US NAVY
PACIFIC—Battle of Java Sea, begun late the previous
afternoon, concludes. Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro torpedoes and sinks
Dutch light cruiser De Ruyter (Doorman's flagship, in which he is lost)
while Nachi torpedoes and sinks Dutch light cruiser Java; remnants
of the Allied force flee to Surabaya, sheltering briefly there before trying to
escape to Australia. In the wake of the battle, submarine S-37 (SS-142)
encounters boat from the sunken De Ruyter and recovers two U.S. Navy
sailors who had been serving in a liaison capacity in the Dutch ship. Before
continuing on patrol, the U.S. submariners provide the Dutch seamen with
rations. S-37's sistership S-38 (SS-143) rescues survivors from
sunken British destroyer HMS Electra.
Japanese
land on north coast of Java. Battle of Sunda Strait begins shortly
before midnight as heavy cruiser Houston (CA-30) and Australian light
cruiser HMAS Perth (Captain Hector M. L. Waller, RAN), attempting to
retire from Java, accidentally encounter Japanese transport force and escorting
ships (Rear Admiral Takagi Takeo) in Banten Bay, Java, and engage them (see 1
March).
Minesweeper
Whippoorwill (AM-35), while searching waters south of Tjilatjap for
survivors of sunken seaplane tender Langley (AV-3), rescues crew of
British freighter City of Manchester, that had just been torpedoed,
shelled and sunk by Japanese submarine I-153 at 08°16'S, 108°52'E.
Gunboat Tulsa (PG-22), in the vicinity on the same errand, takes on
board the injured British merchant sailors and treats the wounded.
ATLANTIC—German submarine U-578 torpedoes and sinks
destroyer Jacob Jones (DD-130) off the Delaware capes, 38°42'N,74°39'W.
Unarmed
U.S. tanker Oregon is torpedoed, shelled, and sunk by German submarine U-156
about 150 miles northeast of Mona Passage, 20°44'N, 67°52'W; U-156 machineguns
the crew trying to launch one of the lifeboats, killing six men. One group of
26 survivors reaches Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, on 4 March; U.S. tanker Gulfpenn
rescues other group of four men the following day.
PBY (VP 73)
mistakenly bombs and damages submarine Greenling (SS-213) outside
submarine sanctuary off New London, Connecticut.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
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US ARMY
UNITED STATES—War
Department directive gives General Wheeler mission of expediting flow of
supplies and equipment to General Stilwell.
NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES—After severe air attacks on air and
naval installations, Japanese 16th Army invades Java during night 28
February–1 March, going ashore on N coast and making main effort near Batavia.
Allied planes attack enemy shipping before and during landing. Admiral Doorman’s
naval force, split into small groups, heads toward Soenda Strait in effort to
escape from Java Sea; some of the vessels are not heard from again. Sea
Witch, with 27 crated P–40’s on board, reaches Tjilatjap safely, but P–40’s
are destroyed to prevent them from falling into enemy hands.
BURMA—British Imperial forces fall back on Pegu from
Payagyi and Waw in anticipation of general withdrawal.
US MARINE CORPS
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