Today in World War II History—April 7, 1940 & 1945
US 10-cent postage stamp of Booker T. Washington, issue of 1940 (public domain via US Post Office)
85 Years Ago—Apr. 7, 1940: Booker T. Washington becomes first African-American man to appear on a US postage stamp.
Precious metals, paintings, and other loot hidden by Germans in a salt mine near Merkers, Germany, photographed 15 Apr 1945 (US National Archives: 239-PA-6-34-2)
80 Years Ago—Apr. 7, 1945: The world’s largest battleship, Japan’s Yamato, on a suicide mission, is sunk by US Navy Task Force 58 planes off Okinawa (3055 killed); TF 58 aircraft also sink a Japanese light cruiser and four destroyers.
US Third Army finds German art and gold stash in salt mine in Merkers worth $500 million.
US P-51 Mustang fighter planes based on Iwo Jima escort B-29 Superfortress bombers over Japan for the first time.
Battleship Yamato under aerial attack in the East China Sea, 7 Apr 1945 (US Naval History and Heritage Command: L42-09.06.05)
