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Today in World War II History

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Today in World War II History—September 17, 1939 & 1944

Tuesday, September 17, 2019 by Sarah Sundin
Sinking of HMS Courageous, 17 September 1939 (public domain via WW2 Database)

Sinking of HMS Courageous, 17 September 1939 (public domain via WW2 Database)

80 Years Ago—September 17, 1939: Soviet troops (allied with Germany) invade Poland, surrounding Polish troops.

150 Polish military and civilian planes fly to Romania; pilots will make way to Britain to fight again.

Off the Irish coast, U-boat U-29 sinks British aircraft carrier HMS Courageous, 518 killed.

US C-47 Skytrains towing Waco CG-4 gliders over Bergeijk, Holland for the Operation Market Garden landings near Eindhoven, 17 September 1944 (US National Archives)

US C-47 Skytrains towing Waco CG-4 gliders over Bergeijk, Holland en route the Operation Market Garden landings near Eindhoven, 17 September 1944 (US National Archives)

75 Years Ago—Sept. 17, 1944: Operation Market Garden begins: 20,000 US and British paratroopers land in Nijmegen, Eindhoven, and Arnhem in the Netherlands, with a British ground offensive designed to link with the airborne units.

In Italy, US Fifth Army breaks the German Gothic Line at Il Giogo Pass.

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