16 February 1939

February 16th, 1939 (THURSDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The RAF's first North American Harvard trainer spins into the ground killing the flight test observer, Peter Alston.

FRANCE: Minesweeper FS Commandant Riviere launched.

GERMANY: U-42 launched.

U.S.A.: James Bryce of IBM is advised that company president Thomas Watson has approved the project to build the Mark I which in time becomes the first IBM computer, and one of the first in the world.

Heavy cruiser USS Wichita commissioned.

16 February 1940

February 16th, 1940 (FRIDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM:
RAF Coastal Command reports a German submarine bombed and possibly destroyed.
[AE - there is no German record of any loss this day.]

Minesweeping trawler HMS Wistaria commissioned.

GERMANY: U-213, U-214, U-215, U-216, U-217, U-218 ordered.

SWEDEN: Sweden gives public its refusal to send troops to Finland or allow the passage of British and French troops. On the next day the Soviet government expresses its approval.

GIBRALTAR: The U.S. freighter SS Excalibur is detained for several hours by British authorities at Gibraltar but is released; freighter SS Exermont, detained since 14 February, is allowed to proceed as well.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: In the Altmark incident, the Graf Spee's supply ship with Merchant Navy prisoners aboard is located off Norway and takes refuge in Jøssingfjord, within territorial waters. In the evening the destroyer HMS Cossack (Capt. Vian) goes alongside, and after a short struggle a boarding party releases the 299 prisoners with the cry: 'The Navy's here!'
After the sinking of the Graf Spee, the Altmark sailed for Europe taking a route near the Arctic to avoid detection. Incredibly, the Norwegians who stopped and searched her found neither her concealed guns nor the prisoners. Two British destroyers then chased her into Jøssingfjord. The Cossack lowered two boats, but they could not move through the ice. The Altmark then made two attempts to ram the Cossack. As the two ships scraped together several members of the boarding party leapt aboard the German ship. The Altmark then ran aground and the rest of the Royal Navy party scrambled over the side, opening fire with their rifles and charging with fixed bayonets and cutlasses. Four German crewmen were killed. One prisoner said: "It was a hit and run affair along the decks and round corners, ... more of a rathunt than anything. You can imagine our joy when we heard English voices shouting down at us.
The captain of the Altmark had denied the existence of the prisoners right up to the end. One prisoner told how they had shouted, hammered and blown SOS whistles to attract the attention of the Norwegian search party at Bergen. The Germans turned a fire hose on them to stop them, and to drown the noise they turned on a winch. Even so the prisoners found it difficult to understand why the Norwegians had not noticed something of their presence. Afterwards the Germans told them that their behaviour was mutiny and put out a notice saying: "On account of today's behaviour of the prisoners, they will get bread and water tomorrow instead of the regular meals."
To mount the rescue the Cossack had to violate Norwegian territorial waters, but since the Norwegians had failed to find guns or prisoners most Britons will feel that this was justified.

In all seven Germans died in this operation, and were buried at Jøssingfjord, and 6 were wounded.
The dead were: stewards Stender, Bremer, and Steffen, greaser Rothe, a guard Schurmann and Meyer. Hans Berndsen died from exposure after falling through the ice and being rescued by two officers from Cossack, that makes the seven. Most of the Germans killed had been attempting to lower a boat to escape. Afterwards, 18 German seamen were picked up from the water wrapped in blankets and given hot tea. One of them failed to revive (presumably Berndsen).

20 Germans were missing after the boarding, but 19 returned after staying with Norwegian families. The remaining man did not turn up, and it was assumed that he had drowned in the general scramble as men fled across the ice or jumped into the sea. (85)(Alex Gordon)

At 2125, U-14 attacked two ships north of Kinnaird Head and torpedoed first SS Osmed and ten minutes later SS Liana. Liana sank 24 miles north of Kinnaird Head, taking ten crewmen with her. SS Santos picked up the survivors, which was herself sunk by U-63 on 24 February with the loss of six men from the Liana. Osmed sank after one torpedo hit 20 miles north of Kinnaird Head, taking 13 crewmen with her.

16 February 1941

February 16th, 1941 (SUNDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Liverpool: The new HQ of Coastal Command Western Approaches at Derby House opens. Its new C-in-C is to be Admiral Sir Percy Noble.

No. 15 Group RAF moves into the new Command area and a new No.19 Group takes over Plymouth and the watch on the Bay of Biscay.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Ormonde sunk by German aircraft off Scotland.

GERMANY: U-261 launched.

GREECE: Athens: The Athens News Agency 'Athinaiko Praktoreio' reported:

The Greek general staff reports that the Greek troop offensive that began on Friday is continuing with undiminished violence. Yesterday Greek forces again won important victories in which prisoners and large amounts of war materiel of every kind fell into their hands. Greek assault troops succeeded in penetrating strongly fortified Italian positions at various points on the front, which has shifted along its whole length between Lake Ochrida [on Yugoslav-Albanian] border and the coast.

ITALIAN SOMALILAND: 1st South African Brigade begins an important battle to seize crossings over the lower reaches of the Juba River.

SINGAPORE: Britain mines the waters around the colony.

U.S.A.: New York: The editorial in the New York Times reports the fear of inflation in Britain, "... not even the thunder of falling bombs and the ever-present apprehension of invasion can submerge that old fear. Lord Balfour ... pointed out that ...prices had increased 64% between August, 1939 and last September and that the cost of materials had increased by 48%."

ATLANTIC OCEAN:

'The Times', February 16th, 1941.

How her ship was sunk, experience of the Gestapo as a captive in a German raider, how she was marooned on a small tropical island, carol singing among the coral reefs and palms, rescue, a wonderful Christmas dinner of bread and cheese and hot coffee in the rescue ship - these are the things of which a young London woman tells in a letter home from Australia. She was one of the escorts who had accompanied children to Australia from this country for the Children's Overseas Reception Board, and was returning to Britain in the 'Rangitane'. But within a few weeks she was to see Australia again, after some terrifying and exciting experiences; and in this letter to her mother she says:-

"Early one morning we were shelled by two enemy raiders at close range, a third standing by. The shells came straight into the cabins occupied by the 22 C.O.R.B. escorts, causing fire, gas, and complete destruction in a few seconds. We lost five escorts and a sixth died on the raider. The shelling ceased and we were ordered to the boats. A great number were wounded, and even some of the dead were put into the lifeboats. Some boats sank, as they had been riddled in the shelling. Mine, with others, was ordered to the black raider, over whose side hung the German flag - red with a black swastika in the centre. The Germans were very gentle and kind to the wounded and gave a helping hand to all, as even those who were not hurt were terribly dazed."

"We were given a cup of strong black coffee, and the Germans doctors started at once on the casualties. They were very fine surgeons, and their cases could not have had better attention. Fortunately, we had six C.O.R.B. nursing sisters with us, and they were all unhurt and therefore ready to help nurse the wounded. Our quarters consisted of a central hatch, where two armed sentries were stationed, off which were four holds. Two were for the men, one for us, and the fourth was equipped with rough bunks for the wounded. Each hold had a Dictaphone to record our remarks. Each hold was fitted with a trestle table and benches, lockers and a lavatory, and two enamel wash bowls. They were clean and freshly painted, and well lighted. A shaft occasionally brought us fresh air. We were each provided with a hammock, a clean towel and a cake of salt-water soap."

"On the evening of the third day, after having been ordered a fresh-water shower bath, we were told to pack as we were to be transferred to another boat - the third raider, where all the women would be together. We were taken up on deck and were examined and questioned by a Gestapo agent, and had our money and papers taken off us. On the third raider, the 'Tokio Maru', a German boat flying Japanese colours, but unarmed and evidently a supply ship, we were put four in a two-berth cabin, but were quite comfortable. After almost four weeks of aimless sailing, with food getting from scarce to desperate, the Germans were forced to land us, which they did on the Saturday morning before Christmas on the tiny desert island of Emirau, or Squally Island, which lies just below the Equator."

At 1556, the unescorted SS Ramapo was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-108, broke in two and sank after 11 minutes west of Bermuda. The U-boat surfaced and questioned 34 men in lifeboats, however the survivors were never found.

16 February 1942

February 16th, 1942 (MONDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The fall of Singapore was announced to Britain and the world by Mr. Churchill on the wireless last night. In a 23-minute broadcast, his first for six months, Mr. Churchill said that the loss of Singapore was a "heavy and far-reaching defeat". Invoking Dunkirk, he called for unity and warned that only weakness of purpose "can rob the united nations of victory." The prime minister added: "This is one of those moments when the British race can show its quality and genius, when it can draw from the heart of misfortune the vital impulse of victory.

"We must remember we are no longer alone. Three-quarters of the human race are now moving with us. The whole future of mankind may depend on our action and on our conduct."

Destroyer HMS Virago laid down.

Submarines HMS Unrivalled and Saracen launched.

Corvette HMS Pink launched.

FRANCE: During the night of the16-17th, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 11 aircraft to drop leaflets.

GERMANY: During the night of the 16-17th, RAF Bomber Command dispatches 37 Hampdens and 12 Manchesters to the Frisian Islands; one Hampden and one Manchester are lost. Eighteen Wellingtons fly roving commissions over Northern Germany, eight aircraft bomb Bremen, seven bomb Aurich, two hit Oldenburg, one hit Wilhemshaven.

THE NETHERLANDS: During the night of the 16-17th, two RAF Bomber Command bombers hit Schipol Airfield in Amsterdam and Sosterberg Airfield.

NORTH SEA: Eight RAF Bostons, of No. 88 and 226 Squadrons, commenced the first regular operations with this new type the of day bomber. They searched for German shipping off the Dutch coast without success or loss.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Lt. Peter Scawen Watkinson Roberts (1917-79) and PO Thomas William Gould (b. 1914), of HMS THRASHER, removed two unexploded bombs - one was stuck in a very confined space - lodged in the submarine's gun casing. Both are to be awarded the George Cross.

JAPAN: Prime Minister Tojo speaks to the Japanese Diet. He speaks of "a new order of co-existence and co-prosperity on ethical principles in Greater East Asia."

Amid scenes of unbelievable jubilation the Japanese government has announced that it will officially celebrate the fall of Singapore with a national victory day in two days' time. In Singapore the triumphant 25th Army troops are to stage a Banzai victory march through the city.

On the way to them is a message wrapped in scarlet silk and written in an ancient Japanese script that only the emperor can use. The message simply states: "I praise you all." But the architect of the Japanese victory, Lieutenant-General Yamashita, may find his triumph shortlived. The Japanese premier, General Hideki Tojo, fears that Yamashita may become a candidate for war minister - portfolio which Tojo holds - and is to transfer him to Manchukuo.

SINGAPORE: The Japanese flag is hoisted above the former British governor's residence.

The first and sweetest task for General Yamashita, who ordered the assault on Singapore knowing his men had only a few hours of ammunition left, has been to receive an inventory of the massive array of captured arms and ammunition which could have lasted the defenders three months.

The haul includes 55,000 rifles with 18 million rounds of ammunition, 2,300 machine guns with 500,000 rounds and 300 field guns. Half of these are modern 25-pounders with armour-piercing shells - effective weapons against tanks and pillboxes. Also captured in working order are 49 of the 52 fortress guns guarding Singapore's sea approaches - the wrong direction, as it turned out.

Meanwhile concern is growing about the fate of the 130,000 Australian, British and Indian prisoners of war who have surrendered here, following reports of Japanese atrocities during the invasion of Malaya and in other parts of the Far East theatre.

The Bulk of the Allied prisoners are being moved to Changi, the huge ex-British military base at the south-east corner of the island. With 50,000 men squeezed into four barracks the human density is worse than the Black Hole of Calcutta. Sanitation, water and feeding conditions are so bad that Allied doctors fear a major epidemic. Japanese attitudes to PoWs are shaped by their belief that it is a dishonourable to surrender when it is still possible to fight; but disrespect to PoWs can easily lead to savagery.

One instance of this was reported after Imperial Guard troops beheaded 200 wounded Indians and Australians left behind during the retreat from the Muar river. Similar reports of brutality have also come from Amboina, in the Dutch East Indies, where in three incidents a total of more than 600 Australian PoWs have been bayoneted to death.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES: The withdrawal of British personnel and operational aircraft from Sumatra to Java is completed; much equipment is left behind at Oesthaven.

At sunrise on Radjik Beach on Banka Island, there are nearly 100 people, including children and wounded, survivors of the sinking of the small freighter SS Vyner Brooke on 14 February. An officer from the ship explains that since there is no food, no help for the injured and no chance of escape, they should give themselves up to the Japanese. He agrees to walk to Muntok, a town on the northwest of the island, and contact the Japanese. While he is away Matron Irene Drummond, the most senior of 22 Australian nurses on the beach, suggests that the civilian women and children should start off walking towards Muntok. At mid-morning the ship’s officer returns with about 20 Japanese soldiers. Having separated the men from the women prisoners, the Japanese divide the men into two groups, and march them along the beach and behind a headland. The nurses hear a quick succession of shots before the Japanese soldiers return, sit down in front of the women and clean their bayonets and rifles. A Japanese officer, smaller and more "nattily" dressed than his men, instructs the nurses to walk from the palm-fringed beach into the sea until they are waist deep in the waves. A couple of soldiers shove those who are slow to respond. Twenty-two nurses and one civilian woman walk into the waves, leaving ten or twelve stretcher cases on the beach. Fully aware of their fate, the nurses put on a brave face. Their matron, Irene Drummond, calls out: "Chin up, girls. I'm proud of you and I love you all." At that point the Japanese fire. One of the nurses, Vivian Bullwinkel, later describes what happens next: they “started firing up and down the line with a machine gun. ... They just swept up and down the line and the girls fell one after the other. I was towards the end of the line and a bullet got me in the left loin and went straight through and came out towards the front. The force of it knocked me over into the water and there I lay. I did not lose consciousness. ... The waves brought me back on to the edge of the water. I lay there ten minutes and everything seemed quiet. I sat up and looked around and there was no sign of anybody. Then I got up and went up in the jungle and lay down and either slept or was unconscious for a couple of days.” After shooting the nurses, the Japanese bayonet the wounded; over 80 people are killed on the beach that day. Of the 65 Australian nurses aboard the SS Vyner Brooke, 12 are presumed drowned, 21 are shot and killed, 31 had landed on different parts of the island and survived and Nurse Bullwinkel, who survived the massacre, is captured ten days later and survives the war as a POW.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: On Bataan, the I Corps reduces the salient in the main line of resistance to an area 75 by 100 yards (69 by 91 meters). In the South Sector, Japanese remnants from Salaiim Point, attempting to escape northward, are detected about 7 miles (11 kilometres) from the point and destroyed in two-day fight. In the Manila Bay area, the Japanese destroy a section of pipeline on the Cavite shore through which Fort Frank on Carabao Island receives fresh water. A distillation plant is put into operation at Fort Frank.

TIMOR SEA: Japanese planes bomb the U.S. Timor-bound convoy, escorted by heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) and destroyer USS Peary (DD-226); U.S. Army transport USAT Miegs and a U.S. freighter are damaged by near-misses. On board the latter, one crewman is killed; of the 500 troops embarked, one is killed and 18 wounded. USS Houston's heavy antiaircraft fire saves the convoy from destruction, but the imminent fall of Timor results in the recall of the convoy and its routing back to Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

AUSTRALIA: After reviewing all of the recommendations and cables, the Australian Chiefs of Staff recommend that “if possible, all Australian forces now under order to transfer to the Far East from the Middle East should be diverted to Australia.”

CANADA: Fairmile "B" Type HMC ML 086, 087, 088, 089, 090, 091, 092, 093, 094, 095, 096, 097, 098, 099, 100, 101, 102 and 103 ordered.

U.S.A.: Battleship USS Alabama is launched.

Washington: The new plan for the reorganisation of the War Department is submitted by Stimson. (Marc James Small)

A letter to TIME magazine.

Cover Ornament
Sirs:
All Americans of whatsoever race abhor the tactics and the treachery of the Japanese at Pearl Harbor....but I desire, for one, to register a protest against the picture on your front cover, Jan. 26, which portrays a Japanese soldier as a helmeted monkey, dropping from the limb of a tree, with slanting eyes directed venomously in the direction of "Ter Poorten of the Indies...."
I very seriously question the tactics of belittling any race of human beings because they are different from ourselves....
Frank C. Rideout
Lieut. Colonel (Chaplain)
U.S. Army, Retired

TIME:
Aside from its ethical aspect there is no worse military fault than undervaluing the enemy. The little figure on the corner of TIME's cover--not a monkeyfied Jap but a Japified monkey--was intended not as belittlement but as recognition of Japanese jungle agility.--ED

The cover can be seen at
http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,1101420126,00.html
http://tinyurl.com/d62ka

(William Rinaman)

Submarines USS Redfin and Puffer laid down.

CARIBBEAN SEA: The German Operation NEULAND begins with simultaneous attacks on Dutch and Venezuelan oil ports to disrupt production and flow of petroleum products vital to the Allied war effort; German submarine U-156 shells a refinery on Aruba, Netherlands West Indies, and torpedoes and damages a U.S. merchant tanker as she lies alongside Eagle Dock; a second torpedo misses the ship and runs up on the beach. There are further attacks on Curaçao. There are no casualties among the 37-man crew. The enemy does not emerge from the action unscathed, however, for the U-boat crew forgot to remove the water plug from the barrel of a gun. The resultant explosion kills one man [Matrosengefreiter Heinrich Büssinger]. The gunnery officer [II WO Leutnant zur See Dietrich von dem Borne, see right] lost his right leg in this incident, and so had to be put ashore into captivity at the French island of Martinique on 21 February. The commander decided to saw off the ruined portion of the gun barrel, and using this shorter barrel, on 27 February U-156 sank a 2,498-ton British steamer. The unarmed tanker SS Arkansas moored at the Eagle Dock in San Nicholas, Aruba when U-156 attacked the port. Hartenstein had already hit the Pedernales and Oranjestad before a torpedo struck the starboard side of the Arkansas between the #4 and #5 bunkers at 0943 hours. The explosion created a large hole and smaller holes at the port side, causing extensive structural damage. The crew of eight officers and 29 crewmen remained on the vessel and later walked down to the dock. Three hours later the crew reboarded her to assess the damage. The tanker proceeded to the other end of the island where temporary repairs were made. She later arrived at Galveston, Texas under her own power on 18 March, where she was overhauled before returning to service. A second torpedo, which had missed the Arkansas on the beach. It exploded while being removed and killed four of the shore personnel who were taking it away. Ten crewmembers from the Oranjestad were lost with 15 crewmembers rescued by harbour craft. Pedernales burned fiercely all night, but did not sink. The next day tugboats pushed her ashore, where the bow and stern were later removed and towed to the USA to be rebuilt. Seven tankers are sunk. (Jack McKillop and Dave Shirlaw)

Tankers SS San Nicolas and Tia Juana sunk by U-502 25 miles SW of Pt Macolla.

At 2038, U-564 began shelling motor tanker Opalia with her last 83 rounds from the 88-mm deck gun. Only three hits were scored, which damaged the tanker slightly.

At 1030, tanker SS Rafaela was hit amidships by one torpedo from U-67 while lying at anchor about 1 mile off Curaçao. The ship had been missed by a spread of two torpedoes at 0952 and another torpedo at 1011. Also a coup de grâce fired at 1052 hours did not hit and U-67 decided that the target was not worth another torpedo because the tanker was already badly damaged. The same day, the Rafaela was towed into the St. Anna Bay by the tugs Parmo and Mico, but later broke in two and sank to the ground. She was raised, repaired and returned to service after about four months.

16 February 1943

February 16th, 1943 (TUESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Anti-Fascist Italian PoWs open Radio Risorgi [Resurge], broadcasting for resistance to Mussolini.

Frigate HMS Nith commissioned.

Minelayer HMS Apollo launched.

VICHY FRANCE: The deeply unpopular Service Obligatoire du Travail[Compulsory Labour Service] is introduced; all people aged 20-23 must do it for two years.

GERMANY: Mildred Fish Harnack was beheaded in Plötzensee Prison, Berlin, the only American woman to be executed for treason in World War II.

Born in Milwaukee, USA on September 16, 1902, daughter of merchant W.C. Fish. In 1926, she married Arvid Harnack whom she met while studying literature at Wisconsin University. In 1929 she and her husband moved to Germany where she taught American literature history at the University of Berlin. In Berlin, she became friends with Martha Dodd and through this friendship, she and her husband were often invited to receptions at the American Embassy where she met many influential Germans.

When the war started, Arvid and Mildred supported the resistance movement against the Nazi regime through their friendship with Harro Schulze-Boysen and the spy ring the Nazis dubbed 'The Red Orchestra'.

On September 7, 1942, she was arrested in Priel and taken to Gestapo headquarters at No.8, Prinz- Albrecht- Strasse.

At her trial on December 15-19, 1942, she was sentenced to six years in prison for 'helping to prepare high treason and espionage'.

On December 21, Hitler reversed the sentence and at her second trial on January13/16,1943, she was given the ultimate penalty, death. By September, 1943, all fifty one members of the 'Red Orchestra' had died, two by suicide, eight by hanging and forty-one beheaded by guillotine. (Denis Peck)

U-1228 laid down.

U.S.S.R.: Russia completes the capture of Kharkov.

German Baron Wolfram von Richthofen is promoted to Field Marshal. (Glenn A. Steinberg)

NORTH AFRICA: Medenine falls to the British 8th Army.

SOUTH PACIFIC: The US submarine Amberjack (SS-219), commanded by John A. Bole, Jr., is sunk by Japanese surface craft and aircraft bombs-off Rabaul All hands are lost. (Joe Sauder)

CANADA: Tug HMCS Glenmont laid down Owen Sound, Ontario.

U.S.A.: Destroyer escort USS Charles Lawrence launched.

16 February 1944

February 16th, 1944 (WEDNESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM:

GERMANY: U-1308 laid down.

U-825, U-875 launched.

U-1273 commissioned.

FINLAND: The Finnish envoy J. K. Paasikivi meets the Soviet ambassador at Stockholm Alexandra Kollontay to discuss the possibility of a negotiated peace between Finland and Soviet Union. They meet two more times on 19th and 21st of February, and after long discussions, Paasikivi receives the Soviet terms. The Soviets demand the 1940 border with Petsamo, severing all ties with Germany and interning of German troops. These terms has to be accepted before the negotiations could begin. The Soviets also publish the terms, and Germany lets it to be known that it considers the Finnish peace-feelers 'treacherous'.

This night the Soviet heavy bombers attack Helsinki for the second time. This time the Finnish defences are strengthened further by a flight of German night fighters. The first attempt by 120 bombers is repelled, but later in the night some 300 bombers try to get through in smaller groups. Some succeed, but overall the city suffers far less than in the previous bombing ten days ago; however, 25 people are killed.

U.S.S.R.: The final German attempt to escape the Korsun pocket starts tonight.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: At 1511, HMS LST-418 was struck by a Gnat from U-230 and sank off Anzio after being hit by a coup de grâce at 1536. The vessel was participating in the landings in Anzio-Nettuno, Operation Shingle.

WESTERN PACIFIC: Strong United States Navy task forces attacked Truk

Glen Boren notes in his diary:

February 16 - 17, 1944

We were on station early and got our first strike off. A fighter sweep was sent in first to get air superiority which was done with great results.

We were told that the Task Force shot down and destroyed over 200 Japanese planes, with over 19 ships sunk and some 40 odd damaged and maybe some of these sunk. Pappy Boyington watched the first day of this show from a ditch along side a runway as a POW of Japan, on his way to Japan. He was stranded there for several days til another aircraft was flown in for the rest of the trip.

VF-18 lost no pilots here on this campaign. I think there were a couple of aircraft lost here tho.but not from our Sqd.

CANADA: Minesweeper HMS Flying fish launched Toronto, Ontario.

NEWFOUNDLAND: Tug HMCS Jamesville assigned to St John's.

U.S.A.:

Destroyer escort USS Barr commissioned.

Minesweeper USS Toucan laid down.

Submarine USS Bergall launched.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: A Sunderland aircraft attacked U-546 in the North Atlantic and one man died. [Matrosengefreiter Wilhelm van de Kamp].

February 16th, 1945 (FRIDAY)

NORTH SEA: U-309 is sunk east of the Moray Firth, in position 58.09N, 02.23W, by depth charges from the Canadian frigate HMCS St. John. 47 dead (all hands lost). (Alex Gordon)

GERMANY: U-2538 commissioned.

NORWAY: U-681 sailed from Kristiansand on her first and final patrol.

BURMA: Jemadar Prakash Singh (b.1919), 13th Frontier Force Rifles, although shot in both legs and forced to crawl, fearlessly directed his men in repelling an attack before he was killed. (Victoria Cross)

JAPAN: US ships attack Tokyo and Yokohama. Admiral Mitscher's aircraft sweep in to strike Nakajima's Ota plant.

VOLCANO ISLANDS: Iwo Jima: USN surface warships and aircraft of Task Group 52.2 plus 42 Seventh Air Force Consolidated B-24 Liberators are scheduled to open the bombardment of Iwo Jima. However, the weather is poor and the B-24s are recalled and attacks by carrier-based Eastern Aircraft TBM Avengers are hindered. The naval support force of Admiral Blandy's Task Force 52, meanwhile, has moved into position of Iwo Jima, and at 0800 hours, an hour behind schedule, the big guns on the battleships and cruisers open up. Mist has delayed the bombardment and low visibility and intermittent rain make it difficult for spotter planes to observe results. The escort carriers manage to put up 239 sorties during the day, but when 42 B-24s come up from the Marianas to hit at targets on Suribachi, Blandy cancels the mission because of unfavourable weather.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Corregidor Island, in Manila Bay, is attacked. One battalion, the 503rd PRCT, is air dropped and one battalion lands from the sea.

After a naval bombardment and an air strike, American paratroopers and a seaborne assault force have landed on the island fortress of Corregidor which dominates the entrance to Manila Bay. Corregidor is defended by some 5,200 Japanese sailors in superb condition and amply supplied with ammunition. The fort is the scene of the heroic last stand of the American and Filipino forces which were overwhelmed by the Japanese in 1942. The Japanese defenders, holed up in a mass of tunnels and caves, are putting up a fanatical resistance.

On 29 January an American force of 30,000 men landed uncontested north-west of Subic Bay in a move to seal off the Bataan peninsula. Two days later another force was landed south of Manila Bay at Nasugbu. The strategic Clark Field airbase fell to the Americans on 31 January and by 3 February the 1st Cavalry Division had reached the outskirts of Manila.

Six weeks after the landing at Lingayen, Manila is practically surrounded, but MacArthur's expectation of a quick liberation of the "Pearl of the Orient" has not been realized. The Japanese army had organized evacuation of the city, but a force of 16,000 Japanese sailors is fighting on to the bitter end.

NEWFOUNDLAND: Corvette HMCS West York departed St John's to join Convoy HX-338.

U.S.A.: Minesweeper USS Dunlin commissioned.

VENEZUALA: Caracas: Venezuala declares war on Germany and Japan.

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