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• American troops completed the conquest of Kwajalein and Majuro Atolls in the Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Marshall Islands Campaign | TH]
• Remy Van Lierde was assigned to RAF Manston in Kent, England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Remy Van Lierde | CPC]
• British Air Marshal Ralph Cochrane ordered Leonard Cheshire's 617 Squadron to attack the important aero-engine plant at Limoges in mid-France. The War Office was extremely nervous about this operation as it was known, from resistance sources, that 500 French women were employed at the plant, and a large number of civilian fatalities would have serious political consequences. Instructions were therefore issued that no bombs were to be dropped until the factory was clear of workers. Arriving over the target Cheshire twice swooped his Lancaster bomber at 50 feet in order to alert the workers below. Then on the third pass a member of his crew said "There they go" and hundreds of women were seen running away from the factory. All this was recorded by a film cameraman worked by Moya of the RAF film unit. Just before midnight Cheshire dropped his markers right on top of the factory, and minutes later five 1200-lb bombs from 617 Squadron's Lancasters hit the factory and destroyed the greater part of it. ww2dbase [AC]
• Bruce Fraser was promoted to the rank of admiral. ww2dbase [Bruce Fraser | CPC]

• The headquarters of USAAF 417th Bomb Group was transferred from Cape Sudest Airfield to Dobodura Airfield, Australian Papua. ww2dbase [Dobodura Airfield | Dobodura | CPC]

• Japanese troops captured a divisional Anglo-Indian dressing station at Sinzweya, Burma and killed 35 medical staff and patients. ww2dbase [Second Battle of Arakan | Sinzweya, Arakan | CPC]

• Hiroshi Nemoto was named the commanding officer of the Third Army of the Japanese Kwangtung Army based in northeastern China. ww2dbase [Hiroshi Nemoto | CPC]

• German and Allied artillery pieces bombarded each other at Anzio, Italy; at 2100 hours, Germans launched a full attack on the beachhead. ww2dbase [Battle of Anzio | Anzio, Lazio | TH, CPC]
• US troops reached Point 445, a hill 370 meters away from the monastery at Monte Cassino, Italy. ww2dbase [Battle of Monte Cassino | Cassino, Lazio | CPC]

• Nachi departed Tokuyama, Japan. ww2dbase [Nachi | Tokuyama, Yamaguchi | CPC]

• USAAF 35th Bombardment Squadron, operating B-25 Mitchell bombers, arrived in Carlsen Field in Trinidad. ww2dbase [Carlsen Field | Chaguanas | CPC]

• USS Ticonderoga was launched at Norfolk, Virginia, United States. ww2dbase [Ticonderoga | Norfolk, Virginia | DS]

7 Feb 1944 Interactive Map