We Remember:
1939: The first British transatlantic air mail service is inaugurated. A joint Anglo-French military delegation led by Admiral Sir Reginald Plunkett-Ernle-
At Balmoral Castle in Scotland, two hundred boys are entertained to tea by the King and Queen. (Andy Etherington)
Albert Furster, the Nazi Gauleiter of Danzig, flies to Berchtesgaden to confer with Adolf Hitler. (Andy Etherington)
The customs dispute is temporarily resolved, but its resolution is seen in other countries as a Nazi climb-down, infuriating Hitler. (Andy Etherington)
1940: General Halder receives the 2st operations plans for the German invasion of the Soviet Union, by General Marcks.
RAF 4 Group (Whitley). Bombs oil plant at Sterkrade and Dornier aircraft factory at Wismar. (Andy Etherington)
Britain today responded to the recent arrests of seven British subjects in Tokyo by detaining leading Japanese businessmen in London, Rangoon, Hong Kong and Singapore. Japan has protested at the arrests and the British ambassador, Sir Robert Craigie, has been summoned by Mr. Matsuoka, the Japanese Foreign Minister, who described the arrests as "unwarrantable"
In Washington, D.C., Lord Lothian, the British Ambassador to the U.S., provides President Franklin D. Roosevelt with a note concerning the facilities which the British were prepared to "extend to the United States Government..
In the U.S., Rear Admiral John W. Greenslade, USN, and French Vice Admiral Georges A.M.J. Robert conclude an agreement concerning the status of Vichy French warships and aircraft in the French West Indies. Ships in question are the aircraft carrier Bearn, light cruiser Emile Bertin, training cruiser Jeanne d'Arc and auxiliary cruisers Esterelle, Quercy, and Barfleur; aircraft are 44 Curtiss SBC-4 Helldivers, 15 Curtiss H75-A4 Hawks (export version of USAAC P-36) and 6 Brewster Model B-339 fighters (export version of USN F2A Buffalo) delivered to Belgium. The basic agreement is that the French ships and aircraft will remain in Martinique throughout the war. (Jack McKillop)
1941: The fighting around Smolensk ends.
Admiral Darlan is placed in charge of the Vichy police in North Africa. General Weygand is his subordinate.
In the U.S., President Roosevelt transfers from presidential yacht USS Potomac (AG-25), anchored in Vineyard Sound, Massachusetts, to the heavy cruiser USS Augusta (CA-31); shortly thereafter, USS Augusta and heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37), escorted by five destroyers, sail for Argentia, Newfoundland, for a meeting with Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The President's flag, however, remains on the USS Potomac and she will proceed via Cape Cod Canal to New England waters, maintaining a fiction of presidential presence. (Jack McKillop)
1942: U-Boats return to large scale operations on the main north Atlantic routes with attacks beginning on convoy SC-94 today. These attacks will continue through the 13th. The convoy loses 11 ships and 2 U-Boats are sunk, 4 are damaged.
In China, Japanese aircraft again attack the U.S. airfield at Kweilin; notified well in advance by the Chinese warning net previously set up under Brigadier General Claire L Chennault while he was head of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), P-40s meet the Japanese over the target, shooting down 2;and another is downed by ground fire. (Jack McKillop)
In Egypt, Major General Lewis H. Brereton, Commanding General U.S. Army Middle East Air Force, in his first strategic estimate of the Middle Eastern war, indicates that the 3 major objectives for the Allied Air Forces are to assist in the destruction of General Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps by support to ground troops, secure sea and air communications on and over the Mediterranean, and carry out a sustained air offensive against Italy and against oil installations at Ploesti, Rumania and in the Caucasus, if the latter should fall under Axis control. (Jack McKillop)
In the U.S., a twilight military relief baseball game between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Giants is played at the Polo Grounds in New York City. The Dodgers' shortstop Pee Wee Reese hits a grand slam home run in the top of ninth inning, making the score Dodgers 5, Giants 1, but the hit doesn't count because of the 2110 hours government curfew. The game ends up as a 1-1 tie with the Giants and, the contest will be the last wartime twilight game played. (Jack McKillop)
1943: Belgorod falls to Konyev's forces. The German 2nd Panzer Army has suffered such severe losses that it is incorporated into the 9th Army.
Sweden cancels an agreement allowing German troops to cross Swedish territory. (Glenn Steinberg)
On the ground in Sicily, US forces open an assault on the San Fratello ridge, and further inland gain positions overlooking Troina. The enemy withdraws from the town during the night. The British 13 Corps overruns Paterno, Misterbianco, and Catania; the British 30 Corps continues toward Adrano.
In the air, USAAF Ninth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb the town, roads, and road junctions of Francavilla and shipping in the Straits of Messina. Northwest African Tactical Air Force fighters and light and medium bombers attack troops, roads, and gun positions at Adrano and Troina and surrounding areas in support of Allied ground forces, hit motor transport behind enemy lines in Sicily and on the toe of Italy, and sink or damage over 20 small vessels and barges at Milazzo and in the Straits of Messina; and Northwest African Strategic Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses, operating in 2 forces, hit the docks and railroad yards at Messina. B-25s bomb a switching station at Guspini, Sardinia. (Jack McKillop)
In the Solomon Islands, U.S. Army ground forces capture Munda Airfield on New Georgia Island. (Jack McKillop)
A USN submarine sinks a Japanese transport west of Marcus Island. (Jack McKillop)
U-34 (Type VIIA) sinks at 2155hrs on 5 August, 1943 at Memel in position 55.42N, 21.09E after a collision with the U-boat mothership Lech. 4 dead. Raised on 24 Aug, 1943 and stricken on 8 Sept, 1943. (Alex Gordon)
EIRE: An RAF Beaufort crashes at Falcaragh, County Donegal. (Jack McKillop)
1944: Yesterday and today air strikes from 2 task groups of TF 38 are made on Iwo and Chichi Jima.
AMPLIFYING THE ABOVE:
Carrier-based aircraft from the USN's Task Group 58.1 (Rear Admiral Joseph J. Clark) and TG 58.3 (Rear Admiral Alfred E. Montgomery) and cruisers and destroyers (Rear Admiral Laurance T. DuBose) repeat strikes on Japanese installations on Chichi Jima and Haha Jima in the Bonin Islands. Aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill (CV-17) inflict further damage upon fast Japanese transport T.4 and damage T.2 off Chichi Jima. (Jack McKillop)
The Fourth Ukraine Front, under Petrov, is activated by the Soviets in southern Poland and northern Hungary.
Finland: Major General Einar Wihma, the commander of the 6th Div. is killed in a Soviet artillery barrage in Ihantala. He earned himself Mannerheim Cross 2nd class commanding his division in the heavy defensive battles fought here a month earlier. Maj. Gen. Einar Wihma (some sources write it with v, others with w, both letters are pronounced the same way in Finnish) earned his Mannerheim Cross already in late 1941, for personal bravery when commanding (IIRC) the 12th Division.
He's the only Finnish general ever killed by enemy action. The Russians had built in Ihantala a base behind immobilized tanks only 200 meters (600 ft) away from the Finnish frontline. It was decided to destroy this base by an assault detachment made up of the troops of the 6th Div. After air and artillery attacks the detachment advances behind thick smokescreen and succeeds in destroying nine of the enemy tanks. However, the detachment loses 25 men and Maj. Gen. Wihma is killed in a Russian counter-barrage while observing the situation in the frontline. (Mikko HŠrmeinen)
In Warsaw, Polish insurgents loyal to their government-in-
FRANCE: At Pont Mikael in Brittany, the U.S. 15th Tank Battalion was assigned to the 6th Armored Division, having landed at Utah Beach on 18 July. The breakout at Avranches on 30 July and the drive to capture the Brittany Ports saw the 4th and 6th Armored divisions race across the Brittany peninsula, with some elements covering up to 26 miles (42 kilometers) in a day. Having fought their way through Poullaouen, the "point" of the advanced guard, consisting of one platoon of medium tanks from Company B, the 15th and one platoon of infantry from Company B, 9th Armored Infantry Battalion, as CCR (Combat Command Reserve) continued their advance toward Huelgoat, in central Brittany, at 1750 hours with Brest as their ultimate destination. The "point" was ordered to proceed rapidly toward Huelgoat. Lieutenant Schnepp proceeded without mishap until he neared the road junction about three miles east of Huelgoat, known locally as Pont Mikael. Here he found a hasty minefield across the
highway and reported it to the advance guard commander. At this place there was a bank on one side and a stream on the other making it impossible to bypass the mines. Lieutenant Schnepp proceeded through the minefield straddling the mines as he went, closely followed by his other two tanks. All went well until negotiating the second bank of mines, Lieutenant Schnepp's tank struck a mine blowing off both tracks. At this time the Germans opened up with very heavy small arms fire from all sides. Lieutenant Schnepp and his driver, Private Bennett, were both killed by machine gun fire as they tried to escape from the disabled tank. Lieutenant Colonel Lagrew went forward to investigate the situation and found that there was no room to deploy and attack. He decided to push forward through the minefield. He called for a squad of engineers to clear the mines and ordered the Reconnaissance Platoon to reconnoiter for other mines and for possible routes around them. Then he ordered Lie
utenant Bigelow to bring his assault guns forward to support the attack. Lieutenant Durden led the remnants of his Reconnaissance Platoon to Pont Mikael, ascertained the nature, extent and location of the German concentrations and transmitted this information to the Task Force Commander. Lieutenant Durden took the lead in the fighting; walked down the road removing mines and directing drivers of the buttoned up tanks, while constantly under machine gun and rifle fire, and was killed by German machine gun fire. (For his conspicuous gallantry, Lieutenant Durden was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross). The assault guns were able to get through the first minefield. However, the assault gun ammunition half-track hit a mine and was disabled. Lieutenant Bigelow ordered them to fire into the woods and at likely gun positions. The Battalion Commander and the S-3 (Major White), followed the Assault Gun Platoon on foot to inspect the first minefield and to place the i
nfantry, which was advancing on foot, in position. A burst of machine gun fire wounded Lieutenant Colonel Lagrew, and he was evacuated by the medics. Major White then assumed command of the Battalion and reported the situation to the Reserve Command Commander. He then went forward and made a personal Reconnaissance of the road junction. When Major White reached the Assault Gun Platoon's position, he found that they had set fire to several ammunition dumps. A supply truck was burning on the left fork of the road and the road to the right was through a defilade and was mined. Considerable small arms fire was still being received from various parts in the woods and. Lieutenant Bigelow's assault guns were running low on ammunition. Major White reported the above situation to Colonel Hanson (Commander of Reserve Command) who noted the lateness of the hour, and ordered a withdrawal from the defile to the high ground east of Pollaouen. After ordering Company B and the Assault Gun P
latoon to withdraw behind a bend in the road, Major White went forward to see what equipment could be salvaged and to see about recovering the bodies of Lieutenant Schnepp and Private Bennett. However, just as they reached the bodies, the Germans opened fire again. Lieutenant Weider (Battalion Liaison Officer), who was accompanying Major White on foot, was mortally wounded. Lieutenant Bigelow then called for a tank from Company B to protect the withdrawal of the troops and equipment, staying with the infantry until everyone was clear and then relieved them at 2245 hours. The command moved into a temporary bivouac just east of Pollaouen and remained there until about 0300. (Chris Warne) [NOTE: This action is in the neighborhood of Chris' parents house.]
The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies three missions today. The targets are (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of aircraft bombing and number lost, e.g., 97-1):
- Mission 520: During the afternoon, 34 B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb V-1 "Buzz Bomb" sites in the Pas de Calais area at Flers (14-0); Coubronne, Crepieul and Fleury (each 6-0) and Fressin (2-0). Dick Johnson, who flew one of the six aircraft that bombed Crepieul, reports the following: "The 303d Bomb Group had been flying two missions per day for some time and today each squadron planned to launch ten B-17s each for a total of 40 planes. This was a rush job and Beiser was leading our 427th Squadron and only six of us made formation with their assigned group. A few of the planes were so rushed that they weren't fully loaded with bombs. We were to bomb six different targets in France in support of the ground troops. We assembled over Harrington Buncher at 3,500 feet (1 067 meters) and since we were late in taking off we took a short cut to Splasher 10 and then directly to Beachy Head at 20,000 feet (6 096 meters). As a result of this short cut three of our planes couldn't
catch up and so they tacked onto another squadron. Our three plane squadron's target was Crepieul, France where we did a ten minute bomb run. Flak gunners did not fire on us as they did some of the others and as a result none of our planes were damaged. In the "A" Squadron the lead plane received a hit that disabled the manual aileron controls and tumbled the gyros that operated the auto pilot just 45 seconds before bombs away. The bombardier recovered just in time to do a fair job in his bombing attempt. The "D" squadron was 20 minutes late when they had to circle in order to avoid a large formation of British Lancasters in their path. At the target one plane was hit by flak that disabled two engines. That squadron flew a direct route to England after bombs away and the disabled plane landed at Ford, Sussex, England, which is near the White Cliffs of Dover. We saw two Me-163 'Komet' rocket planes but with their five to six minute fuel supply they could not reach our 303rd
squadrons. Our P-51s shot down several German fighters that day and I think that this was the intent of the mission: to lure up the German fighters so that our fighters with their superior numbers could eliminate them. This was a "FUBAR" mission from the word go, but it was a milk run for me. and it was Beiser's last mission. But I had two more to go. I had the same copilot as yesterday's mission but with a mixed crew who were making up missed missions. Why me, Lord? On my penultimate mission on August 7th I would be bombing Paris. Score; Milk runs 14, Others 16."
- Mission 521: In a Micro H test, two B-17s, escorted by eight P-51 Mustangs, bomb a power plant at Beuvry without loss.
- Mission 522: During the night of 5/6 August, six B-17s drop leaflets over France and the Netherlands. (Jack McKillop)
During the day, RAF Bomber Command dispatches aircraft to bomb oil storage and V-1 targets. The targets are (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of aircraft bombing and number lost, e.g., 97-1)
- Oil storage: Blaye (95-0); Bassens at Bordeaux (112-0); Pauillac at Bordeaux (94-1)
- Railroad bridge at Etaples (13-0)
- U-boat pens at Brest (17-0)
- V-1 site at Acquet
- V-1 supply sites: Foret de Nieppe (281-0) and St. Leu D'Esserent (441-1) (Jack McKillop)
During the night of 5/6 August, RAF Bomber Command three RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines off Brest while five others drop leaflets. (Jack McKillop)
Over 300 USAAF Ninth Air Force A-20 Havocs and B-26 Marauders bomb Saint-Malo harbor and Foret de Sille fuel dump during the night of 4/5 August, and during the day, rail bridges at 6 cities in northern and western France, and marshalling yard at Compiegne; fighters furnish cover for ground forces and fly armed reconnaissance over wide areas of northern France. (Jack McKillop)
GERMANY: The USAAF Eighth Air Force flies Mission 519: 543 B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators bomb numerous targets during the morning. The targets are (numbers in parenthesis indicate number of aircraft bombing and number lost, e.g., 97-1):
- Aircraft assembly plants: Halberstadt (Fw-190, 71-1); Langenhagen at Hannover (Fw-190, 140-0); Neupetritor at Brunswick (components, 33-0); Neustadt at Magdeburg (engines, 92-1); Querum at Brunswick (engines, 95-1); Waggum at Brunswick (Me-110, 68-1); and Wilhelmitor (Me-110, 69-3)
- Airfields: Goslar (7-0); Heligoland (1-0); Helmstedt (15-0); and Nordholz (2-0)
- Industrial areas: Dedelstorf, Helmstedt and Magdeburg (each 1-0),
- Oil refinery: Dollbergen (72-0)
- Oil storage: Nienburg (175-2)
- Targets of opportunity: 13-0)
- Vehicle assembly plant: Krupp at Magdeburg/Buckau (86-2); NAG at Brunswick (43-0); Volkswagen at Fallersleben (85-2) (Jack McKillop)
During the night of 5/6 August, 34 RAF Bomber Command aircraft bomb the Krupp Treibstoff synthetic oil refinery at Wanne-Eikel without loss. (Jack McKillop)
In the Pacific, U.S. submarines sinks a Japanese merchant passenger/cargo ship and an oiler. (Jack McKillop)
In the U.S., the top pop songs today are (1) "I'll Be Seeing You" by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra with vocal by Frank Sinatra; (2) "Swinging on a Star" by Bing Crosby; (3) "Amor" by Bing Crosby; and (4) "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby)" by Louis Jordan And his Tympany Five. (Jack McKillop)
1945: On Okinawa, HQ 333d Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) and 435th, 460th and 507th Bombardment Squadrons (Very Heavy) arrive at Kadena, Okinawa from the US with B-29s. These are the first Eighth Air Force B-29 units to arrive. (Jack McKillop)
In Japan, 330+ Far East Air Forces B-24s, B-25s, A-26 Invaders, P-47s, and P-51s based on Okinawa pound Tarumizu town, the industrial area on Kyushu and many targets of opportunity on Kyushu and in the Ryukyu Islands.
During the night of 5/6 August, the USAAF's Twentieth Air Force in the Marianas flies a mining, a bombing and 4 incendiary raids against Japan; 2 B-29s are lost.
1. Mission 311: 27 B-29s mine the waters of the Sakai, Yonago, Nakaumi Lagoon, Miyazu, Maizuru, Tsuruga, Obama, Najin and Geijitsu areas; 1 other B-29 mines an alternate target.
2. Mission 312: 63 B-29s attack the Saga urban area destroying 0.02 sq mi (0.05 sq km), 1.5% of the city; 1 B-29 is lost.
3. Mission 313: 92 B-29s hit the Maebashi urban area destroying 1 sq mi (2.59 sq km), 42.5% of the city; 4 others hit alternate targets.
4. Mission 314: 250 B-29s attack the Nishinomiya-
5. Mission 315: 106 B-29s bomb the Ube Coal Liquefaction Co. facility at Ube destroying 100% of the refining units and destroying or damaging 80% of other structures; 2 others hit alternate targets.
6. Mission 316: 64 B-29s attack the Imabari urban area destroying 0.73 sq mi (1.89 sq km), 76% of the city area.
HQ VII Fighter Command is officially assigned to HQ Twentieth Air Force. 100+ VII Fighter Command P-51s strike airfields and military installations in large area around Tokyo, scoring especially effective hits at Katori Airfield. (Jack McKillop)
USN submarines sinks two Japanese merchant cargo ships in the Pacific. (Jack McKillop)
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