August 15: This day in military history

Unto the Breach ^ | Aug. 15, 2018 | Chris Carter

[fugazi]

1934: The Marines depart Haiti, ending the United States' 19-year occupation of the Caribbean island.

1942: U.S. Navy destroyers finally manage to deliver the first load of supplies to Marines on Guadalcanal, who have been coping with limited rations and ammunition since landing nearly ten days ago.

Also on this day, Maj. Gen. Matthew Ridgway's 82d "All-American" Infantry Division is redesignated as the 82d Airborne Division, becoming the first airborne division in American military history. The division's first combat jumps will take place in Sicily and Italy the following year.

1943: 35,000 American and Canadian troops conduct an amphibious landing on the beaches of Kiska, Alaska - only to discover that the Japanese had abandoned the island weeks ago.

In the Solomon Islands, 6,500 soldiers of the 25th Infantry Division storm ashore on Vella Lavella. The islands will be captured in just under a month.

1944: Well over 100,000 American and French troops land on the French Riviera, easily driving the German defenders back and capturing several strategic ports. The soldiers move so quickly across France that the supply trains can't keep up, and most of Southern France is liberated in four weeks.

[fugazi]

Yankee Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra served in the Navy during Operation DRAGOON (invasion of Southern France) on a landing ship.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

We occupied Haiti from 1915 to 1934? Never heard that before.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

They left when their job was done. Everything ship shape and on the path to success in the ensuing 85 years...

[Tammy8]

My sister was born on a pretty exciting day...many rural hospitals were closed, so medical effort could be concentrated on the war effort. My mother was at a retired doctor's home, where he and his wife (who was a nurse) delivered babies locally. My sister was born a preemie but they still saved her. My mother said the doctor, his wife, and my dad were gathered around the radio listening to the exciting news and she nearly had my sister without their help. My mother named my sister Sandra Jean so her initials SJ stood for surrender of Japan. My mother said people were also naming girls Valerie Jean for Victory over Japan.

"1945: Emperor Hirohito, in his first-ever communication to the common Japanese people, announces via radio that Japan has unconditionally surrendered to the Allies. Not all of Japan is ready for the war to end, however: after hearing the emperor’s speech, Adm. Matome Ugaki climbs into a dive bomber and conducts the last kamikaze raid of the war. The Japanese military leadership attempts a coup, unsuccessfully storming the palace, and will order submarines to continue the war. The Japanese Army also executes scores of Allied prisoners. But on September 2, the deadliest war in human history will officially come to an end on the deck of the battleship USS Missouri."

[Snickering Hound]

1920, Miracle of the Vistula.

Against all odds, the Polish army actually threw back the Russian Red army at the Battle of Warsaw.

[colorado tanker]

It should also be noted that once Seventh Army advanced across Southern France, they arrived at the main German defense line in the Vosges Mountains and became engaged in some very hard fighting.

[bravo whiskey]

I just finished teaching a class on the Russian civil war and plan to do a class on various “little” Russian wars; Crimea, Turkey, Japan, Finland and Poland. Have some really good board games for many of these. These little wars fascinate me.