April 25th, 1944 (TUESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Knutsford, Cheshire: The controversial Lt-Gen George S. Patton has upset US congressmen by being reported today as telling a British audience that it was the destiny of Britain and the US to rule the world once they had won the war. One congressman described the speech as "barmy". A version of the speech published in Britain suggests that Patton included the USSR in the "destiny" remarks.
Frigate HMS Loch Eck launched.
Destroyer HMS Whelp commissioned.
GERMANY: U-2502 laid down.
BLACK SEA: U-18 was attacked in the Black Sea by German aircraft BV 138 and suffered slight damage.
CHINA: Japan attacks Loyang, in Honan province.
BURMA: Air Commando Combat Mission N0. 50 3:05 Flight Time Hailakandi, Assam to Hopin, Burma. Bombed Japanese supply dumps.
note: Our crew was now flying with different pilots. Remember Captain Ziegler, a damn fine pilot and good officer. He retired from the AF as a full Colonel. Died several years ago. Also had Major Radovich, (we called him 1,000 pounder Rad) we could only carry three of these as compared to 6- 500 lb. GPs. Rad claimed we got more bang from the big ones. Really wasn't much around the area that the smaller bombs could not handle, but he was a Major and one does not argue with Majors. Also flew with Captain Sinskie and Captain Merchant. Good pilots. (Chuck Baisden)
Carter Harmon performs the first helicopter evacuation in a combat zone in the highlands of Northern Burma. Picture.
NEW GUINEA: Fresh waves of Allied troops land at Humboldt Bay.
CANADA:
ASW towing vessel HMCS Lakewood assigned to Esquimalt.
Tug HMCS Glenholme laid down Vancouver, British Columbia.
U.S.A.: The motion picture "Follow the Boys" is released in the U.S. Directed by A. Edward Sutherland, this picture was Universal Studio's all-star WWII musical comedy and featured Marlene Dietrich, George Raft, Orson Welles, Dinah Shore, W.C. Fields, Jeanette MacDonald, the Andrew Sisters, Sophie Tucker, Nigel Bruce, etc. The paper thin plot has Raft organizing USO shows.
Light cruiser USS Amsterdam launched.
Destroyer escort USS Oswald launched.
ICELAND: U-289 landed espionage agents Sverrir Matthiasson and Magnus Guðbjörnsson.