Today in
World War II History

US poster, 1943 (US Office of War Information O-520464)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 26, 1942: US War Labor Board issues directive for women to have equal pay for equal work (not implemented until April 1943).

King Christian X of Denmark’s brief reply to Hitler’s lengthy telegram on the king’s 72^nd birthday causes the “Telegram Crisis,” in which Hitler will demand changes in the Danish government.

Auxiliary carrier USS Bogue is commissioned, Tacoma, WA.

New song in Top Ten: “Serenade in Blue.”

Auxiliary carrier USS Bogue (ACV-9) underway near Norfolk, VA, 20 June 1943 (US Navy photo: 80-G-71314)

Girls from Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles, CA, train in marksmanship with the High School Victory Corps, 1942 (US National Archives: 196476)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 25, 1942: Australians launch offensive toward Ioribaiwa on Kokoda Trail, New Guinea.

In first joint US-Canadian mission, US Eleventh Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force bomb Kiska in the Aleutians.

Camp Pendleton is officially established in California, the main Marine Corps facility on the West Coast.

US establishes High School Victory Corps for wartime training and service.

Gen. Franz Halder, 1938 (German Federal Archive: Bild 146-1970-052-08)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 24, 1942: Over Stalingrad, Soviet pilot Olga Yamschchikova becomes the first female pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft.

Hitler dismisses Gen. Franz Halder, Chief of Army General Staff, for criticizing policy; he is replaced by Gen. Kurt Zeitzler.

In occupied France, Germans intern 1400 US citizens ages 16-65, including 400 women, through September 26.

Portrait of René Blum, 1912, by Édouard Vuillard (public domain via Wikipedia)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 23, 1942: Brig. Gen. James Doolittle is named the new commander of the US Twelfth Air Force, which will go to North Africa.

US Marines launch an offensive on the Lunga perimeter on Guadalcanal to drive Japanese out of range of Henderson Field.

René Blum, founder of Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and brother of former French prime minister Léon Blum, is deported to Auschwitz, where he will be killed, age 64.

US poster honoring Jimmy Doolittle, WWII

Damaged buildings in southern Stalingrad, Russia, 23 Sep 1942 (German Federal Archive: Bild 169-0882)

US Army rank insignia for master sergeant, WWII

80 Years Ago—Sept. 22, 1942: Germans split Soviet 62^nd Army in Stalingrad and occupy the southern half of the city.

US Army raises grade of first sergeant to that of master sergeant and adds third “rocker” to chevron.

Boeing XB-29, 1942 (US Air Force photo)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 21, 1942: British and Indian troops launch assault into the Arakan Peninsula in Burma.

First test flight of Boeing XB-29 Superfortress heavy bomber, Seattle, WA.

US poster, WWII

80 Years Ago—Sept. 20, 1942: As of this date, US production of Liberty ships exceeds sinkings of cargo ships.

Allied Combined Chiefs of Staff approve final plan for Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa in November 1942.

British & Norwegian commandos destroy a hydroelectric plant at Glomfjord, Norway, cutting aluminum production at the plant.

British poster recruiting women for Fire Service, WWII

80 Years Ago—Sept. 19, 1942: Britain expands Compulsory Fire Watch duty to women ages 20-45 with exemptions for pregnant women and mothers of children under 14.

Canada begins rationing gasoline—civilians receive 2.5 gallons per week.

US Marine Corps recruiting poster, 1945

80 Years Ago—Sept. 18, 1942: On Guadalcanal, Marine reinforcements arrive, also supplies, fuel, vehicles, and ammunition, allowing restoration of full rations.

Robert Oppenheimer and Maj. Gen. Leslie Groves at the Trinity test site, New Mexico, September 1945 (US Army Corps of Engineers)

80 Years Ago—Sept. 17, 1942: German Admiral Karl Dönitz issues the Laconia Order, forbidding rescue operations by U-boats after US B-24s bombed U-boats rescuing survivors of the Sept. 12 sinking of the Laconia.

Col. Leslie Groves is placed in command of the Manhattan Project to develop an atom bomb.