Sunday, 1 February 1942

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.