Today in World War II History

Adm. Ernest J. King

70 Years Ago—May 20, 1943: US Tenth Fleet established in Washington DC under Adm. Ernest King to control shore-based anti-sub operations in the Atlantic, the only US fleet without ships. US War Ration Book Three distributed by mail.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 19, 1943: U-954 sunk in North Atlantic by British sloop Sennen and frigate Jed; all hands lost, including Peter Dönitz, son of Adm. Karl Dönitz.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 18, 1943: On Attu, southern and northern landing forces link. Allies begin major air offensive against island of Pantelleria between Sicily and Tunisia.

Today in World War II History

The Memphis Belle and her crew

70 Years Ago—May 17, 1943: The crew of B-17 Memphis Belle becomes the first entire crew to complete a 25-mission tour in the US Eighth Air Force.

Trust Chronicles - Georgie Taylor

The Trust Chronicles is a blog hop and collaborative project between five historical romance authors. Our desire is to bring you lasting hope through these letters, grounded in trust in our Lord that, and written from the fictional viewpoints of each book’s heroine. We’re so glad to have you join the event. Each day this week, a new Trust Chronicles post will go live, complete with a letter and a new giveaway for that blog post.

To read more about the project and enter to win the one-of-a-kind, Trust Chronicles antique keepsake box, containing each heroine's letter, hand-inscribed by the author, and a special keepsake to accompany each letter, please visit the Trust Chronicles website.

Today's entry in the Trust Chronicles comes from Lt. Georgie Taylor, US Army Nurse Corps, written on August 19, 1943 from Termini Airfield, Termini Imerese, Sicily, where she serves as a flight nurse for wounded Allied soldiers. Georgie is the heroine of my novel, On Distant Shores, coming from Revell, August 1, 2013, book two in the Wings of the Nightingale series. The first book, With Every Letter, came out in September 2012.

Georgie's letter is handwritten on V-Mail stationery. Victory Mail was written on pre-printed forms that were photographed and reproduced onto microfilm. The rolls of microfilm were transported overseas, where the letters were printed again at one-quarter size and mailed to their destination. This saved valuable shipping space - but made for shorter letters!

Unwavering Trust - Georgie's Letter

Termini Airfield, Sicily
August 19, 1943
Dear Daddy and Mama,

By now you know the Allies have conquered Sicily. The 802^nd Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron has been busy evacuating the sick and wounded to Army hospitals in North Africa.

Lt. Katye Swope of the 802nd Medical Air Evacuation Transport Squadron,
evacuating patients from Sicily to North Africa, July 1943

Although my work as a flight nurse is important and fulfilling, I long for home. I sent a package with gifts for you. Please add the tea towel to my hope chest. For the appliqués, I used fabrics from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Sicily. The little bird will always remind me of my dear friends Rose and Mellie, my fellow “nightingales,” bringing mercy on wing.

You know me well enough to know the real reason I’m sewing—to settle my nerves. This job requires me to make fast decisions, and I’m not good at that.

Pharmacy of the 8th Evacuation Hospital, Teano, Italy, March 1944
In On Distant Shores, Tech. Sgt. John "Hutch" Hutchinson serves as a
pharmacist at the US 93rd Evacuation Hospital in Sicily and Italy.

A pharmacist I know here owns a telescope and enjoys stargazing. I asked him why people trust in the stars instead of the God who made them. Hutch says people want quick answers, and God doesn’t give them to us—on purpose. He wants us to lean on Him and trust Him.

He raised a question I’m still chewing on: “Who are my stars?”

As the baby of the family, I’ve always turned to my loving parents and sisters for advice. But have I made you my stars? Do I turn to you when I should turn to the Lord?

The Book of Proverbs says, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Well, I’ve never had a problem leaning on my own understanding because I don’t trust it. But what I do isn’t any better. I lean wholly on others.

Holding unit for air evacuation, Termini Airfield, Sicily

Hutch shared a verse I’ve always known but never really applied to my life, James 1:5-6. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering.”

That’s what I want! I want to be unwavering. I want the wisdom to make decisions. And God has promised—promised!—to give it. I’ve always longed for safety, but what I truly need is strength to stand in an unsafe world.

Nevertheless, my heart yearns for our lovely Virginia farm. Please give my Hammie and all the other horses a kiss and an apple from me. Hugs and kisses to you and all my family and friends. Apples are optional.

All my love,
Georgie

Georgie's Prize Bundle

• A signed copy of On Distant Shores when it releases August 1, 2013. 
• An embroidered tea towel, like Georgie made to settle her nerves.
• A "Mediterranean Sea"-scented candle to commemorate Georgie's time in the Mediterranean.

To enter to win Georgie's prize bundle, please leave a comment below, including your email address in the following format: sarah[at]sarahsundin[dot]com. Since Georgie longs for home, if you'd like, share about something that says "home" to you. No Purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. Must be 18 or older and a resident of the U.S. or Canada to enter. By entering, entrant agrees to these terms and releases giveaway sponsor from any and all liability.

To enter to win the Trust Chronicles Keepsake Box, please visit the Trust Chronicles website.

We invite you to join us each weekday this week as we hop through cyberspace and history, gleaning hope from each heroine’s journey. To visit each post on or after its date, click on the author name in blue.

Monday, May 13th: Regina Jennings (Heroine: Molly Lovelace, Love in the Balance)

Tuesday, May 14th: Joanne Bischof (Heroine: Cassie Allan, Though My Heart is Torn)

Wednesday, May 15th: Amanda Dykes (Heroine: Bonnie McDonnell, Among the Pines)

Thursday, May 16th: Karen Barnett (Heroine: Laurie Burke, Mistaken)

Friday, May 17th: Sarah Sundin (Heroine: Georgie Taylor, On Distant Shores)

All drawings will close Sunday, May 19, 2013 at midnight, and the winners will be notified by e-mail and announced Monday May 20, 2013 on the participating blogs and on the Trust Chronicles website.

Trust Chronicles - Day Four

The Trust Chronicles is a blog hop and collaborative project between five historical romance authors. Our desire is to bring you lasting hope through these letters, grounded in trust in our Lord that, and written from the fictional viewpoints of each book’s heroine. We’re so glad to have you join the event. Each day this week, a new Trust Chronicles post will go live, complete with a letter and a new giveaway for that blog post.

To read more about the project and enter to win the one-of-a-kind, Trust Chronicles antique keepsake box, containing each heroine's letter, hand-inscribed by the author, and a special keepsake to accompany each letter, please visit the Trust Chronicles website.

Today's entry in the Trust Chronicles comes from author Karen Barnett and her heroine Laurie Burke from her novel Mistaken (coming July 2, 2013). To read Laurie's letter and enter to win Laurie's prize bundle, please visit Karen's blog.

We invite you to join us each weekday this week as we hop through cyberspace and history, gleaning hope from each heroine’s journey. To visit each post on or after its date, click on the author name in blue.

Monday, May 13th: Regina Jennings (Heroine: Molly Lovelace, Love in the Balance)

Tuesday, May 14th: Joanne Bischof (Heroine: Cassie Allan, Though My Heart is Torn)

Wednesday, May 15th: Amanda Dykes (Heroine: Bonnie McDonnell, Among the Pines)

Thursday, May 16th: Karen Barnett (Heroine: Laurie Burke, Mistaken)

Friday, May 17th: Sarah Sundin (Heroine: Georgie Taylor, On Distant Shores)

All drawings will close Sunday, May 19, 2013 at midnight, and the winners will be announced Monday May 20, 2013 here, on the other participating blogs, and on the Trust Chronicles website.

Today in World War II History

Möhne Dam day after raid

70 Years Ago—May 16, 1943: RAF’s dam-buster raid destroys two dams (Möhne and Eder) in the Ruhr Valley in Germany with “bouncing bombs,” causes flooding. Germans crush Jewish ghetto uprising in Warsaw; 13,000 killed in uprising, 50,000 captured.

Trust Chronicles - Day Three

The Trust Chronicles is a blog hop and collaborative project between five historical romance authors. Our desire is to bring you lasting hope through these letters, grounded in trust in our Lord that, and written from the fictional viewpoints of each book’s heroine. We’re so glad to have you join the event. Each day this week, a new Trust Chronicles post will go live, complete with a letter and a new giveaway for that blog post.

To read more about the project and enter to win the one-of-a-kind, Trust Chronicles antique keepsake box, containing each heroine's letter, hand-inscribed by the author, and a special keepsake to accompany each letter, please visit the Trust Chronicles website.

Today's entry in the Trust Chronicles comes from author Amanda Dykes and her heroine Bonnie McDonnell from her novel Among the Pines. To read Bonnie's letter and enter to win Bonnie's prize bundle, please visit Amanda's blog.

We invite you to join us each weekday this week as we hop through cyberspace and history, gleaning hope from each heroine’s journey. To visit each post on or after its date, click on the author name in blue.

Monday, May 13th: Regina Jennings (Heroine: Molly Lovelace, Love in the Balance)

Tuesday, May 14th: Joanne Bischof (Heroine: Cassie Allan, Though My Heart is Torn)

Wednesday, May 15th: Amanda Dykes (Heroine: Bonnie McDonnell, Among the Pines)

Thursday, May 16th: Karen Barnett (Heroine: Laurie Burke, Mistaken)

Friday, May 17th: Sarah Sundin (Heroine: Georgie Taylor, On Distant Shores)

All drawings will close Sunday, May 19, 2013 at midnight, and the winners will be announced Monday May 20, 2013 here, on the other participating blogs, and on the Trust Chronicles website.

Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—May 15, 1943: French National Council for Resistance formed. Germans launch fifth offensive against Tito’s Partisans in Yugoslavia.

Trust Chronicles - Day Two

The Trust Chronicles is a blog hop and collaborative project between five historical romance authors. Our desire is to bring you lasting hope through these letters, grounded in trust in our Lord that, and written from the fictional viewpoints of each book’s heroine. We’re so glad to have you join the event. Each day this week, a new Trust Chronicles post will go live, complete with a letter and a new giveaway for that blog post.

To read more about the project and enter to win the one-of-a-kind, Trust Chronicles antique keepsake box, containing each heroine's letter, hand-inscribed by the author, and a special keepsake to accompany each letter, please visit the Trust Chronicles website.

Today's entry in the Trust Chronicles comes from author Joanne Bischof and her heroine Cassie Allan from her novel Though My Heart Is Torn. To read Cassie's letter and enter to win Cassie's prize bundle, please visit Joanne's blog.

 

We invite you to join us each weekday this week as we hop through cyberspace and history, gleaning hope from each heroine’s journey. To visit each post on or after its date, click on the author name in blue.

Monday, May 13th: Regina Jennings (Heroine: Molly Lovelace, Love in the Balance)

Tuesday, May 14th: Joanne Bischof (Heroine: Cassie Allan, Though My Heart is Torn)

Wednesday, May 15th: Amanda Dykes (Heroine: Bonnie McDonnell, Among the Pines)

Thursday, May 16th: Karen Barnett (Heroine: Laurie Burke, Mistaken)

Friday, May 17th: Sarah Sundin (Heroine: Georgie Taylor, On Distant Shores)

All drawings will close Sunday, May 19, 2013 at midnight, and the winners will be announced Monday May 20, 2013 here, on the other participating blogs, and on the Trust Chronicles website.

Today in World War II History

Recruiting poster featuring B-26 Marauders

70 Years Ago—May 14, 1943: Australian hospital ship Centaur sunk by Japanese sub I-177 off Brisbane, 268 killed. US Eighth Air Force in England launches first mission with over 200 bombers and first with B-26 Marauder medium bombers.

Trust Chronicles - Day One

The Trust Chronicles is a blog hop and collaborative project between five historical romance authors. Our desire is to bring you lasting hope through these letters, grounded in trust in our Lord that, and written from the fictional viewpoints of each book’s heroine. We’re so glad to have you join the event. Each day this week, a new Trust Chronicles post will go live, complete with a letter and a new giveaway for that blog post.

To read more about the project and enter to win the one-of-a-kind, Trust Chronicles antique keepsake box, containing each heroine's letter, hand-inscribed by the author, and a special keepsake to accompany each letter, please visit the Trust Chronicles website.

Today's entry in the Trust Chronicles comes from author Regina Jennings and her heroine Molly Lovelace from her novel Love in the Balance. To read Molly's letter and enter to win Molly's prize bundle, please visit Regina's blog.

We invite you to join us each weekday this week as we hop through cyberspace and history, gleaning hope from each heroine’s journey. To visit each post on or after its date, click on the author name in blue.

Monday, May 13th: Regina Jennings (Heroine: Molly Lovelace, Love in the Balance)

Tuesday, May 14th: Joanne Bischof (Heroine: Cassie Allan, Though My Heart is Torn)

Wednesday, May 15th: Amanda Dykes (Heroine: Bonnie McDonnell, Among the Pines)

Thursday, May 16th: Karen Barnett (Heroine: Laurie Burke, Mistaken)

Friday, May 17th: Sarah Sundin (Heroine: Georgie Taylor, On Distant Shores)

All drawings will close Sunday May 19, 2013 at midnight, and the winners will be announced on Monday May 20, 2013 here, on the other participating blogs, and on the Trust Chronicles site.

Today in World War II History

Emblem of 94th Bomb Group

70 Years Ago—May 13, 1943: Four new bomb groups begin operations with the US Eighth Air Force, doubling strength (94^th, 95^th, 96^th, and 351^st BGs with B-17s). Danish resistance damages railway at Tønder.

Today in World War II History

Aerial View of Axis Prisoners near Mateur, Tunisia

70 Years Ago—May 12, 1943: German and Italian forces surrender in Tunisia, ending campaign in North Africa; Allies take 225,000 prisoners.