Today in World War II History—July 24, 1943 POSTED: Tuesday, July 24, 2018 by Sarah Sundin US Eighth Air Force B-17s leaving contrails, 1943 (US Army Air Force photo) 75 Years Ago—July 24, 1943: Allies begin “Blitz Week”—heavy bombing of Nazi targets, as RAF bombs Hamburg and US Eighth Air Force bombs targets in Nazi-occupied Norway.