February 28, 1944 - Monday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea

February 25th: At sea all day after 7 AM; temperatures 70s-80s, light to moderate winds.  Day consumed in various exercises with other destroyers.

February 26th: Anchored all day after 9 AM; temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.  Returned to Milne Bay, New Guinea on completion of crew training exercises.  Fueling mid-day. 

February 27th: Anchored all day until 5 PM; temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.  Heading for Buna Roads, New Guinea.

February 28th: At sea most of the day, moored for about 3 hours in the morning.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.  Daly is with a cruiser and destroyer force for the invasion of the Admiralty Islands.

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Fighting continues in Italy at the Anzio beachhead and at  Monte Cassino. 

Soviet troops continue advances in Russia and Ukraine. 

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 449-452. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 294-332.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 400-422.
• War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 275-278.
  
• Events of February, 1944
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, February 1944
  

NEXT POST: MARCH 3RD

February 28, 1864 - Sunday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Granger's Corps - Sheridan's Division - Wagner's Brigade

General Schofield is advancing and currently at Strawberry Plains, TN.  He has heard the Longstreet's army is leaving the state but has no confirmation.  He plans to move further east toward Bristol, TN to try to find out where the Confederates are going.

Union troops advance from Chattanooga toward Dalton, GA.  This runs into stiff resistance near Dalton, and the Union army breaks off to regroup.

Sherman has completed his destruction of railroads and towns in central Mississippi, and leaves the forces there to slowly return to Vicksburg.  Sherman comes to Vicksburg and receives correspondence from other commanders, and then begins a quick trip by steamer to New Orleans.

The Confederacy has begun to send prisoners to a newly-enlarged prison camp at Andersonville, GA.  This camp will expand rapidly throughout the year.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXII, Chapter XLIV, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 458-494.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 144.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Shelby Foote, pp. 923-924.
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 39-47.
  
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 462-464.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 396-423.
  
• Events: 1864
  

NEXT POST:  MARCH 3RD

February 24, 1944 - Thursday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea

February 21st: At sea all day; at noon, in Coral Sea about 500 miles east of Cairns, Australia, returning to New Guinea operations area.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

February 22nd: Reached Milne Bay, New Guinea about 7 AM.  Anchored for the rest of the day.  Temperatures 80s, light to moderate winds.  Passengers transferred, fueling in late morning.

February 23rd: Anchored all day.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.  More passengers transferred.

February 24th: Anchored all day,  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

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The invasion of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands concludes with US control of all islands in the atoll.  Attacks begin on Japanese bases in the Marianas, at Saipan.

Fighting continues in Italy at the Anzio beachhead and at  Monte Cassino. 

Soviet troops continue advances in Russia and Ukraine. 

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 449-452. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 294-332.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 400-422.
• War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 275-278.
  
• Events of February, 1944
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, February 1944
  

NEXT POST: FEBRUARY 28TH

February 24, 1864 - Wednesday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Granger's Corps - Sheridan's Division - Wagner's Brigade

General Schofield advances to Strawberry Plains, TN again and finds that Longstreet is gone; he will continue searching eastward for the Confederate army.  Grant sends a dispatch once again mentioning the return of Granger's corps to Chattanooga.

NASHVILLE, February 24, 1864 - 11 a. m.

Maj. Gen, J. M. Schofield, Knoxville, TN

   Should you discover by your movement on Strawberry Plains that the enemy has retreated eastward and is abandoning East Tennessee, push him as far as practicable with your whole force, destroying effectually the railroads.

   Relieve Granger's troops to return to Chattanooga as soon as you ascertain the enemy is gone and cannot be overtaken by infantry.  Sherman's safety in Mississippi depends upon our efforts here.  Thomas is moving with apparent success on Dalton. 

U. S. Grant, 

Major-General

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXII, Chapter XLIV, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 440-458.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 142-144.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Shelby Foote, pp. 923-924.
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 39-47.
  
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 462-464.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 396-423.
  
• Events: 1864
  

NEXT POST:  FEBRUARY 28TH

 

February 20, 1944 - Sunday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea

February 17th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

February 18th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.  Fueling in the morning.

February 19th: In port morning at Sydney, NSW, Australia, underway at 11 AM.  At noon, just north of Sydney.  Temperatures 70s, light winds.

February 20th: At sea all day; at noon, east of Sunshine Coast, Australia.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

Daly is returning to the Buna, New Guinea area. 

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Navy task forces attack the Japanese base at Truk (now Chuuk) Lagoon in the Caroline Islands (Operation Hailstone).  The raid is a success, as the Japanese lose over 40 ships and 270 aircraft.  The invasion of Eniwetok Atoll in the Marshall Islands begins on the 17th. 

The  Green Islands northwest of Bougainville are occupied.

Fighting continues in Italy at the Anzio beachhead and at  Monte Cassino. 

Soviet troops begin the attack on the Narva Isthmus in northeast Estonia.  German troops in Ukraine escape from a pocket near Cherkasy in which they are surrounded, but must leave behind all their heavy equipment.

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 446-449. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 294-332.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 400-414.
• War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 275-278.
  
• Events of February, 1944
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, February 1944
  

NEXT POST: FEBRUARY 24TH

February 20, 1864 - Saturday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Granger's Corps - Sheridan's Division - Wagner's Brigade

Uncertainty reigns with regard to the intentions of Confederates under Longstreet; whether he will attack Knoxville, move back toward the east, or try to get to Georgia is not clear.  General Schofield does not believe he can release any of the veteran regiments for leave at this time.

General Thomas is planning a move forward in Georgia from the Chattanooga area.  Heavy rains are currently preventing this.

Sherman's destructive raid continues at Meridian, MS; he begins the return of the army to Vicksburg on the 20th.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXII, Chapter XLIV, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 410-440.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 142-143.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Shelby Foote, pp. 923-924.
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 39-47.
  
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 462-464.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 396-423.
  
• Events: 1864
  

NEXT POST:  FEBRUARY 24TH

 

February 16, 1944 - Wednesday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea

February 13th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

February 14th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

February 15th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 80s-90s, light winds.

February 16th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

Daly will remain in Sydney for about two weeks.   The ship is moored at Woolloomooloo, very close to downtown Sydney.  Liberty was no doubt welcome after almost a year mostly at sea; from Boston, to the Pacific, Alaska, Hawaii, New Britain and New Guinea. 

------------------------- 

US forces continue to occupy islands in the Marshalls, and aerial attacks on Eniwetok Atoll continued in anticipation of landings on the 17th.  

The invasion of the Green Islands northwest of Bougainville began on the 15th. Raids on the Japanese base at Rabaul were increasing.  Fighting continued on Bougainville.

Fighting continues in Italy at the Anzio beachhead and at  Monte Cassino.  On the 15th, the Allies bombed the Abbey of Monte Cassino, believing it was being used by the Germans. 

Soviet troops begin the attack on the Narva Isthmus in northeast Estonia.

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 442-443. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 187-288.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 400-414.
• War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 275-278.
  
• Events of February, 1944
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, February 1944
  

NEXT POST: FEBRUARY 20TH

February 16, 1864 - Tuesday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Granger's Corps - Sheridan's Division - Wagner's Brigade

In East Tennessee, there is still concern about Longstreet's army that is now at Strawberry Plains, TN.  He is variously being reported as planning an attack, or moving back toward Georgia to reunite with the Confederate army there.  Granger is called on to move one of his divisions into Knoxville to protect the city, and to send regiments back to Chattanooga to become part of the garrison for the city.  Many of the veteran regiments are due for a month's leave, including the 40th Indiana.

Sherman's forces enter Meridian, MS on the 14th, and they begin the destruction of the town and the railroads that cross there.  This is another example of the tactics for which Sherman would become famous; the destruction of railroads and other infrastructure so thoroughly it can not be used without months of repair.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXII, Chapter XLIV, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 383-410.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 141-142.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Shelby Foote, pp. 923-924.
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 39-47.
  
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 462-464.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 396-423.
  
• Events: 1864
  

NEXT POST:  FEBRUARY 20TH

February 12, 1944 - Saturday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea

February 9th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

February 10th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

February 11th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 70s, light winds.

February 12th: In port all day at Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Temperatures 60s-70s, light winds.

Daly will remain in Sydney for about two weeks.

------------------------- 

US forces continue to occupy islands in the Marshalls, and aerial attacks on Eniwetok Atoll commenced in anticipation of landings on the 17th.  Further southwest, preparations were underway for the invasion of the Green Islands northwest of Bougainville.  In New Guinea, Saidor was captured.

Fighting continues in Italy at the Anzio beachhead and at  Monte Cassino.  

Soviet troops approach the Estonian border, but Estonia's military continues to fight with Germany, fearing Soviet suppression more than German.

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 442-443. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 187-286.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 400-414.
• War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 275-278.
  
• Events of February, 1944
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, February 1944
  

NEXT POST: FEBRUARY 16TH

February 12, 1864 - Friday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Granger's Corps - Sheridan's Division - Wagner's Brigade

General Schofield has reached Knoxville and taken command there, relieving General Foster who visits General Grant in Knoxville.  Grant has ordered troops from Chattanooga to Knoxville, but thinks better of it after discussions with his generals.  Any advance in East Tennessee will extend supply lines to an unmanageable extent.  Troops are ordered to stay in Chattanooga and try to advance further into Georgia, with Dalton, GA as the first target.

Sherman with 20.000 men approaches Meridian, MS from the west while at the same time a Union cavalry force approaches from the north.  Confederate forces in the area, greatly outnumbered, work on the 12th to send out supplies from the town before the Union arrival.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXII, Chapter XLIV, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 354-383.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 141-142.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Shelby Foote, pp. 923-924.
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 39-47.
  
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 462-464.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 396-420.
  
• Events: 1864
  

NEXT POST:  FEBRUARY 16TH

February 8, 1944 - Tuesday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea

February 5th: Moored until 1 PM; at sea the rest of the day.  Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

February 6th: At sea all day.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.  At noon, off coast of Australia, near Cairns, Queensland.

February 7th:  At sea all day.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.  At noon, off coast of Australia, near Brisbane, Queensland.

February 8th: Arrived Sydney, NSW, Australia.  Moored after 9 AM. Temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

Daly will remain in Sydney for about two weeks.

------------------------- 

Kwajalein Atoll is declared fully secured on February 7th. 

Fighting continues in Italy at the Anzio beachhead and at  Monte Cassino.  

Soviet troops approach the Estonian border, but Estonia's military continues to fight with Germany, fearing Soviet suppression more than German.

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 441-442. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 187-286.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 400-414.
• War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 275-278.
  
• Events of February, 1944
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, February 1944
  

NEXT POST: FEBRUARY 12TH

February 8, 1864 - Monday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Granger's Corps - Sheridan's Division - Wagner's Brigade

Searches for Longstreet's Confederate troops continue.  General Grant orders part of the army at Chattanooga to move to Knoxville; he intends to attack the Confederate army there and drive it out of East Tennessee.  Grant orders more troops to Knoxville because he has information that Longstreet has been reinforced from other Confederate armies.

Sherman reaches and occupies Jackson, Mississippi on the 7th, and moves further east to Brandon the next day.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXII, Chapter XLIV, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 330-354.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 141.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Shelby Foote, pp. 923-924.
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 39-47.
  
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 462-464.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 396-420.
  
• Events: 1864
  

NEXT POST:  FEBRUARY 12TH

 

February 4, 1944 - Friday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea

February 1st: Anchored mid-day; otherwise at sea.  Temperatures 80s-90s, light winds.  At Finschafen, New Guinea, returning to Buna overnight.

February 2nd: Anchored at 5 AM for the rest of the day.  Temperatures 80s, light winds. 

February 3rd:  Anchored all day; temperatures 70s-80s, light winds.

February 4th: Underway 11 AM to 4 PM, otherwise anchored.  Temperatures 80s-90s, light winds.  Reached Milne Bay, New Guinea in the afternoon.

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Fighting continues at Kwajalein Atoll and it is captured on February 3rd.  Lessons learned at the invasion of Tarawa contribute to the quick victory there.  Other islands in the chain are also secured by US forces.

Fighting continues in Italy at the Anzio beachhead and at  Monte Cassino.   Soviet troops begin an offensive in Estonia.

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 439-441. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 187-240.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 400-414.
• War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 275-278.
  
• Events of February, 1944
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, February 1944
  

NEXT POST: FEBRUARY 8TH

 

February 4, 1864 - Thursday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Granger's Corps - Sheridan's Division - Wagner's Brigade

General Schofield has not yet reached Knoxville but is hurrying there to relieve General Foster.  Sheridan's division is ordered to Campbell Station - an order later rescinded - but they appear to have gone there nonetheless.  Leave for all regiments has been temporarily postponed.

Sherman begins his march from Vicksburg toward Meridian, Mississippi.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXII, Chapter XLIV, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 306-330.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. pp. 140-141.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Shelby Foote, pp. 923-924.
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 39-47.
  
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 462-464.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 396-420.
  
• Events: 1864
  

NEXT POST:  FEBRUARY 8TH

January 31, 1944 - Monday - 80 years ago today

Status - John Skinner - USS Daly: 

USS Daly (DD-519) -New Guinea

January 28th: Anchored all day.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.

January 29th: Anchored all day.  Temperatures 80s, light winds. 

January 30th:  Anchored all day.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.

January 31st: Anchored until 8 PM, then underway.  Temperatures 80s, light winds.  Daly with other destroyers is escorting a new group of transports.

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In the final days of January, US carrier air forces destroy Japanese air power in the Marshall Islands, and on the 30th, bombardment of Kwajalein Atoll and Majuro Island begin, followed on the 31st by Marine and Army landings on the islands.

Fighting continues in Italy at the Anzio beachhead and at  Monte Cassino.  Forces from the Anzio beachhead break through the Gustav Line.

-------------------------

More Information:

• Official Navy Chronology, pp. 434-437. 
• Aleutians, Gilberts and Marshalls, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 187-240.
• Breaking the Bismarcks Barrier, Samuel Eliot Morison, pp. 400-414.
• War at the End of the World, James P. Duffy, pp, 275-278.
  
• Events of January, 1944
• Logbooks of the US Navy at the National Archives, USS Daly, DD-519, January 1944
  

NEXT POST: FEBRUARY 4TH

January 31, 1864 - Sunday - 160 years ago today

Status - John Baer - 40th Indiana Regiment - Granger's Corps - Sheridan's Division - Wagner's Brigade

General Schofield on the 28th is given overall command in East Tennessee, replacing General Foster.  Sheridan's division remains at Loudon, TN.  Longstreet's Confederates are reported at Dandridge, TN, and the Union forces are concentrating near Maryville.

As the situation is still in doubt near Knoxville, veteran regiments that had been slated for a month's leave on re-enlistment for the duration, are temporarily retained in the area.  The 40th Indiana has not yet been granted leave but will be soon.

Sherman  continues to organize his Mississippi expedition, and numerous parts of the army in Western Tennessee and Mississippi are in motion.

More Information:

• Link: War Operations, see Volume XXXII, Chapter XLIV, Part II, Correspondence, pp. 244-306.
• The Civil War Day by Day, John S. Bowman, Ed. p. 140.
• The Civil War, A Narrative, Vol 1I, Fredericksburg to Meridian, Shelby Foote, pp. 862-923.
• Decision In The West, The Atlanta Campaign of 1864, Albert Castel, pp, 1-38.
  
• Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, pp. 442-462.
• Memoirs of General William T. Sherman, pp. 396-418.
  
• Events: 1864
  

NEXT POST:  FEBRUARY 4TH