Germany: The Reich Food Estate is set up by German law to oversee agricultural production and marketing. Also new law requires all corporations to be a member of a cartel to gain monopolistic efficiency.
1937 — , July 15
Spain: Day 364 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 9 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 9 of 33 of the 2nd Battle of Hebei.
Day 2 of 22 of the Battle of Tainjin-Beijing.
1938 — , July 15
France: Representatives from the US, UK, France and 29 other nations meet at Evian to discuss the issue of Jewish refugees fleeing out of Germany. No solid conclusion is reached.
Spain: Day 729 of 985 of the Spanish Civil War.
CBI - China: Day 374 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 35 of 139 of the Battle of Wuhan.
1939 — , July 15
CBI - China: Day 739 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 32 of 68 of the Battle of Tianjin.
CBI - Mongolia: Day 66 of 129 of the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, a border dispute between the Soviet Union and Japan.
1940 — , July 15
UK: Unemployment in Britain goes up another 60,431 in June reaching 827,266, but still down half a million from a year ago. Home Office bans fireworks, flying kites and balloons.
UK: The rector of Old Bolingbroke in Lincolnshire is sentenced to four weeks in prison for ringing his church bell, which violates the 14 June 1940 restriction.
Atlantic: German sub U-34 sinks the Greek ship EVDOXIA 40 miles southwest of Ireland.
Atlantic: The Luftwaffe sinks the Estonian ship MERISAAR off Cobh, County Cork, Ireland. What they don't know is that this ship has already been captured by the German Navy. The German crew is rescued by the British and taken POW.
ETO - UK: Day 6 of 114 of the Battle of Britain. The Luftwaffe bombs the Westland Aircraft factory at Yeovil in Somerset.
ETO - UK: Operation AMBASSADOR: 40 British commandos land on the Channel Island of Guernsey but find their target barracks are not being used by the Germans. Three of the men can't swim back to the ship and are left behind to become POWs. The other commandos land on Sark by mistake. This raid produces nothing.
ETO - Portugal: The USS TRENTON departs from Lisbon with members of the royal family of the Duchy of Luxembourg aboard.
East Africa: Day 36 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt. The Italians capture some British territories in Kenya.
CBI - China: Day 1,105 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 244 of 381 of the Battle of South Guangxi.
1941 — , July 15
South America: Day 11 of 27 of the Ecuadorian-Peruvian War, a territorial dispute between Peru and Ecuador.
Atlantic: A US airbase is established at Argentia, Newfoundland.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 17 of 142 of Operation SILVER FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign to capture the Russian port of Murmansk in the Arctic.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 15 of 140 of Operation ARCTIC FOX, a joint German-Finnish campaign against Soviet Northern Front defenses at Salla, Finland.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 24 of 164 of the Battle of Hanko. Soviet commandos attack the island of Morgonland and capture the observation station.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 6 of 18 of Finland's reconquest of Ladoga, Karelia. The Finns continue their offensive toward Lake Ladoga northeast of Leningrad.
Russian Front: Day 24 of 167 of Germany's Operation BARBAROSSA, the invasion of the USSR.
Russian Front - North: Soviet troops begin a counter offensive in the Lake Ilmen area near Leningrad.
Russian Front - Center: Day 10 of 31 of the 1st Battle of Smolensk, Russia. German Army Group Centre encircles Smolensk.
Russian Front - Center: Day 3 of 12 of the Battle of Zhlobin, Belarus.
Russian Front - South: In Ukraine, units of German Army Group South continue preparing for a major assault on Kiev.
Russian Front - South: Day 1 of 25 of the Battle of Uman, Ukraine. German Army Group South begins a new offensive to drive the Soviets out of western Ukraine.
Russian Front - South: Day 14 of 21 of the Battle of Bessarabia, Russia. German and Romanian troops continue their attack at Bessarabia to take the land and city that Romania was forced to cede to the USSR a year ago.
Russian Front - South: German and Romanian troops keep pushing toward Vinnitsa and the Black Sea port of Odessa, Ukraine.
MTO - Libya: Day 97 of 256 of the Siege of Tobruk.
Middle East: British forces enter Beirut, Lebanon. In honoring Charles de Gaulle's previous proclamation that the Allies had invaded the Vichy-held French Mandate of Syria and that the Lebanese are liberators rather than conquerors, the British who had accepted the Vichy surrender hand over control of Syria and Lebanon to the locals.
East Africa: Day 401 of 537 of Italy's East African campaign in the lands south of Egypt.
CBI - China: Day 1,470 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
1942 — , July 15
Atlantic: Off the Canary Islands, German sub U-201 sinks the British ship YEOMAN and U-582 sinks British ship EMPIRE ATTENDANT.
Atlantic: Two US Navy planes and the motor vessel UNICOI sink the German sub U-576 south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Meanwhile, U-571 disables US tanker PENNSYLVANIA SUN west of Key West, Florida.
Russian Front - North: Finnish minelayer RUOTSINSALMI and patrol boat VMV-16 sink the Soviet submarine SHTSH-317.
Russian Front - North: Day 311 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 72 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 14 of 22 of Germany's Operation SEYDLITZ, a plan to trap and capture numerous Soviet troops.
Russian Front - South: Day 18 of 27 of the Battle of Voronezh, Russia.
Russian Front - South: Day 18 of 150 of Germany's CASE BLUE, the failed offensive to take the Caucasus oil fields. German Army Group South captures Millerovo and Boguchar, less than 200 miles from Stalingrad.
MTO - Egypt: Day 15 of 27 of the 1st Battle of El Alamein. New Zealand troops attack Kidney Ridge to begin three days of fighting, which will cost Rommel 2,600 prisoners and 115 guns captured.
MTO - Libya: US B-24s night bomb the harbor and ships at Bengasi.
East Africa: Day 72 of 186 of the Battle of Madagascar.
CBI - China: Day 1,835 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 62 of 124 of Japan's Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign, launched to punish anyone suspected of aiding the Doolittle raiders in China. Roughly 250,000 Chinese will be killed.
PTO - Alaska: Day 39 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands. A US salvage crew arrives on Akutan Island to recover and study a Japanese A6M2 Zero fighter that had crashed there earlier.
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Related dates...
01 Apr 39: Prototype A6M Zero fighter takes its maiden flight
31 Jul 40: Japanese Navy receives its first Zero fighter planes
04 Jun 42: Zero crashes in Aleutians, will be salvaged and studied
11 Jul 42: US studies Zero that crashed during Pearl Harbor attack
15 Jul 42: US salvages the Zero crashed 04 Jun 42 in the Aleutians
15 Aug 45: British down seven Zeros, last ones of the war
PTO - Malaya: Day 147 of 357 of the Battle of Timor Island.
1943 — , July 15
USA: President Roosevelt creates the Office of Economic Warfare, to be led by Leo Crowley.
Atlantic: A US Navy plane sinks the German sub U-759 in the Caribbean Sea south of Haiti.
Atlantic: The HMS ROCHESTER, HMS MIGNONETTE and HMS BALSAM, with the help from a US Navy PBY Catalina, sink the German sub U-135 in the Atlantic Ocean.
Atlantic: Off the Portuguese island of Madeira, a US Navy torpedo bomber sinks the German sub U-509.
Atlantic: German sub U-572 sinks the sailing ship GILBERT B WALTERS off Venezuela.
Atlantic: German sub U-172 sinks the British transport ship HARMONIC 620 miles east of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Russian Front - North: Day 676 of 872 of the Siege of Leningrad.
Russian Front - North: Day 437 of 658 of the Siege of the Kholm Pocket.
Russian Front - Center: Day 11 of 50 of the Battle of Kursk, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 4 of 38 of the Battle of Orel, Russia.
Russian Front - South: Day 3 of 48 of the USSR's Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive. German troops counter at Horokiv and Druzhkopil but get bogged down.
MTO - Italy: Day 7 of 40 of the Battle of Sicily. RAF and US Air Forces provide air support. British reinforcements reach the Primosole Bridge and relieve the paratroopers who have been defending it for the last two days. US 7th Army captures the ports of Agrigento and Porto Empedocle.
MTO - Italy: The British sub HMS UNITED sinks the Italian sub REMO in the Gulf of Taranto.
East Africa: The German sub U-181 sinks the British ship EMPIRE LAKE 240 miles east of Madagascar.
CBI - China: Day 2,200 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
PTO - Alaska: Day 404 of 435 of the Battle of Kiska, Aleutian Islands. The submarine USS NARWHAL shells a Japanese airfield on Matsuwa Island in the Kurile Islands. This is the first time the Kurile Islands are attacked by an American vessel during the war. US 11th Air Force bombs targets on Kiska Island.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 85 of 148 of the 2nd Battle of Lae-Salamaua. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 26 of 67 of the Battle of New Georgia. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support. The US Army and US Marine Corps launch an offensive at Laiana Beach.
1944 — , July 15
MTO - Italy: Japanese-American Staff Sergeant Kazuo Otani is killed while fighting near Pieve di Santa Luce. For his heroic actions he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.
Spotlight...
Staff Sergeant Kazuo Otani
Kazuo Otani, born in Visalia, California in 1918, enlisted in the US Army from the Gila River War Relocation Center in Arizona in 1942.
On July 15, 1944, Otani was serving as a staff sergeant in Company G of the all volunteer Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team. On that day, near Pieve di Santa Luce, Italy, his platoon became pinned down in a field by an enemy machine gun and snipers. After killing one sniper, Otani shouted directions to his platoon and repeatedly exposed himself to the hostile fire, creating a distraction which allowed some of his men to reach cover. He then crawled to a wounded soldier who was lying in an exposed position and began rendering medical aid, but was killed by enemy fire in the process.
Related dates (Japanese-American Nisei)...
17 Jun 42: Army advised to discontinue recruitment of Nisei
14 Jan 44: Draft restored for Japanese-American Nisei
15 Jul 44: Japanese-American Staff Sergeant killed in Italy
21 Apr 45: Nisei Daniel Inouye loses his right arm in battle
Related WWII Store items...
Nisei Linguists: Japanese Americans in the Military Intelligence Service During World War II
Atlantic: An RAF Liberator sinks German sub U-319 in the North Sea, but is lost during the attack. Also in the North Sea, another RAF Liberator attacking U-561 is shot down by German anti-aircraft fire.
ETO - UK: The bomb dump at the 491st Bomb Group's base at Metfield, England, mysteriously explodes, rocking the countryside for miles around and leaving the 491st without a usable base. In one month they will move into the base at North Pickenham after its current occupant, the 492nd Bomb Group, is disbanded due to high casualties.
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492nd Bomb Group related dates...
18 Apr 44: 492nd Bomb Group arrives at Station 143, North Pickenham
09 May 44: 492nd BG does exhibition formation flight over 2nd AD bases
11 May 44: 492nd BG flies its first mission; no casualties
19 May 44: 492nd BG Mission 05 to Brunswick; first of their three deadliest
20 Jun 44: 492nd BG Mission 34 to Politz; second of their three deadliest
07 Jul 44: 492nd BG Mission 46 to Bernburg; third of their three deadliest; entire 859th Bomb Squadron is wiped out
15 Jul 44: The bomb dump at nearby Metfield mysteriously explodes, rocking the countryside and destroying the 491st BG's base
07 Aug 44: 492nd BG flies its final mission (no casualties) and is disbanded
13 Aug 44: 801st Provisional Group is redesignated the 492nd Bomb Group
15 Aug 44: 491st Bomb Group moves into the base at North Pickenham
Note:
Charles W Arnett
Charles Arnett
The 492nd Bomb Group has a special place in the hearts of brothers Paul and David Arnett, the two guys behind this ScanningWWII website. Their father, Charles Arnett, served in the 492nd BG as the pilot of a B-24 Liberator. He was shot down on his third mission and spent a year as a POW at Stalag Luft III where the "Great Escape" took place. It is because of our love for him that we developed a passion for WWII.
Dates related to Charles Arnett...
26 Jul 42: US Lt Col Clark shot down flying an RAF fighter over France
19 May 44: 1st of 3 deadly missions for the Hard Luck 492nd Bomb Group
492nd Bomb Group related WWII Store items...
Reluctant Witness: Memoirs from the Last Year of the European Air War, 1944-45
ETO - UK: Day 33 of 86 of the V-1 "Buzz Bomb" offensive on Britain.
ETO - France: Day 40 of 49 of Operation OVERLORD, the Allied invasion of Normandy, France, known forever simply as D-Day. D-Day+39: Allied Air Forces provide air support. Rommel writes to Hitler urging him to sue for peace. For unknown reasons, Hitler will not get the letter until after the failed bomb plot on his life.
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Related dates (Rommel)...
06 Feb 41: Lt Gen Rommel appointed commander of the Afrika Korps
12 Feb 41: Rommel arrives in Tripoli with his Afrika Korps
19 Mar 41: Hitler tells Rommel not to expect reinforcements in Libya until May
24 Mar 41: Rommel begins his North African offensive
15 Aug 41: Panzer Group Afrika is activated with Rommel in command
17 Nov 41: British mission to kill Rommel fails because he is away in Rome
22 Jun 42: Rommel is promoted to the rank of Field Marshal
03 Nov 42: Hitler orders Rommel's Afrika Korps to stand and fight
09 Mar 43: Rommel leaves North Africa for reasons of health
11 Mar 43: Rommel receives Diamonds to his Knight's Cross medal
12 Dec 43: Rommel takes command of northern coastal defenses
15 May 44: Rommel invited to anti-Hitler meeting, but does not attend
05 Jun 44: Rommel goes back to Germany for his wife's birthday
29 Jun 44: Rommel urges Hitler to pursue peace, which he rejects
15 Jul 44: Rommel writes to Hitler, again urging he sue for peace
17 Jul 44: Rommel is wounded when his staff car is strafed
14 Oct 44: By Hitler's order, Rommel is forced to commit suicide
18 Oct 44: Funeral service is held for Field Marshal Erwin Rommel
ETO - France: Day 40 of 62 of the Battle of Caen. Although the town has been captured, the surrounding area still needs to be cleared of German troops.
ETO - France: French Milice members execute 28 prisoners who had participated in yesterday's revolt in Santé Prison in Paris. The Milice is a paramilitary force created, with German aid, to help fight the French Resistance.
Germany: Claus von Stauffenberg aborts an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler when Hitler leaves a conference earlier than had been expected.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 1 of 3 of the Battle of Nietjarvi, Karelia. The Finnish counter-attack stops the Soviet advance.
Russian Front - Finland: Day 25 of 50 of the Battle of Karelia. The Soviets launch an offensive on the Finnish line in northern Karelia on the border of Finland and Russia.
Russian Front - North: Day 165 of 191 of the Battle of the Narva Isthmus, Estonia. Both German and Soviet troops remain locked in their defensive positions.
Russian Front - Center: Day 11 of 16 of the Battle of Vilnius, Lithuania.
Russian Front - Center: Day 11 of 27 of the Battle of Siauliai, Lithuania. The Soviets capture Opochka, Russia.
Russian Front - Center: Day 11 of 23 of the Battle of Belostock, Poland.
Russian Front - Center: Day 3 of 15 of the Battle of Lvov, Poland. Soviets are only 25 miles from Lvov.
Russian Front - Center: Day 3 of 15 of the Battle of Stanislav, Poland.
MTO - Romania: US 15th Air Force bombs the oil refineries in the area of Ploesti.
MTO - Italy: Day 30 of 34 of the Battle of Ancona (north of Rome). Allied Air Forces provide air support. British 8th Army attacks at Arezzo.
East Africa: German submarine U-181 sinks the British transport TANDA in the Indian Ocean. In the Mozambique Channel, between continental Africa and Madagascar, U-198 sinks the British transport DIRECTOR.
CBI - Burma: Day 133 of 166 of the UK's Operation THURSDAY. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 128 of 147 of the Battle of Myitkyina. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - Burma: Day 106 of 302 of the Chinese Salween Offensive. US 14th Air Force provides air support.
CBI - China: Day 2,566 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
Day 90 of 259 of Japan's Operation ICHI-GO.
Day 24 of 48 of the Battle of Hengyang. US 14th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Caroline Islands: US 7th Air Force attacks targets in the Truk Atoll.
PTO - Dutch New Guinea: Day 14 of 61 of the Battle of Noemfoor. Although the island has been declared secured, bitter fighting from Japanese continues.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 50 of 83 of the Battle of Biak. There are still 3,000 Japanese soldiers on the island who won't give up.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 214 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 85 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. 5th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 32 of 80 of the Battle of Lone Tree Hill.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 6 of 47 of the Battle of Driniumor River, a failed Japanese attack on US troops near Aitape.
PTO - Solomon Islands: Day 258 of 295 of the Battle of the Bougainville Islands. US 13th Air Force provides air support.
1945 — , July 15
USA: The commander of the American sub USS QUEENFISH that sank the Japanese merchant ship AWA MARU on 01 Apr 45 is court martialled by the US Navy.
Spotlight...
Article in the July 15th issue of the English language newspaper Perak Shimbun following up on the controversial 01 Apr 45 sinking of the AWA MARU.
Skipper of the USS QUEENFISH, Commander Elliot Laughlin, was relieved of his command, tried by court-martial and convicted of one of three charges, negligence in obeying orders. He received a "Letter of Admonition" from the Secretary of the Navy.
Only one of the 2,004 on board the AWA MARU survived the sinking and was picked up by the USS QUEENFISH. He was the Captain's personal steward, Kantaro Shimoda, 45, for whom it was the third time in the war that he was the sole survivor of a torpedoed ship.
Note:
Perak Shimbun was an English language newspaper printed in Ipo, Perak, Malaya, catering to an English educated audience in the region. It was turned into a Japanese war propaganda newspaper upon occupation of Malaya by Japan.
Related dates...
01 Apr 45: AWA MARU is sunk, only 1 of 2,004 survives
15 Jul 45: Commander of the USS QUEENFISH court martialled
Belgium: King Leopold of Belgium again refuses to abdicate his crown.
Italy: Italy declares war on Japan.
CBI - China: Day 2,931 of 2,987 of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War.
US 14th Air Force attacks truck convoys moving through the Siang Chiang Valley of China.
PTO - Borneo: Day 36 of 67 of the Battle of North Borneo. US 5th and 13th Air Forces provide air support.
PTO - Dutch East Indies: Day 15 of 21 of the 2nd Battle of Balikpapan. Australians take Prince Alexander Range after an eight-week struggle.
PTO - Japan: US 3rd Fleet, with the battleships USS IOWA, USS MISSOURI and USS WISCONSIN, bombard industrial targets at Muroran, Hokkaido.
PTO - Japan: US 20th Air Force B-29s bomb the Nippon Oil Company at Kudamatsu.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 566 of 597 of the Battle of New Britain. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - New Guinea: Day 450 of 481 of the Battle of Western New Guinea. US 10th Air Force provides air support.
PTO - Philippines: Day 268 of 299 of the 2nd Battle of the Philippines, aka the Liberation of the Philippines or the Philippines Campaign.
PTO - Philippines: Day 213 of 244 of the Battle of Luzon. The battle is said to over but hold-outs will continue fighting until the end of the war.
PTO - Philippines: Day 128 of 159 of the Battle of Mindanao Island. The battle is said to over but hold-outs will continue fighting until the end of the war.
PTO - Philippines: Day 120 of 135 of the Battle of the Visayas region. The battle is said to over but hold-outs will continue fighting for several weeks.
Day-By-Day listings for July 15 were last modified on Tuesday, February 2, 2016
Spotlight...
