Today in World War II History—July 21, 1940 & 1945

American trucks returning part of $500 million worth of Florentine artwork looted by Germans, Piazzo Dei Signoria, Florence, Italy, 21 Jul 1945 (US National Archives: 111-SC-210319)

80 Years Ago—July 21, 1940: Lithuanian, Estonian, and Latvian Soviet Socialist Republics are declared, as the USSR announces the results of the rigged plebiscites held in the Baltic States.

75 Years Ago—July 21, 1945: Six truckloads of art stolen by the Nazis are returned to Florence, Italy.

Largest supply operation of the war at sea: in the Pacific, US Task Group 30.8 resupplies US Task Force 38 and British Task Force 37 with 60,000 tons oil, 6000 tons ammunition, 1600 tons supplies, 99 aircraft, and 412 personnel.

Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Athletics play a 24-inning game, ending in a 1-1 tie.