July 14th 1922
One for fella's across the pond

Robin Olds, American WWII and Vietnam ace was born.
Flew P38's and P51's in WWII scoring 16 kills
Flew F4's in Vietnam. Devised and was part of 'operation Bolo' which is worth looking at. He also scored 4 kills and deliberately didn't shoot more for fear of being removed as a public asset!!!

19th June 1940 : Hitler gives his 'Last appeal to reason' speach at the Reichstag..

"If this struggle continues, it can only end in the annihiliation of one of us. Mr Churchill thinks it will be Germany. I know it will be Britain. I am not the vanquished begging for mercy. I speak as a victor... Mr Churchill ought perhaps, for once, to believe me when I prophecy that a great empire will be destroyed - an empire which it was never my intention to destroy or even harm."

This came 3 days after Hitlers Directive No 16 - Authorised preparations for the invasion of Britain.

1943 - Rome bombed for first time by over 260 US bombers

Just to catch up in the last two days...

July 17, 1918

Tsar Nicolas II of Russia and his family are ordered to be executed by Bolshevik fighters.

July 18, 1936

Spanish Civil War breaks out in Spanish Morocco between the Legitimate Left Government (Republicans) and Franco's Fascist rebels.

July 19, 1940

Battle of Cape Spada between Italian and British/Australian naval ships begins north-west of Crete (To somewhat help the German invasion of Crete) with the Italian Bartolomeo Colleoni light cruiser being sunk and the British/Australian ships leaving the battle along with the single remaining Italian light cruiser.

July 20th 1944
Hitler survives an assignation attempt masterminded by German Colonel Claus Von Stauffenberg.

Couple from yesterday
1942
Admiral Donitz orders the last U boats to withdraw from the US coast in response to the effectiveness of the US Convoy system

1943 Yekaterina Budanova, russian female fighter ace dies (born 1916)

1940 army order 112 forms the intelligence corps of the British army

how Valkyrie should have gone
 

in celebration of operation Valkyrie but this version is a little different...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-opehtzq7Es

one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind
 

july 20, 1969 neil armstrong and buzz alrdin became the first men to step foot on the moon. i know its not ww2 but it is noteworthy...

Definately note worthy! What came as a result of the technological advances made in WWII

20/7/1944

My grandad flew a mission to courtrai (belgium i believe) taking off at 11pm, flight time was 3 hours 20 minutes.

20/7/44 23:00 VN/B F/O PETHICK A/G COURTRAI 03.20

VN/B - Code of his Lancaster Bomber (50 squadron)
F/O Pethick - Pilot
A/G - Grandad was the Air Gunner (rear gunner)


Bit of research i found that The city was an important railway hub for the German army, and for this reason was the target of several allied air-strikes. On July 21, 1944 (the Belgian National Day) around 300 Avro Lancasters dropped over 5,000 bombs on the city center. Many historical buildings on the central square, as well as the old train station, were destroyed. My Grandad was on this mission.

As im typing this (01:17am) i would be guessing he's be on the journey home now, and would be landing back at Skellingthorpe within the hour.

1933
Wiley Post becomes the first person to fly solo around the world covering 15,596 miles in 7 days, 19 hours.