March 30, 1944

1944Mark Wylea Erwin, American businessman and diplomat^[†]

Mark Wylea Erwin is a former U.S. ambassador and the president of Erwin Capital, Inc., a family-owned investment company in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1944Brian Wilshire, Australian radio host^[†]

Brian Wilshire is a retired radio broadcaster for 2GB Sydney. He hosted the 'Australia overnight' programme up until 11 December 2015. The signature of the show was the tune, "Hanky Panky", by Pete Fountain.

1944World War II: Allied bombers conduct their most severe bombing run on Sofia, Bulgaria.^[†]

World War II or the Second World War was a global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies and the Axis powers. Nearly all of the world's countries participated, with many nations mobilising all resources in pursuit of total war. Tanks and aircraft played major roles, enabling the strategic bombing of cities and delivery of the first and only nuclear weapons ever used in war. World War II is the deadliest conflict in history, causing the death of 70 to 85 million people, more than half of whom were civilians. Millions died in genocides, including the Holocaust, and by massacres, starvation, and disease. After the Allied victory, Germany, Austria, Japan, and Korea were occupied, and German and Japanese leaders were tried for war crimes.

1944Out of 795 Lancasters, Halifaxes and Mosquitos sent to attack Nuremberg, 95 bombers do not return, making it the largest RAF Bomber Command loss of the war.^[†]

The Avro Lancaster, commonly known as the Lancaster Bomber, is a British Second World War heavy bomber. It was designed and manufactured by Avro as a contemporary of the Handley Page Halifax, both bombers having been developed to the same specification, as well as the Short Stirling, all three aircraft being four-engined heavy bombers adopted by the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the same era.