United States
- Joseph Stilwell was born in Palatka, Florida, United States. ww2dbase [Joseph Stilwell | Palatka, Florida | CPC]
Germany
- Walter Stettner von Grabenhofen was born in München, Germany. ww2dbase [Walter Stettner von Grabenhofen | CPC]
- Martti Aho was born in Keminmaa, Finland. ww2dbase [Martti Aho | CPC]
Korea
- Lieutenant General Rikisaburo Saito was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Chosen Army in occupied Korea. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Albert Speer was born. ww2dbase [Albert Speer | CPC]
- Adolf Eichmann was born. ww2dbase [Adolf Eichmann | CPC]
- Adolf Galland was born. ww2dbase [Adolf Galland | CPC]
- Marina Stirbey was born in Vienna, Austria-Hungary. ww2dbase [Marina Stirbey | Vienna | CPC]
- Douglas MacArthur led US Secretary of War Newton Baker on a tour near the front lines. ww2dbase [Douglas MacArthur | CPC]
- The French cruiser Amiral Aube arrived at Murmansk, Russia to join Admiral Kemp's Squadron. ww2dbase [AC]
- Admiral William S. Sims, commander of the US Naval forces in European waters, asked Washington to provide a warship to join the British and French naval force assembling at Murmansk, Russia. After consultation with the State Department, Admiral Benson, the Chief of Naval Operations, signaled back that no American ship could be spared to operate in north Russian water. Sims however continued to press for a reversal of the decision and after a few days Benson relented and ordered the cruiser USS Olympia to proceed to Murmansk. ww2dbase [AC]
- USS Arizona embarked US President Herbert Hoover and departed Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States for a trip to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. ww2dbase [Arizona | CPC]
- The keel of Algérie was laid down at Brest, France. ww2dbase [Algérie | Brest, Bretagne | CPC]
- The second prototype of the Mitsubishi Ki-15 aircraft took flight. ww2dbase [Ki-15 | CPC]
- Fleet Exercise No. 5 in the Caribbean Sea, participated by US Navy and US Marine Corps personnel, drew to a close. ww2dbase [CPC]
- British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Lord Halifax explained to the Soviet ambassador in the United Kingdom that the reason for the rejection for Joseph Stalin's call for a multi-power conference to contain Germany was due to the lack of available personnel to embark on these negotiations. ww2dbase [Halifax | CPC]
- In retaliation for the Scapa Flow raid, the RAF attacked the German seaplane base on Sylt Island, but with little effect. Meanwhile, British Whitley bombers of 10 Squadron No. 4 Group RAF Bomber Command dropped 1,500 pounds of bombs over the Hornum seaplane base in Germany also as part of the retaliatory bombing. ww2dbase [TH]
- German submarine U-19 sank Danish steamer Minsk in the Moray Firth, Scotland at 0935 hours, killing 11. Destroyer HMS Esk rescued 9 survivors. At 1037 hours, U-19 struck again, sinking Danish steamer Charkow, killing the entire crew of 20. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Members of the British House of Commons debated Britain's lack of action during the Winter War and criticized Prime Minister Chamberlain. Chamberlain noted that Finland never officially requested British military aid. ww2dbase [Neville Chamberlain | CPC]
- The French Parliament criticized Prime Minister Daladier for the French inaction during the Winter War. Daladier resigned after a vote of no confidence. ww2dbase [Édouard Daladier | CPC]
- British destroyer HMS Jervis collided with Swedish steamer Tor northeast of Blyth, England at 0300 hours, killing 2 aboard Jervis. She would be under repair until Jul 1940. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Yosuke Matsuoka departed Berlin, Germany. ww2dbase [Yosuke Matsuoka | Berlin | CPC]
- M18 was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [M18 | CPC]
- The French government-in-exile in Britain established a central bank. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Mass-produced vegetable casseroles went on sale in Britain for 8 pence per pound. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Erwin Rommel met with Adolf Hitler, Generalfeldmarschall Walther von Brauchitsch, and Chief of Staff General Franz Halder. Rommel was told to expect no reinforcements in Libya until May, when the German 15th Panzer Division would be assigned to him. ww2dbase [Erwin Rommel | Adolf Hitler | Franz Halder | Walther von Brauchitsch | CPC]
- Adolf Hitler gave Prince Paul of Yugoslavia an ultimatum, asking him to join the Tripartite Pact within five days, or face invasion. ww2dbase [The Tripartite Pact | Adolf Hitler | CPC]
- German submarine U-105 sank Dutch ship Mandalika of Allied convoy SL-68 350 miles west of Nouakchott, Mauritania, French West Africa. 3 were killed and 62 survivors were rescued by British corvette HMS Marguerite. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Scharnhorst and Gneisenau began their return voyage to Brest, France. ww2dbase [Operation Berlin | Gneisenau | Scharnhorst | CPC]
- 370 German Luftwaffe aircraft bombed London, England, United Kingdom, killing 750. Several freighters and auxiliary anti-aircraft ship Helvellyn were sunk or damaged in London docks. ww2dbase [Battle of Britain | London, England | CPC]
- Operations Munich and Bamberg were launched against Soviet partisans, though tactical successes turned out to be counter-productive, encouraging more civilians to join the partisans. ww2dbase [TH]
- Lieutenant General William Slim was ordered to lead the Burma Corps. ww2dbase [William Slim | CPC]
- British censorship on caricatures, obituaries, and football scores led to widespread complaint; Home Secretary Morrison threatened Daily Mirror with shut down order unless the newspaper obeyed the censorship laws. ww2dbase [CPC]
- German submarine U-124 sank US tanker Papoose 25 miles south of Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States at 0431 hours; 2 were killed, 32 survived. To the northwest, German submarine U-332 sank US freighter Liberator off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina at 0419 hours; 5 were killed, 30 survived. At 0538 hours, U-124 attacked again off Cape Fear, sinking US tanker W. E. Hutton; 13 were killed, 12 survived. ww2dbase [Second Happy Time | CPC]
- The advance echelon of US Marine Aircraft Group 13 arrived at the newly-completed airfield at Tutuila, American Samoa. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Japanese troops captured Pyu, Burma. ww2dbase [Invasion of Burma | CPC]
- USS St. Louis departed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii as an escort for a convoy bound for San Francisco, California. ww2dbase [St. Louis | DS]
- Japanese bombers attacked Port Moresby, Australian Papua. ww2dbase [Port Moresby | CPC]
- The keel of seaplane tender Hermann Köhl was laid down by the F. Schichau yard in Königsburg, Germany. ww2dbase [F. Schichau Königsburg | Hermann Köhl | Königsburg, Ostpreußen | CPC]
- Yugure arrived at Ise Bay, Japan at 0000 hours, and departed at 1700 hours. ww2dbase [Yugure | Ise Bay | CPC]
- At Bataan Peninsula at Luzon, Philippine Islands, US and Filipino troops were put on quarter rations (1000 calories) as the food supplies dwindled. The supply of quinine, a medicine for malaria, had also depleted. ww2dbase [Invasion of the Philippine Islands | CPC]
- German Armeegruppe Nord cut off General Vlasov's Soviet 2nd Shock Army in a salient on the Volkhov River near Novgorod 50 miles southeast of Leningrad, Russia. ww2dbase [Siege of Leningrad | Novgorod | TH, CPC]
- USS Honolulu arrived at Tutuila, Samoa. ww2dbase [Honolulu | Pago Pago, American Samoa | DS]
19 Mar 1942 Interactive Map
- The new radiolocation system ASV III was used over the Bay of Biscay off France by bombers of No. 172 Squadron RAF. ww2dbase [CPC]
- The British launched Operation Pugilist in Tunisia against the Axis Mareth Line, penetrating the line near Zarat. ww2dbase [Operations Pugilist and Supercharge II | CPC]
- The China Air Task Force was incorporated into the USAAF 14th Air Force. ww2dbase [CPC]
- The largest air drop in support of Operation Longcloth in Burma was conducted, delivering 100 tons of supplies to the Chindits. ww2dbase [Operation Longcloth | CPC]
- Captain Lester Hudson was named the commanding officer of USS San Diego. ww2dbase [San Diego | CPC]
- USS S-43 departed Coco Solo, Colón, Panama Canal Zone (now Cativá, Panama). ww2dbase [S-43 | Colón | CPC]
- Leonardo da Vinci sank British freighter Lulworth, en route from Cape Town, South Africa to Freetown, Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate, with two torpedo hits in the Atlantic Ocean at 0400 hours. One of the survivors was rescued by Leonardo da Vinci, while 14 others took to a lifeboat. The lifeboat was not found until 49 days later, by HMS Rapid, by which time only two were still alive. At 2158 hours, Leonardo da Vinci made rendezvous with fellow Italian submarine Giuseppe Finzi and transferred the Lulworth survivor and Empress of Canada survivor to Giuseppe Finzi. Meanwhile, Giuseppe Finzi transferred 90 tons of fuel, three torpedoes, food, and lubricating oil to Leonardo da Vinci. The two submarines parted ways at 2340 hours. ww2dbase [Leonardo da Vinci | Giuseppe Finzi | CPC]
- Shokaku departed Yokosuka, Japan for Kure, Japan. ww2dbase [Shokaku | Yokosuka, Kanagawa | CPC]
- Light carrier Ryuho departed Yokosuka, Japan for the Oita, Japan region of the Inland Sea. ww2dbase [Ryuho | Yokosuka, Kanagawa | CPC]
- Kongo departed Sasebo, Japan for the West Inland Sea, with Yugure and Hagikaze in escort. ww2dbase [Kongo | Yugure | Sasebo, Nagasaki | CPC]
- USS Whale spotted a Japanese convoy consisted of two large freighters and one armed escort off Saipan, Mariana Islands and began tracking the convoy. ww2dbase [Whale | CPC]
- USS Wahoo sank freighter Zogen Maru in the Yellow Sea, hitting her with a torpedo; all aboard were killed. Four hours later, she damaged freighter Kowa Maru, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes (only one of them detonated; the other failed to do so). ww2dbase [Wahoo | Yellow Sea | CPC]
- The Japanese passenger ship, Takachihi Maru, was torpedoed and sunk off Taiwan. More than 1,200 perish, mainly Japanese and Taiwanese civilians (Taiwan was a Japanese colony at the time). It remained Taiwan's worst sea disaster. ww2dbase [AC]
- Henry Arnold was promoted to the rank of general. ww2dbase [Henry Arnold | CPC]
See all photos dated 19 Mar 1943
19 Mar 1943 Interactive Map
- USS Cassin Young arrived at Pearl Harbor. ww2dbase [Cassin Young | CPC]
- German troops occupied Hungary. Adolf Eichmann arrived in Hungary to begin mass deportation of the 750,000 Hungarian Jews who, thus far, had been largely unmolested. ww2dbase [Adolf Eichmann | CPC]
- Former Vichy French Interior Minister Pierre Pucheu was killed in Algiers in North Africa. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Soviet troops captured Mogilev-Podolski and Vinnitsa, Ukraine. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Lieutenant General Edson Burns took command of the Canadian First Corps. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Edmund Veesenmayer was assigned to the German embassy in Budapest, Hungary with plenipotentiary powers. ww2dbase [Edmund Veesenmayer | CPC]
- Louis Mountbatten recovered from his temporary blindness at Ledo, India, as pronounced by US Army eye specialist Captain Scheie. On the same day, he issued a reprimand against Orde Wingate for sending complaints of his fellow officers through clear text so that it could be read by all cipher and signals staff. ww2dbase [Louis Mountbatten | CPC]
- Léon Degrelle was awarded the Close Combat Clasp in Silver. ww2dbase [Léon Degrelle | CPC]
- Léon Degrelle was awarded the Wound Badge in Gold. ww2dbase [Léon Degrelle | CPC]
- U-1059 was sunk by depth charges dropped by a US Navy Avenger aircraft (Lieutenant (jg) N. T. Dowty of VC-6 squadron, USS Block Island) in the Atlantic Ocean about 960 kilometers or about 600 miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands at 0726 hours. Her gunners were able to hit the Avenger aircraft on its second attack run, killing the pilot and one of the crew. ww2dbase [U-1059 | CPC]
- US Marines landed on Emirau, Bismarck Islands; the landings were not opposed. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 3 | Emirau | CPC]
- Chinese 66th Regiment captured Jambu Bum ridge in northern Burma, about 140 kilometers northwest of Myitkyina. ww2dbase [Battle of Myitkyina | Jambu Bum | CPC]
- Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Officers and men of Air Group 100 arrived on board. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]
- Allies launched Operation Strangle, which was consisted of air interdiction attacks on the rail yards at Sienna, Italy. ww2dbase [Sienna, Toscana | TH]
- British and New Zealand troops attacked German positions in the Cassino, Italy area, making very little progress in the face of German 1st Parachute Division. ww2dbase [Battle of Monte Cassino | Cassino, Lazio | CPC]
- Italian motor torpedo boats attacked the Allied beachhead at Anzio, Italy before dawn, engaging in brief combat. ww2dbase [Battle of Anzio | Anzio, Lazio | CPC]
- Vasily Chuikov was made a Hero of the Soviet Union for the first time and was awarded the Order of Lenin for the second time. ww2dbase [Vasily Chuikov | CPC]
- USS Proteus exited Mare Island Navy Yard, Vallejo, California, United States and departed for Midway. ww2dbase [Mare Island Navy Yard | Proteus | Vallejo, California | CPC]
- Escort carrier USS Card arrived at Staten Island Army Base, New York. ww2dbase [Card | Staten Island, New York | DS]
19 Mar 1944 Interactive Map
- US Seventh Army captured Worms, Germany. ww2dbase [Advance to the Rhine | TH]
- Hitler issued the Nero Decree, which was a scorched Earth policy to prevent any industry, utility, or transportation from being used by the advancing Allied and Soviet armies. Albert Speer, the Armaments Minister, recognized the need for this infrastructure after the war and undermined efforts to carry out the decree. ww2dbase [Albert Speer | TH]
- General of Panzer Troops Walther Nehring replaced Gotthard Heinrici as the commander of the German 1.Panzerarmee. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Adolf Hitler ordered Gotthard Heinrici to replace Heinrich Himmler as the commander of Group Vistula as suggested by Heinz Guderian. ww2dbase [CPC]
- France signed an economic pact with the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. ww2dbase [CPC]
- USS Sea Robin departed Subic Bay, Philippine Islands, continuing her second war patrol. ww2dbase [Sea Robin | CPC]
- Anglo-Indian troops attempted to cross the moat of Fort Dufferin in Mandalay, Burma in failure, suffering heavy casualties. A commando raid was put together to penetrate the fortress, but it would not be carried out due to the unexpected Japanese surrender on the next day. ww2dbase [Battle of Meiktila-Mandalay | Mandalay | CPC]
- A nearly complete Japanese Fu-Go balloon bomb was found near Marie Lake, Manitoba, Canada. ww2dbase [Fu-Go | Marie Lake, Manitoba | DS]
- Soviet troops captured the heights over Zoppot, Germany (formerly of Danzig; now Sopot, Poland) near the city of Danzig. ww2dbase [East Pomeranian Offensive | Zoppot | CPC]
- Dwight Eisenhower, Walter Bedell Smith, and Kay Summersby arrived at Cannes, France to take a short break from the war. He spent much of the next three days sleeping and simply doing nothing. ww2dbase [Dwight Eisenhower | Cannes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | CPC]
- George Patton received permission from his superiors to take the US 3rd Army across the Rhine River. ww2dbase [Crossing the Rhine | CPC]
- The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against rail facilities at Plauen, Germany. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | RAF Thurleigh | Plauen | DS]
- USS S-35 was decommissioned from service at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. ww2dbase [Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island Naval Air Station | S-35 | Honolulu, Oahu | CPC]
- USS Parche departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her fifth war patrol. ww2dbase [Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island Naval Air Station | Parche | Pearl Harbor, Oahu | CPC]
- In Japan, aircraft of US Navy TF 58 attacked targets on Kyushu and Honshu (Kure, Osaka, and Kobe), destroying submarine I-205 (still under construction) and damaging many warships. ww2dbase [Bombing of Tokyo and Other Cities | CPC]
- Light carrier Ryuho was damaged by three bombs and two rockets delivered by US aircraft at Kure, Japan between 0720 and 0905 hours. 20 were killed and 30 were wounded. Her flight deck and boiler room were damaged, and a gash on the port side caused her to settle in six feet of water on the aft side. ww2dbase [Ryuho | Kure, Hiroshima | CPC]
- Light carrier Hosho was attacked by 7 US aircraft off Kure, Japan at 0532 hours, receiving three hits, which caused minor damage and killed six. ww2dbase [Hosho | Kure, Hiroshima | CPC]
- USS Yorktown (Essex-class), USS Enterprise, USS Intrepid, USS Langley (Independence-class), USS Flint, USS San Diego, and USS St. Louis continued air operations against the three southernmost islands of Japan. ww2dbase [Battle of Iwo Jima | Yorktown (Essex-class) | Langley (Independence-class) | Intrepid | Enterprise | San Diego | St. Louis | DS]
- In Sonoyta, Mexico, a short distance from the US border, a grounded Japanese Fu-Go balloon bomb was located. ww2dbase [Fu-Go | Sonoyta, Sonora | DS]
- USS Franklin was struck by a 250-kilogram bomb by a Japanese D4Y3 or D3A aircraft, which broke through the fir planks and detonated in the hangar deck; the 22 aircraft in the hangar deck, which were in the process of arming and refueling, burst in blames. A second bomb, ignition of gasoline vapors, or ignition of ammunition destroyed a further 31 aircraft. Damage control teams were able to save the ship. 724 were killed and 265 were wounded. ww2dbase [Franklin | CPC]
- USS Kete was ordered to depart Ryukyu Islands area for refueling at Midway, then to sail on to Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. ww2dbase [Kete | CPC]
- USS Bluefish damaged a Japanese boat south of Japan with her deck gun. ww2dbase [Bluefish | CPC]
- USS Iowa departed San Francisco, California, United States. ww2dbase [Iowa | San Francisco, California | CPC]
See all photos dated 19 Mar 1945
19 Mar 1945 Interactive Map
- Captain Frank Robinson Walker was named the commanding officer of USS Astoria. ww2dbase [Astoria (Cleveland-class) | CPC]
- The Soviet Council of Commissars was renamed the Council of Ministers. Joseph Stalin remained as the chairman of the council. ww2dbase [Joseph Stalin | Moscow | CPC]
- Lavrentiy Beria was named one of the deputies of the newly renamed Soviet Council of Ministers. ww2dbase [Lavrentiy Beria | Moscow | CPC]
- Sergei Kruglov was named the Minister of Internal Affairs (MVD) in the Soviet Council of Ministers. ww2dbase [Moscow | CPC]
- Vsevolod Merkulov was named the Minister of State Security (MGB) in the Soviet Council of Ministers. ww2dbase [Vsevolod Merkulov | Moscow | CPC]
- USS Puffer arrived at San Francisco, California, United States. ww2dbase [Puffer | San Francisco, California | CPC]
Luxembourg
- George Patton's remains were moved to a different grave site within the Luxembourg American Cemetery and Memorial in Hamm, Luxembourg. ww2dbase [George Patton | Hamm | CPC]
- Queen Elizabeth was decommissioned from service. ww2dbase [Queen Elizabeth | CPC]
- HMS Valiant was sold for scrap while at Devonport, Devon, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Valiant | Devonport, England | CPC]
- James Somerville passed away. ww2dbase [James Somerville | CPC]
- Tang Enbo arrived at Xikou, Zhejiang Province, China. ww2dbase [Tang Enbo | Xikou, Zhejiang | CPC]
- The residential and commercial sections of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States were opened to public access for the first time. ww2dbase [Operation Trinity and Manhattan Project | Clinton Engineer Works | Oak Ridge, Tennessee | CPC]
19 Mar 1949 Interactive Map
United States
- USS Wasp departed Boston, Massachusetts, United States for Springboard operations in the Caribbean Sea. ww2dbase [Wasp (Essex-class) | Boston, Massachusetts | CPC]
Spain
- William Laurence died from a blood clot in the brain at the age of 89. ww2dbase [William Laurence | Majorca | DS]
19 Mar 1977 Interactive Map
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this article with your friends: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
- » WW2DB's 19th Anniversary (29 Dec 2023)
- » Looted Painting "Madonna with Child" Returned to Poland (2 Jun 2023)
- » Wreck of USS Mannert L. Abele Found (29 May 2023)
- » Wreck of Montevideo Maru Found (25 Apr 2023)
- » Accidental Detonation of a WW2-Era Bomb in Great Yarmouth (10 Feb 2023)
- » See all news
- » 1,145 biographies
- » 336 events
- » 43,415 timeline entries
- » 1,237 ships
- » 349 aircraft models
- » 208 vehicle models
- » 372 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 259 facilities
- » 467 book reviews
- » 28,346 photos
- » 432 maps
Winston Churchill, on the RAF
Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!
Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!