This Day in WWII 20 May 1940 - 1944

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Pontiac Ad - May 1944

1940: 19th Panzer Korps (Guderian) completes its advance to the Channel coast by capturing Abbeville and Noyelles, thus separating the British Expeditionary Force, French 1st Army and the Belgian Army from the rest of the French forces to the south of the river Somme. German reinforcements pour into this split between the allied troops in northern France.

1940: First gathering of small craft for Dunkirk.

*Jean Parker

1941: Prime Minister says he is still not prepared to make a statement on Hess.

1941: Germany invades Crete by air. After initial air attacks by dive-bombers of the VIII Flieger Korps, German paratroops of the 7th Flieger Division carried in 490 Ju-52 transports of XI Fliegerkorps, land at Maleme, Canea, Retimo and Heraklion airfields. They suffer very heavy losses as the British and Commonwealth troops put up fierce resistance and by nightfall have only secured Maleme airfield, although it still remains under fire from the British. However, the capture of Maleme allows the Germans to begin sending reinforcements by sea during the night.

Jean Parker

1941: Churchill announces the end of Abyssinian campaign as the Duke of Aosta signs the formal Italian surrender. The British took just 94 days to win the East African campaign.

1941: The Royal Navy Minesweeper Widnes is sunk by Luftwaffe planes near Suda Bay in Crete.

Jean Parker

1942: Mr. Justice Singleton's report is published. This concluded that GEE was disappointing, but that more accurate bombing might result when a new aid, H2S, being developed, came in to service. provided that greater accuracy could be achieved, then bombing could prove a 'turning-point', but only after sustained effort.

1942: The Crimea is finally cleared of the Red Army. 170,000 Russians taken prisoner. Manstein's gaze now turns towards Sevastopol.

Jean Parker

1942: Japan completes the conquest of Burma. The rearguards of the 1st Burma Corps cross the border from Burma into India. Once this is complete, the 1st Burma Corps is disbanded.

1942: Admiral Yamamoto issues his orders for Operation 'Mi'. 2nd Carrier Striking Force under Admiral Hosogaya (2 small aircraft carriers, 2 cruisers and 3 destroyers) was to mount an air-strike on Dutch Harbor in the Aleutians on the 3rd June, this was designed to decoy part of the American force northwards. If this happened then they would be met by a Guard Force of 4 battleships, 2 cruisers and 12 destroyers, which would position themselves between Pearl Harbor and the Aleutians. Then on the 5th June, the transports carrying the Japanese assault force would land on Attu and Kiska Islands on the 5th June. Meanwhile the 1st Carrier Striking Force under Admiral Nagumo, which included the Carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu and Hiryu, plus 2 battleships, 2 cruisers and 11 destroyers, would sail from Japan for Midway on the 4th June. Following this would be Transport Force which was commanded by Admiral Kondo with the invasion troops, additionally protected by 3 cruisers from Guam. Finally the Main Support force, commanded by Admiral Yamamoto onboard the super battleship Yamato and including a further 3 battleships, 4 cruisers and escorting destroyers would be ready to move up to engage the American Fleet if required. In order to be sure of the position of the American Fleet, 3 cordons of submarines were positioned north and west of Hawaii and 2 flying boats were stationed at French Frigate Shoal, about 500 miles north-west of Hawaii.

Jean Parker

1943: The U.S. Tenth Fleet is formed for anti-submarine operations in the Atlantic.

1943: The Chinese launch a counter offensive on Yangtze River.

Jean Parker

1944: A record 5,000 bombers raid 12 railway targets and nine airfields in northern France and Belgium.

1944: The first orders from Eisenhower are broadcast to European underground armies.

1944: The U.S. Fifth Army captures Gaeta to the South of Rome.

Jean Parker

*Jean Parker was born Lois Mae Green on August 11, 1915 in Deer Lodge, Montana, she appeared in 70 movies from 1932 through 1966. She was discovered by Ida Koverman, secretary to MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer, after she saw a poster featuring Parker portraying Father Time. She attended Pasadena schools and graduated from John Muir High School. Her original aspirations were in the fine arts and illustration.

She had a successful career at MGM, RKO and Columbia including important roles such as the tragic Beth in the original "Little Women" (1933), among many other film appearances including Frank Capra's "Lady for a Day" (1933) and "Gabriel Over the White House" (1933); "Sequoia" (1934); "The Ghost Goes West" (1935), opposite Robert Donat; and "Rasputin and the Empress" (1932), with fellow players, the Barrymore siblings (John, Ethel, and Lionel) in the only movie they all made together. In 1939, she starred opposite Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy in RKO's "The Flying Deuces" (1939).

Parker stayed active in film throughout the 1940s, playing opposite Lon Chaney in "Dead Man's Eyes" (1944), and a variety of other films. Parker managed her own airport and flying service with then-husband Doug Dawson in Palm Springs, California until shortly after the start of World War II. During the war, she toured many of the veteran hospitals throughout the U.S. and performed on radio. In the 1950s, Parker co-starred opposite Edward G. Robinson in "Black Tuesday" (1954); had a small but effective role in "The Gunfighter" (1950) which starred Gregory Peck and appeared with Randolph Scott and Angela Lansbury in the western "Lawless Street" (1955). Her last film appearance was "Apache Uprising" (1966), directed by A. C. Lyles.

Parker also appeared on Broadway. In 1949, she replaced Judy Holliday in "Born Yesterday" on Broadway and enjoyed a successful run in this classic. Parker also appeared on Broadway opposite Bert Lahr in the play "Burlesque", did summer stock in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, was on tour in the play "Candlelight and Loco", and performed on stage in other professional productions.

In 1950, she married Robert Lowery, who had played Batman in 1949. In 1952, Parker gave birth to a son, Robert Lowery Hanks, later an executive with the city of Los Angeles. In 1954, Parker played the role of Cattle Kate Watson of Wyoming in an episode of the syndicated television series "Stories of the Century", the first western program to win an Emmy Award. The series starred and was narrated by Jim Davis.

Later in life, Parker continued a successful stint on the West Coast theatre circuit and worked as an acting coach.

She spent her final years in the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, where she died of a stroke on November 30, 2005, at the age of ninety.

TRIVIA:

Measurements: 33B-24-34

Height

5' 3" (1.60 m)