July 2

Trust Company of Georgia and Sun Banks Inc. of Orlando, Fla., merge to form SunTrust.

Trust Company of Georgia becomes first inland bank in Southeast to form an International Department

World War II begins with Nazi invasion of Poland; continues until 1945 when the Allies defeat Nazi Germany and Japan in 1945

Stock market crash send country into The Great Depression; thousands of banks fail

BB&T enters insurance business (and becomes the sixth largest broker in the U.S. and seventh in the world in 2020).