75 Years Ago—Sept. 26, 1941: Gen. Charles de Gaulle, leader of the Free French, signs alliance with USSR.
US Army establishes Military Police Corps (MPs).
Movie premiere of A Yank in the RAF, starring Tyrone Power & Betty Grable.
Today in World War II History—Sept. 25, 1941
Lt. (jg) John F. Kennedy, 1942 (John F. Kennedy Presidential Library, public domain)
75 Years Ago—Sept. 25, 1941: Germans parachute into Perekop peninsula and take it, cutting off Crimea from rest of Russia.
Future president John F. Kennedy enlists in US Navy.
Movie premiere of You’ll Never Get Rich, starring Fred Astaire & Rita Hayworth.
Today in World War II History—Sept. 24, 1941
75 Years Ago—Sept. 24, 1941: Fifteen Allied nations (including neutral US) and governments-in-exile agree to follow principles of Atlantic Charter.
First German U-boats pass Gibraltar and enter the Mediterranean.
In Paris, tobacco ration reduced to 4 cigarettes/day for men, none for women.
Today in World War II History—Sept. 23, 1941
Battleship USS Massachusetts, Battleship Cove, Fall River, MA (photo: Sarah Sundin, 2014)
75 Years Ago—Sept. 23, 1941: Gen. Charles de Gaulle forms Free French National Committee in London.
Germans declare Frenchmen who help downed British airmen will be shot; women will be sent to concentration camps.
Battleship USS Massachusetts launched, Quincy, MA (currently a museum ship at Battleship Cove, Fall River, MA).
Today in World War II History—Sept. 22, 1941
King George II of Greece, 1942 (Library of Congress)
75 Years Ago—Sept. 22, 1941: King George II of Greece and Greek government arrive in London to form government-in-exile.
You’re the Cream in My Coffee – by Jennifer Lamont Leo
In 1928, Marjorie Corrigan is set to marry Dr. Richard Brownlee, pillar of the community of Kerryville, Illinois. Even if he doesn’t make her heart pound like her former boyfriend, Jack Lund, who had been killed ten years earlier in the Great War. Marjorie is supposed to be happy. So why is she procrastinating on making her wedding gown? And why is she having embarrassing fainting spells?
Concerned about the spells, her family doctor sends her to a specialist in Chicago. While she’s there, she sees Jack! Except he isn’t Jack–he’s Peter Bachmann who works in menswear at Marshall Field’s. But Marjorie can’t shake her gut feeling. She impulsively decides to stay in Chicago, takes a job at Marshall Field’s, and rooms with daring flapper Dot Rodgers.
Although Marjorie’s family and fiance begin to doubt her sanity, Marjorie is more grounded than they think. She throws herself into her work at the famous department store, tries her hand at an art class…and becomes better acquainted with Peter. Her friendship with Dot stretches her to try new things, but will Chicago change Marjorie for better…or worse?
The cat’s pajamas! Rich in jazzy details of 1920s Chicago, You’re the Cream in My Coffee is a sparkling debut novel. With an adventurous heroine, intriguing side characters, and a thought-provoking message, this story will keep you riveted. Jennifer Lamont Leo is a name to watch in historical fiction!
Today in World War II History—Sept. 21, 1941
Soviet battleship Marat, 1939 (Soviet photo, public domain)
75 Years Ago—Sept. 21, 1941: At Leningrad, Luftwaffe heavily damages Soviet battleship Marat (sunk by Luftwaffe Sept. 23) and sinks Soviet destroyer Steregushiy.
Today in World War II History—Sept. 20, 1941
Royal Navy Grumman Marlet Mk. II fighter from the aircraft carrier HMS Formidable at Oran, Algeria, December 1942 (US Navy photo)
75 Years Ago—Sept. 20, 1941: Martlet fighter plane from HMS Audacity in convoy OG-74 shoots down a German Fw 200 bomber, the first kill from an escort carrier.
Germans impose curfew in Paris from 9 pm to 5 am.
Today in World War II History—Sept. 19, 1941
A building on fire in Kiev, Ukraine, 24 Sep 1941 (public domain)
75 Years Ago—Sept. 19, 1941: Germans take Kiev in the Ukraine and 600,000 Soviet POWs.
Today in World War II History—Sept. 18, 1941
Russian villagers sending off conscripts, 2 Sep 1941 (Russian International News Agency)
75 Years Ago—Sept. 18, 1941: USSR conscripts all men 16-50.
Off Tripoli, British sub Upholder sinks Italian transports Oceania and Neptunia (384/6000 Italian troops killed).
