Millville AAFM

October 26th, 1943: The first flight of the Dornier Do 335, nicknamed "Pfiel"(Arrow). This plane was Germany's fastest and best performing heavy fighter of the war, but delays caused only a handful to be built before the war's end. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

October 23rd, 1944: The Battle of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history, begins. The battle lasted three days, with nearly 400 ships and 2000 aircraft taking part. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

October 21st, 1944: Aachen, the first target of the Allied invasion of Germany, is captured by American forces. This is the first German city to fall to an Allied attack. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

October 19th, 1944: American forces land in the Phillipines, beginning the Battle of Leyte, which will result in the US reconquering the Phillipines after losing them to Japan two years earlier. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

October 17th, 1941: The USS Kearny becomes the first US Navy ship to be attacked by a U-boat. The vessel survived the attack and went on to serve in north Africa and the Mediterranean. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

October 13th, 1943: After signing peace with the allies last month, the Kingdom of Italy, now under the leadership of Prime Minister Pietro Badoglio, officially declares war on Germany. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

October 11th 1942: US Navy forces intercept and defeat a Japanese force off of Guadalcanal during the Battle of Cape Esperance. This is the second of four major naval battles during the Guadalcanal campaign. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

October 8th, 1944: Captain Bobbie Brown earns a Medal of Honor for his actions during the Battle of Crucifix Hill. Brown single handedly destroyed three German bunkers with explosives while under heavy fire. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

October 5th, 1939: Hitler enters Warsaw, the capitol of Poland, in triumph. Poland would finally surrender the next day after a final defeat at the Battle of Kock. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

September 23rd, 1943: The Italian Socialist Republic, a German puppet state is formed. After Italy signed peace with the Allies earlier in the month, Germany quickly invaded and set up this new puppet government in northern Italy.

September 19th, 1944: The Battle of Hürtgen Forest begins on the German border. It will become the longest individual battle that the U.S. Army has ever fought, lasting until the 16th of December. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

September 17th, 1944: Allied airborne troops parachute into the Netherlands as part of Operation Market Garden.Though several Dutch cities were liberated, the operation failed it's goal to get the Allies across the Rhine. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

September 15th, 1940: In what has been called the climax of the Battle of Britain, the RAF shoots down 60 German aircraft over England in a single day.

September 11th, 1944: The Western Allied invasion of Germany begins. The first target is the city of Aachen, which would be captured by American forces the following month. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

September 9th, 1942: A Japanese floatplane, launched from a submarine off the coast, drops two incendiary bombs into the mountians of Oregon, usuccessfully attempting to start a forest fire. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

September 7th 1940: The German Luftwaffe begins the Blitz, bombing London and other British cities for over 50 consecutive nights. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

September 3rd, 1943: The Allied invasion of Italy begins on the same day that U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower signs an armistice with Italy aboard the Royal Navy battleship HMS Nelson off Malta.

September 1st 1939: At 4:40am the Luftwaffe starts World War II with the terror bombing of the Polish city of Wieluń. At 8:00am German ground forces cross the border launching the invasion of Poland. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

August 27th, 1943: 187 B-17s of the 8th Air Force bomb the Watten bunker in northwest France. The bunker was being constructed by the Germans as a missile launch site, but was bombed irreparably before it could be completed. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2

August 24th, 1942: The Battle of Eastern Solomons takes place. The American and Japanese navies attack each other with both land and carrier-based aircraft until both sides withdraw. Japanese losses greatly exceed American, resulting in a victory for the US. #ThisDayInWW2 #WW2