On December 7, 1941 over 350 Japanese aircraft launched from six aircraft carriers hammered US military installations across Oahu, Hawaii. The focal point for their attack was the elements of the US Pacific Fleet then at anchor at the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbor. This attack killed over 2,400 Americans and sank or damaged eight battleships (with two total losses), three cruisers, three destroyers, some auxiliary ships, and destroyed 183 aircraft. In turn, the Japanese lost 29 aircraft and five midget submarines.

A large unexploded WWII era bomb dropped by the RAF (Royal Air Force) has been discovered in the mud along the Rhine River near Koblenz, Germany. This discovery, along with two smaller bombs found nearby, is forcing the temporary evacuation of 45,000 people while the ordnance is defused and removed. As many now know Germany took a fearful pounding during WWII. However, what many don't know is that the worst of the destruction meted out from above Germany was delivered by the RAF and USAAF (United States Army Air Force) during the war's final year.