27 Feb 1942
  • 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. ww2dbase [AC]
  • 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. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • Nisshin was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Nisshin | CPC]
  • HMS Manchester completed her repairs at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • A Japanese force landed on northeastern Mindoro in the Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Invasion of the Philippine Islands | CPC]
  • Six 1st American Volunteer Group pilots arrived at Accra, Gold Coast, British West Africa by C-53 transport aircraft to pick up newly delivered P-40E fighters for use in China. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • The Spanish Torino motorised division operating in southern Russia beat off massed Soviet infantry and cavalry attacks. The fighting ended with more than 700 Russian dead spread across the battlefield. ww2dbase [AC]
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan
  • HMS Indomitable departed Port Sudan, British East Africa, escorted by Australian destroyers Napier and Nestor. ww2dbase [Indomitable | Port Sudan | CPC]
Atlantic Ocean
  • 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. ww2dbase [Second Happy Time | CPC]
  • Leonardo da Vinci sighted Latvian freighter Everasma, detached from Allied Convoy TAW-12 and sailing toward Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in the Atlantic Ocean at 1955 hours. ww2dbase [Second Happy Time | Leonardo da Vinci | CPC]
Caroline Islands
  • Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Truk | CPC]
  • Tenryu completed her anti-aircraft weaponry refitting at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Tenryu | Truk | CPC]
Gibraltar
  • HMS Eagle departed Gibraltar with 15 Spitfire fighters on the flight deck to be delivered to Malta. ww2dbase [Eagle | CPC]
Indian Ocean
  • 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 cruisers Haguro and Nachi sank Dutch cruisers HNLMS Java and De Ruyter along with destroyer HNLMS Kortenaer and two other Dutch destroyers with Type 93 torpedoes without any Japanese losses. ww2dbase [Type 93 | Nachi | Haguro | Dutch East Indies Campaign, Java | TH]
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. ww2dbase [Hans-Joachim Marseille | Gazala | CPC]
Pacific Ocean
  • At the Battle of the Java Sea, Nachi launched scouting missions with her two floatplanes. She was surprised by the Allied Striking Force in the evening, but was able to escape without damage. ww2dbase [Dutch East Indies Campaign, Java | Nachi | Java Sea | CPC]
United Kingdom
  • Blackburn B-37 torpedo-strike fighter took its maiden flight with Flight Lieutenant Arthur Thompson in the cockpit. ww2dbase [Firebrand | AC]
United States Photo(s) dated 27 Feb 1942
Seaplane tender Langley being abandoned after being damaged by Japanese bombs, south of Java, 27 Feb 1942; destroyer Edsall by LangleyBurning tanker SS R.P. Resor off the coast of New Jersey, United States after being torpedoed by German submarine U-578. Resor burned for 46 hours after being torpedoed before grounding off Barnegat Light.

27 Feb 1942 Interactive Map

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds

Search WW2DB


Famous WW2 Quote
"With Germany arming at breakneck speed, England lost in a pacifist dream, France corrupt and torn by dissension, America remote and indifferent... do you not tremble for your children?"

Winston Churchill, 1935


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!