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US Navy identifies lost World War II submarine off coast of Japan

25Feb

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US Navy identifies lost World War II submarine off coast of Japan

The Underwater Archaeology branch of the US Naval History and Heritage Command used images and data from Dr. Tamaki Ura of the University of Tokyo to confirm the submarine's identity. The Underwater Archaeology branch of the US Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) last week confirmed the identity of the World War II submarine the USS Albacore, which was lost at sea on November 7, 1944. The branch used images and data provided by Dr. Tamaki Ura from the University of Tokyo to confirm the submarine, found off the coast of Hokkaido, Japan, is in fact the USS Albacore. Ura used records from the Japan Center for Asian Historical Records on the loss of the submarine in his research. The location mentioned in the records matched an effort by Underwater Archaeology Branch volunteers to f...

She knew little about her mother’s military service in Europe during World War II. Then she did a Google search and got a surprise

25Feb

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She knew little about her mother’s military service in Europe during World War II. Then she did a Google search and got a surprise

Decatur, GeorgiaCNN — Brenda Partridge-Brown knew for years that her mother served overseas during World War II. But she didn’t know the whole story. Willie Belle Irvin-Partridge had regaled her six children in suburban Atlanta with stories of her time in the Women’s Army Corps, stationed in Europe. She shared memories of the friendships she formed during the war, and her love of the lush English countryside and its charming churches. A black and white photo of her – then Willie Belle Irvin – wearing a dark khaki uniform and a military beret sat on the mantel of every home their family lived in. But Irvin-Partridge left out a key detail: She had been a member of the historic 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion – the only all-female, predominantly Black un...

What Percent Of German Soldiers Died In WW2?

5Feb

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What Percent Of German Soldiers Died In WW2?

It is difficult to provide a specific death rate for soldiers in the German army during World War II, as the rate varied depending on a number of factors including the theater of war, the time period, and the specific unit or division. However, some estimates suggest that the overall death rate for German soldiers during the war was around 25%. During the early years of the war, German soldiers were able to achieve a string of rapid victories, and the death rate was relatively low. However, as the war progressed and the tide began to turn against Germany, the death rate increased dramatically. On the Eastern front, the German army suffered heavy casualties as they fought against the Soviet Red Army, with some estimates putting the death rate for German soldiers on the Eastern front at...

‘Suspected WW2 bomb’ found as Grimsby homes evacuated

5Feb

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‘Suspected WW2 bomb’ found as Grimsby homes evacuated

Police closed off Lichfield Road after bomb found in garden A suspected Second World War bomb was discovered in a garden in Grimsby. Police closed off Lichfield Road and evacuated residents. A 100-metre cordon is in place. The bomb is believed to have been found in a back garden of a property in Evelyn Grove North, a small cul-de-sac leading off the main street. Bomb disposal officers recovered the device and took it to Cleethorpes, where it was detonated this evening. Dozens of residents were evacuated from their homes. A warm space was set up at the Spiders Web pub in Carr Lane, but they were allowed to return this evening. Police at the scene asked people to stay away from the area. Source: grimsbytelegraph.co.uk

18Jan

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World War II Jewish Treasure Found

Nearly 400 objects have been discovered Polish authorities have announced they have found a "Jewish treasure" dating back to World War II. Almost 400 objects were found during the renovation of a house in Lódz, in the central region of the country. It is believed that the former owners hid the items so the Nazis would not appropriate them. Some of the finds are menorahs and hanukiahs, used in Jewish celebrations, as well as cutlery and other household items. "Just 'wow,'" Lódz deputy mayor Adam Pustelnik said earlier this month. "A discovery like this occurs once every decade." https://twitter.com/AdamPustelnik/status/1610655035712757763 According to Pustelnik, “the residents who buried these items probably thought that one day they would come back for them, that they would be able to ...

Nazi treasure mapped as WW2 artefact hunters still on the search for buried gold

18Jan

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Nazi treasure mapped as WW2 artefact hunters still on the search for buried gold

From Germany to Poland and the Netherlands, buried Nazi treasure is said to be scattered across Europe. Since the end of World War 2, when the Allies defeated Adolf Hitler’s fascist regime, experts and amateurs have found a stunning array of Nazi gold the brutal soldiers stashed away. In fact, as early as April 1945, just days before Hitler is reported to have taken his own life in Berlin, US troops descending on Germany stumbled upon a stash of gold worth a staggering $238million (£194million) in the Merkers salt mine in centre of the country. The Americans smashed through the walls to the vault of the mine to unveil more than 7,000 bags of Nazi gold piling high. Among the treasure was also jewellery, coins and gems looted from Jewish Holocaust victims, and valuable art works that wer...

The US ski resorts built by WW2 soldiers

18Jan

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The US ski resorts built by WW2 soldiers

After fighting Hitler's men in Europe, an elite division of mountain fighters returned to the US to popularise skiing across the country. Located 100 miles west of Denver, the Colorado ski town of Vail is set in a bowl-like valley beneath the surrounding mountains, with cobblestone streets and overflowing flower boxes that wouldn't look out of place in an Alpine village. Today, the town's slopes attract hundreds of thousands of skiers every year to what many consider to be the US' quintessential ski resort. But few know that were it not for veterans of a World War Two mountain warfare division, this town – and many others like it across the country – may never have existed. It all started with a meeting in a Vermont ski lodge. In 1938, Charles Minot "Minnie" Dole founded the ...

Ukraine’s World War II-Vintage Howitzers Still Work Just Fine

17Jan

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Ukraine’s World War II-Vintage Howitzers Still Work Just Fine

By David Axe Forbes Staff * The Ukrainian army’s newest howitzers also are among its oldest. On Sunday, the first video appeared online depicting ex-Lithuanian M101 howitzers in front-line use by Ukrainian forces, apparently somewhere in eastern Ukraine. The 105-millimeter M101 was the standard light howitzer for U.S. and allied forces ... in World War II. But the design’s age belies its effectiveness. The 2.5-ton M101 is a classic—an artillery piece that nearly perfectly balances weight, range and accuracy. The M101 was a battle-winner 80 years ago. In the hands of experienced, motivated gunners, it still can win battles today. Especially as those gunners combine the old howitzers with new drones. Ukraine’s M101s come from Lithuanian army stocks. Lithuania acquired 54 of the towed c...

Restored WW2 Ford Jeep used by King George VI on a morale-boosting visit to a Northamptonshire RAF base in 1942 is set to sell at auction for £45k

17Jan

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Restored WW2 Ford Jeep used by King George VI on a morale-boosting visit to a Northamptonshire RAF base in 1942 is set to sell at auction for £45k

A 1942 Ford Jeep with Royal connections is due to go under the hammer next month. The vehicle was used by King George VI during a visit to RAF Chelveston in Northamptonshire during the Second World War. To boot, it has only covered 18,550 miles in its 80-year life. Having been meticulously restored, the vehicle is set to be offered to the highest bidder, with experts predicted it could sell for up to £45,000 when it goes to the block in February. The military off-roader will feature at Silverstone Auctions' Race Retro Classic Car sale at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on 25 February. The Ford GPW Jeep, used by the US military, was the sister vehicle to the Willys MB Jeep with the machines having interchangeable parts. The 'W' in the GPW name is a reference to the 'Willys' li...

Was Vichy France a Puppet Government or a Willing Nazi Collaborator?

13Jan

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Was Vichy France a Puppet Government or a Willing Nazi Collaborator?

By Lorraine Boissoneault * The authoritarian government led by Marshal Pétain participated in Jewish expulsions and turned France into a quasi-police state On November 8, 1942, in the thick of World War II, thousands of American soldiers landed on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, while others amassed in Algeria, only to take immediate gunfire from the French. Needless to say, it marked the end of U.S. diplomatic relations with the Vichy government installed in France during WWII. The invasion of North Africa—a joint venture between the United Kingdom and the United States known as Operation Torch—was intended to open up another front of the war, but the colonial power in the region was France, purportedly a neutral party in World War II. After all, France had signed an armistice with ...