26 Feb 1944
  • USS Tang sank Japanese transport Choko Maru. ww2dbase [Tang | CPC]
  • At 0824 hours US Navy code breakers intercepted a message reading: "Submarine chaser No. 1 will proceed immediately to the position of the Ryusei Maru to assist in rescue operations." The Ryusei Maru had been sunk by submarine USS Rasher during the previous night north of Bali, Dutch East Indies; Rasher's commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Willard R. Laughon was not aware that Tango Maru had carried over 3,500 Allied prisoners of war. Most of the prisoners were killed during the sinking. ww2dbase [Rasher | HM]
Australian Papua
  • The 10,495-ton passenger steamer SS President Grant, serving as a troop transport for the US military, was grounded on a reef southeast of Australian Territory of Papua. There was no loss of life and the ship remained on the reef. ww2dbase [HM]
Burma Caroline Islands
  • Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Truk, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Truk | CPC]
French Syria and Lebanon
  • Syria declared war on Germany and Japan. ww2dbase [Syria | CPC]
Marshall Islands
  • USS Alabama arrived at Majuro Atoll, Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Alabama | Majuro | CPC]
  • USS Yorktown (Essex-class) arrived at Majuro lagoon, Marshall Islands for rest and replenishing. ww2dbase [Yorktown (Essex-class) | Majuro | DS]
  • Carriers USS Coral Sea and USS Manila Bay escorted by USS Bailey arrived at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Bailey | Eniwetok | DS]
Poland Russia United States Photo(s) dated 26 Feb 1944
Anti-submarine Leigh Light installed beneath the wing of a Liberator bomber of the RAF Coastal Command, 26 Feb 1944A sailor sitting in the starboard steering gear ram room of the USS Intrepid seen through a torpedo hole in the hull 15 feet below the waterline, taken as the water receded in Pearl Harbor Drydock #1, 26 Feb 1944.Looking up into a torpedo hole in the USS Intrepid hull 15 feet below the waterline near the starboard rudder, taken in Pearl Harbor Drydock #1, 26 Feb 1944. The damage was done 17 Feb 1944 off Truk.Damage to USS Intrepid’s starboard rudder being examined in Pearl Harbor Drydock #1, 26 Feb 1944. The damage was done by an aerial torpedo on 17 Feb 1944 off Truk.

26 Feb 1944 Interactive Map

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




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Famous WW2 Quote
"The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years."

James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy, 23 Feb 1945


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