SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

17 April 1945

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.

6 of 10 sourced entries for this date, chosen by the editor.

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Entries

Burma

Adm Mountbatten issues directive for modified DRACULA, calling for amphibious and airborne operations to capture Rangoon.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
International AGREEMENTS

United States and USSR sign Fourth Protocol for aid to Soviet Union, granting 2,700,000 tons via the Pacific and 3,000,000 via the Atlantic.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Italy

15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army area, 92d Div continues to pin down enemy forces in Ligurian coastal sector but gains ground very slowly. 473d Inf crosses Parmignola Canal and pushes toward Sarzana.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
China-Burma-India Theater

THOR mission records show at least 18 Allied sorties (8 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1945-04-17, flown by USAAF 14th Air Force, USAAF 10th Air Force, USAAF 5th Air Force.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

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

THOR mission records show at least 1,304 Allied sorties (270 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1945-04-17, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force, USAAF 8th Air Force. Targets included ITALY.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

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

THOR mission records show at least 188 Allied sorties (8 recorded unit missions) in the Theater not recorded on 1945-04-17, flown by RAF. Targets included UNKNOWN OR NOT INDICATED.

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.

17 April in other years 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944

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17 April 1945

Entries

Adm Mountbatten issues directive for modified DRACULA, calling for amphibious and airborne operations to capture Rangoon.

United States and USSR sign Fourth Protocol for aid to Soviet Union, granting 2,700,000 tons via the Pacific and 3,000,000 via the Atlantic.

15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army area, 92d Div continues to pin down enemy forces in Ligurian coastal sector but gains ground very slowly. 473d Inf crosses Parmignola Canal and pushes toward Sarzana.

THOR mission records show at least 18 Allied sorties (8 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1945-04-17, flown by USAAF 14th Air Force, USAAF 10th Air Force, USAAF 5th Air Force.

THOR mission records show at least 1,304 Allied sorties (270 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1945-04-17, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force, USAAF 8th Air Force. Targets included ITALY.

THOR mission records show at least 188 Allied sorties (8 recorded unit missions) in the Theater not recorded on 1945-04-17, flown by RAF. Targets included UNKNOWN OR NOT INDICATED.

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