1 Apr 1888
- Terry Allen was born.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1914
- Vice Admiral Reijiro Kawashima succeeded Vice Admiral Hajime Sakamoto as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Military Port (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
1 Apr 1916
- Lieutenant General Tan Shirozu was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Chosen Army in occupied Korea.
1 Apr 1917
- Quintin Brand was promoted to the rank of lieutenant.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1918
- Quintin Brand was promoted to the rank of temporary captain.
» In-depth article - The British Royal Air Force was created out of the uniting of the Army’s Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Navy Air Service. It was be the world's first independent air service.
1 Apr 1920
- The German Workers Party (DAP) was officially renamed the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (NSDAP).
- The last American ground troops sailed from Vladivostock, Russia to the considerable relief of the State Department, leaving only units of the US Navy in the harbour.
1 Apr 1922
- William Manchester was born.
» In-depth article - Vice Admiral Kiyohiro Ijichi was named the chief of staff of Vice Admiral Kesataro Kawahara (Ryojun Military Port, northeastern China).
1 Apr 1924
- Adolf Hitler was sentenced to 5 years in prison for his participation in the Beer Hall Putsch; he would be released after only 9 months.
» In-depth article - Canada established its own air force. The Royal Canadian Air Force began its existence with just 68 officers and 307 airmen. Its role was specified as mapping, flying treaty money to native Canadians, hunting smugglers and illegal immigrants, and carrying mail and injured persons.
- Photos dated 1 Apr 1924
1 Apr 1925
- Werner von Blomberg was promoted to the rank of Oberst.
» In-depth article - Walther von Brauchitsch was promoted to the rank of Oberstleutnant.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1928
- Werner von Blomberg was promoted to the rank of Generalmajor.
» In-depth article - Walther von Brauchitsch was promoted to the rank of Oberst.
» In-depth article - The towns of Kegoya, Yoshiura, and Aga were merged into Kure, Japan.
- Light carrier Hosho was assigned to Carrier Division 1.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
1 Apr 1931
- Werner Mölders joined the German Army as an officer cadet.
» In-depth article - A SA rebellion led by Walther Stenners briefly overturned the National Socialist leadership in Berlin, Germany, only to be swept aside by an emotional appeal by Hitler for the need for party loyalty.
- Wolfgang Falck began a year-long training program to become a commercial pilot at Schleissheim, Bavaria, Germany.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1932
- Adolf Eichmann joined the Austrian branch of the Nazi Party as member 889 895.
» In-depth article - Erwin Rommel was promoted to the rank of Major.
» In-depth article - Werner Mölders was promoted to the rank of Fahnenjunker-Unteroffizier.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1933
- The SA organization of the Nazi Party boycotted Jewish shops, attorneys, and doctors across Germany. Jewish students were barred out of schools and universities.
- Josef Bühler joined the Nazi Party.
» In-depth article - Deutschland was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1934
- Wilhelm Keitel was promoted to the rank of Generalmajor.
» In-depth article - Rudolf Höss was accepted into the SS organization and was given the rank of SS-Mann.
» In-depth article - The Hamburgischer Correspondent, a German newspaper that had been in print since 1710, was dissolved by the Nazi German government; its assets were acquired by the publisher Hermanns Erben.
1 Apr 1935
- In Germany a nationwide network of clinics for racial hygiene was established with the aim of collecting and processing data about citizens' racial purity. The information obtained would provide a perverse instrument for social discrimination throughout the country.
» In-depth article - Rudolf Höss was promoted to the rank of SS-Scharführer.
» In-depth article - Hitler formally announced the re-establishment of the German armed forces outside the terms permitted by the Versailles treaty.
» In-depth article - The German Air Force (Luftwaffe) was established with Hermann Göring as its Commander-in-Chief.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1936
- The Division of Aviation was established at Headquarters, US Marine Corps under the command of Colonel Road E . Rowell, the former head of the Marine Aviation Section.
- Wolfgang Falck was assigned to the 5th group of Jagdgeschwader 2 "Richthofen", based at Jüterbog-Damm, Germany. He was placed in charge of furthering the training of new pilots assigned to the unit.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1937
- Hugo Sperrle was promoted to the rank of Generalleutnant.
» In-depth article - Air Vice Marshal John H. S. Tyssen became the commanding officer of the No. 12 Group RAF.
- Akagi was taken out of service and entered drydock for extensive modernization at Sasebo Naval Yard, Japan. Records showed the date of this event simply as "Apr 1937"; the exact date was not noted.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
1 Apr 1938
- Chinese guerrilla fighters destroyed a Japanese field supply dump at Zaozhuang, Jiangsu Province by setting it afire.
» In-depth article - Hiroaki Abe was transferred out of battleship Fuso.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1939
- Prototype A6M Zero fighter took its maiden flight at Kagamigahara airfield, Japan.
» In-depth article - At the launching ceremony of German battleship Tirpitz, Adolf Hitler gave a fiery speech that was so extreme that it was decided at the last minute that it would not be broadcast to foreign nations in fear of talks of war provocation. The broadcast to the United States was cut off halfway, leading to false rumors that Adolf Hitler was assassinated amidst the speech.
» In-depth article - Grossadmiral Tirpitz's daughter Frau von Hassel christened the battleship named after her father.
» In-depth article - Bersagliere was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article - Historical document written: No. 20: Speech by Herr Hitler at Wilhelmshaven
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1940
- Hitler set the date of the Denmark and Norway invasion to be 9 Apr 1940. 2 divisions were allocated for Denmark and 6 division for Norway, while a bulk of the German Navy was to support the overall operation. Coordinated support in the air from the Luftwaffe was also planned.
» In-depth article - British Royal Navy Vice Admiral Max Horton, in charge of submarines operating in Britain, dispatched 9 British submarines, 2 French submarines, and 1 Polish submarine to patrol the waters near Norway and Denmark in anticipation of a German invasion of the two countries.
- The towns of Ota, Kuai, Sawano, and Niragawa in Gunma Prefecture, Japan were merged to form a new town of Ota.
- Chinese troops captured Wuyuan, Suiyuan Province, China.
» In-depth article - USS Skipjack departed San Diego, California, United States for the Hawaiian Islands area for training exercises.
» In-depth article - Historical document written: Unidentified Cover Names (New York)
» In-depth article - Photos dated 1 Apr 1940
1 Apr 1941
- In Italian East Africa, advancing British tanks were met by 2 police officers from Asmara, declaring the Eritrean capital an open city; troops of Indian 5th Division entered the city at 1000 hours, accepting the surrender of 5,000 Italian prisoners of war, while British armored cars under Colonel Bernard Fletcher raced toward Adigrat to cut off the Italian retreat into Abyssinia. To the east, German merchant ships continued to leave the port of Massawa; British destroyer HMS Kandahar intercepted German ship Bertram Rickmers, which was scuttled by her own crew.
» In-depth article - Pro-German officers under Rashid Ali began their move against the government; Rashid Ali declared himself the "Chief of the National Defence Government."
» In-depth article - To avoid being captured by the Americans and Canadians, 8 German merchant ships were scuttled by their own crews in various South American ports.
» In-depth article - German bombers sank British tanker San Conrado and Norwegian tanker Hidlefjord 45 miles west of Milford Haven, Wales, United Kingdom, killing the entire crew of 29 of the latter. Three other tanks were also damaged during this attack.
- Historical document written: Message from Churchill to Matsuoka
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1942
- Japanese troops landed at Buka and Santa Isabel in the Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article - Submarine USS Swordfish departed with 40 tons of food and supplies for Corregidor, Philippine Islands, but she would be unable to deliver before the American garrison surrendered at Bata'an.
- Georg von Bismarck became the commanding officer of the 21st Panzer Division.
» In-depth article - As Italian bombers sank British submarines HMS P36 and HMS Pandora in Valetta Harbour, Malta, the island had become one of the most bombed place on earth. Although Malta remained a thorn on the Axis' side, making convoying between Italy and North Africa hazardous, the Luftwaffe told an impatient Hitler that they could not sink an island with bombs.
» In-depth article - Joseph Stilwell arrived in Chongqing, China, threatening to resign his post as Chiang's chief of staff over Chinese field commanders' insubordination.
» In-depth article - German submarine U-77 was damaged by a British Swordfish aircraft 50 miles north of Sidi Barrani, Egypt, causing her to lose the ability to dive.
- British submarine HMS Urge sank Italian cruiser Bande Nere north of Sicily, Italy at 0900 hours with two torpedo hits.
- Soviet submarine SC-404 sank German freighter Michel in the Barents Sea 8 miles north of Kirkenes, Norway.
- German anti-submarine trawler UJ-1203 struck a mine and sank in the Gulf of Finland.
- In Washington DC, United States, General George Marshall and his General Staff enthusiastically accepted a plan, submitted by Dwight Eisenhower, for an immediate assault across the English Channel into Nazi-occupied France with ten divisions of British and Canadian troops; it was understood that the British and the Canadians would likely see a very high casualty rate from such an invasion.
» In-depth article - German submarine U-71 sank British ship Eastmoor 500 miles north of Bermuda at 0403 hours; 16 were killed, 32 survived. About two hours later at 0618 hours, U-754 sank US tanker Tiger 10 miles off Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States, killing 1 of 43 aboard. To the southeast, 60 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, U-160 sank British ship Rio Blanco at 1622 hours; 19 were killed, 21 survived. In the far south Atlantic, at 1724 hours, German armed merchant cruiser Thor sank British freighter Willesden with gunfire and a torpedo; 2 were killed. Finally, U-202 sank British ship Loch Don 500 miles north of Bermuda at 2314 hours; 3 were killed, 44 survived.
» In-depth article - British submarine HMS Truant sank Japanese merchant ships Yae Maru and Shunsei Maru in the Malacca Strait between Malaya and Sumatra, Dutch East Indies.
- During this month, Captain Kaoru Arima, Chief Equipping Officer of the future battleship Musashi, paid an orientation visit on Yamato with members of Musashi's fitting-out crew.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Saipan, departing later on the same day.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Trawler Anticosti was launched.
» In-depth article - USS Astoria arrived at Nouméa, New Caledonia.
» In-depth article - Light carrier Hosho was assigned to the 1st Air Fleet.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Japanese cruiser Naka was hit by a torpedo from US submarine USS Seawolf off Christmas Island, causing serious damage. She would be towed to Bantam Bay, Java, Dutch East Indies for repairs.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Photos dated 1 Apr 1942
1 Apr 1943
- 12 British Mosquito aircraft destroyed a power station and a railways yard at Trier, Germany without any losses; local reports recorded 21 deaths. On the same date, RAF Squadron Leader C. O'Donoghue of 103 Squadron commanded a lone Lancaster bomber on a bombing attack on Emmerich, Germany; the aircraft was shot down, killing the entire crew.
» In-depth article - US 1st and 9th Infantry Divisions attacked Italian positions at Hill 369 near El Guettar, Tunisia for the third consecutive day to little success.
» In-depth article - US Marine Corps established Marine Aircraft Group S3 at Cherry Point, North Carolina, United States under Lieutenant Colonel Frank H. Schwable; it was the first USMC night fighter group.
- The US Marine Corps activated the 4th Base Depot at Nouméa, New Caledonia.
- US Navy Construction Battalions in US Territory of Hawaii to take over construction projects previously worked on by civilian contractors.
- The Mako Guard District at Pescadores islands, Taiwan was transferred to Takao in southern Taiwan, and it was renamed the Takao Guard District. Vice Admiral Takeo Takagi remained the guard district's commanding officer.
» In-depth article - Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Truk.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Submarine Croaker was laid down.
» In-depth article - I-168 arrived at Kiska, Aleutian Islands from Paramushiro, Kurile Islands; she took on sick personnel of the Kiska garrison and departed.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - USS Mingo departed Long Island, New York, United States area for Newport, Rhode Island, United States.
» In-depth article - USS Tunny patrolled off North Pass Island and Truk, Caroline Islands.
» In-depth article - Destroyer Yuzuki was assigned to the 2nd Surface Escort Division.
» In-depth article - Thorn was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1944
- US bombers unintentionally hit Schaffhausen, Switzerland, leading to official protests and reparation payments.
» In-depth article - The Japanese Navy 12th Air Fleet was reorganized to contain two air flotillas, one communication unit, one weather observation unit, and one air base unit.
- Japanese troops captured Nippon Hill near Imphal, India.
» In-depth article - The Japanese attack on the Broadway site of Operation Thursday in Burma was repulsed.
» In-depth article - USS Franklin crossed the International Date Line.
» In-depth article - Cruiser Köln was recommissioned for training of cadet engineers with Fregattenkapitän Hellmuth Strobel in command.
» In-depth article - Light carrier Ryuho arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - USS Flying Fish sank a Japanese transport off Okinawa, Japan, hitting her with 2 of 2 torpedoes fired.
» In-depth article - Photos dated 1 Apr 1944
1 Apr 1945
- British Sub Lieutenant R. H. Reynolds's Seafire carrier fighter shot down two A6M5 Zero fighters; these were the first Seafire fighter victories against Zero fighters.
» In-depth article - US Tenth Army invaded Okinawa, Japan. Japanese aircraft launched a massive counter-attack, damaging USS West Virginia, USS Tennessee, and HMS Indefatigable, among others.
» In-depth article - US First and Ninth Armies complete the encirclement of the Ruhr industrial area at Lippstadt, cutting off the 21 divisions (about 500,000 men) of the German Army Group B.
» In-depth article - US First Army captured Paderborn and Hamm, Germany.
» In-depth article - Soviet 3rd Ukrainian Front captured Wiener Neustadt, occupied Austria.
» In-depth article - American prisoners of war held at Ziegenhain, Germany were liberated by troops of the US 455th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion.
- US 158th Regimental Combat Team landed near Legaspi, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article - Soviet artillery began a 6-day artillery bombardment against Königsberg, East Prussia, Germany.
» In-depth article - Allied troops captured Doetinchem, Borculo, Eibergen, and Enschede in the Netherlands.
- An Ohka special attack mission was launched and damaged USS West Virginia off Okinawa, Japan; on the same day, a cache of 15 Ohka aircraft was captured by the United States Marines on Okinawa, who nicknamed them baka, Japanese for "fool", as the discovery was made on April Fool's Day.
» In-depth article - USS Cassin Young supported the invasion of Okinawa, Japan.
» In-depth article - USS Tirante attacked a Japanese landing ship with three torpedoes, but all missed.
» In-depth article - The 11,000-ton Japanese liner Awa Maru, given safe passage by the Americans because she had revealed that she was carrying Red Cross parcels and other aid to Allied POWs, was torpedoed and sunk by American submarine USS Queenfish in the Taiwan Strait after a breakdown in communications. Of the estimated 2,500 people on board, many of them skilled Japanese technicians, only one survived. For the only time in the war, the US Government acknowledged responsibility for wrongfully sinking an enemy ship and promised compensation after the war. Queenfish's commanding officer was court martialled for negligence, but was later exonerated based on the fact that Awa Maru was later discovered to be smuggling rubber and other war materials.
» In-depth article - USS Tunny completed her lifeguard duties off Okinawa, Japan and set sail for US Territory of Hawaii via Midway Atoll.
» In-depth article - USS Missouri covered the landings at Okinawa, Japan.
» In-depth article - Light carrier Ryuho entered the drydocks at Kure, Japan for repairs; the repair would be halted shortly after as the damage was judged to be too extensive.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - Photos dated 1 Apr 1945
See all photos dated 1 Apr 1945
1 Apr 1946
- Portions of the Alaska-Canadian Highway physically located in Canada were turned over to the Canadian government.
- The US Navy conducted a mass scuttling of captured enemy warships. Twenty-one surviving giant Japanese submarines (including the infamous I-58) were among the vessels destroyed.
- Commander Jack Seymour became the commanding officer of USS Charr.
» In-depth article - Katsuragi was decommissioned from service.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement - I-58 was decommissioned from service.
» In-depth article - Photos dated 1 Apr 1946
1 Apr 1947
- George II passed away.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1949
- General Alexander Vandegrift, Commandant of the US Marine Corps, retired after over 40 years of service.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1952
- USS Iowa became the flagship of Vice Admiral Robert P. Briscoe of the US 7th Fleet.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1960
- USS Pompon was decommissioned from service and struck from the US Naval Register.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1965
- Henry Crerar passed away.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1996
- The Mare Island Naval Shipyard at Vallejo, California, United States was decommissioned from service.
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
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