(Friday, May 29, 1942) — “White Christmas” by Bing Crosby, the world’s best-selling single (in terms of sales of physical media), was recorded today with the John Scott Trotter Orchestra and the Ken Darby Singers at the Radio Recorders recording studio, 932 N. Western Avenue in Los Angeles. Continue reading Bing Crosby records ‘White Christmas,’ best-selling single of all-time, in Los Angeles 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 29 1942)
Category Archives: 1940s
U.S. opens concentration camp in Northern California to incarcerate Japanese Americans forcibly removed from their homes 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1942)
Video: 'George Takei Visits Tule Lake Concentration Camp'
(Wednesday, May 27, 1942; during World War II) — The Tule Lake War Relocation Center, the second of ten concentration camps constructed in 1942 by the United States government to incarcerate Japanese Americans forcibly removed from their homes on the West Coast, opened today in Modoc and Siskiyou counties in Northern California. Continue reading U.S. opens concentration camp in Northern California to incarcerate Japanese Americans forcibly removed from their homes 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1942)
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Czech partisans attack and mortally wound top Nazi leader and Holocaust mastermind Reinhard Heydrich in Prague 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1942)
Video: 'The Assassination of Reinhard Heydrich | Nazi Hunters'
(Wednesday, May 27, 1942, approximately 10:35 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during Operation Anthropoid, part of World War II) — Reinhard Heydrich — the commander of the Reich Security Main Office (RSHA), acting governor of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia, and a principal architect of The Holocaust — was attacked and wounded today in an assassination attempt by a team of Czech and Slovak soldiers. Continue reading Czech partisans attack and mortally wound top Nazi leader and Holocaust mastermind Reinhard Heydrich in Prague 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1942)
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Sobibór extermination camp becomes operational in German-occupied Poland 80 years ago #OnThisDate #OTD (May 16 1942)
Video: 'Sobibor'
(Saturday, May 16, 1942; during the The Holocaust, part of World War II) — Sobibór, an extermination camp built and operated by Nazi Germany in the forest near the village of Sobibór in the General Government region of German-occupied Poland for the sole purpose of murdering Jews, became fully operational today (note: some sources say the camp may have become fully operation on Monday, May 18). Continue reading Sobibór extermination camp becomes operational in German-occupied Poland 80 years ago #OnThisDate #OTD (May 16 1942)
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‘Tangerine’ by Jimmy Dorsey peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 9 1942)
(Saturday, May 9, 1942) — “Tangerine” by Jimmy Dorsey And His Orchestra (vocal choruses by Bob Eberly and Helen O’Connell) peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard Best Sellers in Stores chart for the first of six consecutive weeks (May 9/16/23/30, June 6/13, 1942). Continue reading ‘Tangerine’ by Jimmy Dorsey peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 9 1942)
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U.S. forces surrender on Corregidor Island, last Allied stronghold in the Philippines 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 6 1942)
Video: 'Fall of Corregidor - Last day of the Battle of Corregidor'
(Wednesday, May 6, 1942, at about 1:30 p.m. Japan Standard Time; during the Battle of Corregidor, part of the Pacific Theater of World War II) — Some 15,000 American and Filipino troops on Corregidor island surrendered to Japanese forces today as U.S. Lt. Gen. Jonathan Wainwright sent two officers forward with a white flag to carry his surrender message to the Japanese. Continue reading U.S. forces surrender on Corregidor Island, last Allied stronghold in the Philippines 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 6 1942)
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Battle of the Coral Sea, first naval clash fought entirely by planes, begins 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 4 1942)
Video: 'Why the Battle of the Coral Sea Was Unique in Naval History'
(Monday, May 4, 1942, 8:50 a.m. Solomon Islands Time; during the Battle of the Coral Sea, part of Operation Mo of South West Pacific theatre of World War II) — The Battle of Coral Sea, a five-day naval battle between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia, began today when Task Force Seventeen (TF 17), commanded by Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, attacked the Japanese Tulagi Invasion Force at Tulagi, Solomon Islands, where elements of the Japanese landing force had gone ashore to estabish defenses. Continue reading Battle of the Coral Sea, first naval clash fought entirely by planes, begins 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 4 1942)
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Nazis order Dutch Jews to wear yellow Jewish star in occupied-Holland 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 29 1942)
Video: 'Anne Frank (The Whole Story)' (Jewish star introduced at 30:52)
(Wednesday, April 29, 1942, during The Holocaust, part of World War II) — Nazi officials in occupied Holland announced today that from Sunday, May 3, 1942, onwards, every Jew six years and older would be required to wear a yellow star of David, a six-pointed star often used as a symbol of the Jewish religion, with the word “Jew” written on it in black letters. Continue reading Nazis order Dutch Jews to wear yellow Jewish star in occupied-Holland 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 29 1942)
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Doolittle leads surprise raid on Tokyo in response to Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 18 1942)
Video: 'The Doolitte Raid on Tokyo (1942): The US Strikes Back | Battle 360 | History'
(Saturday, April 18, 1942, about noon Japan Standard Time; during the Doolittle Raid, part of the Pacific War of World War II) — Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle led a squadron of B-25 bombers today in a surprise raid against the Japanese capital Tokyo and other places on Honshu in response to the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941. It was the first air operation to strike the Japanese archipelago. Continue reading Doolittle leads surprise raid on Tokyo in response to Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 18 1942)
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76,000 American, Filipino defenders at Bataan surrender to Japanese 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 9 1942)
Video: 'Surrender of the Philippines, 1942 (OFFICIAL FILM)' (April 9, 1942 at 31:11)
(Thursday, April 9, 1942, 12:30 p.m. PHST; during the Battle of Bataan, part of the Philippines campaign in World War II) — Some 76,000 weary, starving and emaciated American and Filipino defenders on the battle-swept Bataan Peninsula surrendered to Japanese troops today after several hours of negotiations between Major General Edward P. King and Major General Kameichiro Nagano. Continue reading 76,000 American, Filipino defenders at Bataan surrender to Japanese 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Apr 9 1942)
