Posted on 08/22/2013 4:20:55 AM PDT by Homer_J_Simpson
Winston S. Churchill, Closing the Ring
The News of the Week in Review
Blows – and Possible Blows – on Hitler’s Fortress (map) – 8
The Next Blow – 9-12
Twenty News Questions – 13
Where to Strike Next, the Question at Quebec (Baldwin) – 14-15
Answers to Twenty News Questions – 15
Where Japan Fights ‘a Losing, although Desperate, Battle’ (map) – 16
Surrender of Kiska New Japanese Tactic (Shalett) – 17
Year of Success for 8th Air Force (Daniell) – 19-20
New and Heavier Load Ahead for Taxpayers (MacCormac) – 20
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/aug1943/f22aug43.htm
Germans pulling out of Kharkov
Sunday, August 22, 1943 www.onwar.com
Red Army infantry advancing across a field [photo at link]
On the Eastern Front... German forces begin to withdraw from Kharkov under pressure from Soviet forces. Field Marshal Manstein, commanding Army Group South, believes that holding out any longer would result in the encirclement and destruction of the defending German units.
In the Central Pacific... US forces occupy islands of the Ellice group, including Nukufetau and Namumea. There is no Japanese opposition. Work begins on constructing airfields.
http://www.etherit.co.uk/month/thismonth/22.htm
August 22nd, 1943 (SUNDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: The US VIII Air Support Command in England flies Missions 30A and 30B against 2 Luftwaffe airfields in France.
(1) 35 B-26B Marauders attack Beaumont-le-Roger Airfield at 2110 hours; 1 B-26 is lost.
(2) 36 B-26’s are dispatched to Nord Airfield at Poix; they all return early when they are unable to contact the escort fighters, RAF Spitfires.
ÉIRE: Short S.25 Sunderland Mk. III, s/n DD848 assigned to No. 201 Squadron based at Castle Archdale, County Fermanagh, Ireland, crashes on the lower slopes of Mount Brandon on the Dingle Peninsula in County Kerry at 0530 hours. This aircraft had taken off at 0330 hours in a flight of four Sunderlands to fly ASW patrols in the South Atlantic. The aircraft was flying off course, below the minimum safety altitude and in low clouds when it crashed. Three of the 11 crewmen aboard survive.
GERMANY: U-768 launched.
BALTIC SEA: A prototype V1 rocket lands on the Danish island of Bornholm, where an Allied agent photographs it before it is recovered.
U-24 sank Soviet landing craft DB-36 and DB-37.
U.S.S.R.: The Germans begin a general retreat from Kharkov. Manstein has persuaded Hitler to relax his “stand firm” policy.
ITALY: Northwest African Strategic Air Force (NASAF) B-26s, with an escort of Northwest African Tactical Air Force (NATAF) A-36 Apaches, bomb the marshalling yard at Salerno, Italy; they claim 26 enemy fighters destroyed.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The German submarine U-458 is sunk southeast of Pantelleria, Italy, in position 36.25N, 12.39E, by depth charges from the RN destroyer HMS Easton and the Greek destroyer HHMS Pindos. 39 of the 47 U-boat crewmen survive.
NORTH AFRICA: All fighter and medium bomber groups of the US Ninth Air Force are transferred to the US Twelfth Air Force.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: US Thirteenth Air Force B-25 Mitchells and USMC SBD Dauntlesses, escorted by fighter aircraft, bomb barge centres on the west coast of Vella Lavella Island.
ELLICE ISLANDS: These islands are occupied beginning today through the 28th by US forces. Work begins immediately on constructing airfields.
NEW GUINEA: As a result of the air offensive against Wewak and satellite airfields, Japanese airpower on New Guinea is sufficiently neutralized for 4 Allied destroyers to proceed along the coast from Milne Bay to Finschhafen; after bombarding Finschhafen during the night of 22/23 August, the warships return to Milne Bay.
U.S.A.: Andrei A. Gromyko replaces Maxim Litvinov as Soviet ambassador to the U.S.
Submarine USS Flounder launched.
Destroyer escort USS Micka launched.
Destroyer escort USS Reybold launched.
Frigate USS Machias is launched.
Pfc Edward Boska, uncle, fought in that one (Attu) participated in landing on Kiska. Killed in accident just before being sent home as war ended.
“Who stole the Kizka... da da da da... “
I remember my family going wild over that song at the polish weddings when I was growing up
That must have been an especially bitter blow to his family (which included you, aged about 13, according to your profile). Waiting and worrying during the combat of the war years and then thinking he had made it and would be coming home.
Canada Ping!
In the General/Chat forum, on a thread titled U.S.-CANADIAN FORCES TAKE KISKA (8/22/43), Homer_J_Simpson wrote:
Pfc Edward Boska, uncle, fought in that one (Attu) participated in landing on Kiska. Killed in accident just before being sent home as war ended.
HJS commented
“That must have been an especially bitter blow to his family (which included you, aged about 13, according to your profile). Waiting and worrying during the combat of the war years and then thinking he had made it and would be coming home.”
Yep !The notice came the traditional way WU Telegram. Bawled my eyes out I was so looking forward for his homecomming. It’s like where I was yesterday. Subsequently there were dedication markers placed on a street light standard (pole) on the block of all the servicemen who perished during the war on my block. There were two, one of which was my uncle.
Thank You for comment HJS
I often wonder about the “uncles” who never came home and just left a hole in the family tree. My wife’s aunt had a brother who went down in a submarine. So, she and her sibs had kids, grandkids, great-grandkids, but his was the family that never was.
We’re occupying the Ellice Islands. They are near the Gilberts, in which Tarawa is located. Just sayin’
Given the Japanese evacuation of Kiska before the Allied arrival maybe they will do the same in the Gilberts and our troops will go ashore on Tarawa to find nothing but palm trees waiting for them.
Finally Kiska is liberated, this war is almost over.
:p
I’m sure many a Marine hoped so, Homer.
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