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1923   (SUNDAY):        GERMANY: Adolf Hitler attends a rally of Nationalists parties in Nuremberg. General Erich Ludendorff, Chief of Staff of the German Army in World War I, announces his support of Adolf Hitler before 100,000 people at Nuremberg. 

1933   (SATURDAY):        INTERNATIONAL: A pact of friendship, nonaggression, and neutrality between Italy and the U.S.S.R. was signed.  (Jack Mirst flight of the Grumman XF4F-2 Wildcat. (Ron Babuka)

September 2nd, 1939 (SATURDAY)

Lord Halifax calls Paris to establish a time limit; and at 10.30 p.m. Chamberlain's peacetime Cabinet begins its final meeting. An absolute ultimatum will be sent to Germany.

Dr. Fritz Hesse, Press Councillor to the German Embassy in London, comes to Sir Horace Wilson, Chamberlain's chief advisor, with an invitation from Ribbentrop for a secret meeting, 'heart to heart'. Wilson refuses, but repeats that if Germany withdraws from Poland, bygones will be bygones.

The IRA launch a series of attacks on individual soldiers in the British Territorial Army.

Churchill, expecting at any minute to be invited to join the War Cabinet, has waited all day a message from Chamberlain. He sleeps with a pistol under his pillow and a guard on his door.

The last football matches are played. Some kick off late anticipating crowd and traffic problems. 
On the last day of play Blackpool head the league. (72)

 

FRANCE:
Georges Bonnet, the French Foreign Minister contacts Ciano to try and arrange a symbolic German withdrawal. Ciano throws the message into the waste-paper basket before returning to bed.

Paris: Daladier addresses the Chamber of Deputies. (Gene Hanson)

The RAF sends ten squadrons of Fairey Battle light bombers to France.

GERMANY:
At 8.50 p.m. Ribbentrop informs Attolico that there will be no German withdrawal from Poland.

Chancellor Adolf Hitler accepts Italian Premier Benito Mussolini's proposal for a conference if the French and British notes of 1 September  were not ultimatums and if he was allowed a 24 hour grace period. Britain and France both deny that the warnings  were ultimatums; France approves the grace period in principle; Britain takes the  grace period into consultation, said and armistice was insufficient, and evacuation of German troops must precede a conference.  

Germany announces that it will respect Norwegian neutrality.

POLAND: General Gerd von Rundstedt's Army Group South (Heeresgruppe Süd) troops have crossed the River Warta, in Poland, in numerous places. The German Luftwaffe has wreaked havoc in the rear areas of the Polish armed forces. The far forward placement of most Polish regular forces has placed the swift moving German columns in their rear areas.

30 Polish towns and cities are bombed with more than 1500 casualties.

In the disputed Corridor, two Polish infantry divisions and the Pomorze cavalry brigade are cut off by the German XIX corps of the 4th Army and almost wiped out.

Polish submarine ORP Wilk is damaged by German depth charges.

     Poland asks the British and French to provide aid.  .

U.S.S.R.: Pravda features Hitler's speech holding the Poles responsible for the war. (Mike Yared)

ITALY: 9.30 p.m. Sir Percy Loraine calls London from Rome to say that Mussolini is abandoning his efforts for peace.

GIBRALTAR: The first British convoy of the war leaves for Cape Town

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September 2nd, 1940 (MONDAY)

Llandarcy, Glamorganshire: Lt Bertram Stuart Trevelyan Archer (b. 1915), Royal Engineers, defused the most dangerous of several bombs at a refinery, despite explosions and blazing oil. (George Cross)

Battle of Britain: The weather continues fine and warm with early-morning mist and fog patches. Once again, there are four main phases of airfield attacks during the day. The German's effort consisted mainly of five attacks in the East Kent-Thames Estuary area. In the North and East, little activity took place. Four reconnaissance flights were made off the Norfolk Coast by single aircraft flying at about 10,000 feet (3 048 meters) between 1629 and 2055 hours. In the Southeast, at 0750 and 0752 hours the Coast was crossed at Dover and Lympne by 40 and 30 aircraft respectively at 20,000 feet (6 096 meters) while a small formation came in at Deal at 8,000 feet (2 438 meters).

The raids split inland and proceeded to Eastchurch, North Weald, Ochford and Biggin Hill. A further raid of thirty aircraft flying at 10,000 feet (3 048 meters) was intercepted near Hawkinge and turned back. Seven squadrons were detailed for this attack and inflicted casualties. At 1220 hour

 s two waves of 12+ and 30+ aircraft crossed the Coast at Folkestone and North Foreland and flew into the Estuary. Other raids penetrated to Maidstone. The battle was confined to East Kent from Rye to Shoeburyness. About 100 aircraft were involved and dispersal to France took place at 1330 hour. Several Luftwaffe aircraft were shot down but strong hostile formations continued to cruise in the Straits for about an hour. At 1612 hours raids crossed the Coast at points North of Dungeness and Deal. One raid flew towards Biggin Hill and the remainder to the Thames Estuary and Essex flying over Hornchurch, North Weald and Colchester to Harwich. Some 30 aircraft appeared to concentrate 10 miles (16 kilometers) southeast of Central London where they turned back. In all some 100 aircraft took part. Four Fighter squadrons were in the air and successful interceptions were made. Immediately after the above attackers had returned to France further raids amounting to 70 aircraft came in over Sheppey, Thames Estuary and East Kent at 1720 hours. This attack was of short duration and ended at 1750 hours. At 1800 hours other raids totaling 80 enemy aircraft approached the Coast between North Foreland and Dungeness. They did not penetrate inland and after patrolling the Coast returned to France at 1830 hours. Strong patrols were maintained on the French side of the Channel. In the West, at 1045 hours a single aircraft made a reconnaissance over South Wales and at 1400 hours one raid of two aircraft was plotted in the Bristol Channel.

RAF Fighter Command: 
Several airfields attacked including Biggin Hill, Lympne, Detling, Eastchurch (three times), Hornchurch (twice) and Gravesend. An aircraft factory at Rochester (Shorts) is bombed. At night Merseyside, Midlands, Manchester, Sheffield are all bombed.

The first of four major daylight raids was carried out by KG 3 Do17s heavily escorted by Bf109s which approached Kent at 07:00. Although Park scrambled five squadrons few contacted the enemy, for close protection of Sector Stations was now prescribed. The Dornier formations parted near Maidstone and headed for Rochford, North Weald, Biggin Hill and Gravesend; at the latter 11 bombs fell around the airfield at 08:00. At the same time 48 bombs caused considerable damage to houses at Rochester and 20 minutes later Chatham received ten HEs. 

At the initial division point No. 72 Squadron had been busy dealing with some Do17s and Bf110s at around 13,000 feet as another nine Do17s, contour hugging, again struck Biggin Hill. No. 603 Squadron, patrolling over Hornchurch was vectored to withdrawing Bf109s and bagged one which fell to Pilot Officer Richard Hillary (X4277) later to become famous as the author of the book 'The Last Enemy'.

Around noon with about 250 enemy aircraft approaching, Park decided this time to order his squadrons forward. While resultant scores were not high, the tactic diminished the military effectiveness of the operation although it caused the bombing of Maidstone, where many houses suffered and 15 casualties resulted. 

More raids in similar strength followed, taxing the defenders to the extreme, and at 16:40 Maidstone endured a second onslaught. Soon after 17:00 a tremendous battle resulted when about 90 RAF fighters took on 160 Bf109s.

During the night, there were scattered raids on Liverpool, the Midlands and South Wales. German activity was extensive and was not so confined to specific areas as on recent nights. A feature was the early termination (0130 hours) of all the main attacks. By dusk the Luftwaffe was operating along the East Coast, Wash to Tyne (mostly believed to be mine-laying), over Derby, in the Liverpool and in the Barrow-in-Furness areas. From 2200 to 0030 hours a steady stream of raids crossed the Coast between Beachy Head and Swanage and flew to the industrial Midlands as far as Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield. Many enemy aircraft passed to and from these areas over London Central. Others flew in over the Wash. The number of raids towards South Wales was rather less than recently. Off North East Scotland there was increased activity and a number of raids were plotted between Rattray Head and as far north as Scapa. A convoy off Kinnairds Head called for help at 2240 hours.

Today, the RAF claimed 37-18-32 Luftwaffe aircraft; the RAF lost 20 aircraft with ten pilots killed or missing. 

The British battleship HMS Valiant (02) and aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious (87) arrive from Gibraltar to reinforce Admiral Cunningham's Royal Navy Fleet.

Losses: Luftwaffe, 35; RAF, 31.

Corvette HMS Rhododendron launched.

Submarine HMS P 38 laid down.

Minesweeper HMS Bude launched.

FRANCE: The government is ordered to pay 400 million francs per day to maintain German troops.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA:
The battleship HMS Valiant and carrier HMS Illustrious arrive from Gibraltar to reinforce Admiral Cunningham's Royal Navy Fleet.

Junkers 87 (Stuka) equipped 236a and 237a Squadriglia of 96 Gruppo, Regia Aeronautica attack British ships using this aircraft for the first time. (Ferdinando D'Amico)

 

FRENCH POLYNESIA: On Papeete in the Society Islands, the Provisional Government of the French Settlements in Oceania announces the colonys adhesion to Free France. 

U.S.A.:
Washington: Britain and the US sign the deal giving Britain 50 aged destroyers in exchange for permission for the US to make use of British naval bases in the West Indies.
(". . . in view of the friendly and sympathetic interest of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom in the national security of the United States and their desire to strengthen the ability of the United. States to cooperate effectively with the other nations of the Americas in defense of the Western Hemisphere, . . . in view of the desire of the United States to acquire additional air and naval bases in the Caribbean and in British. Guiana . . ."  US Secretary of State Cordell Hull and British Ambassador Lord Lothian conclude the destroyers for bases agreement. The USN will transfer 50 over-age destroyers to the RN in exchange for 99-year leases on bases in the Bahamas, Antigua, St Lucia, Trinidad, Jamaica and British Guiana. In addition, bases in Newfoundland and Bermuda are provided as gifts.  

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 2204 hours local, the German submarine U-46 attacks two British merchant ships, SS Bibury and SS Thornlea, which stayed together after the convoy OB-205 was dispersed on 30 August, and sinks both west of Ireland. A second submarine, U-47, sinks a Belgium merchant ship, the SS Ville de Mons, further north.  (Jack McKillop and Dave Shirlaw)

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September 2nd, 1941 (TUESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: London: It is announced in the London Gazette that OS Albert Howarth (d. 1976) of HMS FORESIGHT was blown into the sea when a ship exploded, but helped another man before being saved himself; it was then seen he had lost a foot. (Albert Medal)

Submarine HMS Umbra commissioned.

GERMANY: U-175 is launched.

FINLAND: In Karelian Isthmus the Finnish troops have reached the pre-1939 border, and are crossing it. Units have received orders to cross the old border to reach the shortest line across the Isthmus some distance behind it. 

All along the Eastern Front, Red Army withdraws from use its so-called five number code. This code was used in communications between divisions and armies, and the Soviets had become aware that it is compromised. After a week a new version of the code is introduced.

For the Finnish codebreakers this marks an end of a golden era. Thanks to hard work, good luck, help from the Japanese and Soviet blunders, Finns had been able to read some 80% of the Soviet five-number code traffic from the beginning of the Continuation War in June. The significance of this intelligence for the Finnish offensive can be imagined. Major-General Taavetti Laatikainen, commander of the Finnish II Corps, once told to Lieutenant-Colonel Reino Hallamaa, chief of the radio intelligence, that thanks to the intelligence reports he received, Laatikainen often knew the enemy troop dispositions better than his own.

U.S.S.R.: Leningrad: A desperate battle is raging at Gatchina, some 20 miles south-west of Leningrad, as the defenders try to halt the German advance. The guns of the naval squadron on the river Neva have joined in the battle, pounding the German positions with heavy shells.

To the south-west the railway town of Mga has fallen to the Germans after a see-saw battle lasting three days. This means that Leningrad's rail links with the rest of Russia have been severed and the German ring around the city is almost complete. There is, however, little left here except people. While the Red Army has been holding up the Germans nearly 300 trains have carried the machine tools of 90 factories, including two heavy tank works, to safety behind the Urals where they are being reassembled.

The major problem which is emerging is food. Leningrad's population of 2,500,000, with 100,000 refugees and the armed forces, must all be fed if a siege is mounted. Lack of bread, not bombs, may bring about Leningrad's capitulation.

Thornycroft boat Syöksy sinks Soviet transport Meero south from Koivisto Sound.

JAPAN: Tokyo: The government sets up the Air Defence Bureau, which will organize air-raid precautions throughout Japan.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: MacArthur      "> MacArthur informs Hart that there was “plenty of time” to prepare for war with Japan. (Marc Small)  

EAST INDIES: The Japanese consulate in Batavia, Netherlands East Indies, sends a message to Tokyo, Japan, stating that "conditioned by our military invasion of French Indo-China, it was a fact that the government of these islands had drastically stepped up their anti-Japanese tendencies and very evidently assumed an attitude of aid to China." 

CANADA: Corvette HMCS Fredericton launched Sorel, Province of Quebec.
Patrol craft HMCS Ehkoli launched New Westminster, British Columbia.
Minesweeper HMCS Miramichi launched North Vancouver, British Columbia.

U.S.A.: The government grants a large loan to Mexico for cooperation for military and economic defence of the hemisphere. The U.S. also negotiates currency stabilization agreements with Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador.

     Coincident with the Japanese Ambassador's call on President Franklin D. Roosevelt on the morning of 28 August 1941, Major General ISODA Saburo, Japanese Military Attaché, called by appointment on Colonel R. S. Bratton, Chief of the Far Eastern Section, Intelligence Branch. The following  were notes of Colonel Bratton on the visit: (1) Due to restrictions imposed by the U.S. export control, the Japanese have begun to use a portion of their war reserve of petroleum; (2) Japan made a great mistake in joining the Axis; (3) the Army frequently gets out from under control of the Civilian Government and had to be restrained by Imperial Command; and (4) Japan had her back to the wall. She can be pushed just so far, then will have to fight us to save her national honor and integrity, though war with the United States was the last thing desired by Japan. 

Submarine USS Gurnard laid down.
 

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September 2nd, 1942 (WEDNESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The Hawker Tempest fighter (HM 595) makes its maiden flight. Originally titled the Typhoon Mk V, it can reach 435 mph. (22)

U-256 shot down RAF Whitley aircraft, Squadron 77/H.

Convoy PQ-18 sails from Scotland.

BELGIUM: Six RAF Bostons attack the Terneuzen oil refinery at Ghent without loss. 

NETHERLANDS: Three RAF Bomber Command aircraft lay mines in the  Frisian Islands. 

GERMANY: RAF Bomber Command dispatches 200 aircraft of five types to attack Karlsruhe; 177 bomb the target and eight aircraft  were lost. The Pathfinders were accurate and this was a successful raid with an estimated 200 fires burning at the same time. Reconnaissance photographs showed much residential and some industrial damage. A very short report from Karlsruhe says only that 73 people were killed and that three public buildings in the city centre were hit. Five Mosquitos hit targets of opportunity in five cities. 

U-273 is launched.  U-527 and U-710 commissioned.

POLAND: Dzialosyce: Polish police, Ukrainian militia and German Gestapo slaughter 2,000 Jews and deport the remaining 8,000 to Belzec death camp.

Soviet aircraft bomb Warsaw.

BALTIC SEA: The German submarine U-222 is sunk west of Pillau, East Prussia in position 54.25N, 19.30E, after a collision with U-626. Only 3 of the 45 crewman survived.

U.S.S.R.: Soviet submarine "M-97"of the Baltic Fleet, Ladoga and Onega Flotillas is sunk by surface ASW ships, North of Hogland Is. (Sergey Anisimov)(69)

German Army Group A (Heeresgruppe A) continues to press toward Novorossisk and Grozny. The threat to Novorossisk increases and German and Romanian forces from the Crimea cross Kerch Strait and join other Axis forces in the area. 

The Russian 11th and 17th Armies advance near Novorossiysk.

Germany launches a major drive against partisans in the district of Mogilev.

EGYPT: By dawn, Rommel realizes that his drive on Alam Halfa Ridge is failing. He himself suffers stomach trouble, nausea, and blocked nasal passages, adding to his misery. As he drives to the front, he sees tanks unable to move from lack of fuel and men unwilling to leave foxholes for fear of air attack. At one point, Rommel has to dive into a foxhole and a shell splinter rips through the blade of a shovel lying on the lip of a trench, and a piece of red hot metal falls beside him. Rommel needs more supplied to advance. A 300-truck convoy is sent to him. It gets caught by 7 Armoured Division's light tanks, which destroy 57 vehicles. The Germans are down to one day's petrol. Rommel returns to his HQ, to discuss things with Luftwaffe General Kesselring. The latter promises more airstrikes, but says the 500 tons of petrol promised per day is "consuming itself" on the way up in the tanks of vehicles bringing it up over the appalling roads and tracks. Of the 5,000 tons of petrol Italian Marshal Ugo Cavallero, Chief of the Supreme General Staff, has promised, 2,600 tons has been sunk, 1,500 tons is stuck in Italy, and the prospect of the remaining 1,000 tons arriving is slim. That night, Rommel scratches out a report to Berlin saying that he has decided to call off the offensive and retreat to his start line. As soon as Rommel's radiomen begin to send the message, the RAF arrives to hammer the place. The desert floors shakes from 4,000-pound (1814 kilogram) bombs that fling lumps of stone into the air, adding to the death and destruction. 
     In the air, US Army, Middle East Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb aircraft and a landing ground and, with the RAF, attack troops and vehicles in the battle area around Alamel-Halfa ridge; and P-40s fly escort and sweep missions over the battle area in conjunction with the RAF. 

LIBYA: US Army, Middle East Air Force B-24 Liberators hit docks and jetties at Tobruk. 

MALAYSIA: In Singapore, Japanese troops recapture two Australian and two British POWs who have escaped captivity. Major General FUKUEI Shempei orders the POWs shot, a violation of the Hague and Geneva Conventions. Further, the shooters will be Indian Sikh POWs. The four are executed in the afternoon. 

PACIFIC OCEAN: The USN submarine USS Guardfish (SS-217) sinks a Japanese merchant cargo ship 13 miles (21 kilometres) southeast of Chikyu Mizaki, Hokkaido, Japan, in position 42.08N, 141.15E. 

NEW GUINEA: In Papua New Guinea, the Australians on the Kokoda Track move back to Templeton's Crossing. At Buna, the remaining 1,000 Japanese soldiers of the 41st Battalion land. In Milne Bay, the Australian troops continue to clear the north coast of the bay; during the morning, the Australian destroyer HMAS Arunta (I 30) escorts the transport Tasman into the bay and both leave later in the day. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) at Rabaul, New Britain Island, Bismarck Archipelago, was notified and during the night, two Japanese destroyers sail into the bay to sink the two Australian ships but they  were long gone. 

P-400 Airacobras of the Allied Air Forces bomb and strafe forces in the Kokoda and Alola areas as the Japanese continue to push toward Port Moresby.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: The IJN sends 18 G4M "Betty" bombers escorted by 22 A6M "Zeke" fighters to bomb Henderson Field on Guadalcanal at 1200 hours. USMC F4F Wildcat pilots intercept and shoot down 3 G4Ms and 4 "Zekes." During the day, USN and USMC SBD Dauntlesses and USN TBF Avengers attack an IJN supply convoy en route to Guadalcanal damaging 1 ship. And, RAAF Beauforts attack IJN shipping at Faisi, Bougainville. 

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: Aleutian Islands The US 11th Air Force dispatches 6 bombers and 12 P-38 Lightnings to fly cover and photo reconnaissance over Nazan and Kuluk Bays on Adak Island, and Amchitka and Semisopochnoi Islands.

CANADA: U-517 sighted Quebec-Labrador convoy NL-6 escorted by corvette HMCS Weyburnand minesweeper HMCS Clayoquot as well as a second convoy LN-7 (SS Donald Stewart, Ericus and Canatco)escorted by corvettes HMCS Shawinigan and Trail. The two convoys were headed on practically reciprocal courses. Just as U-517 fired at Donald Stewart, HMCS Weyburn sighted her and attacked with 4-inch gun. U-517 dived and Weyburn attempted to depth charge. However, the throwers jammed and only two were dropped. Failing to gain contact HMCS Weyburn proceeded to assist the burning Donald Stewart which sank with the loss of 3 crewmembers, HMCS Trail rescued the remaining crew. Donald Stewart, which was loaded with aviation gasoline, stored in drums and dry cement intended for the new Air Force based being built at Goose Bay. The loss of this relatively small ship significantly delayed the construction of the runways at Goose Bay.

U.S.A.: Submarine USS Harder commissioned.

It is announced that President Roosevelt, at the request of the Brazilian Government, had appointed an American technical mission of industrial engineers to visit Brazil to assist in the expansion of the Brazilian industrial war machine.

The first Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express, cargo aircraft, is delivered to the USAAF">USAAF. (Ron Babuka)
 

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September 2nd, 1943 (THURSDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The US Eighth Air Force in England dispatches both the VIII Air Support Command and the VIII Bomber Command to attack targets in France. 

- The VIII Air Support Command flies Missions 41 and 42: 216 B-26B Marauders are dispatched to 5 targets in France (36 per target); the missions to a power station at Rouen and Poix/Nord and Lille/Nord Airfields are aborted due to weather; 35 B-26s hit a power station at Mazingarbe and 69 hit a fuel dump at Hesden; 1 B-26 is lost.

- The VIII Bomber Command flies Mission 89 against airfields in France but because of unfavorable cloud conditions only part of one force is able to attack a target. 
(1) B-17 Flying Fortresses are dispatched to airfields in northwestern France but the mission is abandoned at the French coast due to heavy clouds. 
(2) 34 of 86 B-17s dispatched to Mardyck and Denain/Prouvy Airfields hit the target at 1922 and 1905 hours respectively. 182 P-47 Thunderbolts are dispatched to escort the bombers but they carry out fighter sweeps; 3 P-47's are lost.

Frigates HMS Ballinderry and Odzani commissioned.

GERMANY: German doctors are allegedly turning the Hippocratic Oath on its head, using healthy prisoners as human guinea pigs for gruesome, often futile, medical experiments.

The experiments are performed at the Ravensbruck concentration camp, near Mecklenburg, according to the Polish interior ministry in exile. Today it published claims of abdominal surgery, the removal of bones and tissue from limbs and the deliberate infection of patients with tetanus and tuberculosis. In this way Professor Julius Gepphard has killed and crippled many.

Meanwhile, at Dachau, a camp near Munich, the Czech surgeon Dr. Franz Blaha has become expert in stripping skin from prisoners' corpses; it is then cured and dried until it becomes like leather. In the camp workshops, the skin becomes purses, handbags, gloves, slippers, lampshades and riding breeches. Items of human skin - especially bearing tattoos - are prized by SS men as gifts for their wives.

Should the workshops, manned by prisoners who were previously craftsmen and leatherworkers, run out of material, the senior doctor, Sigismund Rascher, picks out 20 or so healthy-skinned young people and has them shot - in the neck, so as to not spoil their skins.

Ilse Koch, at Buchenwald camp, near Weimar, runs another of Hitler's "tanneries."

GERMANY: Hitler appoints Albert Speer, the minister of armaments and munitions, to the new post of Reich minister for arms and war production.

U-243, U-244, U-1195 and U-1196 launched.
U-861 and U-994 commissioned.

POLAND: At Treblinka Concentration Camp, a group of 13 Jewish slave laborers kill their SS guard with a crowbar while working outside the camp. Their leader, 18-year-old Seweryn Klajnman, puts on the guard's uniform, and then "marches off" his fellow prisoners. All escape their pursuers and evade capture. 

U.S.S.R.: The Soviet government announces the liberation of Lisichansk, Kommunarsk and other cities in the Donets basin.

ITALY: As the Northwest African Air Force completes the preinvasion attacks in preparation for Operation BAYTOWN (the British invasion of Italy on the Calabrian coast), having intensified them against Calabria during the past week, virtually all airfields in southern Italy except Foggia and its satellites have been neutralized. U.S. bombers, during the period from 18 August to today, have flown almost 3,000 sorties against communication targets. Small B-17 Flying Fortress attacks on the Brenner Pass temporarily interdicts the pass, the shortest route between Germany and Italy. Allied planes open intensive preinvasion attacks in support of Operation AVALANCHE (the invasion of Italy at Salerno), pounding airfields within range of Salerno day and night. 

      The Italian mainland defenses near Reggio  were shelled by British battleships HMS Valiant (02) and Warspite (03). (John Nicholas)

     USAAF Twelfth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses visually bomb five targets: (1) 76 bomb the marshalling yard at Bologna; (2) 21 bomb the marshalling yard at Bolzano; (3) 20 bomb the marshalling yard at Trento; and individual aircraft bomb targets of opportunity at Ora and Zambana. Only one aircraft was lost. Other missions flown by the Twelfth Air Force include B-25 Mitchells bombing marshalling yards at Bologna, Trento, Bolzano, and Cancello Arnone with fighters escorting the B-25s claiming 28 enemy airplanes shot down; and tactical aircraft, including RAF and USAAF Ninth Air Force airplanes, hit gun positions and other targets on the Italian toe, bomb rail communications at Bova Marina, Locri, Marina di Monasterace, Siderno Marina, Lamezia, and Catanzaro, and attack barges in the Golfo di Sant' Eufemia and an ammunition dump at Saptri.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The Italian mainland defenses near Reggio are shelled by British battleships HMS Valiant and HMS Warspite.

HONG KONG: 10 US Fourteenth Air Force B-25s and 5 P-40s bomb Hong Kong hitting the Kowloon area and attack shipping off Stonecutter's Island and in the Lai Chi Kok area.

PACIFIC OCEAN: Two USN submarine sink Japanese ships. USS Seawolf (SS-197) sinks an army cargo ship in the East China Sea in position 31.28N, 127.24E, and USS Snapper (SS-185) sinks an escort vessel, 85 miles (137 kilometres) north-northwest of Truk, Caroline Islands, in position 08.40N, 151.31E. 

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: The USN submarine USS Bowfin (SS-287) delivers supplies and evacuates certain people from Binuni Point, Mindanao. 

SOLOMON ISLANDS: 24 US Thirteenth Air Force B-25s and 60+ USMC aircraft pound Vila on Kolombangara Island, hitting AA and artillery positions and the area east of Ringa Cove on New Georgia Island. 18 B-24s, 20+ P-40s and P-39Airacobras, and 60+ USMC planes attack Kahili on Bougainville Island; shore installations, the airfield, and bridges north of the strip are hit.

NEW GUINEA: US Fifth Air Force B-25s, with 40 P-38 escorts, attack shipping at Wewak harbour, sinking 2 transports and damaging a third and shooting down 9 aircraft; barrage balloons offer some protection to the enemy ships. This is first USAAF observation of Japanese use of such balloons in the Southwest Pacific Area.

CANADA: Minesweeper HMS Moon (ex-HMCS Mimico) launched Toronto. Ontario.
Along with destroyers HMCS Algonquin (ex-HMS Valentine) and HMS Wessex.

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September 2nd, 1944 (SATURDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The US Eighth Air Force in England flies Mission 596: 34 P-47s strafe gun positions and road and rail traffic in the Bruges-Ghent-Courtrai-Roulers, Belgium area and 2 C-47 Skytrains fly CARPETBAGGER missions to France.

Light cruiser HMS Lion is launched.

Frigate HMS Loch Quoich is launched.

BELGIUM: The U.S. VII Corps and XIX Corps gets advance elements into Belgium and drive toward Tournai. 

FRANCE: 190,000 men; 220,000 tons of supplies; and 41,000 vehicles have been landed in Southern France. Their advance has almost reached Lyons.
Supply problems are beginning to cause difficulty for the US 1st and 3rd Armies in their drive across France.
In northern France, weather grounds the US Ninth Air Force bombers but fighters fly armed reconnaissance and area support to ground forces in Belgium and northwestern, northeastern and eastern France. 

In southern France, US Twelfth Air Force fighter-bombers, hampered by poor weather, hit barracks and rail lines in the Lyon area.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force, holds a commanders' conference and outlines plans for the U.S. Third Army and V Corps of the U.S. First Army to drive to the West Wall (the Siegfried Line) after the supply situation improves. 

     In northern France, the British XXX Corps continues northward so rapidly that the planned drop of airborne forces in the Tournai area was not necessary. The U.S. V Corps continues steadily northeast, overrunning Noyon and St. Quentin until ordered to halt. The U.S. Third Army was still immobilized for lack of fuel but the VIII Corps continues to batter the outer defenses of Brest. Elements of the U.S. 83d Infantry Division invade Ile de Cezembre, which surrenders.  (John Nicholas and Jack McKillop)

     In northern France, weather grounds USAAF Ninth Air Force bombers but fighters fly armed reconnaissance and area support to ground forces in Belgium and northwestern, northeastern and eastern France.

     Sixty four of 67 Lancasters of the RAF Bomber Command bombed ships in Brest harbour in clear visibility. No aircraft  were lost. 

GERMANY: Rastenburg: Hitler orders the creation of 25 new Panzer divisions, to be split between the Seventh Army and the 5th and 6th Panzer Armies.

U-3017 laid down
U-2511 launched.

HUNGARY: Stábni rotmistr (Master Sergeant) Frantisek Cyprich was performing a test flight of Avia B-534.217, at Tri Duby airfield, which was the base for the Combined Squadron. He later reported: "I had overtaken the Ju 52 over Radvana. I made the first attack from behind - it filled my aim cross - it was in front of me, big as a barn. I was sure that all my bullets would go into the Ju52 but I realised that I must do another type of attack. When I made the second attack, I aimed at one engine and opened fire until I saw smoke coming from the engine. Then I made the same attack against the second engine and after that I saw the Ju 52 coming down. I was very happy that I shot down the first enemy plane during SNP and I was very proud when I landed on our own airfield." He landed back on base and went to report to Colonel Singlovic. He was however surprised, when he saw instead of his smile only his strict sight. The colonel only had one question: "Why you didn't force them to land on our base?" Pilot on the Junkers that Cyprich shot down was föhadnagy (Lieutenant) György Gách, in a Hungarian Junker Ju 52/3m from Magyar Légiforgalmi Rt. (MALERT). The co-pilot was Nándor Vermes. This was the first victory of the Slovak National Uprising and the last confirmed air to air kill by a biplane fighter in the Second World War (and by that probably the world's last). In 1991 after 47 years Frantisek Cyprich and the Hungarian co-pilot Nándor Vermes meet and shook hands. (Denis Peck)http://surfcity.kund.dalnet.se/slovakia_cyprich.htm

POLAND:  The Polish Home Army evacuates Warsaw's Old City; 2000 Polish fighters escape through a single manhole and 4 miles (6,4 kilometres) of sewers. 

FINLAND: The Finnish Prime Minister Antii Hackzell announces the break in diplomatic relations with Germany and demands that all German troops be withdrawn from Finland by September 15th. This is all part of accepting the Soviet peace terms.
Yesterday evening the Finnish government received an ultimatum from the Soviet Union: Finland has to officially accept the Soviet conditions for starting the peace negotiations by the end of 2 Sept, or the war will go on. The Parliament, originally set to decide on the matter on 5 Sept, is hurriedly called to convene at 6 pm on 2 Sept. By that time 157 out of 200 MP's has been able to gather at Helsinki. Prime Minister Antti (sic) Hackzell informs the Parliament of the Soviet demands and recommends the starting of negotiations. 108 (Social Democrats, Progressives, and half of Conservatives) votes for the negotiations, 45 (most of Agrarians and the other half of Conservatives) against and the peace progress can go on.

Immediately after the vote PM Hackzell announces in a radioed speech that Finland accepts all the Soviet conditions. But he accidentally forgets to expressly mention that Finland will break the relations with Germany immediately. This oversight will have serious consequences later, as the Soviets suspect that the omission was intentional.

At 10 pm the Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Enckell meets the German Ambassador Wipert von Blücher. He reads to Blücher an announcement informing him that despite the generous German support the urgent national interest demands Finland to make peace. As demanded by the Allies the Germans has to leave Finnish territory by 15 Sept. Angry and bitter von Blücher retorts: "And that you dare to say to me!" Mannerheim had already earlier given to General Erfurth (the OKW representative in Finland) a letter to Hitler, where he politely tells that his duty is to lead his people to peace. (Mikko Härmeinen and Gene Hanson)

U.S.S.R.: The remnants of German forces surrounded in the Kishinev pocket surrender to the Soviet Army. 

ITALY: A partial breakthrough and advance of several miles is achieved by Canadian forces of the British 8th Army in Italy. The advance reaches the Conca River to the west of Cattolica. San Giovanni is liberated. Polish forces have effectively liberated Pesaro. Despite the arrival of German reserve forces these actions demonstrate the destruction of the German Gothic Line.

The U.S. IV Corps crosses elements over the Arno River and clears the northern part of Pisa.

B-25s of the US Twelfth Air Force bomb 3 bridges in the Po Valley, following a raid during the night of 1/2 September by A-20 Havocs which hit a pontoon bridge and targets of opportunity in the Valley; and fighter-bombers blast roads, bridges and gun emplacements in Po Valley, docks at Savona, and shipping off shore. 

     During the night of 2/3 September, 66 RAF Liberators of No. 205 (Heavy Bomber) Group bomb the marshalling yard at Ferrara with the loss of two aircraft. 

YUGOSLAVIA: B-24 Liberators of the USAAF Fifteenth Air Force in Italy visually bomb seven transportation targets: (1) 109 bomb the railroad bridge at Kraljevo; (2) 58 bomb the south marshalling yard at Nis; (3) 55 bomb the railroad bridge at Mitrovica; (4) 55 bomb the main marshalling yard at Nis; (5) 51 bomb the west marshalling yard at Nis; (6) 29 bomb the highway bridge at Supovac; and (7) 26 bomb the marshalling yard at Mitrovica. Only one bomber was lost. The escort fighters begin low-level attacks: 27 P-38 Lightnings dive-bomb the Cuprija road bridge while 57 P-38s and 112 P-51 Mustangs strafe roads and railways in the Nis and Belgrade areas; other P-51s escort Nis and Supovac bombing missions. 

ARCTIC OCEAN: While tracking Convoy RA 59A (Kola Fjord, U.S.S.R. to Loch Ewe, Scotland) in the Norwegian Sea in position 69.47N, 04.10E, German submarine U-394 was sunk about 270 nautical miles (500 kilometers) northwest of Bodr, Norway, by rockets and depth charges from a Swordfish Mk. III of the British Fleet Air Arm No. 825 Squadron in escort aircraft carrier HMS Vindex (D15) and the destroyers HMS Keppel (D 84) and Whitehall (D 94) and the sloops HMS Mermaid (U 30) and Peacock (U 96); all 50 crewmen in the U-boat  were lost. This was the boats second patrol; she was not credited with any sinkings.

BLACK SEA: A Soviet Navy fleet minelayer  MS "T-410 "Vzriv" is sailing with Romanian minelayer Admiral Murgescu (812 tons), when the Soviet vessel was torpedoed and sunk by U-19 at 0522 hours local southeast of Constanta; she was the last victim of the U-boats in the Black Sea. Since Romania had only recently declared war on Germany, the Soviets accused the Romanian Navy of treachery and complicity in the sinking of this vessel, because the Romanian minelayer was not attacked. On 5 September, the Soviets sited this sinking as an excuse for the seizure of the Romanian fleet.  (Sergey Anisimov and Jack McKillop and Dave Shirlaw)(69)

NEW GUINEA: In Dutch New Guinea, operations in the of Wakde-Sarmi area  were terminated. On Noemfoor Island, a second 7,000 foot (2 134 meter) runway was completed at Yebrurro (Kornasoren) Aerodrome. On the Vogelkop Peninsula, the first aircraft, a USAAF C-47 Skytrain, lands at Mar Airfield located just east of Biak. 

PACIFIC OCEAN: Three Allied submarines sink Japanese vessels. USS Guardfish (SS-217) sinks a merchant cargo ship north of Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands, in position 29.48E, 140.20E; HMS Sirdar sinks a guardboat off northwestern Sumatra, in position 03.55N, 096.20E; and HMS Strongbow sinks an army cargo ship off the west coast of Siam, in position 07.57N, 98.49E. 

US carrier-based aircraft of Task Group 38.4 again attack installations on Chichi Jima in the Bonin Islands and Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands. After recovering aircraft, TG 38.4 retires to participate in attacks in the Caroline Islands. LtJG George H. W. Bush piloted one of four aircraft from VT-51 (USS San Jacinto) that attacked the Japanese installations on Chi Chi Jima. For this mission his crew included RM2c John Delaney, and LtJG William White, who substituted for Bush's regular gunner. During their attack, four TBM Avengers from VT-51 encountered intense antiaircraft fire. While starting the attack, Bush's aircraft was hit and his engine caught on fire. He completed his attack and released the bombs over his target scoring several damaging hits. With his engine on fire, Bush flew several miles from the island, where he and one other crew member on the TBM Avenger bailed out of the aircraft. However, the other man's chute did not open and he fell to his death. It was never determined which man bailed out with Bush. Both Delaney and White were killed in action. While Bush anxiously waited four hours in his inflated raft, several fighters circled protectively overhead until he was rescued by the lifeguard submarine, USS Finback. The pilot George Herbert Walker Bush, A-V(N), USNR, later becomes the 41st President of the US in 1989.

CANADA: The 153 ship convoy ON-249 arrived safely with all ships intact, This was the largest of that series of convoys run during the war. 'ON' stood for 'Outward North' from Liverpool to North America. This series was started in July 1941 and terminated in June 45 with the arrival of ON 305. The average convoy size was approximately 50 merchant ships with about eight escorts. In all, 14,864 ships sailed in the ON series and 162 (1.1%) were lost, most of them in 1942. Of the total lost, only 81 (.55%) were in the convoy at the time of their sinking. The remainder were either stragglers or were 'out of convoy' due to detachment, weather, or some other tactical situation that made independent movement desirable. The overall loss rate in 1942 was 2.95%, which was unsustainable. This loss rate did not include damaged ships that were effectively lost for the period that they were under repair. Nearly as many ships were damaged as were lost due to enemy action as the effects of weather, collision, grounding and other accidents added substantially to the efforts of the enemy
Frigate HMCS Glace Bay commissioned
Corvette HMCS Camrose departed UK waters for refit Pictou, Nova Scotia.
Corvettes HMCS Branson and Petrolia departed Londonderry as escort for Convoy ONS-251
Corvette HMCS Trillium arrived St. John's to join EG C-3.

U.S.A.: Top songs on the music charts today are (1) "I'll Be Seeing You" by Tommy Dorsey and his Orchestra with vocal by Frank Sinatra; (2) "Swinging On A Star" by Bing Crosby; (3) "It Could Happen to You" by Jo Stafford; and (4) "Soldier's Last Letter" by Ernest Tubb. 

Destroyer escort USS Roberts commissioned.

Destroyer USS Rooks commissioned.

Coast Guard-manned Army vessel FS-197 was commissioned at New Orleans. She was assigned to and operated in the Southwest Pacific area.

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September 2nd, 1945 (SUNDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Press censorship ends.

JAPAN: The battleship USS Missouri (BB-63) is the scene of the signing of formal surrender documents by representatives of the Japanese government. The "Mighty Mo" and much of the US 3rd Fleet is anchored in Tokyo Bay. (Picture)

General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, commander of U.S. Army Forces in the Pacific, signs for the Allies; Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, commander of the Pacific Ocean Areas and Pacific Fleet, for the U.S.; Admiral Sir Bruce A. Fraser, Commander-in-Chief, British Pacific Fleet, for Britain. Other Allied commanders  were present along with former POW Lieutenant Generals Arthur Percival, former commander of the British Malaya Command and Jonathan Wainright, former commander the U.S. Far East Command. The Japanese Foreign Minister SHIGEMITSU Mamotu and General UMEZU Yoshijiro, Chief of Imperial General Staff, sign for the Japanese government. The treaty calls for a U.S. Army of Occupation which will rule the Japanese Home Islands, but Emperor Hirohito remains the head of state and Japanese political and police officials maintain their positions. The Americans progressively disband the high command and military organizations. U.S. forces occupy island possessions in the Pacific. Korea was placed under American and Soviet occupation, pending the establishment of a democratic Korean government. The Japanese cede the Kurile Islands and the southern half of Sakhalin to the U.S.S.R. Outer Mongolia becomes part of the Soviet sphere of influence and the Soviets share the facilities and supervision of Lushun (Port Arthur) and the Manchurian railways with China. The Chinese regain sovereignty over Inner Mongolia and Manchuria, as well as the islands of Taiwan (Formosa) and Hainan. The British regain control of Hong Kong.

PACIFIC OCEAN: Japanese submarine I-41 is sunk by USS Batfish (SS-31) north of Luzon. (Mike Yared)(144 and 145)

Japanese troops in the Palau Islands; Truk Atoll; and Pagan and Rota Islands in the Mariana Islands, surrender to US forces.

FRENCH INDOCHINA: Vietnamese communist Ho Chi Minh declares the independence of Vietnam from France and proclaims himself president. The proclamation paraphrased the U.S. Declaration of Independence in declaring, "All men are born equal: the Creator has given us inviolable rights, life, liberty, and happiness!" He is cheered by an enormous crowd gathered in Hanoi's Ba Dinh Square.

CANADA: HMC ML 116 paid off.

U.S.A.: Top pop songs include "If I Loved You" and "Till the End of Time" by Perry Como; "On The Atchison, Topeka And Santa Fe" by Johnny Mercer; and "You Two Timed Me One Time Too Often" by Tex Ritter.

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