military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) (04/15/91)
From: military@att.att.com (Bill Thacker) Tuesday, 15 April, 1941 The Afrika Korps forces the Halfaya Pass and drives into Egypt, quickly capturing Sollum. German bombs hit Belfast hard. A 180-plane raid leaves 500 dead, and the Dublin fire department assists in fighting the numerous fires. The Vought-Sikorsky VS-300 helicopter prototype makes a 1-hour flight, piloted by Igor Sikorsky. President Roosevelt appoints Harry Hopkins to oversee British purchases under the Lend-Lease program. -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Bill Thacker military@att.att.com Send submissions for "50 Years Ago" to military-request@att.att.com "Fortunately, we kept from the last war all the basic weapons necessary to equip an army of [1.4 million soldiers], and in some cases, such as with heavy howitzers and the modernized 75s, we have enough equipment for an army twice the size." - Col. Henry Stimson, U.S. Secretary of War