Category Archives: 1940s

Rock music icon Jim Morrison born in Melbourne, Florida 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 8 1943)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s, The Doors


Video: 'Jim Morrison - Singer & Songwriter for Rock Group The Doors | Mini Bio | BIO'

(Wednesday, December 8, 1943) — Singer-songwriter and poet James Douglas “Jim” Morrison, best remembered as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the Los Angeles rock band The Doors, was born today in Melbourne, Florida, where his parents were stationed at the Naval Air Station Melbourne during World War II. Continue reading Rock music icon Jim Morrison born in Melbourne, Florida 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Dec 8 1943) →

‘Paper Doll’ by The Mills Brothers peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 6 1943)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, November 6, 1943) — “Paper Doll” by The Mills Brothers peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard National List of Best Selling Retail Records chart for the first of 12 consecutive weeks (Nov. 6/13/20/27, Dec. 4/11/18/25, 1943, Jan. 1/8/15/22, 1944). Continue reading ‘Paper Doll’ by The Mills Brothers peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Nov 6 1943) →

‘Pistol Packin’ Mama’ by Al Dexter peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 30 1943)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, October 30, 1943) — “Pistol Packin’ Mama” by Al Dexter and his Troopers peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard National List of Best Selling Retail Records chart for one week. Continue reading ‘Pistol Packin’ Mama’ by Al Dexter peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 30 1943) →

300 prisoners escape Nazi extermination camp at Sobibor in German-occupied Poland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 14 1943)

1940s, The Holocaust, World War II


Video: 'CENSORED: The Great Escape from Death Camp Sobibór - October 16, 1943 - War Against Humanity 082' (Sobibór uprising at 6:39)

(Thursday, October 14, 1943, 4:00 p.m. Central European Time; during The Holocaust and World War II) — Members of the underground, led by Polish-Jewish prisoner Leon Feldhendler and Soviet-Jewish POW Alexander Pechersky, launched the Sobibór uprising today, covertly killing eleven SS officers and a number of guards at the Sobibór extermination camp in German-occupied Poland. Continue reading 300 prisoners escape Nazi extermination camp at Sobibor in German-occupied Poland 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Oct 14 1943) →

Nazi raiders ‘rescue’ deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from Hotel Campo Imperatore 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 12 1943)

1940s, World War II

Video: 'The World at War: Tough Old Gut: Italy - November 1942-June 1944 (13 of 26)' (Sep. 12, 1943, at 22:18)

(Sunday, September 12, 1943, 2:05 p.m. Central European Summer Time; during the Allied invasion of Italy, part of the Italian Campaign of World War II) — Benito Mussolini, the recently deposed Italian dictator who was imprisoned at the Campo Imperiale Hotel in the Abruzzi Mountains, “escaped” this afternoon during the Gran Sasso raid, led by Hauptsturmführer Otto Skorzeny. Continue reading Nazi raiders ‘rescue’ deposed Italian dictator Benito Mussolini from Hotel Campo Imperatore 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 12 1943) →

‘Sunday, Monday, or Always’ by Bing Crosby peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 11 1943)

1940s, Movies 1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, September 11, 1943) — “Sunday, Monday, or Always” by Bing Crosby (with the Ken Darby Singers) was the #1 song on today’s Billboard National List of Best Selling Retail Records chart for the first of seven consecutive weeks (Sept. 11/18/25, Oct. 2/9/16/23, 1943). Continue reading ‘Sunday, Monday, or Always’ by Bing Crosby peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 11 1943) →

Allied forces land on Italian mainland at Salerno and Taranto during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 9 1943)

1940s, World War II


Video: '211 - The Allies' Latest Victory - WW2 - September 10, 1943' (Allied invasion of Italy at 2:45)

(Thursday, September 9, 1943, 3:20 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during the Allied invasion of Italy, part of the Italian Campaign of World War II) — The second and main phase of the Allied invasion of Italy, Operation Avalanche, commenced today, as the U.S. Army VI Corps and the British Army X Corps stormed the beaches at the Gulf of Salerno, and encountered heavy resistance from German forces. Continue reading Allied forces land on Italian mainland at Salerno and Taranto during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 9 1943) →

General Dwight D. Eisenhower announces Italy’s surrender during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 8 1943)

1940s, World War II


Video: '211 - The Allies' Latest Victory - WW2 - September 10, 1943' (Sept. 8, 1943, at 1:08)

(Wednesday, September 8, 1943, 5:30 p.m. Central European Time; during the Allied invasion of Italy, part of the Italian Campaign of World War II) — Italy has signed an unconditional armistice with the Allies, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the commander in chief of Allied forces in the Mediterranean, announced today in a broadcast from Allied Headquarters in Algiers, “effective this instant.” Continue reading General Dwight D. Eisenhower announces Italy’s surrender during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 8 1943) →

Allied forces invade mainland Italy at Reggio di Calabria during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 3 1943)

1940s, World War II


Video: '210 - The War is Four Years Old this week - WW2 - September 3, 1943' (Sep. 3, 1943, at 0:35)

(Friday, September 3, 1943, 4:30 Central European Summer Time; during the Allied invasion of Italy, part of the Italian Campaign of World War II) — Mainland Italy was invaded by Allied forces today for the first time during World War II, as the British Eighth Army’s XIII Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Miles Dempsey and composed of the 1st Canadian and British 5th Infantry Divisions, launched Operation Baytown under General Bernard Montgomery’s direction. Continue reading Allied forces invade mainland Italy at Reggio di Calabria during World War II 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (Sep 3 1943) →

‘In the Blue of Evening’ by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 21 1943)

1940s, Popular Music 1940s

(Saturday, August 21, 1943) — “In the Blue of Evening” by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra (vocal refrain by Frank Sinatra) peaked at #1 on today’s Billboard National List of Best Selling Retail Records chart for the first of three consecutive weeks (Aug. 21/28, Sept. 4, 1943). Continue reading ‘In the Blue of Evening’ by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra peaks at #1 in USA 80 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (Aug 21 1943) →