Today in World War II History—January 12, 1940 & 1945

TBM-1C Avengers of Torpedo Squadron 4 from carrier USS Essex crossing the Indochinese coast on their way to bomb shipping at Saigon, 12 Jan 1945 (US Navy photo: 80-G-300673)
80 Years Ago—January 12, 1940: US Interior Department motorship North Star reaches Bay of Whales, Antarctica to establish West Base for expedition under Adm. Richard Byrd.
Movie premiere of The Shop Around the Corner, starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullavan.

British 3rd Commando Brigade landing in Arakan, Burma, Jan 1945 (Imperial War Museum)
75 Years Ago—Jan. 12, 1945: Soviets launch offensive across Vistula River in Poland.
US Task Force 38 aircraft attack Japanese shipping off Indochina, sinking 44 ships and destroying 99 planes.
British Royal Marine Commandos land on the Arakan Peninsula in Burma at Myebon.