War Two that I've seen.  It's sometimes debated if they saw action in the war at all, but clearly they did.

The Chinese Army took Wenchow..

Japanese Prime Minister Suzuki is granted dictatorial powers by the Imperial Diet.

Last edition: 

Saturday, June 9, 1945. Parade.

Thursday, June 5, 2025

Thursday, June 5, 1975. Reopening the Suez Canal.

The Suez Canal reopened for the first time since the Six Day War, with the USS Little Rock making the first transit.


Voters in the United Kingdom voted to say in the European Community by  a margin of 17,378,581 to 8,470,073.

Last edition:

Tuesday, June 3, 1975. New rules for boys and girls.

Tuesday, June 5, 1945. The Berlin Declaration.


The Berlin Declaration was signed by the United States, USSR, Britain and France, confirming the complete legal dissolution of the German state.

Declaration regarding the defeat of Germany and the assumption of supreme authority with respect to Germany by the Governments of the United States of America, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom and the Provisional Government of the French Republic.

The German armed forces on land, at sea and in the air have been completely defeated and have surrendered unconditionally and Germany, which bears responsibility for the war, is no longer capable of resisting the will of the victorious Powers. The unconditional surrender of Germany has thereby been effected, and Germany has become subject to such requirements as may now or hereafter be imposed upon her.

There is no central Government or authority in Germany capable of accepting responsibility for the maintenance of order, the administration of the country and compliance with the requirements of the victorious Powers.

It is in these circumstances necessary, without prejudice to any subsequent decisions that may be taken respecting Germany, to make provision for the cessation of any further hostilities on the part of the German armed forces, for the maintenance of order in Germany and for the administration of the country, and to announce the immediate requirements with which Germany must comply.

The Representatives of the Supreme Commands of the United States of America, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the United Kingdom and the French Republic, hereinafter called the "Allied Representatives," acting by authority of their respective Governments and in the interests of the United Nations, accordingly make the following Declaration:

The Governments of the United States of America, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom, and the Provisional Government of the French Republic, hereby assume supreme authority with respect to Germany, including all the powers possessed by the German Government, the High Command and any state, municipal, or local government or authority. The assumption, for the purposes stated above, of the said authority and powers does not affect the annexation of Germany.

The Governments of the United States of America, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom, and the Provisional Government of the French Republic, will hereafter determine the boundaries of Germany or any part thereof and the status of Germany or of any area at present being part of German territory.

In virtue of the supreme authority and powers thus assumed by the four Governments, the Allied Representatives announce the following requirements arising from the complete defeat and unconditional surrender of Germany with which Germany must comply:

ARTICLE 1

Germany, and all German military, naval and air authorities and all forces under German control shall immediately cease hostilities in all theatres of war against the forces of the United Nations on land, at sea and in the air.

ARTICLE 2

(a) All armed forces of Germany or under German control, wherever they may be situated, including land, air, anti-aircraft and naval forces, the S.S., S.A. and Gestapo, and all other forces of auxiliary organisations equipped with weapons, shall be completely disarmed, handing over their weapons and equipment to local Allied Commanders or to officers designated by the Allied Representatives

(b) The personnel of the formations and units of all the forces referred to in paragraph (a) above shall, at the discretion of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Allied State concerned, be declared to be prisoners of war, pending further decisions, and shall be subject to such conditions and directions as may be prescribed by the respective Allied Representatives.

(c) All forces referred to in paragraph (a) above, wherever they may be, will remain in their present positions pending instructions from the Allied Representatives.

(d) Evacuation by the said forces of all territories outside the frontiers of Germany as they existed on the 31st December, 1937, will proceed according to instructions to be given by the Allied Representatives.

(e) Detachments of civil police to be armed with small arms only, for the maintenance of order and for guard duties, will be designated by the Allied Representatives.

ARTICLE 3

(a) All aircraft of any kind or nationality in Germany or German-occupied or controlled territories or waters, military, naval or civil, other than aircraft in the service of the Allies, will remain on the ground, on the water or aboard ships pending further instructions.

(b) All German or German-controlled aircraft in or over territories or waters not occupied or controlled by Germany will proceed to Germany or to such other place or places as may be specified by the Allied Representatives.

ARTICLE 4

(a) All German or German-controlled naval vessels, surface and submarine, auxiliary naval craft, and merchant and other shipping, wherever such vessels may be at the time of this Declaration, and all other merchant ships of whatever nationality in German ports, will remain in or proceed immediately to ports and bases as specified by the Allied Representatives. The crews of such vessels will remain on board pending further instructions.

(b) All ships and vessels of the United Nations, whether or not title has been transferred as the result of prize court or other proceedings, which are at the disposal of Germany or under German control at the time of this Declaration, will proceed at the dates and to the ports or bases specified by the Allied Representatives.

ARTICLE 5

(a) All or any of the following articles in the possession of the German armed forces or under German control or at German disposal will be held intact and in good condition at the disposal of the Allied Representatives, for such purposes and at such times and places as they may prescribe:

(i) all arms, ammunition, explosives, military equipment, stores and supplies and other implements of war of all kinds and all other war materials;

(ii) all naval vessels of all classes, both surface and submarine, auxiliary naval craft and all merchant shipping, whether afloat, under repair or construction, built or building;

(iii) all aircraft of all kinds, aviation and anti-aircraft equipment and devices;

(iv) all transportation and communications facilities and equipment, by land, water or air;

(v) all military installations and establishments, including airfields, seaplane bases, ports and naval bases, storage depots, permanent and temporary land and coast fortifications, fortresses and other fortified areas, together with plans and drawings of all such fortifications, installations and establishments;

(vi) all factories, plants, shops, research institutions, laboratories, testing stations, technical data, patents, plans, drawings and inventions, designed or intended to produce or to facilitate the production or use of the articles, materials, and facilities referred to in sub-paragraphs (i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and (v) above or otherwise to further the conduct of war.

(b) At the demand of the Allied Representatives the following will be furnished:

(i) the labour, services and plant required for the maintenance or operation of any of the six categories mentioned in paragraph (a) above; and

(ii) any information or records that may be required by the Allied Representatives in connection with the same.

(c) At the demand of the Allied Representatives all facilities will be provided for the movement of Allied troops and agencies, their equipment and supplies, on the railways, roads and other land communications or by sea, river or air. All means of transportation will be maintained in good order and repair, and the labour, services and plant necessary therefor will be furnished.

ARTICLE 6

(a) The German authorities will release to the Allied Representatives, in accordance with the procedure to be laid down by them, all prisoners of war at present in their power, belonging to the forces of the United Nations, and will furnish full lists of these persons, indicating the places of their detention in Germany or territory occupied by Germany. Pending the release of such prisoners of war, the German authorities and people will protect them in their persons and property and provide them with adequate food, clothing, shelter, medical attention and money in accordance with their rank or official position.

(b) The German authorities and people will in like manner provide for and release all other nationals of the United Nations who are confined, interned or otherwise under restraint, and all other persons who may be confined, interned or otherwise under restraint for political reasons or as a result of any Nazi action, law or regulation which discriminates on the ground of race, colour, creed or political belief.

(c) The German authorities will, at the demand of the Allied Representatives, hand over control of places of detention to such officers as may be designated for the purpose by the Allied Representatives.

ARTICLE 7

The German authorities concerned will furnish to the Allied Representatives:

(a) full information regarding the forces referred to in Article 2 (a), and, in particular, will furnish forthwith all information which the Allied Representatives may require concerning the numbers, locations and dispositions of such forces, whether located inside or outside Germany;

(b) complete and detailed information concerning mines, minefields and other obstacles to movement by land, sea or air, and the safety lanes in connection therewith. All such safety lanes will be kept open and clearly marked; all mines, minefields and other dangerous obstacles will as far as possible be rendered safe, and all aids to navigation will be reinstated. Unarmed German military and civilian personnel with the necessary equipment will be made available and utilized for the above purposes and for the removal of mines, minefields and other obstacles as directed by the Allied Representatives.

ARTICLE 8

There shall be no destruction, removal, concealment, transfer or scuttling of, or damage to, any military, naval, air, shipping, port, industrial and other like property and facilities and all records and archives, wherever they may be situated, except as may be directed by the Allied Representatives.

ARTICLE 9

Pending the institution of control by the Allied Representatives over all means of communication, all radio and telecommunication installations and other forms of wire or wireless communications, whether ashore or afloat, under German control, will cease transmission except as directed by the Allied Representatives.

ARTICLE 10

The forces, ships, aircraft, military equipment, and other property in Germany or in German control or service or at German disposal, of any other country at war with any of the Allies, will be subject to the provisions of this Declaration and of any proclamations, orders, ordinances or instructions issued thereunder.

ARTICLE 11

(a) The principal Nazi leaders as specified by the Allied Representatives, and all persons from time to time named or designated by rank, office or employment by the Allied Representatives as being suspected of having committed, ordered or abetted war crimes or analogous offences, will be apprehended and surrendered to the Allied Representatives.

(b) The same will apply in the case of any national of any of the United Nations who is alleged to have committed an offence against his national law, and who may at any time be named or designated by rank, office or employment by the Allied Representatives.

(c) The German authorities and people will comply with any instructions given by the Allied Representatives for the apprehension and surrender of such persons.

ARTICLE 12

The Allied Representatives will station forces and civil agencies in any or all parts of Germany as they may determine.

ARTICLE 13

(a) In the exercise of the supreme authority with respect to Germany assumed by the Governments of the United States of America, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Kingdom, and the Provisional Government of the French Republic, the four Allied Governments will take such steps, including the complete disarmament and demilitarization of Germany, as they deem requisite for future peace and security.

(b) The Allied Representatives will impose on Germany additional political, administrative, economic, financial, military and other requirements arising from the complete defeat of Germany. The Allied Representatives, or persons or agencies duly designated to act on their authority, will issue proclamations, orders, ordinances and instructions for the purpose of laying down such additional requirements, and of giving effect to the other provisions of this Declaration. All German authorities and the German people shall carry out unconditionally the requirements of the Allied Representatives, and shall fully comply with all such proclamations, orders, ordinances and instructions.

ARTICLE 14

This Declaration enters into force and effect at the date and hour set forth below. In the event of failure on the part of the German authorities or people promptly and completely to fulfill their obligations hereby or hereafter imposed, the Allied Representatives will take whatever action may be deemed by them to be appropriate under the circumstances.

ARTICLE 15

This Declaration is drawn up in the English, Russian, French and German languages. The English, Russian and French are the only authentic texts.

BERLIN, GERMANY, June 5, 1945.

Signed at 1800 hours, Berlin time, by

Dwight D. Eisenhower,

General of the Army USA;

Zhukov,

Marshal of the Soviet Union;

B. L. Montgomery,

Field Marshal, Great Britain;

De Lattre de Tassisny,

French Provisional Government.

The U.S. Army Air Force dropped 3,000 tons of incendiary bombs on Kobe, Japan. 

The 37th Infantry Division occupied Aritao on Luzon.

More hard fighting on Okinawa occurred and a sudden typhoon damaged 4 battleships, 8 aircraft carriers, 7 cruisers, 14 destroyers, 2 tankers, and and ammunition transport ship, of the US 3rd Fleet.

A Kamikaze attack crippled the USS Mississippi and the heavy cruiser USS Louisville.

Esquire magazines second class mailing privileges were restored by a US appellate court after having been suspended due to the feature of Vargas Girl pinups, which foreshadowed Playboy Playmates.  The decision was appealed to the United States Supreme Court which upheld the decision, unfortunately, in 1946.

This demonstrates that the widespread public acceptance of pornography was already occurring in advance of the 1953 introduction of Playboy, so the trend we've discussed here in other threads was already underway with the Courts frustrating efforts to restrict the development.  This also, we'd note, runs a bit counter to the heavy attribution we've attached to Hefner's rag, because, as noted, the trend was underway, although Esquire's depictions were illustrations, rather than photographs.  To a certain degree, the U.S. Army publication Yank had headed in the same direction, with its centerfolds, although they were always full clothed.

It wasn't a good trend.

Last edition:

Monday, June 4, 1945. Marines land on the Oroku Peninsula on Okinawa.