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1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949
1 Jan 1942
- The United States introduced a ban on the purchase of new private cars and trucks in order to conserve steel.
- Jean Moulin, the former mayor of Chartes, parachuted into France in an effort to coordinate and unify resistance groups.
» In-depth article
- British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, US President Franklin Roosevelt, Soviet Ambassador Maxim Litvinov, and Chinese Ambassador Song Ziwen (also known as T. V. Soong) signed the Declaration by United Nations during the Arcadia Conference in Washington DC, United States.
» In-depth article
- Allied powers announced preliminary plans for punishing enemy war criminals after the war.
- Oberstgeneral Ernst Udet, head of the Luftwaffe's Production and Development, committed suicide over his perceived inability to properly perform his mission.
- Douglas MacArthur accepted a payment of US$500,000 from Philippine President Manuel Quezon for his pre-war service.
» In-depth article
- General der Artillerie Robert Martinek succeeded Wilhelm Weiß as the commanding officer of the German 7th Mountain Division.
- Four Australian Hudson medium bombers attacked Kapingamarangi northeast of Rabaul, Bismarck Islands, causing light damage.
» In-depth article
- George Brett was named the Deputy Supreme Commander of the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command (ABDA).
» In-depth article
China
- Chinese troops launched a counterattack at Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Japanese troops continued the assault on Kampar, British Malaya; both sides incurred heavy casualties in the morning. Meanwhile, Japanese 11th Regiment landed in the Bernam River 35 miles to the southwest. In London, England, United Kingdom, Winston Churchill complained of the British Royal Navy's inability to disrupt Japanese shipping in Malayan waters.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- American and Filipino forces south of Manila, Luzon, Philippine Islands abandoned their positions and joined the defenses north of the city, which would fall back across the Calumpit bridges by the end of the day. Meanwhile, the Japanese sent a message to the mayor of Manila announcing that the Japanese forces would arrive on the following day.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Soviet cruiser Molotov arrived at Sevastopol, Ukraine with 700 men of the Soviet 386th Infantry Division.
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, Commander Patrol Wing ONE
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, Commander Patrol Squadron Eleven
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, Reports by Survivors
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: Declaration by the United Nations
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 1 Jan 1942
2 Jan 1942
- At the US Army Air Forces Headquarters Major Jimmy Doolittle began planning an air raid against Japan.
» In-depth article
- Soviet Army broke through German lines at Rzhev, Russia.
» In-depth article
- The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) convicted 33 members of a German intelligence network headed by Fritz Joubert Duquesne in the largest espionage case in US history.
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed at Roi, Marshall Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- 7,000 Axis troops at Bardia, Libya surrendered to the Allies. Among the prisoners of war was General Artir Schmitt.
» In-depth article
- HMS Indomitable departed Cape Town, South Africa with Sea Hurricane aircraft aboard.
» In-depth article
- Chinese Generalissimo Chiang Kaishek cabled US President Roosevelt asking the President to nominate a trusted American General to act as Chief of Staff in the China Theatre. The Americans responded by suggesting that the functions of Chief of Staff China Theatre should be combined with Commander of the China-Burma-India Theatre and Supervisor of Lend-Lease material. Brigadier-General John Magruder of the American Military Mission to China was not senior enough (and was already disillusioned with the Chinese) and when Lieutenant General Hugh A. Drum turned down the position it was finally offered to Major General Joseph W. Stilwell who reluctantly agreed to go where he was sent.
» In-depth article
- Japanese and Anglo-Indian troops continued to fight at Kampar Hill in British Malaya and prepared to withdraw southward later in the day. To the south, troops of the Japanese 4th Imperial Guard Regiment sailed down the Perak River to reinforce the Japanese 11th Regiment at Bernam River; Indian 12th Infantry Brigade arrived to reinforce the failing defense at Telok Anson nearby. Far to the south, Japanese aircraft based in Malaya and Borneo attacked Singapore.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-134 sank British ship Waziristan in the Barents Sea at 0648 hours; she was the first Arctic Convoy ships to be sunk. The 47 aboard abandoned ship but were never seen again. Also lost with Waziristan were 3,700 tons of supplies and 410 US-built trucks for the Soviet Union.
- British destroyer HMS Vimiera struck a mine and sank in the Thames estuary in southern England, United Kingdom while escorting a coastal convoy; 96 were killed, 14 survived.
- German submarine U-123 damaged American ship Algonquin in the Atlantic Ocean.
- German submarine U-77 attacked British destroyer HMS Kimberley off Tobruk, Libya at 0238 hours, blowing off the stern and killing 3; destroyer HMS Heythrop would tow HMS Kimberley to Alexandria, Egypt.
- British submarine HMS Unbeaten attacked and sank the already-damaged German submarine U-374 south of Messina, Sicily, Italy at 1030 hours with two torpedoes; 42 were killed, 1 survived.
- Repair ship Akashi departed from Palau Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Ernest King ordered Chester Nimitz to plan a raid against Japanese positions in the Gilbert Islands and the Marshall Islands in order to establish an offensive momentum in the Pacific War.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-134 sank British freighter Waziristan of Allied convoy PQ-7A; Waziristan was already damaged by German aircraft at the time of this attack; all 47 aboard were killed.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort was interviewed by staff members of the Roberts Commission at Honolulu, US Territory of Hawaii regarding the events leading up to the Pearl Harbor attack; he answered more than 100 questions.
» In-depth article
Philippines
United States
- Submarine Hoe was laid down by the Electric Boat Company of Groton, Connecticut, United States.
» In-depth article
- The United States Marine Corps Supply Center at Barstow, California, United States was organized as Marine Barracks, Marine Corps Depot of Supplies.
- Historical document written: US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, USS Tangier
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: Report of Pearl Harbor Attack, USS Case
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 2 Jan 1942
3 Jan 1942
- US and Filipino troops fell back to the Guagua-Porac defensive line, 15 miles from the Bataan peninsula on Luzon, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Cummings led a counter attack against the Japanese at Kuantan, Malaya, in which all of his men were killed or wounded, and he was bayoneted twice in the stomach. Rallying the remnants of his force under fire, he was wounded again, but succeeded in saving many lives. He was awarded the Victoria Cross.
- USS Pollack fired a torpedo at a Japanese ship off Honshu, Japan; the torpedo missed.
» In-depth article
- The Japanese made an amphibious attack at Kuala Selangor in western Malaya, which was repelled by Indian troops. In eastern Malaya, Japanese troops pushed through Indian 9th Division defenses and crossed the Kuantan River, capturing the airfield nearby.
» In-depth article
- British Colonel Arthur Cummings, commanding officer of the Indian 12th Frontier Force Regiment, gallantly led a rearguard unit near Kuantan, Malaya as the main body of his division retreated further south, suffering a bayonet wound in his stomach and a gunshot in the arm. He would survive the war and be awarded the Victoria Cross for this action.
- Australian 39th and 53rd Battalions arrived at Port Moseby, New Guinea from Sydney, Australia.
- Japanese submarine I-158 sank Dutch ship Langkoeas off Bawean Island, Dutch East Indies; all 94 aboard escaped on lifeboats. I-158 rammed one of the lifeboats and attacked the others with machine guns, killing many of the survivors. Ultimately, only 3 would survive.
- Five freighters and one tanker departed Messina, Brindisi, and Taranto in Italy to form convoy M.34, carrying 1,200 troops, 54 tanks, artillery pieces, armored cars, 1,000 tons of ammunition, and 5,300 tons of fuel for Tripoli, Libya. A powerful escort force of 4 Italian battleships, 5 cruisers, 19 destroyers, and 5 torpedo boats provided cover from a distance.
- USS Skipjack attacked a Japanese submarine in the Dutch East Indies with four torpedoes and observed two explosions; in actuality no damage was done.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
- Major General Tomitaro Horii and Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue met at Truck, Caroline Islands aboard cruiser Kashima to coordinate Army-Navy plans for the invasion of Bismarck Islands.
» In-depth article
Japan
United States
- The B-25D variant of the B-25 Mitchell aircraft took its first flight; all B-25D aircraft were built at Kansas City, Kansas, United States.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 3 Jan 1942
4 Jan 1942
- Soviet Army took Kaluga near Moscow, Russia.
» In-depth article
- Indian 11th Infantry Division withdrew from Kampar Hill in western Malaya, falling back to a new defensive line at the Slim River.
» In-depth article
- Following a heavy bombardment, Japanese Lingayen Force penetrated the US-Filipino Guagua-Porac defensive line at Luzon, Philippine Islands and captured the town of Guagua and the Del Carmen airfield. On the same day, American B-17 Flying Fortress bombers from Australia attacked Japanese shipping at Malalag Bay, Davao, Mindanao, damaging cruiser Myoko.
» In-depth article
- Soviet cruiser Krasnyi Kavkaz was damaged by German Ju 87 aircraft but was able to reach Novorossiysk, Russia for repairs.
- Repair ship Akashi arrived at Davao, Mindanao, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Australian New Guinea
- 16 Type 96 G3M bombers of Chitose Air Group of Japanese Navy 24th Air Flotilla, based at Truk in Caroline Islands, were spotted over Tabor 90 miles north of New Britain at 1000 hours. They reached Rabaul, New Britain at 1100 hours, where they were able to attack various military facilities with minimal resistance (only 2 Wirraway fighters scrambled, while anti-aircraft guns were ineffective). Shortly before sundown, 11 Type 97 H6K flying boats of Yokohama Air Group attacked the Vunakanam Airfield on New Britain; Australians failed to open fire with the anti-aircraft guns altogether, while most of the Japanese bombs missed the airfield.
» In-depth article
China
- Chinese troops continued to put pressure on the Japanese offensive on Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- USS Skipjack arrived at Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo and took on fuel.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- A Japanese floatplane flew near Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii in a reconnaissance mission.
- Historical document written: US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, USS Aylwin (2)
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 4 Jan 1942
5 Jan 1942
- Soviet forces launched general offensives on the Leningrad, Moscow, Ukraine, and Crimea fronts. Joseph Stalin, who had taken command, refused to heed his generals who warned against a broad 1,000-mile long front.
» In-depth article
- The Soviet attempt to land at Eupatoria (Yevpatoria) was blocked by the Germans.
» In-depth article
- Georg von Bismarck was assigned as as a staff officer of Panzer Group Africa.
» In-depth article
- US Navy Bureau of Navigation granted permission for Chief of Bureau of Yards and Docks Rear Admiral Ben Moreell to recruit for a regiment of three construction battalions, soon to be known as "Seabees".
- USS Pollack damaged Japanese cargo ship Heijo Maru off Honshu, Japan with three of six torpedoes fired; this was claimed as a sinking.
» In-depth article
- After sundown, 140 British aircraft attacked the port facilities at Brest, France, dropping 203 tons of high explosive bombs, followed by another wave of 126 aircraft which dropped 186 tons of high explosive bombs and 12,680 incendiary bombs. The primary targets were German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, which suffered little damage.
- British submarine HMS Upholder sank Italian submarine Admiral Saint-Bon, with 155 tons of ammunition and gasoline on board, north of Messina, Sicily at 0542 hours; 82 were killed (many during the explosion), 3 survived.
- Italian convoy M.43 arrived at Tripoli, Libya, delivering 54 tanks, armored cars, artillery, ammunition, and fuel.
- British submarine HMS Proteus sank Italian troop transport Citta Di Palermo 73 miles northwest of Patras, Greece at 0800 hours, killing most of the 600 aboard.
- Japanese troops launched probing attacks at the defenses manned by Indian troops at Trolak, British Malaya; 60 Japanese were killed without achieving success.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-56 sank British freighter Kwantung 60 miles south of Java, Dutch East Indies. 133 survived the sinking, but only 35 would ultimately be rescued; most of those died after the sinking were killed by Japanese ramming and machinegunning.
Australia
- George Brett was named the commanding officer of all US forces in Australia.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
China
- Vice Admiral Hidehiko Ukita stepped down as the commanding officer of the Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China.
Germany
- Four prisoners of war, two Dutch and two British, successfully escaped the Oflag IV-C camp at Colditz Castle in Germany by dressing up as German guards. Lieutenant Airey Neave, one of the escapees among the four, became the first British to escape from Colditz.
Japan
Philippines
- US and Filipino troops in the Philippine Islands were put on half rations.
» In-depth article
United States
- Benjamin Kelsey was promoted to the war time rank of lieutenant colonel.
» In-depth article
6 Jan 1942
- In the face of over 52,000 murders in Kiev, Ukraine, Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov denounced German atrocities in the Soviet Union and began to document incidents of atrocities for future actions.
» In-depth article
- British aircraft sink Italian freighter Perla off Pantellaria off the Tunisian coast.
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese aircraft from Truk, Caroline Islands attacked Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands.
- Nine Japanese flying boats attacked Vunakanau Airfield at Rabaul, New Britain, destroying a direction-finding station and damaging a Wirraway fighter, a Hudson bomber, and the runways; one Wirraway fighter was scrambled and reached the flying boats, but it failed to hit the attackers.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese aircraft bombed Dutch positions on Ambon, Dutch East Indies for the first time.
» In-depth article
Germany
- German Navy Großadmiral Erich Raeder inspected battleship Tirpitz at Kiel, Germany.
» In-depth article
Libya
Norway
- 11 British RAF Coastal Command bombers attacked Sola Airfield at Stavanger, Norway in indirect support of the Operation Kitbag naval attack at Florø, Norway.
- British cruiser HMS Sheffield, destroyer HMS Inglefield, and destroyer HMS Intrepid departed Scapa Flow, Scotland, United Kingdom for Operation Kitbag at 0300 hours, reaching Florø, Norway by the evening, sinking a trawler and damaging fish processing facilities.
United Kingdom
United States
- USS Yorktown departed for San Diego, California, United States to escort transports carrying the US 2nd Marine Brigade to American Samoa.
» In-depth article
7 Jan 1942
- Japanese troops made probing attacks at the opening of the Bataan peninsula at Luzon, Philippine Islands. Meanwhile, General MacArthur organized his forces into two corps and a rear area service command.
» In-depth article
- The Soviet Volkhov Front attempted to force Germans back from Leningrad.
» In-depth article
- USS Pollack sank Japanese cargo ship Unkai Maru No. 1 off Japan with one of two torpedoes fired; this was the first confirmed sinking by the Submarine Force of the US Navy Pacific Fleet.
» In-depth article
- Franz Halder noted that there was a very brief thought of using chemical weapons against Soviet troops, but discussions never went beyond this idea.
» In-depth article
- During a meeting with top German leaders, Adolf Hitler noted his belief that the United States' commercial prowess would not be able to overcome the Axis powers.
» In-depth article
- US President Franklin Roosevelt submitted a US$29,000,000,000 budget to the US Congress to fund the construction of 60,000 aircraft, 45,000 tanks, and 8,000,000 tons of shipping.
» In-depth article
- Japanese tanks wiped out the Indian 11th Division at Slim River, British Malaya early in the morning; by 0930 hours, both the road and railway bridges were secured by Japanese troops.
» In-depth article
- Archibald Wavell inspected troops and defenses in Singapore.
» In-depth article
- A Japanese invasion force departed Davao, Mindanao, Philippine Islands for Tarakan, Dutch Borneo.
» In-depth article
- ShCh-401 attacked an enemy ship with three torpedoes off Helnes, Norway at 0038 hours; all torpedoes missed.
» In-depth article
- George Brett was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant general.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- 18 Japanese Type 96 G3M bombers were spotted over Tabar en route to Rabaul, New Britain; when they struck Rabaul, they destroyed one Wirraway fighter and one Hudson bomber.
» In-depth article
Philippines
Russia
- Soviet Army began an offensive near Lake Ilmen in Russia, with the aim of encircling Demyansk.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 7 Jan 1942
8 Jan 1942
- Japanese troops penetrated the outer lines of defense at Kuala Lumpur, Malaya, which was about 15 miles north of the capital city. Australian 8th Division began to move forward to replace the nearly-destroyed Indian 11th Division near Kuala Lumpur.
» In-depth article
- Adolf Hitler gave Günther von Kluge the permission to fall back in the Moscow, Russia region. On the same day, the Soviet West Front attacked towards Mozhaysk, Russia west of Moscow, which was defended by troops of German 4th Army.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-56 sank Dutch freighters Van Riebeeck and Van Rees off Cilacap, Java, Dutch East Indies.
- Japanese submarine I-19 launched her seaplane for a reconnaissance mission over Pearl Harbor, Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii.
- British Air Marshal John Baldwin replaced Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse as the chief of the RAF Bomber Command.
- Archibald Wavell inspected troops and defenses in central British Malaya.
» In-depth article
Iceland
Japan
Photo(s) dated 8 Jan 1942
9 Jan 1942
- At 1500 hours, the main offensive against Bataan defences at the Philippine Islands began, spearheaded by 6,500 men of the newly arrived and inexperienced 65th Infantry Brigade (which replaced the veteran Japanese 48th Division); the first attacks at the Abucay-Mauban defensive line were repelled by US-Filipino troops. Meanwhile, US Marines from Batteries A and C of 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment who remained on Bataan under naval control were integrated into a naval battalion for ground combat.
» In-depth article
- A transport of 1,005 Jews departed from Theresienstadt Concentration Camp for locations in Eastern Europe. Most of them were sent to Riga, Latvia.
» In-depth article
- HMS Indomitable was joined by Australian destroyers Nestor, Nizan, and Napier off Cape Guardafui in eastern Africa.
» In-depth article
- USS Pollack sank Japanese freighter Teian Maru at night off Japan with one or two torpedoes fired. A torpedo was also fired at an escorting destroyer, but that torpedo missed.
» In-depth article
- British destroyer HMS Vimiera struck a mine and sank in the Thames estuary in southern England, United Kingdom; 96 were killed, 14 survived.
- Japanese submarine I-65 damaged a tanker and sank Dutch freighter Benkoeln in the Java Sea; 101 survived.
- Japanese submarine I-58 sank Dutch ship Camphuijs in the Java Sea.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Triumph struck a mine and sank off Milos, Greece, killing all 59 aboard.
- German submarine U-568 was attacked by a British Sunderland aircraft 70 miles northwest of Mersa Matruh, Egypt and suffered minor damage.
- Dispersed ships of ALlied convoy QP-4 began to arrive in Allied waters.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
- An Australian Hudson bomber conducted a reconnaissance mission from Kavieng, New Ireland over Truk, Caroline Islands; it was the longest RAAF flight to date. The crew of the Hudson spotted a large invasion fleet being prepared at Truk.
» In-depth article
China
- Japanese troops began to fall back from Changsha, Hunan Province, China. A section of the evacuation was ambushed by Chinese troops at Luoyang River, causing heavy casualties.
» In-depth article
Germany
- In Germany, 31 French officers were transferred from the Oflag IV-C prisoners of war camp at Colditz Castle to Oflag IV-D at Elsterhorst.
Japan
Russia
- Soviet 3rd and 4th Shock Armies attacked German defenses south of Demyansk, Russia, making advances but suffering heavy casualties.
» In-depth article
- In Leningrad, Russia the Soviet Naval Staff issued orders directing the fleet and shipyards to concentrate their efforts towards overhauling and repairing Soviet submarines (some of which were being employed as power-station generators for the besieged city) in order to prepare for a spring offensive in the Baltic Sea. Submarine crews and other specialists were recalled from the front (where many were fighting ashore) to assist in the preparation of some thirty submarines for the campaign. In Apr 1942 the submarines would be divided up into three groups by Brigade Commander A. M. Stetsenko according to their sea fitness. The first group, consisting of the most experienced Captains, such as Y. P. Afanasev, S. P. Lisin, and G. Ya. Osopov, was expected to have ten submarines ready to sail by the end of May 1942 with another seven nearing completion of their overhauls; the second group was scheduled to be ready by Aug 1942 and the third by the autumn.
United Kingdom
- HMS Eagle completed her refit at Liverpool, England, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, Commander Battle Force
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, Commander Battleships, Battle Force
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, USS Worden
» In-depth article
10 Jan 1942
- Japan declared war on the Netherlands.
- Royal Navy Fighter School's commanding officer Lieutenant Commander H. P. Bramwell made the first landing of a modified Spitfire fighter aboard carrier Illustrious in the River Clyde, Scotland, United Kingdom. The success led to the development of the carrier version of the Spitfire design, Seafire.
» In-depth article
- Kapitän zur See Friedrich Karl Topp of German battleship Tirpitz declared the ship to be fully operational.
» In-depth article
- Destroyer Yuzuki departed Saipan, Mariana Islands.
» In-depth article
- Japanese tanks and infantry attacked the remnants of the Indian 11th Division at Serendah, Malaya, 15 miles north of Kuala Lumpur, which was being evacuated. Out to sea in the Gulf of Siam, Dutch submarine O 19 sank Japanese freighters Akita Maru and Tairyu Maru.
» In-depth article
- Convoys MS1 and MS2 departed from Australia with Australian troops for Singapore and the Dutch East Indies.
- USS Stingray sank Japanese cargo ship Harbin Maru 40 miles south of Hainan, China.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-584 sank Soviet submarine M-175 75 miles north of Murmansk, Russia at 0722 hours; all 21 aboard were killed.
- US-Filipino troops held the Abucay-Mauban defensive line on the Bataan peninsula on Luzon, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- USS Pickerel sank Japanese gunboat Kanko Maru off Davao Gulf, Mindanao, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- British destroyer Legion and Dutch destroyer Isaac Sweers attacked German submarine U-374 with 43 deptch charges northeast of Sidi Barrani, Egypt between 1700 and 2000 hours; U-374 escaped, but the damage sustained caused her to lose the ability to submerge.
- British submarine HMS Thrasher sank Italian ship Fedora 120 miles west of Patras, Greece.
- Soviet 29th Army attacked north of Rhzev, Russia while Soviet 39th Army moved northwest of the city, aiming to surround the German 9th Army based in the city.
» In-depth article
- Erwin Rommel wrote a letter to his wife, expressing optimism despite Allied success in Operation Crusader, mentioning General Ludwig Cruewell's bout with jaundice, and the cold nights in the desert of North Africa.
» In-depth article
- After sundown, German bombers attacked several cities and towns in England, United Kingdom; oil pipelines were damaged at Ellesmere Port in western England while utility services were interrupted in Liverpool just to the north.
» In-depth article
Canada
- Allied convoy NA1 departed Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada for Londonderry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom with British destroyers HMS Beverley, HMS Hamilton, and HMS Rockingham in escort.
Dutch East Indies
Germany
- Wilhelmshaven, Germany was bombed for the first time by main force aircraft of British RAF Bomber Command; the raid would last through the early hours of the next date. Wilhelmshaven would ultimately be bombed on nine occasions, destroying 13% of the city.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- The Roberts Commission completed its investigation work at Honolulu, US Territory of Hawaii and departed for Washington DC, United States.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- Douglas MacArthur traveled from Corregidor to Bataan in the Philippine Islands, visiting forward command posts, speaking to officers but generally refusing to speak to enlisted men. When subjected to sporadic Japanese shelling when walking across a small clearing, he was observed to walk confidently without flinching.
» In-depth article
United States
- USS San Diego was commissioned into service with Captain Benjamin Perry in command.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 10 Jan 1942
11 Jan 1942
- Japanese troops began the campaign against the Dutch East Indies by landing on Tarakan island off Borneo. In the face of superior forces, Dutch commanders at Tarakan decided to destroy the 700 oil wells present on Tarakan to prevent enemy use.
» In-depth article
- USS Enterprise departed from Pearl Harbor to escort transports of US Marines to American Samoa.
» In-depth article
- A Japanese submarine shelled US Navy installations at Pago Pago, American Samoa.
- Japanese troops entered Kuala Lumpur, the capital of British Malaya, unopposed, capturing large amounts of supplies and ammunition left behind by the evacuating British and colonial troops.
» In-depth article
- 2,500 men of the Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces landed on two sites on Celebes, Dutch East Indies at 0300 hours. At 0900 hours, 334 Japanese paratroopers captured the Kakas seaplane base and the Menado airfield.
- Soviet 39th Army moved from northwest of Rzhev, Russia toward the area southwest of the city, further threatening the surround the German 9th Army in the city. A large German supply depot was captured by Soviet troops at Sychevka 50 kilometers to the south.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-577 was damaged by depth charges from a British Swordfish aircraft 30 miles north of Tobruk, Libya.
- After sundown, German coastal guns in France bombarded Dover, England, United Kingdom, causing minor damage to homes.
- Japanese troops on the Menado Peninsula in northern Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
- Destroyer Yukikaze escorted the Japanese invasion force for Menado, Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
Hawaii
Russia
Photo(s) dated 11 Jan 1942
12 Jan 1942
- Japanese light cruiser Oi hosted Rear Admiral Matome Ugaki as he visited her unit. During the trip, Ugaki expressed disapproval for the use of cruisers as torpedo vessels.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops executed Dutch prisoners of war at Tarakan Island off Borneo as punishment for previous day's sabotage of oil wells.
» In-depth article
- Feldmarschall von Küchler replaced Feldmarschall von Leeb, who resigned after Hitler refused his request to withdraw behind the Lovat River to prevent II Corps being cut off.
- USS Saratoga was damaged by a torpedo from Japanese submarine I-6 about 500 miles southwest of US Territory of Hawaii; she returned to Pearl Harbor under own power.
» In-depth article
- Japanese beheaded 5 American prisoners of war on Wake Island before transporting the remainder to Japan for imprisonment.
- Tirpitz departed Kiel, Germany.
» In-depth article
- South African 1st Division captured Sollum, Egypt.
» In-depth article
- US Navy Admiral Adolphus Andrews received warning that three or four German submarines were entering waters off the east coast of the United States, but he refused to institute a convoy system. Earlier on the same day, German submarine U-123 sank British ship Cyclops off Nova Scotia, Canada at 0149 hours; 87 were killed, 95 survived.
» In-depth article
- Walther von Reichenau suffered a stroke in Poltava, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops continued to attack the Abucay-Mauban line on Bataan Peninsula, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
China
- Jiang Dingwen was named the commander of the Chinese 1st War Area with headquarters in the city of Luoyang.
» In-depth article
Russia
Photo(s) dated 12 Jan 1942
13 Jan 1942
- Tirpitz passed through the Kiel Canal and arrived at Brunsbüttel at the canal's western end to refuel. She departed for Wilhelmshaven later on the same day.
» In-depth article
- USS Astoria arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
- German bombers attacked Lowestoft, Suffolk and Redcar, Yorkshire in England, United Kingdom during daylight hours; minor attacks were also conducted over Aberdeenshire, Scotland and the Shetland Islands.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-130 sank Norwegian ship Frisco off Nova Scotia, Canada at 0116 hours and Panamanian ship Friar Rock at 0948 hours.
» In-depth article
- Allied convoy DM1 arrived at Singapore from Durban, South Africa, delivering 9,100 troops, anti-aircraft guns, and 52 Hurricane fighters (with 24 pilots).
» In-depth article
- West of Moscow, Russia, Soviet 11th Army and German 18th Motorised Division clashed at Staraya Russa, while Soviet 29th, 39th Army, and (further away to the southwest) 11th Cavalry Corps attacked German 9th Army at Rhzev.
» In-depth article
- Japanese aircraft struck Ambon, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
Russia
United Kingdom
- The Allied conference in London, England, United Kingdom pledged to punish Axis war criminals after the war.
14 Jan 1942
- US President Roosevelt ordered that all aliens must register with the government.
- Japanese forces advanced into Burma.
» In-depth article
- Tirpitz departed Wilhelmshaven, Germany at 2300 hours for Trondheim, Norway; she was escorted by four destroyers. This departure was four days later than originally planned.
» In-depth article
- The British government reported that, for the week ending at 0600 hours on 14 Jan 1942, 85 civilians were killed by German bombing while a further 59 were injured. 63 of the deaths occurred at Lowestoft, 12 at Liverpool in England, and 10 at Redcar.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops on bicycles, supported by tanks, crossed the Gemencheh Bridge over the Kelamah River in British Malaya at 1600 hours into an Australian ambush, killing somewhere between 140 and 700 Japanese troops while losing only 1 killed and 6 captured (they would later be executed); the Japanese would return after dark to successfully secure and repair the bridge. Elsewhere, Japanese troops captured Malacca on the west coast.
» In-depth article
Australia
- USS Skipjack arrived at Darwin, Australia, ending her first war patrol.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Germany
- Hamburg, Germany was bombed for the first time by mainforce aircraft of RAF Bomber Command; this raid conducted by aircraft of No. 207 Squadron would last until the early hours of the next date. Altona railway station and other targets were hit. Hamburg would ultimately be bombed on seventeen occasions, destroying 75% of the city.
» In-depth article
Guam
- Part of the Japanese invasion fleet for Rabaul, New Britain departed from Guam, Mariana Islands.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in US Territory of Hawaii detected Japanese carrier activity in the central Pacific area, which might interfere with the planned US carrier strike in the Gilbert Island and the Marshall Islands.
» In-depth article
Japan
- Irako departed Hashirajima, Japan for a series of stops in the Pacific Ocean (Davao, Philippine Islands; Celebes, Dutch East Indies; Truk, Caroline Islands; Saipan, Mariana Islands) with 500 tons of food supplies aboard.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
United States
- The first flight of the Sikorsky XR-4 helicopter prototype was made at Stratford, Connecticut, United States. It would become, as the R-4, the first Allied helicopter ordered into production by the US government.
- German submarine U-123 sank Panamanian tanker Norness within sight of (about 60 miles off) Montauk Point, Long Island, New York, United States at 0834 hours; 2 were killed, 39 survived. Much further out in the Atlantic Ocean, 450 miles northwest of Ireland, German submarine U-43 attacked Allied convoy ON 55, sinking Greek ship Maro (all aboard were killed), British ship Empire Surf (45 were killed, 6 survived), and Panamanian ship Chepo (17 were killed, 21 survived).
» In-depth article
15 Jan 1942
- German authorities began to deport Jews from the Lodz ghettos to the Chelmno Concentration Camp.
» In-depth article
- The German Armeegruppe Mitte began to fall back from the Kaluga area, forming a new defensive lines 20 miles to the west.
- Allies formed the ABDA (American, British, Dutch and Australian) command in the Pacific region to counter Japanese advances.
- German submarine U-552 sank the ship Dayrose at 0138 hours; 38 were killed, 4 survived. To the south, German submarine U-123 sank British tanker Coimbra off Sandy Hook, New Jersey, United States at 0941 hours; 36 were killed, 10 survived. At 1134 hours, again off New found, U-203 sank Portuguese trawler Catalina, killing all aboard. Near the end of the day at 2317 hours, U-553 blew the bow off of the tanker Diala; 57 were killed, 8 survived; the wreckage of Diala remained afloat.
» In-depth article
- US Marine Corps Brigadier General Henry L. Larson was appointed the first military governor of American Samoa.
- USS S-36 spotted a Japanese destroyer off Dutch Borneo at 0500 hours, but was discovered by the destroyer, which attacked with depth charges, severely damaging the submarine.
» In-depth article
- Philippine 51st Division withdrew from the Salian River valley on the eastern side of the Abucay-Mauban defensive line on Bataan Peninsula, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops crossed the Gemencheh Bridge over the Kelamah River in British Malaya at 1000 hours to attack Australian-held positions at Gemas; although the initial attack failed with the loss of six tanks, subsequent attacks and flanking maneuvers forced the Australians to fall back to the Gemas River. Elsewhere, Japanese 4th and 5th Imperial Guard Regiments wiped out forward positions held by elements of the Indian 45th Brigade north of the Muar River.
» In-depth article
- Transport Chateau Thierry and converted passenger liner Strathaird departed New York, New York, United States with 3,900 troops of US 34th Division aboard, bound for Britain. This convoy, codenamed AT10, was escorted by 5 US destroyers.
- British destroyer HMS Hesperus rammed German submarine U-93 while the submarine attempted to attack Allied convoy HG78 580 miles west of Gibraltar, followed by gunfire and depth charge attacks, leading to the submarine being abandoned; 6 were killed, 40 survived. HMS Hesperus would reverse course for Gibraltar to receive repairs.
- A British Swordfish aircraft sank German submarine U-577 with depth charges 60 miles north of Sollum, Egypt, killing all 43 aboard.
- USS Wichita collided with US freighter West Nohno and British trawler HMS Ebor Wyke and was grounded near Hrafneyri Lighthouse in poor weather in northern Russia.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
China
- Chinese troops repulsed the Japanese attack on Changsha, Hunan Province, China.
» In-depth article
- The Japanese-controlled Ryojun Naval District (previously known as Port Arthur; now Lushunkou, Liaoning Province, China), Kwantung Leased Territory in northeastern China was decommissioned from service.
United States
- USS Gar departed San Francisco, California, United States.
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: Letter from Franklin Roosevelt to Kenesaw Landis
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: US Navy Report of Japanese Raid on Pearl Harbor, Enclosure E, USS Selfridge
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 15 Jan 1942
16 Jan 1942
Atlantic Ocean
- German submarine U-402 attacked British troop transport Llangibby Castle of Allied convoy WS15 north of the Azores islands at 1115 hours, blowing off the rudder and killing 26. Despite follow-up attacks by Fw 200 aircraft, Llangibby Castle would reach Horta, Azores for temporary repairs.
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese aircraft attacked Rabaul, New Britain, destroying fuel stores, bomb stockpiles, and other facilities at Vunakanau Airfield. Two Wirraway fighters were scrambled to intercept, but they failed to reached the Japanese aircraft in time. 6 hours later, several flying boats followed up with an attack with fragmentation bombs.
» In-depth article
Bermuda
- Winston Churchill, Dudley Pound, and Charles Portal departed Bermuda for Britain by air (Boeing 314 Clipper Flying Boat "Berwick", operated by the British Overseas Airways Corporation).
» In-depth article
Burma
- The first clash between Japanese and British forces within Burma occurred when a column of the 3rd Battalion of the Japanese 112th Infantry Regiment was engaged by the British 6th Burma Rifles (plus two companies of the 3rd Burma Rifles and elements of the Kohine battalion BFF) at the town of Tavoy (population 30,000 and strategically important as it was the start of a metal road to Rangoon). By the 18th the Japanese had taken the town, having lost 23 dead and 40 wounded, but the morale of the defenders had been badly damaged and the Japanese column was able to move on to Mergui without serious opposition.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in US Territory of Hawaii concluded that the Japanese carrier presence in the central Pacific was based at Truk in the Caroline Islands, thus clearing the way for the planned US carrier strike in the Gilbert Island and the Marshall Islands.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Japanese 4th and 5th Imperial Guards Regiments crossed the Muar River in British Malaya before dawn, forcing the Indian 45th Brigade to withdraw from Muar.
» In-depth article
Norway
- Tirpitz arrived at Trondheim, Norway and anchored in Fættenfjord.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- Japanese and Filipino-American forces both raced to capture Morong on Bataan Peninsula, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Both sides reached the town around the same time, but the Allies had detected the Japanese first. Taking the opportunity for a surprise attack, more than 20 American cavalry troops charged on their horses, dispersing Japanese troops. It was the last combat charge of horse-mounted American cavalry troops.
» In-depth article
Russia
United Kingdom
- German bombers sank British minesweeping trawler HMS Irvana off Yarmouth, England, United Kingdom, killing 2.
Photo(s) dated 16 Jan 1942
17 Jan 1942
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
- HMS Indomitable departed Port Sudan in British East Africa with 48 RAF Hurricane fighters for Singapore in Operation Opposition.
» In-depth article
Atlantic Ocean
- German submarine U-87 sank Norwegian tanker Nyholt at 0359 hours with 8 torpedoes and 120 rounds from the deck gun; all 41 aboard survived in two lifeboats, but only one lifeboat would eventually be rescued; of the 23 originally aboard this boat, 2 would die of exposure prior to rescue. Later in the day, at 1121 hours, German submarine U-203 sank Norwegian ship Octavian, killing all 17 aboard.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
- A Japanese fleet consisting of four carriers (Akagi, Kaga, Zuikaku, Shokaku), two battleships (Hiei, Kirishima), and several cruisers and destroyers departed Truk, Caroline Islands under the command of Chuichi Nagumo for Rabaul, New Britain.
» In-depth article
- Kaga departed Truk, Caroline Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Akagi departed Truk, Caroline Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Egypt
- 5,000 Axis troops at the Halfaya Pass, Egypt surrendered to the South African 6th Infantry Brigade.
» In-depth article
France
- German armed merchant cruiser Thor departed La Rochelle, France, for her second raiding cruise.
Hawaii
Indian Ocean
- British destroyer HMS Jupiter forced Japanese submarine I-60 to surface 65 miles west of Krakatoa, Dutch East Indies. I-60 returned fire with her deck gun, killing 3 and wounding 9. I-60 was ultimately sunk by Jupiter; 85 were killed, 2 survived.
Japan
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Indian 45th Brigade withdrew from Bukit Bakri, British Malaya.
» In-depth article
Mediterranean Sea
- HMS Gurkha (Commander C. N. Lentaigne), escorting Allied convoy MW-8B, was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-133 off Sollum, Egypt at 0735 hours; 9 were killed, 240 survived. Gurkha, formerly HMS Larne, was an L-class destroyer which had been paid for by every officer and man of the Gurkha Brigade subscribing a days pay to provide a new ship after the loss of the Tribal-Class HMS Gurkha in Apr 1940.
Russia
- German submarine U-454 attacked Allied convoy PQ-8 20 miles off the Kola Inlet in northern Russia at 2221 hours, sinking British Tribal-class destroyer HMS Matabele (under Commander A. C. Stafford; 236 were killed, 2 survived), sinking Soviet trawler RT-68 Enisej, and damaging British merchant ship Harmatris (civilian convoy commodore's flagship). Later in the day, surviving ships of PQ-8 arrived in Murmansk, Russia.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Walther von Reichenau passed away from either a cerebral hemorrhage or a heartattack near Poltava, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- The Boeing 314 Clipper Flying Boat "Berwick" with Winston Churchill aboard suffered a navigational error and would have flown into France had not been a last minute course correction. When the aircraft approached Britain from the south, the aircraft was initially treated as hostile and six Hurricane fighters were scrambled to intercept; the fighters failed to locate Churchill's transport.
» In-depth article
18 Jan 1942
Atlantic Ocean
- German submarine U-86 sank Greek ship Dimitrios G. Thermiotis off Newfoundland at 0613 hours, killing all 33 aboard. German submarine U-66 sank US tanker Allan Jackson 30 kilometers northeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0833 hours, killing 23 of 35 aboard. Also off North Carolina, just to the southwest, U-123 damaged US tanker Malay, killing 5. At 0644 hours, German submarine U-552 sank US ship Frances Salman, killing all 28 aboard.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- The Dutch began to destroy oil facilities at Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo.
» In-depth article
Germany
- Germany, Japan, and Italy signed a military agreement in Berlin, Germany.
Gibraltar
- British anti-submarine trawler HMS Erin and minesweeping trawler HMS Honjo were destroyed by a mysterious explosion in Gibraltar, which also damaged anti-submarine trawler HMS Imperialist. Spanish saboteurs and Italian frogmen were the main suspects.
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in US Territory of Hawaii intercepted Japanese Navy radio messages that mentioned an invasion or occupation force against a target code named "R", which Rochefort guessed was Rabaul, New Britain. He would pass this information to Chester Nimitz via Edwin Layton.
» In-depth article
Japan
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Australian troops destroyed 9 Japanese tanks north of Bakri, Malaya at 0645 hours, but by the evening the Japanese were able to get through this area.
» In-depth article
Pacific Ocean
- USS Plunger sank Japanese freighter Eizan Maru 23 miles off Honshu, Japan.
» In-depth article
Russia
- German II and X Korps were cut off at Demyansk, Russia; the Luftwaffe maintained an aerial supply line to these surrounded troops.
» In-depth article
- Soviet 54th Army broke through German defenses at Pogoste, Russia, 75 kilometers southeast of Leningrad. Further south, Soviet 2nd Shock Army penetrated German lines near Spasskaya Polisk on the Volkhov River.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- German 11.Armee captured Feodosiya in the Crimea region of Ukraine, sealing off the Soviet bridgehead near Kerch.
» In-depth article
- Soviet troops attacked across the Donets River in southern Russia and eastern Ukraine, hoping to cut off German forces around the Sea of Azov.
- Feldmarschall Fedor von Bock succeeded Walther von Reichenau as the head of German Armeegruppe Süd.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 18 Jan 1942
19 Jan 1942
- US Secretary of War Henry Stimson formally asked Chiang Kaishek to approve a US commander for Chinese troops fighting in Burma; Chiang agreed, albeit with ambiguous language.
» In-depth article
Atlantic Ocean
- German submarine U-66 sank Canadian ship Lady Hawkins 150 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0743 hours; 251 were killed, 71 survived. On the same day, German submarine U-123 sank US ship City of Atlanta (43 were killed, 3 survived) and US ship Norvana in the same general area, killing 43 of 46 aboard; US tanker Malay was damaged in the same attack.
» In-depth article
Burma
- Japanese troops captured the airfield at Tavoy (now Dawei), Burma.
» In-depth article
Czechoslovakia
- Jaroslav Krejcí was named the prime minister of the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia.
Germany
- Robert von Greim was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht radio report.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
Iceland
- Dispersed ships of Allied convoy QP-5 began to arrive in Allied waters.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Japanese troops landed at Sandakan, British North Borneo unopposed at 0700 hours.
» In-depth article
- The headquarters of the Indian 45th Brigade in Malaya was destroyed by a Japanese air raid at 1000 hours, wounding General Duncan and killing all of his staff officers. Elsewhere in British Malaya, Australian 8th Division withdrew from Gemas to prevent being cut off by a Japanese flanking maneuver.
» In-depth article
Russia
- Soviet 3rd and 4th Shock Armies advanced toward Toropets and Kholm, Russia.
» In-depth article
US Pacific Islands
- The US 2nd Marine Brigade (detached from 2nd Marine division) with 8th Marines arrived in American Samoa.
Photo(s) dated 19 Jan 1942
20 Jan 1942
- Akagi's aircraft carried out strikes against Rabaul.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Shokaku launched strikes against Rabaul.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Transports with US Marines arrived at Pago Pago, American Samoa; they were escorted by carriers Enterprise and Yorktown.
- SS-Gruppenführer Heydrich hosted the Wannsee Conference to discuss the Final Solution.
» In-depth article
- Erwin Rommel received Swords to his Knight's Cross medal.
» In-depth article
- Hawker Hurricane fighters, sent as reinforcements to Singapore, shot down eight Japanese bombers from a force of 27 attacking the city. Ground troops had less success, however, as the Indian and Australian retreat from Bakri, Malaya was cut off by the Japanese. Also on this date, more Japanese troops landed at Endau, Malaya.
» In-depth article
- The Japanese advance guard crossed the border into Burma heading for Moulmein. Kawkareik was defended by 16th Indian Brigade under Brigadier J. K. "Jonah" Jones, but was widely dispersed covering the tracks leading to the border 38 miles away. The Japanese first encountered the 1st/7th Gurkha Rifles (who had only arrived on the previous day) near Myawadi. The Gurkhas were quickly outflanked and forced to withdraw. Within forty-eight hours the rest of 16th Infantry Brigade were forced to follow.
» In-depth article
- President Roosevelt suggested to a Cabinet meeting that an air freight and alternative land route be considered for the supply of China - this task to be added to Stilwell's already considerable responsibilities.
» In-depth article
- Major General Commandant Thomas Holcomb became the first lieutenant general in the United States Marine Corps.
- In Russia, Soviet 11th Cavalry Corps attacked from Rzhev towards Vyazma while Soviet 4th Shock Army captured the German supply dumps at Toropets, taking 6 tanks, 723 trucks, artillery pieces with 450,000 shells, small arms with millions of rounds of ammunition, 1,000 drums of fuel, and food.
» In-depth article
- USS S-36 became stuck on Taka Bakang Reef in the Makassar Strait between British Borneo and Celebes, Dutch East Indies at 0400 hours.
» In-depth article
- American destroyer USS Edsall and Australian minesweeper HMAS Deloraine sank Japanese submarine I-124 with depth charges 60 miles northwest of Darwin, Australia, killing 80.
- Repair ship Akashi provided repair work for destroyer Inazuma at Davao, Mindanao, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese South Seas Force Transport Fleet ships crossed the Equator en route to Rabaul, New Britain at 0500 hours; it was the first Japanese Army force to cross the Equator in history. At 1214 hours, coast watchers at Tabar north of Rabaul spotted 20 Japanese Zero fighters; 109 carrier aircraft reached Rabaul at 1248 hours, destroying 5 of the 8 remaining Wirraway fighters at Rabaul. Shortly after, 27 Type 97 aircraft of carrier Kaga and a number of Type 99 aircraft from carrier Shokaku and Zuikaku attacked, sinking Norwegian freighter Herstein and coal hulk Westralia, losing only one aircraft in combat (a Type 97 piloted by Petty Officer 1st Class Tatsuya Sugihara) and two during recovery. No. 24 Squadron RAAF was effectively wiped out after the attacks on Rabaul on this day.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 20 Jan 1942
21 Jan 1942
- Akagi's aircraft carried out strikes against Kavieng.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German General Erwin Rommel began his counterattack into Cyrenaica from El Agheila, Libya.
» In-depth article
- American carriers Enterprise and Yorktown and their task forces set course to raid Marshall and Gilbert Islands.
» In-depth article
- USS Edsall and Australian minesweepers attacked and sank Japanese submarine I-22 off Darwin, Australia; I-22 was on a mine-laying mission.
- Shokaku launched strikes against Lae.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- HMS Indomitable refueled at Addu Atoll, Maldive Islands and departed for Java.
» In-depth article
- Following the catastrophe of the previous day, Japanese Mitsubishi A6M fighters escorted the bombers to Singapore and shot down five of the defending Hurricane fighters without loss; during the period 30 Dec 1941 to 15 Feb 1942, Singapore would suffer 18 heavy air raids and 25 lesser attacks. Meanwhile, to the north in Malaya, the retreat of Indian and Australian troops from Bakri was blocked at the Parit Sulong bridge at 0930 hours.
» In-depth article
- Destroyer HMS Opportune (G-80) was launched.
- USS Pollack arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her first war patrol.
» In-depth article
- Dutch motor launch Attla embarked the crew of USS S-36, which became stuck on Taka Bakang Reef in the Makassar Strait between British Borneo and Celebes, Dutch East Indies on the prior date.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops penetrated the west side of the Abucay-Mauban defensive line at Mount Natib on Luzon, Philippine Islands and began to cut off supplies to US-Filipino troops on the line.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-66 sank British ship Chak Sang (5 were killed, 61 survived) and Panamanian ship Nord 125 miles southwest of Rangoon, Burma.
- German submarine U-754 sank Norwegian ship Belize off Newfoundland at 1922 hours, killing all 24 aboard. German submarine U-130 sank Norwegian tanker Alexandra Høegh 200 miles east of Rhodes Island, United States at 2221 hours; all 28 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Frustrated Australian Chaplain John May at Rabaul, New Britain sent a message to Townsville, Australia containing the Latin phrase "Morituri vos salutamus", or "we who are about to die salute you", referring to the Australian government's abandonment of those deployed to Rabaul. To the east, a Catalina aircraft from Buka Island took off at dawn and spotted a Japanese cruiser force 6 hours later; the aircraft was shot down by fighters; 3 were killed, 5 were captured by cruiser Aoba. Shortly after, 52 carrier aircraft attacked Kavieng, New Ireland. At 1630 hours, RAAF command ordered the No. 24 Squadron to attack any Japanese fleets that might be approaching Rabaul as if it did not know that No. 24 Squadron had effectively been wiped out by Japanese attacks on the previous day; nevertheless, the last surviving Hudson bomber was launched on patrol, and would return after failing to find any Japanese ships.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese Sakaguchi Detachment departed the island of Tarakan for Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo. Cruiser USS Boise, cruiser USS Marblehead, and four destroyers departed Koepang, Dutch Timor to intercept; en route, USS Boise hit a rock and USS Marblehead suffered engine trouble, thus the destroyers would sail on by themselves.
» In-depth article
- Naka departed Tarakan, Dutch Borneo.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
United Kingdom
- The German Luftwaffe resumed bombing London, England, United Kingdom and a number of southern British ports.
22 Jan 1942
- Akagi's aircraft carried out strikes against Rabaul.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- American carrier Lexington departed to raid Wake Island.
» In-depth article
- Soviet cruiser Molotov was damaged by a storm, causing her to be out of commission until 18 Feb 1942.
» In-depth article
- In the Philippine Islands, an attempted Japanese landing from fishing boats on the west coast of the Bataan Peninsula was wiped out; the Japanese 20th Infantry Regiment would continue to try to gain a foothold. Meanwhile, Douglas MacArthur ordered the Abucay-Mauban defensive line abandoned as the Japanese had penetrated its western end; the troops fell back about 5 miles to the new line from Bagac to Orion.
» In-depth article
- The Russians commenced a mass evacuation of civilians from besieged Leningrad across the ice road. By Apr 1942, 440,000 would have been withdrawn from the city.
» In-depth article
- The Japanese executed 161 Australian, Indian, and Dutch prisoners at Parit Sulong, Malaya, and then burned the bodies. After the war, the officer responsible was sentenced to life imprisonment by the British for earlier crimes committed in Singapore. But in 1950, while he was being transferred to a Japanese prison, Australian authorities "kidnapped" him, took him to Australia, and hanged him for the Parit Sulong massacre.
- Cut off after destroying ten enemy tanks during the Parit Sulong battle in Malaya, South African-born Australian Colonel Charles Anderson took his men to safety through 15 miles of hostile territory. For his leadership he was awarded the Victoria Cross.
- German submarine U-123 sank US freighter Norvana off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, killing the entire crew.
» In-depth article
- Two RAF Albacore aircraft from Singapore attacked the Japanese positions at the Parit Sulong bridge in Malaya in an attempt to relieve the Indian and Australian troops being blocked there; failing to break through the Japanese lines, the Allied troops decided to break up to small groups and take the risk of fleeing through the jungle. Nearby, 110 captured Australian and 40 captured Indian troops were executed by the Japanese by machine gunning, bayoneting, beheading, and burning.
» In-depth article
- To avoid being surrounded, German 9th Army launched an attack on the flank of Soviet 29th Army near Rzhev, Russia. To the north, Soviet 3rd Shock Army came in contact with German 218th Infantry Division at Kholm.
» In-depth article
- Axis forces captured Antelat, Libya.
» In-depth article
- Italian convoy T18 (transports Ravello, Monviso, Monginevro, Victoria, and Vettor) departed Messina and Taranto in Italy for Tripoli, Libya with 97 tanks, 271 trucks, 11,823 tons of supplies and 1,467 troops aboard; it was escorted by battleship Duilo, 3 cruisers, 14 destroyers, and 2 torpedo boats.
- The Canadian government announced its intention to hold a plebiscite on the question of conscription.
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese troops landed on New Ireland, Bismarck Islands and captured Kavieng. At nearby Rabaul, the last surviving Hudson bomber was used to evacuate the wounded airmen from the hospital on Namanula Hill, taking them to Port Moresby, British Territory of Papua. After sunrise, carrier Akagi and Kaga launched aircraft against Rabaul; they attacked two coastal guns at the cost of 2 Type 99 dive bombers. In the late morning, coast watchers at Watom Island spotted a Japanese fleet, which appears on the horizon for the Rabaul defenders by 1200 hours. In the afternoon, Australian troops began to sabotage airfield facilities to prevent Japanese use after capture; when destroying a bomb store, the resulting explosion was much larger than expected, and it killed several natives and the vibration damaged all nearby radios, thus the last message sent out at 1600 hours would become Rabaul's final radio message.
» In-depth article
Germany
- Hans-Joachim Marseille was medically discharged from a hospital near Berlin, Germany.
» In-depth article
Libya
- The 3rd Battalion of the "San Marco" naval infantry regiment of Italian Navy arrived at Agedabia, Libya.
United States
- The overhaul of USS S-28 at Mare Island Navy Yard was completed.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 22 Jan 1942
23 Jan 1942
- American oiler USS Neches was torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-72 70 miles southwest of the Hawaiian Islands at 0319 hours, killing 57. Without this source of fuel, USS Lexington and her task force cancelled the Wake Island raid.
» In-depth article
- In Yugoslavia, Hungarian troops massacred 2,462 Serbs and 700 Jews over six days in retaliation for partisan activity.
- German submarine U-66 sank US collier Venore 5 kilometers off North Carolina, United States, killing 17 of 41 aboard. At 0812 hours, U-109 sank British ship Thirlby 20 miles off Nova Scotia, Canada; 5 were killed, 41 survived. At 1340 hours, U-82 sank Norwegian tanker Leiesten 400 miles east of Newfoundland; 6 were killed, 29 survived.
» In-depth article
- Destroyer Yuzuki departed with Destroyer Division 23 to escort the invasion fleet for Kavieng, New Ireland, Bismarck Islands.
» In-depth article
- The Japanese commenced a determined effort to establish air superiority over Rangoon, Burma. By 29 Jan seventeen Japanese aircraft had been shot down for the loss of two American Volunteer Group and ten Royal Air Force machines, forcing the Japanese temporarily to concede.
» In-depth article
- US Marine Corps 7th Defense Battalion at American Samoa was reinforced by the 2nd Marine Brigade, which was consisted of the 8th Marine Regiment, 10th Marine Regiment, and 2nd Defense Battalion.
- George Marshall told Joseph Stilwell that Stilwell was definitely going to be sent to China.
» In-depth article
- Soviet 3rd Shock Army surrounded 5,500 German troops at Kholm, Russia.
» In-depth article
- A British Albacore torpedo bomber attacked Italian convoy T18 in the Gulf of Sirte north of Libya, sinking transport Victoria; 391 were killed, 1,064 survived.
- Japanese bombers attacked Palembang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies for the first time.
» In-depth article
- The Roberts Commission found Husband Kimmel guilty of dereliction of duty for the Pearl Harbor disaster.
» In-depth article
- The Roberts Commission found Walter Short guilty of dereliction of duty for the Pearl Harbor disaster.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- At 0230 hours, Japanese troops began landing on New Britain on three beachheads, two of which were defended, but in general the Japanese had little difficult overcoming the defenses. Carrier aircraft from Akagi and Kaga supported the invasion after dawn, enjoying air superiority thus losing only one pilot (Flight Petty Officer 2nd Class Isao Hiraishi) all day. As the troops entered and captured Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands, as reported by Tolai natives later, Japanese troops mutilated corpses of Australian troops with axes and bayonets. In the evening in Australia, Deputy Prime Minister Francis Forde announced that the government had learned of a Japanese landing at Bougainville, but there were no words on whether Rabaul had been invaded.
» In-depth article
Australian Papua
- Australian Catalina aircraft were launched from Port Moresby, British Territory of Papua to attack Rabaul, New Britain on the very first night of Japanese occupation; severe weather in the Solomon Sea forced the aircraft to abandon the mission, however.
British Western Pacific Territories
- In the Solomon Islands, the Japanese landed at Kieta, Bougainville.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- As the Japanese convoy carrying the Sakaguchi Detachment approached Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo, it was attacked by Dutch forces; Dutch submarine K-18 sank Japanese transport Tsuruga Maru, while nine Dutch B-10 bombers, and 20 Dutch Buffalo fighters sank Japanese transport Nana Maru and damaged Tatsugami Maru.
» In-depth article
- Japanese Sasebo Combined Special Naval Landing Force set sail from Menado, Celebes, Dutch East Indies for Kendari on the southeastern tip of the island.
» In-depth article
- Naka protected transports during the invasion of Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Photo(s) dated 23 Jan 1942
24 Jan 1942
- Battle of Makassar Strait: Off Balikpapan, four Japanese transports were sunk as the result of this battle.
» In-depth article
- Germans retook Sukhinichi, near Kaluga, Russia.
- HMS Indomitable refueled near the Cocos Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean.
» In-depth article
- The 2nd Battalion of the Japanese 20th Infantry Regiment continued to make landing attempts at Quinauan Point, and Longoskawayan Point, Bataan on Luzon of Philippine Islands, increasing the strength of the small beachhead. After sundown, US and Filipino troops began withdrawing from the Abucay-Mauban defensive line to the new Orion-Bagac defensive line.
» In-depth article
- Japanese aircraft attacked Rangoon, Burma for the second day in a row. From the Thai-Burmese border, Japanese troops marched in multiple columns toward Moulmein, Burma, looking to capture the nearby airfield.
» In-depth article
- American submarine chaser USS PC-460 misidentified US submarine USS S-26 for an enemy submarine in the Gulf of Panama in the darkness, rammed, and sank the submarine, killing 46 of the 49 aboard.
» In-depth article
- USS Astoria arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
- Destroyer Yukikaze escorted the Japanese invasion force for Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
- Troop convoy MS2 arrived at Singapore, disembarking an Australian machine gun battalion and 1,900 green conscripts.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-66 sank British tanker Empire Gem 20 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0240 hours. Out to sea to the northeast, at 0653 hours, German submarine U-106 sank British ship Empire Wildebeeste 430 miles southeast of Nova Scotia, Canada. In the afternoon at 1525 hours, U-333 sank Norwegian ship Ringstad off Newfoundland.
» In-depth article
- USS Swordfish sank Japanese gunboat Myoken Maru off Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
- John Curtin, the Australian Premiere, called for an Australian representative to be appointed to the Imperial War Cabinet, and further proposed the establishment of a Pacific Council for joint consultation between all the Allied countries particularly concerned.
» In-depth article
- Australian Deputy Prime Minister Francis Forde announced in the afternoon that the Japanese had presumably landed at Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands. On the same day, Thomas McBride Price led the second Australian attempt at attacking Rabaul (the first having been abandoned on the previous day due to weather); clouds over Rabaul obscured both the attackers (5 Catalina aircraft) as well as the defenders, thus the only damage caused was minor friendly fire incidents on the Japanese side.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese Sasebo Special Naval Landing Force captured Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies, overcoming the 400 Dutch defenders at the airfield.
» In-depth article
- Dutch bombers attacked Japanese troop transports off Dutch Borneo as the ships sailed toward Balikpapan. Dutch submarine K-18 damaged Japanese patrol boat P37 and suffered damage from depth charge counterattacks. After sundown, 5,500 Japanese troops landed unopposed at two sites north and east of Balikpapan. Finally, US destroyers USS Paul Jones, USS Parrot, USS Pope, and USS John D. Ford attacked Japanese transports at Borneo, sinking Kuretake Maru, Sumanoura Maru, and Tatsukami Maru, and further damaging patrol boat P37.
» In-depth article
- Dutch submarine K XVIII fired four torpedoes at Japanese cruiser Naka off Borneo, Dutch East Indies, all of which missed; Naka gave pursue to the submarine unsuccessfully.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Germany
Russia
25 Jan 1942
- Thailand formally became an ally of Japan and declared war on the United Kingdom and the United States. Ambassador Seni Pramoj in the American capital refused to deliver the declaration of war and defected to the United States; he would later form a Free Thai movement.
- German troops captured Msus, Libya, capturing 30 British Valentine tanks.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-754 sank Greek ship Mount Kitheron off Newfoundland at 0925 hours. 28 miles southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey at 1002 hours, U-130 sank Norwegian tanker Varanger carrying 12,750 tons of fuel oil from Curacao to New York; all 40 aboard survived. Further south, German submarine U-125 damaged US tanker Olney 10 kilometers off Virginia, United States. Finally, out to sea, U-123 sank British ship Culebra in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 45 aboard, while en route back to her home port.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarines I-24 and I-18 bombarded US Marine positions on Sand Island, Midway Atoll. The submarines were driven off by defensive coastal gunfire.
- Japanese aircraft attacked Rangoon, Burma for the third day in a row. Meanwhile, Archibald Wavell ordered that the airfield at Moulmein, Burma to be defended, which was being threatened by troops of the Japanese 55th infantry Division.
» In-depth article
- Troops of the Japanese Imperial Guard captured Batu Pahat, British Malaya; in response, Lieutenant General Arthur Percival ordered troops in Malaya to withdraw to Singapore. Meanwhile, Allied convoy BM10 from Bombay, India arrived at Singapore, disembarking 4,745 troops of the Indian 44th Infantry Brigade, vehicles, and supplies.
» In-depth article
- US and Filipino troops continued to withdraw from the Abucay-Mauban defensive line on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands toward the Orion-Bagac defensive line.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Ultimatum sank Italian passenger ship Dalmatia L 30 miles south of Messina, Sicily, Italy.
- German destroyer Z8 Bruno Heinemann struck two British naval mines and sank in the Strait of Dover; 98 were killed, 229 survived.
- Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was awarded the German Cross in Gold.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Dutch East Indies
- The Japanese conducted a third landing at Balikpapan, Dutch Borneo, capturing the airfield at dawn. Dutch defenders began sabotaging bridges before retreating north, where they were ambushed by a Japanese force. Meanwhile, civilians were evacuated by ship at Pontianak, Dutch Borneo.
» In-depth article
Libya
- The 3rd Battalion of the "San Marco" naval infantry regiment of Italian Navy arrived at Antelat, Libya, where it would remain on garrison defense duty for several weeks.
Russia
- British merchant ship Harmatris, the civilian convoy commodore's flagship of Allied convoy PQ-8, damaged by German submarine U-454 on 17 Jan 1942, arrived at Kola in northern Russia in tow by two tugs.
» In-depth article
- Soviet Deputy Navy Commissar Admiral Gordei Levchenko, arrested in Nov 1941 for the loss of the Crimea region of Ukraine to the Germans, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in a labor camp.
26 Jan 1942
- German leader Himmler announced his plan to send 100,000 Jewish men and 50,000 Jewish women to concentration camps for use as forced laborers within the following four weeks.
» In-depth article
- The first American troops arrived in the United Kingdom via Allied convoy AT10; the 3,900 troops of US 34th Division would set up camp in Northern Ireland.
- German submarine U-125 sank American ship West Ivis 100 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0556 hours, killing the entire crew of 45. Three hours later at 0842 hours, 325 miles southeast of Nova Scotia, Canada, U-106 sank British ship Traveller, killing all 52 aboard. 200 miles south of Newfoundland, U-582 sank British tanker Refast at 1858 hours; 10 were killed, 32 survived.
» In-depth article
- Japanese aircraft attacked Rangoon, Burma for the fourth day in a row.
» In-depth article
- British, Indian, and Australian troops began to withdraw from the Batu Pahat-Ayer Hitam-Jemaluang defensive line in British Malaya as ordered by Lieutenant General Arthur Percival on the previous day. On the east coast, 1,500 troops of the British Brigade of the Indian 11th Division were cut off at Rengit. At 1100 hours, Japanese 18th Division landed at Endau, 80 miles north of Singapore. At 1500 hours, RAF biplane aircraft attacked the Endau landing force, causing little damage and losing 5 Vildebeest aircraft. At 1630 hours, destroyers HMS Thanet and HMAS Vampire departed Singapore to attack the Japanese ships at Endau. Finally, at 1730 hours, another air attack was conducted by 9 Vildebeest and 3 Albacore aircraft, escorted by some Hurricane fighters; this attack also achieved little, and 9 aircraft were lost.
» In-depth article
- US and Filipino troops completed the phased withdraw from the Abucay-Mauban defensive line at Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, which was done over three nights.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese troops beheaded Australian prisoner of war Lieutenant Lennox Henry at Rabaul, New Britain. On the same day, Three Australian Catalina aircraft from Port Moresby, British Territory of Papua attacked Rabaul, causing minor damage.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in US Territory of Hawaii reported that there were no radio traffic regarding Japanese carriers in the Gilbert Islands and Marshall Islands area, thus concluding that the planned US carrier strike in the two island groups should be able to continue without unexpected threats.
» In-depth article
Russia
- Soviet Deputy Navy Commissar Admiral Gordei Levchenko, sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in a labor camp for the loss of the Crimea region of Ukraine to the Germans, began to be supported by fellow admirals such as Navy Commissar Nikolai Kuznetsov. Levchenko would eventually be cleared, but he would be demoted to the rank of captain 1st class; he would not return to admiral rank until 1944.
Photo(s) dated 26 Jan 1942
27 Jan 1942
- Eamon de Valera, Premier of Ireland, protested the arrival of US troops in Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom.
- Submarines of the US Navy Asiatic Fleet withdrew to Fremantle, Australia.
- American submarine USS Seawolf delivered 37 tons of .30 caliber ammunition to the US troops at Corregidor in the Philippine Islands. Upon departure, the submarine took on 25 pilots, spare submarine parts, and 16 torpedoes.
» In-depth article
- Lieutenant Commander Otoji Nakamura of I-68 traveled to Yamato to brief Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto on the depth charge attacks his submarine received during the Pearl Harbor attack.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- 100 miles off Java, HMS Indomitable launched the 48 RAF Hurricane fighters that she was transporting. These fighters would fly to Java and Dutch Borneo; they were intended to ultimately reach Singapore to bolster defenses there.
» In-depth article
- Just after 0000 hours, German submarine U-754 sank Greek ship Icarion off Newfoundland, killing 9 of 29 aboard. Off the east coast of the United States, German submarine U-130 sank US tanker Francis E. Powell 35 miles southeast of Ocean City, New Jersey at 0943 hours (killing 4 of 32 aboard) and damaged US tanker Halo with gunfire off North Carolina.
» In-depth article
- Additional Japanese troops were landed at Point Quinauan in southwestern Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Elements of the US 4th Marine Regiment attacked the Japanese beachhead at Longoskawayan Point.
» In-depth article
- Erwin Rommel sent a small column of tanks from Msus, Libya eastward across the desert towards Mechili as a feint to draw out the British 1st Armored Division; meanwhile, his main force moved towards Benghazi.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops overcame Dutch and Indian troops and captured the Singkawang II airfield on Dutch Borneo; the Allied troops retreated to Ledo, 15 miles to the southwest.
» In-depth article
- At 0318 hours, destroyers HMS Thanet and HMAS Vampire engaged Japanese cruiser Sendai and six destroyers, which were protecting the troop transports that the two Allied destroyers were aiming to sink, off British Malaya; in the ensuing Battle of Endau, Japanese troop transports Kansai Maru and Kanbera Maru were damaged. At 0400 hours, HMS Thanet was sunk; 38 were killed, 67 survived and were rescued by friendly forces, and 31 survived and were captured by the Japanese. Also in eastern Malaya, British gunboats HMS Dragonfly and HMS Scorpion evacuated 1,500 British troops from Rengit and transported them to Singapore.
» In-depth article
- British tanker Harpa struck a mine, which detonated her cargo of aviation fuel, in Singapore Strait; she was destroyed, killing 39 of 40 aboard.
- US submarine USS Gudgeon detected Japanese submarine I-73 by radar 260 miles west of Midway Atoll. USS Gudgeon fired three torpedoes, which was immediately spotted by I-73's lookouts. I-73 dove shortly after, but the Japanese submarine along with her complement of 68 men would never be seen again.
» In-depth article
- Soviet 11th Cavalry Corps reached Vyazma, Russia but was driven back by elements of the German 9th Army.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese troops executed Australian prisoner of war Captain Richard Travers at Rabaul, New Britain.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Greece
Japan
United Kingdom
- Winston Churchill opened a three-day Parliamentary debate in London, England, United Kingdom on the course of the war.
28 Jan 1942
- After gaining 60 miles, Timoshenko's offensive in Ukraine began to slow.
- Georgy Zhukov was promoted, with responsibility growing to include the Bryanksk, Kalinin, and West Fronts.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops occupied Rossel Island off southwestern New Guinea.
- British fighter ace Robert Roland Stanford Tuck (27 kills) was shot down and was taken prisoner in Germany.
- Münster, Germany was bombed for the first time during the night of 28-29 Jan 1942 by mainforce aircraft of RAF Bomber Command. It would ultimately be bombed on six occasions, destroying 65% of the city.
» In-depth article
- Mortars and machine guns of the US 4th Marine Regiment were assigned to the 57th Philippine Scout Regiment at Longoskawayan Point, Bataan on Luzon, Philippine Islands, where the combined US-Filipino effort would soon wipe out the Japanese landing attempt.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops outflanked and wiped out Indian 22nd Brigade at Layang Layang, British Malaya. Meanwhile, US B-17 bombers based on Java, Dutch East Indies bombed Kuala Lumpur. After sundown, British gunboats HMS Dragonfly and HMS Scorpion evacuated British troops at Rengit.
» In-depth article
- US B-17 bombers based on Java, Dutch East Indies bombed Japanese positions at Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Thorn sank Italian tanker Ninuccia one mile off Cape Planka, Yugoslavia at 1121 hours.
- Indian troops destroyed port facilities at Benghazi, Libya as German forces approached.
» In-depth article
- Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht bulletin by the headquarters of the German Wehrmacht.
» In-depth article
- Dispersed ships of Allied convoy QP-6 began to arrive in Allied waters.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Four Australian Catalina aircraft from Port Moresby, British Territory of Papua attacked Rabaul, New Britain, causing little or no damage.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese troops landed at Pemangkat, Dutch Borneo. At Balikpapan, part of the assault force for Bandjermasin, the capital of Dutch Borneo, departed by transports.
» In-depth article
Germany
- In Berlin, Germany, fighter ace Adolf Galland was awarded Diamonds to his Knight's Cross by Adolf Hitler for achieving 94 kills.
» In-depth article
Italy
Russia
- Chechen rebel leader Khasan Israilov formed the anti-Soviet organization Special Party of Caucasus Brothers.
» In-depth article
United States
- Phil Zampini became Robert Johnson's flight instructor at the Missouri Institute of Aeronautics in Sikeston, Missouri, United States.
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: Report of Pearl Harbor Attack, USS Argonne
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 28 Jan 1942
29 Jan 1942
- Japanese submarine I-71 attacked and sank US Army 622-ton transport General Royal T. Frank about 2 miles west of Maui, Hawaii in the in the Alenuihaha Channel. All aboard were lost.
- 50 German tanks forced the Indian 4th Infantry Division out of the defensive positions at Benghazi, Libya, capturing British vehicles and supplies.
» In-depth article
- German Army General Rommel arrived at Benghazi, Libya.
» In-depth article
- After invasion by the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union, Iran joined the Allies, thus allowing US Lend-Lease supplies to reach the Soviet Union overland.
- The US Coast Guard Cutter Alexander Hamilton was torpedoed and sunk by the German submarine U-132 whilst on patrol off the Iceland coast.
» In-depth article
- Heinrich Himmler issued a directive that established the SS Sonderkommando Dirlewanger as a volunteer formation of the SS. This formation, which drew its personnel from concentration camps and hardened criminals, would become notorious for its war crimes against civilians in Poland.
» In-depth article
- Repair ship Akashi provided repair work for destroyer Hatsuharu at Davao, Mindanao, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- British colonial administrators and civilians departed from Johore Bahru, British Malaya for Singapore.
» In-depth article
- The 20th Battalion of the Japanese 16th Division penetrated the US-Filipino Orion-Bagac defensive line at several locations at Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands; the reserve 45th Philippine Scout Division was quickly dispatched to halt the Japanese advance. Meanwhile, troops of the Philippine Scouts continued to assault the Japanese beachheads at Longoskawayan Point and Quinauan Point in southern Bataan.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-431 sank British minesweeping whaler HMS Sotra 25 miles northeast of Bardia, Libya at 2146 hours, killing all 22 aboard.
- Winston Churchill won a vote of confidence 464-1 in the House of Commons of the British Parliament; Independent Labour Party leader James Maxton cast the only vote against Churchill.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-164 sank US cargo ship Florence Luckenbach 10 miles off the Indian coast; all 38 aboard survived.
Caroline Islands
30 Jan 1942
- British troops in the southern tip of British Malaya completed the withdraw into Singapore, thus marking the start of the siege. After sundown, British gunboats HMS Dragonfly and HMS Scorpion once again sailed for Rengit to evacuate the last of the enveloped British troops there.
» In-depth article
- Hitler spoke at the Berlin Sports Palace, threatening the Jews of the world with annihilation.
- Operation Oiled: 7 British Stirling bombers were launched from RAF Lossiemouth, Scotland 0030 hours, and 8 Halifax bombers were launched from the same location between 0204 and 0234 hours. Their target was the German battleship Tirpitz in Norway. None of them reached their target due to bad weather.
- Erwin Rommel was promoted to the rank of Generaloberst; at the same time, the Panzergruppe Afrika was renamed the Panzerarmee Afrika.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-106 sank US tanker Rochester 80 kilometers off Norfolk, Virginia, United States at 1805 hours, killing 3 of 35 aboard.
» In-depth article
- Japanese 55th Infantry Division captured the airfield at Moulmein, Burma.
» In-depth article
- 800 men of the Japanese Special Naval Landing Force and 4,000 Japanese Army troops landed on the island of Ambon in the Dutch East Indies, covered from above by carrier aircraft of Hiryu and Soryu. Without air support, the 2,800 Dutch and 1,100 Australian troops withdrew toward Passo, failing to destroy bridges behind them.
» In-depth article
- 400 Japanese troops landed at Adang Bay and began a 155-mile trek across jungles to assault Bandjermasin, the capital of Dutch Borneo.
» In-depth article
- The British 1st Armoured Division in Libya withdrew toward Gazala.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-64 sank Indian freighter Jalatarang 62 miles southeast of Madras, India.
- German bombers heavily damaged British minesweeping trawler HMS Loch Alsh 45 miles east of Grimsby, England, United Kingdom; she would sink as she was being towed to port for repairs.
- British submarine HMS Thunderbolt attacked an Axis convoy with three torpedoes 6 miles west of Lefkada, Greece at 0939 hours; all torpedoes missed; escorting Italian torpedo boat Solferino counterattacked with 29 depth charges without success.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Thorn sank Italian submarine Medusa off Pola, Yugoslavia at 1410 hours; 57 were killed, 1 survived.
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese troops executed Australian prisoner of war Captain Herbert Silverman at Rabaul, New Britain. On the same day, Australian Thomas McBride Price led 5 Catalina aircraft on an attack on Rabaul, claiming one bomb hit; Price reported the presence of newly arrived large anti-aircraft weapons.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Dutch East Indies
Libya
31 Jan 1942
- German SS Einsatzgruppe A reported a tally of 229,052 Jews killed in the Baltic States and in Byelorussia, while Estonia was reported to be free of Jews. Extermination activities had paused in Lithuania, it reported, but would soon be picked up again.
» In-depth article
- More than 200,000 Russians had died in Leningrad this month from starvation, disease and illness. Reports began to circulate of cannibalism amongst the besieged population.
» In-depth article
- The German support ship Spreewald, disguised as British Royal Mail steamer Brittany, was carrying 200 British seamen captured from sunken merchantmen when German submarine U-333 found her. Believing she was indeed a British ship, Spreewald was torpedoed and sunk off Bordeaux, France. Only 24 crewmen and 58 POWs were rescued. The U-boat captain, Peter Cremer, was exonerated by a Royal Navy inquiry because he identified the ship as the Royal Mail steamer, Brittany, which was precisely what the Spreewald's captain had disguised his ship to resemble.
- Commander Yahachi Tanabe became the commanding officer of I-68.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-107 sank British tanker San Arcadio 425 miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States at 0445 hours; 41 were killed, 9 survived. To the south, U-109 sank British tanker Tacoma Star 200 kilometers east of Virginia, United States. Out to sea, U-333 sank German freighter Spreewald by mistake (Spreewald was under disguise as British Royal Mail transport Brittany); 41 German crew members and 31 British prisoners of war were killed, 25 German crew members and 55 British prisoners of war survived. At 2212 hours, U-82 attacked Allied troop convoy NA-2 in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and sank British destroyer HMS Belmont, killing all 138 aboard. At 2331 hours, U-105 attacked Allied convoy SL-98 500 miles southwest of Ireland, sinking British Sloop HMS Culver with 2 torpedoes which detonated the magazine; 126 were killed, 12 survived.
» In-depth article
- Japanese 55th Infantry Division captured the town of Moulmein, Burma one day after the nearby airfield was captured; Burmese 2nd Infantry Brigade (Brigadier Roger Ekin) retreated across the Salween River during the night after having lost 617 men (mostly missing); Archibald Wavell however, unaware of the true situation, was appalled and angry to hear of the ease with which the Japanese had driven Burmese 2nd Infantry Brigade from the town. On the same day, Slim issued a report summarizing the air situation in Burma, noting the Allies had 35 aircraft in the area to defend against about 150 Japanese aircraft; while a few more Allied aircraft were en route for Burma, by mid-Mar 1942 there would be 400 operational Japanese aircraft in this theater of war.
» In-depth article
- USS Finback was commissioned into service, Lieutenant Commander Jesse L. Hull in command.
» In-depth article
- Destroyer Yukikaze escorted the Japanese invasion force for Ambon, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops captured Batugong and Passo on Ambon, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
- Indian sappers destroyed the main causeway linking Singapore and British Malaya at 0815 hours. Shortly after, Japanese troops captured Johore Bharu, Malaya.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-64 sank Indian merchant ship Jalapalaka 63 miles southeast of Madras, India with the deck gun; 13 were killed, 54 survived.
Australian New Guinea
- 15 Type 96 A5M4 fighters of the Japanese Chitose Air Group arrived at Rabaul, New Britain to join the A5M4 fighters of the Tainan Air Group that had arrived days earlier.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- American carrier USS Lexington was ordered to sail south to cover the return of carriers USS Enterprise and USS Yorktown from their Marshall and Gilbert Islands raid. To that end, she set sail for Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii with Task Force 11.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 31 Jan 1942
1 Feb 1942
- Soviet Army began attacking towards Vyazma.
- Vidkun Quisling formed his government in Norway.
» In-depth article
- PT boats and P-40 aircraft repulsed the Japanese landing attempt on southwest Bataan at the Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- Cruiser Köln began four months of repairs and refits in Wilhelmshaven, Germany.
» In-depth article
- The British formed the RAF Regiment to defend airfields as the British Army could not provide such services. This regiment would eventually grow to the size of 50,000 men.
- Mitragliero was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
- The United States Marine Corps redesigned Air Detachment, Marine Barracks, Parris Island in South Carolina, United States to the Marine Corps Air Station, Parris Island.
- Dutch forces at Passo, Ambon, Dutch East Indies surrendered.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Christmas Island
- USS Lexington supported the air offensive against Marshall and Gilbert Islands indirectly by operation in the vicinity of Christmas Island.
» In-depth article
Gilbert and Ellice Islands
- The United States launched its first air offensive against the Gilbert Islands as aircraft from US carriers USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise struck Japanese bases in the island group.
Hawaii
- USS Grampus arrived at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
Iceland
- Allied convoys PQ-9 and PQ-10 departed Reykjavík, Iceland together.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Japanese troops reached Singapore, pausing for the following few days to prepare for a landing on the island. Meanwhile, General Arthur Percival announced that "the battle of Malaya has come to an end and the battle of Singapore has started.... Today we stand beleaguered in our island fortress. Our task is to hold this fortress until help can come."
» In-depth article
Marshall Islands
- The United States launched its first air offensive against the Marshall Islands as aircraft from US carriers USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise struck Japanese bases in the island group. US cruisers USS Northampton, USS Chester, and USS Salt Lake City also bombarded atolls in the Marshall Islands, sinking gunboat Toyotsu Maru and transport Bordeaux Maru and damaging cruiser Katori, submarine I-23, minelayer Tokiwa, and several others. USS Chester sustained damage from a Japanese dive bomber during the attack; 8 were killed, 21 were wounded.
Photo(s) dated 1 Feb 1942
See all photos dated 1 Feb 1942
2 Feb 1942
- The US Congress appropriated US$26.5 billion for the US Navy; between Jun 1940 and this date, American expenditure on the military totalled at US$115 billion.
- HMS Indomitable, with her escorting Australian destroyers Nizam, Nestor, and Napier, arrived at Trincomalee, Ceylon.
» In-depth article
- USS Gar departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-751 damaged Dutch tanker Corilla off Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada at 0746 hours; Corilla was able to return to Halifax for repairs. To the south, German submarine U-103 sank US tanker W. L. Steed 100 kilometers east of Virginia, United States, killing 34 of 38 aboard. On the far side of the Atlantic Ocean, near Pico Island of the Azores islands, British destroyer HMS Westcott sank German submarine U-581 with depth charges; 3 were killed, 37 of the survivors were captured; commanding officer Leutnant zur see Walter Sitek was able to swim 6 kilometers to shore and eventually return to service via Spain.
» In-depth article
- Lieutenant-General Thomas Hutton, the GOC Burma Army, was injured when the Lysander aircraft in which he was flying to meet with Chiang Kaishek crash landed near Lashio, Burma.
- On Ambon, Dutch East Indies, Australian troops fell back to Amahusu while Japanese troops attacked various pockets of resistance.
» In-depth article
- Japanese minesweeper W-9 struck a Dutch naval mine and sank in the Bay of Ambon, Dutch East Indies.
- German bombers sank British minesweeping trawlers HMT Cloughton Wyke and HMT Cape Spartel east of England, United Kingdom.
- US President Franklin Roosevelt officially named Joseph Stilwell as the Chief of Staff to Chinese Generalissimo Chiang KaiShek.
» In-depth article
- While at sea, USS Lexington received orders to set sail for Canton Island, Phoenix Islands.
» In-depth article
- Kaga set sail for Palau Islands, Caroline Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Australian New Guinea
- Major General Tomitaro Horii ordered Lieutenant Colonel Masao Kuwada of Japanese 3rd Battalion to pursue Australian troops who had previously fled into the jungles of southern Gazelle Peninsula on New Britain; Kuwada delegated the task to Lieutenant Tadaichi Noda. After sundown, six Japanese flying boats were launched from Rabaul to attack Port Moresby in British Territory of Papua; they would arrive over the Seven Mile airfield on the next date.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese warships began to patrol in waters near Java, Duth East Indies paving way for the invasion fleet. Ahead of the warships were Japanese bombers, which attacked Surabaya, Java and other military targets. Meanwhile, cruiser USS Houston, cruiser USS Marblehead, and 7 Dutch and American destroyers departed Surabaya to intercept a detected Japanese troop convoy sailing toward Java.
» In-depth article
- Japanese minesweeper W-9, W-11, and W-12 were damaged by Dutch mines while minesweeping in the Bay of Ambon in the Dutch East Indies; W-9 would sink shortly after.
Japan
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Japanese aircraft attacked naval facilities at Singapore, forcing Allied warships to withdraw for the Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- US submarine USS Seadragon attacked a Japanese supply convoy north of Lingayen Gulf, Luzon, Philippine Islands and sank transport Tamagawa Maru.
» In-depth article
- An assault was mounted by US troops, supported by tanks, against the Japanese beachheads at Quinauan Point, Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands; it achieved little. To the north, on the Orion-Bagac defensive line, a US-Filipino attack wiped out a small pocket of trapped Japanese attackers.
» In-depth article
Russia
- Soviet 3rd Shock Army launched an attack on the German troops trapped in Kholm, Russia.
» In-depth article
3 Feb 1942
- German forces counterattacked toward Vyazma, encircling several Soviet divisions.
» In-depth article
- Japanese naval land attack planes bombed ABDA operating base at Surabaya.
» In-depth article
- Henry Stimson appeared before the Foreign Relations Committee of the House of Representatives of the US Congress and successfully convinced the congressmen to approve a US$500,000,000 loan for the Chinese. This was done as a favor for Chiang Kaishek, who was considering to accept an American request for him to launch an offensive into northern Burma.
» In-depth article
- US submarine Trout delivered 3,500 rounds of 3 inch anti-aircraft ammunition to Corregidor, Philippine Islands. Upon departure, the submarine evacuated 20 tons of Philippine gold and silver.
» In-depth article
- The last of the Australian Gull Force on Ambon, Dutch East Indies surrendered the town of Kudamati to the Japanese.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Lieutenant Tadaichi Noda led a group of Japanese troops to the Tol plantation on the southern coast of the Gazelle Peninsula of New Britain and captured 180 Australian troops hiding there; the Australians were given hot meals, the first they had for several days; the prisoners, however, did not realize that most of them would only have days to live. Hours later, after sundown, Australian Catalina aircraft flew over Rabaul, New Britain and were engaged by Japanese A5M4 fighters; all aircraft on both sides survived this first dogfight over Rabaul since Japanese conquest.
» In-depth article
Australian Papua
- Six Japanese flying boats from Rabaul, New Britain bombed the Seven Mile airfield near Port Moresby, British Territory of Papua at 0300 hours, killing 1 Australian Army sergeant; the damage done to the airfield was minor.
Burma
- Burmese 2nd Infantry Brigade and a part of the Indian 17th Division withdrew from Martaban, Burma toward the Bilin River.
» In-depth article
Japan
Libya
- In Libya, British 1st Armoured Division evacuated Mechili while Indian 4th Division evacuated Derna.
» In-depth article
United States
- German submarine U-103 sank Panamanian freighter San Gil 25 kilometers off Virginia, United States, killing 2 of 40 aboard.
» In-depth article
4 Feb 1942
- British forces seized the Egyptian royal palace in Cairo to force the abdication of the 22-year old King Farouk who was sympathetic to the Axis Powers.
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Kwajalein to tend to personnel wounded on an American strike on 1 Feb; departed later on the same day.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Believing that reinforcements were on their way, the British Authorities in Singapore turned down a Japanese demand for the unconditional surrender.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-103 sank US tanker India Arrow 50 kilometers east of Delaware, United States, killing 26 of 38 aboard.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese troops under Lieutenant Tadaichi Noda executed 130 Australian prisoners of war by bayoneting and machine gunning at the Tol Plantation on the southern coast of Gazelle Peninsula in New Britain; there were only 6 survivors; Noda ordered a message to be posted on the door of Tol noting that Australian Lieutenant Colonel J. J. Scanlan was responsible for these deaths for not having surrendered his command to the Japanese.
» In-depth article
Australian Papua
- 9 Japanese flying boats from Rabaul, New Britain attacked Port Moresby, British Territory of Papua, destroying one house and two commercial buildings.
Dutch East Indies
- The American-Dutch fleet which departed Surabaya, Java, Dutch East Indies on the previous day was detected by the Japanese aircraft at 0949 hours in the Bali Sea. The Japanese aircraft, originally flying to bomb Surabaya, attacked the fleet instead, hitting US cruiser USS Marblehead with 2 bombs (killing 15), US cruiser USS Houston with 1 bomb (killing 48), and Dutch destroyer HNLMS De Ruyter (7 killed); 4 Japanese aircraft were lost during the attack. The Allied fleet abandoned its original plans to intercept a Japanese invasion convoy due to the damage suffered.
» In-depth article
- US submarine USS Sculpin attacked Japanese destroyer Sukukaze at mouth of Staring Bay near Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies, causing damaging to the destroyer and killing 9 of her crew.
» In-depth article
Korea
Philippines
- US submarine Seadragon evacuated 21 military personnel, 23 torpedoes, spare submarine parts, and radio equipment from Corregidor, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- US tanks once again attacked the Japanese beachheads at Quinauan Point, Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, nearly successfully in wiping out several positions.
» In-depth article
5 Feb 1942
- 120 P-40 fighters arrived at Brisbane, Australia from the United States.
» In-depth article
- The US Army Far East Air Force was redesignated 5th Air Force; the personnel and aircraft continued to move south to the Dutch East Indies and Australia.
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Roi, Marshall Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-103 sank US tankers India Arrow at 0153 hours (26 were killed, 12 survived) and China Arrow at 1808 hours (all 37 aboard survived) 20 kilometers southeast of Cape May, New Jersey, United States. German submarine U-136 sank British corvette HMS Arbutus (Lieutenant A. L. W. Warren) in the North Atlantic 330 miles west of Ireland at 2236 hours; 43 were killed, 47 survived.
» In-depth article
- USS Lexington crossed the Equator.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese aircraft attacked Allied shipping off Sumbawa Island and Bali Island in the Dutch East Indies; several P-40 Warhawk fighters of the USAAF 20th Provisional Pursuit Squadron were destroyed at Bali.
» In-depth article
France
- 60 British RAF Bomber Command aircraft attacked German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at Brest, France, causing little damage.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- USS Enterprise returned to Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
Korea
Libya
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Japanese troops attacked the Pulau Ubin island to the east of Singapore, drawing British troops to move to that region; the actual attack would come from the northwest three days later. Out at sea, passenger liner Empress of Asia, with reinforcement for Singapore aboard and fallen behind from fellow BM12 convoy members, was attacked and sunk by 9 Japanese aircraft; although the loss of life was small (16 killed), all the weapons and equipment aboard her were lost; 1,804 survivors were rescued by Australian sloop HMAS Yarra.
» In-depth article
Norway
- Soviet submarine Shch-421 sank German ship Konsul Schulte in the Porsanger Fjord off Honningsvaag, Norway.
Philippines
- 17 radio intelligence personnel were evacuated from the US Navy Station CAST facility at Corregidor island, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
6 Feb 1942
- German submarine U-107 sank US freighter Major Wheeler off the east coast of the United States, killing the entire crew of 35. Off Bermuda, German submarine U-106 sank British ship Opawa. Northeast of the Azores islands, German submarine U-109 sank Panamanian ship Halcyon. Finally, German submarine U-82 attempted to attack convoy OS-18, but was sunk by depth charges in return.
» In-depth article
- US Army allocated resources for the construction of the Alaska-Canadian Highway, pending approval of the US President and the US Congress.
- USS Yorktown arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed at Roi, Marshall Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German troops captured Benghazi, Libya, but the westward offensive had been halted at the Gazala Line.
» In-depth article
- The United Kingdom declared war on Thailand.
- Wavell, still angry at the loss of Moulmein, Burma, ordered 2nd Burma Brigade to "take back all you have lost". It was too late-the Japanese were already bringing more troops (33rd "White Tigers" Division and the Headquarters of 15th Army) across the frontier. Lieutenant-General Hutton insisted on abandoning Moulmein and taking up new positions on the Salween which would be reinforced by the newly committed 46th Indian Brigade who had been brought down from the Shah States.
» In-depth article
- The Nazi Germans published new guidelines for the conduct of anti-guerrilla warfare, in which it was spelled out that the war against irregulars (Himmler having earlier ordered that the word "Partisan" was to be replaced with "Bandit" in all correspondence) was to be fought regardless of any conventional legality or morality, "without limitations even against women and children".
- A Carley float containing a dead body of a HMAS Sydney crewman was spotted off Christmas Island.
» In-depth article
- While at sea, USS Lexington received orders to set sail for Fiji.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- An Australian Hudson bomber conducted a reconnaissance mission over Rabaul, New Britain; a Japanese fighter rose to attack and damaged the Australian aircraft, but it would be able to escape and return to Port Moresby, British Territory of Papua.
Dutch East Indies
- Six Japanese troop transports, escorted by cruiser Nagara, 11 destroyers, and 2 minesweepers, departed Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies for Makassar on the western coast of the island.
» In-depth article
Italy
- Hermann Göring departed Rome, Italy. Galeazzo Ciano noted in his diary that during this visit, Göring was seen wearing expensive jewelry and furs.
» In-depth article
- Vice Admiral Aimone di Savoia Aosta took command of the 10th MAS Flotilla special forces unit and the "San Marco" naval infantry regiment.
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille returned to his unit at Martuba, Libya.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Japanese artillery and aerial bombardment continued against various military and port facilities at Singapore.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- Japanese artillery shelled Corregidor from Cavite at Luzon, Philippine Islands. Meanwhile, Filipino troops continued to assert pressure on the nearly-eliminated Japanese beachheads at Quinauan Point, Bataan, Luzon.
» In-depth article
United States
- The US Navy established the Gulf Sea Frontier (GULFSEAFRON) with headquarters at Key West, Florida, United States. Captain Russell S. Crenshaw was named its first commanding officer.
Photo(s) dated 6 Feb 1942
7 Feb 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Wotje to tend to personnel wounded on an American strike on 1 Feb.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- King George VI approved the name Ark Royal to be used on a new Audacious-class Carrier which had not yet even been laid down.
- The Japanese infiltrated across the Salween River in Burma cutting the defenders of Martaban River, 3/7th Gurkhas with a company of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry under command, from the 46th Indian Brigade headquarters base at Thaton. The Gurkha's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel H. A. Stevenson, knowing that his position was now untenable led a bayonet charge to clear the road block. The subsequent retreat from Martaban (over difficult terrain with no food) of more than 50 miles in two days was a terrible ordeal and a foretaste of things to come.
» In-depth article
- British destroyers HMS Zulu and HMS Lively sank Italian trawler Grongo and small ship Aosta in the Mediterranean Sea near Malta.
Australia
- Japanese submarine I-25's floatplane conducted a reconnaissance mission on Sydney, Australia.
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese aircraft attacked Palembang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, destroying 34 RAF aircraft.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-55 sank Dutch passenger ship Van Cloon 30 miles north of Java; all 187 aboard survived. American yacht USS Isabel and a PBY Catalina aircraft counterattacked in failure.
- USAAF B-17 bombers from Java, Dutch East Indies unsuccessfully attacked Japanese shipping off Balikpapan, Borneo, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
Japan
Russia
- German troops halted the Soviet offensive northwest of Leningrad, Russia.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- Allied convoy PQ-11 departed Loch Ewe, Scotland, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
8 Feb 1942
- Akagi arrived at Palau, having abandoned the pursuit of the American fleet.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-108 sank British freighter Ocean Venture 50 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States.
» In-depth article
- The main Japanese offensive against Singapore began. Australian troops stationed on the northwestern coast of Singapore initially inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese landing, but confusion of battle caused them to retreat prematurely, providing Japanese a beachhead by nightfall.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops landed on New Britain.
» In-depth article
- In Germany, Albert Speer was appointed the Minister of Armaments and Munitions to succeed Fritz Todt who was killed when his aircraft exploded shortly after take off in East Prussia.
» In-depth article
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Wotje.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- The United States Navy acquired the civilian ship Steel Architect, which was still under construction, for military service. She was to be the future escort carrier Copahee.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-4 sank Singaporean merchant ship Ban Ho Guan off Java, Dutch East Indies.
Caroline Islands
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese troops landed 50 miles southeast of Bandjarmasin, Dutch Borneo and began marching toward the Martapoera airfield.
» In-depth article
- The Japanese invasion fleet arrived off Makassar, Celebes, Dutch East Indies. USS S-37 attacked the fleet at 2036 hours, firing four torpedoes at the escorting destroyers, sinking Natsushio (10 killed, 229 survived).
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- USS Grampus departed Pearl Harbor, Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol.
» In-depth article
Libya
- While in landing pattern at Martuba airfield in Libya, Hans-Joachim Marseille in his Bf 109 fighter encountered five Hurricane fighters that tried to jump him; he was able to break off from his landing approach, out-maneuver his attackers, and shot down two of them in return (his 37th and 38th kills). Later in the day, several British Blenheim bombers, escorted by P-40 and Hurricane fighters, attacked Martuba; Marseille shot down two of the fighters, bringing his score to 40 kills. At the end of the day, against orders, he flew over an enemy airfield to drop a note that stated Flight Sergeant Hargreaves (his 37th kill) was captured and uninjured; this personal mission led to Marseille being grounded by his commanding officer Gerhard Homuth.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- American troops attacked and wiped out a Japanese infiltration force at Quinauan Point, Bataan on the Philippine island of Luzon; 600 Japanese troops were killed while the US-Filipino forces suffered 500 casualties. Meanwhile, General Masaharu Homma called off the first offensive against Bataan and fell back to more defensible positions while waiting for reinforcements.
» In-depth article
Russia
- Soviet 3rd Shock Army, 4th Shock Army, and 11th Army linked up at Zaluch'e, Russia and encircled 90,000 German troops and 10,000 auxiliaries around Demyansk, Russia.
» In-depth article
US Pacific Islands
- Japanese submarine I-69 shelled Sand Island, Midway Atoll, causing minor damage to the radio towers. US Marine Buffalo aircraft of VMF 221 squadron counterattacked and damaged I-69.
Photo(s) dated 8 Feb 1942
9 Feb 1942
- Year-round daylight saving time was re-instated in the United States as a wartime measure to help conserve energy.
- George Marshall, Henry Arnold, Harold Stark, and Ernest King attended the first formal meeting of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
» In-depth article
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Kwajalein, departing later on the same day.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Destroyer Yuzuki departed with Destroyer Division 23 to escort the invasion fleet for Gasmata, New Britain, Bismarck Islands.
» In-depth article
- USS Trout sank Japanese auxiliary gunboat Chuwa Maru 50 miles northeast of Taiwan.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-654 attacked Allied convoy ON-60 in the Atlantic Ocean 450 miles east of Cape Race, Newfoundland just after 0000 hours, damaging Free French corvette Alysse; 36 were killed, 34 survived. At 2020 hours, German submarine U-85 also attacked ON-60, sinking British ship Empire Fusilier; 9 were killed, 38 survived.
» In-depth article
- German aircraft damaged British cruiser HMS Cleopatra west of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea.
- German aircraft damaged British destroyer HMS Farndale off Egypt.
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese Special Naval Landing Force troops arrived at Gasmata airfield, renamed Surumi airfield by the Japanese, in southern New Britain to expand the existing grass runway built by the RAAF.
Caroline Islands
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese Sasebo Combined Special Naval Landing Force troops landed at Makassar, Celebes, Dutch East Indies at dawn and captured the city. Most Dutch defenders fell back to the fortifications at Tjama. A small number of captured native troops were tied in groups of three and thrown into a river near Makassar to drown.
» In-depth article
- Japanese aircraft damaged British river gunboat HMS Scorpion in the Bangka Strait off Sumatra, Dutch East Indies.
Egypt
- Italian aircraft bombed Alexandria, Egypt.
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- During the day, Japanese troops captured Tengah airfield at Singapore while behind the front 10,000 additional troops arrived at the beachheads. At 2100 hours, the Japanese 4th Imperial Guard Regiment landed at Kranji in northern Singapore, but the attempt was driven off by Australian 27th Brigade's heavy machine gun and mortar fire before the Australians fell back in anticipation of another landing.
» In-depth article
United States
- USS Lafayette (former French luxury liner SS Normandie, impounded by the United States in May 1941), amidst conversion into a troop transport, caught fire and capsized at midnight in New York Harbor, United States.
Photo(s) dated 9 Feb 1942
10 Feb 1942
- The United Kingdom transferred 34 Royal Navy anti-submarine vessels and their crews to the United States Navy for anti-submarine patrols in the western Atlantic Ocean. On the same day, German submarine U-564 sank Canadian tanker Victolite 400 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States. In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Free French corvette Alysse sank from damage suffered from an attack by German submarine U-654.
» In-depth article
- The 2nd Joint Training Force of the US Marine Corps, under Major General Clayton B. Vogel, was redesignated the Amphibious Force of the US Pacific Fleet.
- A Japanese submarine fired two rounds at American installations at Midway Atoll and then was chased away by aircraft of Marine Fighter Squadron 221.
- Japanese troops crossed the Salween River in Burma.
» In-depth article
- Rear Admiral Munetaka Sakamaki was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Navy 11th Air Fleet.
- USS R-5 fired three torpedoes at an enemy submarine in the Atlantic Ocean; all torpedoes missed.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Australian Lieutenant Colonel J. J. Scanlan decided to surrender to the Japanese and began to trek toward Rabaul, New Britain from the coast of Wide Bay on the southern coast of the island's Gazelle Peninsula.
» In-depth article
- The Japanese Navy established the 4th Air Group at Rabaul, New Britain under the command of Captain Yoshiyotsu Moritama.
Japan
- Yamato's 1.5-month fitting out period completed. Deficiencies found were corrected at Kure, Japan. Her initial AA suite was twelve 127-mm guns (6x2), twenty-four 25-mm guns (8x3 enclosed mounts), and four 13.2-mm machine guns (2x2).
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Australian 22nd Brigade misunderstood an order and withdrew past the Jurong Road in northern Singapore, thus exposing the flanks of neighboring Indian troops, forcing the entire Allied line to shift further south. Meanwhile, the British Royal Air Force withdrew the small number of aircraft from Singapore to prevent Japanese capture. After sundown, Japanese troops captured the Bukit Timah heights which overlooked Singapore and hosted two reservoirs of fresh water.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- US forces continued the attempt to eliminate the 500 Japanese troops trapped in the "Big Pocket" at Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands. In Tokyo, Japan, the Imperial General Headquarters approved the transfer of the Japanese 4th Division from Shanghai, China to the Philippine Islands to reinforce Masaharu Homma's forces, but it would take weeks for the troops to arrive due to logistical issues.
» In-depth article
Russia
- German aircraft began flying supply missions to the 100,000 trapped German troops at Demyansk, Russia.
» In-depth article
- Allied convoys PQ-9 and PQ-10 arrived at Murmansk, Russia together.
» In-depth article
11 Feb 1942
- US Congress approved the construction of the Alaska-Canadian Highway; US President Roosevelt immediately signed it. Canada agreed to this construction under the condition that the United States would bear the entire cost of construction, and that portions of the highway in Canadian territory would turn over to Canadian control after the war.
» In-depth article
- Prinz Eugen departed Brest, France as a part of Operation Cerberus.
» In-depth article
- Georg von Bismarck became the deputy commander of the 21st Panzer Division.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-136 attacked Allied convoy SC-67 south of Iceland at 0133 hours, sinking Norwegian ship Heina (all 30 aboard survived) and Canadian corvette HMCS Spikenard (57 were killed, 8 survived).
» In-depth article
- Having crossed the Salween River at Kuzeik, Burma during the night the Japanese II/215th Infantry regiment engaged the raw and inexperienced 7/10th Baluch who were deployed in a semi-circle with their backs to the river without barbed wire or artillery support. After dark the Japanese launched their attack on the Indian positions and after four hours of bitter hand to hand fighting began to get the upper hand. By dawn organized resistance had effectively ceased. The heroic 7/10th Buluch had suffered 289 killed; with the few survivors making off in small parties.
» In-depth article
- The US submarine Shark was reported lost, probably sunk by the Japanese destroyer Yamakaze, on patrol east of Manado, Celebes, Sunda Islands, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
- Archibald Wavell fell over a barb-wired seawall at Singapore and was rushed to a hospital. His back was injured and he was incommunicado for four days.
» In-depth article
- US forces arrived at the Dutch islands of Curaçao, Bonaire, and Aruba in the Caribbean Sea.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Three Australian Hudson bombers attacked Surumi airfield near the village of Gasmata, New Britain; Flight Petty Officer 1st Class Satoshi Yoshino shot down the bombers flown by John Lerew and Graham Gibson. Lerew would parachute to safety and return to New Guinea on 21 Feb 1942. Transports Kinryu Maru and Kizui Maru were damaged by the Hudson bombers, killing several men.
Caroline Islands
France
- German warships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen, accompanied by 6 destroyers, departed Brest, France at 2330 hours and began their dash through the English Channel.
» In-depth article
French Indochina
- The Japanese invasion fleet for Sumatra, Dutch East Indies departed Cam Ranh Bay, French Indo-China.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Battle of Bukit Timah: Japanese 5th Division attacked Indian, Chinese, and British troops along the Choa Chu Kang Road at Bukit Timah Hill in Singapore. Supported by 50 tanks, Japanese troops halted the Allied counterattacks and took the hill. After the battle, to avenge their casualties, the Japanese troops massacred Chinese civilians living in a nearby village.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 11 Feb 1942
12 Feb 1942
- 2 RAF Spitfire fighters on patrol unexpectedly spotted a large German fleet sailing through the English Channel at 1042 hours. British coastal guns at South Foreland, England, United Kingdom fired 33 rounds at the fleet, all of which missed. A number of aircraft were launched to attack, which failed to destroy the fleet, while 37 aircraft were shot down in the process, killing 23 airmen. The only damage sustained by the Germans were by mines; Scharnhorst hit two and Gneisenau hit one.
» In-depth article
- British destroyer Maori was sunk at Malta Harbour during an air raid. Only one man was killed as most of the crew were sleeping in shelters ashore, with only a token crew left aboard. Destroyer HMS Decoy, moored nearby, was damaged by the explosion; 2 were killed.
» In-depth article
- The US Army Air Force activated the 10th Air Force for the China-Burma-India theater.
- Sigmund Rascher submitted a report on the effect of nude women on men who had been exposed to extreme cold; this project was ordered by Himmler. Rascher noted that for the most part, warm baths were more effective.
» In-depth article
Italy
- British submarine HMS Una sank Italian tanker Lucania in the Gulf of Taranto in southern Italy; Una should not have conducted the attack as Lucania had previously been given safe passage by British command for that she refueled Italian passenger ships transporting Italian civilians from Italian East Africa back to Italy.
Japan
- Yamato departed Kure, Japan and arrived at Hashirajima island in Hiroshima Bay. The flag of the Combined Fleet Commander-in-Chief Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was transferred from Nagato to Yamato.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Libya
- Eduard Neumann lifted the grounding order against Hans-Joachim Marseille, and Marseille was able to participate in a mission that led to the scoring of four kills northwest of Tobruk, Libya, consisted of 1 Hurricane and 3 P-40 fighters, bringing his score to 44 kills.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Before dawn, British cruiser HMS Durban, destroyer HMS Stronghold, destroyer HMS Jupiter, transport Empire Star, and transport Gorgon departed Singapore with British Royal Navy personnel for Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies; they would be attacked and damaged by Japanese aircraft en route. Meanwhile, on Singapore island, Japanese troops made conservative probing attacks in western Singapore as the Allies slowly withdrew into the city.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- The 200 Japanese troops trapped in a beachhead in southern Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands mounted what would be their final counterattack.
» In-depth article
Russia
Photo(s) dated 12 Feb 1942
13 Feb 1942
- Prinz Eugen arrived at the Brunsbüttel North Locks of the Kiel Canal, successfully completing Operation Cerberus. One man was killed by British air attack during the operation.
» In-depth article
- Axis submarines arrived in waters near Aruba.
» In-depth article
- In Burma, the British Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant-General Hutton requested Archibald Wavell to appoint a corps commander to take charge of operations and a liaison team to work with the Chinese. He received no reply as Wavell was incapacitated after suffering a fall.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-55 sank British ammunition ship Derrymore 80 miles northwest of Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies at 2100 hours; 9 were killed, 236 survived. Among those rescued was Australian pilot and future prime minister John Gorton.
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese troops captured Bandjarmasin, the capital of Dutch Borneo, unopposed.
» In-depth article
France
- German Navy Admiral Ciliax sent a signal to Admiral Saalwächter in Paris, France in mid-morning: "It is my duty to inform you that Operation Cerberus has been successfully completed."
» In-depth article
Germany
Italy
- Italian torpedo boat Circe attacked British submarine HMS Tempest on the surface in the Gulf of Taranto in southern Italy at 0300 hours. Tempest surfaced at 0900 hours after sustaining damage to the battery (which released poisonous chlorine gas) and was abandoned. 39 were killed in the attack; 24 survived and were taken prisoner. Circe attempted to tow Tempest back to port, but the submarine sank en route.
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down a Hurricane fighter at 0920 hours and another at 0925 hours east of Tobruk, Libya, which were his 45th and 46th kills. He later met his 46th victim, South African pilot Lieutenant Le Roux, after the engagement.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Japanese troops pushed the 55th Brigade of the British 18th Division out of its position which controlled the last fresh water reservoir in Singapore for the British. Arthur Percival's senior staff members persuaded him to request permission to surrender. At 1830 hours, a large convoy of 44 ships departed Singapore with evacuees; a few of these ships would be attacked and sunk by Japanese aircraft.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- All Japanese troops at the Longoskawayan Point and Quinauan Point beachheads at Luzon, Philippine Islands were wiped out.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 13 Feb 1942
14 Feb 1942
- RAF Bomber Command began to deploy the new GEE radio navigation device.
- USS Enterprise departed from Pearl Harbor for Wake Island.
» In-depth article
- The British Royal Navy riverboat HMS Li Wo, evacuating military personnel from Java, ran into part of the Japanese invasion fleet and was blasted to pieces by destroyers. In a last desperate show of defiance, the little boat rammed one of the enemy transports (which would sink on the following day) before going down. Only 13 of the 120 aboard Li Wo survived. The commander, Lieutenant Thomas Wilkinson, who went down with his vessel, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross in 1946.
» In-depth article
- The British submarine Thrasher survived an attack off Crete with two unexploded bombs lodged in its deck casing. Lieutenant Peter Roberts and Petty Officer Thomas Gould took 40 minutes to remove the explosives, squeezed in the narrow confines knowing the submarine might by forced to dive at any moment, leaving them trapped to drown. They both received the Victoria Cross.
- US submarine Sargo delivered 1 million rounds of .30 caliber ammunition to Mindanao, Philippine Islands. Upon departure, the submarine evacuated 24 US Army personnel.
» In-depth article
- Adnan bin Saidi passed away.
» In-depth article
- British Deputy Chief of Air Staff informed the RAF Bomber Command that "the primary object of your operations should be focused on the morale of the enemy civilian population."
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-576 sank British catapult armed merchant ship Empire Spring southeast of Nova Scotia, Canada at 0337 hours, killing all 53 aboard.
» In-depth article
- Juneau was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-23 was lost somewhere south of Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii, to unknown reason.
- USS Swordfish sank Japanese transport Amagisan Maru 91 miles east of Davao, Mindanao, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- British submarine P38 sank Italian ship Ariosto in the Mediterranean Sea without realizing that of the 410 aboard, 294 of them were Allied prisoners of war. 252 survivors of the sinking were rescued by Italian destroyer Premuda and torpedo boat Polluce.
- USS Skipjack attacked a Japanese oiler east of Borneo; both torpedoes missed.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- 18 G4M1 Type 1 land attack aircraft of the Japanese Takao Air Group arrived at Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul, New Britain.
» In-depth article
Burma
- Indian 17th Infantry Division was ordered to defend against the Japanese advance toward Rangoon, Burma at the Bilin River.
» In-depth article
Ceylon
- Japanese submarine I-166 sank British freighter Kamuning 2 miles east of Ceylon at 0817 hours; 6 were killed, 63 survived.
Dutch East Indies
- 360 paratroopers of Japanese 1st Airborne Division landed at Pangkalanbenteng airfield near Palembang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies; in response, ABDA command sent 5 cruisers and 11 destroyers to transport troops to Palembang; Dutch destroyer HNLMS Van Ghent in this force ran aground on the next day and would be scuttled. Meanwhile, the British ship Vyner Brooke, escaping from Singapore with 300 on board, was bombed off Sumatra; around 100 survivors, including 22 Australian nurses, reach shore on Banka island; the men were marched away by the Japanese and bayoneted and shot, the wounded were bayoneted where they laid, and the nurses were herded into the sea and machine gunned; one, Sister Vivian Bulwinkel, was wounded but survived to tell of the atrocity; she died in 2000, aged 85.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- While Japanese troops penetrated the lines manned by the 1st Malay Brigade at Singapore and reached the Alexandra Barracks Hospital, where 323 hospital staff and patients would soon be brutally massacred, Archibald Wavell rejected Arthur Percival's request to surrender Singapore.
» In-depth article
Russia
- Soviet Union began a national labor conscription.
United Kingdom
- Allied convoy PQ-11 departed Kirkwall, Scotland, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 14 Feb 1942
15 Feb 1942
- Dutch destroyer HNLMS Van Ghent ran aground en route to Palembang, and was scuttled.
- German submarine U-432 sank Brazilian ship Buarque 40 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States.
» In-depth article
- Archibald Wavell recovered from his fall at Singapore and was released by the hospital.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-165 sank Danish ship Johanne Justesen off the southern tip of India, killing 1.
- Dispersed ships of Allied convoy QP-7 began to arrive in Allied waters.
» In-depth article
Australia
- An Allied troop convoy consisted of four transports (with Australian and American troops aboard) departed from Darwin, Australia for Timor, escorted by cruiser USS Houston, destroyer USS Peary, sloop HMAS Swan, and sloop HMAS Warrego.
» In-depth article
Burma
- Japanese troops penetrated Indian 17th Infantry Division positions on the Bilin River north of Rangoon, Burma.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Dutch East Indies
- 100 additional Japanese paratroopers arrived at Palembang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, helping with the securing oil refineries and other facilities. 200 kilometers to the south, British troop transport Ocrades arrives at Oosthaven with 3,400 Australian troops, but the ship would continue on to Java without disembarking the troops. North of Palembang, Japanese troops disembarked at the mouth of the Musi River; the British RAF interfered by attacking the landing with over 50 aircraft, sinking 20 landing craft and killing 100 Japanese. Finally, in the Bangka Strait, Japanese naval gunfire sank British tug HMS Yin Ping; 50 were killed, 25 survived.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- USS Yorktown departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for Marcus Island. Before she departed, she took on cryptanalyst and linguist Forrest "Tex" Biard.
» In-depth article
Libya
- While escorting German bombers over Gambut, Libya, Hans-Joachim Marseille spotted enemy fighters taking off from a nearby airfield to challenge them. He would shoot down two P-40 fighters, Flight Sergeant Frank Reid at 1300 hours as his 47th kill and Flight Officer P. J. Briggs at 1303 hours as his 48th kill.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- With Winston Churchill's permission, Arthur Percival decided to surrender Singapore. A delegation bearing a white flag was dispatched at 1130 hours, but it was turned back by the Japanese, who requested Percival to surrender in person, which Percival complied at 1715 hours. At the Ford Motor Factory at Bukit Timah, Percival signed the surrender document at 2030 hours, making the biggest capitulation in British militay history official.
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Philippines
Photo(s) dated 15 Feb 1942
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16 Feb 1942
- Operation Neuland: German submarine U-156 sank two ships and bombarded shore facilities at Aruba, U-502 sank three small tankers in the Gulf of Venezuela, while other German and Italian submarines conducted similar attacks on Allied shipping in the region.
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- USS Lexington set sail with US Navy Task Force 11 for a raid on Rabaul, New Britain.
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- HMS Indomitable departed Trincomalee, Ceylon for Aden, escorted by Australian destroyers Napier and Nestor.
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- First Lieutenant Peter Roberts risked his life to dislodge an unexploded bomb from the casing of the submarine he served aboard, HMS Thrasher, while in enemy waters off Crete, Greece. He was later awarded the Victoria Cross.
- The keel of submarine Puffer was laid down.
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- USS Astoria departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
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- HMS Eagle made rendezvous with Allied convoy WS 16 toward Gibraltar.
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Dutch East Indies
- 46 Japanese aircraft based in Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies attacked an Allied troop convoy (carrying Australian and American troops) intended for Timor; although the attack was driven off, the convoy was turned back in fear of further attacks.
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Japan
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- The Sook Ching massacre began in Singapore during which somewhere between 5,000 (Japanese estimates) and 100,000 (Singaporean estimates) ethnic Chinese civilians were killed during the following 3 weeks.
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United States
- US tanker E. H. Blum struck a US naval mine and at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay just off Virginia, United States; she broke in half but all 40 aboard survived. The two pieces of the wreck would later be recovered and rejoined.
- Battleship Alabama was launched at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Virginia, United States, sponsored by Henrietta McCormick Hill, the wife of US Senator J. Lister Hill.
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Photo(s) dated 16 Feb 1942
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17 Feb 1942
- "Seabees" of the US Navy First Naval Construction Battalion arrived at Bora Bora, Society Islands.
- Dutch Marines attempted to disarm an unexploded torpedo at Aruba, launched by German submarine U-156 during the prior day's attack. The torpedo detonated unexpectedly, killing 4.
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- Albacore was commissioned into service.
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- A detachment of the submarine tender USS Canopus, sailors from the Cavite Naval Ammunition Depot, and the majority of the general duty men in the area were transferred to the 4th Marine Regiment based on Corregidor, Philippine Islands.
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- German submarine U-136 sank British transport Empire Comet 250 miles south of Iceland at 2217 hours, killing all 46 aboard.
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- USS Triton sank Japanese freighter Shinyo Maru No. 5 and damaged another ship off Kyushu island, Japan.
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- Paul von Kleist was awarded Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross medal.
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Australia
- Warrant Officer Nobuo Fujita, flying an E14Y floatplane from Japanese submarine I-25, flew over Sydney Harbor, Australia at 0430 hours, conducting a reconnaissance mission. He was back aboard I-25 by 0730 hours.
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Burma
- Japanese troops crossed the Bilin River north of Rangoon, Burma and began to encircle the Indian 17th Infantry Division.
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Dutch East Indies
- 9 Japanese troop transports departed Ambon for Timor in the Dutch East Indies at 0800 hours. Later in the evening, Japanese transports Sasego Maru and Sagami Maru departed Makassar, Celebes, Dutch East Indies with invasion troops for Bali.
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- Japanese carrier aircraft from Ryujo sank Dutch destroyer HMNS Van Nes, escorting Dutch troopship Sloet van Beele, in the Bangka Strait; 69 were killed, 60 survived.
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Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
- Japanese occupation administration at Singapore sent 3,000 British civilians to Changi prison and 50,000 British, Australian, and Indian captured troops to Selarang Barracks. Some of the captured Indian troops were taken to hear Captain Mohan Singh at Farrer Park, who attempted to persuade them to collaborate with the Japanese.
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Photo(s) dated 17 Feb 1942
18 Feb 1942
- German submarine U-432 sank Brazilian tanker Olinda 30 kilometers off Virginia, United States. Elsewhere, German bombers sank British minesweeping trawler HMT Botanic in the North Sea.
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- Russian forces under General Timoshenko launched a fresh offensive against the Germans on the central front; the southern front was marked by strong gains by Soviet troops in the Ukraine.
- Burma's Premier U Saw was detained by the British for allegedly being in communication with the Japanese.
- Germany, Italy, and Japan signed a military convention in Berlin, laying down "guidelines for common operations against the common enemies."
- Omar Bradley was promoted to the temporary rank of major general.
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- After three days of confused fighting along the Bilin in Burma, Major General "Jackie" Smyth learned that he was threatened with being outflanked to the south by the Japanese 143rd Regiment. He committed his last reserves, 4/12th Frontier Force Regiment who fought a stiff action on 16th Indian Brigade's left but ultimately failed to dislodge the Japanese.
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- USS Pollack departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her second war patrol.
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- Free French submarine Surcouf collided with US merchant ship Thomson Lykes 95 miles north of the Panama Canal in the Gulf of Mexico; Surcouf would sink, killing all 130 aboard.
Dutch East Indies
Newfoundland
- US destroyer USS Truxton ran aground and broke apart at Ferryland Point, Placentia Bay, Newfoundland in poor weather; 119 were killed, 33 survived.
Photo(s) dated 18 Feb 1942
19 Feb 1942
- Akagi's aircraft participated in the raid on Port Darwin and saw 9 ships damaged and 18 aircraft destroyed.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Vichy government in France tried General Gamelin, Leon Blum, and Paul Reynaud for being responsible for 1940 defeat, but the trial would not be carried through.
- US President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, allowing the US military to relocate Japanese-Americans to internment camps.
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- The Canadian Parliament voted for military conscription.
- Mandalay, Burma came under aerial attack for the first time. Meanwhile, the Japanese 143rd Regiment, having crossed the Bilin Estuary arrived at Taungzon, effectively bypassing the British and Indian positions along the Bilin River; Lieutenant General Hutton had no option but to permit a withdrawal to the Sittang.
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- Georg von Bismarck was promoted to the rank of Generalmajor.
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- Mitsuo Fuchida led the first of two waves of attacks during a raid on Darwin, Australia.
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- The US Marine Corps 9th Defense Battalion arrived at Guantanamo Bay on the island of Cuba from Norfolk, Virginia, United States via USS Biddle.
- USS Skipjack attacked a Japanese ship east of Borneo; both torpedoes missed.
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Australia
- Japanese carriers launched 152 bombers and 36 fighters at 0845 hours. The attack force reached Darwin, Australia at 0958 hours and attacked the port city for the subsequent 42 minutes, sinking US destroyer USS Peary (93 killed, 49 survived), US transport USAT Meigs, merchant ship Zealandia, US merchant ship Mauna Loa, British freighter Neptuna, British tanker British Motorist, and coal storage hulk Kelat. 7 Japanese aircraft were lost in this first raid, while 7 American P-40 fighters were destroyed (4 in combat, 3 on the ground). Later in the day, 54 land-based bombers based in Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies arrived for a second raid, destroying 6 Australian Hudson light bombers, 1 US B-24 Liberator bomber, and 2 US P-40 fighters.
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- US Army 14th Reconnaissance Squadron pilot Major Richard Carmichael, leading a flight of 12 B-17 bombers, arrived at Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
Caroline Islands
- The Japanese base at Truk, Caroline Islands reported sightings of US destroyers nearby.
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese troops landed at Denpasar, Bali in the Dutch East Indies unopposed before dawn. At 0700 hours, as the Japanese troops transports departed Bali and began to sail for their home ports, 20 American aircraft attacked the convoy, damaging transport Sagami Maru. At 2200 hours, as the Japanese convoy sailed through the Badung Strait, it was engaged by Dutch cruiser De Ruyter, Dutch cruiser Java, and 3 US and Dutch destroyers; Dutch destroyer Piet Hein was sunk by Japanese torpedoes in the battle, killing 64.
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Hawaii
- A Japanese floatplane flew near Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii in a reconnaissance mission.
Japan
Philippines
United Kingdom
- Major changes were made to the British War Cabinet. Sir Stafford Cripps became Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Commons. Mr. Clement Atlee became Secretary for the Dominions and Mr. Oliver Lyttleton was appointed Minister of State with special responsibilities for all branches of production. Outgoing Ministers of the Cabinet were Lord Beaverbrook, Sir Kingsley Wood and Mr. Arthur Greenwood.
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20 Feb 1942
- The Chief of Staff of the Combined Fleet, Rear Admiral Matome Ugaki, began a series of war games aboard Yamato to test plans for the second-stage operations. Rear Admiral Shigeru Fukudome (Chief of the 1st Bureau (Plans and Operations) of Naval General Staff), Captain Baron Sadatoshi Tomioka (Naval General Staff), Commander Prince Takamatsu Nobuhito (brother of Emperor Showa), and Army Major Prince Tsunenori Takeda observed the war games.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- A Japanese H6K flying boat piloted by Lieutenant (jg) Noboru Sakai spotted a US carrier force 460 miles northeast of New Britain; US pilot Jimmy Thatch of USS Lexington shot down Sakai's aircraft at 1112 hours, but not before Sakai had alerted others. At 1202 hours, Burt Stanley and Leon Haynes shot down another H6K aircraft, flown by Warrant Officer Kiyoshi Hayashi, north of Lexington. At 1420 hours, 17 Type 1 bombers of Japanese 4th Air Group, led by Lieutenant Masayoshi Nakagawa, were launched from Rabaul, with the first wave reaching Lexington at 1625 hours. The first wave of 9 bombers were all shot down without causing any damage to Lexington; Nakagawa tried to crash into Lexington as he fell from the sky, but fell short by less than 1 mile). The second wave attacked USS Lexington and USS Minneapolis at 1705 hours, still causing no damage; Edward "Butch" O'Hare shot down 3 and damaged 4 Japanese bombers. Only 2 Japanese bombers arrived back at Rabaul at the end of the day; 100 Japanese bomber crewmen were lost during the attacks, and Japan also lost 20 men with the H6K reconnaissance flights earlier in the morning. O'Hare was given credit for 5 kills, making him an "Ace in a Day" and setting him up for a Medal of Honor award.
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- German submarine U-432 sank US freighter Azalea City 100 kilometers off Virginia, United States, killing the entire crew of 38. German submarine U-129 sank Norwegian ship Nordvangen 30 miles east of Trinidad at 0400 hours, killing all 24 aboard. Finally, Italian submarine Torelli sank British ship Scottish Star 770 miles east of Martinique; 4 were killed, 69 survived.
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- Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 for the internment of Japanese-Americans in western United States.
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- Destroyer Yuzuki departed Kavieng, New Ireland, Bismarck Islands.
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- The Japanese attacked the positions of 16th and 46th Indian Brigades at Kyaikto, Burma, delaying the retreat from the Balin to the Sittang Bridge for forty-eight hours, and causing total confusion among the withdrawing columns. To make matters worse the Indians came under friendly air attack from RAF and AVG aircraft. In addition most of the Divisional Headquarters' radio equipment was lost in the confusion. In Rangoon, Hutton's implementation of the second part of the evacuate Europeans caused wide-spread panic with much looting by drunken natives, and the emptying of the cities goals of lunatics and criminals.
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- Adolf Hitler ordered that any Russian who refused to work would be punished with death by hanging. Additionally, Russians working in German-occupied lands had no limit to their work days, and their employers were free to issue corporal punishment.
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- Destroyer Yukikaze escorted the Japanese invasion force for eastern Java, Dutch East Indies and was engaged in the Battle of the Java Sea, firing torpedoes on Allied warships.
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- German submarine U-156 damaged US ship Delplata with 3 torpedoes 60 miles west of Martinique at 1131 hours; all 53 survived and abandoned ship. Meanwhile, four Italian submarines operating in the Caribbean Sea commenced an operation that would see the sinking of fourteen merchant vessels over a four day period.
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- Japanese submarine I-65 sank British merchant ship Bhima 30 miles north of the Maldive Islands in the Indian Ocean; all 70 aboard survived.
Australian New Guinea
- For not revealing the whereabouts of his commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel J. J. Scanlan, Japanese troops executed Australian prisoner of war John R. Gray at Rabaul, New Britain by slashing his chest open and removing his heart while he was still alive.
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Caroline Islands
Dutch East Indies
- At 0130 hours, a fresh ABDA force consisted of a Dutch cruiser and four US destroyers attempted to intercept a Japanese transport fleet in the Badung Strait in the Dutch East Indies for the second time. Dutch cruiser Tromp (10 killed) and American destroyer Stewart were damaged on the Allied side, while Japanese destroyers Asashio (4 killed) and Oshio (7 killed) also suffered damage. At 0220 hours, Japanese destroyers Arashio and Michishio joined in the action; Michishio became the target of all four American destroyers, suffering several hits and 13 killed, but was able to be towed away from battle. Elsewhere, at dawn, Japanese troops landed at Dili, Portuguese Timor and Koepang, Dutch Timor. Portuguese defenders at Dili was overrun and Portugal accepted the Japanese occupation for the duration of the war; Australian defenders at Koepang resisted, however. At 1045 hours, 323 Japanese paratroops were delivered to Koepang airfield, but most of them did not land in the drop zone, and 245 of them were killed by the Australians.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops massacred 72 Dutch prisoners of war and 2 Dutch civilians at Balikpapan, Borneo, Dutch East Indies by beheading and gunfire for the destruction of oil facilities prior to Japanese occupation.
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Hong Kong
- Rensuke Isogai was named the governor of Hong Kong.
Russia
- The experimental rocket engine for the BI-1 prototype aircraft exploded during a test in Bilimbay, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, spraying nitric acid fuel all over aircraft engineer Arvid Pallo; mechanics saved him from severe burns by quickly dumping him in a tank full of a sodium carbonate solution kept nearby for the very purpose of neutralizing the acid. Test pilot Grigory Bakhchivandzhi was slightly injured as the head of the rocket engine punched into the cockpit.
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Taiwan
- Lieutenant General Shichiro Higuchi was named the chief of staff of the Taiwan Army.
Photo(s) dated 20 Feb 1942
21 Feb 1942
- Japanese Navy Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi, commanding officer of Carrier Division 2, distributed copies of his plans for a new offensive against Hawaii beginning in early 1943.
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- US Navy Admiral Ernest King presented plans to US President Franklin Roosevelt for conducting the war in the South Pacific for the following 18 months.
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- German submarine U-432 sank US freighter Azalea City 125 miles southeast of Ocean City, Maryland, United States at 0123 hours, killing all 38 aboard. At 1044 hours, 300 miles southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, U-107 damaged Norwegian tanker Egda; Egda was able to return to port despite the torpedo damage. Finally, German submarine U-504 sank US tanker Republic off Florida, United States, killing 5 of 29 aboard.
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- US ship Delplata, fatally damaged on the previous day in the Caribbean Sea by German submarine U-156, was sunk by seaplane tender USS Lapwing after all 53 survivors were rescued.
- Italian transports departed Messina, Sicily, Italy and Corfu, Greece; they would rendezvous in the Mediterranean Sea to form convoy K7 with the destination being Tripoli, Libya.
- German submarine U-67 sank Norwegian tanker Kongsgaard 7 miles off Curaçao in the Caribbean Sea at 1532 hours; 38 were killed, 8 survived. 20 miles west of Trinidad, U-161 sank British tanker Circe Shell at 2313 hours; 1 was killed, 57 survived.
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Burma
- The 2nd Burma Frontier Force, who had been placed north of the Kyaikto track to warn against outflanking, were heavily engaged by the Japanese 215th Regiment and forced to withdraw north-west, crossing the Sittang River by country boats, and proceeding to Pegu. No report of this contact ever reached the divisional commander "Jackie" Smyth who was still hearing rumours of a threatened parachute landing to the west. To the south, British 7th Armored Brigade arrived at Rangoon by sea from Egypt.
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Dutch East Indies
Germany
- German cruiser Admiral Scheer, cruiser Prinz Eugen, and 5 destroyers departed Brunsbüttel, Germany for Bergen, Norway. RAF Coastal Command attempted to intercept them, but most of the aircraft failed to find them, and the lone bomber that did was shot down.
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Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down two P-40 fighters in the Gambut and Fort Acroma area in Libya at 1210 hours and 1218 hours; they were his 49th and 50th kills.
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United States
- Robert Johnson married Barbara Morgan in Benton, Missouri, United States.
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22 Feb 1942
- Roosevelt personally ordered General MacArthur to leave the Philippine Islands.
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- American submarine Swordfish evacuated Philippine President Quezon and his government.
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- German submarine U-155 attacked Allied convoy ONS-67 in the North Atlantic and sank British tanker Adellen (36 killed, 12 survived) and Norwegian ship Sama (19 killed, 20 survived) at 0703 hours. U-96 sank Norwegian ship Torungen (all 19 killed) and British tanker Kars (50 killed, 2 survived) 20 miles south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. U-128 sank US tanker Cities Service Empire 10 kilometers off Melbourne, Florida, United States, killing 14 of 50 aboard. Finally, U-504 sank US tanker W. D. Anderson 10 kilometers off Port St. Lucie, Florida, killing 35 of 36 aboard.
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- HMS Indomitable and escorting Australian destroyers Napier and Nestor arrived at Aden.
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- USS Gar fired eight torpedoes at a Japanese ship south of Japan; all torpedoes missed.
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- During the early hours, the Sittang Bridge in Burma became blocked when a lorry got stuck across the carriageway. With the Japanese closing in on Pagoda and Buddha Hills overlooking the important crossing, the British divisional commander "Jackie" Smyth had to accept that the bridge must be destroyed, even though a large part of his force was still on the east bank. Lieutenant-General Hutton was informed that he was to be replaced but was to remain in Burma as Alexander's Chief of Staff, a most awkward position which he endured until he was replaced at his own request by Major-General John Winter before returning to India in early April.
» In-depth article
- In Britain, Winston Churchill replaced Secretary of State for War, David Margesson, with Sir Percy Grigg (formerly the Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the War Office).
- German submarine U-67 sank US tanker J. N. Pew 225 miles west of Aruba in the Caribbean Sea, killing 33; of the 12 survivors, 10 would die before being rescued.
» In-depth article
- Arthur Harris was named the new chief of RAF Bomber Command; he would take office on the following day.
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- Hans-Joachim Marseille was officially awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross for his score of 50 kills, but the medal would not be presented to him until two days later.
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Australia
- USS Langley and freighter Sea Witch departed Fremantle, Australia with 59 P-40 fighters aboard for Java, Dutch East Indies.
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- The US 14th Reconnaissance Squadron (B-17 bombers) was ordered to move from Cloncurry to Townsville in Queensland, Australia.
Dutch East Indies
- US 5th Air Force bombers attacked de Pasar airfield, Bali, Dutch East Indies, destroying a number of Japanese aircraft. On the same day, Japanese bombers attacked Allied airfields on Java, destroying 4 US B-17 bombers on the ground at Pasirian airfield and 1 Liberator bomber at Jogjakarta airfield.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-58 sank Dutch passenger ship Pijnacker Hordikj south of Java, Dutch East Indies.
Japan
Libya
Norway
- German cruiser Admiral Scheer, cruiser Prinz Eugen, and 5 destroyers arrived at Bergen, Norway. British RAF aircraft continued to attack this force, again unsuccessfully, losing 3 Albacore carrier aircraft in the process. The force would depart Bergen after sundown for Trondheim, Norway.
» In-depth article
Russia
23 Feb 1942
- As the war games conducted by Rear Admiral Matome Ugaki aboard Yamato were completed, Ugaki noted that a simulated attack on British Ceylon had failed.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Air Marshal Arthur T. "Bomber" Harris took command of RAF Bomber Command.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Trident attacked German cruiser Prinz Eugen with a torpedo, destroying her stern with a hit. Prinz Eugen was able to later reach Trondheim, Norway for temporary repairs.
» In-depth article
- Erwin Rommel was named the commanding officer of Heeresgruppe Afrika.
» In-depth article
- The Sittang railway bridge in Burma was blown up to prevent its capture by the Japanese, even though most of General Smyth's command was still on the east bank. Smyth salvaged from the catastrophe 3,484 infantry, 1,420 rifles, 56 Bren guns and 62 Thompson submachine guns. Nearly 5,000 men, 6,000 weapons and everything else was lost. Despite many men making it back across the river without their weapons, 17th Indian was now a spent force. It would take the Japanese a fortnight to bring up bridging equipment which permitted the Europeans in Rangoon to make their escape from the doomed city.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-129 sank US freighter Lihue east of Martinique while German submarine U-502 sank Panamanian tanker Thalia and damaged another tanker off Aruba.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS P38 attempted to attack Italian convoy K7 90 miles east of Tripoli, Libya at 1000 hours, but she was detected by Italian torpedo boat Circe which counterattacked with depth charges, sinking P38 at 1050 hours, killing all 32 aboard.
- Soviet submarine ShCh-213 sank Turkish vessel Çankaya in the Black Sea.
- Turkish troops boarded the disabled passenger ship Struma at Istanbul, Turkey; Struma had departed Romania in Dec 1941 with 769 Romanian Jewish refugees on board and had been at Istanbul for two months. The Turkish troops prepared Struma for towing, and before the day ended she was towed through the Bosphorus into the Black Sea, where she was abandoned with all passengers still aboard.
» In-depth article
- Hans-Joachim Marseille was informed taht he was to be awarded the Silver Medal of Military Valor of Italy.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Just after 0000 hours, six B-17 bombers of US 14th Reconnaissance Squadron were launched from Garbutt Field at Townsville, Australia to attack Rabaul, New Britain. 5 bombers reached and attacked Rabaul at 0647 hours, causing little damage. Four bombers returned to Townsville safely at 1430 hours; 1 crash landed in the Agaiambo Swamp in New Guinea.
Caroline Islands
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese aircraft struck Allied airfields on Java, Dutch East Indies. Meanwhile, Colonel William Leggatt's Australian troops surrendered at Koepang, Dutch West Timor at 0900 hours, while the Australian troops outside of Koepang were bombed by Japanese aircraft at 1000 hours.
» In-depth article
- George Brett departed Java, Dutch East Indies for Australia.
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Gibraltar
Russia
- The last of the "Nikolai Rychagov conspiracy" arrestees were executed in the Soviet Union.
United States
- The American mainland was attacked for the first time in WW2 as Japanese submarine I-17 opened fire on an oil refinery at Ellwood near Santa Barbara, California.
24 Feb 1942
- USS Enterprise launched aircraft to attack Wake Island.
» In-depth article
- USS Yorktown for the New Hebrides for a rendezvous with USS Lexington for a raid on Rabaul in the Bismarck Islands.
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- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Mereyon, Palau Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-94 sank British ship Empire Hail in the Atlantic Ocean at 0145 hours, killing all 49 aboard.
» In-depth article
- Passenger ship Struma, powerless with broken-down engines, drifted in the Black Sea after being abandoned by Turkish authorities on the previous day. In the morning, Soviet submarine SC-213 sank Struma with one torpedo, killing 768 of 769 Romanian Jewish refugees aboard.
» In-depth article
Australia
- George Brett arrived in Melbourne, Australia and assumed command of US Army Forces in Australia.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Three Australian Catalina aircraft bombed Rabaul, New Britain; 1 aircraft was lost on this mission.
Australian Papua
- 9 Japanese Type 1 aircraft of 4th Air Group, escorted by 9 Zero fighters, attacked Seven Mile Airfield near Port Moresby, Australian Papua, destroying 1 Hudson aircraft and 1 civilian aircraft, destroying many buildings, destroying a few vehicles, and killing 1 person; Australian fighters did not scramble to intercept.
Dutch East Indies
- At Java, Dutch East Indies, the headquarters of the Allied ABDA Command was relocated with intention of dissolution. On the same day, Japanese aircraft attacked Allied airfields on Java, destroying 3 US B-17 bombers on the ground; the remaining US 5th Air Force aircraft were evacuated to Australia.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- A Japanese E9W1 seaplane from submarine I-9 conducted a reconnaissance mission over Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. When the aircraft returned to the submarine, both wings were damaged during the recovery.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross medal by Albert Kesselring at Martuba airfield, Libya. The citation of the award was dated 22 Feb 1942, two days prior.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 24 Feb 1942
25 Feb 1942
- A two-day debate in British House of Commons ended with many being critical of the policy of bombing German cities.
» In-depth article
- Tatsuta Maru departed Mereyon, Palau Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- HMS Indomitable arrived at Port Sudan in British East Africa and received Hurricane fighters and personnel of No. 30 and No. 261 Squadrons.
» In-depth article
- The first A4 rocket was placed on Test Stand VII at Peenemünde, Germany.
- Joseph Stilwell arrived in India.
» In-depth article
- Major General Smyth requested that Lieutenant General Hutton grant him sick leave but received no reply.
- Italian submarine Torelli sank Panamanian tanker Esso Copenhagen 525 miles east of Trinidad; 1 was killed, 38 survived. On the same day, Italian submarine Da Vinci sank Brazilian ship Cadebelo 800 miles east of Guadeloupe; everyone aboard was killed.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-156 sank British tanker La Carriere 70 miles south of Puerto Rico; 15 were killed, 26 survived.
» In-depth article
Australia
- US Navy transports Ancon and Hugh L. Scott arrived at Brisbane, Australia, delivering ground echelons of 3rd Bombardment Group (Light and 22nd Bombardment Group (Medium) of the United States Army Air Forces.
Dutch East Indies
- Akagi departed Staring Bay, Celebes, Dutch East Indies with the Striking Force to cover the invasion of Java.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- In the Dutch East Indies, the second of two Japanese invasion fleets for Java departed from Balikpapan, Borneo; the fleet was consisted of 41 troop transports and escorted by 5 cruisers and 16 destroyers.
» In-depth article
- Japanese carriers departed from Kendari, Celebes to patrol waters off Java and Australia.
- Japanese submarine I-158 attacked Dutch freighter Boeroe off Java, Dutch East Indies at 1015 hours but was driven off by an escort; at 1130 hours, I-158 attacked again, sinking Boeroe with two torpedoes; all 70 aboard survived.
- Kaga departed Staring Bay near Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Naka departed Makassar, Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
United States
- Battle of Los Angeles: an unidentified flying object over the American city of Los Angeles at 0225 hours caused a black-out order and the order to fire anti-aircraft weapons; stray anti-aircraft fire killed 3 civilians.
Photo(s) dated 25 Feb 1942
26 Feb 1942
- German submarine U-432 sank US bulk carrier Marore 20 kilometers off North Carolina, Virginia, United States. To the north, 20 kilometers east of Barnegat, New Jersey, United States, German submarine U-578 sank US tanker R. P. Resor, killing 47 of 49 aboard. Far out to sea, 230 miles east of Florida, United States, U-504 sank Dutch tanker Mamura at 1913 hours, killing all 49 aboard.
» In-depth article
- An irritable Churchill took General Auchinleck to task over lack of offensive spirit in North Africa.
» In-depth article
- Allied Middle East command decided to transfer the veteran Australian 6th Division from North Africa to Greece. Newly-formed Australian 9th Division was to be sent to North Africa as the replacement.
- Reinhard Heydrich wrote a letter to Martin Luther of the German Foreign Office, enclosing the meeting minutes of the Wannsee Conference and requesting the Foreign Office to engage in discussions on carrying out the Final Solution to the Jewish Question.
» In-depth article
- Major General John "Jock" Campbell VC, GOC 7th Armoured Division, was killed when his jeep overturned in North Africa.
- Lieutenant-General Hutton signaled GHQ(I) recommending that the sick Smyth be removed from command of 17th Indian, and recommending Major General David "Punch" Tennant Cowan as the replacement.
- Lieutenant Philip Cabell Evans was named the commanding officer of HMCS Trillium.
» In-depth article
Australia
- The floatplane from Japanese submarine I-25 conducted a reconnaissance mission over Melbourne, Australia.
Australian New Guinea
- Australian Wing Commander Dick Cohen led several Catalina aircraft in a night attack on Rabaul, New Britain; Cohen used his own Catalina aircraft as a dive bomber.
Dutch East Indies
- Allied ABDA Command warships departed Surabaya, Java, Dutch East Indies in search of a detected Japanese invasion fleet; the search would be uneventful.
» In-depth article
Germany
- 49 British RAF bombers attacked Gneisenau in the drydock at Kiel, Germany. A bomb penetrated the armored deck, triggering a detonation in the forward turret which caused great damage to entire bow section of the ship; 112 were killed, 21 were wounded.
» In-depth article
United States
- The US Federal Bureau of Investigation began to relocate Japanese-American civilians living in East San Pedro, Los Angeles, California, United States.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 26 Feb 1942
27 Feb 1942
- American seaplane tender USS Langley with 32 P-40 fighters aboard, en route to Java, was sunk by Japanese Navy land-based aircraft. On the same day, at the Battle of the Java Sea, Japanese fleet sank Allied 2 cruisers and 3 destroyers without any losses.
» In-depth article
- Operation Biting: Elements of the newly-formed British 1st Parachute Brigade dropped on Bruneval, near Le Havre, and stole a German radar unit under the noses of the defenders, losing only three men in the process. Escaping by sea the paratroopers brought the equipment back to England where scintists were able to unravel secrets of the radar which had been playing a significant role in the success of night fighters against British bombers.
- US submarine S-39 landed on Chebia Island in search for the 40 British refugees from Singapore rumored to be located there; none of them were found.
- HMS Indomitable departed Port Sudan, British East Africa, escorted by Australian destroyers Napier and Nestor.
» In-depth article
- Nisshin was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- HMS Manchester completed her repairs at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
- A Japanese force landed on northeastern Mindoro in the Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-156 sank British collier Macgregor with the deck gun 20 miles north of the Dominican Republic at 1035 hours; 1 was killed, 30 survived.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Gibraltar
- HMS Eagle departed Gibraltar with 15 Spitfire fighters on the flight deck to be delivered to Malta.
» In-depth article
Japan
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down two P-40 fighters, his 51st and 52nd kill, near Ain el Gazala, Libya. His victims were Sergeant Roger Jennings and Pilot Officer Richard Hart.
» In-depth article
United States
- Robert Johnson began basic flying training at Randolph Field, Texas, United States.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 27 Feb 1942
28 Feb 1942
- German submarine U-578 attacked destroyer USS Jacob Jones 10 kilometers east of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, United States, hitting her with two or three torpedoes, sinking her. About 80 of the 110 aboard were killed.
» In-depth article
- US submarine Permit delivered ammunition to Corregidor, Philippine Islands. Upon departure, the submarine evacuated 31 US Navy personnel.
» In-depth article
- San Juan was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
- Franz Halder noted in his diary that the campaign in the Soviet Union had thus far caused 1,005,636 German casualties, 202,251 of which were killed. He also noted that there were 112,627 cases of frostbite.
» In-depth article
- Alfred Rosenberg advised Wilhelm Keitel to improve the treatment of Soviet prisoners of war.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-153 sank British freighter City of Manchester south of Java, Dutch East Indies; 3 were killed, 6 were captured by I-153's crew, and 128 were rescued by USS Whippoorwill and USS Lark.
Australia
- The planned strike on Rabaul, New Britain by the US 14th Reconnaissance Squadron (based in Queensland, Australia) was cancelled as about half of the squadron's men were falling ill with dengue fever.
Australian Papua
- 7 Japanese Type 1 bombers of the 4th Air Group, escorted by 6 Zero fighters, attacked Port Moresby, Australian Papua, destroying 3 Catalina aircraft, damaging 1 Catalina aircraft, and damaging seaplane base facilities. The Japanese lost one fighter to anti-aircraft fire; the downed pilot, Flying Petty Officer 1st Class Katsuaki Nagatomo, was captured.
Burma
- General Archibald Wavell, who believed Rangoon, Burma must be held, relieved Thomas Hutton for planning an evacuation.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Dutch East Indies
- In the Dutch East Indies, Allied cruisers USS Houston and HMAS Perth were ordered to sail through Sunda Strait to Tjilatjap, where they would participate in the Battle of Sunda Strait, and USS Houston would sink with the loss of 693 men. Meanwhile, Japanese troops landed at Bantam Bay and Eretan Wetan, west and east of Batavia, respectively; another force landed 100 miles east of Surabaya.
» In-depth article
- British cruiser HMS Exeter departed Surabaya, Java, Dutch East Indies for Ceylon.
Germany
- Hans-Joachim Marseille arrived in Berlin, Germany for a period of home leave.
» In-depth article
- Historical document written: Anglo-American Mutual Aid Agreement
» In-depth article
1 Mar 1942
- Oiler USS Pecos were sunk off Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean by Japanese carrier aircraft. While en route to rescue survivors of Pecos, which included survivors of USS Langley, destroyer USS Edsall was sunk at 1731 hours by gunfire and aircraft; 147 were killed, 6 survived and were captured.
- ABDA naval command was disbanded after the defeats at the Java Sea region.
- The US Navy 3rd Submarine Fleet was established in Brisbane, Australia.
- Korvettenkapitän Hellmuth Strobel took command of cruiser Köln.
» In-depth article
- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Kwajalein, Marshall islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- USS Perch was depth charged by two Japanese destroyers 30 miles northwest of Surabaya, Java; her starboard motors were damaged and she took on flood waters.
» In-depth article
- The US authorities rounded up 112,000 Americans of Japanese descent and moved them to inland camps well away from the Pacific coast.
» In-depth article
- Martti Aho was awarded the Mannerheim Cross medal.
» In-depth article
- Legionaro was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
- The United States Marine Corps established Marine Aircraft Group 22 at Midway Atoll, consisted of Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 231 and Marine Fighter Squadron 221.
- In the face of defeats in Burma, Archibald Wavell replaced Major General John Smyth with Major General David Cowan and demoted General Thomas Hutton to be the chief of staff of Cowan.
» In-depth article
- Filipp Golikov was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for the second time.
» In-depth article
- Japanese warships sank five Dutch ships (Rooseboom, Pariji, Modjokerto, and two others) between Dutch East Indies and Australia.
- Allied convoy PQ-12 departed Reykjavík, Iceland and convoy QP-8 departed Murmansk, Russia.
» In-depth article
Australia
- The E14Y floatplane of Japanese submarine I-25 conducted a reconnaissance mission over Hobart, Australia.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- HMS Encounter, HMS Exeter, and USS Pope were sunk at the Second Battle of the Java Sea; the ships suffered 7, 54, and 1 killed, respectively. Meanwhile, at the Battle of Sunda Strait, Allied cruisers USS Houston and HMAS Perth intercepted a Japanese invasion force but were both sunk as they attacked; four Japanese transports and a minesweepers were sunk, but two of the transports were later refloated. Also on this date, Japanese troops landed on Java and immediately began marching for Batavia, with the Japanese 2nd Division capturing Serang and the 230th Infantry Regiment capturing Kalidjati airfield at Soebang en route. Finally, Japanese air raids at Surabaya damaged destroyer USS Stewart and Dutch destroyer Witte de With.
» In-depth article
Newfoundland
- German submarine U-656 was sunk by a Hudson patrol bomber of US Navy VP-82 squadron 33 miles south of Cape Race, Newfoundland, killing all 45 aboard.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- Douglas MacArthur requested George Brett to send 3 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers to the Philippine Islands for the evacuation of MacArthur, his family, and his staff.
» In-depth article
Poland
- Extermination of Jews at Sobibor Concentration Camp in occupied Poland began.
» In-depth article
United States
- Benjamin Kelsey was promoted to the war time rank of colonel.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 1 Mar 1942
See all photos dated 1 Mar 1942
2 Mar 1942
Atlantic Ocean
- German submarine U-126 sank Norwegian ship Gunny 370 miles south of Bermuda in the Atlantic Ocean at 2047 hours; 14 were killed, 12 survived.
» In-depth article
Australia
- Australia declared war on Thailand.
Burma
- Japanese 33rd and 55th Infantry Divisions crossed Sittang River at Kunzeik and Donzayit, Burma, forcing the British 2nd Battalion Royal Tank Regiment to fall back 20 miles as the Japanese troops captured the village of Waw.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
- Destroyer Yuzuki departed Truk, Caroline Islands with Destroyer Division 23, supporting invasion operations at Lae and Salamaua in New Guinea, northern Solomon Islands, and the Admiralty Islands.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese troops advancing toward Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies were halted by Australian troops at Leuwiliang. At Soebang, 250 Dutch troops with 20 tanks attacked Kalidjati airfield, but the attack was repulsed. East of Batavia, Japanese troops captured the oilfields at Tjepoe (now Cepu). As the Japanese troops approached, the Dutch colonial government relocated to Bandoeng, US personnel began evacuation by aircraft, and the Dutch Navy continued to scuttle destroyers, submarines, minesweepers, and other warships at Surabaya to prevent capture.
» In-depth article
- USS Sailfish sank Japanese transport Kamogawa Maru east of Bali in the Lombok Strait in the Dutch East Indies at 2100 hours, killing 326.
» In-depth article
- Naka patrolled off Kragan, Java, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort reported that intercepted Japanese Navy radio messages revealed a planned air attack on a location code named AK, which was soon interpreted as Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
Indian Ocean
Italy
- 16 British RAF Wellington bombers from Malta attacked Palermo, Sicily, Italy, destroying ammunition ship Cuma, whose explosion damaged five warships and eight freighters nearby.
Japan
- Japanese Navy Minister Admiral Shimada removed previously recognized rules of engagements in naval warfare due to "Allied retaliation and hatred".
Pacific Ocean
- USS Perch surfaced at 0200 hours, only to be forced to dive by Japanese destroyers. Her leaking oil and air made the Japanese destroyer to believe she had already broken up, and the Japanese destroyers departed the area.
» In-depth article
- Japanese destroyer Ikazuchi rescued 442 survivors of HMS Exeter, HMS Encounter, and USS Pope which had been sunk during the Second Battle of the Java Sea on the previous day.
» In-depth article
United States
- US Army General John L. DeWitt, responsible for the defense of the west coast of the United States, issued Public Proclamation No. 1 to create Military Areas 1 and 2 which covered the entire length of the coast.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 2 Mar 1942
3 Mar 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Palau.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- After emergency repairs, USS Perch attempted to make a test dive, but it failed without almost disastrous results. As repairs continued, she was discovered by two Japanese cruisers and three Japanese destroyers. Commanding officer David A. Hurt gave the abandon ship order, sinking the ship and giving up himself and his crew, totaling 59 men, to the Japanese.
» In-depth article
- Unsubstantiated reports were made, mentioning the shelling of Mona island near Puerto Rico by a submarine.
» In-depth article
- Allied leaders approved the division of Western Pacific into two zones, with Burma and all Southeast Asia west of Java-Sumatra border under the command of British General Archibald Wavell, and areas to the east under the command of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
- The Atlantic Amphibious Force, commanded by USMC Major General Holland Smith, received its final redesignation as Amphibious Corps, Atlantic Fleet.
- Joseph Stilwell met with Chiang Kaishek in Lashio, Burma.
» In-depth article
- Japanese destroyers Arashi and Nowaki sank US gunboat USS Asheville south of Java, Dutch East Indies, killing all 170 aboard.
- German submarine U-129 sank US transport Mary 165 miles north of Dutch Suriname in the Atlantic Ocean at 1705 hours; 1 was killed, 33 survived. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, German submarine U-68 sank British ship Helenus 86 miles west of Monrovia, Liberia at 1721 hours; 6 were killed, 76 survived.
» In-depth article
- Soviet transport Kiev fell out of Allied convoy PQ-12 in poor weather.
» In-depth article
Australia
- In Western Australia, Australia, 9 Japanese Zero fighters from Koepang, Timor, Dutch East Indies attacked the flying boat anchorage at Roebuck Bay (destroying 15 flying boats) and the airfield at Broome (destroying 5 bombers and 2 transport aircraft; one of the transports shot down at Broome, a DC-3 airliner carrying evacuees from Java, Dutch East Indies, crashed into the jungle 50 miles north of the city, destroying its cargo of £150,000-£300,000 worth of diamonds. Only 1 Japanese Zero fighter was lost during the attack.
Australian New Guinea
- At Rabaul, New Britain, the Japanese South Seas Force began embarking transports Yokohama Maru and China Maru, while the Maizaru 2nd Special Naval Landing Force began embarking transports Kongo Maru, Tenyo Maru, and Kokai Maru for the invasion of Lae and Salamaua in the Australian Territory of New Guinea.
» In-depth article
Burma
- Japanese troops forced Indian 17th Infantry Division out of Payagyi, Burma.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Australian troops continued to hold against Japanese attacks at Leuwiliang west of Batavia, Java, Dutch East Indies. In eastern Java, Japanese captured Bojonegoro.
» In-depth article
France
- RAF bombed the Renault plant in Billancourt, near Paris, France, while the Lancaster bomber made its debut mining the harbor at Brest, France.
» In-depth article
- A German report noted that over 5,000 arrests and more than 250 executions were conducted in Vichy France in 1941.
Hawaii
- Two Japanese flying boats from the Marshall Islands, refueled by submarines, attacked the US Territory of Hawaii. The intended target was Pearl Harbor, but during this cloudy night one aircraft dropped its four bombs on Mount Tantalus 6 miles away, while the other aircraft dropped its four bombs in the water.
4 Mar 1942
- USS Enterprise launched aircraft against Marcus Island.
» In-depth article
- Harold Alexander arrived in Burma.
» In-depth article
- Australian sloop HMAS Yarra was sunk by Japanese cruisers 300 miles south of Java, Dutch East Indies at 0800 hours whilst attempting to protect a convoy of vessels withdrawing to Australia; 158 were killed, 13 survived. The other three ships in the small convoy (minesweeper MMS-51, depot ship Anking, and tanker Francol) were sunk during the same attack.
- HMS Edinburgh completed her refitting at Tyne, England, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
- USS Grampus sank Japanese tanker Kaijo Maru in the Pacific Ocean, killing all 90 aboard.
» In-depth article
- USS Narwhal sank Japanese Army cargo ship Taki Maru 200 miles south of Japan in the Pacific Ocean.
» In-depth article
Burma
- In Burma, Japanese troops enveloped Chinese troops at Toungoo while British 7th Queen's Own Hussars regiment clashed with Japanese troops at Pegu.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- All Dutch troops evacuated Batavia and Leuwiliang, Java, Dutch East Indies after sundown for Bandoeng 70 miles to the southeast.
» In-depth article
- USS S-4 damaged Japanese fleet oiler Erimo in the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra in the Dutch East Indies, killing 4; Erimo would be beached to prevent sinking.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- At 0000 hours, US radar operators detected two signals approaching Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii; they were two H8K flying boats from Wotje, Marshall Islands via French Frigate Shoals (where they took on fuel from submarines I-15 and I-19). At 0130 hours, five PBY Catalina aircraft were launched, armed with torpedoes, to search for the carriers that the Americans thought where the flying boats must have launched from; at the same time, five US Army fighters were launched to attack the flying boats. At 0210 hours and 0230 hours, the two flying boats dropped their payloads uncontested, although the first bombs fell harmlessly in the mountains 10 miles from Pearl Harbor and the second bombs landed in the water just outside of Pearl Harbor. The two aircraft flew back to Wotje unscathed.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- Sir William Jowitt was appointed Paymaster-General of the United Kingdom with special responsibility for post-war reconstruction.
Photo(s) dated 4 Mar 1942
5 Mar 1942
- US Navy Admiral Ernest King said to US President Franklin Roosevelt "we cannot in honor let Australia and New Zealand down".
» In-depth article
- Conscription in Britain was extended to include men aged between 41 and 45.
- German submarine U-404 sank US ship Collamer off Nova Scotia, Canada at 1135 hours. At 1533 hours, 50 miles east of the Bahamas, U-128 sank Norwegian tanker O. A. Knudsen. Later that day, U-126 sank US ship Mariana 30 miles north of the Turks and Caicos Islands east of Cuba at 2244 hours, killing all 36 aboard. Finally, at 2307 hours on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean off Sierra Leone, British West Africa, U-505 sank British ship Benmohr; all 56 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- German battleship Tirpitz, escorted by destroyers, departed for the Arctic Ocean to intercept Allied convoys in Operation Sportpalast.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Thorn sank Italian auxiliary patrol vessel AS91/Ottavia with her deck gun off Kefalonia island, Greece.
- British submarine HMS Uproar sank Italian merchant ship Marin Sanudo 18 miles west of Lampedusa island, Italy; Italian torpedo boats Cigno and Procione counterattacked with depth charges in failure.
- British Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton was appointed Commander-in-Chief Ceylon.
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese troop transports Yokohama Maru, China Maru, Kongo Maru, Tenyo Maru, and Kokai Maru departed Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands for New Guinea; the transports were escorted by six cruisers and eight destroyers.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
Greece
- British submarine HMS Torbay sank Italian merchant ship Maddalena G. in the harbor at Corfu, Greece at 0730 hours.
Hong Kong
- The British government announced that, according to information shared with the United Kingdom by the Japanese government, there were 5,072 British, 1,689 Canadian, 3,829 Indian, and 357 men of other nationalities currently under captivity in Hong Kong as prisoners of war.
» In-depth article
Japan
Photo(s) dated 5 Mar 1942
6 Mar 1942
- USS Lexington made rendezvous with USS Yorktown and sailed for a raid on Rabaul, New Britain.
» In-depth article
- USS Yorktown made rendezvous with USS Lexington and sailed for a raid on Rabaul, New Britain.
» In-depth article
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Palau.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- HMS Indomitable launched the Hurricane fighters of No. 30 Squadron for Colombo, Ceylon.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-505 sank Norwegian tanker Sydhav off Sierra Leone, British West Africa at 1131 hours; 12 were killed, 24 survived. Also in that morning, Italian submarine Tazzoli sank Dutch freighter Astrea in the Central Atlantic. Tazzoli struck again at 2215 hours, sinking Norwegian ship Tønsberg Fjord; all 33 aboard survived. At 2306 hours, 150 miles south of Iceland, U-701 sank British fishing trawler Rononia, killing all 11 aboard. Italian submarine Finzi sank French tanker Melpomene; all 49 aboard survived. Finally, 50 miles south of Newfoundland, German submarine U-587 sank Greenland merchant ship Hans Egede, killing all 23 aboard.
» In-depth article
- Merchant ship El Occidente and Soviet anti-submarine whaler Stefa fell out of Allied convoy PQ-12 in poor weather.
» In-depth article
Burma
- Anglo-Indian and Japanese troops clashed at various roadblocks near Rangoon, Burma.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese aircraft attacked Surabaya, Java, Dutch East Indies, damaging Dutch minesweeper Jan van Amstel, killing 23. Dutch sailors scuttled minesweepers C and Pieter de Bitter, also at Surabaya, to prevent capture.
» In-depth article
Germany
- The first conference on the plan to sterilize persons of mixed blood in Germany was held.
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii began noticing a target location code named AF appearing in Japanese Navy radio messages, and that this target might be struck within a short time.
» In-depth article
Norway
- German battleship Tirpitz and 4 destroyers departed Trondheim, Norway to intercept Allied convoys PQ-12 and QP-8, which departed from Reykjavik in Iceland for Murmansk in Russia and from Murmansk in Russia for Hvalfjörður in Iceland, respectively. The British Royal Navy learned of this departure via Ultra decryption and dispatched a fleet centered around battleships HMS Duke of York, HMS King George V, and HMS Renown to attack.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 6 Mar 1942
7 Mar 1942
- German submarine U-126 sank US freighters Barbara and Cardonia between Cuba and Haiti. Far to the north, U-155 sank Brazilian ship Arbabutan 50 kilometers off North Carolina, United States. Toward the end of the day, at 2314 hours, U-701 sank Danish fishing trawler Nyggjaberg from the Faroe Islands, killing all 21 aboard.
» In-depth article
- HMS Indomitable launched the Hurricane fighters of No. 261 Squadron for Colombo, Ceylon, then sailed for Aden.
» In-depth article
- USS Grenadier attacked Japanese transport Asahisan Maru 82 miles northeast of Tokyo, Japan at 1500 hours, hitting her with four torpedoes but only one detonated; Asahisan Maru was damaged but was able to return to Yokohama, Japan for repairs.
» In-depth article
- HMS Eagle launched 15 Spitfire fighters to reinforce Malta.
» In-depth article
- RAAF Hudson aircraft detected Japanese transports 55 miles north of the coast of New Guinea.
» In-depth article
Burma
- £11,000,000 worth of oil installations of Burmah Oil Company in southern Burma near Rangoon were destroyed as British retreated from the city, preventing Japanese capture; this destruction would result in 20 years of High Court litigation after the war. Also destroyed were 972 unassembled Lend-Lease trucks and 5,000 tires. From Rangoon, 800 civilians departed aboard transports for Calcutta, India. The Anglo-Indian troops in the Rangoon region were held up by a Japanese roadblock at Taukkyan, which was assaulted repeatedly without success.
» In-depth article
Christmas Island
- British and Indian troops on Christmas Island mistake the latest heavy naval bombardment as a precursor to an invasion and hoisted white flags to indicate surrender. The warships would depart, however, and the troops lowered the white flags and sent British flags back up poles.
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese troops reached Tjilatjap, Java, Dutch East Indies during the day and captured Lembang in the evening, which overlooked Bandoeng. Dutch sailors scuttled minelayer Gouden Leeuw at Surabaya, Java to prevent capture.
» In-depth article
Japan
Libya
- The 3rd Battalion of the "San Marco" naval infantry regiment of Italian Navy was transferred from Antelat to Benghazi in Libya for coastal defense duty.
8 Mar 1942
- Construction for the Alaska-Canadian Highway began by the US Army.
- US Army troops relieved the US 1st Marine Brigade (Provisional) at Reykjavik, Iceland.
- The first two sections of submarine Puffer was joined together.
» In-depth article
- 200th Division of the Chinese 5th Army arrived at Taungoo, Burma to assist the British defense.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-701 sank British anti-submarine trawler Notts County 113 miles southwest of Iceland at 0039 hours, killing all 41 aboard. Off the Grand Banks, Newfoundland, U-587 sank British anti-submarine trawler HMS Northern Princess, killing all 38 aboard.
» In-depth article
- German battleship Tirpitz and escorting destroyers got as close as 60 miles from Allied convoy PQ-12 but poor weather prevented the Germans from realizing this fact. German destroyer Friedrich Ihn, however, did catch sight of old Russian coal-burning merchant ship Izhora (commanded by Vasily Belov), a straggler of the convoy, and promptly sank her at 1715 hours; only 1 person survived this sinking. In the evening, Admiral Otto Ciliax turned his fleet back toward its home port.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- At dawn, Japanese warships bombarded the invasion beaches at Lae and Salamaua on eastern New Guinea island; the few defending Australian troops of the New Guinea Volunteer Rifles fled into the jungle without putting up an opposition to the subsequent troop landing. At 1200 hours, 5 Hudson bombers attacked Japanese shipping in Huon harbor, lightly damaging transport Yokohama Maru. Later on the same day, B-17 bombers from Horn Island at the tip of Queensland, Australia attacked Japanese positions at Lae and Salamaua, damaging two hangars at the airstrip at the latter location.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Dutch troops at Bandoeng, Java, Dutch East Indies surrendered at the Isola Hotel in Lembang at 1000 hours between Dutch General Jacob J. Pesman and Japanese Colonel Toshishige Shoji. In the afternoon, Dutch Governor Tjarda Van Starkenborgh Stachouwer, General Hein Ter Poorten, and Major General Jacob Pesman surrendered all Dutch forces on Java to Japanese General Hitoshi Imamura.
» In-depth article
- Naka departed Kragan, Java, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Germany
- The British Royal Air Force dispatched 211 bombers to attack Essen, Germany, some equipped with the new GEE navigational system. The results were less than hoped for as only a few homes and a church were destroyed, killing 29 civilians, while the industrial centers, the primary targets, were untouched.
» In-depth article
New Zealand
- Warrant Officer Nobuo Fujita, flying in a submarine-based (submarine I-25) E14Y aircraft, conducted a photographic reconnaissance mission over Wellington harbor in New Zealand.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- An annoyed Winston Churchill, not satisfied with Cairo's reasons for not attacking at Gazala, summoned the British C-in-C Middle East back to London, England, United Kingdom to "confer with him about the situation".
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 8 Mar 1942
9 Mar 1942
- Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto issued orders to the fleet to prepare for Operation C, a raid into the Indian Ocean.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-94 sank Brazilian ship Cayrú 100 kilometers east of Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States at 0225 hours; 53 were killed, 36 survived. At 1317 hours, 10 miles east of Cuba, U-126 sank Panamanian tanker Hanseat; all 39 aboard survived. In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, German submarine U-587 sank Greek ship Lily 470 miles east of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada at 1845 hours (all 32 aboard survived the immediate sinking, but only 29 would live to be rescued) and Italian submarine Tazzoli sank Uruguayan ship Montevideo 650 miles east of Florida, United States (14 were killed, 35 survived). In the evening, at 2109 hours, U-96 sank Norwegian ship Tyr 100 miles east of Halifax; all 31 aboard survived the immediate sinking, but 13 of them would never be seen again.
» In-depth article
- At 0640 hours, British aircraft spotted a German fleet centered around battleship Tirpitz. At 0730 hours, British carrier HMS Victorious launched 12 Albacore aircraft to attack, reaching Tirpitz and destroyer Friedrich Ihn at 0830 hours. The attack caused no damage to the German warships; two Albacore aircraft were lost. Tripitz and her escorts arrived at Bogen near Narvik, Norway later that day.
» In-depth article
- Tatsuta Maru departed Kwajalein, Marshall Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- US Navy Admiral Ernest King was appointed Chief of Naval Operations; he was to maintain his responsibility as the Commander-in-Chief (CominCh) of the US Navy.
» In-depth article
- Joseph Stilwell had dinner with Chiang Kaishek and his family; in a private conversation afterwards, Chiang hinted to Stilwell that he had no intention of sacrificing Chinese troops in the doomed defense of Mandalay, Burma.
» In-depth article
- Japanese troops entered undefended Rangoon, Burma, abandoned by British troops two days prior.
» In-depth article
- Admiral Harold Stark, formerly the American Chief of Naval Operations, was appointed as Commander of the United States Naval Forces in European waters with his headquarters in London, England, United Kingdom.
- British anti-submarine whaler HMS Shera, escorting Allied convoy PQ-12, capsized possibly due to being top-heavy from heavy ice build-up and having low levels of fuel, although the weather was not particularly bad on this date; only 3 of those aboard survived the sinking.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
Germany
- A second British air raid to Essen, Germany, again using the new GEE navigational system, had similar dismal results as the first raid on the previous day, as the haze made the target difficult to spot.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 9 Mar 1942
10 Mar 1942
- USS Lexington launched aircraft to attack the Japanese invasion force at New Guinea.
» In-depth article
- USS Yorktown launched aircraft to attack the Japanese invasion force at New Guinea.
» In-depth article
- US Army General MacArthur once again received orders to evacuate Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-588 sank US tanker Gulftrade 10 kilometers southeast of Toms River, New Jersey, United States at 0632 hours; 18 were killed, 16 survived. At 2310 hours, 400 miles northeast of British Virgin Islands, Italian submarine Finzi sank Norwegian ship Charles Racine; all 41 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Rabaul.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Twelve US Marine fighters based at Midway Atoll, commanded by Captain Robert M. Haynes, intercepted and shot down a Japanese H6K flying boat.
- German submarine U-161 sank Canadian passenger ship Lady Nelson (25 were killed, 204 survived) and British freighter Umtata (4 were killed, 169 survived) off Port Castries, Saint Lucia at 0449 hours.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-62 sank British sailing ship Lakshmi Govinda with gunfire 470 miles east of Madras, India.
Australia
- USS Skipjack arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her second war patrol.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- USAAF B-17, B-24, B-25, and A-20 bombers, escorted by USAAF P-38 fighters, attacked a Japanese convoy unloading supplies near Lae, Australian Territory of New Guinea. In a separate effort, 104 carrier aircraft from USS Lexington and USS Yorktown attacked the Japanese invasion fleet in Huon Gulf to the north of the landing beaches, sinking armed merchant cruiser Kongo Maru, auxiliary minelayer Tenyo Maru, and transport Yokohama Maru while damaging several other ships; one Dauntless dive bomber was lost in the attack, while the Japanese lost 350 troops on the transports alone. On land, Japanese consolidated the beachhead with landings at Finschhafen, while Japanese engineers reported that the airstrips at Lae and Salamaua were now ready for action; later on the same day, aircraft of the Japanese 4th Air Group would begin to arrive at Lae and Salamaua.
» In-depth article
Australian Papua
- 18 Japanese aircraft bombed Port Moresby, Australian Papua.
Burma
- Japanese 55th Infantry Division began pursuing the retreating British troops from Rangoon, Burma.
» In-depth article
Christmas Island
- After dark and into the next morning, Indian troops on Christmas Island, led by Sikh policemen, mutinied and killed five of their British officers and imprisoned 21 Europeans.
Germany
- Overnight, 62 RAF bombers attacked Essen, Germany, damaging railways leading to Krupp factories, killing 6 civilians and wounding 12.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- At Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, Joseph Rochefort concluded that the target AF which had appeared in Japanese radio messages in the past few days referred to either Johnston, Palmyra, or Midway, and he promptly sent out warnings to all three locations. Privately, he reported to his superiors that Midway was the likely target.
» In-depth article
Panama Canal Zone
- USS S-31 began her first defensive patrol off the Panama Canal Zone.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- Jonathan Wainright's car was strafed by Japanese fighters on Bataan Peninsula, Luzon, Philippine Islands in the morning as he inspected forward areas. At noon, he traveled to Corregidor as requested by Douglas MacArthur, who informed him that President Franklin Roosevelt had ordered MacArthur to depart.
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Russia
- Soviet transport Kiev and merchant ship El Occidente, both of which fell out of Allied convoy PQ-12 several days prior, arrived at Iokanka, Russia.
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United States
- The US Marine Corps purchased the 132,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch situated north of San Diego, California, United States for a future base; it would become Camp Pendleton later in the year.
11 Mar 1942
- German submarine U-701 sank British anti-submarine trawler HMS Stella Capella 38 miles east of Iceland at 0211 hours, killing all 33 aboard. German submarine U-94 sank Norwegian ship Hvoslef 2 miles east of Fenwick Island, Delaware, United States at 0316 hours; 6 were killed, 14 survived. At 0800 hours, U-158 sank US ship Caribsea 20 kilometers east of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, United States; 21 were killed, 7 survived. Further south, U-126 sank US freighter Texan within 5 kilometers of the northern coast of Cuba. Italian submarine Tazzoli sank Panamanian ship Cygnet 5 mile east of the Bahamas; all 30 aboard survived.
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- Japanese troops landed on Mindanao, the southern-most of the Philippine Islands.
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- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Wake Island.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-565 sank British cruiser HMS Naiad 30 miles north of Sidi Barrani, Egypt at 2000 hours; 82 were killed, 582 survived.
- Chiang Kaishek told Joseph Stilwell that he was now ready to commit three elite Chinese armies (5th, 6th, and 66th) to Burma. Stilwell would soon find out that Chiang had secretly ordered the Chinese commanders to avoid decisive confrontations, thus rendering the Chinese troops useless to Stilwell's command.
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- USS Pollack sank Japanese cargo ship Fukushu Maru between Taiwan and the Japanese home islands with one of ten torpedoes fired.
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- The 6 survivors of USS Edsall, sunken off Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean on 1 Mar 1942, were executed by their Japanese captors.
- Japanese submarine I-2 attacked British passenger ship Chilka 340 miles west of Padang, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies at 1400 hours, killing 7. Chilka signaled surrender at 1425 hours. The captain of I-2 gave the crew some time to abandon ship before proceeding to sink her.
- Merchant ship Sevaples fell out of Allied convoy PQ-12 in poor weather. Allied convoy QP-8 arrived at Reykjavík, Iceland.
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Australia
- George Brett dispatched 4 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers, with skeleton crew, from Melbourne, Victoria, Australia to Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, via Daly Waters, Northern Territory; these aircraft were meant to be used to evacuate Douglas MacArthur and his family and staff from the Philippine Islands.
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Dutch East Indies
Hawaii
- USS Enterprise returned to Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
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Pacific Ocean
Philippines
- Douglas MacArthur, his family, and a small staff departed Corregidor by PT boats; General Jonathan Wainwright remained as commanding officer of US and Filipino forces in the Philippine Islands.
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US Pacific Islands
- Japanese H8K flying boats attacked Midway Atoll, causing minor damage; one aircraft was shot down in this attack.
Photo(s) dated 11 Mar 1942
12 Mar 1942
- German submarine U-158 sank US tanker John D. Gill off North Carolina, United States, killing 4. To the south, in the Bahamas, U-126 sank US freighters Texan at 0234 hours (9 were killed, 38 survived) and Olga at 0611 hours (1 was killed, 32 survived) and damaged US freighter Colabee. 520 miles northeast of the British Virgin Islands, Italian submarine Morosini sank British freighter Manaqui.
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- Troops of US Americal Division occupied French colony of New Caledonia in the South Pacific, where a major base at Nouméa was planned to be built in the near future.
- British authorities evacuated the Andaman Islands.
- Tirpitz arrived at Trondheim, Norway.
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- US Army Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell was named the commander of American forces in the CBI theater.
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- Tatsuta Maru departed Wake Island.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- USS Pollack attacked a Japanese cargo ship between Taiwan and the Japanese home islands with one torpedo; the torpedo missed.
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- Captain Henry Goodwin led a flight of 4 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers from Batchelor Field, Darwin, Australia to Mindanao, Philippine Islands to embark Douglas MacArthur. 3 aircraft would be turned back due to mechanical troubles (1 of these 3 would crash on the return trip). The lone aircraft that made it (1st Lieutenant Harl Pease, Jr.) was judged to be in too poor of shape to embark MacArthur, and was sent back to Australia by Brigadier General William Sharp.
Dutch East Indies
- On Sumatra, Dutch East Indies, Japanese troops landed at Sabang at 0235 hours, Koetaradja at 0330 hours, Idi at 0540, and Laboehanroekoe at 0700 hours. They would capture the airfield at Medan in the morning.
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- British General Sitwell, Australian Brigadier Blackburn, and US Colonel Searle formally surrendered to Japanese General Maruyama at Bandung, Java, Dutch East Indies at 0730 hours.
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- Naka arrived at Makassar, Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
Philippines
- Jonathan Wainwright took over command in the Philippine Islands.
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Russia
Photo(s) dated 12 Mar 1942
13 Mar 1942
- 1,200 sick prisoners from the hospital within Auschwitz I camp who were judged as not able to recover were transferred to the BIb sector of Birkenau camp, where they were killed. Their bodies were transported back to Auschwitz I to be cremated.
- The Belzec Concentration Camp opened for operation with a transport of 6,000 Jews from Mielec, Poland.
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- German submarine U-126 damaged US ship Colabee 10 miles north of Cuba at 0441 hours, forcing her to run aground to prevent sinking; 23 were killed, 14 survived. Two hours later, at 0643 hours, U-404 sank Chilean freighter Tolten within 5 kilometers of Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States, killing 25 of 26 aboard. German submarine U-332 sank US schooner Albert F. Paul 100 kilometers east of the Bahamas at 0720 hours, killing the entire crew of 8. 330 miles off Palm Beach, Florida, United States, Italian Tazzoli sank British ship Daytonian; 1 was killed, 58 survived. At 1747 hours, U-332 struck again, sinking Yugoslavian ship Trepca; 4 were killed, 33 survived.
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- USS Gar sank Japanese cargo ship Chichiubu Maru off Mikura Jima 100 miles south of Tokyo Bay, Japan with three of four torpedoes fired.
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- Joseph Stilwell met with Harold Alexander. Stilwell's diary entry for the day noted that he was unimpressed with the British general.
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- Japanese submarine I-164 sank Norwegian merchant ship Mabella 100 miles northeast of Madras, India.
- HMS Eagle completed engine repairs.
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- Merchant ship Sevaples and Soviet anti-submarine whaler Stefa, both of which fell out of Allied convoy PQ-12 several days prior, found each other while at sea as Sevaples was being attacked by a German aircraft; Stefa shot down the German attacker.
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Australian New Guinea
- Five B-17 bombers of the US 40th Reconnaissance Squadron from Australia were launched to attack Rabaul, New Britain; only one arrived over the target to drop the bomb load, which caused little damage.
Australian Papua
- Five Japanese Zero fighters strafed military installations at Port Moresby, Australian Papua.
Germany
- Overnight, 135 RAF bombers attacked Köln, Germany, killing 62 and wounding 84.
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Netherlands
- German armed merchant cruiser Michel departed Vlissingen, the Netherlands in the evening, escorted by 9 minesweepers and 5 torpedo boats.
New Zealand
- Warrant Officer Nobuo Fujita, flying in a submarine-based (submarine I-25) E14Y aircraft, conducted a photographic reconnaissance mission over Auckland, New Zealand.
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Tunisia
- British submarine HMS Una sank Italian fishing boat Maria Immacolata with her deck gun 5 miles off Tunisia.
Ukraine
- A major Soviet attack was launched out of Kerch Peninsula in southern Ukraine in an attempt to relieve the besieged city of Sevastopol.
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14 Mar 1942
- German submarine U-404 sank US collier Lemuel Burrows 5 kilometers southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States at 0828 hours; 20 were killed, 1 survived. U-124 set British tanker British Resource on fire with a torpedo 260 miles north of Bermuda at 2118 hours; 46 were killed, 5 survived.
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- USS Astoria was assigned to Task Force 17.
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- German submarine U-67 sank Panamanian tanker Penelope 200 miles west of Dominica at 0200 hours; 2 were killed, 47 survived. In the same general area, U-67 sank Canadian ship Sarniadoc, killing the entire crew of 21.
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- 6 British motor torpedo boats and 3 motor gunboats unsuccessfully attacked German armed merchant cruiser Michel off Dover, England, United Kingdom at 0300 hours. At dawn, British destroyers HMS Blencathra, HMS Calpe, HMS Fernie, HMS Walpole, and HMS Windsor led motor torpedo boats for another attack; Michel was able to escape once again with slight damage and 1 killed, while HMS Fernie and HMS Walpole were also damaged.
- Italian submarine Mocenigo sank French vessel Ste. Marcelle 17 miles east of Gibraltar. Further east, at 1323 hours, British submarine HMS Ultimatum sank Italian submarine Millo off Calabria, Italy with four torpedoes; 55 were killed, 15 survived (14 of whom were captured by HMS Ultimatum). At 1700 hours, German submarine U-133 struck a mine and sank two hours after departing her base at Salamis Island, Greece; all 45 aboard were killed.
- 9 Japanese bombers attacked Port Moresby, Australian Papua while 5 bombers attacked the airfield on Horn Island, Queensland, Australia.
- Adolf Hitler ordered the German naval and air forces to focus on hitting the Allied Arctic convoys.
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Australia
- The US Navy transferred the 40th Reconnaissance Squadron to US Army's 19th Bomb Group at Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
Dutch East Indies
India
- US Air Force 51st Pursuit Squadron, originally destined for Java in the Dutch East Indies, arrived at Karachi, India.
Philippines
- Douglas MacArthur arrived at Del Monte Airfield in Bukidnon province, Mindanao, Philippine Islands.
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Photo(s) dated 14 Mar 1942
15 Mar 1942
- US Army General MacArthur departed Philippine Islands by B-17 bomber for Australia.
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- Adolf Hitler predicted a victory over the Soviet Union by the end of the summer of 1942.
- British cruisers HMS Dido and HMS Euryalus bombarded the Greek island of Rhodes.
- British tanker British Resource, fatally damaged by German submarine U-124 on the previous day, sank. After dawn, a PBO-1 Hudson aircraft flying cover for Allied convoy ON-72 sank German submarine U-503 245 miles southeast of St. John's, Newfoundland, killing the entire crew of 51. At 0604 hours, U-158 sank US tanker Olean 15 kilometers southeast of Swansboro, North Carolina, United States; 6 were killed, 36 survived. At 0722 hours, U-158 struck again in the same area, sinking US tanker Ario; 7 were killed, 26 survived. Italian submarine Tazzoli sank British ship Athelqueen 270 miles east of Palm Beach, Florida, United States (3 were killed, 46 survived), but would collide with the wreck of Athelqueen, forcing her to end her patrol early for repairs in Bordeaux, France. At about 1200 hours, U-161 sank US Coast Guard lighthouse tender Acacia with her surface guns; all 36 aboard survived and were rescued by destroyer USS Overton.
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- At Auschwitz I Concentration Camp, 28 prisoners died in the hospital. At Auschwitz II-Birkenau, SS guards killed 131 prisoners without reason before noon, and in the afternoon about 250 prisoners (including 103 Soviet prisoners of war) died from wounds sustained during torture.
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- Harold Alexander admitted to Joseph Stilwell that the British had only 4,000 well-equipped fighting men in Burma.
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- German submarine U-161 sank US Coast Guard lighthouse tender Acacia with her surface guns south of Haiti; all 36 aboard survived.
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- Soviet submarine ShCh-210 became missing while operating off Cape Shabla, Bulgaria; she had likely struck a Romanian naval mine.
- US Air Force 67th Pursuit Squadron arrived at New Caledonia, along with a force of 45 P-40 fighters.
- German motor torpedo boats attacked British coastal convoy FS749 20 miles off the English coast in the North Sea, with S-104 sinking British destroyer HMS Vortigern; 110 were killed, 14 survived.
Australian New Guinea
- Nine Japanese bombers attacked Madang, Australian Territory of New Guinea.
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Dutch East Indies
Taiwan
- The Heito Prisoners of War Camp, also known as Taiwan Prisoners of War Camp No. 3, was closed in southern Taiwan.
United Kingdom
- German motor torpedo boats attacked British coastal convoy FS749 20 miles off of England, United Kingdom in the North Sea, sinking destroyer HMS Vortigern; 110 were killed, 14 survived.
16 Mar 1942
- Italian submarine Morosini sank Dutch tanker Oscilla 145 miles northeast of Antigua; 4 were killed, 51 survived. At 1824 hours, German submarine U-504 sank British ship Stangarth 300 miels north of San Juan, Puerto Rico on her maiden voyage, killing all 46 aboard. German submarine U-332 sank US tanker Australia 20 kilometers off North Carolina, United States at 1955 hours; 4 were killed, 36 survived. To the northeast, U-404 sank British tanker San Demetrio 60 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States. At 2317 hours, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, U-68 sank British ship Baron Newlands 6 miles south of Cape Palmas, Liberia; 18 were killed, 20 survived.
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- Belzec Concentration Camp was established for the purpose of holding and exterminating Jews from Lublin and Galicia.
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- Japanese aircraft raided Darwin, Australia.
- HMS Begonia was loaned to the US Navy and was renamed USS Impulse.
Hawaii
- A number of US B-26 Marauder bombers were launched from the US Territory of Hawaii for Brisbane, Australia.
Japan
Philippines
- USS Permit arrived at Corregidor in the Philippine Islands, delivering ammunition and evacuated code breakers.
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- 2 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers (Lieutenant Frank Bostrom and Captain Bill Lewis) flew from Batchelor Field, Darwin, Australia to Mindanao, Philippine Islands to pick up Douglas MacArthur.
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- 46 radio intelligence personnel were evacuated from the US Navy Station CAST facility at Corregidor island, Philippine Islands.
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United Kingdom
- Soviet ambassador in London, England, United Kingdom expressed wish for a second front in Europe.
17 Mar 1942
- Aktion Reinhard: Jews from Lublin, Poland were sent to the nearby Belzec concentration camp.
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- Douglas MacArthur arrived in Australia. On the same day, the first 3 American Kittyhawk squadrons began operations in Australia.
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- Britain introduced rationing of fuels and electricity.
- German submarine U-404 sank British ship San Demetrio off the east coast of the United States at 0216 hours; 19 were killed, 32 survived. U-124 sank Greek freighter Kassandra and Honduran freighter Ceiba (44 were killed, 6 survived) at 0226 hours off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States; US tanker Acme was also damaged during this attack. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, U-68 sank British freighters Ile de Batz at 0635 hours (4 were killed, 39 survived), Scottish Prince at 1326 hours (1 was killed, 38 survived), and Allende at 2103 hours (6 were killed, 33 survived) off Liberia and French West Africa.
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- The Tutuila airfield in American Samoa was completed.
- USS Grayback sank Japanese collier Ishikari Maru 5 miles west of Chichi Jima, Bonin Islands, Japan.
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- Three Japanese destroyers depth charge USS Permit in Tayabas Bay in southern Luzon, Philippine Islands, causing minor damage.
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- USS Wasp collided with destroyer USS Stack in foggy weather at 0650 hours off the east coast of the United States, causing flooding in the boiler room of the destroyer.
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- German submarine U-373 sank Greek ship Mount Lycabettus at 1508 hours, killing all 30 aboard.
- German submarine U-71 sank Norwegian tanker Ranja at 1858 hours, killing all 34 aboard.
Australian Papua
- Several US B-17 bombers flew from Australia to Port Moresby, Australian Papua in preparation for an attack on Rabaul, New Britain on the following day.
Italy
- British submarine Unbeaten sank Italian submarine Guglielmotti between Sicily and Calabria in Italy at 0640 hours, killing 46. Unbeaten surfaced and captured 12 survivors before being driven off by Italian aircraft; Italian torpedo boats rescued another 12 survivors.
Japan
18 Mar 1942
- Lord Mountbatten was appointed as the British Chief of Combined Operations.
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- US President Roosevelt signed an Executive Order for the establishment of the War Relocation Authority, which led to the internment of Japanese-Americans during WW2.
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- German submarine U-124 sank Greek ship Kassandra Louloudis off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0114 hours; all 35 aboard survived. At 0827, U-124 struck again, sinking US tankers US tankers E. M. Clark; 1 was killed, 26 survived.
» In-depth article
- The first A4 rocket exploded on Test Stand VII at Peenemünde, Germany during a combustion chamber test.
- US Army engineers arrived at Efate, New Hebrides for the construction of a new airfield.
- The repair work on light cruiser Voroshilov completed.
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Australia
- Douglas MacArthur officially accepted the position of the Supreme Commander of Southwest Pacific Area while still aboard a train traveling for Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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Australian New Guinea
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Rabaul, New Britain.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Several US B-17 bombers launched from Port Moresby, Australian Papua to attack Rabaul, New Britain, causing no damage.
Australian Papua
- Japanese aircraft attacked Port Moresby, Australian Papua.
Burma
- Chinese troops ambushed 200 Japanese reconnaissance troops near Pyu in Battle of Tachiao, killing 30. Meanwhile, aircraft of the 1st American Volunteer Group "Flying Tigers" bombed the Japanese airfield at Moulmein, claiming 16 Japanese aircraft destroyed on the ground. Of the Burmese coast, troops from India reinforced the garrison on Akyab Island.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
Italy
- British submarine HMS Upholder sank Italian submarine Tricheco 2 miles off of Brindisi, Italy; 38 were killed, 3 survived (including the commanding officer).
Photo(s) dated 18 Mar 1942
19 Mar 1942
- Operations Munich and Bamberg were launched against Soviet partisans, though tactical successes turned out to be counter-productive, encouraging more civilians to join the partisans.
- Lieutenant General William Slim was ordered to lead the Burma Corps.
» In-depth article
- British censorship on caricatures, obituaries, and football scores led to widespread complaint; Home Secretary Morrison threatened Daily Mirror with shut down order unless the newspaper obeyed the censorship laws.
- German submarine U-124 sank US tanker Papoose 25 miles south of Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States at 0431 hours; 2 were killed, 32 survived. To the northwest, German submarine U-332 sank US freighter Liberator off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina at 0419 hours; 5 were killed, 30 survived. At 0538 hours, U-124 attacked again off Cape Fear, sinking US tanker W. E. Hutton; 13 were killed, 12 survived.
» In-depth article
- The advance echelon of US Marine Aircraft Group 13 arrived at the newly-completed airfield at Tutuila, American Samoa.
- Japanese troops captured Pyu, Burma.
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Australian Papua
- Japanese bombers attacked Port Moresby, Australian Papua.
Philippines
- At Bataan Peninsula at Luzon, Philippine Islands, US and Filipino troops were put on quarter rations (1000 calories) as the food supplies dwindled. The supply of quinine, a medicine for malaria, had also depleted.
» In-depth article
Russia
- German Armeegruppe Nord cut off General Vlasov's Soviet 2nd Shock Army in a salient on the Volkhov River near Novgorod 50 miles southeast of Leningrad, Russia.
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20 Mar 1942
- USS Yorktown patrolled the Coral Sea.
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- USS Lexington set sail for Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii after raiding New Guinea.
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- Gas chambers of Block I of Auschwitz II (Birkenau) Concentration Camp began extermination operations.
» In-depth article
- Allies in Libya attacked Benghazi and Derna, diverting attention from an important convoy for Malta.
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- German submarine U-71 sank US tanker Oakmar over 200 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States at 2054 hours, killing 6 of 36 aboard.
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- South Dakota was commissioned into service.
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- The United States and New Zealand completed a discussion which concluded that the US would be responsible for defending the Samoan islands.
- The United States Air Forces in the Philippines was established, replacing the Far East Air Force.
- The keel of US submarine Scorpion was laid down.
» In-depth article
- J2M Raiden aircraft took its first flight.
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- Japanese 143rd Regiment and a cavalry formation of the Japanese 55th Division attacked troops the Cavalry Regiment of the Chinese 5th Army north of the Kan River in Burma.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-652 damaged destroyer HMS Heythrop 40 miles northeast of Bardia, Libya at 1054 hours, killing 15; Heythrop was sailing with 6 other destroyers on an anti-submarine sweep for Allied convoy MW10. At about 1600 hours, after 151 survivors had been taken off by destroyer HMS Eridge, Heythrop sank while under tow.
- Major General Brian Horrocks assumed command of the British 9th Armoured Division in place of Major General Brocas Burrows who had been moved to command 11th Armoured Division.
Australia
- Douglas MacArthur made the "I came through and I shall return" speech at Terowie, South Australia, Australia while transferring trains.
» In-depth article
- The US Navy set up a new radio intelligence station at Melbourne, Australia; many of the staff members of this new station were recently evacuated from station CAST at Corregidor, Philippine Islands.
Australian Papua
- Japanese bombers attacked Port Moresby in Australian Papua while four fighters strafed the nearby Seven Mile airfield.
France
- German armed merchant cruiser Michel departed La Pallice, France for the South Atlantic.
Philippines
- Jonathan Wainwright received the official US War Department order promoting him to the rank of lieutenant general and placing him charge of US troops in the Philippine Islands, replacing Douglas MacArthur, who had been ordered to go to Australia by Franklin Roosevelt.
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Ukraine
- Soviet Army's Kerch offensive in Ukraine was defeated with heavy losses. To the west, German counter attack at Sevastopol failed, resulting in the loss of the 22nd Division.
» In-depth article
United States
- USS Hornet arrived at San Francisco, California, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 20 Mar 1942
21 Mar 1942
- Jews from the Lublin ghettos were deported to Belzec, Majdanek, and other concentration camps.
» In-depth article
- US Army General MacArthur arrived at Kooringa, Australia by train and discovered there would be no army waiting for him to reinforce the Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- At Fort Benning in Georgia, United States, 276 men of the US 501st Parachute Battalion received their "wings".
- The United Kingdom discussed plans for Indian independence after the war.
- Adolf Hitler placed Fritz Sauckel in charge of mobilizing forced laborers from occupied territories.
» In-depth article
- Germany introduced harsh laws against unnecessary rail travel.
- German submarine U-124 heavily damaged US tanker Esso Nashville 20 kilometers southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina, United States at 0608 hours. At 1005 hours, U-124 struck again, damaging US tanker Atlantic Sun.
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- Submarine Mingo was laid down.
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- The US Marine Corps established the 3rd Marine Brigade at New River, North Carolina, United States; the unit was slated for the defense of Western Samoa.
- British aircraft carriers HMS Argus and HMS Eagle departed Gibraltar, escorted by battleship HMS Malaya, cruiser HMS Hermione, and 9 destroyers, with Spitfire fighters for Malta. Italian submarines Mocenigo and Dandolo attempted to attack the force in failure.
» In-depth article
- Italian submarines Onice and Platino spotted British convoy MW10, which had departed from Alexandria, Egypt, off the Libyan coast. A force consisted of battleship Littorio, 3 cruisers, and 10 destroyers departed from Taranto on mainland Italy and Messina on the island of Sicily to intercept; British submarine P36 spotted this Italian response.
» In-depth article
Australian Papua
- Four US Kittyhawk fighters arrived over Port Moresby, Australian Papua as reinforcement at 1400 hours, but nervous anti-aircraft gunners fired on them, damaging all four. Later in the day, a lone Japanese bomber attacked Port Moresby, and one of the newly arrived Kittyhawks was able to scramble and shoot down the attacker. Later in the day, 14 additional Kittyhawk fighters arrived.
Burma
- 151 Japanese bombers attacked the British airfield at Magwe in northern Burma, the operating base of the Chinese Air Force 1st American Volunteer Group "Flying Tigers"; 15 Sino-American aircraft were destroyed at the cost of 2 Japanese aircraft. Meanwhile, at Oktwin, forward elements of Japanese 55th Division engaged Chinese troops.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Iceland
- Allied convoy PQ-13, consisted of 19 merchant ships, set sail from Reykjavík, Iceland, with 1 destroyer and 5 trawlers in escort.
» In-depth article
Japan
Russia
- General Walther von Seydlitz-Kurzbach led a German assault out of the Demyansk, Russia to the northwest.
» In-depth article
United States
Photo(s) dated 21 Mar 1942
22 Mar 1942
- 360 US Army personnel greeted US Army General MacArthur at Melbourne, Australia.
» In-depth article
- German Abwehr agent Paul Thümmel was arrested by the SS on recent findings that he was actually a British agent; Wilhelm Canaris requested Thümmel's release, claiming that he was actually a double agent working for him.
- German submarine U-373 sank British ship Thursobank 300 miles east of Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States at 0509 hours; 33 were killed, 26 survived. U-123 sank US tanker Muskogee in the Atlantic Ocean at 1756 hours; all 34 aboard were killed.
» In-depth article
- USS Marlin arrived at Casco Bay, Maine, United States and joined Task Group 27.1 for anti-submarine warfare training.
» In-depth article
- Italian battleship Littorio, 3 cruisers, and 10 destroyers successfully intercepted Allied convoy MW10 in the Gulf of Sirte between Libya and Malta at 1430 hours, but they were fended off by the smaller British escort force of 4 cruisers and 17 destroyers. As the Second Battle of Sirte ended at 1900 hours, 3 British cruisers and 6 destroyers were damaged (39 killed), while the Italian battleship Littorio was also damaged. After the two forces disengaged, Italian destroyers Lanciere and Scirocco were sunk by a storm, killing 201 and 189, respectively.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-73 was damaged by a British RAF Blenheim bomber 50 miles northwest of Derna, Libya at 1150 hours. U-73 would escape the encounter, but was forced to end her patrol early.
Australia
- A number of US B-26 Marauder bombers arrived at Archerfield Municipal Airport near Brisbane, Australia; 3 of the Marauder bombers were lost en route from the US Territory of Hawaii.
Australian New Guinea
- Nine US Kittyhawk fighters based in Port Moresby, Australian Papua attacked the airfield near Lae on the northern coast of New Guinea. Shortly after, two Hudson bombers conducted a follow-up attack, but all their bombs missed the target.
» In-depth article
Burma
- American and British airmen abandoned the airfield in Magwe in northern Burma. To the southeast, at dawn, troops of the 600th Regiment of the Chinese 200th ambushed troops of the 122nd Regiment of the Japanese 55th Division near Oktwin, Burma.
» In-depth article
Japan
Philippines
- Japanese aircraft bombed US positions at Bataan and Corregidor, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
Poland
- Mass exterminations of Jews using Zyklon B gas began at Auschwitz Concentration Camp in poland.
» In-depth article
Russia
- German troops outside the Demyansk Pocket attacked Soviet 11th Army and 1st Shock Army at Staraya Russa, Russia, supporting the breakout attempt from the pocket launched on the previous day.
» In-depth article
- Allied convoy QP-9, consisted of 19 merchant ships, departed Murmansk, Russia with cruiser HMS Nigeria, destroyer HMS Offa, and 2 minesweepers in close escort.
» In-depth article
23 Mar 1942
- Troops of Japanese 18th Infantry Division landed at Port Blair, Andaman Islands in the Indian Ocean. The garrison of 300 Sikh militia and 23 British officers did not oppose the invasion.
» In-depth article
- American blimp mis-identified and bombed American submarine USS Gato off San Francisco Bay, California, United States.
» In-depth article
- German aircraft sank British transport Clan Campbell and damaged transport Breconshire of Allied convoy MW10. The remaining two transports, Pampas and Talabot, reached Malta by the end of the day.
» In-depth article
- Hitler ordered a build up of defenses in coastal areas.
- German submarine U-124 sank US tanker Naeco 65 miles southeast of Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States at 1023 hours; 24 were killed, 14 survived. In the afternoon, U-754 sank British tanker British Prudence 50 miles south of Newfoundland at 1531 hours; 3 were killed, 47 survived. In the Souther Atlantic, German armed merchant cruiser Thor stopped Greek freighter Pagasitikos, forced the 33 aboard to abandon ship, and sank the freighter with a torpedo. After sundown, Italian submarine Morosini sank British tanker Peder Bogen with torpedoes and gunfire; all 53 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
Australian Papua
- 19 Japanese Type 1 bombers from Rabaul, New Britain attacked Seven Mile airfield near Port Moresby, Australian Papua at 1330 hours (Kittyhawk fighters failed to scramble in time to intercept the bombers), followed by strafing by four Zero fighters at 1420 hours (one shot down by anti-aircraft fire).
Burma
- Chinese troops held the Japanese attacks in check near Oktwin, Burma, but withdrew toward Taungoo after sundown.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- Intelligence experts at US Navy Station CAST at Corregidor, Philippine Islands tentatively linked the Japanese Navy code name AF to Midway Atoll.
» In-depth article
United States
- US Secretary of Navy Frank Knox designated the new Marine Corps Training Area at Santa Margarita Ranch in California, United States as Camp Joseph H. Pendleton.
- Historical document written: Führer Directive 40
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 23 Mar 1942
24 Mar 1942
- Admiral Chester Nimitz was appointed the Commander in Chief of the US Pacific Theater.
» In-depth article
- Deportation of Slovakian Jews to Auschwitz Concentration Camp began.
» In-depth article
- Japanese Navy aircraft began daily bombings of Corregidor in the Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- The British House of Commons began a two-day debate on the conduct of the war in Germany; bombing of German cities was to be a focal point.
» In-depth article
- HMS Indomitable joined the British Eastern Fleet.
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- British minesweeper HMS Sharpshooter spotted German submarine U-655 on the surface in the Barents Sea and proceeded to ram and sink her; the entire crew of U-655, 45 men, were killed.
- German submarine U-585 was damaged by depth charges from 3 Allied warships in the Barents Sea, but was able to escape.
- British minesweeping whaler HMS Sulla was lost to heavy seas in the Norwegian Sea.
- German submarine U-123 sank British tanker Empire Steel with torpedoes and the deck gun 365 miles north of Bermuda at 0300 hours; 39 were killed, 8 survived.
» In-depth article
- German bombers attacked Malta, damaging British destroyer HMS Legion with near misses.
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- Minesweeper HMS Sharpshooter, escorting Allied convoy QP-9, spotted German submarine U-655 in a distance; she forced the submarine to surface by depth charges, rammed, and sank her; all 47 aboard U-655 were killed.
» In-depth article
Burma
- Japanese 112th Regiment attacked Taungoo, Burma, overcoming the disorganized Chinese outer defenses. Meanwhile, Japanese 143rd Regiment flanked the Chinese defenses and captured the airfield and rail station 6 miles north of the city. Taungoo would be surrounded on three sides by the end of the day.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
France
- 18 RAF Boston light bombers attacked targets in northern France, targeting power stations, rail marshaling yards, and other targets of military importance.
» In-depth article
25 Mar 1942
- US Navy Admiral King ordered a base to be established at Efate, New Hebrides.
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- German submarine U-552 attacked Norwegian tanker Ocana 100 kilometers southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada at 0413 hours; 53 were killed, 4 survived; Ocana would remain afloat and burning for several days until scuttled by gunfire. At 0609 hours, U-105 sank British tanker Narragansett 400 miles east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States, killing all 49 aboard. Far out to sea, 530 miles east of Newfoundland, U-94 attacked British tanker Imperial Transport, causing the crew to abandon ship, but the men would reboard the ship by 2030 hours and continue the journey.
» In-depth article
- The US 1st Marine Brigade (Provisional) arrived in New York, United States from Iceland; the unit was disbanded immediately upon arrival.
- Allied convoy PQ-9 ran into a storm west of Norway; ice accumulated on British whaler HMS Sulla, causing her to gain too much top weight, eventually capsizing her; all 21 aboard were killed.
» In-depth article
Burma
- The main Japanese offensive against Taungoo, Burma began at 0800 hours, striking northern, western, and southern sides of the city nearly simultaneously. Fierce house-to-house fighting would continue through the night.
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Germany
- 254 RAF Bomber Command aircraft (192 Wellington, 26 Stirling, 20 Manchester, 9 Hampden, and 7 Lancaster aircraft) attacked Krupp iron works and factories at Essen, Germany; 5 civilians were killed, 11 were wounded. The British lost 5 Manchester, 3 Wellington, and 1 Hampden aircraft.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a Japanese Navy message that mentioned a campaign against a location with code name RZP.
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Japan
United States
- USS Washington departed Casco Bay near Portland, Maine, United States.
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26 Mar 1942
- A transport of 999 female Slovakian Jews from Poprad arrived at Auschwitz Concentration Camp; they were the first Slovakians sent by Adolf Eichmann's RSHA IVB4 office. Coinciding with the arrival of the Slovakian Jews was the arrival of the first transport of female prisoners from Ravensbrück Concentration Camp in northern Germany, also containing 999 Jews.
» In-depth article
- US Navy warships Washington, Wasp, Wichita, Tuscaloosa, and eight destroyers sailed from Portland, Maine for Britain to reinforce the Royal Navy Home Fleet.
- USS Lexington arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii and prepared for an overhaul in the drydock.
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- Winston Churchill told politicians of the rival Conservative Party 'It now seems very likely that we and our allies cannot lose this war, except through our own fault'.
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- All Jewish homes in Germany were ordered to be marked as so on the exterior.
- French politician Pierre Laval warned Chief of State Philippe Pétain that it was important to cooperate with the Germans to avoid Berlin from appointing a Nazi Party Gauleiter for Vichy France.
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- German submarine U-71 sank US tanker Dixie Arrow 20 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 1459 hours, killing 11 of 33 aboard. Further out to sea, German submarine U-123 sank US Q-ship USS Atik 200 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States at 1937 hours, killing the entire crew of 139; U-123 lost one to USS Atik's machine gun.
» In-depth article
- Admiral Sir James Somerville, who had commanded the force that had sunk the Bismark in the previous year, took commanded of the British Eastern Fleet, hoisting his flag in the battleship HMS Warspite at Trincomalee, Ceylon.
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- Chinese and Japanese troops continued to engage in house-to-house fighting in Taungoo, Burma, with heavy losses on both sides.
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- During this night and into the first hours of the next day, Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld shot down four British bombers, increasing his victories to 21.
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- German aircraft attacked Malta, sinking destroyer HMS Legion (11 killed) and empty freighters Pampas and Talabot in the Grand Harbour, and damaging submarine HMS P39 at Kalkara.
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- German submarine U-652 sank British destroyer HMS Jaguar 20 miles off Sidi Barani, Egypt at 0227 hours, which was escorting British tanker Slavol; 193 were killed, 53 survived. At 0510 hours, U-205 followed-up, sinking Slavol; 36 were killed, 20 survived.
Caroline Islands
Dutch East Indies
- Akagi departed Staring Bay, Celebes, Dutch East Indies with the Striking Force (less Kaga) together with Battleship Division 3, Cruiser Division 8, and Destroyer Squadron 1 for "Operation C", the raid into the Indian Ocean.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Shokaku departed Staring Bay, Celebes, Dutch East Indies for Operation C. She was assigned to First Air Fleet, Carrier Division 5, Striking Force, Air Attack Force.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo's Japanese First Air Fleet, built around a nucleus of five aircraft carriers, sailed from Staring Bay, Celebes, Dutch East Indies to the west of Timor into the Indian Ocean with the intention of attacking the Royal Navy's bases at Colombo and Trincomalee in Ceylon.
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- Naka departed Makassar, Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
Germany
- British bombers (104 Wellington and 11 Stirling) attacked Essen, Germany, destroying two homes and killing six civilians; 11 bombers were lost in this attack.
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Philippines
- Japanese aircraft bombed Corregidor, Philippine Islands, knocking out power for freezers containing 24,000 pounds of carabao meat.
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United Kingdom
- 3 British destroyers and 16 smaller vessels departed Falmouth, England, United Kingdom with commandos aboard at 1400 hours for the drydock at Saint-Nazaire, France.
- Allied convoy PQ-14 departed Oban, Scotland, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 26 Mar 1942
See all photos dated 26 Mar 1942
27 Mar 1942
- German propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels wrote in his diary on this date, regarding the deportation of Jews, "a fairly barbaric process is utilized. Of the Jews themselves, not much remains".
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- The deportation of French Jews to Auschwitz Concentration Camp began.
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- Iro Ilk was awarded the German Cross in Gold.
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- Japanese aircraft and artillery bombarded Chinese positions at Taungoo, Burma.
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- Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld, having shot down four British bombers during the previous night, was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht bulletin by the headquarters of the German Wehrmacht.
» In-depth article
- British aircraft carriers HMS Argus and HMS Eagle departed Gibraltar with battleship HMS Malaya and other warships in escort to deliver 16 Spitfire fighters to Malta.
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- German submarine U-160 sank Panamanian tanker Equipoise 50 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States at 0238 hours; 41 were killed, 13 survived. Further out to sea, 380 miles east of Virginia, U-150 sank Norwegian tanker MV Svenør at 1340 hours; 8 were killed, 29 survived. Closer to Europe, U-587 unsuccessfully attacked Allied convoy WS-17 and was sank by escorting destroyers; all 42 aboard the German submarine were lost.
» In-depth article
- US Navy Admiral John Wilcox, Jr. drowned after being swept overboard from USS Washington during a storm at about 1030 hours.
» In-depth article
- At 2300 hours, in British destroyer HMS Campeltown, with commandos aboard, left her destroyer escorts behind and sailed toward Saint-Nazaire, France with a few small vessels.
- USS Gudgeon sank Japanese merchant ship Nissho Maru in the East China Sea 20 miles off southern Korea.
» In-depth article
- Dutch aircraft sank Japanese collier Yubari Maru off Koepang, Timor, Dutch East Indies.
- The German naval staff requested the Japanese to conduct raids against Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean.
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Dutch East Indies
Japan
Philippines
- Japanese transport Kitano Maru struck a Japanese naval mine and sank in Lingayen Gulf, Philippine Islands.
- With freezers failing after a Japanese aerial attack on the previous day, US and Filipino troops attempted to transport the contents, 24,000 pounds of frozen carabao meat, from Corregidor Island to Bataan Peninsula in the Philippine Islands for immediate consumption. Japanese air attacks would prevent this transport, and the meat would soon spoil.
» In-depth article
United States
- Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested members of the Black Dragon Society, a right wing para-military Japanese group, in the San Joaquin Valley region in California, United States.
28 Mar 1942
- Lübeck suffered the first area saturation bombing as 234 bombers dropped incendiaries, destroying over 200 acres of the city. One British bomber equipped with the new GEE navigation system was lost and the GEE captured by the Germans.
- A second Japanese carrier fleet set sail for the Indian Ocean.
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- German official Fritz Sauckel was named the Chief of Manpower, with responsibility of expediting the recruitment of slave labor.
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Guam.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- USS Gar ended her first war patrol.
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- The US Marine Corps 7th Defense Battalion departed for Upolu, Western Samoa while a small Marine detachment was dispatched to Savai'i, Samoa.
- A fresh regiment of the Japanese 56th Division attacked Chinese-defended city of Taungoo, Burma.
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- HMS Edinburgh arrived at Scapa Flow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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- Repair ship Akashi arrived at Ambon, Dutch East Indies.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- In the morning, German submarine U-209 attacked Polish ship Tobruk of Allied convoy PQ-13 with all torpedoes missing the target; the convoy escorts counterattacked with depth charges with similar dismal results. Later in the day, German aircraft attacked the same convoy and sank British ship Empire Ranger and damaged Panamanian merchant ship Raceland (which would eventually sink at 2230 hours). In the evening, German destroyers Z24, Z25, and Z26 departed Kirkenes in far northern Norway to hunt for ships of the PQ-13; 61 of Empire Ranger's survivors were rescued by German destroyer Z24 at 2245 hours, but many other survivors died in the freezing water.
» In-depth article
- British submarine Proteus sank Italian hospital ship Galilea 20 miles west of Greece; 991 were killed, 284 survived.
Australia
- Transport Queen Mary arrived at Sydney, Australia and disembarked 8,400 troops.
Dutch East Indies
- Dutch Major General Roelof T. Overakker surrendered his 2,000 troops at Blangkedjeren, marking the end of resistance on Sumatra, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
France
- Executing Operation Chariot, British destroyer HMS Campbeltown sailed into the Loire River estuary near Saint-Nazaire, France with commandos on board at 0122 hours. She was detected and fired upon by coastal guns. Despite hits, she rammed into the dry dock at 0134 hours and unloaded commandos and other troops, who wrecked the dry dock, suffering 169 killed and 215 captured; 228 escaped via small vessels, leaving the explosives-laden HMS Campbeltown behind, which detonated at noon, killing 360.
Japan
29 Mar 1942
- The US 4th Marine Defense Battalion and US Marine Fighter Squadron 212 were diverted from their original destination of Tongatapu, Tonga for Port Vila, Efate, New Hebrides.
- Hukbalahaps, an armed Filipino communist resistance group, was formed.
- Between 2318 hours on the previous date until about 0300 hours on this date, 234 RAF bombers attacked Lübeck, Germany, killing 320, injuring 784, and destroying 30% of the city. The Lübeck Cathedral, among other buildings, were destroyed in the city's historical center.The new "Gee" navigation systems were used by the British bombers on this attack. 12 bombers were shot down by German anti-aircraft defenses.
» In-depth article
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Guam.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-160 sank US ship City of New York 50 kilometers east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 1936 hours; 24 of 157 aboard were lost during the sinking or subsequently aboard lifeboats. Further north at 2058 hours, German submarine U-571 sank British ship Hertford 350 miles east of Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States; 4 were killed, 58 survived. Also on this day, Italian submarine Calvi sank British ship Tredinnick in the Mid-Atlantic, killing all 46 aboard.
» In-depth article
- Destroyer Yukikaze departed Ambon, Dutch East Indies escorted the Japanese invasion force for western New Guinea, Dutch East Indies.
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- German destroyer Z26 sank Panamanian ship Bateau of Allied convoy PQ-13 in the Barents Sea shortly after 0000 hours; 37 were killed, 6 survived. At 0943 hours, British cruiser HMS Trinidad spotted Z26 along with Z24 and Z25, hitting Z26 with gunfire; at 1024 hours, HMS Trinidad was hit by a torpedo that she fired and circled around, killing 31. At 1032 hours, British destroyer HMS Eclipse continued the attack, hitting Z26 with 6 more shells; at 1120 hours, Z24 and Z25 coordinated an attack on HMS Eclipse, hitting her with two shells, killing 23. Shortly after, Z26 sank from the heavy damage; 240 were killed, 96 survived.
» In-depth article
- HMS Eagle delivered 7 Spitfire fighters to reinforce Malta.
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Australia
- In Australia, the B-26 Marauder bombers that had arrived from the US Territory of Hawaii one week prior were moved from Brisbane to Townsville for combat training.
Burma
- Japanese penetrated the Chinese defenses at Taungoo, Burma and threatened to trap the Chinese 200th Division in the city. General Dai Anlan issued the order to retreat from the city after sundown, falling back northward. During the withdraw, the Chinese failed to destroy the bridge over the Sittang River. To the west, Japanese captured a main road near Shwedaung, disrupting the Allied withdraw; an Anglo-Indian attack from the south failed to break the roadblock.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
Japan
30 Mar 1942
- Captain Takayanagi conducted armament trials at a range of 23 miles, observed by Admiral Yamamoto, in the Inland Sea. The trials were judged a failure. Both Takayanagi and his gunnery officer were upbraided because gun aimers manning the main rangefinder misread the horizontal settings.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- French Jews began arriving at Auschwitz Concentration Camp, with the first transport originating from Compiegne.
» In-depth article
- The Allies created multiple theaters of the war, with US responsible for the Pacific Ocean, UK for the area between Singapore and the Mediterranean, and both US and UK in the Atlantic Ocean. The US Joint Chiefs of Staff further divided the Pacific Ocean into two sub-theaters, with US Navy in charge of the North and Central Pacific under Nimitz and US Army in charge of the Southwestern Pacific under MacArthur.
- During the night, 32 British Halifax bombers from three bases in Scotland attacked German battleship Tirpitz to little effect.
» In-depth article
- German armed merchant cruiser Thor attacked British freighter Wellpark in the South Atlantic at 1400 hours, which was later scuttled by demolition charges; 7 were killed, 41 survived. At 2243 hours, U-68 sank British transport Muncaster Castle 200 miles south of Liberia; 24 were killed, 329 survived. To combat such attacks in the South Atlantic, US Army engineers arrived at Ascension Island on this day to began building an airfield; upon completion, it would be named Wideawake Field.
» In-depth article
- German submarines U-209 and U-376 attacked British Induna of Allied convoy PQ-13 at 0552 hours (41 survived the sinking, but 11 would die in the freezing water and 2 more would die in the hospital after being rescued); U-209's attack failed, but U-376 would sink Induna at 0807 hours; 38 were killed, 28 survived. At 1035 hours, U-456 and U-435 also attacked the convoy, stopping US transport Effingham; 2 were killed, 41 survived (some of the survivors would die of exposure before being rescued); the transport was scuttled by U-435 at 1219 hours. German submarine U-585, en route to attack PQ-13 as well, struck a German mine and sunk 72 miles north of Murmansk, Russia, killing all 44 aboard.
» In-depth article
- Japanese 55th Division attacked Taungoo, Burma at dawn, capturing it without resistance as the Chinese 200th Division had evacuated the city overnight. To the west, British 7th Armoured Brigade broke through the Japanese roadblock at Shwedaung, but suffered tank destroyed on the nearby bridge over the Irrawaddy River, blocking traffic. Shortly after, Japanese-sponsored Burma National Army attacked the British troops while the British attempted to maneuver around the disabled tank, killing 350 with as many losses.
» In-depth article
- In a broadcast to India, Sir Stafford Cripps said that it was the desire of the British that India should have full self-government and, to that end, India had been requested to send a representative to join the War Cabinet and the Pacific Council of the United Nations.
Dutch East Indies
- USS Sturgeon sank Japanese transport ship Choko Maru 20 miles southwest of Celebes, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
Japan
Philippines
- Japanese bombers attacked American field hospital No. 1 at Bataan, Philippine Islands at 0730 hours despite the large red crosses painted on the building's roof, killing 15. In the evening, Japanese radio broadcast an apology for this attack.
» In-depth article
31 Mar 1942
- USS Colorado completed the overhaul that began in Jun 1941.
» In-depth article
- The Indian Congress Party demanded immediate independence from the United Kingdom.
- Unhappy with the progress of the interior ministry, Hitler reassigned the task of providing housing to those displaced by Allied bombing to propaganda chief Goebbels.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-754 sank US tug Menominee, barge Allegheny, and barge Barnegat 10 kilometers northeast of Hog Island Lighthouse, Virginia, United States at 0800 hours; 16 were killed, 9 survived. At 2222 hours, 480 miles east of Virginia, U-71 sank British tanker San Gerardo; 51 were killed, 6 survived.
» In-depth article
- Laffey (Benson-class) was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
- Italian submarine Tazzoli arrived at Bordeaux, France.
Australian Papua
- Eight A-24 Banshee aircraft under US Army Captain Floyd Rogers arrived at Port Moresby, Australian Papua; it was the first US squadron to be based at Port Moresby.
British Western Pacific Territories
- Japanese troops occupied Bougainville in the Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article
Christmas Island
- 850 Japanese troops landed on Christmas Island unopposed.
- Naka supported the landing on Christmas Island as the invasion force's flagship; submarine USS Seawolf attempted a torpedo attack on Naka at 0949 hours but failed to score hits.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Dutch East Indies
Panama Canal Zone
- USS S-31 completed her first war patrol off the Panama Canal Zone.
» In-depth article
Russia
- Surviving ships of Allied convoy PQ-13 began to arrive at Murmansk, Russia after several attacks by German destroyers, submarines, and aircraft.
» In-depth article
Sweden
- Ten Norwegian freighters and tankers, interned by the Swedish at Gothenburg, attempted to break out for Britain. Two of them, transport Lind and tanker B. P. Newton, would make the escape. Six of the remaining eight ships were sunk by mines, German aircraft, and German warships, while the final two were forced to return to Gothenburg.
United States
- Light cruiser Fargo, previously ordered but not yet laid down, was reordered by the US Navy as a carrier to be named Crown Point.
» In-depth article
1 Apr 1942
- During this month, Captain Kaoru Arima, Chief Equipping Officer of the future battleship Musashi, paid an orientation visit on Yamato with members of Musashi's fitting-out crew.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Japanese troops landed at Buka and Santa Isabel in the Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article
- Submarine USS Swordfish departed with 40 tons of food and supplies for Corregidor, Philippine Islands, but she would be unable to deliver before the American garrison surrendered at Bata'an.
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Saipan, departing later on the same day.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Georg von Bismarck became the commanding officer of the 21st Panzer Division.
» In-depth article
- As Italian bombers sank British submarines HMS P36 and HMS Pandora in Valetta Harbour, Malta, the island had become one of the most bombed place on earth. Although Malta remained a thorn on the Axis' side, making convoying between Italy and North Africa hazardous, the Luftwaffe told an impatient Hitler that they could not sink an island with bombs.
» In-depth article
- Trawler Anticosti was launched.
» In-depth article
- USS Astoria arrived at Nouméa, New Caledonia.
» In-depth article
- Light carrier Hosho was assigned to the 1st Air Fleet.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-77 was damaged by a British Swordfish aircraft 50 miles north of Sidi Barrani, Egypt, causing her to lose the ability to dive.
- British submarine HMS Urge sank Italian cruiser Bande Nere north of Sicily, Italy at 0900 hours with two torpedo hits.
- German anti-submarine trawler UJ-1203 struck a mine and sank in the Gulf of Finland.
- German submarine U-71 sank British ship Eastmoor 500 miles north of Bermuda at 0403 hours; 16 were killed, 32 survived. About two hours later at 0618 hours, U-754 sank US tanker Tiger 10 miles off Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States, killing 1 of 43 aboard. To the southeast, 60 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, U-160 sank British ship Rio Blanco at 1622 hours; 19 were killed, 21 survived. In the far south Atlantic, at 1724 hours, German armed merchant cruiser Thor sank British freighter Willesden with gunfire and a torpedo; 2 were killed. Finally, U-202 sank British ship Loch Don 500 miles north of Bermuda at 2314 hours; 3 were killed, 44 survived.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Truant sank Japanese merchant ships Yae Maru and Shunsei Maru in the Malacca Strait between Malaya and Sumatra, Dutch East Indies.
- Hans-Joachim Marseille was promoted to the rank of Oberleutnant.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- The newly arrived US squadron in Port Moresby, Australian Papua, flying A-24 Banshee aircraft, launched its first attack on Japanese positions. The primary target was Lae on the northern coast of New Guinea, but due to cloud cover, the secondary target of Salamaua was attacked; the attack caused only minor damage.
» In-depth article
- The Japanese 25th Air Flotilla was assigned to Rabaul, New Britain under the command of Rear Admiral Sadayoshi Yasuda.
China
- Joseph Stilwell arrived in Chongqing, China, threatening to resign his post as Chiang's chief of staff over Chinese field commanders' insubordination.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
- Japanese cruiser Naka was hit by a torpedo from US submarine USS Seawolf (of three fired) off Christmas Island, causing serious damage. She would be towed to Bantam Bay, Java, Dutch East Indies for repairs.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Japan
Norway
- Soviet submarine ShCh-404 sank German freighter Michel in the Barents Sea 8 miles north of Kirkenes, Norway.
United States
- In Washington DC, United States, General George Marshall and his General Staff enthusiastically accepted a plan, submitted by Dwight Eisenhower, for an immediate assault across the English Channel into Nazi-occupied France with ten divisions of British and Canadian troops; it was understood that the British and the Canadians would likely see a very high casualty rate from such an invasion.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 1 Apr 1942
2 Apr 1942
- USAAF B-17 bombers attacked the Japanese fleet at the Andaman Islands.
- Submarine USS Searaven departed with ammunition for Corregidor, Philippine Islands, but she would be unable to deliver the cargo before the American garrison surrendered.
» In-depth article
- The first flight echelon of US Marine Aircraft Group 13 arrived at Tutuila, American Samoa.
- USS Astoria departed from Nouméa, New Caledonia.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-6 sank British ship Clan Ross 350 miles west of India; 11 were killed, 38 survived.
- German submarine U-123 damaged US tanker Liebre with her deck gun 17 miles off Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States at 0718 hours; 9 were killed, 25 survived. After British motor torpedo boat MTB-332 chased off U-123, Liebre would be towed back to port for repairs.
- Three B-17 bombers of US 10th Air Force based in Calcutta, India attacked Japanese shipping in the Andaman Islands, claiming hits on one cruiser and one transport.
Burma
- Japanese troops drove Indian 17th Division out of Prome, Burma.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
Finland
- Finnish forces occupied the strategic island of Tytärsaari (Russian: Bolshoy Tyuters) in the Gulf of Finland.
France
- 40 British Wellington and 10 Stirling bombers attacked the Ford factory at Poissy, France.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Light cruiser Voroshilov bombarded Axis troop positions Feodossiya, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- German bombers attacked Dover and Weymouth, England, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
United States
- USS Hornet departed Naval Air Station Alameda near San Francisco, California with James Doolittle and his 16 US Army B-25 bombers on board.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 2 Apr 1942
3 Apr 1942
- Shokaku entered the Indian Ocean.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-552 sank US collier David H. Atwater with her deck gun 10 miles off Chincoteague Inlet, Virginia, United States at 0340 hours; 24 were killed, 3 survived. German submarine U-754 sank US freighter Otho 150 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States, killing 31 of 53 aboard. In the South Atlantic, German raider Thor forced the crew of Norwegian ship Aust to abandon ship and sank her with gunfire. At 2331 hours, U-505 sank US ship West Irmo 200 miles off Ivory Coast, French West Africa; 10 were killed, 90 survived.
» In-depth article
- Aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh began working on Ford's B-24 Liberator production line at Detroit, Michigan, United States as a consultant.
» In-depth article
- Admiral Chester Nimitz was confirmed as the Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Ocean Area.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-17 sank British ship Glenshiel in the Indian Ocean at 0340 hours; all aboard survived.
- Soviet destroyer Shaumian ran aground and was wrecked off Gelendzhik in southern Russia.
- German submarine U-702 became missing in the North Sea 100 miles off the Norwegian coast; all 44 aboard were never seen again.
- Allied convoy QP-9 arrived at Reykjavik, Iceland without any losses. At Murmansk, Russia, German aircraft sank British merchant ship Empire Starlight, British merchant ship New Westminster City, and Polish merchant ship Tobruk; Soviet ship was also damaged in the attack.
» In-depth article
Burma
- Six B-17 bombers of the US 10th Air Force based in Asansol, India attacked Rangoon, Burma, setting three warehouses on fire; one aircraft was lost in this attack.
» In-depth article
Dutch East Indies
Italy
- The 10th MAS Flotilla special forces unit of the Italian Navy was relocated from La Spezia, Italy to nearby Muggiano.
Philippines
- After a heavy artillery and aerial bombardment from 0900 to 1500 hours, Japanese troops launched an attack on the Bataan Peninsula in Philippine Islands, penetrating the lines held by the Filipino 41st Infantry Division.
» In-depth article
Russia
- German bombers attacked Murmansk, Russia, sinking Polish ship Tobruk and British ships New Westminster City and Empire Starlight in the harbor.
Photo(s) dated 3 Apr 1942
4 Apr 1942
- Japanese aircraft bombed areas of Mandalay, Burma, killing more than 2,000, most of whom were civilians.
» In-depth article
- As Japanese carriers sailed toward Ceylon, the fleet was discovered by a Canadian PBY Catalina aircraft 400 miles south of the island. A Zero fighter from carrier Hiryu shot down the Catalina aircraft (3 killed, several captured) but not until they radioed in the fleet's location.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-505 sank Dutch ship Alphacca 200 miles off Ivory Coast, French West Africa at 2329 hours; 15 were killed, 57 survived. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, at 2335 hours, U-154 sank Comol Rico; 3 were killed, 39 survived.
» In-depth article
- USS Grampus completed her first war patrol.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- In the morning, Australian pilot John Jackson alone flew over Lae on the northern coast of New Guinea and made a strafing run. In the afternoon, he led a group in attacking the same location, destroying several Japanese aircraft on the ground.
» In-depth article
Germany
- Gneisenau arrived at Gotenhafen, Germany (now Gdynia, Poland).
» In-depth article
Japan
Malta
- Greek submarine Glavkos was sunk by Axis aircraft at Malta.
Philippines
- Douglas MacArthur, now relocated to Australia per Franklin Roosevelt's orders, radioed Jonathan Wainwright, saying that "under no conditions should Bataan be surrendered; any action is preferable to capitulation". Meanwhile, at Bataan in the Philippine Islands, Japanese troops moved toward Mount Samat, threatening to take this dominant position.
» In-depth article
Russia
- 62 Luftwaffe Stuka dive bombers and 70 other bombers escorted by 59 Bf 109 fighters attack Soviet fleet at Kronstadt off Leningrad, Russia, damaging battleships October Revolution and Petropavlovsk, cruisers Maxim Gorky and Kirov, and destroyers Silny and Grozyashchi.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Soviet destroyer Sovershenny was destroyed by German shelling at Sevastopol, Ukraine.
5 Apr 1942
- Commander Mitsuo Fuchida of Akagi commanded a 125-aircraft raid against Colombo, Ceylon. Akagi's aircraft helped in the sinking of HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Shokaku launched air strikes against Colombo.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- In the morning, Japanese carriers launched 36 D3A2 dive bombers and 53 B5N2 torpedo bombers, escorted by 36 Zero fighters, against the British naval base at Colombo, Ceylon, sinking merchant cruiser HMS Hector, damaging port facilities, while shooting down 25 British aircraft; 7 Japanese aircraft were lost in this attack. Around noon, cruiser Tone's floatplane spotted British cruisers HMS Cornwall and HMS Dorsetshire 200 miles southwest of Ceylon; 53 carrier aircraft were launched to attack, sinking Dorsetshire at 1350 hours (234 killed) and Cornwall at 1400 hours (190 killed); 1,122 survived from both ships.
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- Japanese Navy leadership accepted the planned attack on Midway.
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- Adolf Hitler ordered a renewed offensive in the Leningrad, Russia region in the Soviet Union.
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- Submarine USS Snapper delivered 20 tons of food to Corregidor, Philippine Islands and evacuated 27 personnel.
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- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Tarakan, Borneo.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Japanese and Chinese troops clashed at Yedashe in central Burma.
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- German submarine U-552 sank US tanker Byron D. Benson 5 kilometers east of the mouth of the Pasquotank River in North Carolina, United States at 0447 hours, killing 9 of 37. At 2318 hours, U-154 sank US tanker Catahoula just off the northeastern coast of the Dominican Republic; 7 were killed, 38 survived.
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- Adolf Hitler issued Führer Directive No. 41, calling for the invasion of the Caucasus region and Stalingrad, both in southern Russia.
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Australian Papua
- Seven Japanese Type 1 bombers, escorted by 4 Zero fighters, attacked Seven Mile airfield near Port Moresby, Australian Papua. Stores of fuel and ammunition were destroyed at the cost of one Zero fighter, which was shot down by Kittyhawk fighters.
Germany
- 263 British bombers (179 Wellington, 44 Hampden, 29 Stirling, and 11 Manchester aircraft) attacked the Humboldt Engineering Works Company at Kalk near Köln, Germany; most of the bombs fell far from the Humboldt factories. The British lost 5 aircraft; one of the aircraft shot down crashed in Köln, killing 16 and wounding 30.
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Japan
Malta
- Italian aircraft attacked Valetta Harbour, Malta, causing fatal damage to minesweeper HMS Abingdon and destroyer HMS Gallant and also damaging destroyer HMS Lance.
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Philippines
- Japanese troops defeated the Philippine 21st Division at Mount Samat on the Bataan Peninsula, Philippine Islands. Inside the Allied lines, General Jonathan Wainwright doubled rations for front line troops despite being short in food in order to give the troops strength.
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Russia
- Joseph Stalin ordered the arrest of Moscow Air Defense Corps (PVO) Brigadier Commissar Kurganov for drunkenness, 745th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment commander Zakharov for drunkenness and failure to report to post during an air raid, and 175th Artillery Regiment political officer Andreev and mechanic Military Technician 2nd Rank Kukin for drunkenness and accidental shooting of Lieutenant Kazanovsky. In the same order, he also fired and demoted PVO Main Directorate Chief Major General of Artillery Aleksei Osipov for drunkenness.
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- Historical document written: Führer Directive 41
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Photo(s) dated 5 Apr 1942
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6 Apr 1942
- Japanese warships sank 16 freighters southeast of India, while carrier aircraft from Ryujo conducted raids against ports Vizagapatam and Cocanada on the eastern coast of India, sinking 3 ships.
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- First men of US 41st Division arrived at Melbourne, Australia.
- Japanese troops landed on Bougainville, Solomon Islands and Lorengau, Admiralty Islands.
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- German submarine U-160 damaged US tanker Bidwell 50 kilometers east of Wilmington, North Carolina, United States at 0807 hours, killing 1 of 33 aboard; her crew would manage to repair and bring her back to port for repairs. At 1700 hours, U-571 sank Norwegian tanker Koll 250 miles northwest of Bermuda; 2 were killed, 33 survived (1 of whom would later die of exposure before being rescued).
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- HMS Edinburgh departed Scapa Flow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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- Japanese submarine I-4 sank US freighter Washingtonian off the Maldive Islands in the Indian Ocean at 1600 hours.
- British destroyer HMS Havock ran aground off Cape Bon, Tunisia and was scuttled by her crew.
Australian New Guinea
- At 0200 hours, B-17 bombers of US 22nd Bomb Group were launched from Seven Mile airfield near Port Moresby, Australian Papua. One hours later, the faster B-26 bombers were launched. Flying toward Rabaul, New Britain, this was the first B-17 combat mission against that location as well as the first B-26 combat mission. The B-17 bombers struck first (despite the fact that the two were supposed to be attacking at the same time), causing no damage. By the time the B-26 bombers arrived, 7 Japanese A5M fighters were already in the air, although they failed to close in on the B-26 bombers. The B-26 bombers caused very little damage.
Burma
- Japanese troops captured Mandalay, Burma. Off Akyab on the western coast of Burma, Japanese aircraft sank Indian sloop HMIS Indus.
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Dutch East Indies
Germany
- 157 British bombers (110 Wellington, 19 Stirling, 18 Hampden, and 10 Manchester aircraft) attacked Essen, Germany; most of them were turned back by a storm. 5 aircraft were lost in this mission.
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Malta
- British tug HMS West Cocker was destroyed by Axis aircraft at Malta.
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Philippines
- Japanese aircraft continued to attack American and Filipino targets at Bataan, Philippine Islands.
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7 Apr 1942
- Japanese-Americans began to be relocated from the coastal defense zones in western United States. The American state of Colorado agreed to accept voluntary relocation of enemy aliens; it was the only western state to do so.
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- Protestant Christian theologian K. F. Stellbrink and three Roman Catholic priests were arrested by the German government for anti-Nazi activities.
- Tatsuta Maru departed Tarakan, Borneo.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-754 sank Norwegian tanker Kollskegg 370 miles northwest of Bermuda at 0218 hours; 4 were killed, 38 survived. U-552 sank British freighter British Splendour at 0417 hours (12 were killed, 41 survived) and Norwegian whale factory ship Lancing at 1052 hours (1 was killed, 49 survived) off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States.
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- In the Soviet Union, a Decree permitted local Authorities to distribute uncultivated land to the populace for food growing allotments.
- British submarine HMS Turbulent sank Italian freighter Rosa M. with 39 rounds from the deck gun 7 miels south of Petrovac, Yogoslavia at 1730 hours.
- Japanese submarine I-6 sank British freighter Bahadur 300 miles west of Bombay, India at 1920 hours.
- German submarine U-453 damaged British hospital ship HMHS Somersetshire with three torpedoes 40 miles North of Sid Barrani, Egypt at 1300 hours; 2 were killed, 180 survived. The survivors reboarded the ship later and was able to sail to Alexandria, Egypt for repairs.
Malta
- British tugs HMS Emily and HMS Hellespont were sunk at Malta by Axis air raids.
Philippines
- A Japanese dive bomber destroyed an ammunition truck near American field hospital No. 1 at Bataan, Philippine Islands at 1000 hours. Shortly after, Japanese aircraft returned to attack the hospital, which had large red crosses painted on the roof, killing 89 and wounding 101; a significant portion of the drug supplies were destroyed in this attack. On the front lines, Japanese assaulted positions held by US and Filipino troops of the US II Corps along the San Vicente River, penetrating the line by noon, forcing the Allies to fall back to the line at the Mamala River in the afternoon, which would also abandoned by 2100 hours for the Alangan River further to the south.
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Photo(s) dated 7 Apr 1942
8 Apr 1942
- A US delegation led by Harry Hopkins and George Marshall arrived in Britain to discuss US and British strategy on opening a second front in Europe by invading France.
- Japanese troops based in Rabaul landed in Western New Britain.
- German submarine U-84 sank Yugoslavian ship Nemanja 300 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States at 0457 hours; 13 were killed, 34 survived. Just 10 miles off St. Simons Island, Georgia, United States, U-123 damaged US tanker Oklahoma (killing 19 of 37) at 0752 hours and US tanker Esso Baton Rouge (killing 3 of 62) at 0844 hours. Far to the south, Italian submarine Calvi sank US tanker Eugene V. R. Thayer with a torpedo and 120 shells from her deck gun 20 miles off the northern coast of Brazil.
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- Japanese troops overran Chinese 200th Division and New 22nd Division defensive positions at Yedashe, Burma.
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- The Japanese Navy officially agreed to the German request to conduct submarine raids against Allied shipping in the Indian Ocean, although the submarines were already in position or underway. Later that day, Japanese submarine I-3 sank British collier Fultala 200 miles off the southern tip of India at 0150 hours.
- Italian bombers sank British minesweeping whaler HMS Svana and anti-submarine whaler HMS Thorgrim off Alexandria, Egypt.
- Ivan Bagramyan was named the chief of staff of the Southwestern Front.
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Ceylon
- A Catalina flying boat spotted a Japanese carrier fleet approaching Trincomalee, Ceylon. On this news, British aircraft carrier HMS Hermes and Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire departed Trincomalee in an attempt to escape the impending attack.
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Dutch East Indies
Germany
- 272 RAF bombers (177 Wellington, 41 Hampden, 22 Stirling, 13 Manchester, 12 Halifax, and 7 Lancaster aircraft) conducted a raid on Hamburg, Germany; 4 Wellington and 1 Manchester aircraft were lost in this attack.
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Hawaii
- USS Enterprise departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii to make rendezvous with USS Hornet, which was en route to strike the Japanese home islands.
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- USS Pollack arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her second war patrol.
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- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a Japanese Navy message that assigned fleet carrier Kaga to the campaign against a location with code name RZP.
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Iceland
- Allied convoy PQ-14 departed Reykjavík, Iceland; it was consisted of 24 merchant ships, escorted by 2 minesweepers and 3 anti-submarine trawlers.
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Philippines
- American submarine Seadragon delivered 20 tons of food to Corregidor in the Philippine Islands; on the return trip, she evacuated the final 21 radio intelligence personnel from the US Navy Station CAST facility.
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- Japanese bombers and fighters attacked US II Corps positions digging in along the Alangan River at Bataan, Philippine Islands at 1100 hours, but these positions successfully repulsed the first Japanese assault shortly after; the Japanese would return with tank support, however, overrunning the line. The US Commander of the Luzon Force ordered all munition dumps at Mariveles Habor at Bataan destroyed, and medical staff began withdrawing to Corregidor island.
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Russia
- Soviet forces opened a railway link into Leningrad in northern Russia.
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Photo(s) dated 8 Apr 1942
9 Apr 1942
- Akagi's aircraft struck Trincomalee, Ceylon, sinking HMS Hermes and her escorts.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Shokaku launched air strikes against Trincomalee, Ceylon.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- German relief attempts toward the Kholm encirclement were met with limited success.
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- Japanese carrier aircraft attacked the harbor at Trincomalee, Ceylon at 0700 hours. Two hours later, empty British aircraft carrier HMS Hermes and Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire were detected 90 miles further south. At 1035 hours, Japanese carrier aircraft attacked and sank HMS Hermes (307 killed) and HMAS Vampire (9 killed); Hospital ship Vita rescued survivors from both warships. At 1207 hours, 20 Japanese carrier dive bombers sank British oiler Athelstane (all aboard survived) and British corvette HMS Hollyhock (48 were killed, 17 survived) in the Indian Ocean.
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- Norwegian Lutheran Bishop Eivind Berggrav was arrested by the German occupation administration in Norway for resistance.
- German submarine U-123 sank US freighter Esparta within 10 kilometers of Cumberland Island, Georgia, United States at 0716 hours, killing 1 of 40 aboard. To the northeast, 20 kilometers off the coast of North Carolina, United States, U-160 sank US freighter Malchace at 0758 hours, killing 1 of 29 aboard. U-552 sank US tanker Atlas, killing 2 of 34 aboard. At 1004 hours, northwest of Iceland, U-252 sank Norwegian ship Fanefjeld, killing all 24 aboard.
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- British submarine HMS Thrasher sank Italian merchant ship Gala 20 miles southwest of Benghazi, Libya.
Australian New Guinea
- Just before 1200 hours, eight B-26 Marauder bombers attacked Simpson Harbor and Vunakanau airfield at Rabaul, New Britain, damaging ships in the harbor, port facilities, and several parked aircraft.
Australian Papua
- In the morning, eight Zero fighters attacked Seven Mile airfield new Port Moresby, Australian Papua, damaging one Hudson aircraft and one Kittyhawk aircraft on the ground. In the afternoon, Type 1 bombers escorted by four Zero fighters attacked Seven Mile once again; Australian fighters failed to scramble fighters.
Dutch East Indies
Malta
- Italian aircraft heavily damaged British destroyer HMS Lance at Malta; she would soon be written off as a total loss.
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Philippines
- 75,000 US and Filipino troops, remainder of the US II Corps under General Edward King on the Bataan peninsula at Luzon, Philippine Islands, surrendered to the Japanese at 1230 hours; it was the largest American surrender in history. Before doing so, they destroyed fuel dumps, ammunition stores, submarine tender USS Canopus, tug USS Napa, and floating drydock USS Dewey.
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- Before dawn, Kuma was attacked by US motor torpedo boats PT-34 and PT-41 in the Cebu Strait between Cebu and Bohol in the Philippine Islands but sustained no damage; the only torpedo that hit Kuma failed to detonate. PT-34 would be found and destroyed by aircraft after daybreak, killing 2.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
Russia
- Soviet light cruiser Voroshilov was damaged by German aircraft at Novorossiysk, Russia.
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Ukraine
- Repeated Soviet attacks on German positions at Kerch, Ukraine failed to break through.
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United Kingdom
- German bombers attacked Worthing in southern England, United Kingdom during the day, damaging a hospital and a gasometer and killing 2.
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Photo(s) dated 9 Apr 1942
10 Apr 1942
- Norwegian Lutheran Bishop Eivind Berggrav, having been arrested by the German occupation administration in Norway for resistance on the previous day, was sent to the Bredtvet Concentration Camp.
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- German submarine U-654 sank British ship Empire Prairie in the middle of the North Atlantic at 0220 hours, killing all 49 aboard. 20 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, U-203 sank British tanker San Delfino with 7 torpedoes at 0508 hours; 28 were killed, 22 survived. In the same area, U-552 sank US tanker Tamaulipas at 0627 hours; 2 were killed, 35 survived. In the middle of the South Atlantic, German raider Thor stopped British vessel Kirkpool; Kirkpool's crew suffered no losses during the attack, but 16 would drown as the men abandoned ship; Thor rescued 30 survivors. Finally, Norwegian ship Chr. Knudsen disappeared some time during this day with her crew of 33; she was presumably sunk by German submarine U-85.
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- Destroyer Yuzuki was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 6 of the Fourth Fleet.
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- Submarine Carbonero was ordered.
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- The order to build submarine Becuna was issued.
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- Japanese and Chinese troops clashed at Szuwa River, Burma.
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- Light cruiser Voroshilov received light damage from German Ju 88 aircraft.
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- USS Thresher sank a Japanese merchant ship 6 miles north of Oshima Island, Japan.
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- Allied convoy PQ-14 found itself scattered shortly after dawn after a stormy night; 16 ships decided to return to Iceland while 8 ships sailed on for Russia. On the same day, Allied convoy QP-10 departed Murmansk, Russia; it was consisted of 16 merchant ships, escorted by 5 destroyers, 3 corvettes, 1 minesweeper, and 2 trawlers; QP-10 was almost immediately detected by German aircraft. Far to the west, PQ-15 departed Oban, Scotland, United Kingdom.
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Dutch East Indies
Germany
- 254 British bombers (167 Wellington, 43 Hampden, 18 Stirling, 10 Manchester, 8 Halifax, and 8 Lancaster) attacked Essen, Germany; most bombs fell on the nearby residential areas instead, destroying 12 houses, killing 7 civilians, and wounding a further 30. During this attack, an 8,000-pound bomb was used for the first time, dropped by a Halifax bomber of No. 76 Squadron. 7 Wellington, 5 Hampden, 1 Halifax, and 1 Manchester aircraft were lost.
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Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
Philippines
- The Japanese, overwhelmed with 76,000 captives at Bataan on the main Philippine island of Luzon, decided to march the prisoners 25 miles to Balanga for further transport. Without food, water, or medical supplies and facing brutal treatment by the Japanese, the prisoners of war would die in large numbers, and this march would soon be named the Bataan Death March. Just off Luzon, minesweeper USS Finch, damaged by Japanese air attacks on the previous day, was scuttled by her crew. Elsewhere in the Philippine Islands, 12,000 Japanese troops landed on Cebu on three invasion beaches; the 6,500 defenders at Cebu City evacuated the capital and moved inland; Australia-based B-17 bombers attacked the invasion force to little effect.
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Photo(s) dated 10 Apr 1942
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11 Apr 1942
- Fleet Admiral Prince Fushimi Hiroyasu, former Chief of Naval General Staff, paid a call on Yamato.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- A Soviet landing attempt near Eupatoria near Sevastopol was halted by the Germans.
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- USS Trout damaged Japanese tanker Nisshin Maru 5 miles off the southern coast of Japan.
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- American submarine USS Searaven evacuated 33 Australian Army personnel from Timor Island.
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- German submarine U-123 damaged US tanker Gulfamerica within 5 kilometers of Jacksonville, Florida, United States at 0422 hours, killing 19 of 48 aboard; the burning hulk would finally sink 5 days later. German submarine U-203 damaged US tanker Harry F. Sinclair Jr. 20 kilometers southeast of Swansboro, North Carolina, United States at 1320 hours, killing 10 of 36 aboard; the hulk would later be towed for repairs. 20 kilometers further east, U-160 sank British ship Ulysses; all 290 aboard survived. German submarine U-103 sank Norwegian ship Grenanger in the middle of the Atlantic ocean at 1855 hours; all 36 aboard survived. Finally, off Brazil, Italian submarine Calvi sank Norwegian vessel Balkis.
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- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Makassar, Celebes.
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- Grunion was commissioned into service.
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- British anti-submarine trawler HMT St. Cathan collided with Dutch freighter Hebe and sank 60 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, United States.
- HMS Torbay attacked two Italian schooners with her deck gun northwest of Corfu, Greece, sinking Gesu Crocifisso and forcing Natalina to ground to prevent sinking.
- US A-20 Havoc bombers attacked Japanese shipping in the Gulf of Huon off Lae, Australian New Guinea, damaging transport Taijun Maru.
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- German Ju 88 aircraft attacked Allied convoy QP-10, damaging ship Stone Street and sinking British ship Empire Cowper (19 were killed); a heavy snow storm prevented the Germans from launching another air attack on the Arctic convoy.
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Australian New Guinea
- Eight B-26 Marauder bombers took off from Port Moresby, Australian Papua at 0900 hours; one of them would return to base due to engine trouble. The remaining seven attacked Vunakanau airfield and Lakunai airfield near Rabaul, New Britain, causing minimal damage. As the bomber crews returned to base, they reported a sighting of a fleet carrier (most likely mis-identified Kasuga Maru), causing the commanders to scramble to prepare a major against the target.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
Burma
- In Burma, British troops formed a new defensive line, Minhia-Taungdwingyi-Pyinmana, on the Irrawaddy River. After dark, the Japanese reached this line, launching a first attack on the Indian 48th Brigade at Kokkogwa.
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Japan
- American submarine USS Thresher provided a weather report on Tokyo, Japan for the Doolittle Raiders.
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Malta
- Axis bombers attacked La Valletta harbor, Malta, wrecking British destroyer HMS Kingston in the dry dock.
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Philippines
- US Army Brigadier General Ralph Royce led 10 B-25 bombers and 3 B-17 bombers from Darwin, Australia to Mindanao, Philippine Islands; they were to be used for bombing Japanese forward positions. On the Bataan peninsula on the island of Luzon, 350 Filipino prisoners of war were killed by the Japanese north of Mount Samat during the Bataan Death March.
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United States
- The keel of carrier Crown Point was laid down by the New York Shipbuilding Corporation in Camden, New Jersey, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 11 Apr 1942
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12 Apr 1942
- Japanese carrier fleet began to depart from the Indian Ocean after a successful raid.
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- Pandit Nehru, leader of the Congress Party in India, promised resistance to the Axis.
- German submarine U-203 damaged Panamanian tanker Stanvac Melbourne 15 kilometers southeast of Wilmington, North Carolina, United States at 0626 hours; 3 were killed, 45 survived. German submarine U-154 sank US freighter Delvalle south of Haiti at 0709 hours after a 9-hour pursuit. At 1921 hours, in U-130 sank US tanker Esso Boston in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean; all 37 aboard survived. Finally, Italian submarine Calvi sank Panamanian tanker Ben Brush off the coast of Brazil; 1 was killed, 34 survived.
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Alaska
- USS S-35 departed Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska for her first war patrol.
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Australian New Guinea
- Three B-26 Marauder bombers were launched from Port Moresby, Australian Papua at dawn in search of the reported fleet carrier (most likely the mis-identified Kasuga Maru) at Rabaul, New Britain. At 0930, another group of four B-26 aircraft was launched. The two groups attacked Rabaul, causing little to no damage.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
Burma
- Japanese attacks on Minhia, Thadodan, and Alebo on the Minhia-Taungdwingyi-Pyinmana defensive line in Burma were stopped by Anglo-Indian troops including the British 2nd Royal Tank Regiment. British tankers reported seeing captured British tanks pressed into Japanese service.
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Dutch East Indies
- 4,000 Japanese troops landed at Manokwari, Dutch New Guinea; 125 Dutch troops fled into the jungle.
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Germany
- 251 British bombers (171 Wellington, 31 Hampden, 27 Stirling, 13 Halifax, and 9 Manchester) attacked Essen, Germany, damaging the Krupp factory and destroying 28 homes; 36 civilians were killed, 36 were injured. The British lost 10 bombers on this attack.
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Philippines
- The Japanese artillery bombardment of Corregidor island in the Philippine Islands began. Meanwhile, many US and Filipino prisoners of war continued to die while being marched northward during the Bataan Death March from starvation, dehydration, disease, and murders. To the south, on the island of Cebu, US and Filipino troops scuttled torpedo boat PT-35 and withdrew deeper into the mountains.
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13 Apr 1942
- USS Lexington departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii to rendezvous with USS Yorktown for a raid on Rabaul.
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- German submarine U-123 sank US freighter Leslie 5 kilometers southeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States at 0511 hours, killing 4 of 32 aboard. At 0745 hours, U-123 struck again, sinking Swedish ship Korsholm with her deck gun; 9 were killed, 17 survived. 400 miles south of Newfoundland, U-402 sank British ship Empire Progress at 2326 hours; 12 were killed, 38 survived. Just a short moment before midnight, just off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, US destroyer USS Roper detected U-85 and proceeded to attack; U-85 dove quickly, leaving 29 men in the water.
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- German submarine U-154 sank British ship Empire Amethyst 40 miles south of Haiti at 0552 hours; all 47 aboard were killed.
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- USS Grayling sank Japanese vessel Ryujin Maru 60 miles south of Japan at 2100 hours.
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- British submarine HMS Thrasher sank German freighter Atlas 82 miles southwest of Benghazi, Libya at 1012 hours; she was counterattacked with 19 depth charges but she was able to escape without damage.
- German submarines attacked Allied convoy QP-10 150 miles north of Norway; U-436 sank Russian merchant ship Kiev at 1300 hours (6 were killed, 62 survived), and U-435 sank Panamanian ship El Occidente at 1329 hours (20 were killed, 21 survived).
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Burma
- Japanese troops continued to assault the Minhia-Taungdwingyi-Pyinmana defensive line along the Irrawaddy River in Burma without success. To the northwest, troops of Japanese 56th Infantry Division captured Mauchi from troops of Chinese 6th Army and the nearby tungsten mines.
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France
- Philippe Pétain, under German pressure, decided to reinstate Pierre Laval whom the Germans favored.
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Philippines
- US and Filipino prisoners of war began to be marched from Balanga for Orani in Bataan, Philippine Islands. To the south, Japanese artillery continued the bombardment of Corregidor island.
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United Kingdom
- USS Wasp took on British Spitfire fighters at Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom in preparation for an aircraft ferrying mission to Malta.
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- German bombers attacked Portland and Weymouth, England, United Kingdom during the day, damaging a number of homes. After dark, German bombers attacked Grimsby on the eastern coast of England, lasting until the next date.
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Photo(s) dated 13 Apr 1942
14 Apr 1942
- Pierre Laval was named Chief of Government with special powers in Vichy France.
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- US Navy Admiral Nimitz ordered USS Yorktown to Tongatapu, Tonga in the South Pacific; she was to support the defense of New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
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- Just after 0000 hours US destroyer USS Roper sank U-85 with 11 depth charges just off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States; Roper was the first American destroyer to sink a German submarine. German submarine U-203 sank British freighter Empire Thrush 10 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 1515 hours; all 55 aboard survived. German submarine U-66 sank Greek ship Korthion off Barbados at 1636 hours; 14 were killed, 9 survived. Off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States, U-571 sank US freighter Margaret at 2102 hours, killing the entire crew of 29. British sloop HMS Stork and corvette HMS Vetch sank German submarine U-252 with depth charges 650 miles west of Brest, France at 2230 hours, killing all 44 aboard.
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- Hudson bombers of No. 139 Squadron RAF attacked the Japanese flying-boat base on the Andaman Islands.
- USS Wasp departed the Clyde Estuary, Scotland, United Kingdom with 52 Spitfire fighters of No. 601 and No. 603 Squadrons RAF on board for Malta; she was escorted by destroyers USS Lang and USS Madison.
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- British submarine HMS Upholder became missing in the Mediterranean Sea somewhere between Italy and Libya; all 33 aboard were never seen again. She was either sunk by German aircraft or by Italian torpedo boat Pegaso.
- A German Fw 200 Condor aircraft located Allied convoy QP-10 at dawn; 20 Ju 88 aircraft attacked at 0600 hours, damaging the rudder of British freighter Harpalion (she would be scuttled shortly after) at the cost of 4 aircraft shot down.
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Australia
- USS Skipjack departed Fremantle, Australia for her third war patrol.
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France
- 12 British DB-7 Boston bombers damaged the Mondeville power station in Calvados, France during a daylight raid.
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Germany
- 208 British bombers (142 Wellington, 34 Hampden, 20 Stirling, 8 Halifax, and 4 Manchester) attacked Dortmund, Germany, damaging 6 buildings and killing 4 civilians. 9 bombers were lost in this attack.
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- Adolf Hitler ordered the German Luftwaffe to recommence air attacks on United Kingdom with an emphasis of bombing cities with no particular industrial value but of great beauty. The British soon called these raids "Baedeker" raids after the famous German 19th-century tourist guide.
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Panama Canal Zone
- USS S-31 began her second war patrol off the Panama Canal Zone.
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Philippines
- US and Filipino prisoners of war began to arrive at Orani in Bataan, Philippine Islands from Balanga, where facilities were totally inadequate for the large numbers of prisoners that would ultimately arrive at this location; to combat the issue, the Japanese marched a group of prisoners to Lubao further north and were imprisoned in an abandoned warehouse (en route, many died from heat, starvation, dehydration, and murders by Japanese guards). To the south, Japanese artillery continued the bombardment of Corregidor island.
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United Kingdom
- The German bombing on Grimsby, England, United Kingdom that began before midnight on the previous date ended; it killed 13, injured 28, and destroyed a number of homes.
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Photo(s) dated 14 Apr 1942
15 Apr 1942
- German submarine U-575 sank US freighter Robin Hood 250 kilometers east of New Jersey, United States at 0338 hours, killing 14 of 38 aboard.
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- King George awarded Malta the George Cross for heroism and devotion.
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- German headquarters at Arras, France was attacked by members of the French Resistance.
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- Orde Wingate returned to Maymyo, Burma from China.
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- Wickes was commissioned into service.
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- Alexander, Slim, and Stilwell met at Maymyo, Burma.
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- USS Lexington was assigned to US Navy Task Force 11.
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- Allied convoy PQ-14, how down to 6 cargo ships and 2 tankers, was spotted by a German BV 138 flying boat. Later in the day, Fw 200 Condor aircraft relieved the BV 138 aircraft in keeping track of this convoy. They called in several air attacks, but none of them succeeded in sinking any ships.
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Burma
- As Japanese troops began to push through the British Minhia-Taungdwingyi-Pyinmana defensive line along the Irrawaddy River in Burma and approached the oil-producing region of Yenangyaung, William Slim gave the order to destroy 1,000,000 gallons of crude oil to prevent Japanese capture while the British 7th Armoured Division pushed through Japanese road blocks to prepare men on the line to fall back.
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Germany
- 152 British bombers (111 Wellington, 19 Hampden, 15 Stirling, and 7 Manchester) attacked Dortmund, Germany for a second night in a row, destroying 1 home and killing 1 civilian. 4 bombers were lost on this attack.
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Philippines
- A tunnel near the James and Morrison coastal gun batteries at Corregidor island, Philippine Islands collapsed from Japanese artillery bombardment, killing 70. To the north, the Japanese continued to transfer US and Filipino prisoners of war from Balanga to Orani and Lubao on the Bataan Peninsula, while the first arrivals at Orani and Lubao were now being marched north for San Fernando; en route, the prisoners continued to die from heat, dehydration, disease, and murders. At the southern island of Mindanao, motor torpedo boat PT-41 was scuttled by her own crew to prevent capture.
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United Kingdom
- USS Impulse (Lieutenant Commander M. Lyons) departed Londonderry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom for New York, United States.
- German bombers attacked Middlesbrough in northeastern England, United Kingdom after dark, lasting until the next date.
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Photo(s) dated 15 Apr 1942
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16 Apr 1942
- US Navy VF-3 squadron pilot Lieutenant (jg) Edward H. O'Hare was approved for a Medal of Honor for shooting down five Japanese bombers attempting to attack USS Lexington 460 miles northeast of New Britain on 20 Feb 1942. Later analysis showed that he had only shot down three in the engagement, however.
- German submarine U-123 sank US freighter Alcoa Guide 200 kilometers east of North Carolina, United States, killing 6 of 34 aboard. At 1800 hours, U-572 sank Panamanian ship Desert Light 150 miles east of North Carolina; 1 was killed, 30 survived.
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- USS R-1 detected German submarine U-582 on the surface and fired three torpedoes; her commanding officer claimed one of them hit, damaging the target.
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- Japanese troops decisively defeated the 1st Burma Division near Yenangyaung, Burma.
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- Egmont Prinz zur Lippe-Weißenfeld was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross.
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- The burning hulk of US tanker Gulfamerica, damaged by German submarine U-123 off Jacksonville, Florida, United States, finally sank.
- German submarine U-66 sank Dutch tanker Amsterdam 60 miles west of Grenada at 1745 hours; 2 were killed, 38 survived.
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- USS Tambor sank Japanese freighter Kitami Maru 50 miles southeast of Kavieng, New Ireland, Bismarck Archipelago.
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- The Japanese Navy issued Order No. 18 for the capture of Midway and Aleutian Islands.
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- German submarine U-403 fired 5 torpedoes at Allied convoy PQ-14 and made 2 hits on the civilian commodore's ship Empire Howard 200 miles north of Norway at 1245 hours; 29 were killed, 37 survived. Many of victims were killed by depth charges meant to hit U-403. Captain W. H. Lawrence of merchant ship Briarwood took over the civilian commodore role as his predecessor E. Rees was also killed.
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- German submarine U-81 sank French anti-submarine trawler Vikings 23 miles west of Beirut, French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon at 2038 hours; 41 were killed, 16 survived. At 2148 hours, U-81 struck again, sinking British ship Caspia; 27 were killed, 11 survived. At 2250 hours, U-81 attacked yet again, sinking three small Egyptian vessels.
Australian New Guinea
- Saburo Sakai and other pilots of the Japanese Navy Tainan Air Group arrived at Rabaul, New Britain via the transport ship Komaki Maru.
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Greece
- The 11th Battalion of the British Royal Marines landed on Koufonisi, Greece by destroyers, destroyed a German radio station, captured some documents and equipment, and embarked the ships. The destroyers, HMS Kelvin and HMS Kipling, returned to Alexandria, Egypt by 1830 hours.
Italy
- British submarine HMS Turbulent sank Italian transport Delia 3 miles off of Brindisi, Italy at 1751 hours.
Philippines
- Japanese troops landed on Panay and Negros in the Philippine Islands before dawn. On Panay, lloilo City, Capiz, and the copper mines near San Jose were captured without resistance, but they found lloilo City in ruins, sabotaged by the retreating Filipino troops.
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United Kingdom
- The German bombing on Middlesbrough, England, United Kingdom that began before midnight on the previous date ended; it injured 52, damaged some roads and homes, and caused interruptions to public utility services. During the day, the weekly Home Security Situation Report was filed, noting that for the week ending at 0600 hours on 15 Apr 1942, 20 were killed and 33 were seriously injured due to German bombing.
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Photo(s) dated 16 Apr 1942
17 Apr 1942
- German submarine U-123 sank US freighter Alcoa Guide with her surface guns 300 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0355 hours; 6 were killed, 27 survived. Elsewhere, U-201 damaged Argentine tanker Victoria 200 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States.
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- German government reduced the amount of provisions given to Soviet prisoners of war.
- American submarine Searaven began evacuating Australian troops from Timor, Dutch East Indies.
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- French prisoner of war General Henri Giraud escaped from his castle prison in the Königstein Fortress.
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- Submarine Snook was laid down at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, United States.
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- German aircraft sank Soviet troopship Svanetiya in the Black Sea; 750 were killed, 193 survived.
- German submarine U-66 sank Panamanian tanker Heinrich von Riedemann 100 miles west of Grenada at 0523 hours; all 44 aboard survived.
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- Soviet destroyers Sokrushitelny and Gremyashchy were transferred from Allied convoy QP-10 to convoy PQ-14 at 0430 hours.
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Burma
- William Slim launched a failed counterattack with the Indian 17th Division near Yenangyaung, Burma; he had wanted the counterattack to open up Japanese lines, to meet with troops of the 113th Regiment of Chinese 38th Division fighting to relieve Yenangyaung, and to allow the remnants of the 1st Burma Division to return to the main Allied lines. To the east, Japanese 56th Infantry Division and Chinese troops clashed at Bawlake and Pyinmana, Burma.
» In-depth article
Germany
- 12 Lancaster bombers from No. 44 Squadron RAF and No. 76 Squadron RAF attempted a low level daylight attack on the MAN diesel engine factory in Augsburg, Germany. 7 of the 12 aircraft were shot down by German fighters, while the remaining 5 accurately dropped the bombs on the target, though the damage caused was smaller than desired. This costly raid reinforced British Air Marshal Arthur Harris' feelings that daylight missions should be avoided. Elsewhere, 173 British bombers (134 Wellington, 23 Stirling, 11 Halifax, and 5 Manchester) attacked Hamburg, Germany; 23 civilians were killed, 66 were wounded; 8 bombers were lost during this attack.
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Hawaii
- Chester Nimitz accepted Joseph Rochefort's hypothesis that Port Moresby, Australian Papua was likely the target of the suspected Japanese Navy operation against the location code named RZP.
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Philippines
- Two column of Japanese troops converged at Dumarao on Panay, Philippine Islands, completing the conquest of the eastern side of the island.
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United Kingdom
- German bombers attacked Southampton, England, United Kingdom.
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Photo(s) dated 17 Apr 1942
18 Apr 1942
- German armed merchant cruiser Michel stopped British tanker Patella with gunfire 136 miles east of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at dawn, killing 3; the remaining crew of 60 were taken off before the ship was scuttled. German submarine U-136 damaged US tanker Axtell J. Byles 5 kilometers off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States.
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- General MacArthur was appointed to command the Southwest Pacific Theater.
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- USS Lexington ferried US Marine Fighter Squadron 211 and its F2A Buffalo aircraft to Palmyra Atoll, Line Islands.
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- Tatsuta Maru departed Makassar, Celebes.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- The US Army Forces Far East became inactive.
- US Marine Corps Major General Charles F. B. Price arrived at Pago Pago, American Samoa to command the Headquarters Samoan Area Defense Force.
- François Darlan stepped down as the Vichy French Vice Premier as well as the Minister of the Navy.
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- Hudson bombers of No. 139 Squadron RAF from Akyab island, Burma attacked Japanese facilities on the Andaman Islands which had been the Squadron's base until it was abandoned in Mar 1942.
- The I Group of the German Jagdgeschwader 27 wing was transferred for combat duties near Gazala, Egypt.
- USS Wasp passed through the Strait of Gibraltar en route to Malta.
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- British submarine HMS Torbay sank German army transport Bellona 60 miles east of Cape Colonna, Italy at 1125 hours.
Australian New Guinea
- B-26 Marauder bombers of US 5th Air Force attacked Simpson Harbor and Lakunai airfield at Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Archipelago at 1030 hours. Akomaki Maru was sunk (killing 11), as was Komaki Maru as her load of aviation fuel detonated. Lakunai airfield received light damage. After the attack, 80 Australian prisoners of war were executed by the Japanese for having cheered during the attack.
Burma
- Although the 113th Regiment of the Chinese 38th Division under General Sun Liren and the British 7th Armoured Brigade had reached near Yenangyaung, Burma, they could not prevent the Japanese troops from capturing the city; the final elements of British troops fleeing out of the city destroyed the power station to prevent Japanese use.
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France
Japan
- 16 US Army Air Force B-25 bombers launched from USS Hornet attacked Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka, Kobe, Osaka, Nagoya, and other targets in the Japanese home islands at about 1200 hours. Most of the bombers would fly on to crash land in or bail out over China, while one landed in Russia and the crew were interned by the Soviets, who had a non-aggression treaty in place with Japan.
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- Submarine tender Taigei was lightly damaged by US air attack at Yokosuka, Japan; 7 casualties were recorded.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
Philippines
- The 1st Battalion of the 63rd Infantry Regiment of the 61st Philippine Division under Captain Julian Chaves pushed back Japanese troops at Mount Dila-Dila on Panay, Philippine Islands.
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Taiwan
United States
- USS Marlin arrived at New London, Connecticut, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 18 Apr 1942
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19 Apr 1942
- German submarine U-136 sank US freighter Steel Maker 200 kilometers southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, killing 1 of 45 aboard.
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- USS Gar began her second war patrol.
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- German submarine U-130 attempted to bombard oil storage tanks near Willemstad on the island of Curaçao but was driven away by coastal defense guns before any damage was done.
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- Slim, Wavell, and Alexander met to start discussing plans for a major retreat of Allied personnel out of Burma.
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- HMS Edinburgh arrived at Murmansk, Russia.
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- James Johnson shot down a German Fw 190 fighter.
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- US and Filipino prisoners of war were loaded onto cramped freight trains from San Fernando to Camp O'Donnell at Capas, Tarlac, Philippine Islands; many died en route.
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- British submarine HMS Umbra sank Italian ship Assunta de Gregori off Sfax, Tunisia.
- Off Palestine, German submarine U-81 sank a sailing vessel by gunfire at 1651 hours and sank sailing vessel Hefz el Rahman by ramming at 2200 hours.
- ShCh-401 pursued a German convoy with torpedoes off Tanafjord, Norway, targeting tanker Forbach; the submarine was driven off by German mineseepers M 154 and M 251 before the attack was made.
» In-depth article
Burma
- The 113th Regiment of the Chinese 38th Division under General Sun Liren captured Twingon, Burma then repulsed a Japanese counterattack that saw heavy casualties on both sides. To the east, Japanese 55th Infantry Division captured Pyinmana.
» In-depth article
- Chiang Kaishek, Song Meiling, and Joseph Stilwell met at Maymyo, Burma.
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Russia
- General Mikhail Grigoryevich Yefremov committed suicide by shooting himself in the head with a pistol as his Soviet 33rd Army was on the brink of total destruction at Vyazma, Russia.
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- The 7 surviving ships of Allied convoy PQ-14 arrived at Murmansk, Russia.
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Taiwan
- Less Carrier Division 5, which detached with screen to head for New Guinea for Operation MO, Akagi and the Striking Force departed Mako in high speed attempted pursuit of the carriers that had launched the Doolittle Raiders which had just struck the Tokyo Bay area on the previous day.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Shokaku departed Mako, Pescadores Islands to participate in Operation MO in the Coral Sea commencing 20 Apr 1942.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
Photo(s) dated 19 Apr 1942
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20 Apr 1942
- German submarine U-654 sank Swedish ship Agra and US freighter Steel Maker off the east coast of the United States. Not too far away, U-572 sank British ship Empire Dryden and U-109 sank British ship Harpagon. 75 miles north of the Turks and Caicos Island east of Cuba, U-154 sank empty Canadian ship Vineland.
» In-depth article
- USS Wasp delivered 46 Spitfire fighters to Malta; most of them would be destroyed in combat within days.
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- An assassination attempt on the head of French Fascist organization Jacques Doriot took place; it resulted in failure.
- USS Lexington arrived in the South Pacific.
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- German Jews were banned from using public transportation.
- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Kupang, Timor and then departed later on the same day.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Australia
- Major General George Brett assumed command of Allied air forces in Australia.
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British Western Pacific Territories
Burma
- Japanese troops captured Taunggyi, Burma, capital of the southern Shan States, along with its large gasoline store. In central Burma, troops of the Japanese 56th Division pushed Chinese troops out of Loikaw, while troops of the Japanese 18th Division clashed with Chinese troops at Kyidaunggan.
» In-depth article
Norway
- British submarine HMS Trident sank German freighter Hödur 1.5 miles off the coast near Namsos, Norway at about 1200 hours.
Philippines
- A Type 96 240mm howitzer was brought to the Bataan Peninsula on Luzon, Philippine Islands by the Japanese for the purpose of bombarding the island of Corregidor. On the same day, on the island of Panay, Japanese Army troops declared the island secure.
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Russia
- German troops broke out of the Demyansk Pocket in Russia through the Ramushevo corridor.
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Photo(s) dated 20 Apr 1942
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21 Apr 1942
- Large number of Japanese warships were dispatched in search for the carriers that launched the Doolittle Raiders.
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- German submarine U-84 sank Panamanian ship Chenango 30 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0300 hours; 30 were killed, 2 survived. At 0236 hours, U-201 sank Norwegian ship Bris in the middle of the North Atlantic; 5 were killed, 21 survived. German submarine U-752 sank US freighter West Imboden 150 kilometers east of Boston, Massachusetts, United States; all 35 aboard survived. German submarine U-576 sank US freighter Pipestone County 450 kilometers east of Virginia, United States at 1854 hours; all 35 aboard survived. Meanwhile, German submarine U-459 departed from Germany on a resupplying mission for other submarines; she was the first of such supply submarines in the German Navy.
» In-depth article
- US President Roosevelt ordered the seizure of all patents owned by enemy nations.
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- British submarine HMS Torbay sank German ship Delpa II 12 miles north of Crete, Greece at 1536 hours with her surface guns; Germans counterattacked with coastal guns followed by the dispatch of two torpedo boats, but Torbay would be able to dive and escape.
Australian Papua
- Japanese aircraft based in Rabaul, New Britain attacked Port Moresby, Australian Papua.
Burma
- Japanese 18th Division captured Kyidaunggan, Burma from Chinese troops.
» In-depth article
France
- 20 French civilians were killed by Germans at Saint-Nazaire, France in retaliation of the 28 Mar 1942 raid by British commandos.
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team based in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a Japanese Navy radio message noting that Carrier Division 5 (Shokaku and Zuikaku) were being detached from the Mobile Force for operations with the 4th Fleet in the South Pacific.
» In-depth article
Iceland
Japan
- USS S-35 remained off Paramushiro, Hokkaido, Japan in the Kurile Islands due to heavy fog.
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Malta
- Axis aircraft sank British anti-submarine trawler HMT Jade at Grand Harbour, Malta.
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United States
- The newspaper San Francisco News reported that the city government of San Francisco, California, United States was considering the banning the employment of Japanese-Americans.
Photo(s) dated 21 Apr 1942
22 Apr 1942
- Soviet submarine M-173 sank German ship Blankenese in the Barents Sea 3 miles off the northeastern tip of Norway.
- American submarine USS Sailfish departed with ammunition for the American troops at Corregidor in the Philippine Islands; the island garrison would surrender before this mission was completed.
» In-depth article
- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Ambon, Maluku Islands and then departed later on the same day.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- In order to ensure continuing supplies to China, Assam in India, and Burma, China Ferry Command was established to airlift essential needs over the Himalayan "Hump" route.
- German submarine U-201 sank US freighter San Jacinto 375 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0329 hours, killing 14 of 183 aboard. Hours later, at 0905 hours, U-201 struck again, sinking British ship Derryheen; all 51 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-81 sank four small sailing vessels 20 miles west of Palestine during the course of the day.
British Western Pacific Territories
Burma
- British troops fell back to Meiktila, Burma while Indian 17th Infantry Division fell back from Taungdwingyi to Mahlaing to protect Mandalay.
» In-depth article
France
- Canadian and British troops raided the beaches near Boulogne, France in Operation Abercrombie, which failed to capture any German prisoners for interrogation and failed to destroy searchlight equipment.
Germany
- 64 British Wellington bombers and 5 Stirling bombers attacked Köln (Cologne), Germany using the new Gee radio transmitter system for blind navigation and bombing. About 15 aircraft were able to bomb accurately, killing 4 civilians and wounding 8, while a few bombers released their bombs as far as 10 miles from Köln. Two Wellington bombers were lost during this raid.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team based in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii detected a concentration of Japanese warships at Rabaul, New Britain, including five carriers; while they correctly determined that Shokaku, Zuikaku, and Shoho being at Rabaul, they had mistakenly placed two others (including Kaga) at this location.
» In-depth article
Japan
Malta
23 Apr 1942
- In a secret session of the British House of Commons, Churchill delivered a speech declaring that the liberation of Europe was "the main war plan" of Britain and the United States.
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- The Kenedy Alien Detention Camp in Texas, United States began receiving Axis prisoners of war.
- South Africa broke diplomatic relations with Vichy France.
- The German government ordered that all boys between the age of 14 and 16 and girls between the age of 16 and 17 to perform mandatory agricultural service.
- Captain Shinshiro Soma was named the commanding officer of submarine tender Taigei.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Repair ship Akashi departed Ambon, Dutch East Indies.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-565 sank British ship Kirkland 35 miles northeast of Sidi Barrani, Egypt at 0255 hours; 1 was killed, 22 survived.
- Before dawn, German armed merchant cruiser Michel launched torpedo boat LS-4 Esau to attack US tanker Connecticut in the middle of the South Atlantic, which successfully sank the tanker with two torpedoes; 36 were killed, 18 survived. At 2053 hours, German submarine U-125 sank US ship Lammot Du Pont 500 miles southeast of Bermuda; 6 were killed, 48 survived.
» In-depth article
- Soviet submarine ShCh-401 attacked a German supply convoy just off Gamvik in northern Norway, sinking Norwegian merchant ship Stensaas (all aboard survived). Later on the same day, ShCh-401 attacked German submarine chaser UJ 1110, but was driven off by UJ 1110's depth charges. ShCh-401 reported in her position in the evening, but it would be the last time she was heard from; she likely ran into a minefield shortly after the report.
» In-depth article
Burma
- Chinese mercenary troops under Allied command attacked Taunggyi, Burma while Japanese 56th Division captured Loilem.
» In-depth article
Finland
- No. 1 Squadron of Soviet 95th Fighter Aviation Regiment attacked the German airfield at Luostari, Finland, destroying 17 aircraft (16 of which on the ground).
Germany
- 161 RAF aircraft (93 Wellington, 31 Stirling, 19 Whitley, 11 Hampden, 6 Manchester, and 1 Lancaster bombers) conducted a raid on Rostock, Germany; 143 of them attacked the town while 18 attacked the nearby Heinkel aircraft factory, both with extremely poor results. Four bombers were lost during this attack.
» In-depth article
Japan
- USS S-35 was spotted by a Japanese submarine in the Kurile Islands and was subjected to a depth charge attack.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- Luftwaffe began attacking "cathedral cities" in Britain, starting with Exeter, England, United Kingdom.
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Photo(s) dated 23 Apr 1942
24 Apr 1942
- Jews were prohibited from using public transportation in Germany; exception was made for Jewish forced laborers whose workplace is more than 7 kilometers from their homes, but seats were still off limits to them.
- Luftwaffe aircraft conducted a raid on Exeter, England.
» In-depth article
- American troops landed in French New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean.
- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Davao, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- At Delhi, India, Orde Wingate noted his preference of a proactive long range penetration strategy for his irregular troops.
» In-depth article
- Aleksandr Vasilevsky was named the acting Chief of Staff as his superior Boris Shaposhnikov had fallen ill.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-136 sank British ship Empire Drum 280 miles southeast of New York, United States at 2348 hours; all 41 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
Australian Papua
- Zero fighters of the Japanese Navy Tainan Air Group (based in Rabaul, New Britain) attacked Seven Mile airfield near Port Moresby, Australian Papua, shooting down 3 Kittyhawk fighters in combat and destroying 1 PBY Catalina and 2 B-26 Marauder aircraft on the ground. Later in the day, four B-17E Flying Fortress bombers of US 30th Bomb Squadron arrived at Seven Mile in preparation for a raid on Rabaul, New Britain on the next day.
Burma
Germany
- 91 British bombers attacked Rostock, Germany for the second night in a row, causing damage in the town, but the aircraft attacking the nearby Heinkel aircraft factory again failed to do much damage. One Hampden bomber was lost during this attack.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team based in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii had intercepted Japanese Navy radio messages mentioning the existence of task forces bearing names such as MO Covering Force, MO Attack Force, RZP Occupation Force, RXB Occupation Force, etc. Rochefort would quickly arrive at the hypothesis that these task forces were organized for an attack in the Port Moresby, Australian Papua region.
» In-depth article
Japan
- USS S-35 approached Paramushiro, Hokkaido, Japan in the Kurile Islands.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille returned to his unit at Martuba, Libya after a period of home leave.
» In-depth article
Netherlands
- 12 British RAF DB-7 Boston bombers attacked Vlissingen, the Netherlands, damaging docks without any losses.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 24 Apr 1942
25 Apr 1942
Australia
- 27 Japanese bombers, escorted by 15 fighters, attacked the airfield near Darwin, Australia; fighters of the US 49th Pursuit Group, flying P-40 Warhawk fighters, shot down 10 bombers and 2 fighters without any losses.
Australian Papua
- Four B-17E Flying Fortress bombers of US 30th Bomb Squadron were launched from Seven Mile airfield near Port Moresby, Australian Papua at 0300 hours to attack Rabaul, New Britain; one of them would ran off the runway in the darkness and became stuck in thick mud, while another crashed into Mount Obree. At 0800 hours, Zero fighters attacked Seven Mile and destroyed the stuck bomber.
Burma
- Alexander, Slim, and Stilwell met at Kyaukse, Burma, 25 miles south of Mandalay. It was decided that all Allied troops were to be pulled out of Burma, but Slim demanded that no British nor Indian units would be withdrawn to China even if the Chinese border was closer to that of India's. Meanwhile, Japanese and Chinese troops clashed at Loilem, central Burma.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
China
- Troops of the Japanese 22nd Infantry Division began to conduct a search in Zhejiang and Jiangxi Provinces on the Chinese coast, burning down and massacring entire villages suspected of assisting the Doolittle Raiders.
» In-depth article
Germany
- 110 British bombers attacked Rostock, Germany for the third night in a row, causing damage in the town and the nearby Heinkel aircraft factory.
» In-depth article
Italy
- Various Italian naval units began departing Italy by road to Vienna, Austria for the ultimate destination the Black Sea via the Danube River.
Japan
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down two fighters north of Ain el Gazala, Libya, first piloted by Squadron Leader Osgood Hanbury (his 53rd kill) and the second piloted by Sergeant Wareham (his 54th kill).
» In-depth article
Philippines
- The final US-Filipino stronghold on the island of Luzon in the Philippine Islands, Corregidor, while already under daily bombardment for the past two weeks, began to be subjected to night-time bombardment as well. At 2200 hours, two 240-millimeter shells hit the opening of a tunnel leading into the underground command center, killing 15.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- Luftwaffe aircraft conducted a raid on Bath, England, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 25 Apr 1942
26 Apr 1942
- Luftwaffe bombers conducted a raid on Bath, England.
» In-depth article
- USS Tautog sank Japanese submarine RO-30.
» In-depth article
- A law passed by the German Reichstag granted Hitler the right to change laws by decree without discussion by the Reichstag. The German dictator had now been given complete despotic power and Germany has ceased to be a state whose structure was based on the rule of law.
» In-depth article
- Destroyer Yukikaze departed Davao, Mindanao, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
- Aleksandr Vasilevsky was promoted to the rank of colonel general.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-66 sank US ship Alcoa Partner 80 miles north of Bonaire in the Caribbean Sea at 0830 hours; 10 were killed, 25 survived.
» In-depth article
- Destroyer USS Sturtevant departed Key West, Florida, United States at 1520 hours to make rendezvous with a convoy sailing from New Orleans, United States; at about 1720 hours, 18 miles north of Key West, Sturtevant struck three mines previously laid by USS Miantonomah and sank; 20 were killed, 132 survived.
Burma
- In Burma, the Indian 17th Division moved from Mahlaing to Meiktila, 20 miles to the south, to assist the Chinese 200th Division in forming a line of defense against the Japanese attack on Mandalay.
» In-depth article
Finland
- 8 Pe-3 bombers of No. 2 Squadron of Soviet 95th Fighter Aviation Regiment attacked the German airfield at Heybukten, Finland, destroying 6 German aircraft; en route home, the Soviet bombers were intercepted by German Bf 109 fighters; 5 Pe-3 bombers were shot down.
Germany
- Five prisoners of war escaped from the military hospital at Gnaschwitz, Germany. Four would be recaptured, but the fifth, Belgian Captain Louis Rémy would make it to Algeciras, Spain.
- 106 British bombers attacked Rostock, Germany for the fourth and final night in a row, causing damage in the town and the nearby Heinkel aircraft factory. 1 Stirling, 1 Wellington, and 1 Whitley bombers were lost during this attack. At the end of the four-day attack, Rostock suffered 1,765 buildings destroyed, 204 civilians killed, and 89 civilians injured.
» In-depth article
Iceland
- Allied convoy PQ-15, consisted of 24 merchant ships, 1 fleet auxiliary oiler, and 2 icebreakers departed Reykjavík, Iceland for Murmansk, Russia with 4 destroyers, 1 corvette, 3 minesweepers, 4 trawlers, 1 catapult aircraft merchantman, and 1 anti-aircraft ship in escort.
» In-depth article
Russia
- HMS Edinburgh embarked 5 tons of Soviet gold worth about £5,000,000 at Murmansk, Russia; it was meant to be the down payment for US war goods.
» In-depth article
United States
- US Navy Admirals Nimitz and King met in San Francisco, California to discuss Nimitz's plan in the South Pacific.
27 Apr 1942
- Luftwaffe aircraft conducted a raid on Norwich, England, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
- USS Yorktown departed for Coral Sea.
» In-depth article
- The first of 127 Polish female political prisoners arrived at Auschwitz Concentration Camp. They were imprisoned in Block 8.
» In-depth article
- Troops of the Australian Sparrow Force on Portuguese Timor, now waging a guerrilla war against the Japanese, received supplies by Australian aircraft.
» In-depth article
Alaska
- While off Attu, US Territory of Alaska in the Aleutian Islands, USS S-35's cook was diagnosed with mumps, forcing the submarine to return to base.
» In-depth article
Australia
- Japanese aircraft attacked the airfield near Darwin, Australia; 3 Japanese bombers and 4 escorting fighters were shot down by the US fighters assigned to the airfield, while the Americans lost 4 P-40 fighters.
Australian Papua
- 9 Japanese Type 1 bombers and 11 Zero fighters attacked Seven Mile airfield near Port Moresby, Australian Papua, destroying 3 A-24 and 1 B-26 aircraft.
British Western Pacific Territories
China
- A major mining disaster in Manchukuo in Japanese-occupied northeastern China resulted in the death of 1,527 miners.
Germany
- RAF conducted a 100-bomber raid on Rostock, Germany; it was the fourth consecutive nightly raid on Rostock. Over Köln (Cologne), 97 British bombers (76 Wellington, 19 Stirling, 2 Halifax) dropped bombs and damaged 1,520 homes and killed 11; 7 bombers were lost.
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Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team based in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii reported that the Japanese Navy had changed call signs of some major warships, possibly indicating that a major operation was about to take place.
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- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii decrypted a radio message from Nobutake Kondo to Tokyo, Japan requesting navigation charts of the Aleutian Islands area and latest intelligence at AOE and KCN (which was determined to be Dutch Harbor and Kodiak in the Aleutian Islands).
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Norway
- 31 British Halifax and 12 Lancaster bombers attacked German battleship Tirpitz and other ships at Trondheimsfjord near Trondheim in Norway to little effect. 5 bombers were lost during this attack.
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Russia
- Allied convoy QP-11, consisted of 13 merchant ships, departed northern Russia.
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- At Murmansk, Russia, HMS Edinburgh embarked wounded merchant mariners, British Army personnel (who had trained Soviet counterparts), British Royal Air Force personnel (who also trained their Soviet counterparts), and Czechoslovakians and Polish nationals who had fled German occupation.
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Photo(s) dated 27 Apr 1942
28 Apr 1942
- The German Reichstag passed the legislation marking Hitler as the "Supreme Judge of the German People," formalizing his status above the law.
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- Coast Watchers reported that a Japanese flying boat base was being built in the upper Solomon Islands.
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- Erwin Rommel received the Colonial Order of the Star of Italy.
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- HMS Edinburgh departed Murmansk, Russia.
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- Allied convoy PQ-15, which had departed Iceland two days prior, was joined by British battleship HMS King George V, American battleship USS Washington, British aircraft carrier HMS Victorious, 5 cruisers, 12 destroyers, and 4 submarines for its journey toward Murmansk, Russia; the convoy was spotted by German aircraft 200 miles northwest of Tromsø, Norway. On the same day, returning convoy QP-11 departed Kola Inlet in northern Russia; it was consisted of 13 merchant ships and was escorted by 6 destroyers, 4 corvettes, 1 trawler, and 4 minesweepers.
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- German submarine U-136 sank Dutch ship Arundo 30 miles southeast of New York, New York, United States at 1535 hours; 6 were killed, 37 survived.
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- Italian submarine Corallo sank Tunisian fishing boats Dar El Salam and Tunis with the deck gun off Cape Bon, Tunisia after taking off the crews.
Alaska
- USS S-35 sailed west from Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska in response to a reported Japanese invasion fleet in the western Aleutian Islands, starting her second war patrol.
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Australian Papua
- At 1100 hours, Coast Watchers reported incoming Japanese aircraft flying south from the Lae, New Guinea area. Shortly after, 8 Japanese Type 1 bombers and 11 Zero fighters attacked Port Moresby, Australian Papua. In the ensuing combat, two of the Kittyhawk fighters attempted to engage in dogfights with Zero fighters at a high altitude, which caused their engines to stall, leading to the two fighters' crash. After the attack, Port Moresby personnel discovered one of the Japanese bombers had delivered a bag containing 395 letters written by prisoners of war kept in Rabaul, New Britain; actually two khaki bags of mail were dropped, but one of them fell in the water.
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Burma
- Troops of the Chinese 28th Division arrived at Lashio in northern Burma. To the west, the Indian 17th Division crossed the Irrawaddy River at Sameikkon, Burma on its retreat toward India; Chinese 38th Division and British 7th Armoured Brigade formed a line between Sagaing and Ondaw to guard the retreat.
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Germany
- 88 British bombers (62 Wellington, 15 Stirling, 10 Hampden, 1 Halifax) attacked Kiel, Germany, destroying all three main shipyard facilities and killing 15; 6 bombers were destroyed in his mission.
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Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
Malta
- Axis aircraft attacked Malta, sinking British tug HMS West Dean.
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Norway
- 21 British Halifax and 12 Lancaster bombers attacked German battleship Tirpitz at Trondheim, Norway; two Halifax bombers were destroyed.
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Taiwan
United Kingdom
- The historic Guildhall in York, England, United Kingdom was destroyed by fire started by a German air raid on the city.
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United States
- The keel of submarine Dragonet was laid down by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 28 Apr 1942
See all photos dated 28 Apr 1942
29 Apr 1942
- German submarine U-108 pursued US tanker Mobiloil from 0900 hours to 1645 hours, finally sinking her 400 kilometers north to Puerto Rico with the sixth torpedo expended in this effort; all 53 aboard survived.
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- Japanese Special Naval Landing Force departed Rabaul, New Britain aboard transports for the invasion of the RAAF seaplane base at Tulagi, Solomon Islands. On the same day, other transports at Rabaul embarked equipment necessary to build a new base at Port Moresby, Australian Papua. In Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team intercepted a radio message from Isoroku Yamamoto to Shigeyoshi Inoue regarding Operation MO, in which Yamamoto made mention of northern Australia, thus giving Rochefort confidence regarding the hypothesis that Operation MO's target was Port Moresby.
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- The Tenderloo chemical works in Belgium was destroyed by a resistance group, killing over 250 people.
- The rate of German retaliatory executions of Belgians was reported to be 25 to 30 per month.
- Soviet forces launched a counter offensive near Kursk, Russia.
- British sailing vessel Terpsithea struck a mine (laid by German submarine U-562 on 13 Apr 1942) in Famagusta Bay, Cyprus in the evening; as British tug Alliance approached the damaged sail for rescue, she also hit a mine at 1945 hours and sank, killing 3.
- Lansdowne was commissioned into service.
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- Admiral Ernest King established the South Pacific Amphibious Force composed primarily of the 1st Marine Division.
- German submarine U-66 sank Panamanian tanker Harry G. Seidel 50 miles west of Grenada; 2 were killed, 48 survived.
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- 4 minesweepers departed from the close escort force of Allied convoy QP-11 off northern Russia; later on the same day, the convoy was spotted by a German Ju 88 aircraft.
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Australian New Guinea
- In the morning, Three US B-28 bombers attacked Rabaul, New Britain, destroying five Zero fighters on the ground and damaged four more.
Burma
- Japanese 18th Infantry Division captured Kyaukse, Burma just south of Mandalay. To the west, Japanese 33rd Infantry Division pursued the Anglo-Indian withdraw across the Irrawaddy River toward India. To the north, 100 kilometers south of the border with China, Japanese 56th Infantry Division captured Lashio midday.
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France
- 88 British bombers (73 Wellington, 9 Hampden, 6 Stirling) attacked the Gnome et Rhône aircraft engine factory near Paris, France; one building was destroyed and three buildings damaged at the cost of 3 bombers destroyed.
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Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
Philippines
- Japanese troops landed at Cotabato, Mindanao, Philippine Islands. To the north at the island of Luzon, minesweeper USS Finch was damaged by Japanese air attacks. A large scale artillery and aerial bombardment was conducted at the island of Corregidor at the tip of Bataan Peninsula, Luzon.
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United Kingdom
- German bombers attacked Norwich, England, United Kingdom.
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- USS Wasp arrived at Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, completing Operation Calendar.
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30 Apr 1942
- Shokaku departed from Truk to support the Port Moresby, New Guinea invasion.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Zuikaku departed from Truk to support the Port Moresby, New Guinea invasion.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- USS Enterprise sailed toward Coral Sea, but would arrive too late to participate in the upcoming battle.
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- USS Hornet sailed toward Coral Sea, but would arrive too late to participate in the upcoming battle.
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- Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini met at Berchtesgaden in southern Germany to discuss Mediterranean strategy; priority was given to capturing the Suez Canal and neutralizing Malta. Italian Foreign Minister Galeazzo Ciano noted that Hitler appeared to be very tired.
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- Indiana was commissioned into service.
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- German submarine U-456 damaged HMS Edinburgh, escorting Allied convoy QP-11, with two torpedoes (one hitting amidships and another ripped off the stern) in the Norwegian Sea 200 miles north of Murmansk, Russia at 1618 hours. She was carrying £5,000,000 worth of Soviet gold meant as down payment for US weapons and other war supplies. HMS Edinburgh sailed for Murmansk at the slow speed of 3 knots, escorted by two British destroyer and two Soviet destroyers. U-456 ran out of torpedoes thus could not make further attacks, but the submarine remained near the convoy to report in the convoy's position.
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- 24 British DB-7 Boston bombers attacked Flushing in the Netherlands and Abbeville, Morlaix, and Le Havre in France. All aircraft returned safely.
- German submarine U-162 sank British tanker Athelempress 180 miles east of Barbados at 0152 hours; 3 were killed, 19 survived. At 0336 hours, 18 miles south of Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States, U-402 sank Soviet ship Ashkhabad; all 47 survived. Four hours later at 0737 hours, further northeast about 95 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States, U-576 sank Norwegian ship Taborfjell; 17 were killed, 3 survived. German submarine U-507 sank US tanker Federal 5 miles north of Gibara, Cuba at 1810 hours, killing 5 of 33 aboard.
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- Friedrich Paulus began planning for Operation Fridericus, an offensive south of Kharkov, Ukraine. The launch date for this operation was set for 18 May 1942.
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- A German Fw 200 Condor aircraft spotted Allied convoy PQ-15 250 miles southwest of Bear Island, Norway.
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Alaska
- USS S-35 arrived at Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska, ending her first war patrol.
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Australian New Guinea
- B-26 Marauder bombers of US 22nd Bomb Group moved from Reid River field near Townsville, Australia to Port Moresby, Australian Papua in preparation of a raid on Rabaul, New Britain.
Australian Papua
- A group of P-39D Airacobra fighters arrived to reinforce Port Moresby, Australian Papua.
Burma
- In western Burma, Chinese 38th Division began to move westward to join the Anglo-Indian troops already en route for India. After the tanks of the British 7th Armoured Division had successfully crossed the Ava Bridge over the Irrawaddy River, Chinese troops blew up the bridge to slow the Japanese pursuit.
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Caroline Islands
Hawaii
- At Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, Joseph Rochefort sent Chester Nimitz a report regarding Rochefort's hypothesis that the Japanese might soon be striking at Port Moresby, Australian Papua. Since radio intercepts made mention of multiple targets, he concluded that Tulagi in the Solomon Islands was also a likely target.
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Japan
Philippines
- Two PBY Catalina aircraft from Mindanao evacuated 50 personnel (including 20 nurses) from Corregidor, Philippine Islands as the island was again subjected to a large scale artillery and aerial bombardment.
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Taiwan
United Kingdom
- German bombers attacked Norwich, England, United Kingdom for the second consecutive day.
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Photo(s) dated 30 Apr 1942
1 May 1942
- Captain Takayanagi, commanding officer of battleship Yamato, was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. During this month, battleship Yamato would remain in the Inland Sea in Japan to conduct gunnery practice and to host Admiral Yamamoto and other officers for Midway war games.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Eleven Japanese transports departed Rabaul, New Britain for the invasion of Port Moresby, Australian Papua; they were escorted by seven cruisers and one light carrier; on the same day, Type 1 and Type 6 land attack aircraft of Genzan Air Group arrived at Rabaul for future use with the Port Moresby invasion. On the same day, three B-26 Marauder bombers of US 22nd Bomb Group struck Rabaul, causing minor damage to an airfield. Tulagi in the Solomon Islands, another target of the Japanese offensive operation, was bombed by Japanese aircraft, destroying one Australian PBY Catalina aircraft. Near the New Hebrides islands, US Navy Task Force 11 (containing carrier Lexington) and Task Force 17 (containing carrier Yorktown) made rendezvous. At Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, Joseph Rochefort furnished a report for Chester Nimitz and Ernest King that noted Port Moresby as the likely Japanese target, northern Australia was not being targeted for now, and Japanese reconnaissance operations seemed to be targeting Hawaiian Islands and Aleutian Islands.
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- The Japanese code book change, originally set to take place on this date, was delayed.
- HMS King George V, in thick Atlantic fog, accidentally rammed and sank HMS Punjabi 165 miles northeast of Iceland at 1545 hours. HMS Punjabi was broken in half, with the stern sinking, depth charges exploding meanwhile, killing 49. The forward piece remained afloat for some time, allowing 169 people to be taken off. An additional 40 survivors were picked from the sea. HMS King George V suffered a 40-foot gash in the bow, forcing her to leave her convoy escort station to sail for Britain for repairs.
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- Kapitän zur See Martin Balzer took command of cruiser Köln.
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- The US Marine Corps 8th Defense Battalion arrived at Wallis Island from Tutuila, American Samoa.
- US Task Force 17 was established under command of Rear Admiral Frank Fletcher to operate in the Coral Sea.
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- Slim met with Alexander at Monywa, Burma.
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- German submarine U-752 sank Norwegian ship Bidevind 75 miles southeast of New York, United States at 0543 hours; all 36 aboard survived. 370 miles northeast of Bermuda, U-69 attacked Canadian sailing boat James E. Newsom on the surface with her deck gun at 1728 hours, forcing the crew of 9 to abandon ship. At 2046 hours, U-162 sank Brazilian ship Parnahyba near Trinidad; 7 were killed, 65 survived.
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- USS Triton sank Japanese auxiliary transport Calcutta Maru in the western Pacific Ocean east of China at 1645 hours.
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- USS Grenadier, mistaking Soviet ship Angarstroy for a Japanese ship, sank her in the Pacific Ocean; 60 survived and were rescued by Japanese ship Kayo Maru.
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- A Hudson bomber of British No. 233 Squadron based at Gibraltar damaged German submarine U-573 with depth charges 40 miles northwest of Ténès, Algeria at 1556 hours. The British dispatches destroyers HMS Wishart and HMS Wrestler to finish off the submarine, while the Germans dispatched U-74 and U-375 and the Italians dispatched submarines Emo and Mocenigo to assist.
- Four Ju 88 aircraft attacked Allied convoy QP-11 at 0540 hours 150 miles southeast of Bear Island, Norway; all torpedoes missed. At 1345 hours, German destroyers Z7 Hermann Schoemann, Z24, and Z25 were sighted; the first round of the exchange of torpedoes by QP-11 and the Allied escorts at 1407 hours all missed, but a shortly after British destroyer HMS Amazon was hit by gunfire and Russian freighter Tsiolkovsky was sunk by torpedo. Through 1742 hours, the German destroyed attempted to close in five more times, but they were not successful; they broke off after 1742 hours to pursue HMS Edinburgh in the direction of Murmansk, Russia. Elsewhere, six German Ju 88 bombers attacked Allied convoy PQ-15 west of Norway at 2200 hours without success, losing one aircraft in the process.
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- USS Washington suffered slight damage northeast of Iceland during the accident which saw HMS King George V ramming HMS Punjabi, detonating Punjabi's depth charges.
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Burma
- Japanese 18th Infantry Division captured Mandalay, Burma. 300 kilometers the northeast, Japanese and Chinese troops clashed at Hsenwi. 50 miles west of Mandalay, Japanese troops blocked the British retreat at Monywa on the Chindwin River and then attacked from the rear by surprise, capturing the headquarters of the 1st Burma Division.
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Caroline Islands
Hawaii
- Chester Nimitz departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii and later in the day arrived at Midway Atoll.
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Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille received his citation of promotion to the rank of Oberleunant.
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Philippines
- In the Philippine Islands, Corregidor was subjected to heavy artillery and aerial bombardment, while Japanese troops defeated the Filipino 61st Infantry Regiment on the southern island of Mindanao.
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Taiwan
Photo(s) dated 1 May 1942
See all photos dated 1 May 1942
2 May 1942
- Roosevelt extended the Lend-Lease Act to include Iraq and Iran.
- German submarine U-402 sank US armed yacht Cythera 115 miles east of Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States, killing 69 of 71 aboard; the two survivors were captured by U-402 and taken to Germany as prisoners of war. During the day, the 36 survivors of Norwegian ship Bidevind, sunk by German submarine U-752 on the previous day off New York, United States, reached the US Coast Guard station near Toms River, New Jersey, United States by lifeboat. After sundown, at 2253 hours, U-66 sank Norwegian tanker Sandar 40 miles north of Trinidad; 3 were killed, 34 survived.
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- Goebbels noted in his diary that the term "Baedecker attacks", named after a popular travel guide and used here to suggest that the German bombers targeted British cultural centers, should be banned by his propaganda ministry.
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- USS Pollack departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her third war patrol.
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- Already-damaged HMS Edinburgh, carrying £5,000,000 worth of Soviet gold meant as down payment for US weapons and other war supplies, was spotted by German destroyers Z7 Hermann Schoemann, Z24, and Z25 at 0630 hours. In the ensuing engagement, Edinburgh hit Z7 while destroyer HMS Forester was hit by Z7's torpedo and destroyer HMS Foresight was hit by shellfire. Z7 would be scuttled at 0830 hours. HMS Edinburgh suffered a torpedo hit which killed 57. Now structurally unsound, she was scuttled by HMS Harrier and HMS Foresight at 0900 hours. The gold also went to the bottom of the Barents Sea.
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- German submarine U-573, seriously damaged by aerial depth charges from a British Hudson aircraft on the previous day, arrived at Cartagena, Spain. The submarine and her crew were interned by the Spanish authorities.
- German submarine U-74, dispatched to rescue the damaged submarine U-573, was attacked and sunk by British destroyers HMS Wishart and HMS Wrestler 60 miles southeast of Cartagena, Spain; all 47 aboard were killed.
- USS Drum sank Japanese seaplane carrier Mizuho 90 miles southeast of Tokyo, Japan at 0416 hours; 101 were killed, 472 survived.
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- USS Trout sank Japanese freighter Uzan Maru 134 miles southwest of Tokyo, Japan.
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- British destroyer HMS St Albans and minesweeper HMS Seagull, while escorting Allied convoy PQ-15, attacked an ASDIC contact 200 miles northwest of Tromsø, Norway at 1950 hours. As the target surfaced, she turned out to be Polish submarine Jastrzab, which suffered serious damage and 5 killed. The submarine was written off and scuttled shortly after the 35 survivors were taken off. On the same day, German torpedo bombers attacked PQ-15, sinking freighters Cape Corso, Jutland, and Botavon.
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Australian New Guinea
- 7 B-26 Marauder bombers from Port Moresby, Australian Papua attacked Rabaul, New Britain, causing little damage.
Australian Papua
- Japanese bombers attacked Seven Mile airfield near Port Moresby, Australian Papua.
- Japanese aircraft attacked Port Moresby, Australian Papua.
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British Western Pacific Territories
- The Japanese launched another aerial bombardment against the Australian seaplane base at Tulagi, Solomon Islands. Deducing that an invasion of coming soon, the Australian personnel evacuated the base after sundown.
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Burma
- 1st Burma Division unsuccessfully attacked Japanese 33rd Infantry Division at Monywa, Burma on the Chindwin River.
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Hawaii
- USS Flying Fish arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
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- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a radio message from Nobutake Kondo's chief of staff regarding the formation of task forces for an offensive operation.
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Japan
Philippines
- The powder magazine of gun battery Geary on Corregidor in the Philippine Islands was hit by Japanese artillery at 1627 hours, detonating 1,600 62-pound powder bags; 56 were killed and hundreds were wounded. To the east, in Manila Bay, river gunboat USS Mindanao was scuttled to prevent capture.
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Romania
- Italian Navy units began arriving at Constanta, Romania where they prepared to cross the Black Sea to Yalta, Ukraine.
Russia
- The BI-1 rocket-powered prototype aircraft successfully underwent a low-power test at Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, lifting the aircraft about one meter off the ground.
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Taiwan
United Kingdom
- Dr. H. V. Evatt, the Australian representative to the British War Cabinet and the Pacific War Council arrived in the United Kingdom.
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US Pacific Islands
- Chester Nimitz inspected defenses on Sand Island and Eastern Island of Midway Atoll.
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Photo(s) dated 2 May 1942
3 May 1942
- Six German He 111 aircraft attacked Allied convoy PQ-15, sinking ships Botavon (20 were killed), Jutland, and Cape Corso (all 50 aboard were killed) at 0127 hours; 3 aircraft were shot down. At 2230 hours, another air attack came upon PQ-15, damaging the ship Cape Palliser while one Ju 88 aircraft was shot down; the arrival of Soviet Pe-3 aircraft drove off the rest of the German attackers.
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- Destroyer Yuzuki supported the invasion of Tulagi, Solomon Islands.
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- Junyo was commissioned into service.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Adolf Hitler spoke of his habit of keeping an irregular schedule to throw off any potential assassination attempts.
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- German submarine U-455 sank British tanker British Workman 120 miles south of Cape race, Newfoundland at 0638 hours; 6 were killed, 47 survived. At 0824 hours, German submarine U-564 sank British ship Ocean Venus 12 miles off Cape Canaveral, Florida, United States; 5 were killed, 42 survived. At 1054 hours, U-109 sank Dutch ship Laertes also off Florida; 18 were killed, 48 survived.
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- German submarine U-506 sank Nicaraguan ship Sama 60 miles southwest of Miami, Florida, United States at 0812 hours; all 14 aboard survived. German submarine U-125 sank Dominican ship San Rafael with 1 torpedo and 32 rounds from the deck gun 50 miles west of Jamaica at 1723 hours; 1 was killed, 37 survived.
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- USS Yorktown was dispatched toward Tulagi, Solomon Islands.
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British Western Pacific Territories
- Japanese 3rd Kure Special Landing Force captured Tulagi Island and Gavutu Island in the Solomon Islands.
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Burma
- Having fought off the attack by the 1st Burma Division at Monywa, Burma, Japanese 33rd Infantry Division went on the offensive pushing 1st Burma Division back toward Alon.
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Germany
- 81 British bombers (43 Wellington, 20 Halifax, 13 Stirling, 5 Hampden) attacked Hamburg, Germany. The attack killed 77 civilians and wounded 243 at the cost of 5 bombers destroyed.
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Hawaii
- Chester Nimitz departed Midway Atoll and returned to Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
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Philippines
- The Japanese continued to bombard Corregidor in the Philippine Islands by artillery and aircraft.
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- USS Spearfish arrived at Corregidor, Philippine Islands and evacuated 27 military, nursing, and civilian personnel. This would be the last US Navy evacuation mission out of Corregidor before the surrender.
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United Kingdom
- 90 German bombers attacked Exeter, England, United Kingdom.
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- USS Wasp departed Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom with 47 Spitfire fighters aboard, embarking on Operation Bowery aiming to resupply Malta.
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United States
- Robert Johnson began advanced flying training at Kelly Field, Texas, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 3 May 1942
4 May 1942
- German submarine U-564 damaged US freighter Delisle just off the coast 10 kilometers south of Port St. Lucie, Florida, United States, killing 2 of 36 aboard. To the south, U-162 sank US ship Eastern Sword 12 miles north of Georgetown, British Guiana at 0943 hours; 16 were killed, 13 survived. Later in the day, U-162 struck again 40 miles northeast of Anna Regina at 1900 hours, stopping British schooner Florence M. Douglas, forcing her crew to abandon ship, and sinking the schooner with the deck gun. At 1904 hours, U-564 struck again, sinking British tanker Eclipse in shallow waters 3 miles off Daytona Beach, Florida; 2 were killed, 45 survived.
» In-depth article
- In the late afternoon, German submarine U-507 sank US tankers Norlindo (killing 5 of 28 aboard), Munger T. Ball (killing 30 of 34 aboard), and Joseph M. Cudahy (killing 27 of 37 aboard) off the Florida Keys archipelago about 100 kilometers west of the tip of Florida, United States. At 2220 hours, U-125 sank US ship Tuscaloosa City 200 miles west of Jamaica; all 34 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- USS Gar reported sinking of a Japanese ship in daylight after hitting her with one of two torpedoes fired.
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- Destroyer Yuzuki became the flagship of Destroyer Division 23 upon the loss of destroyer Kikuzuki off Tulagi, Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article
- USS Trout sank Japanese auxiliary gunboat Kongosan Maru southeast of Japan.
» In-depth article
- USS Greenling sank Japanese armed merchant cruiser Kinjosan Maru 100 miles north of Truk, Caroline Islands at 1825 hours, killing all aboard.
» In-depth article
- Allied aircraft were launched from Queensland and Horn Island in Australia and from Port Moresby, Australian Papua to detect Japanese naval movements. At 1035 hours, a B-25 Mitchell bomber spotted carrier Shoho and her group.
» In-depth article
- Soviet destroyers Sokrushitelny and Gremyashchy made rendezvous with Allied convoy PQ-15.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- 6 B-26 Marauder bombers from Port Moresby, Australian Papua struck Vunakanau airfield at Rabaul, New Britain, damaging 5 Japanese bombers on the ground, detonating fuel drums, and destroying 2 gas trucks.
British Western Pacific Territories
- USS Yorktown launched 12 TBD Devastor and 28 SBD Dauntless aircraft at 0700 hours, which reached the new Japanese positions at Tulagi in the Solomon Islands at 0850 hours; the attack damaged minelayer Okinoshima and destroyer Kikuzuki. At 1210 hours, a second attack wave hit Tulagi, sinking minesweepers WA-1 and WA-2 and damaging minesweeper Tama Maru; 87 Japanese personnel were killed during this second attack. USS Yorktown lost 3 aircraft, but all air crew were rescued. The Japanese withdrew from Tulagi temporarily, but would very soon return to complete the construction of a seaplane base.
» In-depth article
Burma
- Japanese troops captured Bhamo, Burma. Off the Burmese coast, with increasing malaria cases affecting the garrison's morale, Akyab Island was abandoned.
» In-depth article
Germany
- 121 British bombers (69 Wellington, 19 Hampden, 14 Lancaster, 12 Stirling, 7 Halifax) attacked Stuttgart, Germany, targeting the Bosch factory. All bombs missed the factory buildings but killed 13 civilians and wounded 37. One Stirling bomber was lost during the attack.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a radio message from battleship Kirishima to Isoroku Yamamoto's headquarters noting that due to Kirishima's repair work the battleship would not be able to participate in the upcoming campaign.
» In-depth article
Japan
Philippines
- The Japanese bombardment of Corregidor, Philippine Islands heightened to soften the defenses for invasion scheduled on the next day. On the beaches of nearby Bataan Peninsula, 2,000 Japanese troops began boarding 15 barges.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- HMS King George V arrived at Scapa Flow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 4 May 1942
See all photos dated 4 May 1942
5 May 1942
- German government ruled that deaths of concentration camp prisoners no longer had to be reported to the next of kin.
» In-depth article
- USS Yorktown made rendezvous with USS Lexington south of Tulagi, Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article
- USS Lexington made rendezvous with USS Yorktown south of Tulagi, Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article
- British troops invaded French Madagascar in Operation Ironclad, landing in Courrier Bay at 0430 hours and Ambararata Bay shortly after. French and British troops clashed at Antsirane and Diego-Suárez. From the sea, carrier aircraft from HMS Indomitable and HMS Illustrious attacked the airfield and the port of Diego-Suárez, sinking French submarine Bévéziers, armed merchant cruiser Bougainville, and colonial sloop D'Entrecasteaux. British corvette HMS Auricula struck a mine in the entrance to Diego-Suárez Bay, suffering heavy damage.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-108 sank US freighter Afoundria between Cuba and Haiti. Off Bermuda, U-106 sank Canadian passenger ship Lady Drake (12 were killed, 256 survived) and U-103 sank British ship Stanbank.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-125 sank US ship Green Island and British ship Empire Buffalo off the Cayman Islands.
» In-depth article
Australian Papua
- A B-25 Mitchell bomber spotted Shoho during the day. After dark, 3 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers were brought up from Australia to Port Moresby, Australian Papua and were loaded up with 600-pound bombs for an attack on Shoho.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Germany
- British bombers attacked Stuttgart, Germany for the second consecutive night.
» In-depth article
Japan
Philippines
- After a final bombardment with 16,000 shells, 2,000 Japanese troops landed on the eastern coast of Corregidor, Philippine Islands at about 2345 hours, delivered by 15 barges.
» In-depth article
Russia
- The German 16th Army broke through to Kholm, Russia, relieving the survivors of Gruppe Scherer which had been surrounded since 23 Jan 1942.
» In-depth article
- Soviet patrol ship Rubin, Soviet patrol ship Brilliant, British minesweeper Harrier, British minesweeper Niger, and British minesweeper Gossamer set sail from Polyarny, Russia; they made rendezvous with Allied convoy PQ-15 in the Kola Inlet at 2300 hours.
» In-depth article
6 May 1942
- German submarine U-333 damaged US tanker Java Arrow (2 were killed, 45 survived), sank US tanker Halsey (5 were killed, 23 survived), and sank Dutch freighter Amazone 5 kilometers east of Port St. Lucie, Florida, United States. Further out to sea, U-108 sank Latvian ship Abgara 15 miles southeast of Great Inagua Island, Bahamas.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-507 sank US freighter Alcoa Puritan 60 kilometers south of Mobile, Alabama, United States.
» In-depth article
- HMS Auricula (Lieutenant Commander S. L. B. Maybury), having been damaged by a mine in Courier Bay, Madagascar on the previous day, foundered and sank whilst under tow.
- Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein scored his first kill as a nightfighter pilot.
» In-depth article
- British corvette HMS Auricula, damaged on the previous day by a mine at the entrance of the Diego-Suárez Bay, Madagascar, sank. Meanwhile, on land, British troops made little progress in eastern Madagascar, held down by French defenders. To gain the momentum, British destroyer HMS Anthony dashed into Diego-Suárez Bay at 2000 hours at the risk of being hit by coastal guns and successfully landed 50 Royal Marines at Antsirane to disrupt French rear.
» In-depth article
- US naval auxiliary USS Semmes accidentally rammed and sank British anti-submarine trawler HMS Senateur Duhamel 50 miles east of Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States.
- USS Triton attacked a Japanese convoy off China, sinking freighters Taiei Maru and Taigen Maru.
» In-depth article
- USS Skipjack sank Japanese freighter Kanan Maru in the South China Sea 50 miles northeast of Cam Rahn Bay, French Indochina, hitting her with one of three torpedoes fired; she attacked another target with another spread of three torpedoes, all of which missed the target.
» In-depth article
British Western Pacific Territories
- Starting at 0345 hours, B-17 Flying Fortress bombers took off from Port Moresby, Australian Papua to attack Japanese carrier Shoho which was spotted on the previous day; they attacked at about 0800 hours, causing no damage. Meanwhile, US carriers made rendezvous with Australian cruisers to set up an ambush at the Jomard Passage east of Australian Papua on New Guinea island. Later in the day, carrier aircraft from both sides searched for each other without success; at 2000 hours, the two fleets were merely 80 miles from each other, still not detecting the other party. Elsewhere, the new Japanese seaplane base at Tulagi, Solomon Islands was completed.
» In-depth article
Germany
- British bombers attacked Stuttgart, Germany for the third consecutive night.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a radio message from Kwajalein, Marshall Islands to Yokosuka, Japan noting the need for additional aircraft radio equipment for use with the AK campaign.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille received temporary command of the squadron 3 Staffel I./JG-27.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
Philippines
- Before dawn, US and Filipino defenders in the East Sector of Corregidor, Philippine Islands fought against the Japanese amphibious assault launched just prior to midnight, killing 1,200 men of the 2,000-strong first wave of attack. At 0930 hours, the Japanese began to gain a beachhead and began landing tanks to support the invasion. The US 4th Marine Regiment reserve companies and the US 4th Marine Battalion (reserve) launched an unsuccessful counterattack. Acknowledging the hopelessness of the situation, Major General Jonathan Wainwright ordered his troops to surrender at 1030 hours. To prevent capture, US Marines Colonel S. L. Howard ordered all regimental and national colors of the 4th Marine Regiment burned to prevent capture, while other US and Filipino personnel scuttled gunboats and destroyed ammunition stores.
» In-depth article
7 May 1942
Aden
- The floatplane of Japanese submarine I-30 conducted a reconnaissance mission over Aden, Aden Protectorate.
» In-depth article
Atlantic Ocean
- German submarine U-162 sank Norwegian ship Frank Seamans 30 miles northwest of Paramaribo, Suriname at 0800 hours; all 27 aboard survived. To the north, destroyer USS Dallas attacked and damaged German submarine U-333 off Florida, United States, forcing the submarine to set a course for France for repairs, ending her war patrol early.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-507 sank Honduran ship Ontario with the deck gun 100 miles south of Mobile, Alabama, United States at 0335 hours; all 45 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
France
- German SS Major General Oberg was placed in charge of police in occupied France.
Iceland
- Allied convoy QP-11 arrived at Reykjavík, Iceland at 0700 hours.
» In-depth article
Indian Ocean
- British Fleet Air Arm Swordfish aircraft of HMS Illustrious spotted French submarine Le Héros off Courrier Bay, Madagascar at 0500 hours and attacked with depth charges; Le Héros attempted to evade by diving, but ultimately would be forced to surface and would be scuttled by her own crew to prevent capture.
» In-depth article
Madagascar
- With British Royal Commandos gaining a foothold at Antsirane and British troops slowly advancing toward Diego-Suárez, Madagascar, French morale became shaken and would soon surrender. The French coastal guns at the Orangia Peninsular continued to fire, however, until British battleship HMS Ramillies fired warning shots at the batteries before noon. British warships entered Diego-Suárez Bay at about 1200 hours.
» In-depth article
Malta
- General Lord Gort was appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Malta in succession to Lieutenant-General Sir William Dobbie.
» In-depth article
Mediterranean Sea
- HMS Eagle, with 17 Spitfire fighters aboard for delivery to Malta, joined the convoy containing USS Wasp off Gibraltar.
» In-depth article
Pacific Ocean
- At Coral Sea, Japanese carriers attacked US oiler Neosho and destroyer Sims thinking they were a carrier and cruiser, while US carriers attacked escort carrier Shoho and nearby cruisers and destroyer thinking it was part of the main carrier force. At 1747 hours, 12 Japanese dive bombers and 15 torpedo bombers in search of the US carrier fleet was intercepted by 11 US fighters; 9 Japanese and 3 US aircraft were destroyed during the subsequent engagement. At the end of the day, both sides decided against a night battle and prepared for new attacks at dawn.
» In-depth article
- USS Astoria covered USS Yorktown during the Battle of the Coral Sea.
» In-depth article
- Shoho sank in the Coral Sea at 1135 hours after an hour-long carrier aircraft attack that saw 13 bomb and 5 torpedo hits; 631 were killed, 203 survived.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- USS SKipjack attacked a Japanese transport in the South China Sea; all three torpedoes missed.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- The Japanese troops completed the occupation of all the forts on Corregidor, Philippine Islands. Meanwhile, from the capital of Manila, Jonathan Wainwright announced the surrender over the radio, under supervision of a Japanese censor.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 7 May 1942
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8 May 1942
- Between 0907 and 0915 hours, Shokaku was severely damaged by three bomb hits. One tore open the port bow and started a fire in the forecastle. The second struck the end of the flight deck to starboard. The third hit the starboard side of the rear of the island, damaging gun tubs and the mainmast. Large fires broke out. She was able to evade all torpedoes successfully. Escorted by Ushio and Yugure, she was detached and was able to evacuate the battle area at full speed. 108 officers and men were killed by the fires and explosions, and another 40 wounded.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Japanese and US carrier fleets at Coral Sea discovered each other in the morning, each closing in to attack. Japanese carrier Shokaku was damaged by 3 bombs at 1057 hours (223 casualties), while American carrier USS Lexington was hit by two bombs at 1120 hours (191 killed; would soon be lost) and American carrier USS Yorktown was hit by a bomb (66 casualties). Meanwhile at Port Moresby, an Australian cruiser force successfully defended itself against land-based aircraft attack as it blocked the Japanese invasion fleet for Port Moresby, New Guinea. As both sides withdrew due to damage and losses, the Japanese scored a tactical victory, but lost strategic momentum as the Port Moresby must now be delayed.
» In-depth article
- The German 11.Armee began its Crimean offensive.
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- German submarine U-564 sank US freighter Ohioan 10 kilometers north of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States, killing 15 of 37 aboard. On the same day, U-136 sank Canadian sailing ship Mildred Pauline with the deck gun off Nova Scotia, Canada.
» In-depth article
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Rabaul.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- The US 3rd Marine Brigade convoy arrived off Apia, American Samoa; its commander assumed military control of Western Samoa.
- Japanese troops captured Myitkyina, Burma.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-507 sank Norwegian ship Torny in the Gulf of Mexico.
» In-depth article
- USS Lexington was damaged by bombs at 1120 hours during the Battle of the Coral Sea, killing 191. At 1247 hours, the leaking gasoline was detonated by fire, killing a further 25. At 1707 hours, the 2,735 survivors abandoned ship, and the carrier was scuttled by 5 torpedoes from destroyer USS Phelps at 1915 hours.
» In-depth article
- French submarine Monge attacked British carrier HMS Indomitable off Diego-Suárez, Madagascar at 0756 hours; all torpedoes missed. British destroyers HMS Active and HMS Panther counterattacked and sank Monge.
» In-depth article
- USS Grenadier sank Japanese freighter Taiyo Maru 140 miles southwest of Japan. Taiyo Maru was carrying geologists and oil experts to the Dutch East Indies to survey sites for oil production.
» In-depth article
- British minelayer HMS Welshman, disguised as a French destroyer, departed Gibraltar with RAF personnel and 240 tons of supplies for Malta.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Olympus departed Malta ferrying crews of sunken submarines HMS Pandora, HMS P36, and HMS P39, sailing for Gibraltar; HMS Olympus struck a mine and sank later on this date; 89 were killed, 9 survived.
- USS Skipjack attacked a small Japanese convoy, sinking Japanese transport Bujun Maru and damaging transport Taiyu Maru in the South China Sea 140 miles northeast of Cam Rahn Bay, French Indochina; six torpedoes were expended in this attack, three of which found their targets.
» In-depth article
Germany
- 193 British bombers (98 Wellington, 27 Stirling, 21 Lancaster, 19 Halifax, 19 Hampden, 9 Manchester) attacked Warnemünde, Rostock, Germany; the primary target was the nearby Heinkel aircraft factory; 19 British bombers were destroyed during this attack.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii detected hints that Japanese Navy fleet carriers and battleships were being attached, suggesting a large operation was being planned.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Light cruiser Voroshilov bombarded German troop positions near Tash-Alchin, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
Photo(s) dated 8 May 1942
See all photos dated 8 May 1942
9 May 1942
- Shokaku was reassigned to Carrier Division 5, 1st Air Fleet. She was detached to proceed immediately to Japan at top speed, starting a dramatic dash past a cordon of American submarines alerted to intercept the cripple.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Zuikaku was ordered to pursue any American ships remaining in the Coral Sea area.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-352 attacked United States Coast Guard Cutter Icarus 50 kilometers east of Wilmington, North Carolina, United States; both torpedoes missed; Icarus' counterattack damaged U-352, forcing her to surface for the crew to scuttle the submarine; 15 were killed, 33 survived. German submarine U-564 attacked Panamanian tanker Lubrafol 3 miles east of Hillsboro Inlet, Florida, United States, detonating the oil she was carrying, though she would burn for two days before sinking; 13 were killed, 31 survived. German submarine U-162 sank Canadian ship Mont Louis 50 miles north of Anna Regina, British Guiana; 13 were killed, 8 survived.
» In-depth article
- HMS King George V arrived at the Gladstone Dock in Liverpool, England, United Kingdom to repair the damage caused by the 1 May 1942 collision with HMS Punjabi.
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- US Marine Observation Squadron 151 arrived at American Samoa from Norfolk, Virginia, United States.
- By this date, most troops of the Burma Corps had withdrew west of the Chindwin River.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-125 sank Canadian tanker Calgarolite 50 miles west of Grand Cayman island; all 45 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- USS Wasp and HMS Eagle launched 47 and 17 Spitfire fighters, respectively, for Malta; 61 of them would arrive safely to reinforce the island. Meanwhile, to the west, British minelayer HMS Welshman, carrying 240 tons of supplies for Malta and disguised as a French destroyer, encountered Axis aircraft but her disguise kept her safe.
» In-depth article
- German minesweepers M-533 and R-45 collided and sank in the English Channel.
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a Japanese Navy radio message ordering carrier Akagi to make rendezvous with another fleet at Sasebo, Japan on 20 May 1942.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- Troops of the Japanese Kawamura Detachment wiped out American and Filipino troops under Brigadier General William Sharp near Dalig on Mindanao, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 9 May 1942
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10 May 1942
- German Field Marshal Kesselring prematurely announced that Malta had been neutralized. On the same day, British minelayer HMS Welshman, disguised as a French destroyer, arrived at Grand Harbour at Malta with RAF personnel and 240 tons of supplies.
» In-depth article
- In response to reports that Germany might use gas weapons against Soviet troops, Churchill promised that the forces of the United Kingdom would retaliate with gas weapons if German launched them first.
- The Thai Phayap Army invaded Shan State, Burma. In western Burma, Gurkha units, rearguard to the British general retreat, held off another Japanese assault throughout the afternoon; they also withdrew westwards after sundown.
» In-depth article
- A Japanese invasion force departed Rabaul for Ocean (Banaba) and Nauru Islands.
- A new concentration camp was opened near the village of Maly Trostenets near Minsk, Byelorussia.
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- American submarine USS Porpoise rescued 5 USAAF pilots near New Guinea.
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- German submarine U-506 damaged US tanker Aurora 50 kilometers south of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, killing 1 of 50 aboard; Aurora was later towed to Algiers, Louisiana for repairs.
» In-depth article
- Lieutenant Commander Koukichi Mori was named the commander officer of destroyer Yuzuki.
» In-depth article
- P-51 Mustang fighters saw combat for the first time with RAF pilots in the cockpits.
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- German submarine U-588 sank British ship Kitty's Brook 35 miles off of Nova Scotia, Canada; 9 were killed, 25 survived. To the south, U-333 sank British ship Clan Skene 300 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States; 9 were killed, 73 survived.
» In-depth article
- German armed merchant cruiser Thor stopped Australian cargo and passenger transport Nankin with gunfire 1,500 miles west of Australia at 1430 hours, killing 2; Nankin's crew attempted to scuttle the ship, but the attempt was stopped by a boarding party from Thor which took control of the ship.
Australian New Guinea
Egypt
- Operation MG2 commenced from Alexandria, Egypt with British destroyers HMS Kipling, HMS Jackal, HMS Jervis, and HMS Lively aiming to intercept an Axis convoy from Italy to Benghazi, Libya.
Japan
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down two South African Hurricane fighters, Captain Cobbledick at 0913 hours and Lieutenant Flesker at 0915 hours, southeast of Martuba, Libya, raising his kill score to 56.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- US Army General William Sharp received orders from General Jonathan Wainwright to surrender all US and Filipino troops on Mindanao, Philippine Islands, which he complied.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- The German 11th Army pushed through Soviet positions and advanced toward Sevastopol, Ukraine. Meanwhile, Axis aircraft attacked Soviet vessel Chernomorets evacuating 500 wounded troops from the Crimean Peninsula; all aboard the vessel were killed.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 10 May 1942
11 May 1942
- The Japanese invasion fleet (troopships Kinryu Maru and Takahata Maru, cruiser Tatsuta, destroyers Uzuki and Yuzuki, and minelayers Okinoshima (flagship) and Tsugaru) for Ocean (Banaba) and Nauru Islands set sail from Rabaul, New Britain. At 0452 hours, US submarine S-42 attacked the convoy, damaging Okinoshima 125 miles east of Rabaul; one of the destroyers took Okinoshima in tow while the other escorts counterattacked S-42 for six hours, which would cause severe damage, forcing S-42 to end her war patrol early. At 0640 hours, Okinoshima sank in the St. George's Channel.
» In-depth article
- USS Yorktown sailed for Tongatapu, Tonga, British Western Pacific Territories for temporary repair for the damage incurred during the Battle of Coral Sea.
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- USS Enterprise arrived near New Hebrides.
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- USS Hornet arrived near New Hebrides.
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- Amon Göth ordered the Jewish council of Szczebrzeszyn, Poland to pay 2,000 zloty and 3 kilograms of coffee as payment for the cost of the ammunition that would soon be used to execute the local Jewish people.
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- Upon the loss of minelayer Okinoshima, destroyer Yuzuki temporarily assumed the role of Rear Admiral Kiyohide Shimazui's flagship.
» In-depth article
- Bailey was commissioned into service.
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- Australian and American aircraft located the wreck of fleet oiler USS Neosho, damaged during the Battle of the Coral Sea and adrift for four days. Destroyer USS Henley arrived at 1300 hours to pick up the survivors and to scuttle Neosho with gunfire.
» In-depth article
- US Marine Barracks, Fleet Air Base, Naval Operating Base, Iceland, was established.
- German pilot Eduard Neumann was awarded the German Cross in Gold.
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- Six Soviet armies supported by various independent rifle, tank, and cavalry units gathered in preparation of an offensive toward Kharkov, Ukraine. German intelligence gained knowledge of such an offensive and the Germany military prepared for a defense.
» In-depth article
- Panamanian tanker Lubrafol, damaged by German submarine U-564 3 miles east of Hillsboro Inlet, Florida, United States two days prior, finally sank after two days of burning. On the same day, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean 400 miles northeast of Barbuda island, U-502 sank British ship Cape of Good Hope; 37 survived.
» In-depth article
- German Luftwaffe aircraft sank Soviet gunboat Rion and barge Anakriya in the Black Sea, killing 400, most of whom were wounded troops being evacuated from southern Ukraine.
- British destroyers HMS Kipling, HMS Jackal, HMS Jervis, and HMS Lively, having been launched out of Alexandria, Egypt on the previous day to intercept an Axis convoy, was detected by German reconnaissance aircraft based out of Crete, Greece at about 1200 hours. At 1430 hours, 14 German Ju 88 aircraft attacked, sinking HMS Lively 120 miles north of Sidi Barrani, Egypt at 1530 hours (76 were killed). Just before sundown, 7 Ju 88 aircraft attacked again, sinking HMS Kipling (25 were killed) and damaing HMS Jackal (15 were killed) 60 miles north of Sidi Barrani. HMS Jervis rescued 630 survivors and took HMS Jackal, afire, in tow.
- USS S-44 damaged Japanese repair ship Shoei Maru off Rabaul, New Britain, hitting her with two torpedoes at 0957 hours; Shoei Maru would sink at 1440 hours.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a radio message from Nobutake Kondo noting that the occupation force for the upcoming campaign would proceed to Saipan, Mariana Islands to await the launch of the operation. Rochefort determined that this occupation force was likely to sail east rather than south, and Midway Atoll was a likely target.
» In-depth article
Libya
- The 3rd Battalion of the "San Marco" naval infantry regiment of Italian Navy moved to the coast of Gulf of Bomba in Libya in preparation for a planned amphibious operation behind Allied lines, which would never take place.
Malta
- Newly arrived Spitfire fighters at Malta intercepted an Axis air fleet aiming to bomb Malta, shooting down 47 Axis aircraft at the loss of only 3.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Light cruiser Voroshilov bombarded German troop positions near Tash-Alchin, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 11 May 1942
12 May 1942
- Shokaku made rendezvous with Kuroshio, Oyashio, and Hayashio in the Philippine Sea; Ushio and Yugure were released as her escorts. Shokaku avoided more US submarines during her final leg home. However, with the high speeds and gashed bow, the ship took on so much water that she nearly capsized en route.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Naval leaders in Washington DC disagreed with Joseph Rochefort's conclusion that the Japanese was planning on an attack on Midway.
» In-depth article
- The last US troops in the Philippine Islands surrendered on Mindanao.
» In-depth article
- A major Soviet offensive toward Kharkov, Ukraine was launched, beginning with an aerial and artillery bombardment between 0630 and 0730 hours, followed by the ground assault. By the end of the day the Soviets penetrated only about 10 kilometers into the German lines, falling far short of the ultimate goal of having the Soviet 6th and 28th Armies converging west of Kharkov to cut off the city and the German defenders.
» In-depth article
- The US 8th Air Force began arriving in England.
- German submarine U-507 sank US tanker Virginia immediately off the Mississippi River Delta in the Gulf of Mexico, killing 27 of 41 aboard. To the south, U-69 sank Norwegian tanker Lise with torpedoes and the deck gun 90 miles north of Bonaire island; 12 were killed, 21 survived.
» In-depth article
- 2,500 residents of Ivye, Byelorussia were massacred by Germans.
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Queen Carola Harbor near Buka, Bougainville, departing later on the same day.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Massachusetts was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
- The monsoon began in Burma, slowing the retreat of Allied troops into India, but it also stopped Japanese attempts to attack the retreating columns from the air.
» In-depth article
- USS Pollack sank a Japanese patrol vessel with her surface weapons off Japan.
» In-depth article
- USS Astoria arrived at Nouméa, New Caledonia.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-124 sank British catapult armed merchant Empire Dell and British transport Llanover of Allied convoy ONS-92 800 miles west of Ireland at 0200 hours; 2 were killed, 92 survived. At 0340 hours, U-94 also attacked the convoy, sinking Panamanian ship Cocle; 5 were killed, 37 survived. At 0400 hours, U-124 came back for another attack, sinking and Greek ship Mount Parnes and British ship Cristales; 115 were killed. On the North American coast, 50 miles southwest of Anticosti Island, Quebec, Canada, U-553 sank Dutch ship Leto and British ship Nicoya. Finally, at 0540 hours, U-558 sank British anti-submarine trawler HMS Bedfordshire 35 miles south of Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States, killing all 37 aboard.
» In-depth article
- The fire on British destroyer HMS Jackal, damaged by German bombers yesterday and undertow by HMS Jervis, became uncontrollable. Jervis broke the tow and scuttled Jackal by torpedoes north of Sidi Barrani, Egypt and set sail for Alexandria, Egypt.
- Soviet submarine K-23 attacked a German convoy off Nordkyn, Norway but was in turn counterattacked by German escort vessels with depth charges, which sank K-23 with all hands lost.
Egypt
- Italian frogmen raided Alexandria harbor, Egypt, but failed to damage their target, HMS Queen Elizabeth.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Chester Nimitz, based in Pearl Harbor in US Territory of Hawaii, received orders from Ernest King to withdraw William Halsey's carrier task force from areas near Japanese land-based aircraft, but Halsey was to remain in South Pacific region.
» In-depth article
Italy
- Italian 1st Air Force Paratroop Unit was formed at Tarquinia, Italy under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Edvino Dalmas.
Russia
- About 60 survivors of HMS Edinburgh embarked HMS Trinidad at Murmansk, Russia.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Soviet troops began to withdraw from the Kerch peninsula in southern Ukraine, freeing some German resources for the offensive near Kharkov to the north.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 12 May 1942
13 May 1942
- The British Chiefs of Staff approved a major raid against the French port of Dieppe.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-69 damaged American cargo ship Norlantic with two torpedoes at 0338 hours and deck gun at 0347 hours en route between Pensacola, Florida, United States and Venezuela; Norlantic's crew signaled for a ceasefire so the crew could board lifeboats, but U-69 continued to fire sinking the ship at 0411 hours; 12 men were killed during this attack. South of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, U-507 damaged US tanker Gulfprince while U-506 sank US tanker Gulfpenn (killing 13 of 38 aboard).
» In-depth article
- Destroyer Yuzuki arrived at Ocean and Nauru Islands area.
» In-depth article
- Lardner was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
- USS Astoria departed Nouméa, New Caledonia.
» In-depth article
- King George VI of the United Kingdom became Commander-in-Chief of the Home Guard.
» In-depth article
- USS Skipjack sank a Japanese ship in the South China Sea, hitting her with one of four torpedoes fired.
» In-depth article
- German armed merchant cruiser Stier, escorted by torpedo boats Iltis, Kondor, Falke, and Seeadler, attempted to break out into the Atlantic Ocean by running the English Channel. The British attacked with motor torpedo boats, sinking Iltis (115 were killed) and Seeadler (85 were killed) with the loss of MTB 219), but they were not able to stop Stier from reaching Boulogne, France.
- German submarine U-94 sank Swedish ship Tolken and British Batna of Allied convoy ONS-92 in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. To the south, U-128 sank British ship Denpark of Allied convoy SL-109; 21 were killed, 25 survived. 200 miles east of Barbados, U-162 sank US tanker Esso Houston and U-156 sank British ship City of Melbourne and Dutch ship Koenjit.
» In-depth article
- USS Drum sank Japanese cargo ship Shonan Maru 20 miles south of Japan.
» In-depth article
- HMS Trinidad departed Murmansk, Russia after receiving temporary repairs.
Germany
- Adolf Hitler gave Erich Raeder the permission to continue with the construction of Graf Zeppelin.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Chester Nimitz, based in Pearl Harbor in US Territory of Hawaii, informed Ernest King that the next Japanese offensive would likely be aimed at Nauru and Ocean Islands, but it was also possible that the following offensive might be targeting the Hawaiian Islands or even the west coast of the United States, thus King should allow the two carriers currently in the South Pacific to move to the Central Pacific. In the evening, he secretly ordered William Halsey to conduct a show of force with his carrier force in the Tulagi, Solomon Islands area to deter the Japanese from moving against Nauru and Ocean Islands.
» In-depth article
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a radio message of Japanese warships requesting navigation charts of the Oahu, Hawaii area. Some time later, the team intercepted a message ordering aircraft transport ship Goshu Maru to embark the seaplane unit at Emidj island, Jaluit Atoll, Marshall Islands and sail to Saipan, Mariana Islands to join the AF campaign. Realizing that AF must already have a seaplane base or was a good location for a future seaplane base, Rochefort further confirmed that AF was Midway Atoll. Later in the evening, he sent this report to Chester Nimitz and the naval leadership in Washington DC, United States.
» In-depth article
Japan
- Isoroku Yamamoto was granted audience with Emperor Showa, who congratulated him on the success in the Battle of Coral Sea. Knowing that the tactical victory was not as glorious as it appeared, Yamamoto was notedly ambiguous on his responses to the emperor.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down two Australian P-40 fighters, Sergeant Colin McDiarmid at 1010 hours and Flying Officer H. G. Pace at 1015 hours, near Ain el Gazala, Libya, raising his kill score to 58. Marseille's aircraft was damaged during this engagement, but he was able to fly his fighter back to base, overheated (from loss of engine oil) and with unbalanced propeller. His fighter would be out of action for two days for repairs.
» In-depth article
Panama Canal Zone
- USS S-31 completed her second defensive patrol off the Panama Canal Zone.
» In-depth article
Russia
- HMS Trinidad departed Murmansk, Russia, escorted by 4 destroyers.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Soviet troops advanced 10 kilometers toward Kharkov, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 13 May 1942
14 May 1942
- USS Tangier arrived at Nouméa, New Caledonia with flying boats, thus freeing fleet carriers from scouting duty.
- The US Congress established the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps.
- German submarine U-564 sank Mexican tanker Potrero del Llano off Florida, United States; 13 were killed, 22 survived. German submarine U-106 sank Mexican tanker Faja de Oro off Key West, Florida, killing 3. South of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, U-506 seriously damaged US tanker David McKelvy, killing 17 of 36 aboard; she would later be written off. 50 miles west of Grenada, U-155 sank Belgian ship Brabant. 14 miles southwest by of Grand Cayman island, U-125 sank Honduran ship Comayagua.
» In-depth article
- HMS Vetch attacked and sank the German submarine U-252 in the Atlantic Ocean. 90 miles northeast of Barbados, U-162 sank British tanker British Colony with 6 torpedoes; 4 were killed, 43 survived.
» In-depth article
- USS Tuna sank Japanese transport Toyoharu Maru 65 miles off Sohuksando, Korea.
» In-depth article
- Soviet destroyer Dzerzhinski struck a friendly mine and sank near Sevastopol, Ukraine.
- British RAF aircraft sank German minesweepers M26 and M256 off Cherbourg, France at 1400 hours.
- German minesweeping trawler M-1307 struck a friendly mine and sank in the North Sea.
- British submarine HMS Turbulent sank small Italian vessel San Giusto with her deck gun off Ras el Hilal, Libya at 2100 hours; San Giusto exploded as her cargo of 161 tons of gasoline was detonated.
- Admiral Ernest King finally agreed to allow Vice Admiral Adolphus Andrews to organize cutters and other small armed vessels to protect shipping on the US Atlantic coast.
» In-depth article
- British cruiser HMS Trinidad was damaged by German aircraft, killing 63 in the Barents Sea north of Norway.
- A German Fw 200 Condor aircraft discovered Trinidad off northern Russia at 0730 hours; at 1852 hours, two BV 138 aircraft relieved the Fw 200 aircraft in shadowing the cruiser; at 2200 hours, a wave of aircraft attacked and damaged the cruiser.
» In-depth article
Egypt
- An Allied convoy ran into a minefield laid by German submarine U-561 5 miles off of Port Said, Egypt on 14 Apr 1942; Greek ship Mount Olympus sank while Greek ship Fred and Norwegian ship Hav were damaged by explosions; the fire aboard Hav would grow out of control and she would later be written off.
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort presented his Midway Atoll theory to Chester Nimitz's war plans officer Lynde McCormick. McCormick spent hours at Rochefort's office at the basement of the main navy building in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii and was convinced that Rochefort's theory was likely correct. McCormick would return to Nimitz and would convince Nimitz to agree to this theory.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Newly arrived German aircraft in the Kharkov region in Ukraine overcame Soviet aircraft and halted the northern pincer of the Soviet attack. On the ground, General Ewald von Kleist prepared his German 1st Panzergruppe for a counterattack ordered by Adolf Hitler.
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15 May 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru was detected by American submarine USS Tautog before dawn south of Truk; as the sun rose, USS Tautog noted the hospital ship markings and abandoned her attack. Hikawa Maru arrived at Truk later that day.
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- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Davao, Philippine Islands.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- The retreating Allied columns reached Assam in northeastern India.
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- German submarine U-156 sank Norwegian ship Siljestad 420 miles northeast of Barbados at 0254 hours (2 were killed, 31 survived); several hours later, as Yugoslavian ship Kupa responded to the distress call and arrived to pick up survivors, she was attacked and sunk by U-156 at 2100 hours (2 were killed, 39 survived).
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- The Australian Sparrow Force conducted a raid on Japanese barracks at Dili, Portuguese Timor.
- Damaged British cruiser HMS Trinidad was scuttled by 3 torpedoes from HMS Matchless 170 miles north of Norway after her crew was taken off by destroyers HMS Matchless, HMS Foresight, and HMS Forester.
- Ernest King allowed Chester Nimitz to move the two carriers currently in the South Pacific to move up to the Central Pacific area, but King noted that he was still not convinced that Midway Atoll was the primary target of the suspected Japanese offensive. Later in the same day, Nimitz responded to the message, stressing that he believed the Japanese was likely to launch a three-prong attack against Midway Atoll, Aleutian Islands, and, likely at a two-to-three-week delay, Port Moresby in Australian Papua.
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- Damaged by German aircraft two hours prior on the previous date, the abandon ship order was given by the captain of HMS Trinidad at 0000 hours; at 0120 hours, she was scuttled by a torpedo from HMS Matchless north of Russia.
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Germany
- Lützow departed Kiel, Germany for Ofotfjord in northern Norway.
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India
Japan
Russia
- Soviet test pilot Grigory Bakhchivandzhi made the first powered flight in the experimental Berezniak-Isaev BI-1 rocket-powered interceptor at Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast, Russia, reaching an altitude of 840 meters and reaching the speed of 400 kilometers per hour.
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Ukraine
- Soviet troops attempted a renewed offensive toward Kharkov, Ukraine, but failing to regain momentum.
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Photo(s) dated 15 May 1942
16 May 1942
- USS Enterprise received orders to return to Pearl Harbor.
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- USS Hornet received orders to return to Pearl Harbor.
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- German submarine U-751 sank US freighter Nicarao 50 kilometers east of the Bahamas at 0415 hours; 8 were killed, 31 survived.
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- German submarine U-507 sank Honduran ship Amapala in the Gulf of Mexico at 0000 hours; 1 was killed, 56 survived. German submarine U-506 damaged US tankers Sun and William C. McTarnahan (killing 18 of 38 aboard) and sank US tanker Gulfoil (killing 21 of 40 aboard) 50 kilometers south of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
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- Destroyer Yuzuki departed Ocean and Nauru Islands area for Truk, Caroline Islands.
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- Corsaro was commissioned into service.
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- The first operational use of "Kittybombers" in the western desert (P-40 Kittyhawk fighters equipped with a bomb rack for a 500-lb bomb) occured when six aircraft of No. 112 squadron RAF attacked an enemy camp east of the main road near Bomba, Libya.
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- Japanese bombers attacked Imphal, India.
- USS Tautog damaged Japanese cargo ship Goyo Maru in the Caroline Islands, forcing her to beach to prevent sinking.
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- Pressured by the United States, the French Navy placed Émile Bertin out of service at Fort-de-France, Martinique.
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Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a Japanese radio message containing Chuichi Nagumo's request for weather reports to be submitted to him at a location 50 miles northwest of AF starting from three hours prior to the pre-determined time of attack.
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Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down two Australian P-40 fighters, Sergeant T. V. Teede at 1805 hours and Pilot Officer Dudley Parker at 1815 hours, near Ain el Gazala, Libya, raising his kill score to 60. When Parker's fighter went down, it crashed into another fighter piloted by W. J. Metherall, causing Metherall to crash and become killed; this was not witnessed by the Germans and thus did not count toward Marseille's score.
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Norway
- Prinz Eugen departed Trondheim, Norway for Kiel, Germany to receive further repairs.
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Ukraine
- German troops captured the city of Kerch and the namesake peninsula in southern Ukraine; Soviet troops in the area began a 5-day evacuation under heavy fire.
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- Near Kharkov, Ukraine, the Soviet 28th Army's offensive was halted. To the south, Soviet 6th Guards Cavalry Corps reached Krasnograd, but their support tanks were 15 miles behind the front lines and could not arrive at the front fast enough to maintain the forward momentum.
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17 May 1942
- USS Gar reported damaging a Japanese decoy ship in daylight with one of two torpedoes fired.
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- USS Pollack damaged a small boat with her deck gun off Kyushu, Japan.
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- USS Skipjack sank Japanese ship Tazan Maru off French Indochina.
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- The British RAF launched two strikes against German cruiser Prinz Eugen while she was sailing toward Kiel, Germany. The first wave of 18 aircraft reached the ship but scored no hits; 3 aircraft were shot down. The second wave of 30 aircraft was intercepted by German fighters mid-way; 4 British bombers and 3 German Bf 109 fighters were shot down in action.
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- German submarine U-103 sank US ship Ruth Lykes with her deck gun 200 miles south of the Grand Cayman island at 0044 hours; 6 were killed, 26 survived. Off Grenada, U-155 sank British tanker San Victorio at 0217 hours; 52 were killed, 1 survived). 75 miles south of the mouth of the Mississippi River in southern United States, U-506 sank US tanker Gulfoil at 0534 hours; 21 were killed, 19 survived. At 0952 hours, U-155 struck again, sinking US ship Challenger; 8 were killed, 56 survived.
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- German submarine U-135 sank British ship Fort Qu'Appelle 480 miles east of Long Island, New York, United States; 14 were killed, 11 survived. Further south, also in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, U-653 sank British ship Peisander; all 65 aboard survived. Still further south in the Central Atlantic, German submarine U-156 sank British ship Barrdale at 0904 hours; 1 was killed, 52 survived. Finally, U-432 sank small US trawler Foam (1 was killed, 20 survived) and U-588 sank Norwegian ship Skottland (1 was killed, 23 survived) 85 miles south of Nova Scotia, Canada at about 1800 hours.
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- USS Triton sank Japanese submarine I-64 south of Japan, killing all 81 aboard.
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- USS Tautog attacked Japanese submarines I-22 and I-24 70 miles south of Truk, Caroline Islands at 0648 hours; all torpedoes missed. At 1107 hours, she discovered I-28 and attacked again, this time sinking the target, killing all 88 aboard.
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- HMS Eagle launched 17 Spitfire and 6 Albacore aircraft for Malta; the Spitfire fighters successfully reached Malta, but the Albacore torpedo bombers returned due to engine trouble. Later in the day, 6 Italian SM.79 torpedo bombers attacked her, but all torpedoes missed.
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Caroline Islands
Hawaii
- USS Flying Fish departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol.
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Japan
Philippines
Ukraine
- German troops began capturing large numbers of artillery pieces and munitions around Kerch, Ukraine, which they would later use against Sevastopol.
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- German 1st Panzer Army attacked Soviet troops at Izium, Ukraine, breaching the Soviet lines and capturing Barvenkovo. The spearhead of the Soviet offensive continued toward Kharkov, however, despite the actions behind it.
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United States
- From Washington DC, United States, Ernest King sent Chester Nimitz a message noting that King was now in agreement with the theory that Midway Atoll was likely one of the primary targets in the upcoming Japanese offensive. Later in the day, King messaged Harold Stark in London, England, United Kingdom, ordering him to relay the explanation for the US Navy removing two carriers from the South Pacific to British liaison officers. Also on this day, the US Office of Naval Intelligence also voiced its agreement in a report to King that the Japanese Navy code name AF was likely Midway Atoll.
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- Submarine Gunnel was launched at Groton, Connecticut, United States, sponsored by the wife of US Navy Chief of the Bureau of Yards and Docks Ben Morell.
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Photo(s) dated 17 May 1942
18 May 1942
- The newspaper New York Times published an article in an inside page that Germans had killed 100,000 Jews in the Baltic states, 100,000 in Poland, and 200,000 in Russia.
- The Royal Navy rejected American request for one of the three British carriers in the Indian Ocean to serve in the Southwest Pacific.
- Most of the retreating troops of BURCORPS reached India.
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- German submarine U-162 sank Norwegian tanker Beth (sailing in service of the British Royal Fleet Auxiliary force) off Barbados at 0210 hours. U-558 sank Dutch ship Fauna 25 miles northwest of British North Caicos island at 0615 hours. German submarine U-156 sank American ship Quaker City 460 miles east of Martinique at 1018 hours; 10 were killed, 29 survived. At 1852 hours, U-156 fired what would be the first of four torpedoes at British tanker San Eliseo between this evening and the next morning as she unsuccessfully chased the tanker.
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- German submarine U-125 sank US tanker Mercury Sun in the Caribbean Sea at 0606 hours. At 2150 hours, U-125 struck again, sinking US ship William J. Salman.
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- Soviet submarine ShCh-205 sank Turkish ship Duatepe with torpedoes and schooner Kaynardzha with the deck gun 10 miles off Bulgaria; these ships were suspected of smuggling weapons to southern Ukraine for German forces.
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- British submarine HMS Turbulent arrived in the Gulf of Sirte north of Libya in the early hours of the day. At 0510 hours, 50 miles northwest of Benghazi, she spotted and sank Italian ship Bolsena.
- Sydir Kovpak was made a Hero of the Soviet Union for the first time.
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Australian Papua
- Australian 14th Militia Brigade arrived at Port Moresby, British Territory of Papua on New Guinea island.
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Germany
- RAF bombers conducted a raid on Mannheim, Germany.
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- Prinz Eugen arrived at Kiel, Germany to receive a new stern, which was destroyed on 23 Feb by a torpedo from HMS Trident.
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Hawaii
- USS Hornet departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for Midway Atoll.
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- At Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, Edwin Layton informed Joseph Rochefort that while Chester Nimitz would like to receive further evidence that Midway Atoll was indeed the next Japanese target. Meanwhile, Chester Nimitz ordered William Halsey to bring his carrier group back to the Hawaiian Islands as a precaution.
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Russia
- Nikita Khrushchev phoned Joseph Stalin at Moscow, Russia, requesting Stalin to pause the Kharkov offensive in Ukraine in order to focus on other more important campaigns; Stalin rejected the request.
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Ukraine
- 14th and 16th Panzer Divisions of the German 1st Panzer Army destroyed 130 Soviet tanks in combat in Ukraine, forcing Soviet forces to evacuate forward airfields at Izium and Petrovskaia. Semyon Timoshenko requested for permission to fall back from his positions near Kharkov, Ukraine due to this latest German counteroffensive; Joseph Stalin refused to grant his permission, ordering Timoshenko to continue the westward offensive.
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Photo(s) dated 18 May 1942
19 May 1942
- Japanese submarine-based seaplanes conducted a scouting mission over Fiji and Zanzibar.
- German submarine U-506 sank US freighter Heredia 100 kilometers southwest of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States at 0856 hours, killing 36 of 62 aboard. Between Jamaica and Haiti at 1040 hours, U-751 sank US ship Isabela, killing 3 of 36 aboard. 200 kilometers southeast of New Orleans and 200 kilometers west of Havana, Cuba, U-103 sank US freighter Ogontz, killing 19 of 41 aboard.
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- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Manila, Philippine Islands.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Italian submarine Cappellini sank Swedish ship Tisnaren 600 miles north of Natal, Brazil at 0030 hours; all 40 aboard survived. Sweden was a neutral nation, and Tisnaren had large Swedish flags painted on both sides of the ship.
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- British submarine HMS Thrasher sank Italian merchant ship Penelope 20 miles east of Bari, Italy at 1153 hours.
Germany
- All but 40 of the Polish prisoners at Oflag IV-C prisoners of war camp at Colditz Castle in Germany were transferred to another camp.
- 198 British bombers (105 Wellington, 31 Stirling, 29 Halifax, 15 Hampden, 13 Lancaster, and 4 Manchester aircraft) attacked Mannheim, Germany; most bombs would miss the target. 11 bombers were lost on this attack.
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Hawaii
- US Navy intelligence officer Lieutenant Commander Jasper Holmes arrived at the idea that Midway Atoll could send out a fake message regarding the water distiller breaking down, thus the base desperately needed a supply of fresh water. Holmes' superior Joseph Rochefort gave him the permission to execute this idea in the hopes that the Japanese would pick up this message and provide Rochefort's team a clue on whether the Japanese Navy's reference of AF pointed at Midway Atoll. Rochefort's team also began to find the mention of a new code name, MI, in Japanese messages starting on this date; Rochefort quickly determined it to be the operational code name for the strike on Midway Atoll.
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Japan
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down a P-40 fighter piloted by Australian Flight Sergeant Ivan Young at 0720 hours near Fort Acroma, Libya and damaged another P-40 fighter. The kill he scored might had actually been scored by his wingman Reiner Pöttgen.
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Ukraine
- A surprise German pincer movement threatened to trap a large contingent of Soviet troops at Izium near Kharkov, Ukraine. Joseph Stalin belatedly granted permission for the troops to withdraw.
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United Kingdom
20 May 1942
- Japanese troops completed the conquest of Burma. All Allied troops previously under the command of William Slim (who was transferred to Indian XV Corps) were reassigned to the British IV Corps, thus dissolving the Burma Corps.
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- US Navy Rear Admiral John S. McCain was named Commander, Air, South Pacific; in this position he directed operations of tender-based and land-based aircraft in the South Pacific.
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- American submarine USS S-39 conducted a reconnaissance mission at the Deboyne Islands north of New Guinea.
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- Tatsuta Maru departed Manila, Philippine Islands.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Japanese submarine I-68 was renamed I-168.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-155 damaged Panamanian freighter Sylvan Arrow (of the Standard Oil and Transportation Company) 40 miles southwest of Grenada, killing 1 of 44 aboard; there would be an attempt to tow her back to port, but she would ultimately sink before she reached port. 60 kilometers west of Havana, Cuba, German submarine U-753 sank American liberty ship George Calvert with three torpedoes; 10 of 61 aboard were killed during the attack, and 3 survivors were killed while being captured by the Germans; the survivors of George Calvert were freed after interrogation and sent to Cuba on lifeboats. Also on this date in the Gulf of Mexico, U-506 sank US tanker Halo 50 kilometers south of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States, killing 21 of 42 aboard; all but 3 of the survivors would not live before being rescued.
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- US Marine Corps airfield Cunningham Field was commissioned into service in North Carolina, United States. It would later be known as Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
- USS Pollack sank two small boats with her deck gun off Kyushu, Japan.
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- Light carrier Hosho was assigned toe the Main Body Air Force of the 1st Fleet.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-108 sank Norwegian tanker Norland 500 miles east of Bermuda; all 48 aboard survived. Also in the middle of the North Atlantic, U-158 sank British tanker Darina, killing 6 of 56 aboard. In the South Atlantic, German armed merchant cruiser Michel stopped Norwegian ship Kattegat at 1845 hours, captured the crew of 32, and sank the ship.
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Egypt
- German submarine U-431 sank British ship Eocene 10 miles off Sollum, Egypt; all 43 aboard survived.
Hawaii
- The Japanese, having intercepted the fake message regarding Midway Atoll's water distiller breaking down, reported to the invasion fleet the news and advised the fleet to take on additional supplies of fresh water. This message was intercepted by the US Navy radio intelligence team at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, and it allowed the US to confirm that the target of the next Japanese offensive was indeed Midway Atoll. In response, US Navy and Marine Corps dispatched reinforcements to Midway Atoll and the Aleutian Islands in expectation of an assault. On the same day, US Navy intelligence also intercepted a Japanese message containing the order of battle for the Midway Atoll and Aleutian Islands assaults; this message would be decrypted over the next several days.
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Japan
Ukraine
- German 6th Army and 1st Panzer Army captured Protopopovka, Ukraine, further threatening the Soviet troops at Izium with encirclement. The Soviets continued to make break out attempts, but they were frustrated by German aircraft.
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United Kingdom
- Vyacheslav Molotov, the Soviet Minister for Foreign Affairs, met with Winston Churchill in London, England, United Kingdom and demanded to be told the date of the Second Front when British troops would again land in Europe. Churchill tried to explain that the time was not appropriate for an attack against fortress Europe (Dunkirk was still fresh in his mind and he had no desire to repeat the performance) until Britain was strong enough in arm, men and assault craft for such an ambitious operation. Angrily Molotov declared that he was not satisfied with Churchill's excuses and threatened to come to terms with the Germans unless the Allies came to the assistance of the Soviet Union immediately.
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United States
Photo(s) dated 20 May 1942
See all photos dated 20 May 1942
21 May 1942
- The US Navy established the North Pacific force, initially with 2 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, 4 destroyers, 9 destroyer escorts, 5 submarines, and 107 aircraft.
- Northrop P-61 Black Widow night fighter took flight for the first time.
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- USS Pollack fired four torpedoes at a Japanese carrier off Kyushu, Japan; all torpedoes missed.
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- Aleksandr Vasilevsky was awarded the Order of Lenin for the first time.
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- German submarine U-103 sank US ships Clare at 0348 hours (all 40 aboard survived) and Elizabeth at 0415 hours (6 were killed, 36 survived) 40 miles west of Cuba. A few minutes later, at 0421 hours, U-106 sank Mexican tanker Faja de Oro to the north; 10 were killed, 27 survived. German submarine U-69 sank Canadian ship Torondoc 60 miles northwest of Martinique at 0753 hours; all 21 aboard survived as observed by the Germans, but none would be seen again. 40 miles northwest of Jamaica, U-558 sank Canadian ship Troisdoc by the deck gun at 1917 hours; all 18 aboard survived. U-156 sank Dominican ship Presidente Trujillo off Fort de France, Martinique at 1829 hours; 24 were killed, 15 survived.
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- German submarine U-159 sank British ship New Brunswick (3 were killed, 59 survived) and damaged British fleet oiler Montenol (3 were killed, 61 survived) of Allied convoy OS-28 140 miles east of the Azores islands at 0323 hours.
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- The US Navy cryptanalytic team in Melbourne, Australia belatedly voiced its agreement that the Japanese Navy was likely targeting Midway Atoll. In Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, Joseph Rochefort furnished the official report noting that Midway Atoll was confirmed as the Japanese target. Chester Nimitz, who had already began to prepare for such an attack, ordered his carriers to exercise radio silence to prevent the Japanese from learning of his attempt to gather Pacific Fleet carriers at Pearl Harbor.
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- Allied convoy QP-12 departed Murmansk, Russia; it was consisted of 17 merchant ships, escorted by 1 catapult aircraft merchantman, 6 destroyers, 4 trawlers, and 1 anti-aircraft vessel. From the other end of the Arctic convoy route, PQ-16 departed Reykjavík, Iceland with 35 merchant ships, 1 minesweeper, and 4 trawlers.
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Caroline Islands
- Destroyer Yuzuki departed Truk, Caroline Islands for Saipan, Mariana Islands.
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Japan
Philippines
- Japanese troops occupied Leyte and Samar in the Philippine Islands unopposed.
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Ukraine
- German 6th Army and 1st Panzer Army continued to threaten the Soviet troops near Izium, Ukraine with encirclement.
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United States
- George Marshall and Henry Stimson met in Washington DC, United States, concluding that there was a risk that the Japanese fleet suspected of sailing for Midway Atoll could actually be planning on conducting a major air raid against cities on the west coast of the United States.
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Photo(s) dated 21 May 1942
22 May 1942
- Five Japanese I-class submarines, carrying 4 midget submarines and 1 aircraft, departed for Sydney, Australia.
- German submarine U-588 sank US freighter Plow City 150 kilometers east of New Jersey, United States at 2010 hours, killing 1 of 30 aboard. U-158 sank Canadian ship Frank B. Baird with the deck gun 465 miles southeast of Bermuda; all 23 aboard survived.
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- German submarine U-753 stopped British schooner E. P. Theriault with the deck gun 90 miles north of Cuba at 0730 hours and damaged her with depth charges during a failed scuttling attempt; the wreck would float and beach at Cuba, where she would later be repaired and pressed into Cuban service.
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Australian New Guinea
- Japanese merchant ship Naruto Maru arrived at Rabaul, New Britain.
Japan
Ukraine
- In Ukraine, German 14th Division and 16th Panzer Division occupied Chepel and Bayrak, while 3rd Panzer Division and 23rd Panzer Division reached Chervonyi Donets and Krasnaia Gusarovka, closing the gap on the Soviet forces near Izium.
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23 May 1942
- The British Commander-in-Chief of the Home Forces ordered an end to "blood-lust inculcation" in battle training.
- The United Stats Marine Corps established the Training Center, Fleet Marine Force at Marine Barracks, New River, North Carolina, United States. It was to include all Fleet Marine Force units and replacements except the 1st Marine Division.
- Japanese and Chinese troops clashed along the Hsipaw-Mogok road in northern Burma.
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- German submarine U-432 sank British ship Zurichmoor 150 miles southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States just after 0000 hours, killing all 45 aboard. At 2200 hours, in the same general area, U-588 sank British ship Margot; 1 was killed, 44 survived.
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- German submarine U-103 sank US tanker Samuel Q. Brown 100 miles east of Cozumel, Mexico at 0926 hours; 2 were killed, 53 survived. U-155 sank Panamanian ship Watsonville just off Saint Vincent island in the Lesser Antilles islands.
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- Soviet submarine ShCh-205 sank Turkish merchant ship Safak off Burgas, Bulgaria; Safak was suspected of bringing arms for German troops fighting in Ukraine.
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- US Navy intelligence officers determined that the Japanese fleet targeting Midway Atoll would likely depart on 26 May 1942.
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- The close escort force for Allied convoy PQ-16 was reinforced by 4 corvettes, 2 submarines, and 1 anti-aircraft vessel.
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Japan
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down two Baltimore bombers over Tobruk, Libya at 0720 and 0730 hours.
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Ukraine
- German 14th Division and 16th Panzer Division, moving northward, and German 3rd Panzer Division and 23rd Panzer Division, moving southward, linked up, thus completing the encirclement of the Soviet 6th Army and 57th Army at Izium, Ukraine. In the same area, German troops captured Chepel to prevent the Soviet 38th Army from attacking the eastern side of the newly formed encirclement.
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Photo(s) dated 23 May 1942
24 May 1942
- German forces launched Operation Hannover to clear the Bryanks-Vyazma rail line of partisans.
- The first battalion of Spanish volunteers who fought under the German banner returned to Spain after completing a tour in Russia; up until this point, only the wounded were sent back to Spain from the Eastern Front.
- All American warships in the Coral Sea area were recalled to Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii in anticipation of the Japanese attack on Midway Atoll.
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- German submarine U-502 sank Brazilian ship Gonçalves Dias 100 miles south of Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic; 6 were killed, 39 survived. U-103 sank Dutch ship Hetor 60 miles northwest of Grand Cayman island at 1640 hours; 2 were killed, 29 survived.
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- British trawler HMS Retriever broke away from Allied convoy PQ-16 and returned for Iceland.
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Alaska
- The floatplane of Japanese submarine I-9 conducted a reconnaissance mission over Kiska and Amchitka Islands in the US Territory of Alaska.
Australian New Guinea
- 3 US B-26 Marauder bombers attacked Rabaul, New Britain, destroying the Genzan Air Group headquarters building and destroying four land-attack aircraft on the ground; 2 of the US bombers were damaged during this attack.
Japan
New Zealand
- Warrant Officer Susumo Ito, flying in a submarine-based (submarine I-21) E14Y aircraft, conducted a photographic reconnaissance mission over Auckland, New Zealand. The Auckland airport controllers mistook the Japanese aircraft for a friendly one and turned on the landing lights.
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Taiwan
- USS Pompano sank Japanese fishing vessel Kotoku Maru with the deck gun 20 miles northeast of Taiwan.
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Ukraine
- Soviet troops at Izium, Ukraine were completed surrounded by German troops.
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United Kingdom
- German bombers attacked the Royal Navy seaplane training center at Poole in southern England, United Kingdom.
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Photo(s) dated 24 May 1942
25 May 1942
- Captain Jojima was relieved by Captain Arima Masafumi as the commanding officer of Shokaku.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- USS S-28 arrived at Port Angeles, Washington, United States.
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- Companies C and D of the 2nd Raider Battalion and the 37mm battery of the 3rd Defense Battalion of the United States Marine Corps arrived at Midway via USS St. Louis.
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- German He 111 torpedo bombers and Ju 88 bombers attacked Allied convoy PQ-16 475 miles northeast of Iceland; one He 111 was shot down by a British Hurricane fighter. To the east, German Fw 200, Bv 138, and two Ju 88 aircraft successively shadowed QP-12 starting at 1400 hours; British catapult aircraft merchantman Empire Moon launched her Hurricane fighter which shot down a Ju 88 aircraft but Flying Officer John Kendal would die when his parachute failed to open in time after he bailed out. At 1910 hours, 6 German Ju 88 and 7 He 111 aircraft attacked QP-12, damaging US freighter City of Joliet.
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- Destroyer Yukikaze arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands.
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- USS Drum sank Japanese merchant ship Kitakata Maru 125 miles southwest of Tokyo, Japan.
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- USS Pompano sank Japanese tanker Tokyo Maru 50 miles west of Okinawa, Japan.
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- USS Tautog sank Japanese merchant ship Shoka Maru 440 miles southwest of Ulithi, Caroline Islands.
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- Japanese submarine I-9 launched her floatplane for a reconnaissance mission over Adak and Kanaga islands in the Aleutian Islands; on the same day, the Japanese Northern Area Fleet under Admiral Boshiro Hosogaya departed Japan for the conquest of nearby Attu and Kiska islands. On the US side, the Japanese radio message intercepted on 20 May 1942 was partially decrypted, giving the Americans a good idea of the scale of the Midway attack; the Americans missed one critical component, however, as the part regarding the battleship fleet, with Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's personal participation aboard battleship Yamato, was not decrypted.
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- 1942-05-25 German submarine-558 sank US ship Beatrice 50 miles southwest of Kingston, Jamaica at 0134 hours; 1 was killed, 30 survived. At 1552 hours, U-156 damaged destroyer USS Blakeley off Martinique, blowing away 60 feet of bow with a torpedo (6 were killed, 116 survived); Blakeley would be able to make it to Port de France, Martinique for temporary repairs.
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Australian New Guinea
- Engineers and staff officers of the Japanese 25th Air Flotilla and 8th Base Force departed Rabaul, New Britain by flying boat to inspect prospective airfield building sites on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands.
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Caroline Islands
- Destroyer Yuzuki arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands. She was assigned to Destroyer Division 29 of Destroyer Squadron 6 of the Fourth Fleet.
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India
- Chinese 38th Infantry Division began to cross the border from Burma into India.
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Ukraine
- Soviet troops trapped at Izium, Ukraine made a major attempt to break the encirclement in failure, and the continued German pressured reduced the Soviet pocket to an area roughly 10 miles wide and 2 miles deep.
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United States
- German submarine U-593 sank Panamanian tanker Persephone 10 miles off New Jersey, United States at 2053 hours; 9 were killed, 28 survived.
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Photo(s) dated 25 May 1942
26 May 1942
- USS Kitty Hawk delivered to Midway Atoll the 3-inch anti-aircraft group of 3rd Defense Battalion, 5 light tanks of a light tank platoon for mobile reserve, 16 SBD-2 aircraft, and 7 F4F-3 aircraft, all of which were of the United States Marine Corps.
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- US Navy Vice Admiral Halsey fell ill.
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- US Navy Rear Admiral Spruance took over the responsibilities of Vice Admiral Halsey.
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- German submarine U-103 sank US tanker Alcoa Carrier between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands at 0416 hours; all 35 aboard survived. At 1100 hours, U-106 sank US tanker Carrabulle 150 miles south of Louisiana, United States; 22 were killed, 18 survived. Beginning at 2000 hours, U-106 pursued US ship Atenas on the surface in the Gulf of Mexico, exchanging gunfire; Atenas would ultimately be able to escape, though suffering some damage.
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- The Japanese Navy Carrier Striking Force, composed of four carriers and an escort of battleships and lesser ships, sortied from the Inland Sea of Japan for Midway Atoll. In the Aleutian Islands in northern Pacific Ocean, Japanese submarine I-9 launched her floatplane for a reconnaissance mission over Kiska. In Japan, the naval leadership instructed the various fleets and bases to prepare for a new radio encryption scheme that would be deployed very soon.
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- German submarine U-703 attacked Allied convoy PQ-16 780 miles northeast of Iceland at 0259 hours, sinking US merchant ship Syros (two torpedo hits, detonating cargo of ammunition); 9 were killed, 30 survived (but 2 of the survivors would later die from exposure). 8 German He 111 and 3 Ju 88 aircraft also attacked PQ-16, but they failed to cause any damage.
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Australian New Guinea
- Japanese merchant ship Naruto Maru departed Rabaul, New Britain for Yokohama, Japan.
- US pilot Major Felix Hardison flew a lone B-17E bomber to attack Rabaul, New Britain at night time.
Hawaii
- USS Enterprise arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
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- USS Hornet arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
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Japan
Libya
- A feint was launched by German General Ludwig Crüwell at the center of the Gazala Line in Libya, drawing Allied troops away from the main offensive to be launched on the next day. All available Axis tanks were assigned to the main offensive, and Crüwell's men mounted unused aircraft engines on trucks to create dust clouds similar to those caused by tank movements.
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- In Libya, Erwin Rommel released 620 Indian prisoners of war originally from the Indian 3rd Motor Brigade.
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Ukraine
- Soviet troops in the pocket at Izium, Ukraine captured Lozovenka to the east during their breakout attempt, but overall German pressure caused the pocket to shrink to the size of about 15 square kilometers.
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United Kingdom
- The United Kingdom and the Soviet Union signed a treaty in London, England, United Kingdom, with terms including the agreement that neither party would seek a separate peace with Germany, a 20-year alliance, the refusal to join any treaty against one another, and the pledge not to interfere in each other's internal affairs.
Photo(s) dated 26 May 1942
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27 May 1942
- Yamato was deemed operational.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- The 152 members of a student group that openly displayed anti-Nazi posters in Berlin were shot.
- US Marine Corps Fighter Squadron 212 began operations from Efate, New Hebrides.
- Thai forces captured Kengtung, Burma.
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- USS Astoria arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
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- From Saipan and Guam in the Mariana Islands, an invasion fleet carrying 5,000 Japanese troops departed for Midway Atoll under Rear Admiral Raizo Tanaka. In the northern Pacific Ocean, Japanese submarine I-25 launched her floatplane for a reconnaissance mission over Kodiak Island, US Territory of Alaska, which spotted a US cruiser and two destroyers. To the west, still in the Aleutian Islands, I-19 was preparing to launch her floatplane when lookouts spotted an American aircraft; the submarine dove for cover, destroying the floatplane in the process. In Japan, the naval leadership affected a radio encryption coding change for all fleets and bases. At Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, Joseph Finnegan and Wesley Wright, two intelligence officers working under Joseph Rochefort, broke the Japanese encryption used to secure operational dates after working on it for the entire previous night; with this new knowledge they determined that the Japanese were going to raid Dutch Harbor in Alaska on 3 Jun 1942 and to attack Midway Atoll on 4 Jun 1942. Finally, Rochefort visited Chester Nimitz's office to help him convince other admirals and generals of their belief that Midway was soon to be a Japanese target.
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- German submarine U-578 sank Dutch ship Polyphemus 340 miles north of Bermuda just after 0000 hours; 15 were killed (all of Chinese ethnicity), 60 survived. German submarine U-172 sank British tanker Athelknight 1,260 miles northwest of Saint Barthélemy island at 0319 hours; 9 were killed, 25 survived.
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- German submarine U-558 sank US Army transport Jack 100 miles southwest of Port Salut, Haiti at 1051 hours; 37 were killed, 23 survived. German submarine U-753 sank Norwegian tanker Hamlet in the Gulf of Mexico at 1103 hours; all 36 aboard survived.
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- German aircraft attacked Allied convoy PQ-16 west of Norway in multiple waves. The first attack arrived over PQ-16 at 0320 hours, causing no damage. At 1100 hours, US freighter City of Joliet suffered a near miss. At 1310 hours, US freighter Alamar was hit by two bombs and was abandoned 20 minutes after with all aboard surviving. At 1315 hours, US ship Mormacsul was sunk by 1 bomb hit and 3 near misses; 3 were killed, 45 survived. At 1410 hours, British catapult aircraft merchantman Empire Lawrence was sunk after receiving 5 hits; 25 were killed. In the afternoon, Russian ship Stari Bolshevik, British ship Empire Baffin, and Polish ship Garland were damaged by German attacks, followed by US ship City of Joliet being damaged after being struck by a crashing German dive bomber (she would be abandoned at the end of the day). At 1945 hours, British merchant ship Empire Purcell was hit by 2 bombs and was abandoned. Finally, at 1950 hours, British merchant ship Lowther Castle was hit by a torpedo from a He 111 bomber and sank.
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- British minesweeper HMS Fitzroy hit a British mine and sank in the North Sea 43 miles east of Great Yarmouth, England, United Kingdom; 12 were killed. On the same day, a German Ju 87 Stuka aircraft sank British anti-submarine trawler HMT Arctic Pioneer off Portsmouth Harbour, England; 18 were killed, 16 survived.
British Western Pacific Territories
- Engineers and staff officers of the Japanese 25th Air Flotilla and 8th Base Force arrived at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands by flying boat to inspect prospective airfield building sites.
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Czechoslovakia
- Nazi official Reinhard Heydrich departed his home in Panenské Brežany for his office at the Prague Castle in Prague, Czechoslovakia in the morning without his usual escort. British-trained Czech soldier Jozef Gabcík and others attacked his car at Liben, seriously wounding Heydrich with a grenade.
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Hawaii
- USS Yorktown arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii at 1420 hours. 1,400 dock workers were assigned to attempt to repair her, damaged from Battle of the Coral Sea, in time for the impending Midway battle.
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Japan
Libya
- The main offensive against the Gazala Line in Libya, which was a mobile tank assault around the southern end of the line, was launched by Axis armor divisions. Several Allied supply bases were overrun, including those guarded by men of the Indian 3rd Motor Brigade, but the French-held fort at Bir Hakeim, Libya would prove to be troublesome for the Axis forces for many days. While the left side of the offensive paused at Bir Hakeim, the right side reached El Adem by mid-morning, capturing the headquarters element of the British 7th Armored Division, including the commanding officer General Frank Messervy.
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Ukraine
- Light cruiser Voroshilov delivered troops of the Russian 9th Naval Infantry Brigade to Sevastopol, Ukraine, suffering damage by German air attack but also claiming two He 111 aircraft shot down.
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- German troops captured Lozovenka near Kharkov, Ukraine.
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Photo(s) dated 27 May 1942
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28 May 1942
- USS Enterprise departed Pearl Harbor for Midway.
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- Japanese Navy changed code books.
- American freighter Sylvan Arrow (of the Standard Oil and Transportation Company), damaged by German submarine U-155 on 20 May 1942, sank in the Caribbean Sea while under tow. On the same day, U-103 sank US tanker New Jersey 90 miles southwest of Grand Cayman island (41 survived) in the Caribbean Sea, U-502 sank US ship Alcoa Pilgrim (31 were killed, 9 survived) in the Caribbean Sea, and U-106 sank British ship Mentor (4 were killed, 82 survived) in the Gulf of Mexico.
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- A force of about 500 US Army troops moved from Efate to Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides to build an airfield in support of the proposed Solomon Islands landings.
- Winston Churchill despatched Lord Louis Mountbatten, the British Chief of Combined Operations, to Washington DC, United States to persuade the Americans that an invasion across the English Channel into occupied France would, at this time, only lead to disaster. As an alternative he proposed an Anglo-American landing in French North Africa later in the year. Mountbatten was authorised to tell the Americans that Great Britain would only agree to a 1942 attack across the Channel if the Soviets were to be in immediate danger of surrendering.
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- Allied convoy PQ-16 encountered heavy fog but managed to remain with each other by keeping eyes on fog buoys towed by the ship immediately in front of each trailing ship.
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- German submarine U-155 sank Dutch ship Poseidon 150 miles east of Martinique; all 32 aboard survived. Far to the northeast, U-506 sank British ship Yorkmoor with 55 round from her deck gun; all 45 aboard survived.
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- USS Salmon sank Japanese passenger-cargo ship Ganges Maru in the South China Sea.
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- Seaplane tender USS Tangier conducted a small raid on Tulagi in the Solomon Islands; during the attack, she transmitted radio messages that were purposefully composed as if she was a fleet carrier, thus giving the Japanese a false impression that the US was still operating fleet carriers in the South Pacific when in actuality all fleet carriers had been shifted back to the Hawaiian Islands.
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Hawaii
- USS Yorktown moved into Dry Dock No. 1 at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii at 0645 hours.
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- USS Hornet departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for Midway Atoll.
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Japan
Libya
- The Allies began counterattacks two days after the Axis offensive began in Libya, forming the "Cauldron" that attempted to envelope Axis forces on three sides. British General Neil Ritchie still believed that the feint that the Axis forces launched on 26 May 1942 near the coast to be the main attack, however, thus refusing to send additional tanks to the southern end of the Gazala Line.
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Ukraine
- Semyon Timoshenko ordered all offensives in the Kharkov, Ukraine region to cease, thus effectively conceding the Second Battle of Kharkov and granting victory to the German Unternehmen Fridericus I. When all actions were wrapped up, the Germans would count over 200,000 prisoners of war, 1,200 tanks, and 2,000 artillery pieces captured.
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Photo(s) dated 28 May 1942
29 May 1942
- The Main Body of the Japanese Midway invasion fleet set sail; it was consisted of Battleship Division 1 (Yamato, Nagato, Mutsu), light carrier Hosho, seaplane/submarine tenders Chiyoda and Nisshin, light cruiser Sendai of Destroyer Squadron 3, nine destroyers, and Supply Group No. 1; the Main Body remained 600 miles behind the Carrier Striking Force. Meanwhile, the transport fleet set sail from Saipan in the Mariana Islands; it was consisted of 15 transports.
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- En route to the Aleutian Islands, USS S-28 received new orders due to a potential Japanese attack at Midway, thus starting her first war patrol.
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- The Commonwealth CA-12 Boomerang fighter made its maiden flight, only fourteen weeks after its design had been approved and an initial order for 105 machines placed.
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- USS Finback arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
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- A lifeboat containing survivors of Dutch ship Polyphemus, which was sunk by German submarine U-578 on 27 May, was stopped by U-566; after some questioning, the German crew provided the survivors some water and pointed them toward the east coast of the United States.
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- German submarine U-156 sank British ship Norman Prince 60 miles west of Saint Lucia, Lesser Antilles islands at 0103 hours; 16 were killed, 32 survived. At 0217 hours, U-107 sank British ship Western Head 10 miles south of Rio Seco, Cuba; 24 were killed, 6 survived. Finally, U-50 sank British ship Allister 54 miles south of Grand Cayman island at 2337 hours; 15 were killed, 8 survived.
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- Japanese submarine I-21 launched her floatplane for a reconnaissance mission over Sydney, Australia.
- Soviet submarine A-3 sank Romanian vessel Sulina in the Black Sea.
- Soviet submarine ShCh-214 sank Turkish vessel Hudarvendigar in the Black Sea.
- British destroyers HMS Hero, HMS Eridge, and HMS Hurworth forced German submarine U-568 to surface and be scuttled 40 miles northeast of Tobruk, Libya with a depth charging that lasted 16 hours; all 47 aboard survived.
- British submarine HMS Turbulent fired four torpedoes at an Italian convoy 135 miles northwest of Benghazi, Libya at 0700 hours; one torpedo struck and sank Capo Arma, while another circled back over the submarine and then proceed to strike and sink destroyer Emmanuele Pessagno.
- USS Swordfish sank Japanese transport Tatsufuku Maru, already damaged by USS Seal on the previous day, between Dutch Borneo and the Philippine Islands.
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- Allied convoy QP-12 arrived at Reykjavík, Iceland. To the east, PQ-16 sailed in the opposite direction. As PQ-16 neared Murmansk, Russia, they were joined by Soviet destroyers Grozny, Sokrushitelny, and Kuibyshev at 1150 hours and then 6 British destroyers several hours later. At 2200 hours, the convoy broke into two groups, one sailing for Murmansk and another sailing for Arkhangelsk further east. At 2330 hours, the Murmansk group came under attack by 18 German aircraft and the Arkhangelsk group by 15 German aircraft; no ships were sunk, and several aircraft on both sides were shot down, including one piloted by Double Hero of the Soviet Union Boris Safonov, killing him.
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- A Free French Bren Carrier patrol led by Captain Lamaze and accompanied, in person, by Colonel Mitakvari of the Foreign Legion, was surprised while patrolling in the open desert by a section of Italian M13 tanks which managed to get between the patrol and its perimeter defences. They were only rescued by the timely intervention of Captain Messmer (9th company 3/13th battalion) who would later become the Minister of Defence in the Charles de Gaulle regime in the 1960s.
France
- 77 British aircraft (31 Wellington, 20 Halifax, 14 Lancaster, 9 Stirling, 3 Hampden) attacked the Gnome et Rhône aircraft engine factory at Gennevilliers northwest of Paris, France, causing little damage; 34 French civilians were killed, 167 were injured; 5 bombers were lost in this mission.
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Hawaii
- USS Yorktown was refloated and moved out of Dry Dock No. 1 at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. She received fuel and a new air complement from nearby Kaneohe Nava Air Station.
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Japan
Libya
- An Italian supply convoy got through the British minefield and reached the Axis forces in the "Cauldron" south of Tobruk, Libya, which British General Neil Ritchie still failed to realize was the main assault force. To the north near the coast, the Storch observation aircraft which General Ludwig Crüwell was aboard was shot down, leading to his capture.
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Ukraine
United Kingdom
Photo(s) dated 29 May 1942
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30 May 1942
- The Japanese intercepted, but could not decode, a report by USS Cuttlefish returning from patrol near Saipan, Mariana Islands. Around midnight, the Japanese Navy 6th (Submarine) Fleet at Kwajalein, Marshall Islands also reported monitoring messages exchanged by two American task groups located 170 miles north-northeast of Midway Atoll, moving westwards. Aboard battleship Yamato, Admiral Yamamoto suggested that the information be relayed to the First Air Fleet flagship carrier Akagi, but senior staff officer Captain Kuroshima cautioned not to break radio silence. Elsewhere, the transport fleet of the Japanese Aleutian invasion fleet set sail from the main island of Honshu of the Japanese home islands; it was consisted of 8 transports. In the northern Pacific Ocean, Japanese submarine I-25 surfaced for the launching of her floatplane for a reconnaissance missiong over Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands; an American cruiser sailed near by luck but failed to spot the submarine; I-25 would continue with the reconnaissance mission after a short while.
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- British Royal Air Force Flying Officer Leslie Manser, from 50 Squadron at Skellingthorpe, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for remaining with his doomed Manchester bomber while his crew parachute to safety.
- Before dawn, the floatplane of Japanese submarine I-10 conducted a reconnaissance mission over Diego-Suárez harbor, Madagascar, spotting British battleship HMS Ramillies, a tanker, a freighter, and an ammunition ship. At 1740 hours, I-16 and I-20 launched midget submarines M-16b and M-20b 10 miles from Diego-Suárez. M-20b fired her torpedo at 2025 hours, damaging HMS Ramillies and putting her out of action for a year. At 2120 hours, corvettes HMS Genista and HMS Thyme counterattacked with depth charges but failed to hit the Japanese midget submarines. Shortly after, M-20b fired her second torpedo, sinking British tanker British Loyalty.
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- German submarine U-155 sank Norwegian ship Baghdad in the center of the Atlantic Ocean at 0651 hours; 9 were killed, 21 survived. At 1024 hours, U-404 sank US freighter Alcoa Shipper further north, killing 7 of 32 aboard.
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- Escort carrier Activity was launched.
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- The Chinese 38th Division completed its move to India.
- USS Astoria departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for Midway Atoll.
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- British submarine HMS Proteus sank Italian ship Bravo 70 miles west of Benghazi, Libya.
- USS Pompano sank Japanese troop transport Atsuta Maru 80 miles east of Okinawa, Japan.
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Alaska
- USS S-35 reached the western Aleutian Islands and began patrolling the area.
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Byelorussia
- Joseph Stalin finally approved the establishment of a Central Staff for Partisan Warfare under the direction of Byelorussian Communist Party Secretary Panteleimon Ponomarenko. The irregulars would now be organized along military lines with Red Army Commanders and NKVD officials to run them.
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Germany
- By adding 367 training aircraft, British Air Marshal Harris managed to mount the first thousand-plane raid against Germany (the actual count was 1,046), Operation Millennium. Originally targeted for Hamburg, it was switched to Köln due to weather. Over 1,400 tons of explosives were dropped on that city during the night of 30-31 May 1942, killing 500, injuring 5,000, and making nearly 60,000 homeless. 40 British bombers failed to return. The German government estimated that Köln received 900 tons of high explosive and 110,000 incendiary bombs, and about 400 were killed.
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- Paul von Kleist was mentioned in the Wehrmachtbericht daily radio report.
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Hawaii
- USS Yorktown, having received rushed repairs from 1,400 dock workers, departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for Midway Atoll.
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Libya
- Axis forces attacked westward in Libya, the direction the offensive originated from, in order to consolidate territories recently taken.
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- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down the RAF P-40 fighter piloted by Australian Flight Sergeant George Buckland at 0605 hours over El Adem, Libya, which was his 65th kill. After the mission, he drove to the site of the crash after hearing from his comrades that his victim bailed but the parachute did not open; he found the remains, retrieved identification papers, and made a flight over a British airfield to let the British know what happened to Buckland.
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Russia
- 21 ships of the Allied convoy PQ-16 arrived in the Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia at 1600 hours.
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United States
- Submarine Runner was launched at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, United States, sponsored by the wife of John H. Newton.
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Photo(s) dated 30 May 1942
31 May 1942
- USS Colorado patrolled 650 miles west of San Francisco, California, United States.
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- Monowitz labor camp, later to become Auschwitz III, opened on this date, housing forced laborers charged with building the Buna-Works for the German chemical firm I. G. Farben.
- I-168 arrived in the Midway Atoll vicinity.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- British airfield RAF Bassingbourn's station log noted that from this date, when there were missions, "all personnel, officers, NCOs, and airmen to be served in the future in the airmen's mess."
- Unyo was commissioned into service.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Lord Gort stepped down as the Governor of Gibraltar.
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- USS Pollack damaged a small boat with her deck gun off Kyushu, Japan.
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- USS Finback departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for the anticipated Japanese attack on Midway Atoll.
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- Soviet submarine ShCh-214 sank Turkish ship Mahbubdihan in the Black Sea; Mahbubdihan was suspected of carrying supplies for German troops.
- Japanese submarine I-10 launched her floatplane for a reconnaissance mission over Diego-Suárez harbor, Madagascar to evaluate damage caused by the midget submarine attack that had taken place during the previous night.
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- German submarine U-432 sank Canadian ship Liverpool Packet off Nova Scotia, Canada at 0140 hours; 2 were killed, 19 survived. At 0252 hours, U-506 sank British ship Fred W. Green with gunfire 200 miles southeast of Bermuda; 5 were killed, 36 survived. In the South Atlantic, Italian submarine Comandante Cappellini sank British Royal Fleet Auxiliary tanker Dinsdale, hitting her with 4 of 6 torpedoes fired; 5 were killed.
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- British submarine HMS Proteus sank Italian merchant ship Gino Allegri 90 miles west of Benghazi, Libya.
Australia
- Japanese submarines I-22, I-24, and I-27 launched three midget submarines 7 miles off of Sydney, Australia. At 2235 hours, one was caught in torpedo nets and was scuttled by her own crew of two (both were killed in the process). The two others continued into Sydney Harbor.
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii intercepted a radio message noting that carrier Zuikaku's air group was being transferred out of the carrier, which provided a strong hint that Zuikaku was not going to participate in the upcoming offensive. Later on the same day, Chester Nimitz informed his carrier task forces commanders that the Japanese attack would likely take place on 3 Jun 1942, and the Japanese would be operating four fleet carriers.
» In-depth article
Libya
- 50 trucks reached Bir Hakeim in Libya, bringing badly-needed fresh water and evacuating Indian troops and Italian prisoners of war. After sundown, Axis tanks attacked westward from within the Cauldron on the southern end of the Gazala Line, assaulting positions held by British 150th Brigade.
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- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down the P-40 fighter piloted by Major Andre Duncan at 0726 hours near Fort Acroma, Libya. Two minutes later, he shot down his first victim's wingman. At 0734 hours, he scored his third kill of the day. His score stood at 68 by the end of this date.
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United Kingdom
United States
- USS Maryland patrolled 650 miles west of San Francisco, California, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 31 May 1942
1 Jun 1942
- French, Dutch, Belgian, Croatian, Slovakian, and Romanian Jews were ordered to wear yellow stars.
- Heinrich Himmler was placed in charge of Luftschutz, or Air Raid Protection, in Germany.
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- Hitler traveled to Poltava to confer with Feldmarschall von Bock on the next offensive.
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- The Treblinka Concentration Camp in Poland began operation.
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- The Japanese Navy changed its operational code.
- German submarine U-404 sank US freighter West Notus with gunfire 400 kilometers east of North Carolina, United States, killing 4 of 40 aboard. Further east in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, U-566 sank British ship Westmoreland; 3 were killed, 65 survived.
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- German submarine U-107 sank Panamanian ship Bushranger west of Cuba at 0354 hours; 17 were killed, 26 survived. At 1140 hours, U-106 sank US freighter Hampton Roads 150 kilometers west of Havana, Cuba; 7 were killed, 23 survived. At the end of the day at 2351 hours, U-156 sank Brazilian ship Alegrete between Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent in the Antilles islands; all 64 aboard survived.
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- USS S-28 suffered a fire in her port main motor, but it was extinguished with minor damage.
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- Mexico declared war on Germany.
- The United States Marine Corps began recruiting African-Americans.
- Rear Admiral Sadayoshi Yamada asked Vice Admiral Nishizo Tsukahara for the authorization to build an airfield on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
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Australia
- Two Japanese midget submarines entered Sydney Harbor in Australia in the final hours of the previous day. One of them, M-24, was able to fired two torpedoes at cruiser USS Chicago just after 0000 hours; missing the American cruiser, one of the torpedoes hit the breakwater, sinking nearby barracks ship HMAS Kuttabul (21 were killed, 10 were wounded). M-24 would be able to escape the harbor; her crew abandoned the midget submarine 13 miles north of Sydney but was never seen again. The other midget submarine was depth charged and destroyed by Australian auxiliary patrol boats HMAS Steady Hour, HMAS Sea Mist, and HMAS Yarroma at 0500 hours, killing both men aboard.
Germany
- 956 British bombers (545 Wellington, 127 Halifax, 77 Stirling, 74 Lancaster, 71 Hampden, 33 Manchester, 29 Whitley) attacked Essen, Germany, causing little damage; 31 bombers were lost on this attack. This attack was billed as a 1,000-bomber raid.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii reported signs that their counterparts in Japan were monitoring carrier radio traffic in the Hawaiian Islands; Rochefort warned Nimitz of this fact, but the US carrier groups would not change their behavior.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Axis tanks broke through positions held by British 150th Brigade at Sidi Muftah, killing Brigadier Clive Haydon, which caused 3,000 British troops to surrender. This cut off the last remaining supply line into Bir Hakeim.
» In-depth article
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down the P-40 fighter piloted by British Pilot Officer Collet over Gadd el Ahmar, Libya; it was his 69th kill.
» In-depth article
Russia
- 8 ships of the Allied convoy PQ-16 arrived at Arkhangelsk, Russia. On the same day, German Ju 88 bombers attacked the harbor at Archangelsk, sinking the ship Steel Worker and damaging Soviet submarine ShCh-404.
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United Kingdom
United States
- USS Saratoga departed San Diego, California for Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
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Photo(s) dated 1 Jun 1942
2 Jun 1942
- USS Yorktown made rendezvous with USS Enterprise and USS Hornet 350 miles northeast of Midway. Rear Admiral Fletcher took overall tactical command of this fleet.
» In-depth article
- USS Enterprise made rendezvous with USS Yorktown and USS Hornet 350 miles northeast of Midway. Rear Admiral Fletcher took overall tactical command of this fleet.
» In-depth article
- USS Hornet made rendezvous with USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise 350 miles northeast of Midway. Rear Admiral Fletcher took overall tactical command of this fleet.
» In-depth article
- About 50 German Jews from Berlin arrived at Theresienstadt Concentration Camp. They were the first German Jews to arrive at this camp.
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- US Navy deployed 25 submarines west of Midway in an attempt to detect the incoming Japanese fleet, while Midway-based US Army B-17 bombers attacked Japanese transports 600 miles west of the atoll, inflicting no damage.
» In-depth article
- I-168 observed Sand Island, Midway Atoll with her periscope, reporting heavy aircraft activity.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Vichy French government granted Germany the use of the port of Bizerta, Tunisia to bring in food, clothing, and other supplies not directly related to the military. Troops, military equipment, and ammunition were explicitly forbidden.
- Remy Van Lierde, flying a Spitfire Mk.Vb fighter, damaged a German Do 217 bomber over Skegness, Lincolnshire, England, United Kingdom.
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- Light carrier Hosho launched aircraft to search for light cruiser Sendai and destroyer Isonami which had fallen out of formation due to heavy fog.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-159 sank US ship Illinois 450 miles southeast of Bermuda at 0253 hours; 32 were killed, 6 survived. In the same general area at 0255 hours, U-558 sank Dutch ship Triton with the deck gun; 6 were killed, 30 survived. Several hours later, U-553 sank British ship Mattawin off northeastern United States at 0718 hours; all aboard survived. Between 0332 and 0705 hours, U-213 gave chase to Norwegian ship Berganger, which evaded all 5 torpedo attacks, but at 2027 hours she would fall prey to U-578 southeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States; 4 were killed, 43 survived. Finally, 85 miles south of Freetown, British West Africa, Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci sank Panamanian schooner Reine Marie Stewart.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-158 sank US ship Knoxville west of Cuba at 0257 hours; 2 were killed, 55 survived.
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- Australian auxiliary patrol boat HMAS Kuru arrived at Portuguese East Timor from Australia, delivering supplies to the Sparrow Force.
- British Baltimore aircraft of No. 815 Naval Air Squadron attacked German submarine U-652 12 miles northeast of Bardia, Libya; the crew of U-652 abandoned the submarine after sustaining heavy damage; all 46 aboard were later rescued by U-81.
Germany
- 195 British bombers (97 Wellington, 38 Halifax, 27 Lancaster, 21 Stirling, 12 Hampden) attacked Essen, Germany, causig little damage; 14 bombers were lost on this attack.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Troops of German 90th Light Division and Italian Trieste Division mounted a new attack on the French-held fort of Bir Hakeim, Libya; French General Kœnig refused to surrender.
» In-depth article
Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
Ukraine
- German forces began a 5-day bombardment of Sevastopol, Ukraine. One the ground, large weapons such as the 600mm Mörser Karl mortars and the 800mm "Gustav" railway gun were used. From the air, hundreds of sorties delivered 500 tons of high explosives, damaging port facilities, fuel tanks, and water pumps at the cost of only one Ju 87 dive bomber.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
Photo(s) dated 2 Jun 1942
3 Jun 1942
- German submarine U-156 sank British schooner Lillian with her deck gun; 3 were killed, 22 survived.
» In-depth article
- In the morning, US PBY Catalina aircraft discovered the location of the Japanese transports west of Midway Atoll. At 1230 hours, nine Midway-based B-17 bombers launched from Midway, reaching and attacking Japanese transports 660 miles to west at 1830 hours, inflicting no damage; meanwhile, US Navy Task Forces 16 and 17 changed course in an attempt to gain a more favorable battle for the upcoming battle. On the Japanese side, submarines arrived to form a cordon to detect American warship movements from the Hawaii Islands toward Midway Atoll; they did not realize that the American carriers had already passed. Far to the north, aircraft from Japanese carriers Ryujo and Junyo bombed Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska; one of the Zero fighters sustained damage and unsuccessfully crash-landed on Akutan Island. In response, US Navy dispatched a task force of 5 cruisers and 4 destroyers to counter the Japanese attacks in the Aleutian Islands.
» In-depth article
- I-168 circled Midway Atoll to provide weather data and other observations to the headquarters of the Combined Fleet.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- German General Rommel sent French General Kœnig a hand-written note, urging the surrender of Bir Hakeim in Libya to avoid needless bloodshed: "To the troops of Bir Hakeim. Further resistance will only lead to pointless loss of life. You will suffer the same fate as the two Brigades which were at Got el Ualeg and which were exterminated the day before yesterday - we will cease fighting as soon as you show the white flag and come towards us unarmed". Kœnig ignored the request.
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- Rear Admiral James L. Kauffman was named the commanding officer of the US Navy Gulf Sea Frontier.
- Light carrier Hosho sailed ahead of the Southern Force into the Midway area.
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- A new British government plan for the coal industry was submitted to parliament in a White Paper, and Major Gwilym Lloyd George was appointed Minister of fuel, light and power.
- HMS Eagle launched 31 Spitfire fighters for Malta.
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- German submarine U-172 sank US ship City of Alma 400 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico at 0410 hours; 29 were killed, 10 survived. At 1000 hours, U-404 sank Swedish ship Anna 245 miles northwest of Bermuda after 5 hours of pursuit; all 17 aboard survived. 40 miles west of Nova Scotia, Canada, U-432 forced the occupants of two small US fishing boats to abandon the vessels before sinking them with her deck gun at 2100 hours. To the south, German submarine U-126 gave Norwegian tanker Høegh Giant east of Guyana.
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- Japanese submarine I-24 attacked Australian coastal freighter Age with her deck gun and a torpedo 35 miles east of Sydney, Australia at dusk; Age was able to escape. 90 minutes later, I-24 came across Australian ship Iron Chiefton and sank her with a torpedo; 12 were killed.
Alaska
- USS S-35 spotted Japanese aircraft en route to raid Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska.
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China
- Joseph Stilwell arrived in Chongqing, China. Later on the same day, Stilwell met with Chiang Kaishek who urged for more Lend-Lease supplies; in the same meeting, Stilwell asked Chiang to purge the Chinese officer corps of those responsible for the recent poor performance in Burma.
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Germany
- 170 British bombers attacked Bremen, Germany, killing 83 at the cost of 11 bombers lost.
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Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille engaged in the longest single aerial battle of his career over Bir Hacheim, Libya, shooting down six P-40 fighters (at 1222 hours, 1225 hours, 1227 hours, 1228 hours, 1229 hours, and 1233 hours), pushing his score up to 75. He used up only 12 cannon rounds and about 360 machine gun rounds in this fight.
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Malaya, Singapore, and Borneo
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Photo(s) dated 3 Jun 1942
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4 Jun 1942
- Akagi launched strikes against Midway Atoll. She was subsequently attacked by numerous enemy land and carrier-based aircraft. At 1026 hours, she was attacked by three aircraft from USS Enterprise, suffering one direct hit amidships in the vicinity of the island, starting a fire in the hangars. A second hit ripped through the fantail and exploded under the port quarter. The third bomb released at her was a near-miss port-side forward. Although normally the damage would had been moderate, the vessel was currently engaged in preparing a strike, with the result that the single bomb hit induced explosions among armed and fueled aircraft within hangars and start a raging aviation gasoline fire. Since she was in a maximum turn at the time, Akagi's rudder was damaged, and soon jammed at 20 degrees to port, leaving her going in wide circles. Unable to command the fleet from her now, at 1046 hours Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo transferred flag first to Nowaki, then to Nagara. Akagi's engines worked erratically, with the ship starting and stopping, but she went dead in the water for good at 1350 hours. By 1600 all non-essential personnel had left the ship, though Captain Aoki and a damage control party remained aboard. The vessel burned through the evening and next night, but remained afloat.
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- Hitler traveled to Finland to meet with Marshal Mannerheim.
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- Japanese carriers launched 72 bombers and 36 fighters against the airfield at Midway Atoll at 0430 hours, hitting the atoll at 0620 hour and doing limited damage. Starting at 0700 hours, US carriers launched torpedo bombers and dive bombers against the Japanese fleet. Japanese carriers wiped out the first few waves of US air attacks, but at about 1030 hours dive bombers were able to hit Soryu, Kaga, and Akagi. USS Yorktown was hit by Japanese dive bombers at about 1200 hours and by torpedo bombers at 1440 hours, forcing Rear Admiral Fletcher to transfer his flag to cruiser Astoria. At 1703 hours, the last undamaged Japanese carrier Hiryu was hit by a dive bomber. Soryu would sink at 1913 hours (711 were killed, 392 survived), and Kaga would be scuttled at 1925 hours (811 were killed, 900 survived).
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- I-168 observed the first Japanese attack on Midway Atoll through the periscope.
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- Michio Kobayashi passed away.
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- Reinhard Heydrich passed away.
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- French troops at Bir Hakeim, Libya repulsed another Axis attack.
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- Mitsuo Fuchida was injured after being thrown by an explosion aboard Akagi, breaking both ankles.
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- Shortly after midnight the Italian submarine Luigi Torelli bound for a patrol area off Puerto Rico was attacked by Squadron Leader Jeaff Greswell's (No. 172 Squadron RAF) Leigh Light equipped Wellington bomber. The attack (the first to be made using a Leigh light) caused extensive damage to the Italian submarine, which was forced to abort her mission and return to port for repairs.
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- USS Astoria became the temporary flagship of Rear Admiral Frank Fletcher as USS Yorktown was hit by Japanese aircraft.
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- Light carrier Hosho's aircraft located the burning wreck of carrier Hiryu off Midway Atoll.
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- German submarine U-126 sank Norwegian tanker Høegh Giant 400 miles east of Guyana at 0140 hours; all 39 aboard survived. Just after dawn, German armed merchant cruiser Stier stopped British ship Gemstone, took off the crew, and sank her with a torpedo 750 miles northeast of Natal, Brazil.
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- German submarine U-159 sank Norwegian ship Nidarnes 20 miles west of Cuba at 0400 hours; 13 were killed, 11 survived. 150 miles northwest of Trinidad, U-502 sank US tanker MF Elliott at 2156 hours; 13 were killed, 29 survived.
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- British submarine HMS Trusty sank Japanese cargo ship Toyohashi Maru 20 miles south of Phuket, Thailand.
- Japanese submarine I-27 attacked Australian coastal freighter Barwon off Gabo Island 260 miles south of Sydney, Australia at 0535 hours, failing to sink her. At 1645 hours, I-27 struck again, sinking Australian cargo ship Iron Crown; 37 were killed, 5 survived. An Australian Hudson bomber dropped two 250-pound bombs on I-27 but failed to do any damage.
- Kaga was struck by at least four bombs during the Battle of Midway and suffered a great fire. She was scuttled at 1925 hours by two torpedoes from destroyer Hagikaze. 814 were killed in her loss.
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Caroline Islands
Japan
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille originally received orders that he was to be sent back to Germany to be awarded Oak Leaves to his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross, but on this date Albert Kesselring would personally arrive in Libya to deliver the citation (without the physical award). On the same day, he was ordered to prepare to become commanding officer of the squadron 3 Staffel I./JG-27.
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Photo(s) dated 4 Jun 1942
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5 Jun 1942
- Akagi was scuttled by direct order of Combined Fleet chief Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. At 0520 hours, she sank bow first after two or three torpedo hits out of four fired into her starboard side by Arashio, Hagikaze, Maikaze and Nowaki. She sank in position 30-30 N, 178-40 W. More than 1,070 survivors were rescued, including her skipper Taijiro Aoki, who had replaced Hasegawa in the spring, though he had to be ordered off the ship. Only 263 petty officers and men were lost. Survivors were subsequently transferred from destroyers to Mutsu, one of the battleships in Yamamoto's Main Body. Akagi became the first Japanese capital ship to be scuttled by own ships in the Pacific War.
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- Kurt Daluege was named Deputy Protector of Bohemia and Moravia.
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- The Nazi SS organization reported that 97,000 people had been killed in mobile gas vans.
- US President Roosevelt threatened the use of poison gas against Japan if Japanese troops were to deploy poison gas in China.
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- US Navy Task Force 1 with 6 battleships and carrier Long Island made rendezvous west of San Francisco, California.
- At 0015 hours, Yamamoto ordered the night engagement at Midway to be canceled; at 0255 hours, he ordered the entire Operation MI to be canceled. In the battle zone, heavily damaged Japanese carriers Akagi and Hiryu were scuttled. To the west, heavy cruisers Mogami and Mikuma suffered a collision as they attempted to avoid submarine USS Tambor; Mogami suffered 92 killed and heavy damage in the collision. Far to the north, in the Aleutian Islands, aircraft from Japanese carriers Ryujo and Junyo attacked Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska as Japanese troops occupied Attu.
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- Unternehmen Vogellied (Operation Birdsong): In the Roslavl and Bryansk region in Russia, 5,000 German security troops tracked down a destroyed a 2,500-strong partisan group.
- United States declared war on Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania.
- I-168 surfaced 1,100 yards southwest of Midway at 1024 hours and fired 6 shots with her 10-centimeter deck gun, inflicting no damage. When she was caught by American searchlights, she submerged and evaded American return-fire. She survived two subsequent attacks, one by a patrol vessel and another by PBY Catalina aircraft, incurring no damage.
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- Joichi Tomonaga passed away.
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- Tamon Yamaguchi went down with the sinking carrier Hiryu. He was promoted to the rank of vice admiral posthumously.
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- Ryusaku Yanagimoto passed away.
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- Tomeo Kaku passed away.
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- German submarine U-172 sank US ship Delfina 120 miles north of Puerto Rico at 0608 hours; 4 were killed, 27 survived. At 2210 hours, U-94 sank Portuguese sailing ship Maria da Glória with her deck gun 650 miles east of St. John's Newfoundland; 2 were killed, 42 survived, but only 8 of the survivors would be rescued.
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- German submarine U-158 sank US ship Velma Lykes 15 miles off Cancún, Mexico at 0332 hours; 15 were killed, 17 survived. 85 miles south of the Dominican Republic, U-159 sank Brazilian sail Paracury with her deck gun at 0527 hours. At 2010 hours, U-159 attacked again in the same area, sinking Honduran sailing vessel Sally with her deck. At 2049 hours, U-68 sank US tanker LJ Drake with 3 torpedoes off the Dominican Republic; all 40 aboard were killed.
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- Free French submarine Rubis laid mines in the Bay of Biscay; they would later sink Vichy French ship Quand Meme, German minesweeper M-4212, and German minesweeper M-4448 in the weeks to come.
- Japanese merchant raiders Aikoku Maru and Hokoku Maru sank British passenger liner Elysia 350 miles off Durban, South Africa. To the north on the same day, off Portuguese Overseas Province of Mozambique, Japanese submarine I-10 sank Panamanian ship Atlantic Gulf at 0231 hours, I-10 sank US freighter Melvin H Baker at 1044 hours, and I-20 sank Panamanian ship Johnstown.
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Hawaii
- Clarence Tinker led a group of B-24 Liberator bombers from Hawaii Islands to Midway Atoll.
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Libya
- British troops mounted a large counter offensive south of Tobruk, Libya in Operation Aberdeen; it was met with initial success, but it was halted after German tanks penetrated into the area between British divisional field headquarters and disrupted communications.
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Ukraine
- German troops continued the aerial and artillery bombardment of Sevastopol, Ukraine, using weapons including the 800mm railway gun Schwerer Gustav.
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United States
- The keel of submarine Bluefish was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 5 Jun 1942
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6 Jun 1942
- Aircraft from USS Enterprise and USS Hornet attacked, damaging destroyer Arashio (37 were killed), destroyer Asashio (22 were killed), and cruiser Mogami (81 killed) and causing fatal damage to cruiser Mikuma, which would sink later in the day (650 killed, 240 survived). As US Navy Task Force 16 sailed eastward to refuel, thus breaking contact with the Japanese fleet, the Battle of Midway drew to a close.
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- Japanese submarine I-168 successfully navigated past American destroyers at 0430 hours north of Midway Atoll and closed in on the damaged carrier USS Yorktown at 1331 hours, firing 4 torpedoes. Destroyer USS Hammann was struck, sinking her immediately (84 were killed, 104 survived). Yorktown was also hit, but it would remain afloat despite the additional damage.
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- In North Africa the RAF deployed its "secret" Hurricane IID Tank Buster Squadron which had been training to deliver low-level attacks on enemy tank formations using Hurricane fighters fitted with dual 40mm cannon. Within ten days the squadron would make 37 sorties, damaging 31 enemy tanks (although very few were completely destroyed).
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- John Winant spoke to a group of British coal miners in Durham, England, United Kingdom and persuaded them from striking.
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- General Lewis Brereton, commander of the US 10th Air Force in the China-Burma-India theater, was transferred to Egypt.
- Speedboat Esau from German armed merchant cruiser Michel damaged US liberty ship George Clymer with a torpedo in the South Atlantic at 0200 hours. Near the Equator in the Central Atlantic, German armed merchant cruiser Stier sank Panamanian tanker Stanvac Calcutta with gunfire (12 were killed, 36 survived and were captured); Stier suffered two hits when Stanvac Calcutta returned fire with her 4-inch gun.
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- German submarine U-68 sank Panamanian tanker C. O. Stillman 60 miles southwest of Puerto Rico at 0307 hours; 3 were killed, 55 survived.
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- Japanese submarine I-16 sank Yugoslavian freighter Susak with her deck gun just off the coast of Portuguese Overseas Province of Mozambique.
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Germany
- 233 British bombers (124 Wellington, 40 Stirling, 27 Halifax, 20 Lancaster, 15 Hampden, 7 Manchester) attacked Emden, Germany, destroying 300 houses, killing 17 civilians, and wounding 49; 9 bombers were lost on this mission.
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Libya
- Axis troops routed 3 Indian infantry battalions and 4 artillery regiments that failed to flee as the Operation Aberdeen offensive was called off on the previous day in Libya. With victory secured at this battle, Erwin Rommel moved the German 90th Light Division to reinforce the siege on Free French-held fort of Bir Hakeim.
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Ukraine
- German troops continued the bombardment of Sevastopol, Ukraine with large caliber weapons.
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United Kingdom
US Pacific Islands
- Clarence Tinker led a flight of B-24 Liberator bombers from Midway Atoll.
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Photo(s) dated 6 Jun 1942
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7 Jun 1942
- Japanese troops occupied Kiska, Aleutian Islands, US Territory of Alaska. On the same day, the American newspaper Chicago Tribune reported the Battle of Midway victory, hinting that the US Navy had knowledge of Japanese strengths prior to the engagement; this would later, in Aug 1942, trigger a Federal investigation.
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- USS Saratoga transferred aircraft to Enterprise and Hornet so that they could sail north to reinforce the Aleutian Islands.
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- All Jews over the age of six were forced to wear the Star of David in occupied France.
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- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Saipan, Mariana Islands.
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- I-168 successfully evaded the hunt by American submarines and escaped the Midway area on only two engines to conserve fuel.
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- The B-24 Liberator bomber flown by Clarence Tinker plunged into the Pacific Ocean; no rescue mission was launched, and Tinker and eight other aboard were presumed lost.
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- Japanese submarine I-26 sank US freighter Coast Trader 35 miles west of Washington, United States; 1 was killed, 55 survived.
- German submarine U-107 sank Honduran ship Castilla 75 miles south of the western tip of Cuba at 0408 hours; 24 were killed, 35 survived. 50 miles north of the western tip of Cuba, U-158 sank Panamanian ship Hermis; 1 was killed, 46 survived. At 2224 hours, U-159 sank US ship Edith 200 miles southeast of Jamaica; 2 were killed, 29 survived.
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- German submarine U-653 sank destroyer USS Gannet 240 miles north of Bermuda at 0742 hours; 14 were killed, 62 survived. US liberty ship George Clymer, damaged on the previous day by speedboat Esau launched by German armed merchant cruiser Michel, was scuttled by British armed merchant cruiser HMS Alcantara in the South Atlantic; Michel approached to attack HMS Alcantara during the rescue operation, but would arrive far too late. 700 miles southwest of Freetown, British West Africa, Italian submarine Da Vinci sank Danish ship Chile; 5 were killed, 39 survived.
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- British PBY Catalina flying boats sank Italian submarine Veniero off Palma, Majorca, Spain.
- USS Yorktown, having already been abandoned for hours, slowly rolled over to her side and sank north of Midway Atoll at 0458 hours. Destroyers that remained near her wreck lowered her flags to half mast as she sank beneath the sea.
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Libya
- German engineers penetrated the minefield outside of Bir Hakeim, Libya, but the attack was repulsed by Free French fighters with British air support.
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- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down the P-40 fighter piloted by South African Lieutenant Frewen over El Adem, Libya at 1610 hours. Three minutes later, he shot down the P-40 fighter piloted by South African Lieutenant Leonard James Peter Berragé. These were his 76th and 77th kills.
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Spain
- Italian submarine Torelli was damaged by radar-equiped British aircraft in the Bay of Biscay. Her captain beached her in northern Spain to prevent sinking, and the crew performed enough repairs for her to get on her way again, but only to be discovered and attacked by British aircraft again (1 was killed, 2 wounded). She was beached again (near Santander, Spain), and this time the temporary repairs would take until 14 Jun 1942.
Ukraine
- Troops of German 11th Army began a 2-pronged assault on the city of Sevastopol in Ukraine, capturing Belbek at 1715 hours but also suffering 2,357 casualties.
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Photo(s) dated 7 Jun 1942
8 Jun 1942
- 2 battleships, 1 escort carrier, and 2 heavy cruisers broke off from the retiring Japanese Navy Midway invasion fleet to reinforce the Aleutian Islands.
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- Tatsuta Maru departed Saipan, Mariana Islands.
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- USS Gar arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her second war patrol.
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- Douglas MacArthur proposed to the Army Chief of Staff a limited offensive to regain positions in the Bismarck Archipelago.
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- USS Astoria was relieved of her duty as Rear Admiral Frank Fletcher's flagship.
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- German submarine U-107 sank US ship Suwied 100 miles east of Cozumel, Mexico at 0119 hours; 6 were killed, 27 survived. At 0500 hours, U-172 sank US ship Sicilien 10 miles south of Cape Beata, Dominican Republic; 44 were killed, 31 survived. At 0700 hours, U-504 sank Huondran ship Tela with two torpedoes 100 miles southeast of Cozumel; 11 were killed, 43 survived. At 1800 hours, U-504 struck again, sinking British ship Rosenborg with her deck gun; 4 were killed, 23 survived.
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- German submarine U-135 sank Norwegian ship Pleasantville 225 miles northwest of Bermuda at 0316 hours; 2 were killed, 45 survived. German submarine U-128 sank Norwegian tanker South Africa 400 miles east of Trinidad at 1419 hours; 6 were killed, 36 survived.
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- Japanese submarine I-10 sank British ship King Lud in the Mozambique Channel at 0953 hours with torpedoes, killing all aboard. In the same area, I-16 sank Greek ship Aghios Georgios IV with her deck gun and I-18 sank Norwegian ship Wilford with her deck gun. In the middle of the Indian Ocean, I-20 sank Greek ship Christos Markettos.
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- German submarine U-83 sank Egyptian ship Said with her deck gun 15 miles southwest of Jaffa, British Palestine at 0511 hours; 5 were killed, 9 survived. At 2330 hours, U-83 struck again, sinking Palestinian sail boat Esther with her deck gun 10 miles off Sidon, Syria-Lebanon.
- Italian submarine Alagi sank Italian destroyer Antoniotto Usodimare with a torpedo 100 miles north of Cape Bon, Tunisia in a case of mis-identification.
Australia
- Japanese submarine I-24 fired 10 shells at the Sydney Harbor Bridge in Sydney, Australia shortly after 0000 hours, scoring no hits on the bridge but destroyed one house nearby. At 0215 hours, I-21 surfaced near Newcastle, Australia and fired 34 shells, damaging a house near the BHP steelworks; as the coastal guns at Fort Scratchley fired at I-21 (which caused no damage), this became the only time where Australian land-based guns would fire at a Japanese ship in the war.
Australian New Guinea
- Men of the Japanese Kure No. 3 Special Naval Landing Force raided Simberi, New Ireland in search of coast watcher Cornelius Page; Page went into hiding.
Germany
- 170 British bombers (92 Wellington, 42 Halifax, 14 Stirling, 13 Lancaster, 9 Hampden) attacked Essen, Germany, killing 13 and wounding 42; 19 bombers were lost on this mission.
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Libya
- Thick fog allowed an Allied supply convoy to supply French troops at Bir Hakeim, Libya; meanwhile, the same fog also allowed the Axis build-up to be completed without being detected, which led to the start of what would be the final assault on the fort; this final assault would be personally led by Erwin Rommel. In the evening, French General Pierre Kœnig decided the fort would be abandoned on 11 Jun 1942.
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- Hans-Joachim Marseille became the permanent commanding officer of the squadron 3 Staffel I./JG-27.
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Taiwan
9 Jun 1942
- The Chief of Staff of the First Air Fleet Rear Admiral Ryunosuke Kusaka and staff officers Captain Tamotsu Oishi and Commander Minoru Genda arrived aboard Yamato from light cruiser Nagara.
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- SS-Obergruppenführer Reinhard Heydrich's funeral took place on this date.
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- USAAF claimed part of the credit for the American victory at Midway despite that no land-based aircraft hit any Japanese warship.
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- USS Finback arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
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- HMS Eagle launched 32 Spitfire fighters for Malta.
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- German submarine U-124 attacked Allied convoy ONS-100 in the middle of the North Atlantic at 0410 hours, sinking Free French corvette Mimosa with 2 torpedoes; 65 were killed, 4 survived. U-432 attacked Allied convoy BX-23A 100 miles southwest of Pubnico, Nova Scotia, Canada at 1300 hours, damaging British ship Malayan Prince and Norwegian ship Kronprinsen (1 killed); Kronprinsen was beached to prevent sinking.
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- German submarine U-502 attacked Allied convoy TO-5 35 miles northeast of Cape Blanco, Venezuela, sinking Belgian ship Bruxelles and US tanker Franklin K Lane (4 were killed, 37 survived).
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- A British Catalina aircraft sank Italian submarine Zaffiro south of Palma, Majorca, Spain, killing all 47 aboard.
Alaska
- United States Navy reorganized the facilities on Kodiak Island, Aleutian Islands into a Naval Operating Base in response to recent Japanese activity in the region.
French Syria and Lebanon
- German submarine U-83 sank Palestinian sailing ship Typhoon with her deck gun 4 miles southwest of Sidon, Syria-Lebanon at 1115 hours.
Libya
- German 15th Panzer Division launched an attack on the Free French troops at Bir Hakeim, Libya at 1300 hours, supported by artillery pieces and dive bombers. The French Legionaires (now reduced to half a cup of water per man per day) were cut off from the rest of the brigade, but by dusk the tenacious defenders were still hanging on desperately to their positions.
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Philippines
- All organized resistance against the Japanese invasion ceased in the Philippine Islands.
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Taiwan
Ukraine
- Failing to break Soviet defensive lines, the German offensive at Sevastopol, Ukraine that began two days prior was temporarily paused, instead letting aircraft and artillery pieces soften up the defensive positions further.
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US Pacific Islands
Photo(s) dated 9 Jun 1942
10 Jun 1942
- After sunset, an unidentified submarine fired two torpedoes at Yamato about 100 miles north-northeast of Minami-Torishima (Marcus Island). Yamato and the other ships in the Main Body turn to port and both torpedoes miss.
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- German submarine U-157 sank US tanker Hagan just off the northern coast of Cuba, killing 6 of 44 aboard. German submarine U-94 attacked Allied convoy ONS-100 880 miles east of Newfoundland, at 0340 hours, sinking British ship Empire Clough (5 were killed, 44 survived) and British ship Ramsay (40 were killed, 7 survived). At the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River several kilometers off Anticosti Island, Quebec, Canada, U-553 sank British freighter Nicoya and then several hours later Dutch freighter Leto. In the evening, U-129 sank Norwegian ship LA Christensen 340 miles south of Bermuda at 2006 hours; all 31 aboard survived.
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- A massive German 33-division offensive was launched from the Kharkov region of Ukraine.
- US patrol aircraft discovered the presence of Japanese troops on Kiska and Attu in the Aleutian Islands in the North Pacific. In Japan, the Information Bureau announced that during the Battle of Midway, one Japanese carrier and two US carriers were sunk; one Japanese carrier returned to Japan with some damage.
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- German Stuka dive bombers preceded another assault on the French-held fort at Bir Hakeim, Libya, but the defense repulsed another infantry attack. By the end of the day, the French troops had practically run out of ammunition; at 2300 hours, Kœnig began the process to evacuate from the fort.
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- At Auschwitz Concentration Camp, about 50 Polish prisoners in the penal company attempted to escape while working at a drainage ditch in Birkenau; it was the first mass escape in the history of the camp. 9 were able to escape successfully. In response, the SS guards executed 20 prisoners by firing squad and sent 300 prisoners from the penal company in the gas chamber.
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- The US Army attached the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment to the 101st Airborne Division.
- German submarine U-107 sank US ship Merrimack 60 miles south of Cozumel, Mexico at about 0520 hours; 43 were killed, 10 survived. In the Caribbean Sea, U-68 sank British ship Ardenvohr at 0520 hours (1 was killed, 70 survived), British ship Surrey also at about 0520 hours (12 were killed, 55 survived), and British ship port Montreal shortly before 2359 hours (all 88 aboard survived, but 2 would die before being rescued).
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- German submarine U-81 attacked Allied convoy AT-49 7 miles off the Egyptian coast 50 miles west of Alexandria, sinking British ship Havre at 0218 hours; 20 were killed, 30 survived). At 0456 hours, U-559 also attacked the same convoy, damaging Norwegian tanker Athene (detonating her store of aviation fuel which would lead to her sinking on 12 Jun 1942; 14 were killed, 17 survived) and damaging Royal Fleet Auxiliary oiler Brambleleaf (7 were killed, 53 survived).
- Soviet submarine D-3 became missing in the Barents Sea, probably lost in the Bantos-A minefield off Rybachy Peninsula near Murmansk, Russia or the Schpeer III minefield off Berlevog, Norway.
- HMS Dianthus rescued 32 survivors of British merchant ship Empire Clough in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Caroline Islands
Czechoslovakia
- Czechoslovakian towns of Lidice and Lezáky, incorrectedly linked to the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich, were wiped out per personal orders of Adolf Hitler; all males were murdered; all females were deported to the Ravensbrück concentration camp, and all buildings were leveled to the ground.
Italy
- The Italian Air Force formed the "Loreto" combat engineers battalion at Cameri airfield near Novara, Italy.
Libya
- Over Mteifel Chebir, Libya, Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down three P-40 fighters at 0735 hours, 0741 hours, and 0745 hours. At 0750 hours, at the far range of 500 feet, he shot down the Hurricane II fighter piloted by Pilot Officer A. J. Hancock. His score now stood at 81.
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Panama Canal Zone
- US Navy Task Force 18 was formed with carrier Wasp, battleship North Carolina, cruisers Quincy and San Juan, and 6 destroyers near the Panama Canal Zone.
Russia
- Soviet 2nd Shock Army, largely surrounded by German forces on the Volkhov River near Leningrad, Russia since mid-Jan 1942, began to extract itself from its disadvantageous position by using using grounds that were firming up due to the warmer weather.
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Ukraine
- German dive bombers sank Soviet destroyer Svobodnyy and transport Abkhaziya in port at Sevastopol, Ukraine.
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United States
- The keel of submarine Escolar was laid down by the Cramp Shipbuilding Company at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 10 Jun 1942
11 Jun 1942
- Troops of the 2nd Canadian Division conducted practice for the raid on Dieppe.
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- Several American PBY Catalina aircraft from seaplane tender Gillis in Nazan Bay, Atka Island began a two-day raid on Japanese ships and positions on Kiska, Aleutian Islands, but ultimately would fail to drive the Japanese from the island.
- Adolf Eichmann met with representatives from France, Belgium, and Holland to coordinate the deportation of Jews.
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- Two convoys trying to reach Malta were attacked by aircraft, warships and submarines. Twelve British warships and merchantmen were sunk and eleven were damaged.
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- Robert Saundby was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath.
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- German submarine U-159 attacked a small Allied convoy off Panama in the Caribbean Sea, sinking British ship Fort Good Hope; 2 were killed, 45 survived. U-504 sank Norwegian passenger liner Crijnssen (1 was killed, 92 survived) and US ship American (4 were killed, 34 survived) 50 miles southwest of Grand Cayman Island. To the north, in the Gulf of Mexico, U-158 sank Panamanian tanker Sheherazade south of Louisiana, United States; 1 was killed, 58 survived.
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- Armidale was commissioned into service.
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- 5 miles north of Cuba, German submarine U-157 sank US tanker Hagan 5 miles off northern Cuba at 1010 hours; 6 were killed, 38 survived. German submarines U-569 and U-94 sank British ship Pontypridd 500 miles east of Newfoundland; 2 were killed, 46 survived). U-455 sank British tanker Geo H Jones 500 miles northeast of the Azores islands; 2 were killed, 40 survived. German armed merchant cruiser Michel shelled British freighter Lylepark in the South Atlantic; 20 were killed, 21 survived and were captured, 4 survived and escaped capture. Also on this day, on the US coast, U-373 and U-701 laid mines just at the mouth of the Delaware Bay and off Virginia Beach, respectively, which would cause sinkings in the days to come.
» In-depth article
- Arthur Coningham was Mentioned in Despatches.
» In-depth article
Alaska
- USS S-35 received orders to return to Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska to replenish supplies.
» In-depth article
Libya
- French troops evacuated Bir Hakeim, Libya after 16 days of stubborn defense that incurred 3,330 casualties on the Axis side; the French suffered 1,084 casualties while defending this fort; 500 seriously wounded troops were left behind in the fort. During the evacuation, heavy German artillery bombardment caused a panic and caused several French vehicles to drive off of the cleared path into surrounding minefields, detonating several in the process. The retreating forces made contact with British forces at 0400 hours. With Bir Hakeim secured, the Germans pushed toward El Adem later in the day and Knightsbridge in the evening. After 1900 hours, a few long range shots were exchanged between British and German tanks, but Erwin Rommel chose not to engaged in full combat that night.
» In-depth article
- In the El Adem, Libya area, Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down two British Hurricane fighters, Flight Sergeant Graves at 1625 hours and Australian Pilot Officer Charles William Parry Persse at 1635 hours.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- The German Luftwaffe flew 1,044 sorties over Sevastopol, Ukraine, dropping 954 tons of bombs.
» In-depth article
United States
- USS Skipjack arrived at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California for a scheduled overhaul.
» In-depth article
US Pacific Islands
- USS Flying Fish completed refitting at Midway Atoll and departed for Japanese waters.
» In-depth article
12 Jun 1942
- German submarine U-158 sank US tanker Cities Service Toledo 40 kilometers south of Abbeville, Louisiana, United States, killing 15 of 45 aboard.
» In-depth article
- US B-17 and B-24 bombers raided Kiska, Aleutian Islands, damaging Japanese destroyer Hibiki.
- Anne Frank received a diary for her thirteenth birthday. "I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support", she wrote in her first entry.
- During the morning roll call at Auschwitz Concentration Camp, 60 Polish prisoners were called out. They were shot at the Death Wall in the courtyard of Block 11 in retaliation of clandestine resistance organizations in Silesia region. The victims were transferred to Auschwitz between 1940 and 1942 from Sosnowiec, Katowice, and Krakow.
» In-depth article
- Shad was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
- German minesweeper M-4212 struck a mine and sank in the Bay of Biscay; the mine was deployed by Free French submarine Rubis on 5 Jun 1942.
- German submarine U-124 sank British ship Dartford 550 miles east of Newfoundland; 30 were killed, 17 survived. U-129 sank British ship Hardwicke Grange 400 miles north of Puerto Rico; 3 were killed, 75 survived.
» In-depth article
- 5 British freighters and 1 tanker departed Gibraltar in Operation Harpoon with 43,000 tons of cargo for Malta, escorted by battleship HMS Malaya, carrier HMS Argus, carrier HMS Eagle, 4 cruisers, 17 destroyers, 4 minesweepers, 1 minelayer, and 6 motor gunboats. From the other end, 11 ships departed Haifa, Palestine and Port Said, Egypt in Operation Vigorous escorted by battleship HMS Centurion (unarmed, serving as a deterrent only), 8 cruisers, 26 destroyers, and 9 submarines, also sailing for Malta; the Vigorous convoy was attacked by German Ju 88 bombers south of Crete, Greece, damaging freighter City Of Calcutta, forcing her to sail for Tobruk, Libya for repairs.
» In-depth article
- USS Swordfish sank Japanese transport Burma Maru in the Gulf of Thailand.
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- Greek submarine Papanikolis sank two Italian sailing vessels Catina and Aghia Aikaterini in the Aegean Sea.
- German submarine U-77 sank British destroyer HMS Grove 25 miles off Bardia, Libya at 0537 hours; 110 were killed, 60 survived.
- Japanese submarine I-21 fired 4 torpedoes at an Allied convoy 40 miles off Sydney, Australia at 0114 hours, sinking collier Guatemala (all aboard survived).
- Japanese submarine I-16 sank Yugoslavian ship Supetar in the Mozambique Channel. In the same area, I-20 sank Panamanian ship Hellenic Trader and British ship Clifton Hall.
» In-depth article
Alaska
- USS S-28 arrived at Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska to receive fuel and provisions.
» In-depth article
Japan
Libya
- Axis forces pushed British troops back toward Tobruk, Libya, destroying many tanks; meanwhile, an attack on nearby El Adem was repulsed by Indian troops. The Allied defense line at Gazala was now in danger of being cut off.
» In-depth article
- Hans-Joachim Marseille flew a mission in Libya, providing support for ground troops.
» In-depth article
Romania
- 13 US B-24 bombers from RAF Fayid, Egypt bombed oil fields at Ploesti, Romania, causing minimal damage; 4 aircraft made emergency landings in Turkey and were interned.
Ukraine
- Soviet cruiser Molotov delivered 2,998 men from the Soviet 138th Infantry Brigade to Sevastopol, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
13 Jun 1942
- USS Saratoga arrived at Pearl Harbor.
» In-depth article
- USS Hornet arrived at Pearl Harbor.
» In-depth article
- The United States established the Office of War Information and the Office of Strategic Services.
- United States Coast Guard Cutter Thetis attacked German submarine U-157 southwest of Key West, Florida, United States on the surface; after U-157 dove, Thetis dropped depth charge attack, and after several minutes reported debris and oil on floating to the surface from the destroyed U-157. Off Panama, in the Caribbean Sea, U-159 sank US passenger linker Sixaola at 0412 hours; 29 were killed, 201 survived. At 1938 hours, U-159 struck again, sinking US ship Solon; all 53 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- The first launch of an A4 rocket was achieved at Peenemünde, Germany, but after only 54 seconds the motor cut out and the missile fell into the sea less than a mile from its launch pad.
- USS Astoria arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
- Italian submarine Da Vinci sank British collier SS Clan MacQuarrie 650 miles south of Cape Verde Islands; 1 was killed, 89 survived.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-83 sank British Q-ship HMS Farouk off Chekka, Syria-Lebanon at 1110 hours; 9 were killed.
- Soviet submarine ShCh-405 was lost in the Tiger minefield off Seskar Island, Russia (taken from Finland in 1940) in the Baltic Sea; all 38 aboard were killed.
- A Soviet torpedo boat attacked and sank Italian midget submarine CB-5 in the Black Sea off Yalta, Ukraine.
- Italian torpedo boat MTSM-210 damaged a Soviet ferry in the Black Sea; German aircraft arrived shortly after to sink the damaged ship.
Australia
- 27 aircraft of Japanese 23rd Air Flotilla from Kendari, Celebes, Dutch East Indies attacked Darwin, Australia.
Caroline Islands
Greece
- Greek submarines Papanicolis and Triton delivered British Commandos on Crete, Greece; while this new group of arrivals failed to achieve their objectives, a group landed on 10 Jun reached parked German aircraft on this date and destroyed 20 Ju 88 bombers at Heraklion.
Hawaii
- USS Enterprise arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
Libya
- German 21st Panzer Division, 15th Panzer Division, and 90th Light Division surrounded British troops in the Knightsbridge box near Tobruk, Libya, eventually forcing the British to fall back after sundown. The heavy fighting and the resulting heavy casualties caused the British troops to name this day "Black Saturday".
» In-depth article
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down four P-40 fighters in the El Adem-Gazala area in Libya between 1810 and 1815 hours. Three of his victims were Flight Sergeant Bill Halliday, Flight Sergeant Roy Stone, and Pilot Officer Osborne.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Troops of German 22nd Infantry Division attacked Fort Stalin at Sevastopol, Ukraine at 0300 hours, capturing it by 0530 hours; Germans suffered 32 killed and 126 wounded, and the Soviets 100 killed and 20 captured. In the harbor, German aircraft sank transport Gruzyia, transport TSch-27, patrol boat SKA-092, motor boat SP-40, 5 barges, and a floating crane.
» In-depth article
United States
- German submarine U-202 landed 4 saboteurs at Amagansett, Long Island, New York, United States in Operation Pastorius.
14 Jun 1942
- British Air Marshal Harris was knighted in honor of his success with 1,000-plane raids.
» In-depth article
- German troops of the 22.Luftlande Division's 16.Regiment captured Fort Stalin at Sevastopol.
» In-depth article
- The first echelon of 5th Regiment of the US 1st Marine Division arrived at Wellington, New Zealand.
- British General Auchinleck authorized the abandonment of the Gazala Line in Libya.
» In-depth article
- Mutsu arrived in Japan after the Midway operation.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Roma was commissioned into service.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-172 sank US ship Lebore in the Caribbean Sea at 0854 hours; 1 was killed, 94 survived. At 1912 hours, U-504 sank Latvian ship Regent 200 miles southwest of the Cayman Islands; 11 were killed, 14 survived.
» In-depth article
- Soviet submarine M-95 departed Moshchny Island, Russia (Lavansaari Island, Finland).
- During the day, Italian SM.79 torpedo bombers attacked the Allied Harpoon convoy, sailing for Malta, south of Sardinia, Italy, sinking Dutch transport Tanimbar (5 were killed) and disabling British cruiser Liverpool (15 were killed, 22 were wounded; Liverpool was towed back to Gibraltar by destroyer HMS Antelope). In the evening, most of the warships escorting the Harpoon convoy were ordered back to Gibraltar. From other other side of the Mediterranean Sea, the Allied Vigorous convoy sailed westward for Malta. Dutch freighter Aagtekerk of the Vigorous convoy developed mechanical troubles and was diverted by Tobruk, Libya for repairs with two corvettes in escort; 40 German Ju 87 and Ju 88 aircraft attacked them, sinking Aagtekerk (3 were killed) and damaging corvette HMS Primula. In the late afternoon, German Ju 88 bombers from Crete, Greece attacked the Vigorous convoy, sinking the ship Bhutan (1 was killed) and damaging freighter Potaro. Meanwhile, a powerful Italian fleet including two battleships and four cruisers departed Taranto, Italy in an attempt to intercept the Vigorous convoy. After sundown, German motor torpedo boats from Derna, Libya attacked the Vigorous convoy, with S-55 sinking British destroyer HMS Hasty (13 were killed) and S-56 damaging cruiser HMS Newcastle (forced to return to Alexandria, Egypt for repairs).
» In-depth article
- German Admiral Otto Schniewind issued the order to commence Operation Rösselsprung ("Knight's Move"); in turn German warships Tirpitz, Admiral Hipper, Lützow, and 12 destroyers departed from their home ports toward the Barents Sea.
» In-depth article
Alaska
- USS S-35 approached Kiska, US Territory of Alaska in the Aleutian Islands.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
Greece
- In response to the British Commando raid at Heraklion, Crete, Greece on the previous day which saw the destruction of 20 Ju 88 bombers, 50 civilians of Heraklion were executed in retaliation.
Japan
Spain
- Italian submarine Torelli, damaged by British aircraft on 7 Jun 1942 and had since been under repair by her own crew on a beach near Santander, Spain, completed the temporary repair and set off for Bordeaux, France.
United Kingdom
- The King, Queen, and Princesses of the United Kingdom and the heads of a number of Allied countries attended a United Nations Day ceremony. The flags of 22 states were honoured during a march past Buckingham Palace in London, England, United Kingdom by representatives of the British armed forces, civil defence organisations and war workers.
» In-depth article
United States
- German saboteur George Dasch defected to the United States with a telephone call to the New York office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Photo(s) dated 14 Jun 1942
15 Jun 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru took on 500 wounded survivors from the Battle of Midway.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Nagara transferred 500 wounded survivors of the Battle of Midway to hospital ship Hikawa Maru.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- USS S-28 crossed the International Date Line.
» In-depth article
- USS Copahee was commissioned into service at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington, United States with Commander J. G. Farrell in command. She was the first of 10 Bogue-class escort carriers converted from hulls of merchant ships.
» In-depth article
- British Lieutenant General Sir Ronald Weeks was appointed Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
- Italian cruisers attacked the Allied Harpoon convoy in the Strait of Sicily at 0539 hours, damaging British cruiser HMS Cairo (2 were killed), damaging destroyer HMS Partridge, and disabling destroyer HMS Bedouin (under the command of Commander B. G. Scurfield; 28 were killed, 213 captured; later sunk by Italian aircraft); British return fire damaged Italian destroyer Vivaldi. In concert, German aircraft attacked freighters of the Harpoon convoy, seriously damaging freighter Burdwan, freighter Chant, and tanker Kentucky (all three abandoned and later sunk by Italian warships). The Harpoon convoy reached Malta after sundown, but the ships ran into a new minefield in the Grand Harbour, sinking Polish destroyer Kujawiak (13 were killed, 20 were wounded), damaging British destroyer Badsworth (9 were killed), damaging destroyer HMS Matchless, and damaging freighter Orari. From the other side of the Mediterranean Sea, the Allied Vigorous convoy also sailed for Malta. At dawn, British Beaufort torpedo bombers from Malta attacked the Italian fleet moving to intercept the convoy, disabling Italian cruiser Trento at 0515 hours; she would be sunk by submarine HMS Umbra at 0910 hours, over 360 were killed. The detection of this Italian fleet turned back the entire Vigorous convoy. En route back to Alexandria, Egypt, Axis aircraft sank British destroyer HMS Airedale (44 were killed, 133 survived) and damaged British cruiser HMS Birmingham and Australian destroyer HMAS Nestor. In Germany, Adolf Hitler postponed Operation Herkules, the planned invasion of Malta.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-552 attacked Allied convoy HG-84 400 miles west of Brest, France between 0000 and 0500 hours, sinking four British freighters and Norwegian tanker Slemdal. On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Allied convoy KN-109 sailed into a minefield 5 miles off Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States, which was laid by U-701 four days prior; British anti-submarine trawler HMT Kingston Ceylonite (33 were killed, 18 survived) and US tanker Robert C. Tuttle (1 was killed, 46 survived) were sunk, US tanker Esso Augusta and destroyer USS Bainbridge were damaged.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-502 sank 2 US ships and 1 Panamanian ship 90 miles west of Grenada. On the same day, U-172 sank Norwegian ship Bennestvet 50 miles off Costa Rica. 20 miles off Colombia, U-68 sank Vichy French tanker Frimaire in a case of mis-identification; all 60 aboard were killed.
» In-depth article
- Soviet submarine M-95 struck and was damaged by a German naval mine in the Gulf of Finland near Hogland Island (Finnish: Suursaari Island); shortly after, she was spotted by Finnish aircraft, which sank her, killing all 19 aboard.
- The British 8th Army withdrew from Libya and fell back to Egypt.
» In-depth article
- Italian midget submarine CB-3 sank Soviet submarine S-32 in the Black Sea off Yalta, Ukraine.
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort was made the temporary chief of the Intelligence Center of Pacific Ocean Areas, a new intelligence branch in the US Navy Pacific Fleet based in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
Japan
Libya
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down four P-40 fighters over El Adem, Libya between 1801 and 1806 hours, increasing his score to 91 kills.
» In-depth article
Philippines
- USS Seawolf sank Japanese auxiliary gunboat Nampo Maru 10 miles north of Lubang Island and west of the opening of Manila Bay in the Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Soviet cruiser Molotov and destroyer Bezuprechny landed 3,855 troops at Sevastopol, Ukraine and then embarked 2,908 wounded personnel for evacuation; meanwhile, their guns bombarded German positions.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 15 Jun 1942
16 Jun 1942
- Shokaku entered drydock for battle damage repairs.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- The US Congress authorized the funding to increase the US Navy blimp fleet to 200 blimps.
- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Jaluit, Marshall islands, and departed for and arrived at Emidji on the same day.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- The Royal Canadian Air Force began operating Ventura aircraft.
» In-depth article
- USS Pollack arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, ending her third war patrol.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-87 attacked Allied convoy XB-25 25 miles east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States at 0417 hours, sinking British ship Port Nicholson (2 were killed, 85 survived) and US passenger liner Cherokee (86 were killed, 83 survived).
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-126 sank US ship Arkansan at 0230 hours (4 were killed, 36 survived) and US ship Kahuku at 0320 hours (17 were killed, 46 survived) 70 miles west of Grenada. At 0400 hours, U-67 sank Nicaraguan ship Managua 50 miles north of Matanzas, Cuba; all 25 aboard survived. Elsewhere in the Caribbean Sea, U-161 stopped Dominican sailing boat Nueva Altagracia at 1410 hours, capturing her crew of 8 and her cargo of fruit, and scuttled the boat with charges.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-205 sank British cruiser HMS Hermione, returning to Egypt from her duty escorting the Allied Vigorous convoy, 115 miles north of Sidi Barrani, Egypt at 0019 hours; 87 were killed, 440 survived.
» In-depth article
- Japanese Imperial Palace envoys visited Isoroku Yamamoto aboard battleship Yamato, bringing him the news that Emperor Showa understood losses (in regards to the devastation suffered at the Battle of Midway) were expected at a time of war and that the emperor was not overly concerned.
» In-depth article
- ShCh-317 sank Finnish merchant ship Argo east of Stockholm, Sweden. Later on the same day, ShCh-317 attacked Swedish merchant ship Ulla (carrying survivors of Argo) but failed to cause any damage.
» In-depth article
- ShCh-320 fired two torpedoes at German minesweeper depot ship MRS 12 west of Porkkala, Finland; both torpedoes missed.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- An Australia PBY Catalina aircraft arrived at Simberi, New Ireland to pick up coast watcher Cornelius Page, not knowing that Page had gone into hiding eight days prior in response to a Japanese raid.
Germany
- 106 British bombers (40 Wellington, 39 Halifax, 15 Lancaster, and 12 Stirling) were launched to bomb Germany; 16 attacked Essen, 45 attacked Bonn, and others attacked other targets; 8 British bombers were lost on this night.
» In-depth article
Japan
- Destroyer Yuzuki completed her overhaul at Sasebo, Japan and departed for Truk, Caroline Islands.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Axis troops attacked El Adem and Sidi Rezegh near Tobruk, Libya.
» In-depth article
- Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down four P-40 fighters over El Adem, Libya between 1802 and 1813 hours, increasing his score to 95 kills.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- German aircraft and artillery pieces bombarded Fort Maxim Gorky at Sevastopol, Ukraine, silencing the fort's 12-inch guns.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- Winston Churchill departed England, United Kingdom aboard a transport aircraft for the United States.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 16 Jun 1942
17 Jun 1942
- German submarine U-202 delivered four German agents to Jacksonville, Florida.
- Tatsuta Maru departed Emidji.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- The US War Department advised the Army to discontinue the recruitment of Nisei, American citizens of Japanese parentage, all of whom were to be re-classified As "IV-C": unacceptable for service because of ancestry.
- USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese tanker in the Pacific Ocean with 2 of 7 torpedoes fired.
» In-depth article
- 12 German Ju 88 bombers attacked British destroyer HMS Wild Swan and a group of Spanish trawlers 225 miles west of Land's End, England, United Kingdom; HMS Wild Swan shot down 6 aircraft, but sank after colliding with a Spanish trawler during the battle; 31 British sailers were killed in the sinking and 133 survived; 11 Spanish fishermen were killed. US ship Santore struck a mine and sank in the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, United States; 3 were killed, 43 survived; the mine was laid by German submarine U-701 on 11 Jun 1942.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-161 stopped Dominican sailing boat Ciudad Trujillo in the Caribbean Sea, capturing her cargo of fruit, and released the boat along with 8 prisoners captured from sailing boat Nueva Altagracia on the previous day. In the Gulf of Mexico, 280 miles south of Galveston, Texas, United States, U-158 sank Panamanian ship San Blas at 0450 hours (30 were killed, 14 survived) and Norwegian tanker Moira at 1300 hours (1 was killed, 18 survived). At 2300 hours, U-129 sank US ship Millinocket 10 miles north of Cuba; 11 were killed, 24 survived.
» In-depth article
Alaska
Gibraltar
Libya
- Axis troops surrounded Tobruk, Libya; to the east, Axis troops pursued the Allied forces falling back toward Egypt.
» In-depth article
- In Libya, Hans-Joachim Marseille shot down 3 Hurricane fighters and three P-40 fighters between 1202 and 1212 hours over Gambut, Libya, increasing his score to 101 kills.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Soviet defense lines north of Sevastopol, Ukraine began to collapse as German troops captured Fort Maxim Gorky, Fort Molotov, Fort Schishkova, Fort Volga, and Fort Siberia.
» In-depth article
United States
- The US Navy Gulf Sea Frontier (GULFSEAFRON) headquarters was moved from Key West to Miami, both of which were in Florida, United States.
Photo(s) dated 17 Jun 1942
18 Jun 1942
- American bombers raided Japanese shipping in Kiska harbor in the Aleutian Islands, sinking fleet tanker Nissan Maru.
- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Taroa, Marshall Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- USS S-28 fired on a Japanese destroyer but it failed to hit the target. She was attacked by the destroyer with depth charges but it caused no damage.
» In-depth article
- Robie Ellis Palmer was named the commanding officer of USS Pollack.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-124 attacked Allied convoy ONS-102 with 6 torpedoes 500 miles east of Newfoundland at 0622 hours, seriously damaging US ship Seattle Spirit (4 were killed, 51 survived), which was later scuttled by Canadian corvette HMCS Agassiz with gunfire.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-159 sank Dutch ship Flora 12 miles off Colombia at 0245 hours; all 37 aboard survived, but one of them would die before reaching land. At 0500 hours, U-172 sank British tanker Motorex with gunfire 80 miles off Panama in the Caribbean Sea; 1 was killed, 20 survived.
» In-depth article
- British destroyer HMS Albrighton, gun boat SGB 7, and gun boat SGB 8 attacked a German convoy in the Baie de la Seine off France; SGB 7 sank one German supply ship with a torpedo, but was destroyed by a counterattack (4 were killed; 7 were survivors captured).
- Italian midget submarine CB-2 sank a Soviet submarine in the Black Sea; according to Soviet sources, the victim was ShCh-213, but according to Italian sources, the victim was ShCh-306.
British Western Pacific Territories
- The first Allied air photographic reconnaissance mission over Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands was conducted by US 435th Bombardment Squadron.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Axis troops captured the supply road between Bardia and Tobruk in Libya; to the west, Axis troops captured RAF Gambut 40 miles west of Tobruk.
» In-depth article
- Hans-Joachim Marseille boarded a Ju 52 aircraft at Benghazi, Libya for Naples, Italy, where he was to transfer to Rome, Italy for his final destination of Berlin, Germany.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- German 132nd Infantry Division attacked Soviet Coastal Battery No. 12 near Sevastopol, Ukraine at 1100 hours, capturing it by 1900 hours. Nearby, German 24th Infantry Division overran Soviet defenses at Bartenyevka. At the docks, Italian torpedo boats performed a raid, damaging landing craft. Out at sea, destroyer leader Kharkov was damaged by German aircraft.
» In-depth article
United States
- German submarine U-584 landed four German saboteurs at Ponte Vedra Beach near Jacksonville, Florida, United States; the four men would soon board trains for Chicago, Illinois and Cincinnati, Ohio.
Photo(s) dated 18 Jun 1942
19 Jun 1942
- German submarine U-701 sank American patrol craft USS YP-389 5 miles off the North Carolina, United States coast at 0245 hours with her 88-millimeter and 20-millimeter guns, 4 were killed, 21 survived; the engagement was dubbed Battle off Diamond Shoals.
» In-depth article
- After a staff officer from 23.Panzer Division was shot down carrying complete plans for an offensive in the Caucasus, the commander and chief of staff of German XL Korps were imprisoned on Adolf Hitler's order. The offensive would be launched with no changes to the plan.
» In-depth article
- US Navy Vice Admiral Ghormley assumed command of the South Pacific Area at Auckland, New Zealand.
- US PBY Catalina aircraft discovered 35 survivors from the sunken Japanese carrier Hiryu; USS Ballard was dispatched to rescue them.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-107 attacked US sailing vessel Cheerio with gunfire 20 miles west of Puerto Rico at 1102 hours; she was driven off by a US patrol aircraft, but Cheerio would soon sink from the damage; all 9 aboard survived. At 1730 hours, U-159 sank Yugoslavian ship Ante Matkovic with gunfire 20 miles north of Colombia; 6 were killed, 23 survived.
» In-depth article
- USS S-27 ran aground off Amchitka Island, Aleutian Islands at 0043 hours. The crew of 42 destroyed equipment on the submarine and burned classified papers departing the submarine at 1600 hours.
» In-depth article
- Italian torpedo boat MAS-571 sank Soviet submarine ShCh-214 in the Black Sea south of Yalta, Ukraine.
- German armed merchant cruiser Thor captured Norwegian tanker Herborg off the western coast of Australia.
- ShCh-317 damaged Danish merchant ship Orion northeast of Gotland, Sweden; Orion would be able to be towed to Visby, Gotland for repairs.
» In-depth article
British Western Pacific Territories
- Vice Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue inspected prospective sites for airfield construction on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article
Germany
- 194 British bombers (112 Wel1ington, 37 Halifax, 25 Stirling, 11 Hampden, and 9 Lancaster) attacked Emden and Osnabrück in Germany; 9 bombers were lost.
» In-depth article
Japan
Libya
- German troops gave chase to retreating British forces in Libya throughout the day. After sundown, the Germans reversed direction and moved westward, intending on striking Tobruk, Libya by surprise on the next day.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Soviet 138th Naval Infantry Brigade launched a failed counterattack against German 22nd Division on the shore of Severnaya Bay near Sevastopol, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 19 Jun 1942
20 Jun 1942
- About 1,000 Austrian Jews arrived at Theresienstadt Concentration Camp; they were the first Austrian Jews to arrive at this camp. Polish prisoners of Auschwitz Concentration Camp Kazimierz Piechowski, Stanislaw Gustaw Jaster, Józef Lempart, and Eugeniusz Bendera broke into a SS store room and stole uniforms and weapons and then made their escape from the concentration camp in disguise. On the same day, the American newspaper New York Times published the report from the World Jewish Congress that the Germans had, to date, killed 1,000,000 Jews in "vast slaughterhouse for the Jews" located in Eastern Europe.
» In-depth article
- Tatsuta Maru departed Taroa, Marshall Islands and arrived at Wotje, Marshall Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Captain Teijiro Yamazumi was named the commanding officer of battleship Mutsu.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Light carrier Hosho was assigned to the 1st Air Fleet; she disembarked all her aircraft.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- German submarine U-67 damaged Norwegian tanker Nortind with a torpedo 90 miles south of New Orleans, Louisiana, United States at 1125 hours, killing 1.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Japanese troops aboard Seki Maru No. 3 found and captured coast watcher Cornelius Page on Simberi, New Ireland.
Canada
- Japanese submarine I-26 bombarded the Estevan Point lighthouse and the radio direction finding facility on the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Germany
- 185 British bombers attacked Emden, Germany, causing little damage; 7 bombers were lost.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Axis troops launched what would be the final attack on Tobruk, Libya, preceded by a heavy artillery and air bombardment at 0530 hours. At 0700 hours, 100 German and Italian tanks rushed through a gap in Tobruk's southeastern lines. The port facilities were captured by 1900 hours, and British troops destroyed stocks of fuel and supplies to prevent capture.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- German 24th Infantry Division attacked Fort Lenin and Fort North (held against German attacks for the whole day) near Sevastopol, Ukraine starting at 0900 hours; while Fort Lenin was captured with minimal resistance, Soviet troops at Fort North held their ground, repulsing German attacks all day.
» In-depth article
United States
- Winston Churchill arrived at Franklin Roosevelt's home at Hyde Park, New York, United States to discuss US-UK cooperation. The two leaders agreed to give the crossing of the English Channel a priority, and that the two nations would assist each other in atomic weapons research.
» In-depth article
- Acting on information given by defected saboteur George Dasch, United States Federal Bureau of Investigation agents captured three German saboteurs in New York, New York, United States.
- The US Navy Office of Naval Intelligence in Washington DC, United States proposed to take over Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team based in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, which currently reported to the US Navy Office of Naval Communications.
» In-depth article
21 Jun 1942
- Adolf Hitler reluctantly decided to delay his summer offensive due to the heavy Soviet defense of Sevastopol, Ukraine.
» In-depth article
- An US PBY Catalina aircraft rescued two airmen who had lost their TBD Devastator torpedo bomber during the Battle of Midway. They were the last survivors to be rescued from the battle.
» In-depth article
- USS S-27, which had run aground two days prior off Amchitka Island, Aleutian Islands, was discovered filled with chlorine gas, thus she was now regarded as officially abandoned.
» In-depth article
- Canadian minesweeper HMCS Georgia attacked a unidentified submarine by ramming off Newfoundland at 0300 hours, sinking what turned out to be British submarine HMS P-514, killing all 29 aboard. At 0400 hours, German submaine U-128 sank US ship West Ira 120 miles east of Barbados; all 49 aboard survived but 1 of them would die before being rescued.
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- 56 British RAF Bomber Command aircraft deployed naval mines in the Bay of Biscay west of France.
- Italian destroyer Strale was damaged by British Fleet Air Arm Swordfish torpedo bombers off Cape Bon, Tunisia; she ran aground to prevent sinking.
Australian New Guinea
- Captured coast watcher Cornelius Page was transferred to Kavieng, New Ireland.
British Western Pacific Territories
- USS S-44 sank Japanese gunboat Keijo Maru off Gavutu Island east of Tulagi, Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article
Italy
- The "San Marco" naval infantry regiment of the Italian Navy formed the "Mazzuchelli" battalion; it would soon be renamed "N" (swimmer) battalion.
Japan
Libya
- At dawn, Allied troops attempted a breakout from Tobruk, Libya, but was met with failure. At 0645 hours, South African minesweeping whalder HMSAS Parktown was disabled by four Italian MAS torpedo boats just outside the harbor, killing many; Parktown would be scuttled after all survivors were rescued. At 0800 hours, the 35,000-strong Allied garrison (19,000 British, 13,400 South African, and 2,500 Indian) surrendered.
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United Kingdom
- 50 German Luftwaffe aircraft conducted a raid on Southampton, England, United Kingdom.
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United States
- Japanese submarine I-25 bombarded Fort Stevens, Oregon in northwestern United States at about 2330 hours, causing no damage.
Photo(s) dated 21 Jun 1942
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22 Jun 1942
- Saratoga departed Pearl Harbor to ferry aircraft to Midway.
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- Tatsuta Maru departed Wotje, Marshall Islands.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Erwin Rommel was promoted to the rank of Generalfeldmarshall.
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- Norwegian tanker Nortind, damaged by German submarine U-67 in the Gulf of Mexico two days prior, arrived at New Orleans, Louisiana, United States for repairs. German submarine U-159 disabled US tanker E. J. Sadler with gunfire 175 miles south of Puerto Rico at 2035 hours; all 36 aboard escaped via 4 lifeboats.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-202 sank Argentinian ship Rio Tercero 120 miles southeast of New York, New York, United States at 1234 hours; 5 were killed, 37 survived.
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- 9 Beaufort aircraft of British No. 217 Squadron and 6 Beaufighter aircraft of No. 235 Squadron were launched from Malta to attack an Axis convoy sailing from Naples, Italy to Tripoli, Libya; German freighter Reichenfels was sunk while 3 Beaufort aircraft were shot down (7 were killed).
- Swordfish torpedo bombers of 830 Squadron of British Fleet Air Arm were launched from Malta to attack Italian destroyer Strale, forcing Strale to run aground near Cape Bon, Tunisia to prevent sinking.
- In a message to Admiral Ernest King, Vice Admiral Russell Wilson recommended against the proposal to award the Distinguished Service Medal to Joseph Rochefort; this fact was not known to Rochefort.
» In-depth article
Australian New Guinea
- Montevideo Maru boarded 845 prisoners of war (mostly Australian) and 208 civilian internees at Rabaul, New Britain and set sail for southern China without escort.
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Germany
- 227 British RAF aircraft (144 Wellington, 38 Stirling, 26 Halifax, 11 Lancaster, and 8 Hampden) attacked Emden, Germany, destroying 50 houses, damaging harbor facilities, and killing 6 civilians (further 40 were injured); 6 bombers were lost on this mission.
» In-depth article
Japan
Libya
- Axis troops reached Bardia, Libya, 10 miles west of the border with Egypt.
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Sweden
- Soviet submarine ShCh-317 sank Swedish ship Ada Thorthon 5 miles west of Gotland island in the Baltic Sea; 14 were killed, 8 survived.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Soviet lines east and south of Sevastopol, Ukraine began to falter.
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- German forces launched Operation Fridericus II near Kharkov, Ukraine in preparation for Unternehmen Blau.
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Photo(s) dated 22 Jun 1942
23 Jun 1942
- Tatsuta Maru arrived at Kwajalein, Marshall islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Anxious to learn the secrets of the Luftwaffe's new Focke-Wulf 190 fighter, the British was planning a Commando-type raid to steal one from a French airfield. They were saved the trouble when disorientated German pilot Lieutenant Arnim Faber of 111/JG2 landed his Fw 190A-3 fighter at RAF Pembrey in South Wales, United Kingdom, mistaking it for an airfield in France. The captured aircraft was taken to the Air Fighting Development Unit at Duxford, England, United Kingdom where it was discovered, during trials, that the Fw 190A was superior in all respects except turning circle to the Spitfire VB then equipping most of RAF Fighter Command.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-159 sent a boarding to US tanker E. J. Sadler 175 miles south of Puerto Rico just after 0000 hours to scuttle the tanker which she had disabled at 2035 hours on the previous day. German submarine U-158 sank US Army transport Major General Henry Gibbins 400 miles west of Key West, Florida, United States; the entire crew of 47 and all 21 gunners survived, to be rescued on the following day. 40 miles south of South Pass, Louisiana, United States, U-67 sank US tanker Rawleigh Warner, killing all 33 aboard. In the Caribbean Sea, U-68 sank Panamanian tanker Arriaga 100 miles west of Aruba; 1 was killed, 24 survived. 200 miles east of Nicaragua, U-172 sank Colombian sailing boat Resolute with gunfire and hand grenades; 6 were killed, 4 survived.
» In-depth article
- Commander Ryokichi Sugama was named the commanding officer of destroyer Yukikaze.
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- German submarine U-84 sank Norwegian tanker Torvanger 540 miles west of the Azores islands; 4 were killed, 33 survived. 100 miles east of Grenada in the Antilles islands, U-128 sank a Norwegian tanker; all 38 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Thrasher sank Italian merchant vessel Sant Antonio in the Gulf of Sirte off Libya; Italian torpedo boat Perseo attempted a counterattack which failed to damage Thrasher.
Egypt
- Axis forces crossed the Libyan-Egyptian border and marched toward the Allied defensive positions at Mersa Matruh, Egypt 100 miles to the east, engaging units of the British 7th Armoured Division en route at Sollum.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- At Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii, Joseph Rochefort received a message from Admiral Ernest King to congratulate him on a job well done. There were no mention of any award of medals or other forms of recognition.
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Japan
Libya
- USAAF B-24D bombers of Halverson Provisional Detachment, temporarily based in Egypt while being prepared to transfer to China, attacked Axis positions at Benghazi, Libya.
United States
- Agents of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, acting on information provided by defected saboteur George Dasch, located and arrested two German saboeurs in New York, New York, United States.
24 Jun 1942
- Axis air forces commenced an offensive against Yugoslavian partisans.
- Luftwaffe aircraft conducted a raid on Birmingham, England.
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- Tatsuta Maru departed Kwajalein, Marshall Islands.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- USS Perch was struck from the Naval Vessel Register of the US Navy.
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- German submarine U-156 sank British ship Willimantic with gunfire 700 miles southeast of Bermuda at 0904 hours; 6 were killed, 32 survived. At 0937 hours, 30 miles off Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States, U-404 sank Yugoslavian ship Ljubica Matkovic; all 30 aboard survived. At the mouth of the Delaware Bay on the US coast, US rescue tug vessel John R. Williams struck a mine and sank at 2005 hours; 14 were killed, 4 survived; the mine was laid by U-373 on 11 Jun.
» In-depth article
- Joseph Stilwell, with Song Meiling in his support, convinced Chiang Kaishek to agree to sending Chinese troops to India for training.
» In-depth article
- A PBY Catalina piloted by Lieutenant (jg) Julius Raven discovered and rescued 15 survivors of USS S-27 off Amchitka Island, Aleutian Islands.
» In-depth article
Australian Papua
- Australian 39th Battalion and the British colonial Papua Infantry Battalion were deployed to defend the Kokoda Track, a rough jungle path that linked northeastern coast of the island of New Guinea with Port Moresby. On the same day, other Australian units departed from Port Moresby aboard Dutch ship Karsik and Bontekoe to construct new airfields on the coast of Milne Bay to the east.
» In-depth article
Russia
- Five German Ju 88 bombers attacked Allied shipping at anchor in the Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia at 0908 hours, sinking British minesweeper HMS Gossamer (23 were killed, 12 were wounded).
- 5 German Ju 88 aircraft attacked Murmansk, Russia at 0908 hours, sinking British minesweeper HMS Gossamer with bombs at 0921 hours; 21 were killed.
» In-depth article
- Joseph Stalin signed the order that widened the range of crimes which would also result in the arrest of family members of the convicted.
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Photo(s) dated 24 Jun 1942
25 Jun 1942
- Saratoga delivered 25 P-40 Warhawk fighters and 18 SBD Dauntless dive bombers to Midway.
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- Sir Arthur Harris of the RAF Bomber Command launched the third Thousand Bomber Raid, this time sending 1,067 aircraft (including some aircraft from Coastal Command and Army Cooperation Command) to attack Bremen, Germany; only 696 reported successfully reaching the city. The RAF Bomber Command lost 48 aircraft, half of which had inexperienced crews recruited from training squadrons flying worn out aircraft; the RAF Coastal Command lost 5 aircraft. 572 houses were destroyed, 6,108 were damaged. 85 were killed, while 497 were wounded and 2,378 were made homeless. An assembly shop at the Focke-Wulf factory was destroyed, while the Bremer Vulkan shipyard and nearby docks and warehouses were also damaged.
» In-depth article
- Claude Auchinleck assumed personal command of the British Eighth Army. Meanwhile, Arthur Coningham launched around-the-clock bombing of Erwin Rommel's advancing army in North Africa. The Luftwaffe, weakened by operations at Bir Hakeim and Tobruk, could only put up 50% of their available aircraft to counter the Allied attacks. This allowed the 8th Army to successfully occupy positions at El Alamein positions, whilst the German and Italians were left short of fuel and supplies.
» In-depth article
- Ernest King ordered the preparation for an offensive in the lower Solomon Islands; Santa Cruz, Tulagi, and other nearby islands were to be assaulted by US Marines. To that end, US PBY Catalina aircraft bombed Tulagi. US Army also began to form occupation garrisons for the occupation of these islands. The planned launch date for the offensive was set for 1 Aug 1942.
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- USS Finback departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii for her first war patrol.
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- Dong Zhao was named the deputy commanding officer of the 34th Army.
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- Three PBY Catalina aircraft rescued survivors of USS S-27 off Amchitka Island, Aleutian Islands.
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- German submarine U-404 attacked an Allied convoy 75 miles off Cape Lookout, North Carolina, United States at 0116 hours, sinking Panamanian SS Nordal (all 32 aboard survived) and damaging US ship Manuela (2 were killed, 40 survived). Before dawn, German submarine U-153 sank British ship Anglo-Canadian 720 miles northeast of Saint Kitts; 1 was killed, 49 survived; the crew of U-153 gave survivors drinking water and cigarettes before leaving the scene of the attack.
» In-depth article
- USS Nautilus sank Japanese destroyer Yamakaze with 2 torpedoes 60 miles south of Tokyo Bay, Japan; all 226 aboard were killed.
» In-depth article
- Lieutenant General Neil Ritchie was fired by Claude Auchinleck following the loss of Tobruk, Libya.
Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort officially assumed the role of the temporary chief of the Intelligence Center of Pacific Ocean Areas of the US Navy Pacific Fleet based in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii.
» In-depth article
Russia
- Soviet 2nd Shock Army, trapped on the Volkhov River near Leningrad, Russia since 30 May 1942, was defeated; General Vlasov ordered the 180,000 survivors to break up into small groups to attempt to escape back to Soviet lines to the east; only 120,000 men would succeed.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- Major General Dwight D. Eisenhower arrived in London, England, United Kingdom and was appointed the Commander of US Forces in Europe.
» In-depth article
United States
- At the conclusion of the Second Washington Conference, Roosevelt and Churchill decided to combine the atomic bomb research efforts of US and UK, among other topics of discussion. As Tobruk in North Africa fell under Axis control, Churchill headed back to Britain, pondering a shift in command in North Africa in order for him to maintain his political power in London.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 25 Jun 1942
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26 Jun 1942
- German troops crossed the Oskel River to take Kupyansk in Ukraine, which was to be used as a jump-off point for their summer offensive.
- The Italians were able to step up their air attacks on Malta by withdrawing aircraft from Libya to Sicily.
» In-depth article
- Italian troops of Brescia Division and Trento Division reached Mersa Matruh, Egypt in the afternoon, engaging in fighting against the Indian 10th Infantry Division. To the south, German tanks and infantry moved toward Minqar Qaim.
» In-depth article
- The Grumman XF6F-3 Hellcat prototype made its maiden flight. It went on to be, arguably, the most significant Allied carrier fighter of the war.
» In-depth article
- US Marine Corps Major General Alexander Vandegrift received word that Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings in the Solomon Islands were being planned.
» In-depth article
- Aleksandr Vasilevsky was named the Chief of the General Staff of the Soviet armed forces.
» In-depth article
- Vichy French ship Quand Meme struck a mine and sank in the Bay of Biscay; the mine was deployed by Free French submarine Rubis on 5 Jun 1942
- German submarine U-203 sank British ship Putney Hill with a torpedo and her deck gun 450 miles northeast of Puerto Rico at 0544 hours; 3 were killed, 35 survived. US ship Manuela, damaged by German submarine U-153 on the previous day, foundered and sank in the morning while under tow by US Coast Guard ship CG-252. At 0913 hours, U-107 damaged Dutch ship Jagersfontein with a torpedo 500 miles west of Bermuda; Jagersfontein would sink at 1215 hours; all 220 aboard survived. At 2317 hours, U-203 struck again, sinking Brazillian ship Pedrinhas with a torpedo and her deck gun 300 miles northeast of Puerto Rico; all 48 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- German Ju 88 dive bombers sank Soviet destroyer Bezuprechny (320 were killed) and submarine S-32 (all 45 aboard were killed) 30 miles southeast of Sevastopol, Ukraine.
- Italian midget submarine CB-4 recorded attacking and sinking Soviet submarine ShCh-207 in the Black Sea off Yalta, Ukraine; Soviet records revealed that the only submarine lost in the region that day was ShCh-203.
Japan
Ukraine
- German troops reached the northern shore of Severnaya Bay near Sevastopol, Ukraine. To the east of the city, positions held by troops of Soviet 386th Rifle Division were bombarded by German aircraft. As defeat appeared to be imminent, Soviet submarines D-6 and A-1 were scuttled in the harbor of Sevastopol to prevent capture.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
27 Jun 1942
- Shokaku left drydock.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Dr. Heinisch, the German administrator in the Przemysl area in occupied Poland, declared that anyone interfering with the deportation, looting Jewish homes, or helping Jews hide would be shot.
- Allied convoy PQ-17 under Commodore J. C. K. Dowding sailed from Hvalfjord, north of Reykjavik, Iceland, where it had assembled. One ship grounded on leaving harbour and another was damaged by ice in the Denmark Strait, so the convoy that set course for Arkhangelsk, Russia comprised 33 ships plus a tanker, escorted by six destroyers, two anti-aircraft ships, four corvettes, three minesweepers, four trawlers and two submarines; which it was hoped would discourage enemy attacks. On the same date, convoy QP-13 set sail from Arkhangelsk, Russia; it was consisted of 35 merchant ships and was escorted by 3 destroyers, 1 minesweeper, 4 corvettes, 1 anti-aircraft vessel, and 2 trawlers.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-404 sank Norwegian ship Moldanger 300 miles southeast of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States; 14 were killed, 30 survived. 650 miles east of the Virgin Islands, U-153 sank US ship Potlatch; 8 were killed, 47 survived; Potlatch was carrying a cargo of tanks, trucks, and supplies for the British forces fighting in Egypt. 250 miles east of Trinidad, U-128 sank US ship Polybius; 10 were killed, 34 survived.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-129 sank Mexican tanker Tuxpam with torpedoes (1 of 2 hit) and her deck gun 50 miles north of Veracruz, Mexico; 8 were killed, 31 survived. 20 miles west of Barbados, U-126 sank Norwegian tanker Leiv Eiriksson at 1055 hours; 4 were killed, 40 survived (2 of the survivors would die of their wounds at a hospital at Barbados). At 1525 hours, U-129 struck again, sinking Mexican tanker Las Choapas with a torpedo also about 50 miles north of Veracruz, Mexico; 4 were killed, 28 survived.
» In-depth article
- USS Nautilus sank Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Musashi Maru 60 miles south of Tokyo Bay, Japan.
» In-depth article
Egypt
- German 90th Light Division cut off the Allied forces at Mersa Matruh, Egypt as its troops reached Ras Hawala at 1900 hours. British commander Claude Auchinleck ordered his forces to fall back to Fuka 48 kilometers to the east; the withdraw was conducted with much confusion. German 21st Panzer Division surrounded New Zealand 2nd Infantry Division at Minqar Qaim, Egypt before sundown, but the New Zealand troops would be able to break out of the envelopment after dark with a bayonet charge.
» In-depth article
Germany
- 144 British bombers (55 Wellington, 39 Halifax, 26 Stirling, 24 Lancaster) attacked Bremen, Germany, damaging the Atlas Werke and the Korff refinery, killing 7, and wounding 80; 9 bombers were lost on this mission.
» In-depth article
United States
- Acting on information given by defected saboteur George Dasch, United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents captured two German saboteurs in Chicago, Illinois, United States. The FBI would soon announce to the public the capture of eight German saboteurs.
Photo(s) dated 27 Jun 1942
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28 Jun 1942
- Unternehmen Blau, the German summer offensive, began; 3 armies and 11 armored divisions began driving towards the Caucasus Mountains.
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- Axis forces captured Fuka and Mersa Matruh, Egypt.
» In-depth article
- The STAVKA relieved Ivan Bagramyan as the chief of staff of the Southwestern Front after the defeat in the Second Battle of Kharkov in Ukraine.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-332 sank US ship Raphael Semmes 1,000 miles east of Florida, United States at 1030 hours; 19 were killed, 18 survived. U-203 sank US ship Sam Houston 100 miles northeast of the Virgin Islands at 1538 hours; 8 were killed, 38 survived. U-701 sank US tanker William Rockefeller 50 miles off the coast of North Carolina, United States at 1816 hours; all 50 aboard survived. U-505 sank US ship Sea Thrush 300 miles northeast of the Virgin Islands at 1855 hours; all 66 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-154 sank US ship Tillie Lykes 100 miles south of the Dominican Republic at 0350 hours; all 33 aboard were killed.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-10 sank British merchant ship Queen Victoria in the Mozambique Channel.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-97 attacked a 3-ship Allied convoy 14 miles southwest of Haifa, Palestine, sinking British ship Zealand (14 were killed, 19 survived) and Greek ship Memas (8 were killed, 17 survived).
- USS Stingray attacked a Japanese convoy in the Philippine Sea and sank gunboat Saikyo Maru.
» In-depth article
- B-17 bombers of US 5th Air Force, based in Australia, attack Rabaul, New Britain and Lae, New Guinea.
» In-depth article
- German bombers damaged Soviet destroyer leader Tashkent in the Black Sea; Tashkent was able to sail to Novorossisk, Russia to receive repairs.
Alaska
- USS S-28 arrived at Dutch Habor, US Territory of Alaska, ending her first war patrol.
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British Western Pacific Territories
- PBY aircraft of US Navy squadron VP-14 attacked Tulagi, Soloman Islands.
Germany
- Hans-Joachim Marseille received Swords for his Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross medal from Adolf Hitler at Wolfsschanze near Rastenburg, East Prussia, Germany. He also received Oak Leaves for his Knight's Cross, an award he had won earlier in this month.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Before dawn, Italian torpedo boats staged a fake landing at Cape Fiolent south of Sevastopol, Ukraine as a diversion from the preparations for a major offensive north of the city.
» In-depth article
United Kingdom
- The British Royal Navy Home Fleet (carrier HMS Victorious, battleship HMS Duke of York, with cruisers and destroyers), reinforced by US battleship USS Washington, departed from Scapa Flow, Scotland, United Kingdom to provide distant cover for Allied convoy PQ-17 sailing from Iceland to Arkhangelsk, Russia.
» In-depth article
- German bombers attacked Weston-super-Mare in southwestern England, United Kingdom, killing 102 and wounding 400; German intelligence had incorrectly determined that Winston Churchill was at Weston-super-Mare this night.
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United States
- Robert Johnson completed advanced flying training at Kelly Field, Texas, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 28 Jun 1942
29 Jun 1942
- Manchukuo transferred destroyer Haiwei to Japan. The ship was reclassified as an auxiliary escort and was renamed Kari.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-126 attacked Canadian sailing vessel Mona Marie 50 miles southwest of Barbados at 0125 hours, forcing the crew of 8 to abandon ship. At 0610 hours, U-754 sank British merchant ship Waiwera 400 miles northwest of the Azores islands; 8 were killed, 97 survived. U-153 sank American merchant vessel Ruth with a torpedo 320 miles northeast of Barbuda; 35 were killed, 4 survived. At 1355 hours, U-505 sank American merchant ship Thomas McKean with two torpedoes, 350 miles northeast of Puerto Rico. At 1745 hours, U-158 sank Latvian merchant ship Everalda 360 miles southwest of Bermuda; all 36 aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-67 sank British tanker Empire Mica southwest of Cape St. George, Florida, United States at 0750 hours; 33 were killed, 14 survived.
» In-depth article
- British submarine HMS Thrasher sank Italian freighter Diana 100 miles north of Tobruk, Libya at 1445 hours; Italian motor torpedo boats counterattacked with 17 depth charges, causing no damage to Thrasher.
- German 4th Panzer Army threatened to surround the Soviet 40th Army as the Germans advanced toward Voronezh in southern Russia; 1,000 Soviet tanks were released from the reserves to reinforce the defense.
» In-depth article
- George Marshall asked Douglas MacArthur for thoughts on replacing George Brett with Frank Andrews, not knowing that Andrews would reject a transfer to Australia.
- Allied convoy QP-13 was spotted by a German Fw 200 aircraft.
» In-depth article
Alaska
- USS S-35 arrived at Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska, ending her second war patrol.
» In-depth article
Caroline Islands
- Destroyer Yuzuki departed Truk, Caroline Islands, escorting a convoy transporting airfield construction crews to Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
» In-depth article
- Repair ship Akashi provided repair work for destroyer Asashio at Truk, Caroline Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
Egypt
- German 90th Light Division reached Sidi Abdel Rahman, Egypt.
» In-depth article
- British cruiser HMS Dido, 7 destroyers, and submarine depot ship HMS Medway were evacuated out of Alexandria, Egypt as Axis troops advanced toward El Alamein, Egypt; the ships sailed for Haifa, Palestine.
Germany
- 253 British bombers (108 Wellington, 64 Lancaster, 47 Stirling, and 34 Halifax) attacked Bremen, Germany, damaging the Focke-Wulf aircraft factory and the A. G. Weser submarine shipyard; 11 bombers were lost on this mission.
» In-depth article
Hawaii
- USS Saratoga arrived at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii after ferrying aircraft to Midway Atoll.
» In-depth article
Libya
- Benito Mussolini flew to Libya, with his white horse, to prepare for a victory parade through Cairo, Egypt.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- Troops of German 16th Infantry Regiment and 65th Infantry Regiment crossed Severnaya Bay north of Sevastopol, Ukraine in 130 rubber boats, landing behind Soviet defenses at 0100 hours, establishing a bridgehead.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 29 Jun 1942
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30 Jun 1942
- A US Navy PBM Mariner aircraft sank German submarine U-158 70 kilometers west of Bermuda, killing all 54 aboard. 550 miles west of Ireland, German submarine U-458 sank Norwegian merchant ship Morsfruit; all 36 aboard survived. 650 miles northeast of the island of Saint Martin, Italian submarine Morosini sank Dutch merchant ship Tysa; all aboard survived.
» In-depth article
- German government decreed that no foreign workers was to receive higher wages or enjoy better working conditions than the poorest German workers.
- All Jewish schools in Germany were forced to close.
- Axis troops reached El Alamein, Egypt.
» In-depth article
- Auschwitz Concentration Camp's Bunker II, the second gas chamber, became operational.
» In-depth article
- Commander Kinzo Tonozuka became the commanding officer of I-168.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- In Egypt, Allied defenses east of Mersa Matruh fell back to El Alamein.
» In-depth article
- Submarine Tunny was launched, sponsored by Mrs. Frederick G. Crisp.
» In-depth article
- The United States Marine Corps reported an active duty strength of 7,138 officers and 135,475 enlisted men for a total of 142,413 personnel.
- USS Sturgeon detected Japanese passenger ship Montevideo Maru off northern Philippine Islands and began to give chase.
» In-depth article
- The Soviet 40th Army was trapped by German 4th Panzer Army and German 6th Army in southern Russia.
» In-depth article
- USS Plunger sank Japanese ship Unkai Maru No. 5 70 miles southeast of Shanghai, China.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-10 sank US ship Express in the Mozambique Channel, killing 13. In the same area, I-20 sank British tanker Steaua Romana.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-372 sank British submarine depot ship HMS Medway 62 miles northwest of Alexandria, Egypt at 0824 hours; 30 were killed, 1,105 survived.
Japan
Photo(s) dated 30 Jun 1942
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1 Jul 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Davao, Philippine Islands.
» In-depth article
» Tabular Record of Movement
- Jews were massacred in Byelorussian cities of Minsk, Lida, and Slonim.
» In-depth article
- General Montgomery informed General Paget that Operation Rutter, the attack on Dieppe, was to take place on 4 Jul.
» In-depth article
- HMS King George V arrived at Scapa Flow, Scotland, United Kingdom.
» In-depth article
- US Navy Admiral Robert Ghormley relinquished his command army troops as US Army Major General Millard Harmon arrived to the theater.
- Chiang Kaishek formally submitted his "Three Demands" to Joseph Stilwell to forward on to Washington DC, United States. This request included 5,000 tons of supplies, 500 war planes, and 3 US divisions for the Chinese theater of war. US President Franklin Roosevelt would superficially agree to the demands, but would stall the delivery indefinitely.
» In-depth article
- USS Flying Fish attacked a Japanese transport off Taiwan; all 3 torpedoes fired missed.
» In-depth article
- USS Sturgeon sank Japanese passenger ship Montevideo Maru off northern Philippine Islands before dawn; 1,124 were killed, 17 survived. The crew of Sturgeon did not realize that most of those aboard were Australian prisoners of war, which constituted 1,053 of the 1,124 killed.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-202 sank US passenger-cargo ship City of Birmingham 250 miles east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0127 hours; 9 were killed, 374 survived. At 1831 hours, U-126 sank US ship Warrior 125 miles east of Trinidad; 7 were killed, 49 survived; the 10,080 tons of Lend-Lease supplies bound for the Soviet Union via Iran were lost. Also on this date, Allied convoy departed Liverpool, Englad, United Kingdom with 41 merchant ships in its midst.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-129 sank Norwegian ship Cadmus in the Gulf of Mexico at 1744 hours; 2 were killed, 20 survived. US Navy cargo ship USS Luckenbach struck two US mines and sank 10 miles south of the Florida Keys, Florida, United States; lost with the ship was a very large supply of tungsten, prompting the Americans to later launch an operation to salvage it.
» In-depth article
- German 4th Panzer Army advanced toward Voronezh, Russia.
» In-depth article
- Japanese submarine I-16 sank Swedish ship Eknaren in the Mozambique Channel. In the same area, I-18 sank Dutch ship De Weert.
» In-depth article
- German submarine U-97 sank British ship Marilyse Moller 66 miles east of Port Said, Egypt at 1343 hours; 35 were killed, 4 survived; British anti-submarine trawler HMS Burra counterattacked with three depth charges, causing no damage.
- German submarine U-456 and a German Bv 138 aircraft spotted Allied convoy PQ-17 in the Barents Sea and began shadowing it.
» In-depth article
- Yasunori Yoshioka stepped down as the chief of staff of Japanese 44th Army, also known as the Kwangtung Defense Army, based in Xinjing, northeastern China.
» In-depth article
Egypt
- German 90th Light Division began to advance for El Alamein, Egypt at 0300 hours; meanwhile, German and Italian tanks covered the southern flank. Allied troops in the area were a mix of British, Australian, New Zealand, Indian, and South African nationalities. Axis forces suffered heavy casualties on this first day of assault.
» In-depth article
Ukraine
- As the German bridgehead north of Sevastopol, Ukraine appeared to be too strong to be eliminated, Joseph Stalin ordered top Soviet leaders to evacuate the city by submarine.
» In-depth article
United States
- Wasp departed San Diego, California for Tonga Islands, escorting transports carrying men of the US 5th Marine Regiment.
» In-depth article
- The keel of submarine Seahorse was laid down at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California, United States.
» In-depth article
Photo(s) dated 1 Jul 1942
2 Jul 1942
- A German BV 138 seaplane shadowed Allied convoy PQ-17 in the Barents Sea from a distance, reporting in the convoy's position throughout the day. Seven He 115 seaplanes made a unsuccessful torpedo attack on the convoy, while German battleship Tirpitz, cruiser Admiral Hipper, four destroyers, and two torpedo boats departed Trondheim, Norway to intercept (Operation Rösselsprung). The German ships were spotted by Soviet submarine K21, which attacked and reported a hit, but in actuality the torpedo had missed.
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- US Joint Chiefs issued the Joint Directives for Offensive Operation in Southwest Pacific Area, calling for invasions of the general New Britain-New Ireland-New Guinea region; invasions for Santa Cruz and Tulagi were scheduled to be on 1 Aug 1942.
- Churchill easily passed a "no confidence" vote in the House of Commons; there were 475 votes in his favor compared to 25 against.
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- Large numbers of Soviet units were surrounded in the link-up of 4.Panzerarmee and 2.Armee near the city of Stary Oskol in Russia, but many of them manage to escape across the Don River.
- Generaloberst Alexander Löhr was named the commanding officer of the German 12th Army.
- The US 1st Marine Division's intelligence officer departed Wellington, New Zealand for Australia as part of the preparation efforts for the upcoming Guadalcanal-Tulagi landings in the Solomon Islands.
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- Benito Mussolini cabled Adolf Hitler in regards to the future administration of Egypt, in which he recommended Erwin Rommel as the military governor and a yet-unnamed Italian as the civilian administrator.
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- German submarine U-129 sank Norwegian ship Gundersen in the Gulf of Mexico at 0617 hours; 1 was killed, 25 survived.
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- USS Plunger sank Japanese transport ship Unyo Maru No. 3 80 miles east of Shanghai, China.
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- 6 German aircraft attacked Allied convoy PQ-17 but was driven off without causing any damage.
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Czechoslovakia
- A group of Jews from Berlin, Germany were sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp.
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Egypt
- Erwin Rommel abandoned the southward tank sweep to have the tanks assist on the direct assault of El Alamein, Egypt, but not until the southern drive had already lost 2,000 men and 30 field guns.
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- German aircraft sank Soviet destroyers Bditelny and Tashkent and damaged cruiser Komintern and two other destroyers at Novorossiysk, Russia.
Germany
- 325 British bombers (175 Wellington, 53 Lancaster, 35 Halifax, 34 Stirling, and 28 Hampden) attacked Bremen, Germany, damaging 1,000 houses and 4 small industrial facilities, damaging 3 cranes in the port area, damaging 7 ships, and sinking transport ship Marieborg. The Germans suffered 5 deaths and 4 wounded while the British lost 13 bombers.
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Russia
- Submarine S-7 departed Moshchny Island near Leningrad, Russia.
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United States
- The New York Times reported via the London Daily Telegraph that over 1,000,000 Jews had already been killed by Nazis.
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Photo(s) dated 2 Jul 1942
3 Jul 1942
- German submarine U-215 sank US ship Alexander Macomb 150 kilometers east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, United States at 1230 hours; 10 were killed, 57 survived; Alexander Macomb sunk with 9,000 tons of war goods for the Soviet Union. British armed anti-submarine warfare trawler HMS Le Tiger counterattacked and sank U-215 with depth charges, killing all 48 aboard.
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- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Davao, Philippine Islands.
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- German troops captured Sevastopol, Ukraine.
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- Japanese leadership officially canceled the invasion of Port Moresby, New Guinea.
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- Japanese reinforced Kiska of the Aleutian Islands with 1,200 men, 24 aircraft, and 6 mini-submarines. Meanwhile, American B-24 aircraft bombed and damaged Japanese seaplane carrier Kamikawa Maru, seaplane carrier Kimikawa Maru, and oiler Fujisan off Agattu, and American submarines attacked four Japanese destroyers in the area, sinking three of them with torpedoes.
- USS Gar began her third war patrol.
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- German pocket battleship Lützow, pocket battleship Admiral Scheer, and six destroyers departed from Narvik, Norway to intercept Allied convoy PQ-17 in the Barents Sea; en route, Lützow and three destroyers ran aground. The group was detected by the British and the Soviets, leading to the dispatching of 9 British and 7 Soviet submarines to intercept the German fleet; en route, Soviet submarines D-3 and M-176 hit German naval mines and sank.
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- USS Flying Fish damaged a Japanese destroyer off Taiwan, hitting her with 1 of 2 torpedoes fired.
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- German submarine U-161 sank Panamanian ship San Pablo in the harbor of Puerto Limón, Costa Rica at 0400 hours, killing most aboard and killing 23 stevedores. 50 miles north of Trinidad, U-126 damaged US tanker Gulfbelle, killing 2.
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Canada
- German submarine U-132 arrived in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence off Quebec, Canada.
Egypt
- German 15th Panzer Division, German 21st Panzer Divisions, and Italian XX Motorized Corps attacked Ruweisat Ridge near El Alamein, Egypt, making little progress. British aircraft flew 780 sorties on this day against the Axis offensive.
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Russia
- German 4th Panzer Army crosses the Don River near Voronezh, Russia.
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Ukraine
- Adolf Hitler arrived at Poltava, Ukraine to meet with Fedor von Bock to discuss the offensive in southern Russia.
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United States
- Robert Johnson was commissioned a second lieutenant at Kelly Field, Texas, United States.
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Photo(s) dated 3 Jul 1942
4 Jul 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Menado, Celebes.
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- Allied reconnaissance reported that the Japanese had begun building an airfield on Guadalcanal.
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- The raid on Dieppe was postponed due to weather.
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- Auschwitz Concentration Camp began mass gassings.
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- The US Navy Pacific Fleet established an advance base for submarines at Midway Atoll.
- Allied convoy PQ-17 was attacked by 24 German He 111 aircraft about 60 miles north of Bear Island, Norway, fatally damaging US freighter Christopher Newport which would later be scuttled by a British submarine (3 were killed, 47 survived); at 1930 hours, another attack wave came upon the convoy, causing no damage; at 2020 hours, the convoy was attacked by 25 aircraft, sinking British freighter Navarino, sinking US freighter William Hooper (3 were killed, 55 survived), and damaging Soviet tanker Azerbaijan; at 2100 hours, believing that German battleships might be in the area, PQ-17 was ordered to scatter and the convoy escorts were withdrawn. Sailing in the opposite direction, QP-13 broke up to two convoys, one of which ran into a minefield; several ships struck mines and sank (British minesweeper HMS Niger (149 were killed), freighter Hybert, freighter Heffron, freighter Massmar (17 were killed), and Soviet passenger ship Rodina (several family members of Soviet diplomats were killed)), and several others were damaged (civilian commodore's ship American Robin, freighter Exterminator, and freighter John Randolph); HMS Hussar was able to lead the survivors out of the minefield.
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- The American Volunteer Group was disbanded in China.
- German submarine U-129 sank Soviet tanker Tuapse in the Caribbean Sea; 8 were killed, 36 survived. On the same day, U-575 sank US ship Norlandia also in the Caribbean Sea; 9 were killed, 21 survived.
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- German armed merchant cruiser Thor stopped and captured empty Norwegian tanker Madrono 1,500 miles east of Madagascar; a prize crew sailed the renamed tanker Rossbach for Japan.
Alaska
- USS Triton sank Japanese destroyer Nenohi 5 miles south of Agattu, Aleutian Islands; 188 were killed, 38 survived.
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Egypt
- Axis tanks continued the attack on Ruweisat Ridge near El Alamein, Egypt, making little progress; British aircraft flew 900 sorties on this day against the Axis offensive. The Allies, believing the Axis forces had lost their initial momentum, launched a limited offensive with elements of the South African 1st Division and New Zealand 2nd Division toward the Ruweisat Ridge.
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Germany
- British RAF's third 1,000-plane raid targeted Bremen, Germany, causing considerable damage to the city and the Focke-Wulf plant.
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Netherlands
- The USAAF launched its first Britain-based mission when US A-20 bombers flew with British RAF A-20 bombers against German airfields in the Netherlands.
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Russia
- While the Soviet 5th Guards Tank Army was moved to Voronezh, Russia to aid the city's defense, Adolf Hilter diverted the German 6th Army toward Stalingrad.
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Photo(s) dated 4 Jul 1942
5 Jul 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Menado, Celebes.
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- Operation Rösselsprung was canceled and battleship Tirpitz reversed course for Bogen near Narvik, Norway.
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- Units of the German 4.Panzerarmee reached the Don River above and below Voronezh, Russia. In Ukraine, Soviet resistance in the Crimea region ended.
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- USS Finback attacked two Japanese destroyers in the Central Pacific, firing six torpedoes and claimed one hit. She was counterattacked with depth charges.
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- Soviet submarine ShCh-320 sank German coastal freighter Anna Katrin Fritzen off Memelland, Germany (Memel, Latvia) at 1151 hours.
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- The scattered Allied convoy PQ-17 was hunted down by German submarines and aircraft piecemeal throughout the day; British freighter Empire Byron (by U-703 at 0827 hours; 7 were killed, 63 survived), civilian commodore J. C. K. Dowding's ship River Afton (by U-703 at 2102 hours; 26 were killed, 38 survived)), British ship Earlston (by U-334 at 1747 hours; all 52 aboard survived), Washington, Bolton Castle, Paulus Potter, Pan Kraft, US ship Carlton (by U-88 at 1015 hours; 3 were killed, 42 survived), Fairfield City, Daniel Morgan (by U-88 at 2252 hours; 3 were killed, 51 survived), Peter Kerr, British fleet oiler Aldersdale (fatally damaged by aircraft and abandoned), British rescue ship Zaafaran, and Honomu (by U-456 at 1431 hours; 13 were killed, 28 survived) were all destroyed. Meanwhile, Allied convoy QP-13 was sailing in the opposite direction; British minesweeper HMS Niger, in escort, entered a British minefield due to navigation error, struck a mine, and sank 10 miles north of Iceland at 2240 hours, killing 149; the 36 merchant ships of the convoy, following Niger's lead, also entered the minefield; 5 merchant ships would sink, 1 would sustain damage.
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Alaska
- USS Growler attacked Japanese destroyers in Kiska Harbor, Kiska, Aleutian Islands, damaging Kasumi (10 were killed), damaging Shiranui (3 were killed), and sinking Arare (104 were killed, 42 survived).
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Egypt
- The battlefields near El Alamein, Egypt entered a period of relative lull as Axis forces halted due to lack of supplies and the Allied forces planned for a counter offensive.
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Hawaii
- Joseph Rochefort's cryptanalytic team in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii decrypted an intercepted Japanese Navy radio message noting that engineering units were en route to Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands to construct an airfield.
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6 Jul 1942
- German submarine U-201 sank British ship Avila Star 90 miles east of the Azores islands at 0036 hours; 84 were killed, 112 survived. German submarine U-502 was sunk on the surface by a British RAF Wellington bomber with depth charges 250 miles west of France before dawn; all 52 aboard were killed. German submarine U-132 attacked Allied convoy QS-15 at the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, sinking Belgian ship Hainaut (at 0521 hours; 1 was killed, 44 survived), sinking Greek ship Anastassios Pateras (at 0521 hours; 3 were killed, 26 survived), and fatally damaging British ship Dinaric (at 0646 hours; 4 were killed); Canadian minesweeper HMCS Drummondville rammed (and missed) U-132 and dropped depth charges, causing minor damage to U-132.
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- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Kendari, Celebes.
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- Tirpitz arrived at Bogen near Narvik, Norway.
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- Anne Frank and her family went into hiding in the "Secret Annexe" above her father's office in an Amsterdam warehouse.
- The British RAF Coastal Command scored its first enemy vessel sunk with the newly equipped Wellington bombers.
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- German submarine U-154 sank Panamanian fishing boat Lalita with shellfire 20 miles off the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico at 1837 hours. U-67 sank Norwegian ship Bayard 45 miles south of Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States at 1857 hours; 11 were killed, 21 survived.
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- Japanese submarine I-10 sank Greek merchant ship Nymphe in the Mozambique Channel at 1615 hours.
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- German submarine U-255 sank US ship John Witherspoon; 1 was killed, 49 survived. German aircraft sank US ship Pan Atlantic. Both ships were of Allied convoy PQ-17, traveling in the Barents Sea.
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- German submarine U-375 sank Norwegian ship Hero 20 miles southwest of Haifa, Palestine at 0526 hours; 31 were killed, 13 survived.
- George Marshall asked Douglas MacArthur whether he would like to have George Kenney assigned to him to lead the air forces based in Australia.
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Australian New Guinea
- Japanese merchant ship Naruto Maru took on Australian nurses and 60 prisoners of war and departed Rabaul, New Britain, sailing for Yokohama, Japan.
British Western Pacific Territories
- Kinryu Maru, another transport, and five destroyers arrived at Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands from Truk, Caroline Islands, disembarking Japanese 11th Establishment Unit, 13th Establishment Unit, 100 trucks, 4 heavy tractors, 6 steam rollers, 2 generators, 2 locomotives with cars, and other equipment necessary for building an airfield.
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Japan
Russia
- German 4th Panzer Army reached the outskirts of Voronezh, Russia and German 6th Army reached Ostrogozhsky 70 miles south of Voronezh, making the Soviets realize that the Germans were heading Caucasus region to the south rather than Moscow to the north. Joseph Stalin ordered Voronezh to be held at all costs in order to main control of the rail network linking the Caucasus region with the areas to the north. Stalin also allowed Semyon Timoshenko to withdraw east of the Don River.
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7 Jul 1942
- German submarine U-571 sank British ship Umtata, in tow by US tug Edmund J. Moran, 10 miles off Miami, Florida, United States at 0900 hours; all 92 aboard survived. US Army Hudson aircraft sank German submarine U-701 with 3 depth charges (2 hits) 20 kilometers southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 1500 hours; 29 were killed, 17 survived.
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- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Kendari, Celebes.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Weather caused further postponement of Dieppe raid.
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- As units of the German 4.Panzerarmee entered Voronezh, Russia, the Soviet Stavka created the Voronezh Front under General Konstantin Rokossovsky to fill the gap between the Southwest Front and the Bryansk Front. Elsewhere, the German Armeegruppe A began its drive to the Donets Basin in eastern Ukraine.
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- Saratoga departed Pearl Harbor for the South Pacific.
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- Himmler authorized sterilization experiments to take place at Auschwitz Concentration Camp.
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- In an effort to make more new B-29 bombers available for operational use for the US Army, the US Navy canceled its orders for such aircraft for research purposes. Instead, the US Navy will received a number of existing B-24, B-25, and B-34 aircraft from the US Army.
- British Royal Navy Commander Anthony C.C. Miers was awarded the Victoria Cross for valour when commanding HM submarine Torbay in a daring and successful raid on shipping in an enemy harbour in Greece.
- Norwegian tanker Herborg, captured by German armed merchant cruiser Thor off the western coast of Australia on 19 Jun 1942 and renamed Hohenfriedberg, arrived at Japan with a prize crew.
- German submarine U-457 sank abandoned British fleet oiler RFA Alderdale of Allied convoy PQ-17 with her deck gun in the Barents Sea. In the same area, U-355 sank British ship Hartlebury (8 were killed, 52 survived, but only 20 would remain alive before being rescued) also of PQ-17. U-255 also attacked PQ-17 ships, sinking US ship Alcoa Ranger (all 40 aboard survived). Finally, Allied convoy QP-13 arrived at Reykjavík, Iceland.
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Alaska
- USS S-31 departed Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska for her third war patrol.
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Japan
8 Jul 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Ambon, Molucca Islands.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- In southern Russia and Ukraine, 4.Panzearmee began to push down the Don River, attempting to meet with 6.Armee coming from Kharkov; meanwhile, 1.Panzerarmee crossed the Donets River.
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- Valetta harbor, Malta was attacked by air.
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- Winston Churchill urged Franklin Roosevelt to agree to Operation Gymnast, a plan to jointly invade North Africa, since "[n]o responsible British general, admiral, or air marshal is prepared to recommend [a cross channel attack] as a practicable operation in 1942."
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- Japanese carrier task force withdrew from Alaskan waters after the completion of the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian islands.
- British General Claude Auchinleck ordered an attack on Tel el Eisa and Tel el Makh Khad near El Alamein, Egypt.
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- Chester Nimitz issued the final plan for the lower Solomon Islands offensive scheduled to be launhed in Aug 1942.
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- Survivors of German submarine U-701, sunk by a US Hudson aircraft on the previous day off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, spotted American aircraft and ships in search of them.
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- Japanese submarine I-10 sank British ship Hartismere in the Mozambique Channel at 0748 hours; all aboard survived. I-10 struck again at 1800 hours, sinking Dutch freighter Alchiba in the same area, killing 5.
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- USS S-37 sank Japanese transport Tenzan Maru 20 miles northwest of Rabaul, New Britain.
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- German submarine U-255 sank US ship Olopana of Allied convoy PQ-17 at 0100 hours; 7 were killed, 34 survived).
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Australia
- USS S-43 departed Brisbane, Australia with RAAF Flight Officer Cecil John Trevelyan Mason aboard for New Ireland.
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Finland
- Before dawn, 30 Soviet patrol boats and torpedo boats disembarked troops on the island of Someri, Finland, immediately engaging the Finnish garrison on the island. After daybreak, Finnish gunboats and torpedo boats arrived, sinking three Soviet torpedo boats.
Germany
- 285 British bombers (137 Wellington, 52 Lancaster, 38 Halifax, 34 Stirling, 24 Hampden) attacked the docks at Wilhelmshaven, Germany, causing little or no damage to the docks, killing 25 civilians, and wounding 170; 5 bombers were lost on this mission.
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Greece
- Axis convoy Siena departed Suda Bay, Crete, Greece; it was consisted of 5 freighters, Italian destroyer Mitragliere, German destroyer ZG-3, Italian torpedo boat Sirio, Italian torpedo boat Cassiopea, German submarine chaser UJ-2104, and German submarine chaser UJ-2107.
Sweden
- Soviet submarine ShCh-317 sank German ship Otto Cords 10 miles off of the Swedish coast.
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United States
- The eight German saboteurs captured in the United States during the past several weeks were placed on trial before a special military commission at the Department of Justice in Washington DC, United States.
- German submarine U-571 damaged US tanker J. A. Moffett, Jr. 4 miles off of the Florida Keys, Florida, United States at 0616 hours, killing 1 of 42 aboard; the tanker ran aground to prevent sinking, but she would later be declared a total loss.
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Photo(s) dated 8 Jul 1942
9 Jul 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Ambon, Molucca Islands.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- Cruiser Köln departed for Oslo, Norway, laying mines en route.
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- The submarine that would later be named USS Blenny was ordered.
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- U-575 sank British ship Empire Explorer 100 kilometers east of Grenada at 0247 hours; 3 were killed, 75 survived. U-571 sank Honduran ship Nicholas Cuneo with her deck gun 50 miles north of Havana, Cuba at 1601 hours; 1 was killed, 19 survived. Again 100 kilometers east of Grenada, at 2305 hours, U-203 sank British ship Cape Verde; 2 were killed, 40 survived.
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- Italian submarine Perla attacked British corvette HMS Hyacinth with torpedoes off Beirut, Lebanon. After all torpedoes missed, Hyacinth counterattacked with depth charges, forcing Perla to dive, but mechanical failures forced the submarine to surface and become captured. Perla would later be pressed into British and then Greek service.
- German 4th Panzer Army captured Voronezh, Russia while German 6th Army reached Rossosh 100 miles to the south. Iin Ukraine, German 1st Panzer Army crossed the Donets River. The German advances made in the past few days forced Joseph Stalin to allow the Soviet Southwest and Southern Fronts to fall back.
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- Soviet submarine S-7 attacked Swedish coastal freighter Noreg 10 miles off Sweden in the Baltic Sea at 1617 hours; all torpedoes missed. At 1958 hours, she attacked and sank Swedish coastal freighter Margareta in the same area, killing 14.
- German Ju 88 bombers attacked Allied convoy PQ-17 in the Barents Sea at 2000 hours, damaging Panamanian freighter El Capitan (all 67 aboard survived), US freighter Hoosier (all 53 aboard survived), US Liberty Ship Samuel Chase, and rescue ship Zamalck; 4 German aircraft were shot down in the attack.
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- Seven German torpedo boats attacked Allied convoy WP-183 south of Lyme Bay, England, United Kingdom at 0100 hours. S67 sank British tanker Pomella; S48, S109, and S70 sank Norwegian freighters Kongshaug (8 were killed), Røsten (5 were killed), and Bokn (12 were killed); S50 sank Dutch ship Reggestrom; and S63 sank British armed trawler HMT Manor (19 were killed, 1 survived). German bombers arrived to conduct a follow-up attack, sinking British ship Gripfast (7 were killed).
Baltic Sea
- Submarine S-7 attacked Swedish transport Noreg east of Arkösund, Sweden at 1617 hours; the torpedo missed. At 1958 hours, she sank Swedish transport margareta in the same area.
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Finland
- Finnish forces attacked the Soviet beachhead on the island of Someri, Finland, while Finnish and German vessels sank four Soviet torpedo boats off the coast. At about noon time, after suffering 126 deaths, the remaining 149 Soviet troops surrendered.
Korea
- Lieutenant General Junjiro Ihara was named the chief of staff of the Japanese Chosen Army in occupied Korea.
Marshall Islands
- USS Thresher sank Japanese torpedo recovery vessel Shinsho Maru off Kwajalein, Marshall Islands.
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United States
- Survivors of German submarine U-701, sunk by a US Hudson aircraft two days prior off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States, were rescued by a US Navy flying boat; they were delivered to the naval hospital at Portsmouth, Virginia, United States for treatment. In the North Atlantic, U-172 sank US ship Santa Rita at 1624 hours; 4 were killed, 59 survived. In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean between Florida, United States and Morocco, U-66 sank Yugoslavian ship Triglav at 2042 hours; 24 were killed, 19 survived.
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- The US Navy issued an order for the future submarine Spot.
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10 Jul 1942
- German 4.Panzerarmee and 6.Armee met near Kalach-na-Donu, southern Russia.
- German 17.Armee and 1.Panzerarmee continue to advance to Rostov, northeast of Moscow, Russia.
- The US Joint Chiefs of Staff issued the order to attack and occupy Tulagi and Guadalcanal.
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- Destroyer Yuzuki was assigned to the 2nd Surface Escort Division of the Fourth Fleet. Lieutenant Shoichi Oyamada relieved Lieutenant Commander Koukichi Mori as the commanding officer of Yuzuki.
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- German minesweeper M-4448 struck a mine and sank in the Bay of Biscay; the mine was deployed by Free French submarine Rubis on 5 Jun 1942.
- German submarine U-251 sank Panamanian freighter El Capitan and German submarine U-376 sank US ship Hoosier, both of Allied convoy PQ-17, in the Barents Sea.
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- German submarine U-67 heavily destroyed US tanker Benjamin Brewster 60 miles south of Louisiana, United States at 0619 hours; 25 were killed, 15 survived; the wreck would burn for 9 days, melting much of the ship.
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- German minesweepers M-4401 and M-4457 struck British naval mines and sank in the Bay of Biscay by accident while performing minesweeping duty.
- The crew of ShCh-317 transmitted what was to become the final radio report from the submarine off the southern tip of Öland, Sweden, indicating that the submarine was returning to base.
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Alaska
- An American PBY Catalina crew spotted the wreck of a Japanese aircraft on Akutan Island, US Territory of Alaska.
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Egypt
- Near El Alamein, Egypt, Australian 26th Brigade captured Tel el Eisa ridge and South African troops captured Tel el Makh Khad. Elements of the German 15th Panzer Division counterattacked the Australian positions in the afternoon without success.
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Russia
- German 4th Panzer Army and 6th Army advanced swiftly southward between the Donets River and the Don River in southern Russia while German 1st Panzer Army advanced toward Rostov-on-Don.
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United States
- The United States Marine Corps established Marine Corps Air Station, El Centro, California, United States.
Photo(s) dated 10 Jul 1942
11 Jul 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Kupang, Timor and departed later on the same day.
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» Tabular Record of Movement
- The US Marines headquarters unit arrived in New Zealand.
- US military personnel studied the "Akutan Zero", a Zero fighter that crashed in the Hawaii Islands during the Pearl Harbor attack.
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- Japanese leadership abandoned the plans to capture New Caledonia, Fiji, and Samoa.
- German submarine U-203 sank Panamanian tanker Stanvac Palembang 50 miles northeast of Trinidad at 0352 hours; 5 were killed, 45 survived. American pilots John Haggin and Wynant Farr of the Civil Air Patrol based in Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States reported the sinking of an enemy submarine 25 miles east of Absecon, New Jersey; this sinking was not confirmed by the US Navy. 325 miles west of Madeira archipelago, Free French destroyer Léopard, British frigate HMS Spey, and sloop HMS Pelican sank German submarine U-136 with four depth charges (all 45 aboard were killed) as the three warships escorted Allied convoy OS-33.
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- Allied convoy PQ-17, after losing 24 of the 33 vessels, finally arrived in ports in northern Russia, delivering 64,000 tons of war goods; it was the worst convoy loss of the war, with some 430 tanks, 210 aircraft, 3,350 lorries and jeeps and 100,000 tons of materials lost at the hands of repeated German attacks. Joseph Stalin, suspicious of the western powers, believed that the British were unwilling to provide the Soviets with large amounts of goods and had made up the heavy losses.
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- Soviet submarine S-7 sank Swedish coastal freighter Luleå 10 miles off the eastern coast of Sweden.
- German submarine U-166 sank Dominican sailing vessel Carmen with the deck gun 8 miles off the northern coast of the Dominican Republic at 1900 hours; 1 was killed, 7 survived.
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- German troops captured Soviet 2nd Shock Army commanding office Andrei Vlasov.
Alaska
- USS Finback conducted a reconnaissance mission in Vega Bay, Kiska, US Territory of Alaska.
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Baltic Sea
- Submarine S-7 sank Swedish transport Swedish transport Lulea east of Västervik, Sweden.
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Danzig
- 24 British Lancaster bombers (of 44 launched for this mission) bombed the German submarine yards at Danzig, Germany, losing two aircraft in the attack; this was the longest mission by British bombers to date.
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Egypt
- Australian 26th Brigade infantry and British tanks attacked Point 24 near El Alamein, Egypt, capturing it in the early afternoon, and then went on to successfully defend against Axis counterattacks. Meanwhile, a column of Allied tanks and motorized infantry raided Deir el Abyad, capturing about 1,000 Italian troops.
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Japan
- Destroyer Yukikaze departed Yokosuka, Japan to escort transport Nankai Maru to Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands.
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Russia
- South African armed whaler HMSAS Protea, South African armed whaler HMSAS Southern Maid, and a British Fleet Air Arm Walrus aircraft sank Italian submarine Ondina with depth charges 60 miles off Beirut, Syria-Lebanon.
Photo(s) dated 11 Jul 1942
See all photos dated 11 Jul 1942
12 Jul 1942
- Cruiser Köln arrived at Oslo, Norway.
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- The Volkov pocket was eliminated by the German troops, with over 30,000 prisoners taken, including General Andrey Vlasov.
- Japanese armed merchant cruisers Aikoku Maru and Hokoku Maru sank New Zealand freighter Hauraki in the Mozambique Channel.
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- German submarine U-129 sank US ship Tachirá 50 miles southwest of Grand Cayman island; 5 were killed, 33 survived.
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- Allied convoy OS-33 was attacked by a German submarine wolfpack 500 kilometers west of Madeira archipelago, with U-116 sinking British ship Cortona (0022 hours; 31 were killed, 23 survived) and British ship Shaftesbury (0945 hours; all 45 aboard survived), U-201 sinking British ship Cortona (shard credit with U-116) and British ship Siris (0413 hours; 3 were killed, 52 survived), and U-582 sinking New Zealand patrol craft HMNZS ML-1090 and British ship Port Hunter (0147 hours; 88 were killed, 3 survived).
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- USS Seadragon sank Japanese transport Himaya Maru off Cam Ranh Bay, French Indochina.
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- Italian submarine Alagi sank Turkish vessel Antares in the Mediterranean Sea.
- British submarine HMS Safari sank Italian sailing ship Adda in the Gulf of Orosei, Sardinia, Italy.
Egypt
- German 104th Infantry Regiment attacked Allied troops in the Tel el Eisa ridge region near El Alamein, Egypt; the German attack was driven off after it suffered 600 casualties.
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Russia
- The Soviet high command STAVKA formed the Stalingrad Front out of the Southwest Front; it was placed under the command of Marshal Timoshenko.
Photo(s) dated 12 Jul 1942
13 Jul 1942
- Destroyer USS Landsdowne sank German submarine U-153 in the Caribbean Sea 50 kilometers northwest of the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal; all 52 aboard were killed. 20 miles north of Cárdenas, Cuba, German submarine U-84 sank US ship Andrew Jackson; 3 were killed, 46 survived. 2 miles east of Cuba, U-166 sank US ship Oneida; 6 were killed, 23 survived. 80 miles south of Mississippi, United States, U-67 sank US tanker R. W. Gallagher; 10 were killed, 42 survived.
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- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Makassar, Celebes.
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- Cruiser Köln departed Oslo, Norway for northern Norway.
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- Field Marshal Fedor von Bock, commanding officer of German Army Group South, was fired from his command by Wilhelm Keitel for moving two Panzer divisions to assist the embattled 9th Panzer without Hitler's direct authority.
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- German submarine U-255 sank the already wrecked Dutch ship Paulus Potter of Allied convoy PQ-17 in the Barents Sea after concluding that the ship was beyond repair.
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- German submarine U-201 sank British ship Sithonia of Allied convoy OS-33 490 miles west of Canary Islands; 7 were killed, 21 survived.
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- USS Seadragon sank Japanese transport Shinyo Maru off Cam Ranh Bay, French Indochina.
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Egypt
- Tanks of German 21st Panzer Division attacked Allied troops in the Tel el Eisa ridge region near El Alamein, Egypt and at a nearby South African position, driving Australian troops out of Point 24 at a heavy cost.
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Germany
- 194 British bombers (139 Wellington, 33 Halifax, 13 Lancaster, and 9 Stirling aircraft) attacked Duisburg, Germany, destroying 11 houses and killing 17 without causing damage to the intended industrial targets; 6 bombers were lost on this mission.
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Gibraltar
- 12 Italian frogmen swam 5 kilometers from Algeciras, Spain to Gibraltar and planted limpet mines on British merchant ships; the resulting explosions would sink the ships Meta, Shuma, and Baron Dougla and would damage the ship Empire Snipe.
14 Jul 1942
- Yamato remained in Battleship Division 1 while two others transferred to Battleship Division 2.
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- Nagato was transferred to Combined Fleet Battleship Division 2.
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- Mutsu was transferred to Combined Fleet Battleship Division 2.
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- Cruiser Köln began a minelaying operation in the North Sea.
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- The deportation of Dutch Jews to Auschwitz concentration camp began. On the same day, some German Jews were deported from Theresienstadt Concentration Camp to Minsk, Byelorussia and other locations in Eastern Europe.
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- Hiroaki Abe became the commanding officer of Japanese Navy Battleship Division 11.
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- Charles de Gaulle renamed the Free French to the Fighting French.
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- British minesweeping trawler HMS Flint and mooring vessel HMS Moorfly were launched.
- British sloop HMS Lulworth forced Italian submarine Pietro Calvi to surface south of the Azores islands with depth charges and proceeded to damage her with gunfire. The Italian crew scuttled the submarine. Elsewhere, German submarine U-562 fired four torpedoes at a small Allied convoy at the distance of 2,800 meters, but all torpedoes missed; she would continue to follow the convoy and conduct further attacks on the next day. In the North Sea, the survivors of American freighter Carlton, sunk on 5 Jul 1942, was discovered by German submarine U-376; he survivors refused German medical assistance, accepting only rations, blankets, and cigarettes.
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- For the assassination of German Gestapo chief SS Major Helm, the Germans killed 700 people in reprisal in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
- Japanese submarine I-7 sank US freighter Arcata east of Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska, and proceeded to machine gun survivors in lifeboats; despite the attacks, 25 of the 29 aboard survived.
- US President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the Joint Chiefs of Staff to abandon major offensive operations in the Pacific Theater and instead direct planning efforts on the invasion of North Africa.
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- The keel of destroyer Bearss was laid down.
- The keel of destroyer escort Pope was laid down.
- Brazil declared war on Germany and Italy after Brazilian ships were sunk by German submarines over the past several days.
- The Marine Corps Air Station, Edenton, North Carolina, United States was designed the Marine Corps Glider Base, and it was placed under the control of the US Navy 5th Naval District.
- The US Army Air Force established the China Air Task Force with Claire Chennault in command; it was to be a part of the 10th Air Force.
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- The Japanese Navy 11th Air Fleet was reorganized to contain four air flotillas, a destroyer division, and 3 transports.
- Light carrier Hosho was assigned to the 3rd Fleet.
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- Destroyer Yukikaze was assigned to Destroyer Squadron 10 of the 3rd Fleet.
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- In Operation Pinpoint, HMS Eagle departed Gibraltar to deliver 32 Spitfire fighters to Malta; she was escorted by cruiser HMS Cairo, cruiser HMS Charybdis, and five destroyers.
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- Chuichi Nagumo was named the commanding officer of the Third Fleet.
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- Italian submarine Calvi and German submarine U-130 attacked Allied convoy SL 115 at 2230 hours 575 miles west of Tenerife, Canary Islands; British sloop HMS Lulworth attacked Calvi and forced her crew to scuttle the submarine (42 were killed in the action, 35 survived).
- German patrol boats damaged Soviet submarine ShCh-317 in the "Nashorn" minefield in the Baltic Sea; Finnish minelayer Ruotsinsalmi and patrol boat VMV-6 followed the oil slick from ShCh-317 and sank the damaged submarine with depth charges, killing all 38 aboard.
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Alaska
- USS S-35 departed Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska for her third war patrol.
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Baltic Sea
- Submarine S-7 attacked a Swedish convoy north of Kalmar Strait in the Baltic Sea; both torpedoes missed.
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Egypt
- The First Battle of Ruweisat Ridge began at 2300 hours, under cover of darkness. It began well with the Indian (5th Brigade) and New Zealand infantry (4th Brigade and 5th Brigade) overrunning two Italian divisions, but unbeknown to them had inadvertently bypassed a group of German tanks as well as a few German infantry positions.
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Germany
- Reinhard Gehlen and Heinz Herre presented to General Franz Halder intelligence on the Soviet difficulty in recruitment and the redirection of Lend-Lease war goods to Egypt.
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Gibraltar
- 12 Italian frogmen attacked Gibraltar harbor in Operation GG1; they damaged four cargo ships.
Hawaii
- The Intelligence Center of Pacific Ocean Areas of the US Navy Pacific Fleet based in Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii officially began its operations; its first chief, in a temporary capacity, was Joseph Rochefort.
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Japan
15 Jul 1942
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Makassar, Celebes.
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- Cruiser Köln completed a minelaying operation in the North Sea.
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- German troops captured Millerovo and Boguchar in southern Russia.
- USS Enterprise departed Pearl Harbor for the South Pacific.
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- Wing Commander and ace Paddy Finucane (32 victories) failed to return from a fighter offensive sweep over northern France. Twenty-six of his kills had taken place during the 1940 Battle of Britain.
- In the western desert in Egypt, New Zealand Sergeant Keith Elliott won the Victoria Cross for leading an attack which captured four machine gun positions, an anti-tank gun and fifty prisoners despite being seriously wounded in the chest.
- German submarine U-201 attacked British ship Yeoman of Allied convoy OS-33 with torpedoes and gunfire 400 miles southwest of the Canary Islands at 0146 hours; 43 were killed, 10 survived and were rescued by Spanish tanker Castillo Almenara. In the same area, German submarine U-582 sank British ship Empire Attendant, also of Allied convoy OS-33, at 0330 hours; 59 were killed. Two United States Navy Kingfisher aircraft and the motor vessel Unicoi sank German submarine U-576 10 kilometers south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States. In the South Atlantic, 1225 miles west of Portuguese Angola, German armed merchant cruiser Michel sank British transport Gloucester Castle with gunfire at 1900 hours; 93 were killed, 61 survived. At 2025 hours, U-576 attacked Allied convoy KS-520 with four torpedoes 75 miles east of Cape Fear, North Carolina, United States, sinking Nicaraguan ship Bluefields, damaging US ship Chilore, and damaging Panamanian ship J. A. Mowinckel; two US Kingfisher aircraft counterattacked with depth charges, sinking U-576, killing all 45 aboard.
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- German submarine U-571 disabled tanker Pennsylvania Sun 200 kilometers west of Key West, Florida, United States at 0749 hours; 2 were killed, 59 survived on 3 lifeboats. The tanker would later be repaired and would return to service.
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- Bombardiere was commissioned into service.
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- Destroyer HMS Relentless was launched.
- The keel of British frigate Musk was laid down.
- German submarine U-529 was launched.
- The keel of German submarine U-746 was laid down.
- The keel of German submarine U-861 was laid down.
- German submarine U-467 was commissioned into service.
- Finnish minelayer Ruotsinsalmi and patrol boat VMV 16 sank Soviet submarine Shtsh 317 with depth charges near the lightship Kallbådagrund.
- Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham, wounded during the fighting at Ruweisat Ridge in Egypt, refused to be evacuated and chose to lead his men in combat until he was unable to move. He would survive the battle and would become the only man in WW2 to be awarded the Victoria Cross and Bar decoration.
- After sundown, US Army B-24 bombers attacked Benghazi harbor. Libya.
- Minesweeper HMAS Wallaroo was commissioned into service.
- The US Joint Chiefs of Staff held its first discussion on recapturing Attu and Kiska in the Aleutian Islands.
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- Tug HMCS Lakeville was assigned to St. John's, Newfoundland.
- The Canadian military established its first photographic interpretation unit for the Pacific Theater.
- Canadian frigate Swansea was laid down Esquimalt, British Columbia, Canada.
- Submarine USS Sunfish was commissioned into service.
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- The keel of American destroyer escort Stewart was laid down.
- The keel of American destroyer escort Sturtevant was laid down.
- Corvette USS Might was launched.
- Destroyer USS Thompson was launched.
- British No. 892 Squadron Fleet Air Arm took delivery of new Martlet IV fighters (a lend-lease version of the American F4F-4 Wildcat fighter). The squadron subsequently embarked of the light escort carriers HMS Archer and HMS Battler.
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- A heavy anti-aircraft battery and an automatic weapons battery of the US 4th Marine Defense Battalion arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides.
- In Operation Pinpoint, HMS Eagle launched 32 Spitfire fighters for Malta; 1 was lost en route.
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Alaska
- USS S-28 departed Dutch Harbor, US Territory of Alaska for her second war patrol.
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- A salvage crew arrived at Akutan Island, US Territory of Alaska to recover a A6M2 Zero fighter that had crashed there during the Japanese attack in the prior month.
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- USS Grunion attacked the Japanese anchorage at Kiska, Aleutian Islands, sinking submarine chaser Ch-25 (all 68 aboard were killed), sinking submarine chaser Ch-27 (all 68 aboard were killed), and damaging submarine chaser Ch-26.
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Caroline Islands
Egypt
- New Zealand 4th Brigade and 5th Brigade captured the western end of Ruweisat Ridge near El Alamein, Egypt before dawn; without tank support, however, they suffered heavy casualties as German tanks repeatedly attacked, overrunning several positions by dusk and capturing 730 prisoners. At the eastern end of the ridge, Indian 5th Infantry Brigade, with British tank support, captured several Axis positions.
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Photo(s) dated 15 Jul 1942
16 Jul 1942
- In the Western Desert in North Africa, British Sergeant Keith Elliott win the Victoria Cross for leading an attack which captures four machine gun positions, an anti-tank gun and 50 prisoners despite being seriously wounded in the chest.
- Battle of Britain ace Wing Commander Paddy Finucane failed to return from a fighter offensive sweep over northern France. Finucane was credited with 32 victories in total (26 confirmed kills during the Battle of Britain).
- British escort carrier Ravager was launched.
- British destroyer Rapid was launched.
- British minesweeping trawler Neave was launched.
- The German Navy issued orders for the construction of 10 submarines; these submarines would later be commissioned as U-323, U-324, U-325, U-326, U-327, U-328, U-903, U-904, U-1171, and U-1172.
- German submarine U-631 was commissioned into service.
- US Navy Vice Admiral Robert Ghormley named Vice Admiral Frank Fletcher the commanding officer of the Solomons Expeditionary Force.
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- US Navy Vice Admiral Robert Ghormley named Rear Admiral Leigh Noyes the commanding officer of carrier air groups for the upcoming operations in the Solomon Islands.
- US Navy Vice Admiral Robert Ghormley named Rear Admiral John McCain the commanding officer of land-based air groups for the upcoming operations in the Solomon Islands.
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- US Navy Vice Admiral Robert Ghormley named Rear Admiral Richmond Turner the commanding officer of the Amphibious Force for the upcoming operations in the Solomon Islands.
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- Corvette HMCS Kitchener arrived at Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
- German submarine U-160 fatally damaged tanker Beaconlight with 2 torpedoes 10 miles northwest of Galera Point, Trinidad at 0934 hours; 1 was killed, 40 survived in 3 lifeboats; British tug HMS Roode Zee sank the wreck to prevent it from becoming a hazard. German submarine U-166 stopped small trawler Gertrude 30 miles northeast of Havana, Cuba; Gertrude was sunk by gunfire after the crew of 3 abandoned ship as ordered.
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- German submarine U-161 attacked Allied convoy AS-4 500 miles north of Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands at 1543 hours; the Germans observed two hits, both of which were made on US transport Fairport, which sank with all 123 aboard surviving in two lifeboats and five rafts. In the South Atlantic, German armed merchant cruiser Michel, after shadowing the targets since morning, sank US tanker William F. Humphrey with 3 torpedoes and gunfire at 2100 hours (8 were killed, 40 survived); at the same time, Michel's speedboat Essau damaged the other ship, Norwegian tanker Aramis, with 2 torpedoes.
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- Soviet forces evacuated Boguchar and Milerovo in southern Russia as German troops advanced toward Stalingrad.
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- ShCh-320 fired two torpedoes at German merchant ship Gudron off the German coast; both torpedoes missed.
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British Western Pacific Territories
- The Japanese began the construction of an airfield on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands.
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Dutch East Indies
Egypt
- Australian 24th Battalion attacked Point 24 near El Alamein, Egypt in failure, suffering 50% casualties. Meanwhile, German tanks attacked along the Ruweisat Ridge, unable to break the lines held by Indian 5th Infantry Brigade, British 2nd Armoured Brigade, and British 22nd Armoured Brigade.
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France
- 9,000 French policemen conducted a round-up, gathering 12,887 Parisian Jews born outside of France. 6,000 of them were sent to Drancy Concentration Camp Camp located just outside the city, while the other 6,000 were detained at the Vélodrome d'Hiver stadium where they had to share one water tap and ten toilets.
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French Indochina
- USS Seadragon sank Japanese transport Hakodate Maru 70 miles north of Cam Ranh Bay, 2 miles off the coast of French Indochina. After the sinking, Seadragon set sail for Fremantle, Australia.
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Georgia
- German aircraft damaged Soviet destroyer Bodry and minelaying cruiser Komintern at Poti, Georgia.
Germany
- 8 (of 21 launched) British Stirling bombers attacked Lübeck, Germany at dusk; 2 were lost on this mission. Elsewhere, small groups of bombers attacked various targets in the Ruhr region in Germany.
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Ukraine
- Adolf Hitler arrived at his Wehrwolf headquarters at Vinnytsia, Ukraine.
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Photo(s) dated 16 Jul 1942
17 Jul 1942
- Himmler visited Auschwitz-Birkenau for two days to inspect the construction of crematoriums, inspect the expansion of prisoner barracks, and observe the extermination of two trainloads of Dutch Jews.
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- USS Long Island resumed carrier pilot training operations.
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- Winston Churchill warned Joseph Stalin that, in the aftermath of the convoy PQ-17 disaster, no further convoy missions were in the plans for northern Russia in the foreseeable future.
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- In Libya, US Army Middle East Air Force launched B-24 bombers to attack Benghazi and B-17 bombers to attack Tobruk.
- USAAF B-17 bombers attacked Rabaul, New Britain.
- Minesweeper HMAS Castlemaine was commissioned into service.
- US 11th Air Force bombers attacked Japanese positions at Kiska, Aleutian Islands.
- American submarine Hake was launched.
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- Whitley aircraft of No. 61 Squadron RAF and Lancaster aircraft of No. 502 Squadron RAF sank German submarine U-751 northwest of Cape Ortegal, Spain, killing all 48 aboard. 1,000 miles West of Angola, German armed merchant cruiser Michel, having pursued since the previous evening, caught up and sank Norwegian tanker Aramis at dusk; 20 were killed, 23 survived and were captured.
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- American destroyer Satterlee was launched.
- British minesweeping trawlers Bardsey and Rosevean and frigates Bentley, Keats, and Kempthorne were launched.
- Dutch submarine Zwaardvisch was launched.
- Minesweeper HMS Aries was commissioned into service.
- German submarine U-747 was commissioned into service.
- The keel of German submarine U-880 was laid down.
- German submarine U-478 was launched.
- German submarine U-903 was launched.
- Francisco Franco made his annual Civil War anniversary speech.
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- In Italy, about 280 American bombers attacked the rail marshalling yard at Naples while RAF bombers attacked Reggio di Calabria.
- German occupation forces conducted an anti-patisan operation at Trifolo near Katerini, Greece, rounding up suspected resistance fighters and executing the suspects en masse.
- German tanks stopped the Soviet advance north and west of Orel, Russia.
- US Army, US Navy, and New Zealand Air Force aircraft attacked various Japanese bases and shiping in the northern Solomon Islands and New Guinea.
- Troops of the Australian 3rd Division and US 41st Division marched from Nassau Bay toward Salamaua, New Guinea.
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- The keel of American destroyer escort Swenning was laid down.
- The keel of American destroyer escort Willis was laid down.
- American light cruiser Vincennes was launched.
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- Anti-aircraft cruiser USS Oakland was commissioned into service.
- The keel of Canadian frigate Longueil was laid down at Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
- Canadian frigate Valleyfield was launched at Quebec City, Quebec, Canada.
- The keel of British minesweeper Providence was laid down at Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
- German submarine U-178 sank transport City of Canton northeast of Beira, Mozambique at 0031 hours; 8 were killed, 76 survived (one of whom was taken prisoner by the Germans).
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British Western Pacific Territories
