21 Oct 1944
  • German troops surrendered at Aachen, Germany. ww2dbase [TH]
  • Canadian troops captured Breskens, the Netherlands. ww2dbase [Battle of the Scheldt Estuary | TH]
  • German Jews who were previously protected by their Aryan spouses were now deported from Germany. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • The German RSHA office ordered that the Gestapo were given the permission to execute foreign laborers. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • USS Segundo arrived at Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands, ending her first war patrol. ww2dbase [Segundo | CPC]
  • Otto Skorzeny arrived at Wolfsschanze in East Prussia, Germany. ww2dbase [Otto Skorzeny | CPC]
  • HMAS Australia was hit by a special attack aircraft off the Philippine Islands; it was unsure whether this was a Japanese Army or Navy aircraft as both branches launched tokko attacks on this date. ww2dbase [Australia | CPC]
  • USS Chub was commissioned into service, Commander C. D. Rhymes, Jr. in command. ww2dbase [Chub | CPC]
  • USS Gunnel started her seventh war patrol. ww2dbase [Gunnel | CPC]
China
  • Joseph Stilwell departed Chongqing, China in the afternoon for the United States via India. ww2dbase [Joseph Stilwell | Chongqing | CPC]
Hong Kong
  • Kamoi departed Hong Kong at 1811 hours with convoy HOMO-01 for Moji, Japan; the convoy was escorted by destroyer Asago, minesweeper W-101, and a submarine chaser. ww2dbase [Kamoi | CPC]
Italy
  • British V Corps crossed the Savio River in Italy. ww2dbase [Gothic Line Offensive | Emilia-Romagna | CPC]
  • After dark, on the Savio River in northeastern Italy, Canadian Army Seaforth Highlanders Private Ernest Alvia Smith used a PIAT anti-tank launcher to destroy a German Panther tank and two self-propelled guns and then used a Thompson submachine gun to kill or repel 30 German soldiers. He would later be awarded the Victoria Cross for this action. ww2dbase [PIAT | CPC]
Japan
  • USS Sterlet attacked a Japanese cargo ship off the southwestern coast of Amami Oshima, Japan; all three torpedoes missed. ww2dbase [Sterlet | Okinawa | CPC]
Pacific Ocean Philippines
  • Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Manila, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Manila | CPC]
  • After correcting a 13-degree list and making temporary repairs, USS Honolulu departed Leyte Gulf, Philippines bound for Kossol Passage, Palau. ww2dbase [Honolulu | Leyte Gulf | DS]
Taiwan
  • Nachi departed Mako, Pescadores Islands with Cruiser Division 21. ww2dbase [Nachi | Mako, Hoko | CPC]
United States Photo(s) dated 21 Oct 1944
Australian heavy cruisers Shropshire and Australia seen through a gunsight of American cruiser Phoenix, off Leyte, Philippine Islands, 21 Oct 1944Film actor Pat OMusashi, Yamato, a cruiser, and Nagato at Brunei, Borneo, Oct 1944; cropped photographMusashi, Yamato, a cruiser, and Nagato at Brunei, Borneo, Oct 1944
See all photos dated 21 Oct 1944

21 Oct 1944 Interactive Map

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




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