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The Second War War was the biggest war in human history. Fighting took place in every corner of the world, from the frozen northern oceans to the jungles of New Guinea. Hardly any country escaped some form of involvement in the fighting, which devastated large areas of Europe and the Far East.
Perhaps because of that vast scope the Second World War has been a source of constant fascination ever since.
This page will bring together all of our coverage of the Second War War, including our subject indexes and our book shop pages. We will also announce new articles on the war on this page (at the moment we have 2,738 articles and 2,554,300 words on the war).
We now open a new section of the site, a day-by-day history of the Second World War covering the 2,214 days of the war from the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 to the Japanese surrender in Hong Kong on 16 September 1945, and currently containing 5,325 individual facts.
The 240mm Howitzer M1918 was a license produced version of a larger Schneider design, and was an unsatisfactory design that was only in service in the inter-war period.
The Arado Ar 195 was a development of the Arado Ar 95L, designed for use from the aircraft carriers being planned for the German Navy in the 1930s.
USS Cowie (DD-632) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch and the invasion of Sicily, spent 1944 on convoy escort duties and was then converted into a fast mine sweeper, helping clear mines in the Far East after the end of the war.
The 155mm Gun M1/ M1A1/ M2 ‘Long Tom’ was an improved version of a French gun used by the US Army during the First World War, and was one of the most important US artillery pieces of the Second World War.
The Arado Ar 95 was a biplane floatplane designed to replace the Heinkel He 60, but which was rejected for German service and instead sold on the export market.
USS Welles (DD-628) was a Gleaves class destroyer that supported the fighting on New Britain, the Admiralty Islands, New Guinea, the Philippines (fighting at the battle of Surigao Strait) then screened the fast carriers during 1945.
The 105mm Howitzer M3 was a lighter version of the 105mm Howitzer M2 that was designed for use by the airborne forces.
The Arado Ar 68 was the last biplane fighter to see front-line service with the Luftwaffe, being replaced by the Messerschmitt Bf 109 before the start of the Second World War.
USS Thompson (DD-627/ DMS-38) was a Gleaves class destroyer that supported the D-Day invasion and the invasion of the South of France, was converted into a fast mine sweeper in 1945 then fought in the Korean War.
The 105mm Howitzer M2A1 was the main divisional artillery piece used by the US Army during the Second World War, equipping an impressive 264 field artillery battalions, as well as serving with the US Marine Corps. It still remained in service as late as 2021 in South Korea.
The Dornier Do 26 was a flying boat built for civil travel across the Atlantic but that was taken over by the Luftwaffe after the outbreak of the Second World War and used as a transport aircraft.
USS Satterlee (DD-626) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties, supported the D-Day invasion and the invasion of the South of France, then moved to the Pacific, where she was used for gunnery training then air-sea rescue duties.
The Dornier Do 24 was a three engined parasol winged flying boat that was built for the Netherlands, but was mainly used by the Germans on air-sea rescue duties.
USS Harding (DD-625) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties, then took part in Operation Overlord and the Invasion of the South of France before moving to the Pacific where she was badly damaged off Okinawa.
The 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 was a successful design produced in the early 1920s and that saw significant service in the Pacific, with US and British airborne forces into the 1960s and as a lend lease weapon.
The Dornier Do 22 was a three seat reconnaissance and light attack floatplane that was sold to Greece, Latvia and Yugoslavia, and ended up being used in small numbers by Yugoslav exiles for the Allies and the Finnish Air Force.
USS Baldwin (DD-624) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in convoy escort duties, supported the D-Day invasion and the invasion of the South of France before moving to the Pacific where she supported the minesweepers clearing the seas after the end of the war.
The 75mm Howitzer M1 was a development of the 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 which replaced the dismantleable carriage with a carriage capable of being towed at high speeds.
The Dornier Do 23 was the last in a series of bombers that started with the Dornier Do P, and was produced in significant numbers, equipping Luftwaffe bomber units in the mid 1920s.
USS Nelson (DD-623) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty, took part in the invasion of Sicily and the D-Day landings, where her stern was blown off by a torpedo, and reached the Pacific just as the war ended.
The 3in Gun M5 Anti-Tank was a mediocre design that entered service largely because the head of the US Army Ground Forces considered self-propelled guns to be a waste of money.
The Dornier Do 13 was a development of the Do 11, but was an unsuccessful design and only four were ever built.
USS Maddox (DD-622) was a Gleaves class destroyer that briefly served on convoy escort duties before being sunk by a German bomber during the invasion of Sicily.
The 90mm Gun T8 was an attempt to produce a powerful anti-tank gun based on a 90mm anti-aircraft gun, but arrived after towed anti-tank guns had been discredited and only one example reached Europe during the Second World War.
The Dornier Do 11 was the first new bomber built for the Luftwaffe, although was mainly used as a training aircraft.
USS Jeffers (DD-621) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the occupation of French North Africa, the invasions of Sicily, Normandy and the South of France, then moved to the Pacific to take part in the Okinawa campaign, support the carrier raids on Japan and carry out post-war minesweeping.
The 57mm Gun M1 anti-tank gun was the US version of the British 6-pounder anti-tank gun and entered US service when the earlier 37mm Gun M3 was found to be obsolete when used against German tanks in Tunisia.
USS Glennon (DD-620) was a Gleaves class destroyer that was used on convoy escort duties and supported the invasions of Sicily and Normandy, where she was sunk after hitting a mine.
The 37mm Gun M3 anti-tank gun was the first dedicated anti-tank gun to enter service with the US Army, and remained an effective weapon in the Far East throughout the Second World War, although was quickly provided to be obsolete against the Germans after its combat debut in Tunisia in late 1942-early 1943.
USS Edwards (DD-619) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served in the Pacific, taking part in the battle of Rennell Island, the Aleutians campaign, as well as operations in the Treasury, Marshall, Gilbert and Palau Islands, the campaigns on Leyte and Luzon and the invasion of Borneo.
USS Davison (DD-618/ DMS-37) was a Gleaves class destroyer that supported Operation Torch, then spent most of the rest of the war on convoy escort duty, before being converted into a fast minesweeper and taking part in the post-war mine sweeping operations in the Pacific.
The T-35 Heavy Tank was a massive five turreted tank developed in Leningrad early in the 1930s, but which was only produced in small numbers, and saw at best limited combat after the German invasion of 1941.
USS Frankford (DD-497) was a Gleaves class destroyer that mainly served on convoy escort duty, but also played a major part in the fighting on Omaha Beach and took part in the invasion of the South of France.
The KV-85 was a stop-gap design that combined the chassis of the KV-1S with the turret of the IS-1, armed with an 85mm gun. Only 130 were produced before work moved onto the IS tanks.
HMS McCook (DD-496) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties, supported the D-Day landings and the invasion of the south of France before spending the immediate post-war period as a minesweeper in Japanese waters.
The KV-12 was a design for an assault gun armed with a 203mm howitzer but it was rejected because the gun wasn’t considered suitable.
USS Endicott (DD-495/ DMS-35) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty for most of her career, missed the D-Day landings after colliding with a merchant ship, supported the invasion of the South of France, and fought in the Korean War.
The KV-8 flamethrower tank saw the main gun of the KV-1 replaced with a flamethrower. It entered production, but only in relatively small numbers and thus had a brief front line career.
USS Doyle (DD-494) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, supported the D-Day landings and the invasion of the South of France, served as a mine sweeper in the Pacific after the war and fought in the Korean War.
The KV-1S (skorostnoi/ speedy) was a lighter version of the KV-1 heavy tank, produced in an attempt to improve its performance, but it was an unpopular tank, mainly because it carried the same gun as the older tank.
USS Carmick (DD-493/ DMS-33) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, supported the D-Day invasion and the invasion of the South of France, and after the war served as a mine sweeper in the Pacific.
The KV-1 Heavy Tank was almost invulnerable to German anti-tank guns in 1940, but was soon let down by its limited firepower and mobility, and was obsolete by 1943.
USS Quick (DD-490) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, helped sank U-173, supported the invasion of Sicily and spent almost the rest of the war on escort duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, before being converted into a fast minesweeper just too late to fight in the Pacific.
The KV-13 was a design for a ‘universal tank’ to replace the T-34 and KV family produced at the Chelyabinsk plant that was building the KV series.
USS Mervine (DD-489/ DMS-31) was a Gleaves class destroyer that spent most of the Second World War on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, as well as taking part in Operation Torch and the invasion of Sicily. In 1945 she was converted into a fast minesweeper and was on her way to the Pacific theatre when the war ended.
The KV-9 Heavy Tank was a single prototype of a potential universal tank armed with a 122mm howitzer.
USS McCalla (DD-488) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the battle for Guadalcanal, New Georgia, in the Marshals, as an escort for the fast carriers before ending the war on escort duties.
The KV-7 Assault Gun was a attempt to mount more than one assault gun on the chassis of the KV heavy tank.
USS Lardner (DD-487) was a Gleaves class destroyer that fought off Guadalcanal and the Solomons, at Bougainville, supported the fast carriers during raids in 1944, took part in the landings at Hollandia, Guam, Saipan and Tinian and was present during the battle of the Philippine Sea, supported the battle of Okinawa and escorted the Third Fleet during its raids on Japan.
The KV-2 Heavy Tank was a variant on the KV-1, but armed with a 152mm howitzer carried in a massive flat sided turret.
USS Lansdowne (DD-486) was a Gleaves class destroyer that sank U-153, helped rescue the crew of USS Wasp, took part in the campaigns in the Solomon Islands, the Aleutians, Bougainville, New Guinea and Okinawa and was present for the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay, before serving in the Turkish Navy after the Second World War.
The KV-4 Heavy Tank was the designation given to a series of designs for a 92 ton tank armed with a 107mm tank gun that were produced before the German invasion of the Soviet Union, but none entered production.
USS Duncan (DD-485) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the battle for Guadalcanal before being sunk during the battle of Cape Esperance.
The KV-3 Heavy Tank was a more heavily armoured version of the KV-1 that accepted for service in May 1941 but cancelled after the German invasion of the Soviet Union.
The Buchanan (DD-484) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, fighting at the battle of Savo Island and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, the New Georgia campaign, the invasion of the Palau Islands and the return to the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa, before transferring to the Turkish navy in 1949, finally retiring in 1976.
The Universal Carrier was a development of the earlier Bren Gun Carrier, and was designed to perform the same roles as the Bren Gun, Scout and Cavalry Carriers, but without having to produce separate dedicated vehicles
USS Aeron Ward (DD-483) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the fighting around Guadalcanal and the naval battle of Guadalcanal, before sinking during escort duty off Guadalcanal early in 1943.
The Bren Gun Carrier was most famous entry in the series of tracked carriers produced for the British Army during the Second World War, and although it was soon replaced by the far more numerous Universal Carrier it was the Bren Gun Carrier name that stuck.
USS Hobson (DD-464) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, served with the British Home Fleet, helped sink U-575, took part in the D-Day invasion and the invasion of the South of France, and was damaged by a kamikaze attack off Okinawa. She sank after colliding with the Wasp in 1952.
The Three-inch Mortar Carrier was a version of the Universal Carrier that was used to carry a 3in mortar and its ammunition.
The Machine Gun Carrier was a light tracked vehicle designed to carry the Vickers machine gun to the battlefield, and which became the basis of the more famous Bren Gun Carrier and Universal Carrier.
USS Corry (DD-463) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, served with the British Home Fleet in 1943, and helped sink U-801 in 1944 before becoming the largest US warship sunk on D-Day.
The Scout Carrier was a reconnaissance version of the Bren Gun Carrier, produced for use by mechanized cavalry regiments, and with more space in the rear compartment to allow a radio to be carried.
USS Fitch (DD-462) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served in the Atlantic, with the British Home Fleet in 1943 and took part in the D-Day invasion and Operation Dragoon, before her war was ended by damage suffered during training exercises in the Pacific.
The Cavalry Carrier was an early version of a personnel carrier, designed to turn cavalry regiments into a version of mechanized mounted infantry. The idea was that each vehicle would be able to carry eight men and their rifles, allowing them to get into combat quickly.
USS Forrest (DD-461) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served in the Atlantic in 1943 taking part in Operation Torch, with the British Home Fleet off Norway in 1944, took part in the D-Day landings and Operation Dragoon, then moved to the Pacific where she was damaged by a Kamikaze attack off Okinawa, ending her war.
The Otter Light Reconnaissance Car was a Canadian version of the Humber Mk III light reconnaissance car, and saw extensive use with the Canadian forces fighting in Italy.
USS Macomb (DD-458/ DMS-23) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, worked on escort duty in the Atlantic, helped sink U-616, took part in the invasion of the South of France and of Okinawa.
The Humber Light Reconnaissance Car was originally produced in response to the crisis of 1940, but evolved into a useful reconnaissance vehicle that remained in use with British infantry units to the end of the Second World War.
USS Emmons (DD-457) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, served with the British Home Fleet, took part in the D-Day landings and the invasion of the South of France before being hit by five kamikaze aircraft off Okinawa leaving her so damaged she had to be sunk by US gunfire.
The AEC Armoured Command Vehicle was a purpose built armoured command vehicle, designed to provide enough space for unit commanders and all of their equipment, and saw service with the British Army from 1941 onwards.
USS Rodman (DD-456) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served with the Royal Navy, took part in Operation Torch, the Normandy invasion, the invasion of the South of France and at Okinawa, where she was hit by several kamikazes, requiring repairs that ended her war. She remained in US service for ten years after the end of the war, and then served with Taiwan for another twenty years.
The Morris CS9 Light Armoured Car was produced in the late 1930s to carry out long range road based reconnaissance duties, but proved to be under armed and armoured and poor off road and was soon replaced in British service by a mix of light reconnaissance cars and more capable armoured cars.
USS Hambleton (DD-455) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, where she suffered damage that kept her out of action until 1944, then took part in the D-Day invasion and the invasion of the South of France. She was then converted into a high speed minesweeper and served at Okinawa.
The Morris Light Reconnaissance Car was produced in response to the loss of the BEF’s armoured vehicles in France in 1940 but remained in production to 1944 and in service to the end of the Second World War
USS Ellyson (DD-454) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties and took part in Operation Torch, briefly served with the Royal Navy, sank U-616, took part in the D-Day landings and the invasion of the South of France, before being converted into a high speed minesweeper and serving at Okinawa.
The Fox Armoured Car was a Canadian version of the British Humber Armoured car, armed with Browning machine guns instead of the BESA guns of the British vehicle.
USS Bristol (DD-453) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty and took part in Operation Torch and the invasion of Sicily before being sunk by a torpedo in October 1943.
The Lynx Scout Car was a Canadian version of the Daimler Dingo Scout Car, and was built in sizable numbers, with over 3,000 completed during the Second World War.
USS Ingraham (DD-444) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties and was sunk in a collision in August 1942.
The Humber Scout Car was produced to make up for the shortage of Daimler Scout Cars, and was produced in large numbers despite not being quite as capable as the earlier vehicle
USS Swanson (DD-433) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties, and took part in Operation Torch and the invasion of Sicily before moving to the Pacific in 1944 where she took part in the fighting in western New Guinea, the Philippines, including the battle of Leyte Gulf, then served on patrol duties between Iwo Jima and Saipan.
The Beaverette armoured car was one of a number of emergency armoured vehicles produced in 1940 in response to the loss of the vast majority of British tanks and armoured cars in France.
USS Nicholson (DD-442) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty, then took part in Operation Torch and the landings at Salerno, before moving to the Pacific, where she took part in the fighting in the Bismarck Archipelago, at Hollandia and western New Guinea, in the Caroline Islands, Leyte and Okinawa, and supported the carrier raids on Japan.
The AEC Armoured Car was the largest British armoured car of the Second World War to be produced in large numbers, and was often used to provide fire support for lighter armoured cars.
USS Wilkes (DD-441) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty, took part in Operation Torch, then moved to the Pacific theatre in 1944, taking part in the fighting in the Admiralty Islands, at Hollandia and western New Guinea, the Caroline Islands, Leyte and Okinawa, and supported the carrier raids on Japan.
USS Ericsson (DD-440) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty, then took part in Operation Torch, the fighting at Anzio, the invasion of the South of France, helped sink U-853, and was on her way to the Pacific when the war ended.
The Coventry Armoured Car was designed to replace the Humber and Daimler armoured cars, but by the summer of 1944 interest in it had faded, the numbers ordered was massively cut, and it never saw combat during the Second World War.
USS Edison (DD-439) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty, and took part in Operation Torch, the invasion of Sicily, helped sink U-73, supported the landings at Anzio and the South of France and reached the Pacific after the surrender of Japan.
The Blackburn B-48 was an improved version of the Blackburn Firebrand single seat torpedo bomber, but only reached the prototype stage.
The Guy Armoured Car was a turret armed armour cars produced in Britain just before the outbreak of the Second World War, and which became the basis of the more successful Humber Armoured Car.
USS Ludlow (DD-438) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty and took part in Operation Torch, the invasion of Sicily, the landings at Salerno, Anzio and in the South of France, before ending the war on her way to the Pacific theatre.
USS Woolsey (DD-437) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty, then took part in Operation Torch, where she helped sink U-173) , the landings on Sicily, at Salerno, Anzio and the South of France.
USS Monssen (DD-424) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo, the invasion of Guadalcanal and the battle of the Eastern Solomons before being sunk during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.
USS Grayson (DD-435) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the Doolittle raid, the invasion of Guadalcanal, the invasion of the Admiralty Islands, the landings at Tanahmerah Bay, Biak and Nosmfoor in the Dutch East Indies, supported the fast carrier raids during 1944 and took part in the invasion of Saipan
The Daimler Scout Car or Daimler Dingo was a fast, inconspicuous reconnaissance vehicle that despite being relative unheralded was one of the most effective British military vehicles of the Second World War.
USS Meredith (DD-434) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the Doolittle Raid and the invasion of Guadalcanal before being sunk while attempting to escort desperately needed fuel to the besieged Marines on that island.
USS Gwin (DD-433) was a Gleaves class destroyer that took part in the Doolittle Raid on Japan, the invasion of Guadalcanal and New Georgia, and was the only US destroyer to survive her part of the naval battle of Guadalcanal, before being sunk at the battle of Kolombangara.
The Marmon Herrington Armoured Car was the first major military vehicle to be produced in South Africa, and played a significant role in the early fighting in the Western Desert, where they were the most numerous type of armoured car available to the Allies.
USS Kearny (DD-432) was a Gleaves class destroyer most famous as the first US warship to be torpedoed by a U-boat during the Second World War, but that survived to take part in the invasion of North Africa, Anzio and the invasion of the South of France.
The Blackburn B-20 was an inventive design for a flying boat where the planing bottom was carried below the main hull on the water and pulled up into it when in the air, giving it good performance on the water and in the air.
The Humber armoured car was the most numerous type of armoured car produced in Britain during the Second World War, and which saw service in North Africa from 1941 and throughout the later campaigns in Europe.
USS Plunkett (DD-431) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol, on escort duty in the Atlantic and Mediterraean, and supported the landings on Sicily, at Salerno and Anzio (where she was hit by a German bomb), the D-Day landings and the invasion of the South of France.
The Daimler Armoured Car was one of the best British Armoured Cars of the Second World War, and was the standard equipment of most reconnaissance regiments, serving in every theatre from North Africa onwards.
USS Eberle (DD-430) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on the neutrality patrol, on escort duty in the Atlantic and Mediterranean and supporting the landings in North Africa, at Anzion and in the South of France.
USS Livermore (DD-429) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on escort duty in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, and took part in Operation Torch, the fighting at Anzio and the invasion of the South of France.
USS Niblack (DD-424) was a Gleaves class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty, taking part in what might have been the first action between US and German forces and supported the invasions of Sicily, Salernio, Anzio and the South of France and help sink U-960.
USS Gleaves (DD-423) was the name class of the Gleaves class of destroyers, and served on convoy escort missions and supported the landings on Sicily, at Salerno and Anzio and in the South of France.
USS Ordronaux (DD-617) was a Benson class destroyer that supported the invasion of Sicily, helped sink U-856, supported the fighting around Anzio and the invasion of the south of France, before moving to the Pacific where she supported a bombardment of Wake Island.
USS Nields (DD-616) was a Benson class destroyer that served on Atlantic convoy duty, supported the invasions of Sicily and the south of France, sank the Italian submarine Gorgo and helped sink U-616 then reached the Pacific just in time to take part in the post-war occupation of former Japanese territory.
USS McLanahan (DD-615) was a Benson class destroyer that served on Atlantic convoy duty, and supported the invasion of Sicily, the fighting at Anzio and the invasion of the South of France.
USS MacKenzie (DD-614) was a Benson class destroyer that served as a transatlantic convoy escort and took part in the invasion of Sicily, the fighting at Anzio, the invasion of the South of France and probably sank U-182.
USS Laub (DD-613) was a Benson class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty, supported the invasion of Sicily, the campaign in Italy, the fighting at Anzio and the invasion of the South of France.
USS Kendrick (DD-612) was a Benson class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty, supported the invasion of Sicily, the campaign in Italy, the landings at Anzio, and the invasion of the South of France.
USS Kalk (DD-611) was a Benson class destroyer that served in the Aleutians, on Atlantic escort duties, during the campaign in New Guinea, the return to the Philippines and the invasion of Okinawa.
USS Hobby (DD-610) was a Benson class destroyer that served in the Atlantic and Mediterranean in 1943, then in the Pacific, then supported the fighting on New Guinea, the invasions of the Admiralties, Peleliu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa and the fast carrier raids on the Japanese Home Islands.
USS Gillespie (DD-609) was a Benson class destroyer that served in the Aleutians, on Atlantic convoy escort duties, in New Guinea, New Britain, the Admiralty Islands and at Peleliu, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
USS Gansevoort (DD-608) was a Benson class destroyer that served in the Aleutians, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshalls, and the invasion of Leyte before being badly damaged by a kamikaze attack at Mindoro on 30 December 1944. Although she survived, the repairs took so long that the war was over before she was ready to return to action, and she went straight into the reserve.
USS Frazier (DD-607) was a Benson class destroyer that served in the Pacific, taking part in the campaigns in the Aleutians, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshalls and the Philippines, sinking three Japanese submarines during the war.
USS Coghlan (DD-606) was a Benson class destroyer that served in the Aleutians, the invasion of the Gilberts, Marshalls, Mariannas and Philippines.
USS Caldwell (DD-605) was a Benson class destroyer that served in the Aleutians, supported Pacific carrier raids, the invasion of the Gilberts, Marshalls, Philippines and Brunei.
USS Parker (DD-604) was a Benson class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, the invasion of Sicily, supported the fighting Anzio and took part in the invasion of the South of France before ended the war in the Pacific.
USS Murphy (DD-603) was a Benson class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, the invasion of Sicily, trans-Atlantic convoy escort duties, the D-Day landings and Operation Dragoon before reaching the Pacific theatre just in time to take part in the occupation of Japan.
USS Meade (DD-602) was a Benson class destroyer that fought at the naval battle of Guadalcanal, in the Aleutians, the invasion of the Gilbert Islands, helping sinking I-35, the invasion of the Marshall Islands, fast carrier raids and the invasion of the Philippines
The Leichter Panzerspahwagen Tp 4 was a design for a light armoured car to replace the Sd.KFz 221 family, but although it reached the prototype stage it wasn’t placed into production
USS Champlin (DD-601) was a Benson class destroyer that served on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic, sinking U-130 and U-856, supported the invasion of Sicily, the fighting at Anzio, the invasion of the South of France, before ending the war in the Pacific.
The Polizei-Panzerkampfwagen ADGZ was an Austrian designed heavy armoured car that was used German police in Danzig in 1939 and then by the SS on the Eastern Front from 1942.
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen (7.5cm) Sd.Kfz 233 was a close support vehicle based on the Schwerer Panzerspahwangen Sd.Krz 231 (8-rad) and which was used to provide more firepower for reconnaissance vehicles.
The Grumman JRF Goose was originally developed as a civil transport aircraft, but saw service in the US Navy, Coast Guard and in Britain and Canada as a utility transport, coastal patrol aircraft and navigation trainer.
USS Barton (DD-599) was a Benson class destroyer that took part in the Guadalcanal campaign, before being sunk by Japanese torpedoes at the naval battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942.
The Schwerer Panzerfunkwagen Sd.Kfz 263 (8-Rad) was a radio car based on the Sd. Kfz 231 (8-rad) armoured car, and which saw service throughout the Second World War.
The Grumman J4F Widgeon was a twin engine amphibian originally developed for the civilian market, but that was used as a patrol, anti-submarine and transport aircraft by the US Coast Guard and US Navy.
USS Bancroft (DD-598) was a Benson class destroyer that served in the Aleutians, the invasion of the Gilbert, Marshall and Mariana Islands, the invasion of the Philippines, and the landings at Hollandia and on Borneo.
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen (Fu) Sd.Kfz 232 (8-rad) was a radio car based on the Schwerer Panzerspahwagen Sd. Kfz 231 (8-rad).
The Grumman J2F Duck was an amphibian aircraft that performed a wide range of rolls for the US Navy during the Second World War.
USS Bailey (DD-492) was a Benson class destroyer that served in the Aleutians, taking part in the battle of the Komandorski Islands, then the invasion of the Marshalls, Gilberts, Marianas, Philippines and Borneo.
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen Sd.Kfz 231 (8-rad) was an eight wheeled armoured car that replaced the earlier six wheel models and which had much better cross country capability. It remained in service throughout the Second World War.
The Grumman JF was the company’s first amphibian aircraft, and served in a wide range of roles from shore bases and aircraft carriers during the Second World War.
The Farenholt (DD-491) was a Benson class destroyer that took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, the fighting in the Solomon Islands, the invasions of Guam, the Palaus, Morotai, Angaur, Leyte and Okinawa.
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen Sd. Kfz 263 (6-rad) was an armoured command car based on the standard Sd.Kfz 231 (6-rad) armoured car, and which saw service in the invasions of Poland and France.
Operation Causeway: The Planned Invasion of Formosa 1944 - Part Two - American debates and the decision to invade Luzon and bypass Formosa
Operation Causeway: The Planned Invasion of Formosa 1944 - Part One - background to the plan for an invasion of Formosa, Allied and Japanese strategy for 1944 and 1945.
USS Woodworth (DD-460) was a Benson class destroyer that served on escort duties in the South-West Pacific, the fighting in the Solomon Islands, the battle of Kolombangara, supported carrier raids on Formosa, the invasions of Leyte and Okinawa, and the carrier raids on Japan, before serving in the Italian Navy until the early 1970s.
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen (Fu) Sd.Kfz 232 was a radio version of the Schwerer Panzerspahwagen Sd.Kfz 231 (6-rad) and saw service during the invasions of Poland and France.
USS Charles F Hughes (DD-428) was a Benson class destroyer that served with the neutrality patrol, then on escort duties in the Atlantic, and fought in the invasion of North Africa, at Anzio and the invasion of the South of France, ending the war on escort duties in the Pacific.
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen Sd.Kfz 231 (6-rad) was a six wheeled heavy armoured car produced from 1932-35 and that took part in the invasions of Poland and France before most were withdrawn from front line service.
USS Hilary P Jones (DD-427) was a Benson class destroyer that served with the neutrality patrol, on escort duties in the Atlantic and Mediterranean, fought at Anzio and during the invasion of the South of France, before moving to the Pacific in mid 1945. She ended her career with the navy of Taiwan, serving into the 1970s.
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen Sd.Kfz 234/4 (7.5 cm PaK 40) was an eight wheeled heavy armoured car armed with a 7.5cm anti-tank gun, and which served with the German Army and Waffen SS during 1945, giving their reconnaissance units an effective anti-tank weapon.
The Grumman XP-50 Skyrocket was a land based version of the Grumman XF5F-1, a twin engined single seat naval fighter, both of which only reached the prototype stage.
USS Lansdale (DD-426) was a Benson class destroyer that served on the neutrality patrol, escort duty and at Anzio before being sunk during a German air attack on Convoy UGS-38 on 20 April 1944
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen Sd.Kfz 234/3 (7.5 cm) was an eight wheeled heavy armoured car that served with eight divisions of the German Army and Waffen SS from the summer of 1944 onwards, giving their reconnaissance units the ability to take on lighter tanks.
The Grumman XP-65 was a twin engine fighter that was developed alongside the Navy’s F8F Tigercat, but that was cancelled early in 1942 before reaching the prototype stage.
USS Laffey (DD-459) was a Benson class destroyer that fought in the Pacific and was sunk at the naval battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942.
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen Sd.Kfz 234/2 (5 cm) was an eight wheeled heavy armoured car armed with a 5cm gun in a turret, and that served with the German Army and Waffen SS from late in 1943 until the end of the war, providing extra firepower to reconnaissance units. It was used to counter the increased use of light tanks in Soviet reconnaissance units.
The Grumman XF5F Skyrocket was a twin engined single seat naval fighter that only reached the prototype stage.
USS Madison (DD-425) was a Benson class destroyer that spent most of 1941-44 on escort duty, as well as serving with the British Home Fleet briefly in 1942 and supporting Operation Torch, the fighting at Anzio and the invasion of the South of France. She then moved to the Pacific for more escort duties and the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay.
The Schwerer Panzerspahwagen Sd.Kfz 234/1 (2 cm) was an eight wheeled heavy armoured car armed with a 20mm cannon, and saw service with the German Army and the Waffen SS from June 1944 until the end of the Second World War.
USS Mayo (DD-422) was a Benson class destroyer that served with the neutrality patrol, on convoy escort duties, supported the invasions of North Africa, Salerno and Anzio and ended the war on escort duties in the Pacific.
The Leichter Panzerfunkwagen Sd.Kfz 261 was a long range radio car based on the same basic design as the Panzerspahwagen (FU) Sd.Kfz 223, but without a turret.
USS Benson (DD-421) was the name ship of the Benson class of destroyers and served with the Neutrality Patrol, on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic, supported the invasions of North Africa, Sicily, Italy and the South of France, then finished the war on escort duty in the Pacific. She then served with the Taiwanese Navy before being scrapped in the 1970s.
The Leichter Panzerfunkwagen Sd.Kfz 260 was a medium range radio car based on the same basic design as the Panzerspahwagen (FU) Sd.Kfz 223, but without a turret.
USS Buck (DD-420) was a Sims class destroyer that served in the Pacific in 1940-41 then joined the Neutrality Patrol in the Atlantic in July 1941. After the US entry into the war she served as an escort vessel in the Atlantic, and was badly damaged in a collision on 22 August. Convoy escort duties resumed in November, before she moved to the Mediterranean to support the invasion of Sicily. In September 1943 she supported the landings at Anzio, but on 9 October she was torpedoed and sank quickly.
The Leichter Panzerspahwagen (FU) Sd.Kfz 223 was a radio car based on the Leichter Panzerspahwagen (2cm) Sd.Kfz 222 armoured car, and which remained in production for longer and in service to the end of the war.
USS Wainwright (DD-419) was a Sims class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1939-1941, and continued to operate in the Atlantic in 1942. She joined the British Home Fleet on the Russian convoys from April, then served on convoy escort duties until November, when she supported Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. She began 1943 on convoy escort duties, then supported the invasions of Sicily and mainland Italy. In 1944 she supported the Anzio landings, then returned to the US, where she spent 13 months operating on the east coast. In April 1945 she moved to the Pacific, where she operated between American bases. She was used as a target ship for the Bikini Atoll tests and decommissioned on 29 August 1946.
The Leichter Panzerspahwagen (2cm) Sd.Kfz 222 was the second in a family of similar armoured cars based on the same Horch chassis, and was armed with a 20mm cannon alongside the machine gun carried on the earlier Sd.Kfz 221.
USS Roe (DD-418) was a Sims class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1941. After the US entry into the Second World War she remained in the Atlantic throughout 1942, before taking part in Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. In 1943 she supported the invasion of Sicily, where she was badly damaged in a collision with the Swanson (DD-443). After repairs she escorted two transatlantic convoys, before moving to the Pacific early in 1944. She supported the advance along the north coast of New Guinea, then served on support roles in the Marshalls and Marianas. This duty lasted for most of the rest of the war, apart from a number of attacks on Iwo Jima. In April 1945 she moved up to support the air attacks on the Japanese Home Islands. She returned to the US to a refit before the end of the war and was decommissioned in October 1945.
The Leichter Panzerspahwagen (2.8cm) Sd.Kfz 221 was an up-gunned version of the Leichter Panzerspahwagen (MG) Sd.Kfz 221, which had been the first in a series of light armoured cars based on the same Horch chassis.
The Grumman F3F was the company’s last biplane fighter produced for the US Navy and was the result of Grumman’s efforts to improving the flying characteristics of the F2F.
USS Morris (DD-417) was a Sims class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1941 then moved to the Pacific early in 1942. She fought at the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway and took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal and the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. In 1943 she took part in the liberation of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands and the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. In 1944 she supported the invasion of the Marshalls and the landings at Hollandia. She then stayed off New Guinea and supported the operations at Wakde-Sarmi, Naik, Noemfoor and Cape Sansapor, then the invasion of Morotai in the Dutch East Indies. She took part in the invasion of Leyte in late 1943 and of Luzon in early 1944. On 6 April, while supporting the invasion of Okinawa, she was hit by a kamikaze and although she survived and returned to the US it was decided not to repair her.
The Leichter Panzerspahwagen (MG) Sd.Kfz 221 was the first in a series of light armoured cars based on the same Auto-Union chassis design, but although it was an improvement over existing armoured cars, early combat experience proved that it was too lightly armed.
The Grumman F2F was the company’s first single seater, and was developed from the two-seat FF, which had been its first successful aircraft design.
USS Walke (DD-416) was a Sims class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1940-41, then moved to the Pacific after Pearl Harbor. In 1942 she took part in the early carrier strikes, the battle of the Coral Sea and the invasion of Guadalcanal. She fought at the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942 where she was hit by a torpedo and heavy gunfire and sank with the loss of 82 men.
The Funkkraftwagen (Kfz 14) was an armoured communication car produced for the increasingly motorised German army from 1932, but that had been relegated to service with non-motorised divisions by the outbreak of the Second World War.
The Grumman SF was a two man scout aircraft based on the similar Grumman FF-1 two seat fighter, and that was ordered in slightly larger numbers.
USS O'Brien (DD-415) was a Sims class destroyer that served on the US east coast in 1940-41 then moved to the Pacific after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. In 1942 she operated in the Central and South Pacific. On 15 September, while escorting a convoy to Guadalcanal, she was hit by a torpedo. At first the damage didn't seem too bad, but on 19 October, while on her way to San Francisco for repairs she broke up and sank.
The Maschinengewehrkraftwagn (Kfz 13) was an armoured car produced for the increasingly motorised German army from 1932, but that had been relegated to service with non-motorised divisions by the outbreak of the Second World War.
The T69 Multiple Gun Motor Carriage combined the body of a M8 light armoured car with a Maxson turret carrying four .50in machine guns, but only one pilot vehicle was produced.
USS Russell (DD-414) was a Sims class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1940-41, then moved to the Pacific after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She took part in the early carrier raids, fought at the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, the invasion of Guadalcanal and the battle of the Santz Cruz Islands. In 1943 she took part in the invasion of Kiska in the Aleutians, then supported the invasion of the Gilberts. In 1944 she took part in the invasion of the Marshalls, then was committed to the New Guinea campaign, where she took part in the fighting at Wakde-Sarmi, Noemfoor, Sansapor and Morotai in the Dutch East Indies. She took part in the invasions of Leyte, Luzon and Okinawa. She then went for a refit that was still under way at the end of the war. She was decommissioned in November 1945.
The T30 Armored Chemical Car would have been a rocket launcher based on the M8 light armored car, but it never got beyond the design stage.
USS Mustin (DD-413) was a Sims class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1940-41, before moving to the Pacific after Pearl Harbor. She took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, the battle of Santa Cruz, the naval battle of Guadalcanal, then moved to the Aleutians in 1943, covering the invasions of Attu and Kiska. She then covered the invasion of the Gilberts in 1943 and the Marshalls in 1944, before joining the fast carriers for their raids and the invasion of Hollandia on New Guinea. She then remained off New Guinea and took part in the series of invasions that left west along that island, ending with the invasion of Morotai in the Dutch East Indies. Late in 1944 she supported the invasion of Leyte, then Luzon in 1945. She supported the invasion of Koinawa, then returned to the US for a refit that lasted to the end of the war. She was used as a target at the Bikini atoll tests and was decommissioned in August 1946.
The M20 Armored Utility Car was a combined command car and personal and cargo carrier based on the M8 light armored car, but with the turret removed and replacing with an open topped crew compartment.
USS Hammann (DD-412) was a Sims class destroyer that moved to the Pacific in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor, where she took part in the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway. In the aftermath of Midway she was hit by a torpedo aimed at the damaged carrier Yorktown and sank with the loss of over 80 of her crew.
The M8 Light Armored Car was the only armoured car used in combat by the United States during the Second World War, but suffered from poor cross country mobility, making it a poor reconnaissance vehicle. It performed at its best during Patton’s advance across France after Operation Cobra, where its high speed and reasonable firepower allowed it to protect his flanks, but its poor mobility led it down in Italy and during the winter of 1944-45.
USS Anderson (DD-411) was a Sims class destroyer that was based in the Pacific in 1940-41, then joined the neutrality patrol in the Atlantic. Early in 1942 she returned to the Pacific, fighting in the battle of the Coral Sea, the battle of Midway, the invasion of Guadalcanal, the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands and the naval battle of Guadalcanal. In 1943 she briefly served in the Aleutians then took part in the invasion of Tawawa. In 1944 she took part in the invasion of the Marshall Islands, the New Guinea campaign and the invasion of Leyte, where she was hit by a kamikaze. She returned to action in May 1945 when she was posted to the Aleutians, where she remained for the rest of the war. She was used as a target in the Bikini Atoll tests, where she was sunk in Test 'Able'.
The T23E1 Light Armored Car was a Fargo design for a four wheeled armoured car built to the specifications that produced the M8 light armoured car, but that lost out to Ford’s six wheeled T22 and that may never have been built.
USS Hughes (DD-410) was a Sims class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1949-41. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor she joined the Yorktown task force, and was with her during the early carrier raids and at Midway. She then took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, the battle of Santa Cruz and the naval battle of Guadalcanal. In 1943 she operated in the Aleutians, taking part in the liberation of Kiska, then support the invasion of the Gilbert Islands. In 1944 she supported the invasion of the Marshalls, the fast carrier raids, the landings at Hollandia, and the invasion of the Philippines. She was hit by a kamikaze off Leyte on 10 December 1944, and didn't return to service until June 1945. She spent the rest of the war in the Aleutians and was decommissioned in August 1946.
The T23 Light Armored Car was a Fargo built six wheeled prototype for an armoured car built to the specifications that produced the M8 light armoured car, but that lost out to Ford’s six wheeled T22.
USS Wilson (DD-408) was a Benham class destroyer that served in the Pacific in 1940-May 1941 then joined the Neutrality Patrol in the Atlantic. She joined the British Home Fleet from April-May 1942, covering the Russia convoys. She then moved to the Pacific, where she took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, the battle of Savo Island, and operated in that area into the summer of 1943. She supported the invasion of the Gilbert Islands late in 1943 and the Marshall Islands early in 1944. She joined the fast carrier task force in June and supported the carriers during the invasion of the Marianas. After a refit in the US she escorted a convoy to Mindoro, which came under very heavy Japanese attack. In 1945 she took part in the invasion of Okinawa, where she suffered minor damage in a kamikaze attack. She carried out escort and patrol duties for the rest of the war. After the war she was a target at the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests and was decommissioned in August 1946.
The T22E1 Light Armored Car was a Ford built four wheeled prototype for an armoured car built to the specifications that produced the M8 light armoured car, but that lost out to Ford’s six wheeled T22.
USS Sims (DD-409) was the name ship of the Sims class destroyers. She served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1940-41, then joined the Yorktown task force after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. She took part in the early carrier raids, then moved south to defend New Guinea. During the battle of the Coral Sea she was mistaken for a cruiser by the Japanese and sunk by very heavy air attacks.
The T22 Light Armored Car was a prototype of a design for a six wheeled armoured car which entered production as the M8, the main American armoured car of the Second World War.
USS Sterett (DD-407) was a Benham class destroyer that served in the Pacific from 1940 to June 1941, then moved to the Atlantic to join the Neutrality Patrol. She operated in the Atlantic early in 1942 then joined the British Home Fleet for training, before supporting the carrier Wasp's second run to Malta. In June she moved to the Pacific, where she spent the next year and a half operating in the Solomon Islands. She supported the invasion of Guadalcanal, fought at the naval battle of Guadalcanal, where she suffered heavy damage. She returned to the war zone in March 1943 and fought at the battle of Vella Gulf (August 1943). Finally she supported the invasion of Bougainville. In 1944 she supported the invasion of the Marshalls and the Marianas, and was on the edge of the battle of the Philippine Sea. In December she briefly joined the campaign in the Philippines. 1945 began with a spell of escort duty in the Solomons. She then took part in the invasion of Okinawa, where on 9 April she was hit by a kamikaze. Although she was repaired by June, she didn't return to the war zone and was decommissioned in November 1945.
The T21 light armored car was a Studabaker design produced to the same specifications that produced the Ford M8 light armored car, but only one pilot vehicle was constructed before the project was cancelled.
USS Stack (DD-406) was a Benham class destroyer that served in the Pacific from 1940-June 1941 then joined the Atlantic Neutrality Patrol. She operated in the Atlantic and off the US East Coast until June 1942 when she moved to the Pacific to take part in the invasion of Guadalcanal. In 1943 she operated in the Solomons, fighting in the battle of Vella Gulf (6-7 August) and took part in the invasion of the Gilberts. In 1944 she took part in the invasion of the Marshalls, then underwent a refit. On her return she operated off New Guinea in July-September, then took part in the invasion of Leyte in October and Luzon in December. In 1945 she took part in the invasion of Okinawa. She was used as a target for the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests and was decommissioned in August 1946.
USS Rowan (DD-405) was a Benham class destroyer that served in the Pacific in 1940-41 before joining the Atlantic Neutrality Patrol in May 1941. 1942 started with a spell of convoy escort duty, followed by a spell with the British Home Fleet on the Russian convoy route. In October-November she escorted one of the invasion convoys across the Atlantic and then took part in Operation Torch. From then to May 1943 she escorted convoys across the Altantic, before in July she supported the invasion of Sicily. In September she supported the landings at Salerno, where early on 11 September she was hit by a torpedo and sank with the loss of 202 men.
USS Rhind (DD-404) was a Benham class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1941. In 1942 she operated in the North Atlantic, before joining the Briitsh Home Fleet for operations on the Russian convoy route. At the end of the year she supported Operation Torch, the invasion of North Africa. 1943 began with a period escorting convoys from the US to North Africa. She then took par tin the invasions of Sicily and the Italian mainland. Late in 1943 she returned to the US and began a period of convoy escort work and anti-submarine warfare that lasted into 1945. In May 1945 she transferred to the Pacific, where she took part in an attack on Wake, then resumed convoy escort duties. She was a target during the Bikini Atoll tests and was decommissioned in August 1946.
USS Trippe (DD-403) was a Benham class destroyer that served with the Caribbean Neutrality Patrol in 1940-early 41 then in the North Atlantic from 1941-May 1943. She then moved to North Africa, and took part in the invasions of Sicily and the Italian mainland. She remained in the Mediterranean until the start of 1944, then escorted convoys beween the US and Italy, mixed in with training duties. This continued into 1945, before in May she moved to the Pacific, where she escorted convoys in the central Pacific. She was used as a target during the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests, and was decommissioned later in 1946.
USS Mayrant (DD-402) was a Benham class destroyer that served in the Atlantic from 1939-41, joining the neutrality patrol. She was near Cape Town when the Japanese attacked Pearl Habor, and spent the first five months of 1942 on convoy escort duty in the North Atlantic. She then joined the British Home Fleet and took part in operations against the Tirpitz and escorted convoys to Murmansk. In October-November she escorted the trans-Atlantic convoys to North Africa to take par tin Operation Torch, and then supported the invasions. 1943 began with a spell of convoy escort work off the US East Coast, followed by a similar role off North Africa. From July-November she operated around Sicily, before suffering damage that took her out until May 1944. She spent the next year operating off the US east coast, before moving to the Pacific in May 1945, where she served as a convoy escort. After the end of the war she helped accept the surrender of Marcus Island. She was later used as a test ship in the Bikini Atoll atomic bomb tests and was decommissioned soon afterwards.
USS Lang (DD-399) was a Benham class destroyer that served with with the neutrality patrol in 1939-40 and the Pacific in 1940-41, but that was in the Carribean training with carriers when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. In 1942 she operated with the Royal Navy for the first half of the year, then moved to the Pacific, where she supported the invasion of Guadalcanal. In 1943 she supported the invasion of New Georgia, fighting at the battle of Vella Gulf, and later the invasion of the Gilberts. In 1944 she supported the invasion of the Marshalls and the Marianas, and fought at the battle of the Philippine Sea, before moving to the New Guinea theatre. Late in the year she took part in the invasions of Leyte and Luzon. In 1945 she took part in the invasion of Okinawa, then left the war zone for repairs which lasted to the end of the war. She was decommissioned in 1945.
USS Ellet (DD-398) was a Benham class destroyer that served with the neutrality patrol in 1939-40 before moving to the Pacific. She was at sea when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. In 1942 she supported the Doolittle Raid, fought at the battle of Midway and took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal. 1943 was split between operations in the Solomons and an overhaul. In 1944 she took part in the invasion of the Marshalls, the landings at Hollandia, the invasion of the Marianas and was then based in the Marianas until July 1945. She was decommissioned in October 1945.
USS Jarvis (DD-393) was a Bagley class destroyer that was present when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal and was sunk by Japanese aircraft on 9 August 1942.
The T-80 was the last Soviet light tank to enter production during the Second World War, but only 120 were built before it was cancelled, and the factory used to built the SU-76 self propelled gun instead.
USS Patterson (DD-392) was a Bagley class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, during the invasions of Guadalcanal, New Georgia, the Eastern Solomons, the Marianas, the Western Caroline Islands, Leyte, Luzon, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
The T-70 was the last light tank to be produced in significant numbers in the Soviet Union during the Second World War, but although it was an improvement on the T-60 was still too lightly armed and armoured and struggled to operate alongside the T-34.
USS Benham (DD-397) was the name ship of the Benham class of destroyers. She served with the neutrality patrol from 1939-1940 then moved to the Pacific. She was at sea when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. In 1942 she supported the Doolittle raid, fought at the battle of Midway, took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, the battles of the Eastern Solomons, the Santa Cruz Islands and the naval battle of Guadalcanal. In the last battle she was hit by a torpedo and eventually split in two, sinking on 14 November.
The T-60 scout tank was a simplified land version of the T-40 amphibious tank which entered production after the German invasion of the Soviet Union, with just over 6,000 produced by the time production ended in September 1942.
USS Henley (DD-391) was a Bagley class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor and during the invasion of Guadalcanal, before being sunk by torpedoes off Finschhafen, New Guinea, on 3 October 1943.
The T-40 amphibious tank was produced in small numbers in 1940-41, but was replaced by the non-amphibious T-60 after the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941.
USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) was a Bagley class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, during the invasion of Guadalcanal, the invasion of New Georgia and the battle of Kolombangara, the fighting on New Guinea and New Britain, the Marianas Islands, Leyte, Luzon, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
The RWD 25 Sokol (Falcon) was a design for a light weight fighter which was to act as an operational trainer and an interceptor in emergencies.
USS Mugford (DD-389) was a Bagley class destroyer that was present at Pearl Harbor, and then took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, the fighting on New Guinea and New Britain, the invasion of the Marianas Islands, the battle of Leyte Gulf, and the invasion of the Philippines, where she suffered damage that effectively ended her front line career, although she returned to duty in the Pacific in 1945.
USS Helm (DD-388) was a Bagley class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, during the invasions of Guadalcanal and New Guinea, the invasion of the Marianas, the battle of Leyte Gulf, the invasion of Luzon, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
The T-18 light tank was the first Soviet designed tank to enter mass production, and played a major role in the development of the Red Army’s armoured forces
USS Blue (DD-387) was a Bagley class destroyer that was present at Pearl Harbor, took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal and was sunk there by a Japanese destroyer early on 22 August 1942.
The Bartel M.4 was a primary trainer designed to use a war surplus Le Rhone engine and which was produced in significant numbers, outliving the Samolot company that had developed it.
USS Bagley (DD-386) was the name ship of the Bagley class of destroyers and fought at Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, the campaign on New Guinea and New Britain, the invasion of the Marianas, the battle of the Philippine Sea, the invasions of Peleliu and Angaur, the battle of Leyte Gulf, and the invasions of Luzon, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
USS Jouett (DD-396) was a Somers class destroyer that served in the South Atlantic for most of the Second World War, helping to intercept German blockade runners and playing a part in the sinking of U-128. She also supported the Normandy landings and Operation Dragoon, the invasion of the South of France.
The T-38 amphibious tank was designed to replace the T-37, and was wider and lower than the earlier vehicle and performed better in the water.
The RWD 22 was a twin float observation aircraft that was under development for the Polish Navy when the Germans invaded.
USS Davis (DD-395) was a Somers class destroyer that took part in the neutrality patrol in 1939-40, briefly served in the Pacific in 1940-41, then served in the Atlantic for most of the rest of the war, apart from a brief break to support the D-Day landings.
The T-37 amphibious tank was a light amphibious tank that entered production in 1933, and was produced in large numbers before being replaced by the improved T-38.
The RWD 17 was an aerobatic training aircraft that was ordered by both the Polish Navy and Army, but that hadn’t entered service when the Germans invaded in 1939.
USS Sampson (DD-394) was a Somers class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1940-41, in the Southeast Pacific in 1942-43, supported the occupation of Emirau and the invasion of Biak and then spent the last few months of the war on trans-Atlantic convoy escort duties.
The RWD 14 Czapla (Heron) was an observation aircraft that fought during the German invasion of Poland in 1939, suffering heavy losses, mainly from ground fire.
USS Warrington (DD-383) was a Somers class destroyer that took part in the Neutrality Patrol in 1941, in the south Atlantic in 1942 and the first half of 1943, and in the Pacific in the second half of the year, taking part in the invasion of Bougainville and the New Guinea campaign. She then returned to the US for repairs, but was lost in a hurricane off the coast of Florida soon after they had been completed.
The RWD 8 was a parasol wing monoplane that was used both as a military trainer and by civilian flying clubs and was produced in larger numbers than any other Polish aircraft of the interwar period.
Part four of our four part series on the battle of Stalingrad looks at the Soviet Counterattack, from the initial attacks on the German flanks to the final surrender in Stalingrad.
The Sims Class Destroyers were the first built after the 1,500t limit of the 1930 London Naval Treaty was lifted, and reverted to the five 5in gun armament used on the Farragut, Mahan and Dunlap classes rather than the four guns and sixteen torpedo tube layouts of the more recent Gridley, Bagley and Benham classes
Today we add part three of a four part series on the battle of Stalingrad, looking at the German offensive, from the start of Operation Blue to the last major German offensive inside Stalingrad
USS Somers (DD-381) was the name ship of the Somers class of destroyers, and served in the Atlantic from 1939 onwards, at first with the Neutrality Patrol and then on patrol duty in the south Atlantic, as well as supporting the Normandy invasion and the invasion of the south of France in 1944, where she sank two small German vessels in one of the few battles between US and German surface vessels.
Today we add part two of a four part series of articles on the battle of Stalingrad, looking at the German and Soviet commanders, forces and plans for Operation Blue
USS Maury (DD-401) was a Gridley class destroyer that served at Midway, the invasion of Guadalcanal, the battles of the Eastern Solomons, Santa Cruz and Vella Gulf, the invasion of Tarawa and Makin, the Marianas, the battle of the Philippine Sea and the invasion of the Philippines.
Today we add part one of a four part series of articles on the battle of Stalingrad, looking at the background to the campaign on the southern front in 1942 from the start of the invasion of the Soviet Union to the failure outside Moscow, supported by a timeline of the entire campaign.
No.467 Squadron (RAAF) was a bomber squadron that served with Bomber Command from the start of 1943 to the end of the war.
The Benham class ships were the last of the officially 1,500t 16 torpedo destroyers. They shared the same basic armament as the Gridley class, which had introduced the sixteen torpedo layout, with four 5in/ 38 guns and sixteen torpedoes carried in four quad mounts.
The P.W.S.35 Ogar (Hound) was a training aircraft loosely based on the Bucker Bu 131 Jungmann but which had only reached the prototype stage when the Germans invaded Poland in 1939.
No.463 Squadron (RAAF) was a Lancaster squadron that served with Bomber Command from 1943 to 1945.
USS McCall (DD-400) was a Gridley class destroyer that took part in the carrier raids of 1942, served in the Aleutians, took part in the battle for Guadalcanal, the carrier raids of 1944, the invasion of Hollandia, the invasion of the Marianas and the battle of the Philippine Sea, the invasion of the Philippines and the battle of Leyte Gulf and the invasion of Iwo Jima.
The P.W.S.33 Wyzel (Pointer) was a twin engined trainer produced to help Polish pilots train to use the advanced P.Z.L. P.38 Wilk.
No.461 Squadron (RAAF) was a maritime patrol squadron in Coastal Command that carried out patrols over the Western Approaches and Bay of Biscay from 1942 to the end of the war.
USS Craven (DD-382) was a Gridley class destroyer that took part in the battle for Guadalcanal, the invasion of the Marshall Islands, Hollandia, and the Marianas (including the battle of the Philippine Sea) before spending 1945 in the Atlantic and Mediterrenean theatres.
The P.W.S.26 was a basic and intermediate training aircraft that was produced in significant numbers in the late 1930s for the Polish air force, and that was the last member of a family descended from the P.W.S.12
No.459 Squadron (RAAF) was a maritime patrol and anti-shipping squadron that was based in the Mediterranean from 1942 until the end of the war.
The Bagley Class Destroyers used the high speed turbines introduced on the Mahan class, but carried one less 5in gun and sixteen torpedo tubes, up from twelve.
No.458 Squadron (RAAF) was a bomber squadron that entered service with Bomber Command in October 1941, but soon moved to the Middle East, where it switched to maritime operations, carrying out anti-shipping patrols, anti-submarine patrols and attacks on coastal shipping and enemy ports.
The Somers Class Destroyers were similar to the earlier Porter Class of large destroyers, but used more advanced machinery that had been introduced on the Mahan Class destroyers.
No.456 Squadron (RAAF) was a night fighter squadron that began as a defensive squadron over the Irish Sea, then flew intruder missions over France, defended the D-Day armies in the months before the invasion, took on the V-1 flying bombs, and ended the war supporting Bomber Command.
USS Gridley (DD-380) was the name ship of the Gridley class of destroyers, and served in Alaska, New Georgia, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Marianas and the battle of the Philippine Sea, Peleliu, and the invasion of the Philippines.
No.455 Squadron (RAAF) was formed as a night bomber squadron in RAF Bomber Command, but moved to Coastal Command in 1942 where it remained for the rest of the war, mainly operating as a strike squadron.
USS Fanning (DD-385) was a Dunlap class destroyer that took part in the Doolittle Raid on Japan, the campaign in the Solomons and the Marshalls, operated with the British Eastern Fleet, took part in raids on Luzon and the occupation of Leyte, and the invasion of Iwo Jima, ended the war on patrol duties
No.490 Squadron, RNZAF, was a flying boat squadron that was based at Jui, Sierra Leone from 1943 until the end of the Second World War.
USS Dunlap (DD-384) was the name ship of the Dunlap class of destroyers and fought at the battle of Vella Gulf, took part in the British raid on Surabaya in 1944, was on the fringe of the battle of Leyte Gulf, took part in the invasion of Iwo Jima, and was the site of the Japanese surrender of the Bonin Islands at the end of the war.
No.489 Squadron, RNZAF, was a UK based anti-shipping squadron that served with Coastal Command
USS Preston (DD-379) was a Mahan class destroyer that fought at the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, before being sunk by Japanese gunfire on 14 November 1942, during the naval battle of Guadalcanal.
No.488 Squadron went through two incarnations during the Second World War. The first was as a fighter squadron that was caught up the fall of Singapore and had to retreat to Sumatra, then Java and finally to Australia. The second incarnation was as a UK based night fighter squadron, focusing mainly on defensive missions.
USS Smith (DD-378) was a Mahan class destroyer that served on escort duty early in 1942, then took part in the Guadalcanal campaign where she was badly damaged on 26 October 1942, She returned to action early in 1943 and supported the campaign on New Guinea and New Britain, and the invasions of the Admiralty Islands, the Marianas, Leyte, Luzon and Borneo.
No.487 Squadron, RNZAF, began as a day bomber squadron but spent most of the war flying night intruder missions.
USS Perkins (DD-377) was a Mahan class destroyer that served on the approaches to Australia in 1942, fighting at the battle of the Coral Sea, before moving to Guadalcanal, fighting at the battle of Tassafaronga, She then took part in the campaign on New Guinea, before she was sunk in a collision with the Australian troopship Duntroon on 29 November 1943.
No.486 Squadron, RNZAF, began its existence as a night-fighter unit, but after the failure of the Turbinlite experiment it became a standard fighter squadron, taking part in offensive sweeps and the campaign against the V-1 Flying Bomb.
No.485 Squadron, RNZAF, was a UK based fighter squadron that took part in the offensive sweeps over France, supported the D-Day Landings and spent most of the rest of the war based on the Continent.
USS Cushing (DD-376) was a Mahan class destroyer that served on escort duties during the first half of 1942 then took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, where she was sunk by Japanese destroyers during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942.
No.41 Transport Squadron (RNZAF) was the second transport squadron formed with the RNZAF. It was used to provide a regular link between New Zealand and Guadalcanal, originally using aircraft inherited from No.40 Squadron.
Today we look at the German invasion of Poland of September 1939, the opening shots of the Second World War in Europe.
USS Downes (DD-375) was a Mahan class destroyer that was badly damaged at Pearl Harbor, but was rebuilt using her old machinery and a new hull and returned to action in time to support the invasions of the Marianas and Leyte, before ending the war on patrol duty around Iwo Jima.
No.40 Squadron (RNZAF) was the first transport squadron formed in the RNZAF and provided regular transport links between New Zealand and the RNZAF's bases out as far as Guadalcanal.
USS Tucker (DD-374) was a Mahan class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, and on escort duties for most of 1942 before sinking after hitting a mine on her way to Espiritu Santo on 3 August 1942.
No.31 Dive-Bomber Squadron, RNZAF, was a short-lived squadron that spent two months fighting on Bougainville in May-July 1944 before being disbanded as the role of the RNZAF changed.
No.30 Dive Bomber Squadron, RNZAF, was a short-lived unit that took part in the fighting on Bougainville in March 1944 and the campaign against Rabaul, before being disbanded in May 1944.
No.26 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, was a short-lived unit that took part in the Australian offensive on Bougainville during its only tour of duty in the combat zone.
No.25 Squadron, RNZAF, went through two incarnations during the Second World War. The first was as a dive-bomber squadron that took part in the fighting on Bougainville in March 1944 and the campaign against Rabaul. The second was as a fighter squadron that operated out of the New Zealand bases at Emirau and Los Negros, watching the last few Japanese strongholds in New Ireland and the surrounding area.
USS Shaw (DD-373) was a Mahan class destroyer that had her bows blown off during the attack on Pearl Harbor, but that was rebuilt and took part in the fighting off Guadalcanal late in 1942, the campaign on New Guinea and New Britain, and the invasions of the Marianas, Leyte and Luzon,
The L.W.S.4/ L.W.S.6 Zubr (Bison) was an unsuccessful design for a medium bomber that was produced in limited numbers as an operational trainer and as backup in case the more advanced P.Z.L P.37 Los failed, but that was unable to operate from temporary airfields and thus made no contribution to the fighting in 1939.
No.24 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, took part in the Australian offensive on Bougainville late in 1944 and in the last few months of the war as well as taking part in the long campaign to neutralise Rabaul.
USS Cassin (DD-372) was a Mahan class destroyer that was one of the worst damaged ships at Pearl Harbor, but was rebuilt using her original machinery in a new hull and went on to take part in the occupation of the Mariannas Islands, the invasion of Leyte and the battle of Leyte Gulf and the invasion of Iwo Jima.
No.23 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, took part in the later stages of the campaign on Bougainville, was the first New Zealand squadron to move to Los Negros (the most westerly Pacific base used by the RNZAF) and took part in the campaign to neutralise Rabaul.
USS Conyngham (DD-371) was a Mahan class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, at Midway, the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, supported the campaign on New Guinea and New Britain, the invasion of the Marianas Islands and the Philippines.
No.22 Fighter Squadron, RNZAF, took part in the campaign to neutralise Kavieng and the Australian offensive on Bougainville in late 1944 and 1945.
USS Case (DD-370) was a Mahan class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, in the Aleutians and supported the invasions of the Marshalls, the Palau Islands, the Marianas, fighting at the battle of the Philippine Sea, the invasions of Leyte and Iwo Jima, before spending most of 1945 on anti-submarine and air-sea rescue duty between Saipan and Iwo Jima.
The Lublin R-XVI was an air ambulance that was produced in small numbers in the mid 1930s and that was still in Polish service when the Germans invaded in 1939.
No.443 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that served with 2nd Tactical Air Force from 13 April 1944 until the end of the war in Europe, supporting the Allied campaign in north-western Europe.
USS Reid (DD-369) was a Mahan class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, New Guinea and during the invasion of Leyte, before being sunk by kamikaze attacks on 11 December 1944.
No.442 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that served with 2nd Tactical Air Force during the campaign in north-western Europe, before ending the war on escort duty for Bomber Command's renewed daylight raids.
USS Flusser (DD-368) was a Mahan class destroyer that served on escort duties in 1942 and the first half of 1943, then supported the campaign in New Guinea and New Britain, then took part in the campaigns in the Marshalls and the Philippines .
No.441 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that had a varied career, supporting the D-Day landings, escorting Bomber Command's daylight raids over Germany and providing fighter defences for Scapa Flow.
USS Lamson (DD-367) was a Mahan class destroyer that supported the fighting around Guadalcanal, fighting at the battle of Tassafaronga, supported the campaign on New Guinea and New Britain and the invasion of Leyte, where she was badly damaged by a kamikaze attack. After her repairs she spent the rest of the war on patrol and air-sea rescue duties off Iwo Jima.
The Lublin R-XIII was the main observation aircraft in Polish service at the start of the Second World War, but only because its replacements had failed to enter service when planned.
No.440 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that served with the 2nd Tactical Air Force, supporting the D-Day landings and the campaign in north-western Europe, ending the war in Germany.
USS Drayton (DD-366) was a Mahan class destroyer that fought at the battle of Tassafaronga, supported the campaign on New Guinea, and the invasions of the Marshall Islands, the Philippines and Borneo.
No.439 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that served with 2nd Tactical Air Force, and supported the D-Day landings and the campaign in north-western Europe, ending the war in Germany.
USS Cummings (DD-365) was a Mahan class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor and Guadalcanal, served off Alaska, took part in the invasion of the Marshall Islands, joined with the British Far Eastern Fleet for raids on Sumatra and Java, hosted President Roosevelt for a broadcast from Seattle, fought at the battle of Leyte Gulf, and supported the invasion of Iwo Jima
No.438 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that served with the 2nd Tactical Air Force, supporting the Allied campaign in north-western Europe, ending the war in Germany.
USS Mahan (DD-364) was the name ship of the Mahan class of destroyers, and fought at the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, supported the fighting on New Guinea and New Britain, the invasion of Los Negros and Leyte, where she was hit by three kamikazes and had to be scuttled.
No.437 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian transport squadron that took part in Operation Market Garden and the airborne crossing of the Rhine as well as flying supplies and troops to Europe.
USS Balch (DD-363) was a Porter class destroyer that took part in the early raids on Japanese bases in 1942, the battle of Midway, the Guadalcanal invasion, the battle of the Eastern Solomons, the occupation of Attu, and the Wakde and Biak operations on New Guinea.
The P.Z.L. P.50 Jastrzab (Hawk) was a radial engine powered fighter that was let down by the lack of a suitable engine, and that had been cancelled a few months before the German invasion of Poland.
No.436 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian transport squadron that flew supplies to the Fourteenth Army during the reconquest of Burma, then operated with Transport Command in the UK after the end of the war.
USS Moffett (DD-362) was a Porter Class destroyer that served in the Atlantic throughout the Second World War, taking part in the sinkings of U-128 and U-604.
The P.Z.L. P.49 Mis (Teddy Bear) was a more advanced version of the P.37 twin engined bomber, but the prototype hadn’t been completed when the Germans invaded and all work on the type was destroyed before it could fall into their hands.
No.435 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian transport squadron that operated over Burma, supporting the 14th Army during the reconquest of Burma.
The P.Z.L. P.48 Lampart (Leopard) was a more advanced version of the P.38 Wilk multi-purpose ground attack and escort fighter, but the prototypes hadn’t been completed when the Germans invaded Poland in September 1939.
No.430 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that was used for ground attack and tactical reconnaissance missions from 1943 to the end of the war.
USS Phelps (DD-360) was a Porter class destroyer that fought at the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, the invasion of Guadalcanal, the invasion of Attu in the Aleutians, the invasion of the Marshall Islands and Saipan, before ending the war on escort duty in the Atlantic.
The P.Z.L. P.38 Wilk (Wolf) was a design for a combined fighter, attack aircraft, and dive bomber that only reached the prototype stage before the German invasion of Poland in 1939.
No.423 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian squadron that carried out anti-submarine patrols for most of its existence, before briefly becoming a transport unit at the end of the war.
USS Winslow (DD-359) was a Porter class destroyer that served in the South Atlantic from 1942-44 then on the North Atlantic convoy routes in 1944-45.
The P.Z.L. P.37 Los (Elk) was a modern twin engined medium bomber that was the most advanced aircraft in Polish service in 1939, but that was only produced in tiny numbers and equipped four squadrons during the German invasion of 1939.
No.422 Squadron, RCAF, was a Canadian squadron that served with Coastal Command and mainly operated the Short Sunderland over the western approaches, sinking U-625 in 1944 as well as briefly using the Catalina to fly supplies to the Soviet Union.
The P.Z.L. P.45 Sokol (Falcon) was a lightweight fighter designed to replace or supplement the increasingly outdated P.Z.L. P.11 that had almost reached the prototype stage when the Germans invaded Poland in 1939.
USS McDougal (DD-358) was a Porter class destroyer that carried President Roosevelt to the Prince of Wales during the Placentia Bay conference, then spent most of 1942-44 serving in the south-eastern Pacific, before she ended the war on convoy escort duty in the Atlantic.
No.421 Squadron, RCAF, was a Canadian fighter squadron that began operations on defensive patrols over South Wales and the south-west, then moved to the south-east to escort bomber missions over France. It then joined 2nd Tactical Air Force and spent the rest of the war operating over the Continent.
USS Selfridge (DD-357) was a Porter class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Vella Lavella and the invasion of the Marianas before moving to the Atlantic to escort convoys heading to Tunisia.
The P.Z.L. P.46 Sum (Sheat-fish) was to have been a more advanced version of the P.23 light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, but it hadn’t entered production by the time the Germans invaded Poland in 1939.
No.418 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian squadron that operated the Boston as a night intruder, then the Mosquito on day intruder, bomber escort and anti V-1 duties, ending the war with 2nd Tactical Air Force.
USS Porter (DD-356) was the name ship of the Porter class of destroyers, and fought at the battle of the Santa Cruz Islands, where she was accidently sunk by a torpedo dislodged from a crashed American aircraft.
The P.Z.L. P.43 Karas (Crucian-carp) was a more powerful version of the Polish P.23 light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, developed in response to a Bulgarian order.
No.417 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that served in North Africa from 1942-43, the took part in the invasions of Sicily and Italy, ending the war as a ground attack unit.
USS Aylwin (DD-355) was a Farragut class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, the battles of the Coral Sea, Midway, Guadalcanal, the Aleutians, the Gilbert Islands, the Marshall Islands, Hollandia, the Marianas, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
The P.Z.L. P.42 was a single development aircraft used to help with the design of the P.46 Sum (Sheat-fish), the planned replacement for the P.23 Karas.
No.416 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that was initially used to protect coastal shipping before taking part in offensive sweeps over France, ground attack and escort missions. It supported the D-Day landings then moved to Normandy, from where it carried out armed reconnaissance sweeps, finding and attacking German targets.
USS Monaghan (DD-354) was a Farragut class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, the Coral Sea, Midway, in the Aleutians, the invasion of the Gilbert Islands, Marshall Islands, Mariannas Islands and the invasion of the Philippines, before she was sunk by Typhoon Cobra on 18 December 1944
The P.Z.L. P.23 Karas (Crucian-carp) was a reconnaissance aircraft and light bomber that performed well in the bomber role after the German invasion in 1939, before heavy losses reduced its effectiveness.
No.414 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian squadron that operated the Mustang then the Spitfire, mainly in the reconnaissance and ground attack roles, eventually operating as far afield as over Germany.
USS Dale (DD-353) was a Farragut class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, Midway, Guadalcanal, Aleutia, and during the invasions of the Marshall Islands, the Marianas and the Philippines.
The P.Z.L. P.24 was a refined version of the P.11 designed to use engines other than Bristol radials, so they could be exported without causing problems with the licensing agreement for those engines.
No.413 Squadron, RCAF, was a Canadian Catalina squadron that operated from Scotland for part of 1941 before moving to Ceylon in 1942, entering service there just before the Japanese raid into the Indian ocean. It spent most of the rest of the war on anti-submarine duties across the Indian ocean before its crews moved back to the UK to reform as a short lived bomber squadron
USS Worden (DD-352) was a Farragut class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, Midway and Guadalcanal before sinking after she ran aground in the Aleutians early in 1943.
The P.Z.L. P.11 was the most important Polish fighter aircraft when the Germans invaded in 1939, but although it had been an advanced design when it was first introduced, by then it was outdated and outclassed.
No.412 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian fighter squadron that took part in the failed attack on Dieppe, then joined Second Tactical Air Force and supported the D-Day landings and the campaign in north-western Europe.
USS MacDonough (DD-351) was a Farragut class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, the Marshals Islands, Marianas Islands, Leyte, Luzon and Hollandia as well as sinking the submarine RO-45.
No.411 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian Spitfire squadron that served with Fighter Command then the Second Tactical Air Force, and spent most of its time carrying out offensive sweeps, either over occupied Europe or during the campaign in North-Western Europe in 1944-45.
USS Hull (DD-350) was a Farragut class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, supported the invasion of Guadalcanal, then took part in the campaigns in the Aleutians, Gilberts, Marshalls and Marianas, before she was lost during the great typhoon of 18 December 1944.
USS Dewey (DD-349) was a Farragut class destroyer that was present at Pearl Harbor, fought at the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, the invasion of Guadalcanal, the battles of Savo Island and the Eastern Solomans, the Aleutians, the invasions of the Gilbert, Marshall and Mariana Islands, the invasion of Okinawa and the landings at Hollandia on New Guinea.
USS Farragut (DD-348) was the name ship of the Farragut class destroyers, and fought in the Pacific, taking part in the battle of the Coral Sea, the Guadalcanal campaign, the Aleutian campaign, the invasion of the Gilbert and Marshall Islands, the landings at Hollandia, the Mariannas and the battle of the Philippine Sea, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
No.409 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian night fighter squadron that took part in the defence of Britain in 1941-44, then supported the D-Day landings, flew intruder missions over France and took part in the campaign against the V-1 flying bomb.
USS Pruitt (DD-347) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the Aleutians and off Bougainville during 1943, but spent most of the rest of the war on training or escort duties.
No.407 Squadron, RCAF, was a Canadian squadron that served with Coastal Command from 1941-45, performing a mix of anti-submarine and anti-shipping missions, as well as taking part in the attempt to stop the 'Channel Dash' and the D-Day landings.
USS Sicard (DD-346) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Asiatic Squadron in 1920s, in the Aleutians in 1942-43, Bougainville in 1943, on patrol and minelaying duties in South Pacific in the first half of 1944, then helped train submarines for the rest of the war.
No.406 Squadron, RCAF, was a Canadian night fighter squadron that was formed in the UK and after an early spell of defensive duties was mainly used as an intruder squadron and for low level sorties over France and later Germany.
USS Preble (DD-345) was a Clemson class destroyer that served as a mine layer in 1941-44, as a minesweeper during the invasions of Peleliu and Leyte and as a plane guard for aircraft carriers undergoing training in 1945
The P.Z.L. P.7 was the first domestically designed fighter to enter Polish service and allowed the Polish air force to be the first to convert to an all metal monoplane fighter.
USS William B. Preston (DD-344) was a Clemson class destroyer that was caught up in the Japanese invasion of the Philipinnes in 1941-42, and badly damaging during the bombing of Darwin. She spent the rest of 1942-43 supporting Catalina patrols along the west coast of Australia, most of 1944 as a target vessel for submarine exercises, and the rest of the war acting as a plane guard for naval aviators in training in the United States.
No.404 Squadron, RCAF, was a long range fighter and anti shipping squadron that served with RAF Coastal Command from 1941-45.
USS Noa (DD-343) was a Clemson class destroyer that was converted into a high speed transport and took part in a series of amphibious landings in the South Pacific, before being rammed and sunk by another US warship on her way to the Palau Islands.
No.403 Squadron, RCAF, was a fighter squadron that was the first Canadian squadron to be formed overseas during the Second World War, and that took part in the air offensive over France, joined Second Air Force and supported the D-Day landings then moved to Europe to support the campaign in North-western Europe.
USS Hulbert (DD-342/ AVD-6) was a Clemson class destroyer that served as a seaplane tender in the Aleutians in 1942-43, then as a plane guard for new aircraft carriers for most of the rest of the war.
No.402 Squadron, RCAF, was a fighter squadron that was mainly used on offensive duties, including the raid on Dieppe and supporting the D-Day lands, as well as taking part in the campaign against the V-1 Flying Bomb.
USS Decatur (DD-341) was a Clemson class destroyer that spend most of the Second World War on escort duty in the Atlantic and Caribbean, as well as one tour with the hunter-killer group built around USS Card late in 1943.
The Curtiss SC Seahawk was the last fixed wing scouting aircraft produced for service on the US Navy’s battleships and cruisers, and entered service late in 1944.
No.401 Squadron, RCAF, was a fighter squadron that took part in bomber escort and fighter sweeps before joining 2nd Tactical Air Force to support the D-Day landings and the campaign in north-western Europe.
USS Perry (DD-340) was a Clemson class destroyer that fought at Pearl Harbor, then served in the Aleutians, the Marshals, the Marianas, New Guinea and the invasion of Pelelieu, where she was sunk on 13 September 1944, probably by a mine.
The Curtiss SO3C Seamew/ Seagull was an unsuccessful attempt to replace the Curtiss SOC Seagull biplane spotter plane, and after a brief period of front line service in 1942-43 was withdrawn, and in some cases replaced with its predecessor.
No.400 Squadron, RCAF, began the war as am army co-operation squadron, before becoming a reconnaissance squadron, supporting the D-Day landings and the campaign in north-western Europe
USS Trever (DD-339) was a Clemson class destroyer that was present at Pearl Harbor and took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, New Georgia and Bougainville before ending the war on escort duties.
The Curtiss SOC Seagull was a biplanes scout-observation aircraft that operated from US battleships and cruisers throughout the Second World War, actually outliving two newer aircraft that had been designed to replace it.
No.162 Squadron (RCAF) was a Canadian flying boat squadron that was formed on the Canadian east coast in 1942 as a long range anti-submarine warfare squadron, and that spent most of 1944 and the first half of 1945 operating with RAF Coastal Command in Iceland and Scotland, where it was credited with sinking five U-boats and a share in a sixth.
USS Wasmuth (DD-338) was a Clemson class destroyer that was converted into a minesweeper in 1940, but was lost late in 1942 after two of her own depth charges were swept overboard and detonated close to her stern.
The Curtiss XBT2C was a one or two seat torpedo and dive bomber developed from the SB2C Helldiver, but which only reached the prototype stage.
No.112 Squadron, RCAF, was an army co-operation squadron that moved to Britain in the summer of 1940 and was largely engaged in training, before becoming No.2 Squadron, RCAF in December 1940.
USS Zane (DD-337) was a Clemson class destroyer that was converted into a fast minesweeper in 1940, and that fought at Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, New Georgia, the Marshalls and Guam.
The Curtiss XBTC was a single seat torpedo and dive bomber that entered development in 1942 but didn’t make its maiden flight until 1945, and that lost out to more modern Douglas and Martin designs.
No.2 Squadron, RCAF, was an army co-operation squadron in the pre-war Permanent Force of the RCAF that was used to reinforce No.110 Squadron, the first Canadian squadron to move to Britain after the outbreak of the Second World War. In December 1940 No.112 Squadron, which was also in Britain, was renumbered as No.2, and flew convoy escort duties along the east coast. It was renumbered as No.402 Squadron in March 1941.
USS Litchfield (DD-336) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the Mediterranean and with the Pacific Fleet before the Second World War, and that carried out escort duties from Pearl Harbor after the American entry into the war.
No.110 Squadron, RCAF, was a Canadian army co-operation squadron that moved to Britain in 1939 and spent the next year training in army co-operation duties, before being renumbered as No.400 Squadron in March 1941.
No.1 Squadron, RCAF, was part of Canada's pre-war Permanant Force, and moved to Britain early in the Second World War, where it fought in the Battle of Britain, before being renumbered as No.401 Squadron in March 1941.
The Curtiss R5C Commando was the US Navy designation for the C-46A Commando, and was used by the US Marine Corps in the Pacific.
Operation Bodenplatte (1 January 1945) was a large Luftwaffe attack on Allied airfields in Belgium, Holland and France in which a large number of Allied aircraft were destroyed on the ground, but the Luftwaffe lost a large number of irreplaceable veteran pilots, a blow from which its fighter force never recovered.
Operation Stosser (17-23 December 1944) was the last German airborne operation of the Second World War, and was a failed attempt to capture and defend a key road junction just behind the American front line.
Operation Greif (16 December 1944 onwards) was a German special mission during the Battle of the Bulge that failed in its main objective of capturing the Meuse bridges, but partly achieved its secondary objective of spreading confusion behind American lines.
The siege of Bastogne (18-26 December 1944) was one of the most famous parts of the battle of the Bulge, and saw a US garrison hold off repeated German attacks, badly disrupting the German plans.
The battle of St Vith (18-23 December 1944) was a delaying action early in the battle of the Bulge that denied the Germans access to a key part of the road network in the Ardennes, and prevented them from moving the Sixth Panzer Army south once their own attack on the Elsenborn Ridge had failed.
The battle of the Elsenborn Ridge (16-23 December 1944) was a key American victory early in the battle of the Bulge that denied the Germans access to two of the four roads they required for their main attack towards the Meuse.
The battle of the Bulge (16 December 1944-25 January 1945) was Hitler’s last major offensive in the west, and the largest American battle of the Second World War. Although the Germans managed to gather a sizable army in secret and attacked a weakly held part of the American lines, their attack hardly achieved any of its first day objectives, and as a result by the time they were able to get their panzer divisions into actions, the Americans had moved reinforcements into the area, eliminating any chance that the Germans might have achieved a significant breakthrough.
Operation Infatuate or the battle of Walcheran (1-8 November 1944) was the last stage of the campaign to clear the Scheldt Estuary and with it allow work to begin on clearing the approaches to Antwerp.
Operation Vitality or the battle of South Beveland (16 October-1 November 1944) saw a mainly Canadian force clear the Germans off the South Beveland peninsula, opening the way for an attack on Walcheran Island, which in turn would allow the Allies to open the port of Antwerp.
Operation Switchback, or the battle of the Breskens Pocket (6 October-3 November 1944) saw a mainly Canadian force clear the Germans off the southern bank of the Scheldt, at the start of the campaign to open up the port of Antwerp.
The battle for Antwerp and the Scheldt Estuary (4 September-8 November 1944) saw the Allies capture the great port of Antwerp intact on 4 September, but fail to give clearing the approaches a high enough priority, eventually forcing them fight three difficult battles starting in early October to clear the Scheldt
The liberation of the Channel Ports of Le Havre, Boulogne and Calais (5-30 September 1944) saw the Allies finally gain control of the French coast opposite Kent, ending the long artillery bombardment of that part of the English coast, and eventually provided the Allies with ports closer to the front.
General Miles Dempsey (1896-1969) was the commander of the British and Canadian troops on D-Day, and led the 2nd Army for the rest of the campaign.
Air Vice Marshal Arthur 'Mary' Coningham (1895-1948) commanded the Desert Air Force, 1st Allied Tactical Air Force and 2nd Tactical Air Force, and helped develop the system of army-air force cooperation that made the Allied air forces so deadly in the later years of the Second World War.
Courtney Hicks Hodges (1887-1966) was commander of the US First Army after the breakout from Normandy, and his army was the first into Paris, first into Germany, first across the Rhine, and first to join up with the Soviets.
Jacob Loucks Devers (1887-1979) was the commander of the 6th Army Group during the final battles on the southern front in France and Germany in 1944-45.
Lesley James McNair (1883-1944) was largely responsible for creating and training the US army that fought in Europe and the Pacific during the Second World War, but is perhaps best known for being the highest ranked US general to be killed in action during the war.
General Alexander Patch (1889-1945) was one of the few US commanders to fight in both the Pacific and European theatres, commanding on Guadalcanal and during Operation Dragoon.
Josef 'Sepp' Dietrich (1892-1966) was one of Hitler’s favourite SS commanders, but his military record was mixed, and included successes in Normandy and failures during the battle of the Bulge. He was also implicated in a series of war crimes, and convicted for his part in the Malmedy Massacre.
Omar Nelson Bradley (1893-1981) rose to command the US 12th Army Group during the campaign in Europe in 1944-45, putting him in charge of more American combat troops than any other officer. He was famous for his concern for the GIs, but also made a number of controversial decisions.
General Troy Houston Middleton (1889-1976) was one of the most able corps commanders in the US army, taking part in the invasion of Sicily, the landings at Salerno, the Brittany campaign, and most famously the battle of the Bulge, where he played a major role in the successful defence of Bastogne.
General George Patton (1885-1945) was one of the most controversial, and most able, American generals of the Second World War, and played a major role in the breakout from Normandy and the defeat of the German Ardennes offensive, despite the occasion outburst that on occasion almost cost him his career.
Operation Tractable (14-21 August 1944) was a Canadian and Polish attack that finally helped close the Falaise Gap, although not after some fierce battles in the mouth of the gap.
The Curtiss-Wright C-76 Caravan was a wooden cargo aircraft designed in case the United States ran short of light alloys as military production accelerated after the US entry into the war.
The battle of the Falaise Gap (8-20 August 1944) was the final stage of the wider battle of Normandy, and saw the Allies exploit the breakthrough achieved in Operation Cobra to destroy the German position in France. In its aftermath the Allies were able to sweep onto to Paris, across the Seine and liberate most of France ahead of their original schedule.
The Curtiss C-55 was the designation given to the prototype of the Curtiss Model CW-20/ C-46, after it was given a new tail and purchased by the USAAF.
Operation Totalize (8-11 August 1944) was the first Canadian attempt to break through to Falaise to close the Falaise Gap, and began with an over complex night attack that still made good progress, before coming to a stop after moving halfway to Falaise. The next attack, Operation Tractable, would finally see the gap closed.
The Curtiss C-46 Commando was one of the most important US transport aircraft of the Second World War, and survived to see service in Korea and Vietnam.
The siege of St. Malo (4-17 August 1944) was an unexpectedly costly battle during the American liberation of Brittany that ended with the port in American hands, but with its facilities totally destroyed by the Germans.
The Curtiss C-30/ R4C-1 was a transport version of the Curtiss Condor II biplane transport aircraft, a rather outdated aircraft when it first appeared in 1933.
The siege of Brest (6 August-18 September 1944) was originally carried out in an attempt to give the Americans a good port in Brittany, but by the time it ended any hopes of using the Breton ports had ended, and the main purpose of the battle was to eliminate a potentially dangerous German garrison.
The Brittany Campaign of August 1944 saw the Allies rapidly conquer most of the Breton peninsula in the aftermath of the American breakout during Operation Cobra, but the key ports either remained in German hands, or in the case of St. Malo, were so badly damaged that they were unusable.
Operation Cobra (25-31 July 1944) saw the decisive breakthrough in Normandy, after more than a month of attritional fighting and slow progress, and saw Bradley’s US 1st Army break the western end of the German line, allowing the Allied armour to break out and dash east towards the Seine, trapping a large part of the Germany army in the Falaise pocket.
Operation Spring (25-27 July 1944) was one of the most costly Canadian operations of the Second World War, but although it failed to capture any of its targets, it did achieve its main purpose of pinning German troops down on the Caen front.
Operation Atlantic (18-21 July 1944) was the Canadian counterpart to Operation Goodwood, and saw the newly activated Canadian II Corps attack on the right flank of the main Goodwood attack, finally clearing the south part of Caen and completing the liberation of the city.
Operation Goodwood (18-20 July 1944) was one of the more controversial battles of the Overlord campaign, and involved a massive British armoured attack to the east of Caen that forced the Germans to move reinforcements to area and finally completed the liberation of Caen, but that failed to achieve the dramatic breakthrough that some had been expecting
Operation Charnwood (8-9 July 1944) saw the British and Canadians finally capture the northern half of Caen, a month after the city was originally expected to have fallen on D-Day.
The battle of Saint-Lo (7-19 July 1944) was an essential preliminary to the eventual American breakout from Normandy, and saw them struggle through the bocage country to reach the starting point for Operation Cobra.
USS Osborne (DD-295) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Atlantic Fleet for most of her career, as well as spending a year in European Waters and briefly taking part in a US intervention in Nicaragua. After her first military career she was sold for scrap, but instead turned into a banana boat, which was then chartered by the US Navy after the outbreak of the Second World War. She was then taken over by the Army as part of a plan to rush supplies to the Philippines, before finally being destroyed by fire at Sydney in 1942
Operation Windsor (4-5 July 1944) was a Canadian attack on Carpiquet airfield that made some progress, but left the Germans in possession of part of the airfield.
The Odon Counterattack (29-June-1 July 1944) saw the Germans attack both flanks of the British bridgehead created during Operation Epsom, in an attempt to cut it off at its base. The attacks failed, and forced the Germans to commit the newly arrived II SS Panzer Corps to the Caen front, ending any chance of a major counterattack towards the coast.
Operation Epsom (26-30 June 1944) was the second major British attack on Caen, and the first major British offensive after D-Day, and was an attempt to reach the high ground south of the city and threaten the Caen-Falaise Road. The attack failed to meet those early Overlord objectives, but did force the Germans to move reinforcements to the Caen area.
Operation Martlet (25-27 June 1944) was a preliminary to Operation Epsom, the second in a series of major attacks around Caen, and was launched to capture high ground to the west of the main Epsom battlefield.
The battle of Villers-Bocage (13 June 1944) was one of the more infamous incidents of the Normandy campaign, and saw an advanced force of British armour almost destroyed by Michael Wittmann’s Tiger tanks, before a larger German counterattack forced the British to retreat.
The Curtiss SNC Falcon/ Model CW-22 was a basic trainer and light attack aircraft that saw combat against the Japanese with the Dutch, but that was only used as a trainer by the US Navy.
Operation Aubrey (7-8 June 1944) saw a small force of Royal Marine Commandos capture Port-en-Bessin, a key port between the British and American sectors in Normandy.
The Curtiss-Wright CW-21 was a lightweight export fighter that was purchased in small numbers by the Chinese and Dutch, and that saw limited combat during the defence of the Dutch East Indies in 1942.
Operation Perch (9-14 June 1944) was a British attempt to capture Caen with a pincers attack, launched after the city remained in German hands on D-Day.
The Curtiss-Wright CW-19 began life as a civilian cabin cruiser but soon became a light military aircraft , and the basis of the CW-21 Demon fighter and CW-22 / SNC-1 Falcon light attack and trainer.
The battle of Caen (6 June-6 August 1944) was one of the key battles during Operation Overlord, and although the British and Canadians achieved their main aims, the failure to capture Caen quickly caused a great deal of controversy.
The Curtiss XP-71 was a design for a very heavy escort fighter, designed to support long range bombers. Two prototypes were ordered, but the project was cancelled before either of them had been completed
The campaign in the Cotentin Peninsula (6-20 June 1944) was the first major Allied advance after the D-Day landings, and ended with the capture of the port of Cherbourg, seen by the Allies as one of the most important objectives of Operation Overlord.
The Curtiss XP-62 was the heaviest American single-seat fighter to fly during the Second World War, but was underpowered and never progressed beyond the prototype stage.
The battle of Carentan (9-13 June 1944) saw the 101st Airborne capture the key town at the base of the Cotentin peninsula, finally establishing a link between the two American beachheads and helping to ensure the success of the Overlord landings.
Operation Overlord or the battle of Normandy (6 June-25 August 1944) was the start of the Allied campaign to liberate Nazi-occupied north-western Europe, and began with the largest amphibious assault in history on D-Day, before developing into a costly struggle in Normandy that finally ended with the dramatic collapse of the German position in France leading to the ‘Great Swan’ towards the German border.
USS Meade (DD-274) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a very brief career in the US Navy before going to Britain as part of the Destroyers for Bases deal, where she became HMS Ramsey. In British service she served on convoy escort duties, but her turbines proved to be unreliable and in August 1943 she was chosen for use as an air target ship
USS Swasey (DD-273) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a limited US career, but went to Britain as part of the Destroyers for Bases deal as HMS Rockingham. In British service she served as an Atlantic convoy escort ship and troops convoy escort, before being converted into an air target ship in 1943. She sank after hitting a British mine on 27 September 1944
USS Thornton (DD-270/ AVD-11) was a Clemson class destroyer that was at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked, then served in the Aleutians and the South Pacific, taking part in the battles for Guadalcanal and Okinawa before being badly damaged in a collision and abandoned as not worth repairing.
USS Bailey (DD-269) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol in 1939-40, before joining the Royal Navy as HMS Reading. In British hands she was used on convoy escort duties, briefly with the 8th Escort Group, before she joined the Newfoundland Escort Force
USS Shubrick (DD-268) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a brief US career before joining the Royal Navy as HMS Ripley. In British service she was used on convoy escort duties, first in the Atlantic and later in British coastal waters, as well as taking part in the hunt for the Bismarckand a diversionary sweep along the Norwegian coast in 1943.
USS Ballard (DD-267/ AVD-10) was a Clemson class destroyer that served as a seaplane tender in the Pacific from 1942 to 1944, taking part in the invasion of Saipan and the battle of the Philippines Sea.
USS Greene ((DD-266/ AVD-13/ APD-36) was a Clemson class destroyer that began the war as a seaplane tender, took part in several successful anti-submarine patrols in 1943 and then became a fast transport, taking part in Operation Dragoon and supporting the invasion of Okinawa.
USS Edwards (DD-265) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a limited career in US service before going to Britain, where she became HMS Buxton. In British and Canadian service she was used on Atlantic convoy escort duties from 1941-43 but needed constant repairs and was eventually turned into a static training ship.
USS McLanahan (DD-264)/ HMS Bradford was a Clemson class destroyer that went to Britain as part of the destroyers for bases deal. In British service she was used on convoy escort duties in 1941-43, and took part in Operation Torch
USS Laub (DD-263) was a Clemson class destroyer that went to Britain under the terms of the Destroyers for Bases deal and became HMS Burwell.
USS Gillis (DD-260) was a Clemson class destroyer that was converted into a seaplane tender and served in Alaskan waters in 1941-44, then as a plane guard before taking part in the invasion of Okinawa.
USS Turner (DD-259)/ Moosehead (IX-98) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a very varied later career. After a very brief time as a destroyer in the early 1920s she was turned into a water barge in 1936, but was then turned back into an active warship at the Moosehead, serving as a ferry in the San Diego, and then as an advancing training ship for the staff of the advanced Combat Information Centers being installed on more modern warships
USS Aulick (DD-258)/ HMS Burnham was a Clemson class destroyer that was transferred to the Royal Navy under the terms of the destroyers for bases deal. In British and Canadian service she operated on Atlantic convoy escort duties in 1941-43 and as an Air Target Ship in 1944.
USS Welles (DD-257)/ HMS Cameron was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the neutrality patrols after the outbreak of war in 1939 before going to Britain under the Destroyers for Bases deal.
The Stinson/ Convair L-13 was a post-war liaison aircraft that was designed to replace the L-5 Sentinel and that entered service just after the end of the Second World War.
USS Bancroft (DD-256)/ HMCS St. Francis was a Clemson class destroyer that went to Britain under the terms of the destroyers for bases deal. In British service she served on escort duties from 1941-1944, although spent much of her time under repair
The Interstate O-63/ L-6 Grasshopper was a potentially promising light liaison aircraft that failed to live up to expectations, and was produced in significantly smaller numbers than the similar Taylorcraft L-2, Aeronca L-3 or Piper L-4.
USS Osmond Ingram (DD-255) was a Clemson class destroyer that served as a seaplane tender in 1940-42, with the Bogue’s hunter killer group in 1943, sinking U-172, and as a fast transport in the Mediterranean and Pacific in 1944-45.
The Stinson O-54 was the designation given to six Stinson Voyagers ordered for evaluation by the USAAC. More aircraft were ordered during the Second World War, and others taken over from civilian owners, becoming the L-9, and the basic design became the basis of the very successful Stinson L-5 Sentinel.
USS Rodgers (DD-254)/ HMS Sherwood was a Clemson class destroyer that was transferred to the Royal Navy as part of the destroyers for bases deal. In British service she took part in the search for the survivors from the AMC Jervis Bay and the hunt for the Bismarck, but was mainly used on convoy escort duties.
The Curtiss O-52 Owl was a large, advanced two-man observation aircraft that had been made obsolete by the nature of the fighting in the Low Countries and France in 1940, and mainly saw use as a trainer.
USS McCalla (DD-253)/ HMS Stanley was a Clemson class destroyer that went to Britain in 1940 and served on escort duties in the Atlantic during 1941 before being sunk by U-574 on 19 December 1941.
USS McCook (DD-252)/ HMCS St. Croix was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Royal Canadian Navy in the Atlantic and sank U-90 and helped sink U-89 before being sunk herself by U-305.
USS Belknap (DD-251/ AVD-8/ APD-34) was a Clemson class destroyer that serving as a seaplane tender in 1940-42, with hunter-killer anti-submarine groups in 1942-43 and as a high speed transport in 1944-45, where she was badly damaged by a kamikaze attack.
The North American O-47 was designed as a corps and division observation aircraft, but ended up serving as a trainer and target tug during the Second World War.
USS Lawrence (DD-250) was a Clemson class destroyer that spent most of the Second World War operationg on convoy escort and patrol duties from San Francisco, as well as taking part in the occupation of Adak.
USS Hopkins (DD-249/ DMS-13) was a Clemson class destroyer that took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands campaign, the invasions of Saipan, Guam, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
USS Barry (DD-248/ APD-29) was a Clemson class destroyer that served on escort duties early in the Second World War, with a hunter-killer anti-submarine group in 1943 and then as a fast transport, taking part in the invasion of the South of France and Okinawa, where she was so badly damaged by a kamikaze attack that she wasn’t worth repairing.
USS Goff (DD-247) was a Clemson class destroyer that spent most of the Second World War on escort duties in the Caribbean and Atlantic, apart from spell in 1943 when she was part of the successful submarine hunting group built around the carrier USS Card.
USS Bainbridge (DD-246) was a Clemson class destroyer that escorted convoys to Iceland in 1941, served on escort duty along the US coast in 1942, trans-Atlantic convoys and one spell with a hunter-killer group in 1943 and helped training up new warships in 1944-45.
USS Reuben James (DD-245) was a Clemson class destroyer that became famous as the first US warship to be sunk by enemy action during the Second World War, several weeks before the official US entry into the war.
USS Williamson (DD-244/ AVP-15/ AVD-2) was a Clemson class destroyer that served as seaplane tender in the Aleutians, and was then used to refuel spotter aircraft to support the battleships and cruisers during the later stages of the island hopping campaign.
History of Panzergrenadier-Division Kurmark, also known as Panzer Division Kurmark, and formed on 30 January 1945 on the Eastern Front
USS Sands (DD-243/ APD-13) was a Clemson class destroyer that took part in the early fighting in the Aleutians, supporting the fighting in the Solomons and on New Guinea, the invasion of the Palau Islands, Leyte, Lingayen Gulf, Iwo Jima and Okinawa
History of the short-lived Führer-Grenadier Division, created as a battalion in April 1943 as the Führer Grenadier Battalion when the Führer Begleit Battalion was split into two.
USS King (DD-242) was a Clemson class destroyer that took part in the fighting in the Aleutians in 1942-43 then served off the US West Coast for the rest of the war.
History of the Führer-Begleit Division and its predecessor units
USS Childs (DD-241/ AVP-14/ AVD-1) was a Clemson class destroyer that survived the initial Japanese onslaught in the Pacific, and served as an aircraft tender in Australian waters for most of the rest of the war.
The Stinson O-62/ L-5 Sentinel was a larger and more capable liaison aircraft, which operated alongside the L-2/ L-3 and L-4 Grasshoppers, although needed more complex support than the lighter aircraft.
History of Grossdeutschland: From Ceremonial Guard to Panzer Corps
USS Sturtevant (DD-240) was a Clemson class destroyer that served on escort duties in the Atlantic after the US entry in the Second World War, before being sunk by a mine on 26 April 1942.
The Piper O-59/ L-4 Grasshopper was the most successful of three models of commercial light aircraft that served as liaison and artillery spotter aircraft for the USAAF, filling a gap left by the slow development of the Stinson O-49/L-1 Vigilant
History of the The Hermann Göring Formation: From Police Detachment to Panzer Corps
USS Overton (DD-239/ APD-23) was a Clemson class destroyer that served on escort duties in the Atlantic in 1942 and on the route to North Africa early in 1943 before being converted into a fast transport and taking part in the invasion of the Marshal Islands, Saipan, Taipan, the Philippines and Okinawa
The Aeronca O-58/ L-3 Grasshopper was one of three models of commercial light aircraft that served as liaison and artillery spotter aircraft for the USAAF, filling a gap left by the slow development of the Stinson O-49/L-1 Vigilant
A history of the Panzer Lehr Division, which fought in most of the battles from Normandy to the fall of Germany
The Taylorcraft O-57/ L-2 Grasshopper was one of three models of commercial light aircraft that served as liaison and artillery spotter aircraft for the USAAF, filling a gap left by the slow development of the Stinson O-49/L-1 Vigilant
USS McFarland (DD-237/ AVD-14) was a Clemson class destroyer that was converted into an aircraft tender, taking part in the fighting at Guadalcanal where she was damaged by Japanese bombing.
The Stinson O-49/ L1 Vigilant was the first slow flying liaison aircraft to be ordered by the USAAC, but turned out to be too large and too expensive for the role, which was eventually carried out by a variety of military versions of civilian light aircraft
USS Humphreys (DD-236) was a Clemson class destroyer that took part in the campaign in the Aleutains, New Guinea, New Britain, the Admiralty Islands, the return to the Philippines and Okinawa.
USS Kane (DD-235/ APD-18) was a Clemson class destroyer that took part in US reconquest of the western Aleutians, and the invasions of New Guinea, the Admiraly Islands, Saipan, Guam, Leyte and Okinawa
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190S was the designation given to a small number of dedicated two-man trainers produced to help convert pilots from two-seat bombers to the single seater Fw 190.
USS Fox (DD-234) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in Alaskan waters for most of the Second World War, mainly on escort and patrol duties.
The Focke Wulf Fw 190G was a long range fighter bomber, based on the Fw 190A and originally produced with dedicated racks for fuel drop tanks under the wings.
USS Gilmer (DD-233/ APD-11) was a Clemson class destroyer that served as a fast transport, taking part in the New Guinea campaign, the invasions of Saipan and Taipan, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
The Focke Wulf Fw 190F was an armoured ground attack version of the aircraft, produced to replace the obsolete Ju 87 Stuka.
USS Brooks (DD-232/ APD-10) was a Clemson class destroyer that was converted into a fast transport, and took part in the New Guinea campaign and the invasion of the Philippines, before being badly damaged by a kamikaze attack and never repaired.
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190E may have been a designation for a dedicated reconnaissance version of the aircraft, but none were produced under that designation.
USS Hatfield (DD-231) was a Clemson class destroyer that spent most of the Second World War on escort duties in Alaskan waters, before being used as an auxiliary.
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190D was a high altitude version of the aircraft, powered by an inline engine hidden behind an extended version of the normal fuselage, making it look like a radial powered aircraft.
USS Paul Jones (DD-230) was a Clemson class destroyer that survived the disastrous campaign in the Dutch East Indies in 1941-42, and spent most of the rest of the war on escort duties or working with hunter-killer anti-submarine groups.
The Focke Wulf Fw 190C would have been powered by the Daimler-Benz DB 603 engine, but it never got past the development stage.
USS Truxtun (DD-229) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in Pacific waters for ten years then in home waters, before being lost when she ran aground early in 1942.
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190B was one of three attempts to improve the high altitude performance of the aircraft, in this case by giving it a longer wing, GM-1 engine boost and a pressurized cabin.
USS John D. Ford (DD-228) was a Clemson class destroyer that began the Second World War in the Pacific, and survived the disastrous battle of the Java Sea, before spending most of the rest of the war on convoy escort or anti-submarine duties.
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190A was the most important fighter version of the aircraft, and was one of the best fighters in the world when it first entered service in 1941-42.
USS Pillsbury (DD-227) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Asiatic Fleet from 1922, and was sunk by Japanese surface ships on 2 March 1942, after apparently attacking a much larger Japanese force.
USS Peary (DD-226) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Asiatic Fleet from 1922 and was sunk by Japanese aircraft at Darwin on 19 February 1942.
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 was designed in response for a request for a ‘back-up’ to the Messerschmitt Bf 109, and went on to be one of the most important German military aircraft of the Second World War, with around 20,000 produced.
USS Pope (DD-225) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Asiatic Fleet from 1922 until she was sunk by Japanese aircraft on 1 March 1942.
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152S was a planned two-man tandem trainer version of the Ta 152, which was ordered into production but never delivered.
The Focke-Wulf Ta 153 was one of Kurt Tank’s early designs for a replacement for the Fw 190, and a partial prototype was constructed late in 1943, before the entire programme was cancelled for the second time.
Operation Craftsman or the battle of Bologna (14 April-2 May 1945) was the Fifth Army's part of the final Allied offensive in Italy and saw the army break out into the Po valley to the west of Bologna then advance rapidly to the Po before occupying the central and western parts of the Po valley.
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152H was designed as a high altitude version of the standard Ta 152, but as a result of a series of poor decisions by the German Air Ministry it became the only version of the aircraft to actually enter combat, and only in tiny numbers and too late to have any impact on the course of the war.
USS McCormick (DD-223) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the eastern Mediterranean in 1922-24, the Asiatic Fleet in 1925-38 and the Atlantic from 1939 onwards, mainly as a convoy escort.
Operation Buckland or the battle of the Argenta Gap (12-19 April 1945) was the Eighth Army’s contribution to the Allied Spring Offensive in Italy, and saw them bypass the last series of river defences facing them and break out into the Po plains.
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152E was a reconnaissance version of the Ta 152, and was on the verge of entering production at the end of the war.
USS Bulmer (DD-222) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea in 1922-24, and with the Asiatic Fleet from 1925 onwards. She survived the disasterous campaign in the Dutch East Indies in 1942, and went on to serve with anti-submarine hunter-killer groups in the Atlantic in 1943-44.
Operation Blimey (6-24 April 1945) was the final SAS operation in the north-west of Italy, and was an attempt to repeat the success of Operation Galia, but the area was overrun by the advancing Allies before it could achieve much
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152C was the third attempt to produce a standard version of the Ta 152, and reached the prototype stage but too late in the war to actually enter production
USS Simpson (DD-221) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the Mediterranean in 1922-4, the Asiatic Fleet in 1925-1932 and on convoy escort duties and anti-submarine duties in the Atlantic during the Second World War
Operation Impact Royal (14-15 April 1945) was the second of two amphibious assaults carried out to support the right flank of the Eighth Army’s advance towards Argenta, and the narrow ‘Argenta Gap’ leading out onto the Po plains.
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152B was the original design for a version of the Ta 152 optimised for higher altitudes, but suffered from problems with its Jumo 213E engine, and never got beyond the prototype stage. However a modified ‘Destroyer’ version, the B-5, did reach the prototype stage late in the war.
USS MacLeish (DD-220) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the eastern Mediterranean in 1922-24, with the Asiatic Fleet in 1925-31 and on convoy escort duties in the Atlantic and US Home Waters for much of the Second World War.
Operation Impact Plain (11 April 1945) was the first of two amphibious operations carried out to support the right flank of the British advance into the Argenta Gap, the final battle for the Eighth Army in Italy.
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152A was the original design for the standard version of the Ta 152, but the project was cancelled just as it was about to go into production.
USS Edsall (DD-219) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the Middle East and Far East in the interwar period, then took part in the disasterous attempt to defend the Dutch East Indies before being sunk by overwhelming Japanese naval forces on 1 March 1942.
Operation Fry (4-5 April 1945) was a minor SBS operation that saw them capture a series of undefended islands in Lake Commachio.
The Focke-Wulf Ta 152 was the final evolution of the Fw 190, and entered combat very late in the war as the high altitude Ta 152H, which was only available in tiny numbers and proved to be an impressive but unreliable fighter.
Operation Roast (1-3 April 1945) saw the 2nd Commando Brigade clear the narrow spit of land between Lake Commachio and the Adriatic in a preliminary operation before the start of the Eighth Army’s spring offensive in Italy, Operation Buckland.
USS Parrott (DD-218) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the Mediterranean and Black Sea in 1922-25 and with the Asiatic Fleet from 1925 onwards. She survived the disastrous attempt to defend the Malay Barrier early in 1942, and returned to the US, from where she carried out escort duties and took part in anti-submarine hunter killer operations, before being decommissioned after she was badly damaged in a collision in 1944.
Operation Second Wind (5-19 April 1945) was a diversionary attack on the far left of the Allied front line in Italy that saw the US 92nd Division capture the town of Massa, forcing the Germans to move precious reinforcements west to try and hold their line.
USS Whipple (DD-217) was a Clemson class destroyer that served in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea in 1920-21, with the Asiatic Fleet in 1921-25 and again from 1929. She survived the disasterous battles in the Dutch East Indies early in 1942, and escaped to Australian waters. She was then withdraw to the United States, where she was converted into an escort. She spent the rest of the war on a mix of convoy escort and anti-submarine duties, playing a part in the sinking of U-544.
Operation Grapeshot, or the Allied Spring Offensive in Italy (9 April-2 May 1945) saw the Allied armies in Italy finally break their German opponents, leading to the first large scale German capitulation in Europe, signed only 20 days after the start of the offensive.
Operation Encore (19 February-5 March 1945) was a limited offensive carried out by the US Fifth Army in an attempt to improve its position in the Apennines and prepare for the upcoming spring offensive.
Operation Tombola (4 March-24 April 1945) was a successful SAS operation in northern Italy that saw them form a battle group along with Italian partisans and escaped Russian POWS, causing a great deal of disruption before the start of the Allied spring offensive of 1945.
The two Dunlap Class destroyers were similar to the earlier Mahan class destroyers, but with experimental enclosed mounts for two of their 5in guns.
Operation Cold Comfort/ Zombie (17 February-March 1945) was an unsuccessful SAS attempt to block the railway through the Brenner Pass, to prevent German troops moving in or out of Italy during the upcoming Allied spring offensive.
The Mahan Class Destroyers were similar to the Farragut class, but with high speed turbines and high pressure boilers, a more advanced power plant that was later used on the the Dunlap and Bagley classes
The Porter Class Destroyers were the first destroyer leaders built by the US Navy, and were armed with eight 5in single purpose guns that made them less useful during the Second World War than the smaller destroyers of the Farragut and similar classes
Operation Wintergewitter or the battle of Garfagnana (26-28 December 1944) was the last German counterattack in Italy, and pushed back one Allied division before being stopped by a second.
Operation Fourth Term (8-11 February 1945) was an unsuccessful American offensive on the western flank of the Italian front, carried out in an attempt to capture the town of Massa.
The Martin AM Mauler was a single seat carrier based attack aircraft, designed to replace the multi-seat SB and TB types that dominated during the Second World War.
The Martin XB-33 was the designation given to two different designs for high altitude bombers, neither of which entered production.
The Farragut Class Destroyers were the first new American destroyers to be ordered after the First World War, and was a major improvement on the flushdecker destroyers, with a raised forecastle, 5in dual purpose guns, an increase in speed and a new stern that improved their turning circle.
The battle of the Romagna or of the Rivers was the final Eighth Army offensive of 1944 and saw them narrowly fail to break out onto the Po Plain before the winter weather forced an end to the fighting.
Operation Galia (27 December 1944-10 February 1945) was an SAS operation in the north-west of Italy designed to prevent the Germans moving troops from the western end of the Gothic Line to the area around Bologna, and to reduce the German pressure on the western end of the line.
The Martin PB2M/ JRM Mars was the largest flying boat to enter service with the US Navy, although only a handful were completed for use as a transport aircraft.
The Martin M-130 was a massive flying boat produced for the trans-Pacific route. Only three were built, and two were taken into US Naval service in 1942.
The battle of Rimini (13-21 September 1944) saw the Eighth Army attempt to break though the last hilly barriers before the Romagna Plains, part of an attempt to break out into the Po valley, but the advance took longer than expected, and by the time the army reached the Romagna winter rains had turned it into ideal defensive territory.
The battle of San Marino (17-20 September 1944) was a short battle that saw the 4th Indian Division of the Eighth Army clear out a German force that had moved into neutral San Marino to take advantage of its position overlooking the right flank of the Allied advance up the Adriatic.
USS John D Edwards (DD-216) was a Clemson class destroyer that survived the disasterous battle of the Java Sea in 1942, and was then mainly used on escort duties, first in the Pacific and then in the Atlantic, along with one spell serving with an anti-submarine hunter-killer group in the Atlantic.
Operation Olive (25 August-October 1944) was the first Allied attack on the German Gothic Line in the northern Apennines. Although most of the fortifications of the Gothic Line were captured early in the offensive, the Germans managed to hold on to new lines further back, and the Allied offensive eventually ran out of steam late in 1944, tantalisingly close to the Po plains.
The 7.2in Howitzer Mk I-V was an improvised weapon that was originally produced in 1940 and based around relined First World War 8in Howitzers.
The 7.2in Howitzer Mk 6 combined the American Mk1 carriage with a long 7.1in barrel to produce a significantly better weapon than the earlier 7.2in Howitzer Mk I-V.
USS Tracy (DD-214/ DM-19) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the Asiatic Fleet in the 1920s and 1930s. She was in the middle of a refit when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, then took part in the invasion of Guadalcanal, before spending most of the rest of the war on escort duties, as well as taking part in the invasion of Okinawa.
USS Borie (DD-215) was Clemson class destroyer that served in the Caribbean for most of the Second World War, before being scuttled after suffering heavy damage when she rammed and sank U-405 in November 1943.
The battle of the Arno Line (23 July -31 August 1944) saw the Germans delay the Allied advance on the Arno west of Florence for over a month, allowing more work to be carried out on the Gothic Line, further into the mountains.
The battle of Gemmano (4-15 September 1944) was part of the Eighth Army’s assault on the eastern end of the Gothic Line, and saw the Germans carry out a skilful delaying action after their original defensive positions were overrun unexpectedly quickly.
The Martin XB-27 was a design for a high altitude medium bomber that never got beyond the blueprint stage.
The Ordnance QF 4.5in field howitzer was one of the best British guns of the First World War, and was still in service at the start of the Second World War, when many were captured by the Germans.
USS Barker (DD-213) was a Clemson class destroyer that remained in commission for her entire career, spending most of the interwar period with the Asiatic Fleet, before taking part in the unsuccessful attempt to defend the Dutch East Indies early in 1942. She remained in service to the end of the war, largely operating in the Atlantic.
The battle of the Arezzo Line (3-18 July 1944) saw the Germans fight a delaying action along a line that protected the ports of Livorno and Ancona, winning them precious time to improve the fortifications of the Gothic Line.
The battle of Ancona (17-18 July 1944) was the only fully independent battle fought by General Anders’ 2nd Polish Corps in Italy, and saw them capture the key port of Ancona on the Adriatic Coast.
The Ordnance QF 3.7in Howitzer (known as a pack or mountain howitzer) was designed to be carried by mules, and was the last in a series of ‘screw guns’ used by the British and Indian Armies.
USS Broome (DD-210) was a Clemson class destroyer that spent most of the Second World War operating on convoy escort and other duties off the US East Coast, with rare trips across the Atlantic.
USS Alden (DD-211) was a Clemson class destroyer that survived the early disasterous battles in the Dutch East Indies, and spent most of the rest of the war on escort duties in the Caribbean and Atlantic, along with one spell with a hunter-killer submarine warfare group.
The 507th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a P-47 group that operated as a ground attack unit during the last few months of the war against Japan.
The 508th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a P-47 group that trained as a long range escort group, but never got further forward than Hawaii.
The battle of Elba (17-19 June 1944) saw a largely French force capture the island after overwhelming a much smaller Italian and German garrison (Italian Campaign).
The battle of the Trasimeno Line (20 June-2 July 1944) saw the Allies break through the first significant defensive line that the Germans had been able to create in the aftermath of the fourth battle of Cassino and the fall of Rome
USS Hovey (DD-208/ DMS-1) was a Clemson class destroyer that fought at Gualadcanal, Bougainville and Leyte before she was sunk by a torpedo during the landings at Lingayen Gulf on Luzon.
USS Long (DD-209/ DMS-12) was a Clemson class destroyer that fought in the Aleutians, at Hollandia, in the Marianas, the Palaus and the Philippines, before being sunk during the landings at Lingayen Gulf on Luzon.
The 478th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a home based training unit that served as a replacement training unit.
The 479th Fighter Group (USAAF) served with the Eighth Air Force, and operated as a ground attack and bomber escort unit from May 1944 to the end of the war in Europe.
The 506th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a P-51 group that operated with the Twentieth Air Force in the Pacific, carrying out a mix of ground attack and bomber escort missions.
Operation Shingle, or the battle of Anzio (22 January-5 June 1944) was one of the most controversial battles of the Italian campaign, and saw a joint Anglo-American force land close to Rome to break the deadlock at Camino, only to get bogged down and besieged in a narrow beachhead for months
The fourth battle of Cassino or Operation Diadem (11-18 May 1944) was a large scale Allied attack that finally broke the stalemate on the Cassino front, and allowed the Allies to occupy Rome just before the start of Operation Overlord.
The Martin B-10 was the first of the new generation of monoplane bombers to enter USAAC service in the 1930s, and when it first appeared was a revolutionary aircraft that was faster than the standard fighter aircraft of its day.
USS Chandler (DD-206/ DMS-9) was a Clemson class destroyer that served as a fast mine sweeper during the American invasions of the later stages of the Pacific War.
USS Southard (DD-207/ DMS-10) was a Clemson class destroyer that fought at Guadalacanal, Bougaunville, the Palaus, the Philippines and Okinawa, before being damaged beyond repair by typhoons after the end of the war.
The 474th Fighter Group (USAAF) served with the Ninth Air Force in Europe, taking part in the Allied invasion of Europe and the advance across north-western Europe into Germany.
The 475th Fighter Group (USAAF) was created in Australia in 1943, and supported the Allied advance across New Guinea and into the Philippines.
The 476th Fighter Group (USAAF) was briefly activated with no squadrons in China, before being activated for a second time as a home based training unit.
The second battle of Cassino (15-18 February 1944) was the most controversial of the four battles, and saw Allied bombers destroy the ancient Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino without any military benefit.
The third battle of Cassino (15-22 March 1944) was the last attack at Cassino to be carried out by the US Fifth Army alone, but the attack failed after a week of bitter fighting.
USS Herndon (DD-198) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a very short career in the US Navy and Coast Guard, before joining the Royal Navy as HMS Churchill, then the Soviet Navy, where she was lost in 1945.
USS Dallas (DD-199) was a Clemson class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, the invasion of Sicily and the Salerno landings, as well as performing escort duties.
The 413th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a fighter group that served as a fighter-bomber unit with the Twentieth Air Force, mainly operating over Japan and occupied China.
The 414th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a fighter unit that entered combat as a ground attack group with the Twentieth Air Force late in the Second World War.
The 473rd Fighter Group (USAAF) was a home based training unit that operated in 1943-44.
The first battle of Cassino (12 January- 12 February 1944) saw the Allies push slowly closer to the main German defensive lines around Cassino (Gustav Line), but at great cost.
The battle of the Rapido River (20-22 January 1944) was part of the wider first battle of Cassino, and was a costly failure that had to be abandoned after only two days.
The Lockheed XR6O was a massive transport aircraft that was produced for the US Navy during the Second World War, but that had a low priority and wasn’t completed until after the end of the war.
The 76.2mm Divisional Gun Model 1939 USV was the best Soviet 76mm gun at the start of the Second World War, and was lighter than the previous Model 1936 F-22.
The 76.2mm Divisional Canon Model 1942 (ZiS 3) was the most numerous Soviet field gun of the Second World War, and was mass produced after the German invasion of 1941.
USS George E. Badger (DD-196/ AVP-16/ AVD-3/ APD-33) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the US Coast Guard, as a seaplane tender in 1940-42, on convoy escort duties and finally as a fast transport in the Pacific theatre.
USS Branch (DD-197) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a brief career with the US Navy before serving with the Royal Navy as HMS Beverley, where she performed valuable service as a convoy escort before finally being sunk by U-188 in the spring of 1943.
The 338th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a training unit that served with the Third Air Force from 1942 until 1944.
The 339th Fighter Group (USAAF) served with the Eighth Air Force, mainly as a bomber escort group, but with some other missions added.
The 412th Fighter Group was an experimental unit that was used to gain experience with the new generation of jet aircraft.
The battles of the Winter Line or Gustav Line (12 January-18 May 1944) were the most important battles of the Italian campaign, and saw the Germans under Kesselring keep the Allies pinned down south of Rome from the autumn of 1943 until the summer of 1944.
The 76.2mm Divisional Gun Model 1933 combined a new L/50 gun with an existing howitzer carriage to produce a serviceable gun that was meant to serve as a stop-gap until the more modern Model 1936 F-22 gun was ready to enter service.
The 76.2mm Divisional Gun Model 1936 (F-22) introduced a new split trail, and largely replaced the older Model 1933 in Soviet Service.
USS Hunt (DD-194) was a Clemson class destroyer that briefly served with the US Neutrality Patrol before being transferred to the Royal Navy as HMS Broadway, where she helped capture U-110.
USS Welborn C. Wood (DD-195) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the US Coast Guard and the Neutrality Patrol, before serving with the Royal Navy as HMS Chesterfield, carrying out three years of convoy escort duties.
The 329th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a training unit that served with the US Fourth Air Force from 1942 to 1944.
The 332nd Fighter Group (USAAF) served in Italy in 1944-45, and spent most of that time escorting the heavy bombers of the Fifteenth Air Force.
The 337th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a training group that served with the Third Air Force in the south-east of the United States from 1942 until 1944.
The battle of the Moro River (4-26 December 1943) was part of the Eighth Army attack on the Gustav Line, the main German defensive position south of Rome, and came after the British had broken through the main Gustav line position in the east of Italy, behind the Sangro River.
The battle of Ortona (20-27 December 1943) saw the Canadians capture a key part of the Adriatic section of the Gustav Line in the first major urban battle of the Italian campaign, but by the time it ended the Eighth Army was in no condition to carry out further offensive operations.
The 76.2mm Divisional Gun Model 00/02 was the standard Russian field gun during the First World War, and a modified version was still in use in large numbers at the start of the Second World War.
The 76.22mm Divisional Gun Model 02/30 was an updated of the First World War era Model 00/02, and was still in service in large numbers during the Second World War.
USS Abel P Upshur (DD-193) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the US Coast Guard and the Neutrality Patrol before being transferred to the Royal Navy, where she served as HMS Clare.
The 326th Fighter Group was a training unit that served with the First Air Force from 1942 until 1944.
The 327th Fighter Group was a training group that served with the First Air Force in the US from 1942 until 1944.
The 328th Fighter Group was a training unit based in the US South-West from 1942 until 1944.
The battle of the Sangro (20 November- 4 December 1944) was the first part of the Eighth Army contribution to the attack on the Gustav Line, the main German defensive position south of Rome.
USS Satterlee (DD-190) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a short US career before being transferred to the Royal Navy, where she served as USS Belmont before being sunk by U-81.
USS Mason (DD-191) was a Clemson class destroyer that had a limited US career, and then served in the North Atlantic with the Royal Navy as HMS Broadwater, before being sunk by U-101.
The 318th Fighter Group spent two and a half years based on Hawaii, before moving to the front in June 1944 to take part in the invasion of the Marianas and the air attack on Japan.
The 324th Fighter Group fought in Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, the south of France and the final advance into Germany, mainly operating as a close support unit.
The 325th Fighter Group fought in Tunisia, Pantelleria, Sicily and mainland Italy, then became a escort unit supporting the Italian based heavy bombers on their raids across Germany and occupied Europe.
The battle of the Trigno (27 October-4 November 1943) saw the Eighth Army overcome the second of a series of German defensive positions on the Adriatic coast of Italy, in the aftermath of the initial landings in the south.
The battle of the Bernhardt Line (5 November-17 December 1943) saw the Allies capture the mountains that guarded the ‘Mignano Gap’, on the approaches to the main Gustav line positions behind the Garigliano and Rapido Rivers after a series of costly infantry assaults.
The Lockheed R3O was the designation for two versions of the Model 10 Electra used by the US Navy, one purchased for the Navy and one impressed during the Second World War
The Lockheed R5O was the US Navy’s designation for the Model 18 Lodestar transport, of which nearly 100 were used during the Second World War.
The 28cm K(E) ‘neue Bruno’ was the last of four models of railway gun produced by mounting old naval guns on railway carriages. It was an attempt to produce a weapon that was more powerful than the ‘short’, ‘long’ and ‘heavy’ Brunos,
The 80cm Kanone (Eisenbahn) was the largest artillery gun ever built, and was a vanity project that consumed far more resources than its limited impact could possibly justify.
USS Goldsborough (DD-188/ AVP-18/ AVD-5/ APD-32) was a Clemson class destroyer that spent much of the Second World War supporting amphibious aircraft, before being converted into a fast transport to take part in the invasions of Saipan, the Philippines, Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
USS Semmes (DD-189) was a Clemson class destroyer that served with the US Coast Guard in the interwar period and carried out a mix of experimental, training and escort work during the Second World War.
The 85th Fighter Group was a training group that served with the Second and Third Air Forces in the United States in 1942-44.
The 86th Fighter Group was mainly used as a close support unit, and took part in the invasions of Sicily, mainland Italy and the south of France, before ending the war operating over Germany.
The 87th Fighter Group was a short lived replacement training unit for P-47s.
The battle of the Biferno (1-7 October 1943) saw the British Eighth Army break through the eastern flank of the first German defensive line in Italy, the Volturno Line.
The battle of the Barbara Line (31 October-4 November 1943) saw the Allies break through the outlining defences of the ‘Winter Line’, a hastily constructed line of outposts between the Volturno and the more strongly defended Bernhardt and Gustav Lines.
The 28cm lange Bruno Kanone (Eisenbahn) was the second of four models of railway gun loosely based on a First World War original, and carried a L/45 gun.
The 28cm ‘Schwere Bruno’ (Heavy Bruno) was the third of four models of railway gun loosely modelled on the First World War 28cm ‘Bruno’ railway guns.
USS Clemson (DD-186/ AVP-17/ AVD-4/ APD-31) was the name ship of the Clemson class of destroyers. She entered service too late for the First World War, but had a varied career during the Second World War, serving as aircraft tender, a destroyer with an anti-submarine group and a fast transport.
USS Dalhgren (DD-187) was a Clemson class destroyer that was used on experimental and sonar training duties during the Second World War.
Operation Giant III, (14-15 September 1943) was an unsuccessful American airborne operation carried out to the north of the Salerno beachhead in an attempt to reduce the flow of German reinforcements from the north.
The battle of the Volturno Line (9-19 October 1943) saw the Germans under Kesselring delay the Allied advance north from Naples for over a week, winning crucial time for the construction of defences further to the north.
The Lockheed XP-49 was a design for a more powerful fighter to be based on the P-38 Lightning, but it never got beyond the prototype stage, and by the time the prototype was ready, it was outclassed by existing P-38s.
The Lockheed XP-58 Chain Lighting was a two-man version of the P-38 that suffered from repeated changes of purpose, and that never entered production.
The 28cm Kanone 5 (Eisenbahn) (schlanke Bertha or slim Bertha), was one of the most effective railway guns ever produced, and was large enough to have a major impact on the fighting, without being so large that it became too cumbersome to be used effectively.
The 28cm kurze Bruno Kanone (Eisenbahn) was the first of four models of railway artillery loosely based on a First World War original, and carried a L/40 gun.
The Clemson Class Destroyers were the second class of standardized flushdecker deck destroyers produced for the US Navy during the First World War, but none of them were completed in time to see service. Instead they formed the backbone of the inter-war destroyer force, were used for a large number of specialised modifications, and performed valuable service during the Second World War.
The 84th Fighter Group (USAAF) served as a training unit from 1942-1944.
The 407th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a home based training unit that also saw limited active service in Alaska.
The 408th Fighter Group (USAAF) was a home based training unit that was active from October 1943 to April 1944.
Operation Giant I (Revised), 13-14 September 1943, was the first of two successful attempts to reinforce the Salerno beachhead from the air.
Operation Giant IV, 14-15 September 1943 was the second of two successful attempts to reinforce the Salerno beachhead from the air.
The Lockheed XR2O was a single example of the Lockheed Electra that went to the US Navy in 1936.
The Detroit Lockheed YP-24 was a prototype for a two seat monoplane fighter that was purchased by the USAAC, but not placed into production. However it did lead to the later Lockheed P-30, which was produced in small numbers.
The Lockheed-Vega XB-38 was a prototype for an improved version of the Flying Fortress using inline liquid cooled engines to guard against any shortage of the standard R-1820s used on the B-17.
The Lockheed C-66 was the designation given to a single Twin Wasp powered Model 18 Lodestars that was impressed by the USAAF during the Second World War.
The 24cm Kanone 3 was a very heavy cannon designed as a long range counterbattery weapon, but that was only produced in very small numbers and used by a single unit in Normandy and on the Eastern Front.
The 35.5cm Haubitz M.1 was a massive siege howitzer that was used at the siege of Sevastopol.
The 20.3cm Kanone (Eisenbahn) was a German railway gun produced used spare barrels originally built for heavy cruisers.
The 21cm Kanone 12 (Eisenbahn) was a vanity project produced by the German Army, and consumed a vast amount of effort and resources without having any significant military value.
USS Thomas (DD-182) was a Wickes class destroyer that operated on convoy escort duties with the Norwegian Navy in exile as HMS St. Albans in 1942-43 and ended her career with the Soviet navy.
USS Haraden (DD-183) was a Wickes class destroyer that had a short career with the US Navy before become HMCS Columbia and serving on convoy escort duties in the Atlantic.
USS Abbot (DD-184) was a Wickes class destroyer that had a short career with the US Navy, then served as HMS Charleston with the Royal navy, mainly operating in British home waters.
USS Bagley (DD-185)/ USS Doran/ HMS St. Marys was a Wickes class destroyer that had a brief US career before being transferred to the Royal Navy, where she supported minelaying operations and carried out escort duties.
The 57th Fighter Group supported the British Eighth Army from El Alamein to Tunisia and onto Sicily and Italy, where it took part in the long campaign in Italy and the invasion of the south of France.
The 58th Fighter Group took part in the long New Guinea campaign, the invasion of the Philippines and attacked targets in Korea and on Kyushu.
The 59th Fighter Group went through two incarnations during the Second World War, first as an observation group and then as a training group.
The 78th Fighter Group served with the Eighth Air Force from 1943 until the end of the war, supporting the campaign in north-western Europe and the advance into Germany.
The 79th Fighter Group supported the British Eighth Army from 1942 until early in 1944, then fought at Anzio, in the south of France and in northern Italy, where it once again operated with the Eighth Army.
The 83rd Fighter Group was a training unit that served with the First Air Force.
Operation Speedwell (7 September 1943 onwards) was an SAS operation in the north-west of Italy that did significant damage to the rail links supplying the western end of the Gothic Line.
Operation Slapstick, 9 September 1943, was an amphibious operation that saw the British 1st Airborne Division capture Taranto without any resistance, giving the Eighth Army a second foothold in Italy and allowing them to gain control of the Adriatic coast around Bari and Brindisi.
Operation Avalanche, or the battle of Salerno (9-18 September 1943) was the main part of the Allied invasion of the Italian mainland, and saw a joint Anglo-American force land in the Gulf of Salerno, where it had to fight off a severe German counterattack before the position was fully secured.
The Lockheed C-56 was the designation given to a mix of Cyclone and Hornet powered Model 18 Lodestars that were impressed by the USAAF during the Second World War.
The Lockheed C-57 was the designation given to Twin Wasp powered Model 18 Lodestars that were used by the USAAF during the Second World War.
The Lockheed C-59 was the designation given to Hornet powered Model 18 Lodestars originally produced for Britain, some of which were impressed by the USAAF during the Second World War.
The Lockheed C-60 was the designation given to a mix of impressed Model 18 Lodestars and versions of the aircraft that were ordered specifically for the USAAF, and was by far the most numerous military version of the Lodestar.
USS Stansbury (DD-180/ DMS-8) was a Wickes class destroyer that performed convoy escort duties in the Atlantic and took part in Operation Torch and the invasion of the Marshalls and Marianas.
USS Hopewell (DD-181) was a Wickes class destroyer that was sunk by U-204 while serving in the Royal Norwegian Navy as HMS Bath.
Operation Baytown (3 September 1943) was the first stage in the Allied invasion of Italy, and saw Montgomery’s Eighth Army cross from Sicily to nearby Calabria.
Operation Hooker (8 September 1943) was an outflanking attack carried out by the Eighth Army in order to speed up their advance up Calabria.
The Italian Campaign (3 September 1943-2 May 1945) was one of the hardest fought and most controversial offensives carried out by the Western Allies during the Second World War, and saw the Germans fight a skilful delaying action that lasted from September 1943 until the end of the war in the spring of 1945.
The Lockheed C-85 was the designation given to a single Model 9 Orion that was impressed into the USAAF in 1942-44.
The Lockheed C-101 ‘Vega’ was the designation given to a single example of the Lockheed Vega that was impressed by the USAAF in 1942
The 15cm Kanone (Eisenbahn) was the smallest calibre railway gun produced by the German Army during the period of rearmament in the 1930s, but only a handful were produced because it wasn’t a powerful enough weapon to be worth the effort.
The 17cm Kanone (Eisenbahn) was a slightly larger version of the 15cm K (E), but wasn’t powerful enough to be worth the effort required to produce it, and only a handful were ever built.
USS Hogan (DD-178/ DMS-6) was a Wickes class destroyer that took part in Operation Torch, and the invasions of the Marshalls, Mariannas, Luzon and Iwo Jima.
USS Howard (DD-179/ DMS-7) was a Wickes class destroyer that served as a minesweeper during Operation Torch, on convoy escort duties in 1943 and in the campaigns in the Pacific in 1944-45.
The 52nd Fighter Group was one of the first units to join the Eighth Air Force in Britain, before moving to North Africa for Operation Torch. It then spent the rest of the war operating in the Mediterranean theatre.
The 53rd Fighter Group served in the Panama Canal Zone and as a training unit, before being disbanded in 1944.
The 54th Fighter Group was mainly used as a training unit in the US, but also took briefly took part in the campaign in the Aleutian Islands in 1942.
Operation Husky No.2 (11-12 July 1943) was an almost disastrous attempt to fly reinforcements to the US paratroops dropped on Sicily in Operation Husky No.1.
Operation Fustian (13-14 July 1943) was an airborne assault on the Primosole Bridge, a key point on the coastal road to Catania, that didn’t go entirely to plan, and triggered a three day long battle to secure a bridgehead across the river.
The Lockheed C-111 Super Electra was the designation given to four Lockheed Model 14-WF62s that were impressed by the USAAF after they reached Australia after escaping from the Dutch East Indies.
The Lockheed XR4O was the designation given to a single example of the Lockheed Super Electra that was used by the US Navy.
The 17cm Kanone 18 was one of two parallel Krupp designs to use the same double recoil system, and soon replaced the 21cm mortar variant as the main production version.
The 21cm Mörser 18 was one of two parallel Krupp designs using a double recoil system, and was phased out in 1942 in favour of the longer ranged 17cm Kanone 18.
The 48th Fighter Group served as a replacement training unit, before joining the Ninth Air Force in Britain in the spring of 1944 and taking part in the campaign to liberate Europe.
The 49th Fighter Group took part in the defence of Australia, the long campaign on New Guinea, the return to the Philippines and raids against Formosa and the China coast.
The 50th Fighter Group served with various training commands in the US, before moving to Britain to take part in the liberation of Europe in 1944-45.
Operation Narcissus (10 July 1943) was an SAS raid carried out to support the Eighth Army landings on Sicily.
Operation Chestnut (12-19 July 1943) was an unsuccessful attempt by the SAS to disrupt Axis communications in northern Sicily, to support the Allied invasion of Sicily.
USS Rizal (DD-174/ DM-14) was a Wickes class destroyer that was funded by the Philippine legislature and spent her active career in Philippine or Asiatic waters.
USS Mackenzie (DD-175) was a Wickes class destroyer that served with the Royal Canadian Navy as HMCS Annapolis.
The invasion of Sicily (10 July-17 August 1943) was the first successful Allied invasion of one of the Axis partners, and helped secure Allied control of the Mediterranean as well as helping to trigger the fall of Mussolini.
The Lockheed C-37 was a single example of the Lockheed 10-A Electra that served with the National Guard Bureau.
The Lockheed C-40 was the Army designation for the Lockheed 12 Electra Junior, and covered a mix of aircraft that had been purchased by the Air Corps and aircraft that were impressed during the Second World War.
Operation Husky No.1 (9 July 1943) was an American airborne operation designed to occupy key areas of high ground inland from the American beaches on Sicily.
Operation Ladbroke (9-10 July 1943) was a British airborne operation which captured the Ponte Grande bridge on the southern approach to Syracuse, despite a rather scattered landing.
The Lockheed C-36 was the military designation for the Lockheed 10 Electra, and covered three aircraft ordered by the Army Air Corps and more aircraft impressed by the USAAF during the Second World War.
USS Kalk (DD-170) was a Wickes class destroyer that served with the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy as HMS Hamilton.
Operation Mincemeat was the most famous part of the deception plan to support the invasion of Sicily, and saw the British drop the body of a vagrant dressed in naval uniform into the sea off the coast of Spain, in the hope that the Spanish would pass on the ‘confidential’ documents in his possession to the Germans.
Operation Barclay was the deception plan to support the invasion of Sicily, and was intended to convince the Germans that the Allies might be about to attack Corsica, Sardinia or Greece rather than Sicily.
The Lockheed XB-30 was a bomber version of the C-69/ C-121/ Constellation, developed in response to the same specifications that produced the B-29 Superfortress.
The 15cm Kanone 18 was a long range but awkward artillery piece that was only produced in small numbers, and wasn’t popular with the German Army.
The 15cm Kanone 39 was originally produced for Turkey but entered German service in small numbers in 1939 and was mainly used as a coastal defence gun.
USS Foote (DD-169) was a Wickes class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties with the Royal Navy as HMS Roxborough.
Operation Beggar or Turkey Buzzard (3 June-7 July 1943) was a series of long distance flights to tow Horsa gliders from Britain to North Africa, where they were to take part in the invasion of Sicily.
Operation Corkscrew or the invasion of Pantelleria (11 June 1943) saw the British occupy this fortified Italian island without a shot being fired, after the garrison was subjected to a heavy aerial bombardment.
The 15cm schwere Feldhaubitz 18/40 or 15cm schwere Feldhaubitz 42 was a compromise design for a heavy howitzer, combining the barrel from the sFH 40 and the carriage from the sFH 18.
USS Cowell (DD-167) was a Wickes class destroyer that was transferred to the Royal Navy as part of the destroyers for bases deal where she served as HMS Brighton.
USS Maddox (DD-168) was a Wickes class destroyer that served with the Royal Navy as HMS Georgetown and then in the Soviet Navy.
The invasion of Tinian (24 July-1 August 1944) took place three days after the start of the invasion of Guam, and after a week the island had been secured by the Americans.
The 15cm schwere Feldhaubitz 36 L/23 was a lightweight howitzer designed to towed by a single team of horses.
The 15cm schwere Feldhaubitz 40 was designed to provide longer range than the standard sFH 18, but a lack of production capability meant that it never entered full production, although a compromise version, the sFH 18/40, was produced in small numbers
The battle of Saipan (15 June-9 July 1944) was the first invasion of the Marianas campaign, and it took nearly a month for US forces to secure the fairly small island.
The battle of Guam (21 July-9 August 1944) saw the Americans reconquer an island that had been in their hands before the war after three weeks of fighting, completing the conquest of the Mariana Islands.
The 15cm schwere Feldhaubitz 18 was the standard German heavy howitzer during the Second World War, and combined a Krupp carriage and a Rheinmetall barrel.
The 15cm schwere Feldhaubitz 37 (t) was a Czech designed heavy howitzer that entered production just in time to be taken over by the Germans after their occupation of Czechoslovakia.
USS Walker (DD-163/ YW-57/ DCH-1/ IX-44) was a Wickes class destroyer that had a very short career and was later considered for a variety of alternative roles, before being scrapped without performing any of them.
USS Crosby (DD-164/ APD-17) was a Wickes class destroyer that served with the Neutrality Patrol on the US west coast before becoming a fast transport and serving in the Pacific from 1943 until the summer of 1945.
The 1941 battle of Guam (10 December 1941) saw the Japanese overwhelm a small American garrison after three hours of fighting.
The Marianas Campaign (14 June-10 August 1944) was a key stage in the Pacific War, triggering the battle of the Philippine Sea at which the Japanese naval aviation forces were almost destroyed, and bringing Japan within range of B-29 bombers based on the islands.
The Lockheed C-69 Constellation was developed as a civil airline, but all early production was taken over by the USAAF after the US entry into the Second World War.
USS Palmer (DD-161/ DMS-5) was a Wickes class destroyer that served as a mine sweeper during the Second World War, taking part in Operation Torch then in the Pacific where she was sunk by a Japanese bomber.
USS Thatcher (DD-162) was a Wickes class destroyer that formed part of the 'destroyers for bases' deal and served on convoy escort duty as HMCS Niagara
The battle of Eniwetok (18-21 February 1944) was the second phase in the American conquest of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands (Operation Catchpole).
The battle of Parry Island (22 February 1944) was the final stage of the American invasion of Eniwetok Atoll (Operation Catchpole), and despite the stronger Japanese garrison went more smoothly than the invasion of Eniwetok Island itself.
USS Schenck (DD-159/ AG-82) was a Wickes class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties in the Atlantic and in a hunter-killer group, taking part in the sinking of U-645.
USS Herbert (DD-160/ APD-22) was a Wickes class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties in the Atlantic, before becoming a fast transport, taking part in the last phase of the New Guinea campaign, the return to the Philippines and the invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.
Operation Catchpole (17-22 February 1944) saw the Americans conquer Eniwetok Atoll in the north-western corner of the Marshall Islands, giving them a good base for the advance into the Marianas Islands.
The battle of Engebi (17-18 February 1944) was the first stage in the American conquest of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands (Operation Catchpole).
USS Dickerson (DD-157/ APD-21) was a Wickes class destroyer that served on convoy escort duties until 1943 when she was converted into a fast transport. In 1945 she was struck by two kamikazes and suffered such heavy damage that she was sunk by US gunfire two days later.
USS Leary (DD-158) was a Wickes class destroyer that served in the Atlantic and Caribbean, before being sunk by U-boats on 24 December 1943.
The battle of Roi (1 February 1944) saw the US marines captured the main Japanese airbase in Kwajalein Atoll in a single day, after the Japanese defences were almost destroyed by the pre-invasion bombardment.
The battle of Namur (1-2 February 1944) saw the US Marines capture the most strongly defended island in the northern part of Kwajalein Atoll, completing the conquest of the northern part of the Atoll.
USS Cole (DD-155) was a Wickes class destroyer that served in the Atlantic and Mediterranean theatres during the Second World War, supporting Operation Torch and the invasions of Sicily and mainland Italy.
USS J. Fred Talbott (DD-156/ AG-81) was a Wickes class destroyer that spent most of the Second World War on convoy escort duties in the Western Atlantic and Caribbean.
The occupation of Allen Island (Ennubirr), 31 January 1944, was one of two simultaneous landings that formed the second stage in the invasion of Roi and Namur in Kwajelein Atoll.
The occupation of Abraham (Ennugarret) Island, 31 January 1944, was the last of a series of preliminary operations that came before the invasions of Roi and Namur in Kwajalein Atoll.
The 10cm Kanone 17 was an improved version of the earlier 10cm Kanone 14, with a longer barrel to improve range.
The schwere 10cm Kanone 18 (heavy 10cm cannon 18) was the standard equipment of German medium artillery units in the late 1930s but wasn't a terribly successful design, and was eventually relegated to the coastal defence role.
USS Bernadou (DD-153) was a Wickes class destroyer that spent most of the Second World War performing various escort duties in the Atlantic theatre, as well as taking part in Operation Torch, the invasion of Sicily and the Salerno landing.
USS Ellis (DD-154) was a Wickes class destroyer that mainly performed escort duties in the Atlantic theatre during the Second World War.
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