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SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

20 August 1944

What happened on this day in the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, with a source for every entry.

About this page

Each day we list events from the Second World War that happened on that date, from 1939 to 1945. Every entry names its source and links to it, so you can read further. Entries are sourced and machine-screened before they go up, a subset is human-reviewed, and we add more over time.

8 of 13 sourced entries for this date, chosen by the editor.

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Entries

  1. Italy

    AAI: U.S. Fifth Army regroups extensively in preparation for attack. IV Corps, with TF 45 and 1st Armd Div under command, takes over most of the army front, spreading thin along 55-mile line.

    Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)

  3. N France

    Gen Montgomery directs 21 Army Group to eliminate Falaise-Argentan Pocket before driving to the Seine; elements of 12th Army Group to drive N across Br front to lower Seine in order to cut off enemy retreat.

    Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)

  6. China-Burma-India Theater

    THOR mission records show at least 72 Allied sorties (18 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1944-08-20, flown by USAAF 14th Air Force, USAAF 10th Air Force, USAAF 20th Air Force.

    Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

    THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.

  7. European Theater

    THOR mission records show at least 927 Allied sorties (79 recorded unit missions) in the European Theater on 1944-08-20, flown by USAAF 15th Air Force, USAAF 12th Air Force.

    Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

    THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.

  8. Mediterranean Theater

    THOR mission records show at least 412 Allied sorties (18 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1944-08-20, flown by USAAF 15th Air Force, USAAF 12th Air Force. Targets included HUNGARY, ITALY.

    Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

    THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.

The full list for this date is being cleaned and will return soon.

Sources listed with each entry. Spotted an error? Tell us.

20 August in other years 19401941194219431945

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