Today in World War II History—Jan. 23, 1944
Wednesday, January 23, 2019 by Sarah Sundin
US Army troops land at Anzio, Italy, while ships are bombed by the Luftwaffe, January 1944 (US Army photo)
75 Years Ago—Jan. 23, 1944: Australians take Shaggy Ridge in the Finisterre Mountains of New Guinea, securing Huon Peninsula.
Gen. Dwight Eisenhower approves a 5-division front for D-day rather than the original 3-division front, which necessitates postponing invasion date from May 1 to June 1 to obtain enough LSTs (landing ship, tank).
Off Anzio, Luftwaffe bombers sink British destroyer HMS Janus with a glide bomb and damage destroyer HMS Jervis with a Fritz-X bomb.
