Today in World War II History—July 1, 1942
British troops digging defensive trenches near El Alamein, Egypt, 4 Jul 1942 (Imperial War Museum: 4700-32 E 13924)
80 Years Ago—July 1, 1942: First Battle of El Alamein begins—German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel makes deepest penetration yet into Egypt.
Sub USS Sturgeon sinks Japanese transport Montevideo Maru off Luzon in the Philippines; 845 Australian POWS and 208 US & Australian civilians are killed in Australia’s worst maritime disaster.
US discontinues production of alarm clocks to save metal; however, rising absenteeism will lead to a quick repeal (Read more: “Make It Do—Metal Shortages in World War II”).
Destroyer USS Coghlan receives US Navy’s first shipboard twin Bofors 40-mm gun.
Bofors twin-mount 40-mm heavy machine gun aboard the Queen Mary, which was used as a troop transport during WWII, Long Beach, CA, June 2017 (Photo: Sarah Sundin)
