On this day in 1945, the United States Army Air Forces launches an unprecedented air raid on Tokyo, Japan. To date, it remains the single deadliest bombing raid in history—worse even than the bombings at Hiroshima and Nagasaki later that year.
Unfortunately, the Japanese government still refused to surrender.
The U.S. 20th Air Force faced serious challenges in the early part of 1945. They’d been conducting high-level, precision bombing attacks over Japan, but nothing was going right. Bombers were coming in high, at 30,000 feet, then watching as their bombs got torn off course by high winds. Jet streams were not understood as they are today—and the frequent cloud cover in Japan simply made things worse.
The accuracy rate of American bombers was sitting at an abysmal 10 percent.
Something had to be done, and Major General Curtis LeMay knew it. He would no longer try (and fail) to take out high value targets with precision bombing. Instead, he would simply burn the city around them.
The first of LeMay’s incendiary raids began on the night of March 9–10 when more than 300 B-29 bombers took off toward Tokyo. They’d been stripped of non-essentials to make room for more bombs. The B-29s would fly in at 7,000 feet, dropping as many bombs as they could.
The scene was set for a firestorm, although the intensity of that firestorm surely surprised everyone.
The story continues here:
https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-air-raid-tokyo
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On this day in 1916, a hero is born. “Manila John” Basilone would go on to become the only Marine to earn both a Navy Cross and a Medal of Honor during World War II.
Yet the legendary Marine started off in the Army.
He was just 18 years old when he enlisted this first time. He served for three years before returning to civilian life and a job as a truck driver. His second stint in the military came in July 1940. This time, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp.
The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-john-basilone-moh
At about this time in 1783, George Washington issues farewell orders to the troops that persevered with him through the Revolution.
Technically, this anniversary is tomorrow, but I thought the quote was timely: I'm sure many of you agree that we need this kind of divine intervention again next week.
Food for thought. Full-fledged stories resume on Monday.
On this day in 1803, the Tripolitans capture a stranded American vessel. Mere months later, Navy legend Stephen Decatur would set that same U.S. frigate ablaze. His action has been called the “most bold and daring act of the age.”
But why would a United States naval officer set an American ship ablaze?
The audacious stunt occurred during the First Barbary War, soon after USS Philadelphia ran into an uncharted reef on October 31, 1803. She was soon captured by the Tripolitans and was considered a valuable prize. Once repaired, she would be the Barbary states’ most powerful warship. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy had only one remaining ship as powerful as the one they’d lost: USS Constitution.
FULL STORY: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-burning-uss-philadelphia
