Category Archives: 1940s

First of 5,112 Allied bombers take off for D-Day invasion 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 6 1944)


Video: 'Operation Overlord & Neptune (D-Day documentary)' (June 6, 1944, 4:00 a.m. BDST at 21:38)

(Tuesday, June 6, 1944, 4:00 a.m. British Double Summer Time (BDST)/10:00 p.m. Eastern War Time(EWT); two hours before the the Normandy landings, part of Operation Overlord on the Western Front of World War II) — The first of the 5,112 Allied aircraft taking part in D-Day took off this morning from southern England. Continue reading First of 5,112 Allied bombers take off for D-Day invasion 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 6 1944)

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt hails Allied capture of Rome 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1944)


Video: 'Franklin D. Roosevelt on the Liberation of Rome'

(Monday, June 5, 1944, 8:30 p.m. Eastern War Time (EWT); during the Italian Campaign of World War II) — In a broadcast to the nation, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt hailed tonight the capture of Rome, first of the three major Axis capitals to fall, as a great achievement on the road toward total conquest of the Axis. Continue reading U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt hails Allied capture of Rome 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1944)

Allied paratroopers scattered all over Normandy, France 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 6 1944)


Video: 'Operation Overlord & Neptune (D-Day documentary)' (June 6, 1944, 1:15 a.m. BDST at 12:09)

(Tuesday, June 6, 1944, 1:15 a.m. British Double Summer Time (BDST)/7:15 p.m. Eastern War Time(EWT); five hours before the Normandy landings, part of Operation Overlord on the Western Front of World War II) — Bad weather and pilot error have left many of the 23,400 American and British paratroopers scattered all over Normandy. Many have no idea where they have landed nor how to find their objectives. Continue reading Allied paratroopers scattered all over Normandy, France 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 6 1944)

Allied airborne troops take control of Pegasus Bridge in Normandy, France 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 6 1944)


Video: 'Operation Overlord & Neptune (D-Day documentary)' (June 6, 1944, 12:21 a.m. BDST at 7:22)

(Tuesday, June 6, 1944, 12:21 a.m. British Double Summer Time (BDST)/6:21 p.m. Eastern War Time(EWT); six hours before the Normandy landings, part of Operation Overlord on the Western Front of World War II) — Allied airborne troops have taken control of Pegasus Bridge in Normandy, France, an auspicious start to D-Day despite the first Allied casualty. Continue reading Allied airborne troops take control of Pegasus Bridge in Normandy, France 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 6 1944)

D-Day begins as gliders are towed to French coast 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 6 1944)


Video: 'Operation Overlord & Neptune (D-Day documentary)' (June 6, 1944, 12:01 a.m. BDST at 2:30)

(Tuesday, June 6, 1944, 12:01 a.m. British Double Summer Time (BDST)/6:01 p.m. Eastern War Time (EWT); six hours before the Normandy landings, part of Operation Overlord on the Western Front of World War II) — D-Day began just after midnight today when three gliders were towed to the French coast under the cover of darkness to capture Pegasus Bridge. Continue reading D-Day begins as gliders are towed to French coast 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 6 1944)

BBC signals D-Day orders to French Resistance 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1944)


Video: 'Ten Days to D-Day 5/7' (June 5, 1944, 7:00 p.m. at 9:04)

(Monday, June 5, 1944, 7:00 p.m. British Double Summer Time (BDST)/1:00 p.m. Eastern War Time(EWT); 1 day before the Normandy landings, part of Operation Overlord on the Western Front of World War II) — The French Resistance receives D-Day orders via coded messages from the British Broadcasting Corporation, better known as the BBC. Continue reading BBC signals D-Day orders to French Resistance 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1944)

Allied invasion force leaves England’s south coast 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1944)


Video: 'Ten Days to D-Day 5/7' (June 5, 1944, 6:00 p.m. at 8:19)

(Monday, June 5, 1944, 6:00 p.m. British Double Summer Time (BDST)/12:00 noon Eastern War Time (EWT); 1 day before the Normandy landings, part of Operation Overlord on the Western Front of World War II) — By the end of the afternoon, the biggest armada the world has ever seen is leaving England’s south coast. Continue reading Allied invasion force leaves England’s south coast 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1944)

Eisenhower: ‘OK. Let’s go’ 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1944)


Video: 'Ten Days to D-Day 5/7' (June 5, 1944, 4:15 a.m. at 5:23)

(Monday, June 5, 1944, 4:15 a.m. British Double Summer Time (BDST)/10:15 p.m. Eastern War Time(EWT); 1 day before the Normandy landings, part of Operation Overlord on the Western Front of World War II) — Allied Supreme Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower says, “OK. Let’s go,” as commanders attend their final D-Day weather briefing early this morning in southern England. Continue reading Eisenhower: ‘OK. Let’s go’ 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 5 1944)

U.S. Fifth Army begins liberating Rome, first Axis capital to fall during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1944)


Video: '1944: The Liberation of Rome - Turning Point in WWII'

(Sunday, June 4, 1944, approximately 8:00 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during the Battle of Anzio, part of the Winter Line and the battle for Rome of the Italian Campaign of World War II) — The U.S. Fifth Army entered Rome from the south in several jeeps this morning, one day after the Germans declared it an open city, bringing liberation for the first time to a Nazi-enslaved European capital. Continue reading U.S. Fifth Army begins liberating Rome, first Axis capital to fall during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1944)

Eisenhower postpones D-Day invasion due to weather, Rommel goes home 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1944)


Video: 'Ten Days to D-Day 4/7' (June 4, 1944, at 9:20)

(Sunday, June 4, 1944, 6:00 a.m. British Double Summer Time (BDST)/12:00 a.m. Eastern War Time(EWT); 2 days before the Normandy landings, part of Operation Overlord on the Western Front of World War II) — Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower decided to postpone the D-Day invasion for at least one day, hoping for better weather on June 6. The Allied Expeditionary Force convoys, bound for Normandy, are called back to port. Continue reading Eisenhower postpones D-Day invasion due to weather, Rommel goes home 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Jun 4 1944)