Today in World War II History—Oct. 27, 1940 & 1945

Battleship USS Texas decked out for Navy Day, 27 October 1940 (US National Archives: 80-G-464121)
80 Years Ago—Oct. 27, 1940: Italy demands Greece allow Italian occupation or go to war; Greece rejects the ultimatum.

Poster for US Navy Day, Oct. 27, 1945
75 Years Ago—Oct. 27, 1945: Navy Day: US Navy displays ships in American ports, President Truman reviews fleet aboard USS Missouri in Hudson River, and Midway-class carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt is commissioned at the New York Navy Yard.
New song in Top Ten: “It’s Been a Long, Long Time.”

Pres. Harry Truman aboard USS Renshaw during Navy Day Fleet Review, New York City, 27 Oct 1945; note USS Missouri’s superstructure in background and US Navy aircraft in formation above (US Navy photo: K-15861)