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• The Red Army of the Soviet Union celebrated its 25th Birthday. ww2dbase [TH]
• Axis troops pushed American troops back toward Thala, Tunisia and threatened to cross the Tunisian-Algerian border. By this date, the Americans had lost 100 tanks, 55 heavy guns, and 80 trucks. ww2dbase [Battle of Kasserine Pass | CPC]
• Destroyer Yukikaze departed Gasmata, New Britain, Bismarck Islands to escort transport Gokoku Maru to Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands. ww2dbase [Yukikaze | CPC]
• HMS Cumberland provided additional cruiser cover with HMS Belfast and HMS Norfolk during passage of Russian Convoy JU53 and returning Convoy RA53. ww2dbase [Belfast | Cumberland | DS]
• Cruisers USS Montpelier, USS Cleveland, USS Columbia, and USS Denver along with destroyers USS Fletcher, USS O’Bannon, USS Radford, and USS Nicholas arrived off Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, patrolled north of Savo Island, and arrived in Purvis Bay, Tulagi for refueling. ww2dbase [Montpelier | Denver | Guadalcanal Campaign | Columbia | Nicholas | DS]

• The German submarine U-623 was sunk by a torpedo from RAF Coastal Command Liberator "T" aircraft of No. 120 Squadron flown by Squadron Leader Isted in the Atlantic Ocean. ww2dbase [AC]

• USS Greenling departed Brisbane, Australia with Australians and New Britain natives on board; they were to serve on New Britain as coast watchers. ww2dbase [Greenling | Brisbane, Queensland | CPC]

• In the Russell Islands, US Marine Corps 3rd Raider Battalion landed at Pepesala Point, Pavuvu while US Army 43rd Infantry Division landed on Banika. Among the escorts for the Army landing force was the destroyer USS Saufley. ww2dbase [Saufley | Solomon Islands Campaign | Russell Islands, Solomon Islands | CPC]

• Juzan Maru, Shinkyo Maru, and Aratama Maru arrived at Palau, Caroline Islands with Yugure in escort. ww2dbase [Yugure | Palau | CPC]

• Within hours of arriving on station in the southeast Flores Sea, submarine USS Thresher intercepted a Japanese convoy of three large transports plus escorts. Thresher fired a total of eight torpedoes at the transports, severely damaging the 7,000-ton Kuwayama Maru at least and possibly damaging another transport. ww2dbase [Thresher | Flores Sea | DS]

• USAAF 33rd Fighter Group and its remaining 13 flyable P-40 fighters arrived in the rear area at Agadir, Morocco. ww2dbase [Agadir | CPC]

• US Marine Aircraft Group 21 was transferred to USS Nassau at Ford island (with 54 Wildcat fighters) for further transfer to the South Pacific. ww2dbase [Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island Naval Air Station | Honolulu, Oahu | CPC]
• USS Wahoo was drydocked at Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. ww2dbase [Wahoo | Honolulu, Oahu | CPC]

• The Red Army's 25th anniversary was celebrated in London, England, United Kingdom with a massed gathering at the Albert Hall. Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden represented the government while other notable celebraties present included Dame Sybil Thorndike and Commander Ralph Richardson RNVR. ww2dbase [Anthony Eden | London, England | AC]

• Submarine Bluefish was launched at Groton, Connecticut, United States, sponsored by the wife of Robert Y. Menzie. ww2dbase [Bluefish | Electric Boat Company | Groton, Connecticut | CPC]

21 Feb 1943 Interactive Map