Diary May 17, 1944

05-1944, Diary WW2, War Diary, Year 1944 / 1 minute of reading

German paratrooper armed with the early 'E-Type' FG42 assault rifle — After the Allies bombed the Cassino Monastery on 15 February 1944, the rubble provided the German defenders with excellent cover. Here a German paratrooper armed with the early ‘E-Type’ FG-42 assault rifle (only 2,100 produced) fires from a window.

WW2 War Diary for Wednesday, May 17, 1944:

Mediterranean

Italy: Kesselring orders evacuation of Cassino garrison.

Sea War

Indian Ocean: Carriers HMS Illustrious and USS Saratoga launch combined 85-plane strike against Surabaya.
North Sea: 32 German E-boats lay mines off English South and East coasts; fight inconclusive engagements with both British patrols and a German convoy (night May 17-18).
Pacific: Americans land at Arare and Wadke Island; west of Hollandia (May 17-18).

Southeast Asia

Burma: Chinese and Americans capture Myitkyina airfield.

Home Fronts

Britain: Kathleen Ferrier takes part in performance of Haendel’s ‘Messiah’ at Westminster Abbey.

Occupied Territories

France: Resistance attack CAM ball-bearing factory at Ivry-sur-Seine.

About The Author

Kretaner

My name is Norman 'Kretaner' and since my childhood I am interested in history and strategy games. Later, I have learned programming and the development of computer games, and finally with the Internet, also web design. I'm in the fortunate position to combine all my interests with my work and to live on a place of my choice, on Crete. All information, figures, specifications and statistics used here had been compiled from a variety of sources and the large, over decades collected, library of the author about military history, WW2 and weapons.