WORLD OF ALL

 🇵🇱WWII uncovered: 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade: Battle for Arnhem The 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade was formed in Scotland on September 23, 1941.It was composed of Polish soldiers who, after the fall of France in 1940, arrived in the United Kingdom. The brigade was reinforced by volunteers from Polish Army units formed in Russia and evacuated from there via the Middle East. Further volunteers came from other countries all over the world. The troops received parachute and other specialised training in the Brigade and British training centres. In June 1944 the brigade received its Regimental Colours, a gift from the Polish women of Warsaw, secretly made and consecrated in November 1942 in a Warsaw church. In July 1944 the Brigade was transferred from Scotland to England, where it became part of the First Allied Airborne Army and made operational under its newly promoted commander Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski.   On September 24 1944, during th...

 🇺🇲 WWII uncovered: D-Day 2023: Robert J. Noody: The Man Behind the Famous Photo On the evening of June 5, 1944, at Upottery Airfield, Robert J. Noody of F Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th PIR, 101st Airborne Division was immortalized in a photo taken of him aboard his C-47 immediately before takeoff. The photo was first published on the cover of an Army Air Forces magazine. (Left to Right: Frank D. Griffin, Robert J. Noody) Bob was honorably discharged from the US Army on November 29, 1945 at Fort Dix in New Jersey. On May 12, 1951 Bob married Elizabeth Courts in Belfort, New York. The couple relocated to Buffalo where Bob attended Barber School. He had a career as a barber/shop owner until his retirement in 1972 when he went to work for Prudential insurance retiring in 1987.  Bob Noody passed away on April 20, 2020 at the age of 95 years old. A highly decorated veteran, he was the recipient of the Bronze Star with the OLC, The Purple Heart Medal with OLC and the French Legion...

 🇺🇲 WWII uncovered: Lieutenant Colonel Leonard B. Cresswell Honored with the Navy Cross for Heroism in Combat on Guadalcanal. "Lieutenant Colonel Leonard B. Cresswell, Commanding Officer of the First Battalion, First Marines, First Marine Division, wearing the Navy Cross awarded him for his  “extraordinary heroism.” Colonel Cresswell led a battalion of Marines on Guadalcanal around the rear of a Japanese regiment over difficult terrain and through dense jungle. By skillfully maneuvering his troops and strategically placing his men, the Marines were able to trap and dispose of almost a thousand Japanese as they attempted to across the Tenaru River to gain control of the vital Henderson Airfield. Photograph released October 28, 1943" - Naval History and Heritage Command "Leonard Cresswell retired from the Marine Corps on June 30, 1956, after 32 years of active service and was advanced to the rank of Major General for having been specially commended in combat." Accor...

 🇺🇲WWII uncovered: D-Day: Robert Montgomery from the Silver Screen to D-Day. Robert Montgomery, of Beacon New York, joined the World War II effort prior to US involvement. Montgomery put his acting career on hold and volunteered with the American Field Service in London. The Oscar nominated actor did his bit by driving evacuation ambulances in France. He returned to the United States after Operation Dynamo, otherwise known as the Evacuation of Dunkirk.  According to Naval History and Heritage Command records: "Upon returning to the US Robert applied for a commission in the US Naval Reserve. Montgomery was sent to the Intelligence Section in the map room of the US Naval Attache office in London where he worked as an assistant. He then returned to the US where he was assigned to set up a Naval Operations room in the White House." "In 1942 Montgomery saw action at Noumea, Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal and New Georgia. He served as Operations Officer aboard the destroyer USS...

 🇺🇲 WW II uncovered  US Navy: Tony Curtis Veteran of the Pacific Theater. Born Bernard Schwartz, on June 3, 1925 in Manhattan, New York - Tony Curtis was a first generation American son of Hungarian Jewish immigrants. He began an interest in acting during his time at Seward Park High School in New York City. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Tony Curtis enlisted with the US Navy, serving on the USS Proteus (AS-19) with the rank of Signalman Third Class.  According to the National World War II Museum: "Inspired by films glorifying submarine service, Curtis applied for sub school. He was accepted, but was assigned to a sub tender, the USS Proteus (AS-19) instead of a submarine. The Proteus was stationed in Guam, where Curtis also worked as part of a relief crew readying the USS Dragonet (SS-293) to return to sea. Through binoculars, the future star watched in Tokyo Bay as the peace treaty was signed aboard the USS Missouri on September 2, 1945."  "Following his disch...

🇺🇲 WW II uncovered Chester Nez: Hero of the Original Code Talkers. Private First Class Chester Nez, of Chi Chil Tah, New Mexico, was in the 10th grade when he enlisted, keeping his decision a secret from his family. On May 5,1942, Chester, along with 28 other men formed the Recruit Training Platoon 382 at Marine Corps Base San Diego in May 1942. The 29 who graduated from boot camp were then assigned to Camp Elliot, California, where they were tasked with creating a code for secure voice tactical communication.  On August 7, 1942, the First Marine Division, including 15 Navajo Code Talkers landed on beaches of Guadalcanal. This was the first battle where the Navajo Code would be tested in actual battle. Chester also served in Bougainville, Guam, Angaur and Peleliu.  After the war, Chester returned to Albuquerque New Mexico and married Ethel Catron on June 27, 1953. He attended the University of Kansas to study art, but discontinued his studies in 1952 after his GI Bill fundin...

 🇦🇺WWII uncovered: Anzac Day 2023: Honouring Ernie Chester Walker the Last Surviving Member of the Rats of Tobruk of New South Wales Please join us in honouring Ernie Chester Walker (OAM), the last surviving member of the Rats of Tobruk in New South Wales who passed peacefully in his sleep on 22 November 2022 at his Southern Highlands home in Penrose. Ernie was 106 years old. Ernie served in the Middle East as a member of the 2/1st Pioneer Battalion. According to the Australian War Memorial: "For eight long months, surrounded by German and Italian forces, the men of the Tobruk garrison, mostly Australians, withstood tank attacks, artillery barrages, and daily bombings. They endured the desert’s searing heat, the bitterly cold nights, and hellish dust storms. They lived in dug-outs, caves, and crevasses." "The defenders of Tobruk did not surrender, they did not retreat. Their determination, bravery, and humour, combined with the aggressive tactics of their commanders, b...

 🇺🇲 WW II uncovered 🎂 Happy 96th Birthday to Tony Bennett of the 63rd Infantry Division: Veteran of the Battle of the Bulge. Please join us at WWII uncovered in wishing Mr Tony Bennett a Happy 96th Birthday.  Born Anthony Dominick Benedetto on August 3, 1926 in Queens New York, Mr Bennett would go on to become one of the most iconic entertainers in history.  Bennett, of Astoria Queens, enlisted in the US Army on November 2, 1944 at the age of 18 years old. Benedetto completed his basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and then Fort Robinson, Nebraska. In January 1945, Benedetto was assigned to the 255th Infantry Regiment of the 63rd Infantry Division, a unit filling in for the heavy losses suffered in the Battle of the Bulge. The 255th moved across France, and later, into Germany.  "In March 1945 Benedetto entered the front line. As the German Army was pushed back to its homeland, the 255th saw bitter fighting in cold winter conditions, often hunkering down in fo...

 🇺🇲WWII uncovered: Burgess Meredith: Army Air Forces. Burgess Meredith was 32 years old when he filled out his draft card. Less than a year later on February 27, 1942, the Cleveland Ohio native, put his acting career on hold and joined Army Air Forces, First Air Force, where he eventually reached the rank of Captain.  According to his April 2022 Veterans Association biography "Burgess transferred to the Office of War Information where he made training films for the US military. He was discharged in 1945 to work on the movie "The Story of G.I. Joe," in which he starred - portraying War Correspondent Ernie Pyle." After the war, Burgess Meredith continued his career on stage, screen and television. Already in established actor prior to his enlistment, Burgess gained critical acclaim for his performance in the 1939 film "Of Mice and Men." He would go on to portray such characters as The Penguin in the ABC series "Batman" and was featured regularly ...

 🇦🇺WWII uncovered: John William Goffage from the Royal Australian Air Force to the Silver Screen. According to the Australian War Memorial: "John Goffage had done a variety of jobs ranging from deck-hand, drover and shearer to operating an ice-cream parlour. However, he also had an interest in the arts, including poetry, painting, and acting. He entered show business as a magician’s assistant and also worked as a film extra. Eventually he became an actor, famous by his screen-name, “Chips Rafferty” and a role in the 1940 film "Dad Rudd MP" which brought Rafferty to public's attention. From there he was cast in a leading role in Charles Chauvel’s Australian Light Horse classic, "Forty Thousand Horsemen."  "The following year, at 32 years of age, on 29 May 1941 Rafferty enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force and eventually saw service in Australia, New Guinea, and the Netherlands East Indies, including Milne Bay and Morotai." "In April 19...