US NAVY
PACIFIC—TF 8 (Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr.), formed
around carrier Enterprise (CV-6) and TF 17 (Rear Admiral Frank Jack
Fletcher), formed around carrier Yorktown (CV-5), raid the Marshall and
Gilbert Islands; TF 8 concentrates on Kwajalein and Wotje, with heavy cruiser Chester
(CA-27) bombarding Maleolap atoll; TF 17 targets enemy installations on
Jaluit, Makin, and Mili. TF 11 (Vice Admiral Wilson Brown Jr.), formed around
carrier Lexington (CV-2) supports the operations from the vicinity of
Christmas Island.
At
Kwajalein, SBDs (VB 6 and VS 6) and TBDs (VT 6) from Enterprise sink
transport Bordeaux Maru and damage light cruiser Katori, submarine
I-23, minelayer Tokiwa, auxiliary netlayer Kashima Maru, auxiliary
submarine chaserNo.2 Shonan Maru, submarine depot ship Yasukuni Maru,
oiler Toa Maru, tanker Hoyo Maru, and army cargo ship Shinhei
Maru; in the bombing of shore installations, Rear Admiral Yatsushiro
Sukeyoshi (Commander Sixth Base Force) becomes the first Imperial Navy flag
officer to die in combat when an SBD scores a direct hit on his headquarters.
Off Wotje, gunfire from heavy cruisers Northampton (CA-26) and Salt
Lake City (CA-25) sink gunboat Toyotsu Maru; destroyer Dunlap (DD-384)
shells and sinks auxiliary submarine chaser No.10 Shonan Maru.
Japanese
retaliatory air attacks (Chitose Kokutai) on TF 8 result in damage to
carrier Enterprise (near-miss of crash of land attack plane), 10°33'N,
171°53'E, and heavy cruiser Chester (by bomb dropped by carrier
fighter), 08°45'N,171°33'E.
Planes from
Yorktown cause less damage, due to a paucity of targets at the
objective; nevertheless, SBDs (VS 5) bomb and strafe gunboat Nagata Maru at
Makin, while SBDs (VB 5) bomb and strafe cargo ship Kanto Maru at
Jaluit. Rear Admiral Fletcher detaches three of his four destroyers to look for
downed TBD (VT 5) reported in the water astern of TF 17. During the search, a
Japanese reconnaissance flying boat (Yokohama Kokutai) attacks (but does
not damage)destroyer Sims (DD-409). Soon thereafter, two F4Fs (VF 42)
splash the flying boat. The TBD crew, however, is never found in the prevailing
poor weather.
Motor
torpedo boats and USAAF P-40s repulse Japanese landing attempt on southwest
Bataan. PT 32 damages Japanese minelayer Yaeyama off Subic Bay.
Naval Base,
Sydney, Australia, is established.
ATLANTIC—Seventh Naval District with headquarters at Key
West, Florida, is reestablished.
CARIBBEAN—Naval Air Stations, St. Lucia, British West
Indies, and British Guiana; and Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Antigua, British
West Indies, are established.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—VIII Bomber Command is activated at Langley Field
and VIII Interceptor Command at Selfridge Field.
FAR EAST AF—P‑40’s from Bataan bomb and strafe landing
barges off Quinauan Point during 1/2 Feb. These strikes, in conjunction with
naval and field artillery fire, cause considerable damage and casualties but
fail to prevent the landings which take place S of the point, although the
attempt to reinforce troops already on the point is thwarted.
US ARMY
GILBERT AND MARSHALL ISLANDS—Units
of U.S. Pacific Fleet make surprise air and naval attacks on Japanese air and
naval bases at Roi, Kwajalein, Wotje, Taroa, and Jaluit Islands in the Marshall
group and Makin in the Gilbert group, severely damaging enemy shipping and
aircraft facilities.
LUZON—II Corps prepares to attack in Sector C to clear
enemy bridgehead from which Japanese continue to withdraw. I Corps continues
efforts to reduce pockets S of MAIN LINE OF RESISTANCE with negligible success.
In South
Sector, Scouts renew battle against Quinauan Pt beachhead but progress is still
limited. Scout casualties by this time are estimated at 50 percent. Japanese
reinforcements for Quinauan Pt are spotted, night 1–2, and attacked by
remaining 4 P–40’s of FEAF, motor torpedo boats, and artillery and infantry
weapons from shore. Enemy is forced to land instead in Anyasan–Silaiim area.
ERITREA—Placed under command of GHQ MEF.
LIBYA—General Ritchie orders general withdrawal of 13
Corps, British Eighth Army, to line Gazala–Bir Hacheim in order to avoid
envelopment. Indian 4th Div; which reverts to 13 Corps command, completes withdrawal
to Derna line during night 1–2.
USSR—Red Army continues powerful offensive throughout
February but with diminishing success as German resistance stiffens with
arrival of reinforcements. Further efforts to break through to Leningrad and
Sevastopol are futile, but some success is achieved in other sectors. Soviet
forces in the Crimea are reinforced.
NORWAY—Puppet government is established under Vidkun
Quisling.
US MARINE CORPS
U. S. carrier task forces raid Japanese positions in
Gilberts and Marshal Islands.
