What Happened in August 1944

Events 1 - 100 of 114

• Aug 1 General Montgomery takes command of 12th & 21st army
• Aug 1 Polish resistance fighters of the Home Army launch the Warsaw Uprising, the largest military effort undertaken by a resistance movement in occupied Europe
• Aug 1 US 90th division occupies St Hilaire-du-Harcourt
• Aug 1 US troops enter Tessy-sur-Vir
• Aug 2 Jewish survivors of Kovono Ghetto emerge from their bunker
• Aug 2 Turkey breaks diplomatic relationship with Nazi Germany
• Aug 3 Allied troops under Lieutenant-General Joseph Stilwell take Myitkyina, Burma

• Aug 3 General Montgomery visits general Dempsey's headquarter
• Aug 4 Anne Frank arrested in Amsterdam by German Security Police (Grüne Polizei) following a tip-off from an informer who was never identified
• Aug 4 British 8th Army reaches suburbs of Florence, Italy

• Aug 5 German forces begin the mass killing of between 40,000 and 50,000 Polish civilians in the Wola district of Warsaw during the uprising
• Aug 5 US 79th/90th division occupy Laval (Mayenne), southwest of Paris
• Aug 5 US troops occupy Vannes, Brittany
• Aug 6 All 1,200 Jewish death marchers from Lipcani Moldavia have died
• Aug 6 Anti-German attack at Avranches fails
• Aug 6 Deportation of 70,000 Jews from Lodz Poland to Auschwitz begins
• Aug 6 US 20th Army corp under general Walker occupies Nantes
• Aug 7 Anton de Kom arrested by Surinam resistance fighter
• Aug 7 IBM dedicates the first program-controlled calculator, the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator (known best as the Harvard Mark I)
• Aug 7 Trial for surviving '20 July Plot' (attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler) participants begins in courtroom of Nazi Judge Roland Freisler, in Berlin, Germany
• Aug 7 WWII: German counterattack at Avranches, France fails
• Aug 7 WWII: US 3rd Army reaches suburbs of Brest, Brittany
• Aug 8 Canada/Polish troops occupy Cramesnil/Secqueville/Cintheaux/St-Aignan
• Aug 8 First test flight of the Junkers Ju 287. a proposed German Luftwaffe jet bomber; it was never fully put into production
• Aug 8 US 15th Army corps occupies Le Mans
• Aug 9 12 workers of Dutch illegal paper "Trouw" executed at Camp Vught
• Aug 9 Smokey Bear debuts as spokesman for fire prevention for US Forest Service (named after NYC fireman Smokey Joe Martin)
• Aug 9 US 79th/90th division enter Le Mans
• Aug 9 WWII: Port Chicago Mutiny - mass work stoppage by munition loaders at Port Chicago Naval facility concerned with conditions after recent explosion in Port Chicago, California; 50 men were tried for mutiny, found guilty and sentenced to 15 years of hard labor
• Aug 10 Battle for Guam ends with US troops recapturing Guam from the Japanese
• Aug 10 Braves Red Barrett throws only 58 pitches to shut out Cincinnati Reds 2-0
• Aug 10 Race riots in Athens, Alabama
• Aug 10 The combined US and French offensive begins at Alencon

• Aug 11 French 5th Armour division recaptures Sées

• Aug 11 US air raid on Palembang
• Aug 12 Pipeline under ocean (Pluto) begins operating
• Aug 12 Waffen SS troops massacre 560 people in Sant'Anna di Stazzema.

• Aug 13 British 8th Army occupies Florence

• Aug 14 British Prime Minister Winston Churchill arrives at Corsica
• Aug 14 Canada and Polish begin Operation Tractable: attempting to encircle strategic French town of Falaise
• Aug 14 Operation Tractable: new Canadian offensive
• Aug 14 Soviet offensive at Weichsel
• Aug 15 Allied air raid on train in North Netherlands, 32 killed

• Aug 15 Operation Anvil: Allies land on French Mediterranean sea coast
• Aug 15 Operation Dragoon: Allied troops land in Provence
• Aug 15 US 12 Army corps enters Le Mans through Orleans
• Aug 15 US 7th Armour division reaches Chartres
• Aug 16 2nd Canadian Division occupies Falaise, Normandy, during Operation Intractable
• Aug 16 Dutch begin diplomatic contact with Vatican in London
• Aug 16 US 15th Army corp reaches Eure, surrounds Dreux, France
• Aug 17 4th Canadian Armoured division occupiers Trun, Normandy
• Aug 17 German field marshal Walter Model replaces Günther von Kluge in Normandy
• Aug 17 Soviet troops arrive at Austria-Prussia border
• Aug 17 US 12 Army Corps occupies Orleans
• Aug 17 US 320th regiment infantry occupies Châteaudun
• Aug 17 Yanks Johnny Lindell ties record with 4 consecutive doubles in a game

• Aug 18 Paris rail workers strike against Nazi occupiers
• Aug 18 US 15th Army Corps reaches Mantes-Gassicourt near Paris
• Aug 19 Allied air raid on Maastricht, 80+ killed
• Aug 19 Last Japanese troops driven out of India
• Aug 19 Nazis give parts of Paris to Resistance
• Aug 19 Paris police strike against nazi occupiers
• Aug 19 Polish 1st Division occupies Hill 262 (Mont Ormel), Normandy
• Aug 19 US 15th Army Corps occupies Mantes-Gassicourt at Paris
• Aug 19 US 90th/Polish 1st Division occupy Chambois, Normandy

• Aug 20 Soviet offensive at Jassy & Kisjinev
• Aug 21 Battle of Falaise, Normandy, led by Polish Armoured Division and First Canadian Army - largest encirclement on the Western Front leading to surrender and capture of German 7th Army
• Aug 21 Germans storm up Hill 262 (Mont Ormel) Normandy
• Aug 21 Grieg, Wright and Forrest's musical "Song of Norway" premieres in NYC
• Aug 21 Raid on Jewish children's house in Secrétan/St-Mandé
• Aug 21 US 12nd Army Corps occupies Sens

• Aug 22 Last transport of French Jews to nazi-Germany
• Aug 23 94.5°F (34.7°C) in De Bilt Netherlands & 101.5°F (38.6°C) in Warnsvelt
• Aug 23 Allied troops capture Marseille, France
• Aug 23 British general Bernard Montgomery consults with US Generals Omar Bradley and Dwight D. Eisenhower
• Aug 23 General George Leclerc's troops advance towards Paris
• Aug 23 Romanian Royal coup: King Michael orders forces to cease fire against Allies and dismisses pro-Axis premier, Marshal Ion Antonescu
• Aug 23 Sammellager Drancy freed
• Aug 23 US 20th Army corp enter Fontainebleau/Melun de Seine
• Aug 23 US B-24 crashes into school in Freckelton England, 76 killed
• Aug 24 French General LeClerc's troops open assault on Paris
• Aug 25 France 2nd Tank division under General Leclerc reaches Notre Dame in Paris

• Aug 25 US Army XII Corps reaches Troyes, France
• Aug 26 Bulgaria announces withdrawal & German troops are to be disarmed

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• Aug 1 Elske ter Veld, Dutch politician (State Secretary for Social Affairs and Employment), born in Groningen, Netherlands (d. 2017)
• Aug 1 Yury Romanenko, Soviet cosmonaut (Soyuz 26, 38, TM-2), born in Koltubanka, Russia
• Aug 2 Jim Capaldi, English singer and songwriter (Traffic - "Something So Strong"; "The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys"), born in Evesham, Worcestershire, England (d. 2005)
• Aug 2 Juvenal "Naná' Vasconcelos, Brazilian jazz and world music percussionist, and berimbau player (Pat Metheny; Björk; Milton Nascimento), born in Recife, Brazil (d. 2016)

• Aug 7 David Rasche, American stage and screen actor (Sledge Hammer!), born in St Louis, Missouri
• Aug 7 John Glover, American actor (52 Pick-Up, Something Special), born in Kingston, New York
• Aug 7 Robert Mueller, American lawyer, FBI Director (2001-13) Special Counsel Russia Investigation (2017-19), born in New York City
• Aug 8 Dapper Dan [Daniel Day], American fashion designer, born in Harlem, New York
• Aug 8 Hans van Eijk, Dutch rock guitarist (Jumping Jewels)
• Aug 8 John Renbourn, British jazz and folk guitarist and songwriter (Pentangle), born in Marleylebone, London, England (d. 2015)
• Aug 8 Michael Johnson, American singer-songwriter, guitarist, born in Alamosa, Colorado
• Aug 9 George Armstrong, English soccer winger and manager (Arsenal 500 games; Kuwait 1988-89), born in Hebburn, County Durham (d. 2000)
• Aug 9 Gerrit Jan Wolffensperger, Dutch politician (D66)
• Aug 9 Sam Elliott, American actor (A Star Is Born, Conagher), born in Sacramento, California
• Aug 9 Terry Jenner, Australian cricket spin bowler (9 Tests, 24 wickets; WA CA, SA CA), born in Mount Lawley, Australia (d. 2011)
• Aug 11 David Pearl, British judge
• Aug 11 Ian McDiarmid, Scottish stage director, and stage and screen actor (Star Wars -"Palpatine"), born in Carnoustie, Scotland
• Aug 12 Francesco Morini, Italian soccer defender (11 caps; Sampdoria, Juventus), born in San Giuliano Terme, Italy (d. 2021)
• Aug 12 Peter Hofmann, German tenor
• Aug 13 David Mahler, American pianist and composer, born in Plainfield, New Jersey
• Aug 13 Divina Galica, British athlete and racing driver, born in Bushey Heath, Hertfordshire, England
• Aug 13 Kevin Tighe, American actor (Newsie, Another 48 Hours, K-9), born in Los Angeles, California
• Aug 14 Robyn Smith Astaire [Melody Dawn Miller], American jockey, wife of Fred Astaire, born in San Francisco, California
• Aug 15 Frederick Knight, American R&B singer-songwriter ("I've Been Lonely For So Long"), and record producer, born in Birmingham, Alabama
• Aug 15 Linda Ellerbee, American journalist (Weekend, NBC Overnight), born in Bryan, Texas
• Aug 15 Pamela Polland, American singer-songwriter (Hawaiianized Pop Classics), born in California
• Aug 15 Sylvie Vartan, Armenian-Bulgarian-French pop-yé-yé singer ("Twiste et Chante"), and actress, born in Iskretz, Bulgaria
• Aug 15 Thomas J. Murphy Jr., American politician (57th Mayor of Pittsburgh), born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• Aug 16 Dick Zimmer, American politician (US Rep-R-New Jersey 1991-97), born in Newark, New Jersey
• Aug 16 Mufasir-ul-Haq, cricketer (Pakistan left-arm quick, 1 Test)
• Aug 16 Russ Titelman, American Grammy Award-winning record producer (Rickie Lee Jones, Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Randy Newman), and songwriter, born in Los Angeles, California

• Aug 18 Carl Wayne, English singer and actor (The Move), born in Birmingham, England (d. 2004)
• Aug 19 Bodil Malmsten, Swedish writer (The Price of Water in Finistère), born in Bjärme, Sweden (d. 2016)
• Aug 19 Buzz Kilman, American Chicago radio personality, born in Detroit. Michigan
• Aug 19 Charles Wang, Chinese-American CEO (Computer Associates) and philanthropist, born in Shanghai, China
• Aug 19 Eddy Raven [Futch], American country singer ("Right Hand Man"), born in Lafayette, Louisiana
• Aug 19 Jack Canfield, American author (Chicken Soup for the Soul) and motivational speaker, born in Fort Worth, Texas
• Aug 19 Peter Leitch, Canadian jazz guitarist, arranger, and composer (New Life Orchestra), born in Montreal, Quebec
• Aug 19 Samuel J. de Beer, South Africa vicar and politician, born in Johannesburg, South Africa
• Aug 19 Steve Sloan, American college football coach (Vanderbilt, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Duke), born in Austin, Texas (d. 2024)
• Aug 20 Graig Nettles, American MLB 3rd baseman, 1967-88, 6X All-Star, sX Gold Glove (NY Yankees, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, and 3 other teams), born in San Diego, California
• Aug 20 John Povey, English musician (The Pretty Things; Electric Banana), born in London

• Aug 21 Doug Young, American national and world powerlifting champion, born in Abilene, Texas (d. 2005)
• Aug 21 Perry Christie, 3rd Prime Minister of the Bahamas, born in Nassau, Bahamas
• Aug 21 Peter Weir, Australian director/writer (Witness, Dead Poets Society), born in Sydney, New South Wales
• Aug 22 Henk Veldhoen, Dutch politician (PvdA), born in Heinenoord, Netherlands (d. 1996)
• Aug 23 Antonia Novello, 14th US Surgeon General (1990-92) 1dt woman and Hispanic holder, born in Farjardo, Puerto Rico
• Aug 23 Lena Tabori, Swedish actress model and daughter of Viveca Lindfors, born in Stockholm, Sweden
• Aug 24 Christine Chubbock, American TV newscaster (WXLT-TV, Sarasota, Florida), born in Hudson, Ohio (d. 1974)
• Aug 24 Gregory Jarvis, American engineer and astronaut (STS 25), born in Detroit, Michigan
• Aug 24 Peter Hutton, American filmmaker, born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2016)
• Aug 24 Rocky Johnson, Canadian pro wrestler (father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson; with Tony Atlas first black champions in WWE history), born in Amherst, Nova Scotia, Canada (d. 2020)
• Aug 25 Anthony Heald, American actor (Orphans; Silence of Lambs), born in New Rochelle, New York
• Aug 25 Conrad Black, Canadian-born British newspaper magnate, born in Montreal, Quebec
• Aug 25 Pat Martino [Azzara], American jazz guitarist (DownBeat Guitar Player of the Year, 2004), born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (d. 2021)
• Aug 25 Sherley Anne Williams, American poet and novelist (Dessa Rose), born in Bakersfield, California
• Aug 26 Alan Parker, British session guitarist (Blue Mink; Serge Gainsbourg) and television and film composer (American Gothic), born in Matlock, Derbyshire, England
• Aug 26 Cornelia J. "Corry" Arends, Dutch actress (Fool's Hat)
• Aug 26 Neroli Fairhall, New Zealand archer (first paraplegic to compete in the Olympic Games 1984), born in Christchurch, New Zealand (d. 2006)
• Aug 26 Richard, English prince and Duke of Gloucester, born in Northampton, England
• Aug 26 Stephen Greif, English actor (Blake's Seven), born in Sawbridgeworth, England
• Aug 27 Barry Conyngham, Australian composer (Gardener Of Time; Kangaroo Island), born in Sydney
• Aug 27 G W Bailey, Port Arthur, Texas, American actor (Police Academy, The Closer)
• Aug 27 Tim Bogert, American rock bassist (Vanilla Fudge; Jeff Beck), born in New York City (d. 2021) [1]
• Aug 27 Wim Jurg, corrector/chairman (Werelddambond FMJD)
• Aug 28 Boyd Coddington, American auto designer (owner Boyd Coddington Hot Rod Shop) and television host (American Hot Rod on TLC), born in Rupert, Idaho (d. 2008)
• Aug 28 Marianne Heemskerk, Dutch swimmer, born in Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Aug 28 Melvin Dummar, American gas station attendant, claimant to the Howard Hughes estate, and subject of the film "Melvin and Howard", born in Utah (d. 2018)
• Aug 30 Charles Colbert, American rocker (American Breed - "Bend Me, Shape Me"), born in Chicago, Illinois
• Aug 30 Freek de Jonge, Dutch comedian (Neerlands Hoop), born in Westernieland, Netherlands
• Aug 30 John Surman, English jazz musician, born in Tavistock, Devon, England
• Aug 30 Molly Ivins, American political columnist and author, born in Monterey, California (d. 2007)
• Aug 30 Tug McGraw, American baseball player and father of Tim McGraw, born in Martinez, California (d. 2004)
• Aug 30 William "Smitty" Smith, American rock keyboardist and session musician (Motherlode - "When I Die"), born in Belleville, Virginia (d. 1997)
• Aug 31 Clive Lloyd, Guyanese and West Indies cricket batsman and captain (110 Tests; 7,515 runs @ 46.67, HS 242no), born in Georgetown, British Guiana
• Aug 31 Earnie Shavers, American boxer (2 x world heavyweight c'ship challenger [Muhammad Ali 1977, Larry Holmes 1979]), born in Garland, Alabama (d. 2022)
• Aug 31 Jos LeDuc, Canadian professional wrestler (d. 1999)
• Aug 31 Roger Dean, British artist and album cover designer (Yes; Osibia; Asia), born in Ashford, Kent, England

• Aug 3 Felka Platek, Polish painter, wife of painter Felix Nussbaum, murdered at in Auschwitz Concentration Camp at 44
• Aug 5 Maurice Turnbull, Welsh cricketer (England) rugby player (Wales), dies fighting in WWII at 38
• Aug 7 Agustín Barrios Mangoré, Paraguayan classical guitarist and composer (La Catedral), dies at 59
• Aug 8 Erwin von Witzleben, German fieldmarshal (July 20th plot), hanged at 62
• Aug 8 Juliusz Kaden-Bandrowski, Polish novelist and satirist (Black Wings), dies of wounds received during the Warsaw Uprising at 59
• Aug 8 Michael Wittman, German soldier and tank ace, dies in battle at 30
• Aug 9 Felix Nussbaum, German surrealist painter (Widerstandskunst), murdered at Auschwitz Concentration Camp at 39
• Aug 10 Berthold Schenk von Stauffenberg, German aristocrat, attempted to assassinate Hitler, executed by Nazi regime at 39
• Aug 12 Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., brother of President John F. Kennedy, killed in action in plane explosion over Blythburgh, East Suffolk, England at 29
• Aug 16 Roman Padlewski, Polish violinist, composer, and underground resistance fighter, dies of battle injuries sustained during the Warsaw Uprising at 28 [1]
• Aug 17 John Trumble, Australian cricket all-rounder (7 Tests, 10 wickets; brother of Hugh), dies at 80
• Aug 18 Ernst "Teddy" Thalmann, leader of German KPD, dies
• Aug 18 Jacques Roumain, Haitian writer (Gouverneurs de la Rosée), dies at 37

• Aug 19 Henry Wood, British conductor associated with London's promenade "Proms" concerts (Gentle Art of Singing; My Life of Music), dies following an illness at 75
• Aug 22 Raymond Aimos, actor (Golem, Mayerling, La Bandera), dies at 55
• Aug 23 Nikolay Andreyevich Roslavets, Ukrainian composer, dies at 63
• Aug 25 Krijn van den Helm, Dutch resistance fighter (KP Leeuwarden), shot to death
• Aug 25 Musa Cälil, Russian-Soviet Tatar poet (The Moabit Notebooks), and resistance fighter, executed by guillotine in Plötzensee Prison, Berlin at 38
• Aug 26 Adam von Trott zu Solz, German lawyer and diplomat, dies at 35
• Aug 27 Georg von Boeselager, German nobleman (b. 1915)
• Aug 28 Ernst Thälmann, German communist presidential candidate, dies at 58
• Aug 30 (William) Crickett Smith, American ragtime, and jazz cornetist and trumpeter (James Reese Europe's Clef Club; Ziegfeld's Midnight Frolics; Louis Mitchell's Jazz Kings), and bandleader, dies at 53
• Aug 30 Morten Nielsen, Danish poet and resistance fighter, dies resisting German occupation at 22