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• Soviet Army began attacking towards Vyazma. ww2dbase [TH]
• Vidkun Quisling formed his government in Norway. ww2dbase [Vidkun Quisling | TH]
• PT boats and P-40 aircraft repulsed the Japanese landing attempt on southwest Bataan at the Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Invasion of the Philippine Islands | CPC]
• Cruiser Köln began four months of repairs and refits in Wilhelmshaven, Germany. ww2dbase [Köln | CPC]
• 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. ww2dbase [CPC]
• Mitragliero was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Mitragliero | CPC]
• 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. ww2dbase [CPC]
• Dutch forces at Passo, Ambon, Dutch East Indies surrendered. ww2dbase [Dutch East Indies Campaign, Celebes and Moluccas | CPC]

• Akagi, Kaga, Zuikaku, Hiei, Kirishima, and Chikuma departed Truk, Caroline Islands in an attempt to catch the enemy carrier force that had attacked the Marshall Islands. They were escorted by destroyers Shiranuhi, Kasumi, and Urakaze. ww2dbase [Akagi | Kaga | Zuikaku | Hiei | Chikuma | Kirishima | Truk | CPC]
• Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Truk | CPC]

• USS Lexington supported the air offensive against Marshall and Gilbert Islands indirectly by operation in the vicinity of Christmas Island. ww2dbase [Lexington (Lexington-class) | CPC]

• 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. ww2dbase [CPC]

• USS Grampus arrived at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, US Territory of Hawaii. ww2dbase [Grampus | Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island Naval Air Station | Pearl Harbor, Oahu | CPC]

• Allied convoys PQ-9 and PQ-10 departed Reykjavík, Iceland together. ww2dbase [Arctic Convoys | Reykjavík | CPC]

• The United States launched its first air offensive against the Marshall Islands as SBD and TBD aircraft from carriers USS Yorktown and USS Enterprise struck Japanese bases in the island group. 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, submarine depot ship Yasukuni Maru, minelayer Tokiwa, and several others. Vice Admiral Mitsumi Shimizu was wounded aboard Katori. USS Chester sustained damage from a Japanese dive bomber during the attack; 8 were killed, 21 were wounded. ww2dbase [Louisville | Yorktown (Yorktown-class) | Katori | Enterprise | Northampton | Chester | St. Louis | Salt Lake City | TH, CPC]
• Jack Kleiss saw combat for the first time, destroying a parked aircraft at Roi Airfield on Kwajalein, Marshall Islands during the first strike. During the second strike, his SBD Dauntless aircraft was hit by Japanese machine gun fire, wounding his gunner Radioman 3rd Class John Snowden in the buttocks. ww2dbase [Jack Kleiss | Kwajalein | CPC]

• Tanikaze began escorting carriers in the Central Pacific Ocean. ww2dbase [Tanikaze | CPC]

• 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." ww2dbase [Invasion of Malaya and Singapore | Singapore | CPC]
• 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." ww2dbase [Invasion of Malaya and Singapore | Singapore | CPC]

• James Gavin was promoted to the war time rank of lieutenant colonel. ww2dbase [James Gavin | CPC]

1 Feb 1942 Interactive Map

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