We Remember:
1939: The Foreign Office learns that Germany will be in a state of complete military readiness on the 15th. (Andy Etherington)
Karl Burckhardt, Commissioner of the League of Nations in Danzig, is summoned to see Hitler in Berchtesgaden. Ciano and Ribbentrop meet in Salzburg, and when Ciano asks Ribbentrop whether Germany wants the 'Polish Corridor' or Danzig, Ribbentrop replies, 'Not that any more. We want war.' (Andy Etherington)
Gauleiter Forster warns Danzig Nazis to be prepared for anything. (Andy Etherington)
The balance of the Anglo-French delegation finally arrives in Moscow. It is agreed to start talks the next day. (Andy Etherington)
1940: RAF Fighter Command: Weather, fine. 38 Luftwaffe and 32 RAF planes are downed in air battles today. Dover and Portland heavily attacked. Several senior Luftwaffe officers killed or captured. Convoys off east coast attacked. At night Merseyside and the Bristol Channel are mined. Bombs fall for the first time on York and heavy raids are reported on Bristol and Plymouth. At night a Bristol searchlight team hold a He111H in their beam long enough for a Hurricane of 10 Group to bring about the Groups first night success. (Andy Etherington)
RAF2 Group: 2 Blenheims of 604 Squadron escorted by 3 Spitfires of 152 Squadron attempted to set fire to waterborne He59s off France. 4 Group (Whitley). Bombs oil refineries at Gelsenkirchen and Frankfurt. (Andy Etherington)
Italian troops attack British forces at Tug Argan in British Somaliland. (Andy Etherington)
The US government is to supply Britain with 4,000 tanks. (Andy Etherington)
1941: Finnish attacks south of Lake Ladoga reach Vuosalmi.
President Franklin D Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill confer twice today aboard the US heavy cruiser USS Augusta (CA-31) in Placentia Bay, Argentia, Newfoundland. (Jack McKillop)
In the U.S., Glenn Miller and his Orchestra record "Elmer's Tune" on Bluebird Records. (Jack McKillop)
1942: MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Operation PEDESTAL, a convoy bringing supplies from the U.K. to Malta, passes through the Straits of Gibraltar during the night of 10/11 August. The convoy of 14 merchant ships is escorted by two battleships, HMS Nelson (28) and Rodney (29); four aircraft carriers, HMS Eagle (94), Furious (47), Indomitable (92) and Victorious (38); seven light cruisers, HMS Cairo (D 87), Charybdis (88), Kenya (14), Manchester (15), Nigeria (60), Phoebe (43) and Sirius (82); 33 destroyers; two tugs; four corvettes; four minesweepers; and seven motor launches from Malta. The Germans and Italians begins attack the convoy and In the late morning, the German submarine U-73 maneuvers past four destroyers, and from a distance of 500 yards (457 meters), fires four torpedoes at HMS Eagle.which strike the carrier on the port side. The ship sinks within six minutes about 80 nautical miles (148 kilometers) north of Algiers, Algeria (38.05N, 03.02E). Two officers and 158 ratin
gs (enlisted men) are lost but 927 crewmen survive and are picked up by two destroyers and a tug. (Alex Gordon and Jack McKillop)
Australian forces retreat 5 miles from Deniki toward Templeton's Crossing on the Kokoda Trail. They are approaching the summit of the Owen Stanley Mountains in their retreat towards Port Morsby, New Guinea.
German forces capture Soviet positions at Kalach on the west bank of the Don.
In the Aleutian Islands, a B-24 Liberator of the US 11th Air Force flies photo reconnaissance over western Semichi Island and the north coast of Attu Island. (Jack McKillop)
On Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, 6 IJN A6M "Zekes," based on Rabaul,
strafe US Marines working on Henderson Field. (Jack McKillop)
In the U.S., the motion picture "Wake Island" is released. This war drama depicting the Marines defense of Wake Island in December 1941, is directed by John Farrow and stars Brian Donlevy, Robert Preston, Macdonald Carey, Albert Dekker, Barbara Britton, William Bendix, Walter Abel and Rod Cameron; Hugh Beaumont, Hillary Brooke, Dane Clark, Alan Hale, Jr.and Richard Loo appear in uncredited roles. The film is nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor (Bendix). Brian Donlevy, who played Marine Major Geoffrey Caton in the film, was born in County Armagh, Ireland, and at age 14 (he lied and said he was 16), joined the U.S. Army and served with "Black Jack" Pershing during the Mexican expedition against Pancho Villa. During World War I, he was a pilot with the Lafayette Escadrille and after the war, he spent two years at the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, but gave up on a military career for the stage. (Jack McKillo
p)
1943: Last night another landing on Sicily, east of Cape Orlando, at Brolo is made by US forces. The Germans fall back quickly.
AMPLIFYING THE ABOVE
German forces begin a six-day evacuation of Sicily. Over the next six days and seven nights, the Germans evacuated 39,569 troops, 47 tanks, 94 heavy guns, 9,605 vehicles and 2,000+ tons of ammunition to Italy from Messina. In addition, 60,000 Italian troops were evacuated. (Jack McKillop)
30 miles west of Kharkov the Red Army cuts the Poltava--Kharkov railroad.
In the Aleutian Islands, the US Eleventh Air Force dispatches B-24s, B-25 Mitchells, A-24 Dauntlesses, and P-38 Lightnings to pound Kiska Island targets in 11 attack missions; later, 10 reconnaissance, strafing and photo missions to Kiska are flown by 3 P-38s, 26 P-40s, 4 F-5A Lightnings and a B-24. In the Kurile Islands, 9 B-24s from Attu Island drop bombs and incendiaries on Paramushiru Island, including Kashiwabara Airfield and Shimushu Island where the Kataoka naval base and staging area are hit. 40 enemy aircraft challenge the attackers, which score 4 confirmed kills, 1 probable, and 4 possibles. (Jack McKillop)
In Canada, the Quebec Conference begins. President Franklin D Roosevelt and
Prime Minister Winston S Churchill discuss the entire spectrum of world
operations and decide on the future action of Anglo-US armed forces. (Jack McKillop)
In the Solomon Islands, 5 US Thirteenth Air Force B-24s hit a supply area on the eastern side of Suavanau Point, Santa Isabel Island and on Papatura Fa Island. (Jack McKillop)
ATLANTIC OCEAN: Three German submarines are sunk:
- U-468 is sunk about 210 nautical miles (389 kilometers) southwest of Dakar, French West Africa (12.20N, 20.07W), by depth charges from British Liberator Mk V of No 200 Squadron based at RAF Yundum, Gambia; the Liberator is shot down by the U-boat crew. seven of the 51 U-boat crewmen survive.
- U-525 is sunk about 566 nautical miles (1 048 kilometers) west-northwest of Lagens Field, Azores Islands (41.29N, 38.55W), by depth charges and aerial torpedoes from a TBF Avenger and an F4F Wildcat of Composite Squadron One (VC-1) in the American escort aircraft carrier USS Card (CVE-11). All hand on the U-boat, 54-men, are lost.
- U-604 is scuttled by her crew about 834 nautical miles (1 544 kilometers) east of Natal, Brazil (04.30S, 21.20W). The U-boat had been severely damaged by four Mark 47 depth charges from an American PV-1 Ventura of Bombing Squadron One Hundred Twenty Nine (VB-129) based at NAF Ipitanga, Bahia, Brazil on 30 July. The crew of the PV-1 had spotted the U-boat on the surface and after attacking, the U-boat submerged, resurfaced and submerged again. On 3 August, U-604 was again attacked by American PB4Y-1 Liberators of Patrol Squadron One Hundred Seven (VP-107) based at NAF Natal, Brazil and the American destroyer USS Moffett (DD-362). The U-boat is so damaged that her crew scuttles her and they are taken aboard U-172 and U-185 for the voyage home; 31 of the 45-man crew survives. (Jack McKillop)
1944: Hitler refuses FM Kluge request to withdraw from Mortain.
US forces cross the Loire River in France.
South of Lake Peipus a new offensive begins by the Soviet 3rd Baltic Front.
In the Kurile Islands, 4 Eleventh Air Force B-24s and 2 F-7 Liberators bomb Suribachi Airfield on Paramushiru Island. They are attacked by 15-20 Japanese fighters and the Americans claim 3 fighters shot down. (Jack McKillop)
The US Eighth Air Force in England flies 3 missions today (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of bombers attacking the target).
- Mission 541: 660 bombers and 300+ fighters, in 5 forces, are dispatched to attack 13 marshalling yards, fuel dumps, airfields, and targets of opportunity, in northeastern France and the Paris area; 4 bombers are lost (1) B-17 Flying Fortresses attack Belfort (76) and Mulhouse (76) marshalling yards and 1 B-17 hit a target of opportunity. (2) B-24s bomb Coulommiers Airfield (47), Pacy-sur-Armancon (36) and St Florentin (34). (3) 76 B-17s bomb the Villacoublay aircraft depot; 1 B-17 is lost. (4) 45 B-24s attack Toussus le Noble Airfield; 9 others hit Saran Airfield at Orleans. (5) B-24s, bomb the Strasbourg fuel dump (66); marshalling yards at Strasbourg (65) and Saarbrucken (60); Nivelles Airfield (10) and 1 hits a target of opportunity; 3 B-24s are lost.
- Mission 542: 275 B-17s attack 23 arsenal areas, barracks, concrete
emplacements and heavy artillery posts in and around Brest, France; 1 B-17 is lost. Mission 541 and 542 are escorted by 356 P-38s and P-51 Mustangs; 1
P-51 is lost.
- Mission 543: 1 B-17 flies a Micro H test against La Chenaie rail bridge. Escort is provided by 7 P-47 Thunderbolts.
- Mission 544: 6 B-17s drop leaflets in Franc during the night.
- 165 P-47s fly a fighter sweep of the Paris area; they claim 5-0-0
Luftwaffe aircraft.
- 28 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France. (Jack McKillop)
In France, the US Ninth Air Force sends A-20 Havocs and B-26 Marauders to
attack bridges at Montrichard, Oissel, Fismes, and Creil/Saint-
defenses at Ile de Cezembre and Saint-Malo, and an ammunition dump at Foret
de Roumare; fighters cover the assault area, escort IX Bomber Command
aircraft, and fly armed reconnaissance in the battle area and extensively
over northern France (Jack McKillop)
BAY OF BISCAY: German submarine U-385 is sunk about 64 nautical miles (118 kilometers) south-southwest of its' base at Saint-Nazaire, France (46.16N, 02.45W) by depth charges from the British sloop HMS Starling (U 66) and depth charges from an Australian Sunderland Mk III of No. 461 Squadron based at Pembroke Dock, Wales; 42 of the U-boat crew of 43 survive. (Jack McKillop)
FRANCE: German submarine U-967 is scuttled in Toulon; two crewmen die. (Jack McKillop)
Radar-equipped B-24s of the US Thirteenth Air Force based on Los Negros
Island, attack Japanese airfields and defenses in the Palau Islands during
the night of 11/12 August. (Jack McKillop)
An electric-powered rescue hoist is installed on a USCG HNS-1 helicopter at CGAS Floyd Bennett Field, New York. During the ensuing 4-day test period, in which flights are conducted over Jamaica Bay, the feasibility of rescuing personnel from the water and of transferring personnel and equipment to and from underway boats is demonstrated. In late September, a hydraulic hoist, which overcomes basic disadvantages of the electric hoist, is installed and successfully tested, leading to its adoption for service use. (Jack McKillop)
1945: Japan: Government Deliberations: Shortly after midnight Japan receives unofficial notification of the rejection of Japan's conditional acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration.
The Chief of Staff for the Army and Navy meet with Hirohito. They review the US response and offer their advice. "Reject the impertinent terms and fight to the very last." Hirohito realizes that they have not really heard his desire on the 10th to end the war.
Professor Asada, after investigating Hiroshima, returns to Osaka University. He has a visitor, Lt. Saito from the Etajima Naval Academy. He reports that his commanding officer has deduced that the Hiroshima bomb was a mixture of magnesium and oxygen. There was not much more to fear from this new bomb than conventional bombs. There were 3 notations: 1) A special bomb was used; 2) burns can be prevented by covering the body; 3) rumor has it that the same kind of bomb will be dropped on Tokyo on August 12.
Professor Asada is shocked and convinces Lt. Saito to delay his report until Asada can report to Tokyo first.
During the day, a group of junior army officers around Col. Takeshita decide to mount a coup. They intend to overrule the "false advisors" of the Emperor and continue the war.
That evening the Emperor meets with all of the Imperial Family. He explains the object of his decision and asks for their support. After open discussion, the princes pledge their support.
The War Minister Anami meets with Prince Mikasa. He requests the prince to ask the Emperor to change his mind. Anami later reports to his secretary "Prince Mikasa severly scolded me saying 'Since the Manchurian Incident the army has not once acted in accordance with the Imperial wish. It is most improper that you should still want to continue the war when things have come to this stage' " (John Nicholas)
In Japan:
- Okinawa-based B-24s, B-25s, A-26 Invaders, A-20s, and fighters of the US Far East Air Force fly about 530 sorties and cause extensive destruction to shipping and shore installations in the Inland Sea, in the Tsushima area, and of communications, transportation, and other targets throughout Kyushu Island.
- US carrier-based aircraft of Task Force 38 sink three IJN submarines at Kure. (Jack McKillop)
After embarking Australian Army officers in Borneo, the US submarine USS
Hawkbill (SS-366) lands the commandoes at Terampah Harbor, Matak Island,
Anambas Islands and they destroy a gasoline dump, capture intelligence
documents and rescue an Indian POW. Two radio stations are destroyed using the submarine deck gun. The submarine returned to Borneo on 13 August. (Jack McKillop)
MEXICO: Mexicana DC-2-243 (ex USAAF C-39), msn 2075, registered XA-DOT, crashes in bad weather at Ixtaccihuatl; all 16 people on the aircraft are killed. (Jack McKillop)
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