Today in World War II History—December 9, 1939 & 1944

Japanese carrier Junyo at Sasebo, Japan, with 2 midget submarines at her side, 26 Sep 1945 (US Marine Corps photo)
80 Years Ago—December 9, 1939: In a friendly fire incident near Metz, France, Cpl. Thomas Priday becomes the first British soldier killed in WWII.
New song in Top Ten: “Oh, Johnny, Oh!”

British paratrooper with the 5th Scots Parachute Battalion in Athens, Greece during operations against ELAS (the Greek People’s Liberation Army), 18 Dec 1944 (Imperial War Museum: NA20863)
75 Years Ago—Dec. 9, 1944: In Formosa Strait, US submarines Redfish and Sea Devil damage Japanese carrier Junyo beyond repair.
Bulgarian and Yugoslavian armies drive the last German forces from Serbia and Macedonia.
British troops arrive in Athens, Greece to put down the communist uprising.