Today in World War II History—January 1, 1940 & 1945
Wednesday, January 1, 2020 by Sarah Sundin
Destroyed US P-47 fighter planes at Metz-Frescaty Airfield, France, 1 Jan 1945 (US Army Air Force photo)
80 Years Ago—January 1, 1940: In the Rose Parade, Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy serve as grand marshals.
Britain expands conscription to men aged 20-27, adding two million potential draftees.
75 Years Ago—Jan. 1, 1945: In Operation Bodenplatte, 900 Luftwaffe aircraft strafe Allied air bases in France and Belgium, destroying 465 aircraft but losing 234 with an irreplaceable loss of experienced pilots.
Herbert Hoover serves as grand marshal of the Tournament of Roses—the parade is not held due to the war, however.
