The September happenings in World War II during each Year from 1940 to 1945

I thought it would be interesting to start a new feature on my blog - The September happenings in World War II during each Year from 1940 to 1945.  I am listing the happenings for each of these Septembers from my book, "Gibbon's Secrets" by RG Bud Phelps, where you will find at the end of each "Year Group" a Chapter called Reg's Scrapbook.  Fortunately Dad was a collector, and one of the things he collected was all of the 'Newspaper Stories' from the following:  The Gibbon Reporter, The Grand Island Daily Independent, and the Omaha World Herald.   

Of course the best place to read about this is all of the Chapters of Reg's Scrapbook in "Gibbon's Secrets" by RG Bud Phelps.  "Gibbon's Secrets" has, since publication, been available  as a paperback book through all of the major book outlets as well as local book stores and national wholesale book distributors.  Three of the major outlets of "Gibbon's Secrets" is; Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and AuthorHouse.  This year I have made "Gibbon's Secrets" available as a digital book therefore you can add it to your digital library for your Kindle, Nook, or as a download from AuthorHouse for your IPad.

September 1940


September 7th - The "Blitzkrieg" of London, attacks from the air, marks the first air blitz of the cityh.  More than 900 aircraft attack London.

September 16 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Selective Service bill and this begins America's first peace time draft.

September 20th - The Allied convoy HX-72 is attacked by a U-boat Wolf-pack and 12 of the 41 ships were sunk.

September 1941

September 4th - German torpedo attacks on "USS Greer" opens the shooting war in the Atlantic.

September 1942

September 1st - Construction of the Cornhusker Ordnance Plant west of Grand Island Nebraska, is completed.

September 5th - Construction was approved for the Kearney Army Air Base east of Kearney Nebraska.

September 10th - British troops occupy Madagascar.

September 13th - The "Battle of Edson's Ridge", Henderson Airfield, Guadalcanal, finds the defense is successful and the Japanese forces are turned back.

September 22nd - A contract was awarded to Kiewit-Condon Company; which included grading and paving taxiways, runways and aprons of the Kearney Army Air Base.

September 29th - A Japanese aircraft, deployed from a submarine off the coast of Oregon, flies over inland forests to drop incendiary bombs.

September 1943


September 3rd, Allied forces invade southern Italy.

September 6th - American and Australian troops land on Las (Northwest Guinea).  They also land on Mono Island in the Solomon Islands.

September 8th - Italy surrenders to Allied forces and the Italian Army is disarmed.

September 9th - The American 5th Army land at the Gulf of Salerno.

September 10th - German forces seize Rome Italy.

September 12th - Ninety Nazi German paratroopers, led by Lieutenant Colonel Otto Shorzeny, liberates Benito Mussolini from the Grand Sasso Hotel.

September 13th - A fight between German and Italian troops at Korpoe results in the killing of 7,000 Italians.

September 1944


September 3rd - British forces, under Lieutenant General Sir Miles C. Dempsey, captures Brussels - Belgium.

September 4th - An armistice is declared between Finland and the Soviet Union.  Finish orders:  Germany must leave Finland by 16 September.

September 5th - The Soviet Union declares war on Bulgaria.

September 8th - The Germans launched the first V-2 rocket and hits London.  The V-2 was launched from Wassenaar, a suburb of The Hague, still in German hands.

September 10th - President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill meet in Quebec - Canada.

September 10th - American troops capture Luxembourg.

September 11th - Units of the American Army crosses German border north of Trier.

September 11th - Patrols of the 2nd British Army cross Dutch border north of Leopoldsburg.

September 17th - "Operation Market Garden":  Allied paratroops land inside the Netherlands, the biggest airborne operation every attempted.

September 20th - British Guards Armoured Division and U.S. 82nd Airborne Division have taken Nimwegen by a fast attack which captures the important bridge over the Waal; before the Germans could destroy it.

September 1945


September 2nd -  Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signs the instrument of surrender aboard the battleship "USS Missouri", in Tokyo Bay - Japan.

The check up on all of the happenings in Reg's Scrap books - pick up a paperback copy or an electronic copy of "Gibbon's Secrets" by RG Bud Phelps.  You will see World War II through the eyes of a boy growing up in the small town in the middle of Nebraska, called Gibbon.

It's better to attempt & fail than to do nothing at all!

I'ts not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better.  The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena . . . who, at best, knows in the end the triumph of great achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.  So that his place will never be with those cold timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.
---Theodore Roosevelt


Life is a challenge, but be in that arena and try your very best, because . . . It's better to attempt & fail than to do nothing at all.  I know, because in my 78 years I have felt both the sweet feeling of success and the depressed feeling of failure.  But, thank the good Lord . . . at least I tried. -- Bud Phelps


Remember all of the happiness in successes and the education you received each and every time that you failed.  

My Special Dedication to 911

We dare not forget 911 - don't burn books but fly your flag in memory of the lives that were lost that fateful day.

Remember that day?  Where were you when the planes started hitting the towers, or the Pentagon, or that field in Pennsylvania?  

I was at Indian Head Golf Course just finishing my round of Seniors Golf and when I walked in the clubhouse it was being shown on the TV's.  Everyone was in shock and really didn't know the significance of this terrorist attack on our country.  The days, weeks & even months after the attack the mood of the country was very patriotic and prayerful.  

Compare this to the attitude of the public today.  Is their a turn around now with individuals talking more about their freedoms and what has been lost in this past year.  Yes, I do think people are again reaching out for conservative politicians to take back our country.  We do want our states rights and we do not want such a heavy hand from our government in Washington DC.  We do not like the socialistic trend that has been happening and I do believe that the voters will speak loudly in November.

Please don't forget that there are terrorist still out there and the "War against Terrorism" is not over by a long shot.  Don't make excuses for our great country.  Tell everyone you know how great we really are and support the conservative movements that have developed over this past year.  We need someone in the White House that will tell the world how great our country is - not someone that is prone to make excuses for something he feels we have done against the world.  Check the cemeteries in Europe and in the Pacific that show the great number of our servicemen and women that died protecting freedom all over the world.  It's like "Remember Pearl Harbor".  Now its "Remember 911".   

Chapter 42 - Reg's Scrapbook - World War II Time-Line - 1945

Today I'm postingone major day from Dad's scrapbook for September 1945.  I definetly feel all of us need to remember these historic days and thank all of the servicemen and women that took part in these events.  The book, "Gibbon's Secrets", gives you "A Boy's Memories of the 40's" - and is available not only in paperback but as an ebook at all major book outlets (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, AuthorHouse - plus distribution through Ingram Book Wholesaler).  The ebook usage has had a phonominal increase with the introduction of Kindel, Nook, and now the IPad; there is an increase in people that just like the idea of reading a book digitally.  Cost is another factor as ebooks are more cost effective and therefore can increase the number of people reading today.


September 2nd 1945 - Japanese Foreigh Minister Mamoru Shigemisu signs the instrument of surrender aborar the battleship "USS Missouri", in Tokyo Bay, Japan.


From December 7th 1941 'till September 2nd 1945, which is just short of four years, the United States had been involved in World War II.  This won't be the end; occupation forces will be maintained, help to re-build the nations will be brought about, and the war trials will be held.  Unfortunately, this will not stop all evil in the world.  The United States will do its part to rebuild the nations of the world through aid and support programs, but . . . Unfortunately, this also will be forgotten by the same nations that we helped, and evil will still remain in the world.

Individual families that experience World War II in their home towns will remember the sacrifices they went through, and their many contributions toward the war effort.  They will remember the ordinary patriots.

First, they will always remember the young patriots; Bud, Donny, Wally, Duncan and Stanley, who showed their patriotic zeal in Gibbon.  Next, they will never forget the Gibbon men that either served in the armed forces, or served here at home; Dale, Tom, Jack and Bob, and all of the servicemen and women who lost their lives in this greatest of all efforts . . . . . to end World War II and to maintain our freedom.

Chapter 40 - Reg's Scrapbook - World War II Time Line - 1944

I am going to post the entries made in my Dad's scrapbook as shown in Capter 40 of "Gibbon's Secrets" for the month of September 1944.

September 3rd 1944 - British forces, under Lieutenant General Sir Miles C. Dempsey, captures Brussels - Belgium

September 4th 1944 - An armistice is declared between Finland and the Soviet Union.  Finnish order: Germany must leave Finland by 16 September.

September 5th 1944 - The Soviet Union declares war on Bulgaria.

September 8th 1944 - The Germans launched the first V-2 rocket and hits London.  The V-2 was launched from Wassenaar, a suburb of The Hague, still in German hands.

September 10th 1944 - President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Churchill meet in Quebec, Canada.

September 10th 1944 - American troops capture Luxemburg.

September 11th 1944 - Units of the American Army crosses German border north of Trier.
September 11th 1944 - Patrols of the 2nd British Army cross Dutch border north of Leopoldsburg.

September 17th 1944 - "Operation Market Garden":  Allied paratrooops land inside the Netherlands, the biggest airborne operation ever attempted.

September 20th 1944 - British Guards Armoured Division and U.S. 82nd Airborne Division have taken Nimwegen by a fast attack which captures the important birdge over the Waal; before the Germans could destroy it.