Battle for Iwo Jima Photo Gallery

Audio Clip: Arthur Prim Reports the First Strikes on Iwo Jima

Amphibious Tractors landing on Iwo Jima Feb 1945

Iwo Jima, which means Sulfur Island, was strategically important as an air base for fighter escorts supporting long-range bombing missions against mainland Japan. Because of the distance between mainland Japan and U.S. bases in the Mariana Islands, the capture of Iwo Jima would provide an emergency landing strip for crippled B-29s returning from bombing runs. The seizure of Iwo would allow for sea and air blockades, the ability to conduct intensive air bombardment and to destroy the enemy’s air and naval capabilities.

Photo & Text source: http://www.history.navy.mil/library/online/battleiwojima.htm

World War II History for February 19

Audio Clip: 02.18.1943 Soong Mei-Ling Appeals to Congress to Aid Chinese Nationalists

02.19.1932 – The Sino-Japanese dispute was referred to the Assembly by the League of Nations Council.

02.19.1937 – An attempt was made in Addis Ababa to assassinate the Italian viceroy of Ethiopia, General Rodolfo Graziani. Though he was only wounded, the Italians launched large scale reprisals vowing to keep the Ethiopians in line.

02.19.1938 – The British Cabinet rejects Foreign Secretary Eden’s proposal to have Italian troops withdraw from Spain. Their hope was misplaced, believing that Italy would check any further advances by Germany (they had already occupied Austria).

02.19.1938 – Nazis were permitted to join the ruling party of Austria, the Fatherland Front.

02.19.1939 – A trade agreement was signed between the Soviet Union and Poland in an attempt to strengthen Poland as a buffer against Germany.

02.19.1940 – Ambassador Hull extends the US moral embargo to the Soviet Union.

02.19.1941 – The 8th Australian Division lands in Singapore.

02.19.1942 – Executive Order 9066 is signed by President Roosevelt, authorizing the transfer of more than 100,000 Japanese-Americans living in coastal Pacific areas to concentration camps in various inland states (and including inland areas of California). The interned Japanese-Americans lose an estimated 400 million dollars in property, as their homes and possessions are taken from them.

02.19.1942 – Japanese air raids on Darwin, Australia. Considered the “Pearl Harbor of Australia”, they largest attacks ever mounted by a foreign power against Australia. The raids were the first of almost 100 air raids against Australia during 1942–43.

02.19.1942 – Battle of Badoeng Strait begins; ABDA force attacks retiring Japanese Bali occupation force with 1 Dutch DD sunk, 2 CL and 1 DD damaged.

02.19.1942 – Mandalay came under aerial attack for the first time. Defending forces are ordered back from the Bilin River.

02.19.1942 – Japanese troops landed on the Portuguese island of Timor in the East Indies. Tokyo says the action is taken in self-defense and that its forces would withdraw when the area was secure. The neutral Portuguese accept the occupation.

02.19.1942 – Canada’s Parliament vote to begin military conscription.

02.19.1942 – The Supreme Court of Vichy France begin trials in Riom to establish responsibility for the defeat in 1940.

02.19.1943 – Allied defenses in Tunisia are restructured in the face of a deteriorating position. The Axis forces begin frontal assaults on American positions in the Kasserine Pass.

02.19.1943 – German Army Group South opens a counteroffensive toward Kharkov and Belgorod.

02.19.1944 – US forces land on Engebi Island, Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

02.19.1945 – Units of the US 8th Div begin encircling German troops trapped within the Siegfried Line.

02.19.1945 – Himmler makes his first peace overtures to Swedish Count Folke Bernadotte of the Red Cross.

02.19.1945 US troops land on Samar and Capul Islands in the Philippines.

02.19.1945 (0905 hrs) – The first of 30,000 US Marines land on Iwo Jima. /via World War II Database

If you weren’t the lucky winner this time you can order the DVD at the links below.

Check back soon for the next contest!

WWII in HD DVD set:
http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=108161&v=history_show_wwii-in-hd&pagemax=all

And for the Blu ray edition:
http://shop.history.com/detail.php?p=108164&v=history_show_wwii-in-hd&pagemax=all

NEW ORLEANS (January 28, 2010) – The National World War II Museum’s first International Conference on World War II in 2006 set the precedent for outstanding scholarship and public history on the most pivotal event of the modern era. The Museum continues this important initiative on March 18-20 in New Orleans as the 2010 International Conference features riveting presentations of the most comprehensive knowledge and perspectives on World War II. Among the compelling speakers are such noted historians and authors as Dr. Donald Miller, Rick Atkinson, Dr. Gerhard Weinberg, Robert Edsel, Alex Kershaw and Sir Max Hastings.

featuring
Rick Atkinson • Carlo D’Este • Robert Edsel • Max Hastings • Walter Isaacson • Donald Miller • Allan Millett • Gerhard Weinberg

covering topics such as
Art & War • D-Day • Women in War • Espionage • War Crimes Trials • The Bombing of Auschwitz

And offering a unique opportunity for our guests: “Meet the Speakers”– an evening of refreshments, book signing and
conversation with some of the best and brightest minds in the field of World War II history.

Click here for Conference Program

Register Online here

or download, print, and mail this form

“We are proud to present our third international conference on World War II,” said Dr. Gordon “Nick” Mueller, President and CEO of The National World War II Museum, “the global conflict that changed America and the world in the middle of the last century. We are excited that these renowned speakers will be with us to illuminate the controversies and debates over battles and pivotal decisions of the war as well as new discoveries on such topics as Art and War, and new insights into the Holocaust.” The Conference will explore why the war was fought, how it was won, and what it means today.

Among the most popular sessions of the conference are sure to be panels of World War II veterans who will share their personal experiences, such as Herman “Dutch” Prager, a Submariner veteran who served on the USS Kingfish.

As a highlight of the 2010 Conference, The National World War II Museum is working with HBO to present an exclusive, behind-the-scenes program on the making of the HBO Miniseries, THE PACIFIC, featuring the creative team involved in this blockbuster premiering nationally on HBO in March.

The “dean” of World War II historians, Dr. Gerhard Weinberg, will present the opening keynote address, “Visions of Victory,” showing how eight war leaders, including Hitler, Mussolini and Tojo, planned to change our future if they had emerged victorious.

Other announced sessions include Carlo D’Este and Mark Stoler on “Churchill and FDR: Allies at War,” Donald Miller on “Terror from the Sky,” Robert Edsel and Rick Atkinson on “Art and War,” and Walter Isaacson on “Einstein and the Bomb.” Additional intriguing topics include “People of Color in a White Man’s Army,” “Should Auschwitz Have Been Bombed?,” “Women in War,” “The Silent Service,” “War Crimes Trials,” and “Aftermath: Occupations, Decolonizations and the Coming of the Cold War.”

Additional noted presenters include Mark Pachter, Dr. Conrad Crane, Dr. Guenter Bischof, Dr. Allan Millett, and Hugh Ambrose. A “Meet the Speakers” reception is planned, including round table chats with speakers, book signings, and a special screening of Beyond All Boundaries, the Museum’s new 4-D, multisensory film at the Solomon Victory Theater.

Conference tickets are now on sale and registration options include hotel and conference packages as well as one day passes to events. To register for the conference or for more information, visit www.ww2conference.com.

The National World War II Museum tells the story of the American Experience in the war that changed the world – why it was fought, how it was won, and what it means today. Dedicated in 2000 as The National D-Day Museum and now designated by Congress as America’s National World War II Museum, it celebrates the American Spirit, the teamwork, optimism, courage and sacrifice of the men and women who fought on the battlefront and the Home Front. For more information, call 877-813-3329 or 504-528-1944 or visit www.nationalww2museum.org.

We will pick the winner this Friday (Jan 29, 2010), US residents only, sorry!

You can enter the contest in 2 ways, plus a bonus entry option!

Contest entry:

1) Send us an email with your name and reply email address to steve (at) wwarii.com

or

2) Follow us on twitter and re-tweet the following message: “CONTEST-Follow @WWarII and retweet this message to enter to win a DVD set of WWII in HD http://wp.me/pcyqd-9I”

Send Contest Twitter Here

BONUS ENTRY

To get a bonus entry complete one of the two methods above and share a piece of personal WWII history or other accurate WWII trivia you find interesting, as a reply to this post, or over at our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/WWIIHistory.

If you aren’t the lucky winner, or would like to pre-order your own set of WWII in HD, check the links below.

Here’s the pre-order link for the DVD set:
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And for the Blu ray edition:
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You can find more information about the WWII in HD here: http://www.history.com/content/wwii-in-hd

Good luck!

*Terms & Conditions – This contest is for 1 copy of WWII in HD (DVD) from A&E Home Entertainment. The DVD is brand new (sealed) and was provided by the publisher. All entrants must complete the entry task(s), or in case of any issues an email to steve@wwarii.com. All information provided will be kept confidential. Entries must be received by January 29, 2010 11:59pm Pacific Standard Time. Contest winner will be drawn at random and notified after the close of the contest. The DVD will be shipped directly to the winner. US residents only.

World War II History for January 18

Podcast: 01.18.1940 – CBS Today In Europe

1942 - Russian forces under General Timoshenko launched a fresh offensive against the Germans on the central front. The southern front was marked by strong gains by the Red Army in the Ukraine.

1942 - Burma’s Premier U Saw was “detained” by the British for allegedly being in communication with the Japanese.

1942 - Germany, Italy, and Japan sign a military convention in Berlin, laying down “guidelines for common operations against the common enemies.”

1943 - U.S. commercial bakers stopped selling sliced bread. Only whole loaves were sold during the ban until the end of World War II.

1944 - Soviet forces began to arrive at Leningrad, effectively ending the three-year Siege of Leningrad, but fighting would continue for more than another week before German troops withdrew from the area. (from http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=125)

The B-29 was an inflection point in the history of aviation technology, war fighting…and program management. It certainly rivaled the A-Bomb program, and the fact that the two programs came together to end the war is – I think – instructive to all of us. I recently saw a program on the B-29 on History Channel and thought that I would reach out to this site to see if any “old timers” are out there who might be able to give accuracy to some impressions that I have carried for 50 years. I hold memories of stories told to me by a wonderful vet I knew as a youngster growing up in Ohio. Quentin Walker, of Lancaster, Ohio told me that he had served in the 509th Composite Wing as a flight engineer, having washed out as a pilot. He blew out a knee in a football game when his squadron went from Wendover to California for a football game. Because of that, he did not go to Tinian. Some of the stories he told were hard to believe, but I thought it would be fun to bounce them off of this group of readers to see what might be correct….so here goes:

Quent’s crew had flown out to Kansas (?) to pick up their Silverplate aircraft, arriving at the factory after dark. At that stage, he had never seen a B-29 in person, but when he saw it, he said it solidified his view that there simply was not enough wing to carry the aircraft! He said it looked like a shiny spacecraft to him, shimmering in the factory lights. Having trained in lesser aircraft, however, he said that once he sat in the engineer’s position, in a nice soft seat, he thought this would be an OK way to go to war! He said the rolled it out next day and flew to Wendover (I think).

B-29 Photo Gallery

He said that they when not carrying a payload, the aircraft could easily top 400 mph true airspeed. Possible??

He said that his crew got him some wire to replicate the War Emergency Power wire across the throttle quadrant, so they could “goose” the aircraft for fun. (Later, they would complain that the engines needed work, and get an overhaul!) During training, he described how they would practice taking on P-51s at high altitude. He said that by waiting until the P-51 was committed to its curving attack profile from behind, they would goose the plane with WEP and turn slight inside, causing the P-51 to stall out as he tightened his turn. Possible??

He said that taking each of the aircraft down into the Grand Canyon was a right of passage for the all crews in the group. His group did it. Heard about that? He said that Tibbetts threatened them by saying that the government was going to string cables across the canyon to discourage that kind of thing. ??

Finally, he told me that one day they decided to see how high their B-29s would fly, and with no payload he said they touched 50,000 feet. Possible?? I thought that might be a bit crazy, but I had another friend – younger than Quent – who had been a crew chief on an RB-36H. He flew many of the missions as part of the crew, and said they regularly topped 50,000 ft, in fact he said they topped 55,000 ft when lightly loaded. Yes, a very different wing, but I think I have heard others say that B-29s could “get up there.”

Those conversations left me with a strong view that the B-29 was pretty amazing. For sure, we can say that the B-29 was the point through which ALL aircraft designs passed, for the US, Europe and the Soviets, as well.

Feel free to write directly if you have supporting or conflicting data on these unique Silverplate aircraft.

Thanks,
Ed Hart (ed.hart at comcast.net)

Thanks Ed! If you have a story or commentary about WWII you would like to share with our readers see the about us section of the website and send us an email with your topic.

Yes, it’s an Axis impression, but the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz (DRK), Aachen Stadt I of the California Historical Group (CHG) is not only one of the friendliest units I’ve ever met, it’s also one of the most dedicated. The amount of effort and devotion that was put forth to get this young unit rolling has been astonishing. And they’re also a lovely group of gals, as evidenced by their hot-off-the-presses 2010 Calendar. (Buy one – or two! – today!)

The 203rd Rifle Regiment, 70th Guards unit of the Red Army (CHG) is a little bit of heaven for reenactor ladies. Sure, there are some units that will allow a woman to put their hair up and join the boys’ club, but you always feel the difference. Fighting Russian, I’ve always been treated equally when it comes to mealtimes, marching, digging, or sleeping out in the cold. (Thanks, guys!)

Finally, if you’re a gal looking for a fierce impression in your area, Start One! Get in touch with a woman who’s done it already (or me), and you’ll be surprised at how much advice and encouragement you’ll get.

Georgi Konstantinovich Zhukov
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December 7, 1941

* 0342 Minesweeper CONDOR sights periscope off Honolulu Harbour …notifies patrol destroyer WARD to investigate.

* 0458 Minesweeper CROSSBILL and CONDOR enter Pearl Harbor… defective submarine net remains open.

* 0600 – 200 miles south of Oahu carrier ENTERPRISE launches 18 aircraft to scout ahead…then to land at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor…ETA 0800.

* 0610 – 220 miles north of Oahu Admiral Nagumo orders launching of 1st wave of 183 aircraft off three carriers…2 are lost during takeoff.

* 0630 Destroyer WARD again notified of submarine sighting this time by supply ship ANTARES off Pearl Harbor entrance…Navy patrol plane (PBY) dispatched to the scene.

* 0645 WARD opens fire on target hitting conning tower…as she closes in drops depth charges..air attack by PBY follows.

* 0653 WARD’S commander Captain Outerbridge sends message to Commandant 14th Naval District: “We have attacked, fired upon and dropped depth charges upon submarine operating in defensive sea area”.

* 0700 Commander Fuchida flying towards Oahu directs his pilots to home in on local radio station.

* 0702 Private’s Lockhard and Elliott of Opana Radar Station pick up what appears to be a flight of unidentified aircraft bearing in 132 miles north of Oahu…discussion follows.

* 0706 Private Elliott phones switchboard operator Joseph McDonald at Information Center, Ft. Shafter, telling of a large formation of aircraft approaching the Island.

* 0715 Capt. Outerbridge’s attack message, delayed in decoding is delivered to duty officer, 14th Naval District, and to Admiral Kimmel’s duty officer…Japanese launch 2nd wave of 168 assault aircraft…

* 0720 Joseph McDonald finding Lt. Tyler in Information Center, calls Opana and patches Lt. Tyler thru to Private Lockard who describes the large flight picked up on radar and is told, “Well don’t worry about it.” ( see Pvt.Joseph McDonald’s account under the Survivor Rememberances “An Army Private is one of the 1st to know of the coming attack)”

* 0733 Important message from Gen Marshall from Washington to Short received via RCA in Honolulu…cablegram has no indication of priority…messenger Tadao Fuchikami proceeds on normal route…

* 0735 Reconnaissance plane from cruiser CHIKUMA reports main fleet in Pearl Harbor…

* 0739 Opana Station loses aircraft on radar 20 miles off coast of Oahu due to “dead zone” caused by surrounding hills…

* 0740 1st wave sights North Shore of Oahu…deployment for attack begins…

* 0749 Commander Fuchida orders attack…all pilots to begin assault on military bases on Oahu…

* 0753 Fuchida radios code to entire Japanese Navy “TORA TORA TORA” indicating success…maximum strategic surprise…Pearl Harbor caught unaware…

* 0755 Island wide attack begins…Japanese dive bombers to strike airfields Kaneohe, Ford Island, Hickam, Bellows, Wheeler, Ewa…Aerial torpedo planes begin their run on ships in Pearl Harbor…

** ATTACK ERUPTS AT PEARL HARBOR**

Along Battleship Row, battlewagons feel the sting of the newly perfected torpedoes specifically designed for the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor At 1010 dock violent explosions rock light cruiser HELENA on her starboard side crippling both her and minelayer OGLALA moored beside her.. On the other side of Battleship row, Ford Island, target ship UTAH also feels the sting of the torpedoes…and like the battleship OKLAHOMA begins to capsize… Light cruiser RALEIGH moored ahead of the UTAH takes measures to prevent capsizing… Commander Logan Ramsey of Ford Island Command Center sends out message for all radiomen on duty to send out in plain English “AIR RAID PEARL HARBOR THIS IS NO DRILL”…2nd dispatch orders all patrol planes to seek out enemy… Simultaneously the call for General Quarters echos throughout Pearl Harbor…each ship and their personnel in turn swing into action against the attacking Japanese…one quarter of all guns respond to the enemy…

* 0800 B-17’s from the mainland reach Oahu after 14 hour flight…Aircraft from carrier ENTERPRISE arrive Ford Island…both caught between enemy and friendly fire…

* 0802 Machine guns on battleship NEVADA open fire on torpedo planes approaching her port beam…two planes hit…however one missile tears huge hole in ship’s port bow…

* 0805 Repair ship VESTAL moored outboard of battleship ARIZONA opens fire…Admiral Kimmel arrives CINCPAC headquarters..Battleship CALIFORNIA receives second torpedo “portside at frame 110″… prompt action directed by Ensign Edgar M. Fain prevents ship from capsizing…High level bombers begin their run “on both bows” of battleship row…

* 0808 KGMB radio interrupts music calling for: “All Army, Navy, and Marine personnel to report to duty”… High level bombers unleash armour piercing, delayed action bombs from altitude of 10,000 feet scoring hits on battleships…

* 0810 Forward magazines on battleship ARIZONA suddenly ignite resulting in a tremendous explosion and huge fireball sinking the battleship within nine minutes…concussion of explosion blows men off repair ship VESTAL…

* 0812 General Short advises entire Pacific Fleet and Washington, “Hostilities with Japan commenced with air raid on Pearl Harbor”

* 0815 KGMB interrupts music with 2nd call ordering all military personnel to report for duty…

* 0817 USS HELM first of several destroyers to clear Pearl Harbor spots a midget submarine struggling to enter harbor…shots fired misses target…sub frees itself from reef and submerges…

* 0825 Using a Browning Automatic Rifle Lt. Stephen Saltzman and Sgt. Lowell Klatt shot down enemy plane making strafing run on Schofield Barracks…

* 0826 Honolulu Fire Department responds to call for assistance from Hickam Field…3 firemen killed…6 wounded…

* 0830 3rd call out for military via local radio stations…

* 0835 Tanker NEOSHO half loaded with high octane aviation fuel moves clear of Battleship Row and oil tanks on Ford Island… Damage reported in city…Police warn civilians to leave streets and return to their homes…

* 0839 Seaplane tender CURTISS sights midget sub in harbor and commences to fire..Destroyer MONAGHAN heads for intruder at ramming speed…

* 0840 Submarine surfaces after sustaining damage…MONAGHAN hits sub and drops depth charges as she passes…1st explanation over local radio stations. “A sporadic air attack…rising sun sighted on wing tips”…

* 0850 Lt. Commander Shimazaki orders deployment of 2nd wave over military bases on Oahu…

* 0854 Attack run begins…54 high-level bombers hit Naval air stations, 78 dive bombers hit ships in Pearl, 36 fighters circle over harbor to maintain air control…

* 0900 Crew of the Dutch liner JAGERSFONTEIN opens up with her guns, the first Allies to join the fight…Radios throughout the island crack out urgent messages “Get off roads and stay off.. Don’t block traffic…Stay at home…This is the real McCoy”…

* 0930 Tremendous explosions rocks destroyer SHAW sending debris everywhere… bomb falls near Governor’s home…

* 1000 First wave arrives back on carriers, 190 miles north of Oahu…

* 1005 Governor Poindexter calls local papers announcing state of emergency for entire territory of Hawaii

* 1030 Mayor’s Major Disaster Council meets at city hall…Reports from local hospitals pour in listing civilian casualties…

* 1100 Commander Fuchida circles over Pearl Harbor…assesses damage then returns to carrier task force…All schools on Oahu ordered to close…

* 1115 State of emergency announced over radio by Governor Poindexter…

* 1142 As per orders by Army local stations go off the air…General short confers with Governor regarding martial law…

* 1146 First report of many false sightings of enemy troops landing on Oahu…

* 1210 American planes fly north in search for enemy with negative results…

* 1230 Honolulu police raid Japanese embassy…find them burning documents…Blackout to begin at night ordered by Army…

* 1240 Governor confers with President Roosevelt regarding martial law…both agree it necessary that the military take over the civilian government…

* 1300 Commander Fuchida lands on board carrier AKAGI…discussion follows with Admiral Nagumo and staff concerning feasibility of launching 3rd wave…

* 1330 Signal flags on carrier AKAGI orders Japanese task force to withdraw… Territorial director of civil defense orders blackout every night until further notice…

* 1458 Tadao Fuchikami delivers message from Washington…message decoded and given to General Short regarding ultimatum from Japan to be given at 1300 Washington time…”Just what significance the hour set may have we do not know, but be on the alert accordingly”…

* 1625 Governor signs Proclamation…martial law put into effect…

Time line courtesy of Tri-City Chapter 31, Pearl Harbor Survivors Association

World War II History for December 2

12.2.1941 – The Japanese embassy in Washington was ordered to destroy all but its most secret coding facilities. Similar orders went out to Japanese missions in British, Dutch, and Canadian cities, Cuba, the Philippines and the South Pacific.

12.2.1941 Tojo rejects peace feelers from US officials.

12.2.1942 Enrico Fermi sets off the first nuclear chain reaction below U. of Chicago stadium bleachers.

12.2.1944 Edward R. Stettinius Jr. became secretary of state of the United States after the retirement of Cordell Hull.

President George H.W. Bush, Governor Rick Perry, Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, and General James T. Conway, USMC, Marine Corps Commandant, will be honored guests at the grand opening on Monday, December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day) of the expanded George H.W. Bush Gallery of the National Museum of the Pacific War, located at 311 East Austin Street in Fredericksburg, Texas. Events begin at 9:30 a.m. with a precision parachute jump by the Golden Knights, the U.S. Army Parachute Team; immediately followed by a ribbon cutting ceremony. The conclusion of the ceremony will be marked by a flyover of World War II aircraft and with a performance of the U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps.
From noon to 9:00 p.m. the public will be invited to take free timed tours of the new $15.3 million, 33,000-square-foot gallery. For a complete schedule of weekend activities in Fredericksburg relating to the grand opening of the gallery or to request times tour tickets for December 7, visit www.nationalmuseumpacificwar.org .

The National Museum of the Pacific War is a project of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and the Texas Historical Commission.

Hermann Historica oHG of Munich, Germany, the world leader in handling sales of militaria antiquities, antique arms and armour, firearms, hunting collectibles, orders and decorations as well as objects of military history, today concluded its auction of one of the most extensive and well preserved private collections of World War II artifacts.

Following two days of bidding at the auction site in La Gua, France, as well as by telephone and Internet, the significant collection of more than 4,000 American, British, French and German military objects sold for a total of €1,300,000 (US$1,937,000), far exceeding the house’s most recent sale of World War II militaria, for €830,000 (US$1,215,000).

The collection was amassed by 81 year-old Maurice Bazin over his lifetime in Normandy, beginning in 1959 when a business client of his gave him an old German rifle. Most of the 4,000+ artifacts relate to the D-Day Normandy landings of the Allied army infantry and armored divisions.

Notable items from the sale include:

· Lot 8076: A German paratrooper semi-automatic rifle FG 42-1, stamped ‘fsz’ on top of the receiver (Henrich Krieghoff in Suhl), Calibre 7,92 x 57, serial number 1517, with a repainted non-matching 20-shot magazine. Cooking handle, sear and handle missing, minor frame damages. This rifle still has its original bipod and spike bayonet. With a scope milling over the receiver. Offered at €5,000 (US$7,460), it sold for €16,000 (US$23,872).

· Lot 8278: A U.S. paratrooper officer jump dress uniform on mannequin, including a jacket made of olive cloth from a paratrooper unit, rare pattern with reinforcing patches on pockets and elbows (modifications for the units which jumped on Normandy on the 6th of June 1944), rank insignia, 101st Airborne Division insignia, complete with all press-studs, zip fasteners and belt, jump trousers of olive cloth with reinforced pockets and knees, complete with all adjustment straps, jump boots of brown leather, gas cuff title, ammunition bag, US M3 fighting knife in its leather sheath, EM belt, canteen with cover, TL 122 C flashlight. Offered at €8,500 (US$12,682), it sold for €20,500 (US$30,586).

· Lot 8324: A U.S. 101st Airborne paratrooper helmet, identified by the ace of hearts from the 502nd PIR, retaining 50% of its paint and both insignia, period modified half-circle bale and M1 chinstrap. A second pattern liner added with leather padded chinstrap and small pattern bale. This famous unit was in the forefront of the U.S. parachute drops over Normandy on the 6th of June, 1944, especially in Sainte Mère l’Eglise where this helmet was found in the 1960s. Offered at €3,500 (US$5,222), it sold for €46,000 (US$68,621).

The full catalogue for the collection and final list of selling prices are available online at http://www.hermann-historica.de/gb/index_58_auktion_nov.htm.

About Hermann Historica
Hermann Historica oHG (www.hermann-historica.com/), based in Munich, Germany, is a leading world auction house in the special areas of antique arms and armour, hunting, antiquities, medals and orders, as well as historical objects and military history.

Hermann Historica conducts at least two auction sales each year offering over 10,000 collectors’ items with turnover in recent years of more than €10,000,000 (US$14,600,000).

It was founded nearly 50 years ago by Count Erich Klenau von Klenova, Baron von Janowitz in Nuremberg as an auction house for coins, orders, medals and other military objects. At the beginning of the seventies, the offerings were expanded to include antique weapons. On the basis of the comprehensive scope of the objects offered and the carefully researched and high quality production of the special catalogues, those offerings were an immediate and enthusiastic success with international collectors and museums. In 1982, the present owners changed the name of the auction house to Hermann Historica oHG.

Previous notable auctions have included numerous objects which were formerly possessions of great noble families, in particular those from the Austrian and German Imperial houses, that have attracted great international interest. Collections including the famous hunting treasures from Castle Fuschl at Salzburg, the historical technical museum in Nümbrecht and the antiquities collection of the world-renowned Berlin collector, Axel Guttmann, were offered at auction by Hermann Historica.

# # #

Thank you for having me! In “Dear Coach: Letters Home from WWII” I’ve compiled together a variety of the letters mom and I stumbled across in the attic written to dad by his athletes during WWII, with pictures, scrapbook clippings, newspaper articles and a wide variety of historical information from the time to paint a picture of what life must have been like for these small-town college men and women as not only their country went into war, but so did their friends and family. I hope you enjoy the following letter written by athlete and pilot Wib Raffensperger (featured on the cover of “Dear Coach”) on February 2, 1943 to my father, Coach Ira Herr.

Dear Coach,

I don’t think that Mrs. Raffensperger ever thought that her little boy would be spending quite a lot of his time enjoying the horrors of war in North Africa, but strange and fantastic as it all may have sounded a few years ago when Disney, Shirk and a short little jerk, were pounding the boards for you, it has sure developed into a lot of possibilities.

I can’t say just where I am in North Africa, but any time you read of a bombing raid by the same kind of airplanes I flew when I was last home, you just sit back and tell your wife, and all the boys that Raff was in there laying those big eggs on Rommel and making it plenty hot for his boys.

To say the least, Coach, it’s plenty rough between dodging bullets and flak, and keeping warm and healthy. I don’t know which is the toughest for the boys.

What your wife taught me in school really comes in handy. I have sort of a head start on the boys when it comes to meeting the women. As for the women— they’re all for pleasing the American Officers. I always remember what you told me as a parting warning and have been pretty lucky. One of my men got a little careless with the women, and as a result he is now in the hospital and a total loss to us as a crew member. The rate is plenty high and he has lots of company.

Take it easy and give my regards to all the boys and Lilly Mae know where I am. Lots of luck and Bon soir.

Wib

While none of my father’s letters written back to the athletes have survived the passage of time, it’s obvious from the above that Dad imparted some “fatherly advice” to a few of his boys. As for the mention of my mother, she taught many of the local athletes French when they were students at Elizabethtown High School and therefore they often included messages to her as well in their letters.

I hope you have as enlightening of a time reading “Dear Coach” as I did writing it. Thank you again to the WWII Blog for having me!

Follow the rest of Lois Herr’s virtual book tour by stopping by her official blog to see where she’s headed next!

A collection of not only letters but historical facts, pictures and vivid commentary, “Dear Coach” features letters from WWII that were sent to Lois’s father, the famous Elizabethtown College coach Ira Herr, by various students, friends and family members who once played for the coach. The book gives an inside look at not only the impact of war to a small college community, but that of multiple heartfelt player and coach relationships.

To order your own copy, visit the author’s website: http://loisherr.com.

To learn more about the author and book please feel free stop by her official “Dear Coach: Letters Home from WWII” virtual tour blog and read up on reviews, tour stops and so much more.

World War II History for November 9

11.09.1938-11.10.1938 – Kristallnacht, “Crystal Night” or “Night of Broken Glass.”

Nazi’s launch a campaign of terror against Jews in Germany in retaliation to the killing German diplomat Ernst vom Rath in Paris. The event got it’s name from the shattered window glass which was valued at over 6 million marks. 267 synagogues and 815 shops were wrecked, 36 Jews were killed and 20,000 were arrested.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was born on January 30, 1882 in Hyde Park, New York to James and Sara Roosevelt, both from wealthy old New York families. He grew up in a privileged home, going to boarding school and later to Harvard. After graduating from Harvard he went on to Columbia Law School (1905) until 1907 when he passed the New York Bar Exam and started work in corporate law.

On March 17, 1905, Roosevelt married Eleanor, with his 5th cousin (and Elanor’s uncle) President Theodore Roosevelt standing for her. They had 6 children, with Franklin Jr. dying before he was 1.

In 1910 FDR was elected to the New York State Senate (Democrat) where he was elected for two consecutive terms. In 1913 he resigned to become Assistant Secretary of the Navy under President Woodrow Wilson. Here he founded the US Navy Reserve and developed a life long affinity for the Navy. He resigned from this post in July 1920 for a failed bid for Vice President of the United States. After the defeat he went back to private law practice.

In August 1921, Roosevelt contracted an illness, at the time believed to be polio, which resulted in his total and permanent paralysis from the waist down. He refused to be held down by this and after he became President helped to found the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis (now known as the March of Dimes). His leadership in this organization is one reason he is commemorated on the dime.

In 1928, Roosevelt was elected Governor of New York for two terms(1929-1932).

FDR’s dog, Fala, also became well-known during his time in the White House, and was called the “most photographed dog in the world.”

(This entry is a work in progress and will be routinely updated. Please feel free to send any suggestions that you feel should be added about FDR.)

World War II History for October 26

26 October 1942 – The US carrier USS Hornet and destroyer USS Porter were sunk in the Battle of Santa Cruz. It was the last time carrier based aircraft were used by the Japanese in the Guadalcanal campaign.

26 October 1944 – The Battle of Leyte Gulf ended. The battle was won by American forces and brought the end of the Pacific phase of World War II into sight.

USS Hornet (CV-8) Abandoning Ship, Battle of Santa Cruz (26 Oct 1942)

This book isn’t about the front lines of battle during WWII, it is all about those who were behind the soldiers, namely the British children and families they were defending. London was under heavy attack by the Germans and thousands of children had to be evacuated from the city. The countryside and even international countries took these evacuee children in to save their lives. This is their story, the details of how young children were forced to cope with a world war and many without their parents to comfort them.

Find Evacuees of the Second World War Online

Book Specifics
* Pub. Date: October 2009
* Publisher: Osprey Publishing, Limited
* Format: Paperback, 56pp
* Series: Shire Library Series
* ISBN-13: 9780747807452
* ISBN: 0747807450

World War II History for October 22

22 Oct 1942 – The Allies met to discuss Operation Torch. Operation Torch was to be the first Allied amphibious landing of World War II (North Africa), mainly as an induction of US ground forces against the Germans. Operation Torch takes place 8 Nov 1942.

HMS Zambesi entered Bergen, Norway, on 8th May 1945, the day WWII formally ended. The following is from a letter by Midshipman Derek Hirst to his mother started on 14th May and completed shortly after leaving Bergen on the 21st May.

May 14th 1945

18.00. It’s a calm night with just a slight breeze blowing. Everyone is fallen in for leaving harbour & on the bridge the Captain is standing on the compass platform waiting to give the order to slip. A few minutes later the order came – the slip rope was hauled in board & once again the ship was under way, but through the boom we went, as we had done so many times before, closely followed by HMS Obedient. Outside the flow (Scapa Flow) the cruiser HMS Norfolk joined us & together we sailed out into the night. The middle watch passed very pleasantly & by 04.00 we were 40 miles N E of the Shetlands. We then turned East & set course for Bergen.

11.30. Land-ho! Just over the horizon loomed Norway with its snow capped mountains silhouetted brightly against the sky. We were still 60 miles or more away & as we closed in we saw the ruggedness & terrific height of the mountains more plainly. We were doing 20 knots so it took us just on three hours before we reached the Fiord which led to Bergen. At the entrance we stopped main engines & waited for a pilot to come aboard. We still had another two hours steaming to go up the fiord before we should finally reach the harbour and town of Bergen itself.

Read the rest of the post here…

forargyll.com, Argyll News: Letter home from Midshipman Derek Hirst HMS Zambesi 8th May 1945 :Argyll,Scapa Flow,Bergen,World War II, | For Argyll, May 1945

World War II History for September 17

1939 - The Soviet Union invaded Poland. Germany had invaded Poland on September 1.

1944 - Operation “Market Garden” was launched by Allied paratroopers during World War II. The landing point was behind German lines in the Netherlands.

This reference is an excellent source as a visual encyclopedia of the German soldiers equipment during World War II. Casemate Publishing’s Deutsche Soldaten details what the German soldiers lived in and worked with, and the evolution of gear over the several years of constant warfare and location. Every page in vivid full color brings out the reality of each item and how it would have been used, held, or worn by the men of Germany. Agustin Saiz includes valuable commentary and specific item details for each piece from undergarments to chemical warfare equipment.

Though there have been many books published revealing the equipment and lives of the Allies, and especially American soldiers, this book focuses strictly on the German side. It is a revealing experience to be able to so visually relate to how the German soldiers had to survive, often in incredibly harsh conditions. Compared to modern equipment it is amazing to see just how little they had to survive with and how primitive their equipment was. Blended in with the photos of actual militaria artifacts are portions of German manuals on how to use the equipment, photos of soldiers and other related memorabilia.

Deutsche Soldaten is a well put together and comprehensive volume that is a must for any collector of WWII militaria and an excellent research reference for scholars.

Deutsche Soldaten
Uniforms, Equipment & Personal Items of the German Soldier 1939-45
by Agustin Saiz

Publish Date
October 2008

Specifications
8 x 12
356 pages
full color throughout
978-1-932033-96-0
$55
hardback

Casemate Publishing

http://www.casematepublishing.com/cgi/titleinfo.pl?sku=9781932033960

WWII in HD

Twelve lives and a War that changed the World. The only ones who saw the war this way, were the ones who lived it. Premiering this Fall on History. Narrated By Gary Sinise.

Wow. From the NY Post today — The National World War II Museum in New Orleans and Tom Hanks have announced the roster for voicing their new WWII epic Beyond All Boundaries premiering at The Museum on November 6.

It seems like Hanks must have drafted the help of half of Hollywood as the cast list reads like a who’s who of A-Listers including Hanks, its narrator and executive producer, joined by Kevin Bacon, Corbin Bleu, Patricia Clarkson, Kevin Connolly, James Cromwell, Blythe Danner, Viola Davis, Jessie Eisenberg, John Goodman, Neil Patrick Harris, Kevin Jonas, Justin Long, Tobey Maguire, Daran Norris, Wendell Pierce, Chris Pine, Brad Pitt, Bill Sadler, Gary Sinise and Elijah Wood, among others. Are there more? Keep coming back to Hollywood at War for more information about this special cinematic experience opening in New Orleans.

World War II History for September 1

1939 - World War II began when Germany invaded Poland.

1942 - A federal judge in Sacramento, CA, upheld the wartime detention of Japanese-Americans as well as Japanese nationals.

1945 - The U.S. received official word of Japan’s formal surrender that ended World War II. In Japan, it was actually September 2nd. The war officially lasting 6 years and 1 day.

World War II History for August 31

08.31.39 The British fleet was mobilized.

08.31.39 In London, civilian evacuations began.

London Evacuations

08.31.43 The USS Harmon, first U.S. Navy ship to be named for an African American, commissioned. [1]

Poster – USS Harmon DE-678

USS Harmon DE-678

08.31.44 The British 8th Army broke through the German’s “Gothic Line.” The defensive line was drawn across northern Italy.

Gothic Line – Sept 1943

[1] http://hollywoodatwar.blogspot.com, http://twitter.com/WWIIToday

Today in WWII History

World War II History for August 27

1939 - Nazi Germany demanded the Polish corridor and Danzig.

1941 - Japanese prime minister requests a summit meeting with FDR in hopes of preventing their campaign in China from escalating into a world war.

1943 - Japanese evacuate New Georgia Island in the Pacific.

1945 - B-29s made first supply dropping mission to WWII POWs in China.

1945 - American troops landed in Japan after the surrender of the Japanese government at the end of World War II.

World War II History for August 24

08.24.1942 – U.S. forces sank the Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo in the Battle of the East Solomon Islands. During this battle the “coastwatchers,” volunteers that reported on Japanese ship and aircraft movement, were a key to American success.

*Edit: The carrier sunk is the Ryujo, not the Ryuho

This is a short clip from the BBC about the Sinking of the Bismarck (31 May 1941).

The story spawned its own 1960 feature film Sink the Bismarck!

August 17, 1943, U.S. Gen George S. Patton & 7th Army arrive in Messina, Sicily, hrs before “Monte”

Today’s Related Reads: Assault on Sicily: Monty and Patton at War

Lieutenant Colonel Lyle Bernard, from Colorado, 30th Infantry Regiment, a prominent figure in the second daring amphibious landing behind enemy lines on Sicily’s north coast, discusses the operational situation with Lieutenant General George S. Patton, Jr. This Signal Corps photo was taken near Brolo, Sicily in August of 1943, during Operation Husky.

Patton is leaning over the back of his WC-57 Dodge 3/4 ton 4×4 Command Car.

World War II History for August 10

10 Aug 1944 - Hitler moves the entire 2,000-plane Luftwaffe force to Western Europe in a bid to challenge the power of the Allies’ collective air strength.

10 Aug 1944 - U.S. forces defeated the remaining Japanese resistance on Guam, leaving the U.S. with an additional solid forward base in the Marianas from which to bomb the Japanese mainland.

10 Aug 1945 - The day after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan announced they would surrender. The only condition was that the status of Emperor Hirohito would remain unchanged.

World War II History for August 6

6 Aug 1945 - The American B-29 bomber, known as the Enola Gay, dropped the first atomic bomb on an inhabited area. The bomb named “Little Boy” was dropped over the center of Hiroshima, Japan. An estimated 140,000 people were killed.