Video: Battle of Midway, June 5, 1942 (at 3:59)
(Friday, June 5, 1942, part of the Pacific Theater of World War II) — On the second day of The Battle of Midway, Japanese heavy cruisers Mogami and Mikuma collide and sustain damage while maneuvering to avoid a submarine attack (Miruma was sunk by air attack on June 6). Two more Japanese carriers are lost: Akagi is scuttled and Hiryu sinks from damage sustained yesterday.
Video: 'Mrs. Miniver' trailer
(Thursday, June 4, 1942) — Mrs. Miniver, a drama film about a British family struggling to survive the first days of World War II, opened today at the Music Hall in New York.
Directed by William Wyler, the film stars Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, Teresa Wright and Dame May Whitty. The film won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Director.
Video: Cologne bombed (at 12:06)
(Sunday, May 31, 1942, 12:47 a.m. local time, during World War II) — Three-fourths of Cologne, Germany, was set afire and a great area of the German Rhineland metropolis of 756,000 population was flattened early this morning by tremendous weights of explosives delivered by 1,047 Royal Air Force (RAF) planes tonight in the greatest raid in all aerial warfare to date. Continue reading 1,000 British bombers attack Cologne 70 years ago this hour (1942)
Video: 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' trailer
(Friday, May 29, 1942) — Yankee Doodle Dandy, a biographical musical film about George M. Cohan, known as “The Man Who Owns Broadway,” premiered tonight during a war-bonds benefit at the Hollywood Theatre in New York.
Directed by Michael Curtiz, the film stars James Cagney as George M. Cohan, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston and Richard Whorf. Continue reading ‘Yankee Doodle Dandy’ premieres in New York 70 years ago tonight (1942)
Video: Second Battle of Kharkov (at 12:46)
(Thursday, May 28, 1942, part of the Eastern Front of World War II) — The Second Battle of Kharkov in the eastern Ukraine ended today as Germany scored a victory by knocking out the Russian force threatening Kharkov. In all, 170,958 Soviets were killed, missing or captured since May 12. Continue reading Soviets defeated in Second Battle of Kharkov 70 years ago today (1942)
(Wednesday, May 27, 1942, during World War II) — Navy Cook 3rd Class Doris “Dorie” Miller became the first African-American to receive the Navy Cross today for his “extraordinary courage and disregard for his own personal safety” during Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor. Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, the Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet, presented to Miller on board aircraft carrier Enterprise for his extraordinary courage in battle.
Video: Nazis push toward Tobruk (at 4:49)
(Tuesday, May 26, 1942, part of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II) — The Battle of Gazala began today as German and Italian units pushed toward the port of Tobruk in Libya.
Video: 'The Joseph Warren Stilwell Story - The Big Picture'
(Monday, May 25, 1942, during World War II) — U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Joseph Stilwell, frustrated over being driven out of Burma by Japanese troops, bluntly told reporters in Delhi, India today, “I claim we got a hell of a beating.”
Video: FDR signs law creating WACs (at 5:24)
(Friday, May 15, 1942. during World War II) — President Franklin D. Roosevelt today signed a measure creating the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps, whose members came to be known as WACs.
Also today: wartime gasoline rationing went into effect in 17 Eastern states, limiting sales to three gallons a week for non-essential vehicles.
Video: May 8, 1942 (at 3:06)
(Friday, May 8, 1942, part of the Pacific War of World War II) — The Battle of Coral Sea, a major naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia, ended today with the loss of the carrier USS Lexington and the Japanese carrier Shoho. Continue reading Japanese repulsed as Battle of the Coral Sea ends 70 years ago today (1942)
