This Day in History: March 29

 

On March 29, 1941, the U-107 left Lorient under the command of Günter Hessler; on this endeavor Günter Hessler would sink fourteen ships while on patrol off the Canary Islands and lurking west of Freetown, Sierra Leone, Africa in the South Atlantic.  Eight of these ships were in convoy: one from convoy OB-309, one from convoy OB-318, one from convoy OB-320, one from convoy OB-323 and four from convoy OG-57.  The U-107 returned to Lorient on July 2, 1941 to a heroes’ welcome after ninety-six days at sea during which the U-boat traveled 15,744 sea-miles on the surface and 173 sea-miles submerged.  Hessler received the U-boat War Badge on July 3 as well as a Knights Cross, which had been officially approved on June 24, 1941.  (Dönitz’s Crews: Germany’s U-Boat Sailors in World War II)

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On March 29, 1945 Master Sergeant John C. Woods hanged U.S. Army Private Tommie Davison at Prise Guinment, Manche, France for the crime of Rape and then hanged Private Olin W. Williams at Le Chene Danial, Manche, France for the crimes of Rape and Murder.  (The Fifth Field: The Story of the 96 American Soldiers Sentenced to Death and Executed in Europe and North Africa in World War II)

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Chicago Crime Calendar

On March 29, 1977, feared hitman Charles Nicoletti was killed by three .38-caliber slugs to the head, while waiting in his Oldsmobile at the Golden Horns Restaurant, in Northlake.  Supposedly, Chicago Outfit front boss Joey Aiuppa ordered the “hit.”