19 February 1939

UNITED KINGDOM: RAF Bomber Command: Daylight reconnaissance - Heligoland area. 102 Sqn. Two aircraft. No ships sighted. Heavy opposition from shore batteries.

Night-time reconnaissance of the Heligoland Bight. Ice-bound German warships bombed by 18 Wellingtons in bad weather.

RAF Fighter Command: Four trawlers were attacked off north-east Scotland by a single Luftwaffe aircraft. The German bomber was driven off by the trawlers' machine-guns.

GERMANY: Chancellor Adolf Hitler orders more rapid progress with Operation Weserubung, the code name for the invasion of Norway and Denmark.

SWEDEN: King Gustav announces his support for his government's decision to refuse Finland military aid. He says "from the first hour I informed Finland that she unfortunately could not count on military intervention from Sweden."

FINLAND: Newly promoted Lt. Gen. Erik Heinrichs relieves Lt. Gen. Hugo Österman as the commander of the Isthmus Army (Kannaksen Armeija). The situation at the Isthmus has considerably worsened since the Soviet breakthrough of Mannerheim line, and now the Red Army has also punctured the second line of defence. Mannerheim, who had expected the second line to hold far longer, refuses all requests for a retreat to the third line of defence (which was, like the second line, in reality more a line on a paper than an actual fortified line). Österman advocates a more flexible approach, and is supported by the forceful commander of IInd Corps, Lt. Gen. Harald Öhquist, whose men bear the brunt of fighting.

These disagreements are exarberated by the desperate situation, and finally Österman has to ask for a sick leave. This is what happened as told by Heinrichs years later:

In morning of 19 February Mannerheim rung to Heinrichs (who was the commander of the IIIrd Corps) and told him to go without delay to Imatra to the HQ of Isthmus Army. "I have nominated the General [Heinrichs] from this day on the commander of Isthmus Army." Heinrichs asked what had happened to Österman. "He's sick and can no more hold the command." answered Mannerheim. In afternoon Heinrichs arrived at Imatra and went to Österman's HQ. Österman sat there behind his table. When Heinrichs asked how he was, Österman answered he's well. No, he wasn't sick. No, he hadn't heard that Heinrichs was to replace him. Heinrichs told him what Manerheim had told him. "Well, I guess I'm sick if the Marshal [Mannerheim] says so." answered Österman and began to write his resignation.

Mannerheim was well known for his reluctance to tell bad news to people in person, and often delegated these responsibilities to others. And he was also notorious for his ability to hold grudges: if Mannerheim felt, fairly or unfairly, that an officer had let him down in one way or other, the officer in question usually found his career stopped dead. Gen. Österman never again held a front command. Gen. Öhquist subsequently was made CO of the Isthmus Group in the Continuation War from January 1942 to March 1944.

On this day also a new Ist Corps is founded to hold the line at the middle Isthmus. Its commander is Maj. Gen. Taavetti Laatikainen.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The destroyer HMS Daring is torpedoed, with the loss of 157 lives.

The DC-2 was a DC-2-112, msn 1244, that had been delivered to Transcontinental and Western Airlines (TWA) in July 1934 registered NC13718 and assigned fleet number 308. The aircraft was purchased by Cox and Stephenson (was this the New York spy outfit?) for the British Purchasing Committee on 19 Feb. The aircraft was assigned the RAF serial nubmer DG471 and assigned to No. 31 Squadron, a transport unit based at Lahore, India.

The squadron moved to Drigh Road in Karachi India on 26 March 1941 and then back to Lahore.in September 1941. This particular DC-2 was destroyed when it crashed on 24 October at Drigh Road.

The British Purchasing Commission actually acquired 21 surplus DC-2s between November 1940 and September 1941:

On 18 Feb 1941, SS Empire Blanda was reported missing south of Iceland after straggling from Convoy HX-107. The master, 36 crewmembers and three gunners were lost. At 08.18 hours on 19 February, a lone freighter was hit by one torpedo from U-69 south of Iceland and sank in a few seconds after four heavy detonations; this must have been the Empire Blanda. The ship had been missed by a two torpedo spread at 0744 and a single torpedo at 0801. The U-boat was almost hit by falling debris.

UNITED KINGDOM: Churchill announces changes in the War Cabinet.
It now has seven members instead of nine. Out went Lord Beaverbrook, who ceases to be minister of production. He had often been at loggerheads with Ernest Bevin, the powerful minister of labour. Out also went Sir Kingsley Wood, the chancellor of the exchequer, and Arthur Greenwood, the minister without portfolio. In came Sir Stafford Cripps, the darling of Labour's discontented left-wingers. Clement Attlee, Labour's leader, is now to remain deputy prime minister.

FRANCE: During the night of 1-20th, two RAF Bomber Command aircraft drop leaflets on Paris and Lille.

Police arrest several Resistance leaders, including the philosopher Georges Politzer.

Riom: Two former premiers of France, Edouard Daladier and Leon Blum, went on trial here today with three of their ministers and the former commander-in-chief of the Allies, General Maurice Gamelin, accused of responsibility for defeat.

Both ex-premiers blamed the high command and French military establishment, many of whom are now serving in the Vichy government, while Gamelin refused to speak in his own defence. Daladier also blamed Germany.

"I protest against this arbitrary condemnation," he said. "Germany, who is in reality responsible for the war, today by this trial wants to obtain proof of its innocence."

GERMANY: During the night of 19-20th, seven RAF Bomber Command Wellingtons visually bomb Essen.

BURMA: The Indian 17th Division continues to defend the Bilin River line throughout the day but is ordered to fall back after dark. Mandalay receives its first enemy air attack.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES: Japanese forces land on Bali. As the Japanese Bali occupation force under Rear Admiral Kubo Kyuji retires, a naval battle ensues as an Allied naval force consisting of three cruisers and accompanying destroyers under Rear Admiral Karel W.F.M. Doorman, Royal Netherlands Navy (RNN), attacks in Badoeng Strait. The USN destroyer USS Stewart (DD-224) is damaged by gunfire from IJN destroyers HIJMS Oshio and HIJMS Asashio. The RNN destroyer HNMS Piet Hien is sunk; 30 of her survivors find a motor whaleboat jettisoned by USN destroyer USS John D. Ford (DD-228) and proceed unaided to Java. RNN light cruisers HNMS Java and HNMS Tromp are damaged by Japanese gunfire while IJN destroyers HIJMS Ushio and HIJMS Michisio are damaged by Allied gunfire.

USAAF A-24 Dauntlesses, with P-40 escort, and B-17 Flying Fortresses operating out of Malang, Madioen, and Jogjakarta Airfields, Java, attack vessels landing troops on Bali; the attacks, carried out during the afternoon of 19 February and throughout the morning of 20 February, claim considerable damage to vessels but fail to halt the landings; P-40s, based at Singosari Airfield on Java, shoot down or turn back several bombers sweeping west over Java.

The loss of den Pasar Airfield on Bali, which the Japanese begin using immediately, completes the Japanese encirclement of Java. (Jack McKillop and Alex Gordon)

CENTRAL PACIFIC: USN Aviation Chief Machinist's Mate Harold F. Dixon (Naval Aviation Pilot) and the two-man crew (Anthony J. Pastula, AOM2c and Gene D. Aldrich, RM3c )of TBD Devastator TBD-1 Bu.Aer. 0335 coded T-14, of Torpedo Squadron Six (VT-6), whose plane ditched due to fuel exhaustion on 16 January, reach the Danger Islands in the Western Northern Cook Islands having spent 34 days at sea in their rubber boat. They have subsisted on occasional fish speared with a pocket knife, two birds, and rain water. While the straight line distance travelled measures 450 miles (724 kilometres), the estimated track is approximately 1,200 miles (1,931 kilometres). Dixon is awarded the Navy Cross for heroism, leadership, and resourcefulness.

AUSTRALIA: Carrier planes from Japanese carriers raid Darwin, Northern Territory.
The attack was carried out by 188 aircraft - 36 fighters, 71 level bombers and 81 dive bombers from KAGA, AKAGI, Hiryu and SORYU. This was equivalent to the force that attacked Pearl Harbor. A second attack was carried out by 54 medium bombers from Kendari in the Celebes.

The attack began just before 10.00 when fighters strafed the ships in the harbour and shot down the few defending American fighters. The level bombers followed, concentrating on the port and town while dive bombers attacked the ships. In ten minutes Darwin ceased to be an operational port.

The wharf was destroyed and the merchant vessels NEPTUNA and BAROSSA damaged. The destroyer USS PEARY was caught running for the open sea, her magazines exploded and she sank with heavy loss of life, her guns still in action. The US transports MEIGS and MAUNA LOA were sunk as was the tanker BRITISH MOTORIST and the Australian transport ZEALANDIA. Transports PORTMAR and TULAGI were holed and beached.

An attack by dive bombers on the wharf hit NEPTUNA again and her cargo of depth charges exploded, shaking the town and killing 45. BAROSSA was burnt out and beached.

The RAN vessels in the harbour fought back desperately but only the sloops SWAN and WARREGO possessed anything like an adequate AA armament. Especially vulnerable was the corvette KATOOMBA sitting high and dry in a floating dry dock. She forced at least one attacker to turn away. The depot ship PLATYPUS was damaged by near misses which sank the lugger MAVIE alongside. Strafing aircraft caused fatal casualties on the boom defence vessels KARA KARA and KANGAROO and the auxiliary GUNBAR. The hospital ship MANUNDA, despite her clear markings, was bombed and heavily damaged with 12 dead and 58 wounded.

Leading Cook Francis Bassett Emms, age 33, mounted a machine gun on board HMAS Kara Kara. Despite fatal wounds, he continued to fire a machinegun at attacking aircraft.

North of Darwin two merchant vessels, DON ISIDRO and FLORENCE B, were destroyed. There was also heavy damage and loss of life in the town and at the airfield.

The medium bombers attacked at midday concentrating on the airfield and causing further damage.

The attack was considered then, and many Australians still believe, to presage a Japanese attack on Australia. It was however simply intended to neutralise Darwin as a base from where Allied forces might operate against the Japanese invasion of the Eastern Netherlands Indies. In this it was outstandingly successful. (Richard Pelvin)

Jack McKillop adds: The four Japanese carriers launched 189 aircraft and the attack began at approximately 0910 hours. The attacking force consisted of:

81 Nakajima B5N2, Navy Type 97 Carrier Attack Bombers, Allied Code Name "Kate," 73 Aichi D3A1, Navy Type 99 Carrier Bombers, Allied Code Name "Val," and 36 Mitsubishi A6M2, Navy Type 0 Carrier Fighters, Allied Code Name "Zeke."

The medium bombers are Mitsubishi G4M1 Navy Type 1 Attack Bombers, Allied Code Name Betty.

The seaplane tender (destroyer) USS William B. Preston (AVD-7) which is damaged.

The freighter SS Florence D., under charter to the US Army and carrying a cargo of ammunition, rescues the 8-man crew of a Patrol Squadron Twenty Two (VP-22) PBY off the north coast of Australia. The ship is later attacked and sunk by Japanese carrier-based aircraft; the survivors are rescued by the minesweeper HMAS Warrnambool and the mission boat St. Francis.

The Philippine motorship MS Don Isidro, which was chartered by the US Army to run supplies to Corregidor, is sunk off the NW coast of Bathurst Island and the survivors are also rescued by the minesweeper HMAS Warrnambool.

As a result of this raid the a Zero is shot down and lands successfully (if very bent). The pilot (uninjured) is captured by unarmed personnel and is escorted to the main base by the only Army personnel available - they in turn were unarmed and used the pilot's own pistol to guard him. Examination of the aircraft starts immediately. (Daniel Ross)

NEWFOUNDLAND: Corvette HMCS Moose Jaw grounded south entrance St John's. Moose Jaw was departing St John's to join convoy HX-176 when she went aground. Although she was refloated soon afterwards, she was badly holed and had to return to port for temporary repairs that were effected in St John's between 20 Feb and 05 Mar. Afterwards, permanent repairs were completed at Saint John , New Brunswick between 15 Mar and 25 Jun. Once her repairs were completed, Moose Jaw went on to see action in both Operation TORCH and Operation Neptune. She was serving with Escort Group 41 in the English Channel at the war's end.

U.S.A.: General Dwight D. Eisenhower is appointed as Chief of the War Plans Division for the US Army.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive Order 9066, setting the stage for the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans in camps throughout the United States. Posting of Executive Order 9066. (Gene Hanson)

President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive Order 9066, authorizing the removal of any or all people from military areas “as deemed necessary or desirable.” The military in turn defines the entire West Coast, home to the majority of Americans of Japanese ancestry or citizenship, as a military area. By June, more than 110,000 Japanese Americans were relocated to remote internment camps built by the U.S. military in scattered locations around the country. For the next two and a half years, many of these Japanese Americans endured extremely difficult living conditions and poor treatment by their military guards.
Baseball’s New York Yankees announced that they would admit 5,000 uniformed servicemen free to each of their home ball games during the coming season.

CUBA: The transport USS William P. Biddle (AP-15) arrives at Guantanamo Bay and disembarks the USMC's 9th defence Battalion.

CARIBBEAN SEA: At 10.07 hours on 19 Aug, 1942, U-564 attacked Convoy TAW (S) 85 miles NW of Boca Grande, Trinidad and observed three hits after 2 minutes 5 seconds and one after 2 minutes 50 seconds. Suhren claimed that he sank two ships and damaged two. In fact, the British Consul and Empire Cloud were sunk. The tanker was probably hit by more than one torpedo. Two crewmembers from the British Consul (Master James Kennedy) were lost. The master, 34 crewmembers, four gunners and one passenger (DBS) were picked up by HMS Clarkia and landed at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Mokihana lay two miles from the wharf in 40 feet of water with all anchor, cargo and port lights burning and silhouetted against the lights on shore. One torpedo struck on starboard side, just forward of the bridge. The explosion opened a hole of 35 feet by 45 feet in the hull and the ship sank to the bottom. There were no casualties among the eight officers, 28 crewmen and nine armed guards (the ship was armed with one 3in, four .50cal and two .30cal guns). After temporary repairs, the Mokihana left Port of Spain on 2 May 1942, but the ship came in troubles three days later in 16°40N/65°12W and had to be towed to the Virgin Islands and then to San Juan by tugs USS Partridge and Mankato. After more repairs, she arrived at Galveston, Texas on 15 June for permanent repairs.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 1945, the unescorted and unarmed U.S. tanker SS Pan Massachusetts is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-128 about 20 miles (32 kilometres) off Cape Canaveral, Florida while steaming at 13.5 knots in misty and squally weather. The torpedoes struck on the starboard side amidships and ruptured the tanks and deck. The explosions sprayed the cargo over the length of the vessel and ignited it, turning the tanker into a burning inferno but the full tanks prevented the cargo to explode. Some of the nine officers and 29 crewmen on board jumped overboard and swam underneath the flames to open spots and others went forward and escaped into the water by lowering a mooring line over the side because all lifeboats became victims of the flames before they could be launched. Three officers and 17 crewmen were lost. The British tanker SS Elizabeth Massey immediately put out a lifeboat to pick up the men in the water, but rough seas hampered the effort until USCGC Forward took the lifeboat in tow and moved with it through the wreckage. Some bodies were recovered and placed on board the US Coast Guard ship, while all survivors were brought to the tanker and taken to Jacksonville, Florida.

At 2329, the unescorted, armed U.S. freighter MS Empire Seal is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-96 in the North Atlantic, about 300 miles (483 kilometres) west-southwest of St. John’s, Newfoundland, southeast of Sable Island. One crewmember was lost. The master, 43 crewmembers, eleven gunners and the US pilot were picked up by the British CAM ship Empire Flame and landed at Halifax. (Jack McKillop and Dave Shirlaw)

SS Miraflores was hit by two torpedoes from U-432 at 0318 in the bow and amidships and sank immediately. The ship was expected in New York the next day, but did not arrive and was reported missing thereafter.

U.S.S.R.: Zaporozhe: Hitler, on a visit to von Mantein's headquarters, tells German troops that new, top-secret weapons are going to help them win the battle.

Kharkov: This once-great industrial city, now a ruined ghost town, its inhabitants killed or deported, fell to the triumphant Red Army yesterday. After fighting their way in through the suburbs, street by street, the Russians were astonished to find that the Germans has suddenly fled, despite Hitler's orders that it had to be held to the last man.

The decision to pull out was taken by SS General Paul "Papa" Hausser, the battle-scarred commander of the newly-formed Waffen-SS corps composed of the crack Leibstandarte, Totenkopf and Das Reich divisions. As the Russians circle around Kharkov drew tighter and tighter, Hausser sent ever more urgent cables to Hitler seeking permission to leave the burning city. Hitler remained adamant, but Hausser, risking execution, has defied the Führer and saved his Panzers from certain destruction. Fighting against odds of seven to one, they stood no chance.

Moscow is delighted: its forces have come 400 miles in barely three months. But the Russians are beginning to run out of steam. They have taken heavy losses against stubborn German resistance, and their supply lines have been over-extended. The Germans believe it is time to strike at the Russians exposed flank.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: U-562 sunk in the Mediterranean NE of Benghazi, in position 32.57N, 20.54E, by depth charges from destroyers HMS Isis and Hursley and an RAF 38 Sqn Wellington. 49 dead (all hands lost).

TUNISIA: Ninth Air Force B-25 Mitchells bomb the Gabes western area through heavy clouds.

The Kasserine Pass is defended by the US 19th Engineer Regiment, a battalion of the 26th Infantry, some TDs and a four gun battery of French 75mm cannon. As German armour approaches the pass, the French artillery fires on the German reconnaissance battalion, driving them back. (Jay Stone)

BURMA: Tenth Air Force P-40s dive-bomb a Japanese headquarters at Hpunkizup and afterwards strafe a rail defile south of Meza, burying about 100 feet (30.48 meters) of track while five B-25 Mitchells bomb the rail terminal at Sagaing.

NEW GUINEA: Fifth Air Force A-20 Havocs bomb and strafe Japanese forces in the Butibum and Angari areas while B-24 Liberators carry out single-plane attacks against shipping at Salamaua.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: Fifth Air Force B-24 Liberators carry out single-plane attacks against shipping off Cape Gloucester, New Britain Island, and at Gasmata Island.

SOLOMON ISLANDS: Fifth Air Force B-17 Flying Fortresses bomb shipping and a seaplane base between Buin and Faisi on Bougainville Island and at Ballale Island and hit the Kahili Airfield on Bougainville.

AUSTRALIA: The Citizens Military Forces Act comes into force allowing Australian militia to be sent to an area between the 110th and 159th east meridians and south of the equator (i.e. most of SWPA).

This same day MacArthur writes to General Marshall that the Australian militia were:

"not of sufficient quality for employment in the offensive. It can only be used for garrison duty".

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: In the Aleutians, weather cancels all Eleventh Air Force missions except limited weather reconnaissance.

CANADA: HMS MMS 1062, 1063, 1064, 1065, 1066, 1067, 1068, 1069, 1070, 1071, 1072 and 1073 ordered in Canada.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-268 sunk in the Bay of Biscay west of Nantes, France, in position 47.03N, 05.56W, by depth charges from an RAF 172 Sqn Wellington. 45 dead (all hands lost).

POLAND: Warsaw: German forces have reduced General Bor-Komorowski's hold on the city to three isolated pockets, and the Polish Home Army and the attempt by communist partisans' (the People's Guard) to regain control of Warsaw must now depend on substantial aid from the Russians, poised just on the other side of the river Vistula. But Stalin has refused to aid the valiant Poles.

In a message to the British government three days ago the Russians argued: "The Warsaw action is a reckless, appalling adventure which is costing the population heavy casualties. This would not have been the case of the Soviet command had been informed before the Warsaw action began, and if the Poles had maintained contact with it .... the Soviet command has come to the conclusion that it must dissociate itself from the Warsaw venture."

The Russians have three operational airfields a few minutes' flight from Warsaw, while the RAF and South African bombers attempting to drop supplies to the Poles must fly from Foggia across Europe under constant Luftwaffe attacks. Of ten bombers which set out for Warsaw from Italy three days ago, six failed to return. What makes the loss of these aircraft and crews especially sad is that Stalin will not allow the RAF supply planes to land on Russian-controlled airfields. The Poles seem doomed in the face of such intransigence.

ITALY: Anzio: After three days of desperate fighting the Allied divisions trapped on the Anzio beach-head today halted a major German offensive. The attack was launched on 16 February, with General von Mackensen's Fourteenth Army supported by the Luftwaffe. A sustained artillery barrage opened up a gap in the sector held by the US 45th Division, and for a time, it appeared as though the Allied would be split in two. Panzers poured through the gap, but themselves came under attack as the Allies concentrated their own fire more effectively. Still, though, the Germans pushed the Allies back towards the beaches. But tonight determined fighting by the British 1st and US 45th Divisions, backed by air and naval bombardment, has checked the Germans at Carroceto Creek.

Twelfth Air Force B-25s blast troop concentrations to the north of Anzio beachhead; A-36s and P-40s keep troops, tanks, and motor transport in the beachhead battle area under attack, flying 200+ sorties in 20+ missions as an Allied counterattack turns the tide of battle; fighters maintain control over the northern part of the battle area.

CHINA: Fourteenth Air Force B-24s, B-25s, and P-40s fly sea sweeps over wide-spread coastal areas from the Formosa Straits to French Indochina, claiming 3 ships sunk and others damaged; railroad bridges, trains, and other

BURMA: The Tenth Air Force dispatches 60+ A-36 Apaches and P-51 Mustangs and a few B-25 Mitchells to hit a variety of targets including fuel and supply dumps at Manywet and in the Shaduzup area; the Tonkin-Kansi road and a junction west of Manywet; the Mu River bridge at Ye-u; and railroad cars and tracks, locomotives, and river traffic between Monywa and Natyekan and between Alon and Segyi. Rail and road traffic in the Bhamo and Hukawng Valley-Kamaing areas is also hit.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO: A USMC and USN strike force consisting of 48 SBD Dauntlesses and 23 TBF Avengers escorted by 68 USAAF, USMC and USN fighters bomb Lakunai Airfield and other Japanese installations at Rabaul on New Britain Island; they are intercepted by less than 50 Japanese aircraft. Twelve minutes later, Lakunai and Tobera Airfields are attacked by 20 USAAF B-24 Liberators escorted by 35 fighters. The area has been repeatedly pounded, and after this date the Japanese abandon air defence of Rabaul.

Twelve Fifth Air Force B-25 Mitchells attack Japanese shipping southwest of New Ireland Island, claiming a small freighter and a patrol boat sunk and other vessels damaged. Seven A-20 Havocs hit shipping at Kavieng, New Ireland Island while single B-24 Liberators and B-25s carry out armed reconnaissance over wide areas of the Bismarck Sea.

MARSHALL ISLANDS: The U.S. Army's 106th Infantry Regiment, backed by a Marine battalion and supported by naval bombardment, land on two beaches of Eniwetok Island in Eniwetok Atoll at 0907 hours local. The landing is under Brigadier General Thomas E. Watson, USMC, and the overall operation is under Rear Admiral Harry W. Hill, USN. The Japanese garrison of about 800 troops is finally overcome at 1630 hours on 21 February. U.S. casualties are light, 37 KIA and 94 WIA; 23 Japanese are captured.

Seventh Air Force B-25s from Tarawa hit Wotje Atoll while Makin-based P-40s bomb and strafe Mille Atoll.

CAROLINE ISLANDS: Seventh Air Force B-24s from Tarawa Atoll and Makin Island in the Gilbert Islands pound Ponape and Kusaie Islands.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The Japanese lose 13 ships, six to USN submarines and seven to USAAF aircraft.

The crippled USS INTREPID is swung back and forth by high winds. These have tended to weathercock the ship with her bow pointed toward Tokyo. Captain Sprague later confesses: "Right then I wasn't interested in going in that direction." At this point her crew fashioned a jury-rig sail of hatch covers and scrap canvas which swung Intrepid about and held her course. (Skip Guidry)

CANADA: Minesweepers HMCS Caraquet, Vegreville, Malpequet and Cowichan departed Halifax for Devonport via Azores.

U.S.A.: Al Trace and his Silly Symphonists' record of "Mairzy Doats" with vocals by "Red" Maddock and Al Trace and the group makes it to the Billboard Pop Singles chart. This is their first single to make the charts and it stays there for 6 week reaching Number 7.

The USAAF ordered 650 Vultee SNV-2s for the USN; these aircraft, which were identical to the BT-13Bs, were designated Model 79As.

Escort carrier USS Kwajalein laid down.

Frigate USS Grand Island launched.

Destroyer escorts USS Robert F Keller and Maurice J Manuel launched.

Escort carrier USS Sitkoh Bay launched.

Destroyer escorts USS Alexander J Luke and Lyman commissioned.

Frigate USS Muskegon commissioned.

Submarine USS Pomfret commissioned.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-264 is sunk at 17:07 hours in position 48.31N, 22.05W, by depth charges from the British sloops HMS Woodpecker and Starling. 52 survivors (No casualties).

U-386 is sunk in position 48.51N, 22.44W, by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Spey. 33 dead and 16 survivors. (Alex Gordon)

UNITED KINGDOM: The Eighth Air Force flies Mission 835 against targets in Germany from bases in England: 1,135 bombers and 560 fighters in seven forces are dispatched to hit oil, industrial and rail targets; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 B-24 and 7 P-51s are lost:

- 196 B-17s are sent to hit the marshalling yard at Osnabruck (155); 24 hit the secondary target, the marshalling yard at Munster; 10 hit Haselunne, a target of opportunity; Micro-H and H2X are used; escorting are 38 P-51s.

- 291 B-24s are dispatched to hit military vehicle plants at Meschede (97) and Jungenthal (86) and the marshalling yard at Siegen (94) using Gee-H; a B-24 is lost; 122 P-47s and P-51s escort.

- 422 B-17s are sent to hit benzol plants at Bochum (99) and Gelsenkirchen (36), oil refineries at Dortmund (74) and Alm (37) using Micro H and H2X; 162 hit the secondary target, the Munster marshalling yard (162) visually; 91 P-51s escort.

- 131 B-17s hit the marshalling yard at Rheine with Micro H without loss. 48 P-51s escort.

- 163 P-51s fly a fighter sweep against rail and road targets in the Hannover-Magdeburg-Brunswick area claiming 2-0-0 aircraft in the air and 1-0-0 on the ground; 5 P-51s are lost.

GERMANY: Himmler meets Count Folke Bernadotte, an official of the Red Cross, and makes overtures for peace talks with the west.

The Ninth Air Force dispatches B-26s, A-26s, and A-20s to attack targets in Germany, i.e., the Mechernich prime mover depot, rail bridges at Pracht, Niederscheld, and Neuwied-Irlich, the Wiesbaden ordnance depot, and 4 targets of opportunity; fighters escort the bombers, attack railroads and bridges, fly armed reconnaissance and alerts, and cooperate with the VIII, XII, and XX Corps east of the Our River, between the Westwall and the Prum River, and in the Saar-Mosel triangle.

BALTIC SEA: U-676 sunk in the Gulf of Finland, position unknown, by a USSR mine. 57 dead (all hands lost).

AUSTRIA: 51 P-51s strafe rail and river traffic and airfields between Linz and Vienna and in the Graz area; other P-51s and P-38s fly escort and reconnaissance missions.

ITALY: The Fifteenth Air Force attacks targets in central Europe from their bases in ITALY: during the night of 18/19 February, 11 B-24s drop supplies in northern Italy. In Austria during the day almost 500 B-24s and B-17s, escorted by about 220 P-51s and P-38s, bomb 2 marshalling yards and the southern station area in Vienna, marshalling yards at Klagenfurt, Graz, and Bruck an der Mur; marshalling yards at Maribor, Yugoslavia; shipyards in Fiume, Italy; and the Pula, Yugoslavia harbor and military installations.

The Twelfth Air Force in Italy, is grounded by bad weather although some aircraft radar bomb communications and dumps in the western Po Valley and northeastern Italy, and claim several rail line cuts in the Brenner area.

BURMA: 24 Tenth Air Force B-25s and 31 P-47 Thunderbolts fly close support strikes in the Mongmit-Myitson area; 70+ fighter-bombers hit troop concentrations, supplies, and villages behind the battleline in central Burma. Heavy transport operations continue.

CHINA: 14 Fourteenth Air Force P-51s and P-40s attack rail and river traffic at Chiuchiang, Hsuchang, Lung Hai, and Tsinpu.

FORMOSA: Far East Air Forces B-24s bomb Koshun, Heito, and Takao Airfields and B-25s and fighters on sweeps attack a large number of targets of opportunity including trains, parked aircraft, buildings, and coastal vessels.

JAPAN: The XXI Bomber Command flies Mission 37 from bases in the Mariana Islands: 150 B-29 Superfortresses are dispatched to hit the Musashino aircraft plant in Tokyo hoping to draw air reinforcements away from the Iwo Jima invasion; thick clouds completely cover the primary target so 119 bomb the port and urban area of Tokyo; 12 others hit targets of last resort and targets of opportunity; they claim 39-16-37 Japanese aircraft; 6 B-29s are lost.

Six Eleventh Air Force B-24s fly a photo reconnaissance over Shimushu Island and bomb Kurabu Cape Airfield on Paramushiru Island in the Kurile Islands; 6 Japanese fighters intercept; the B-24s claim 4 damaged.

MALAYA: The XX Bomber Command flies Mission 37 from bases in India: 49 of 59 B-29s bomb the Central Railroad Repair Shops at Kuala Lumpur, some bombing from only 1,000 feet (305 meters); 4 other B-29s hit alternate targets, the Alor Star Airfield, and the marshalling yard at Martaban, Burma; they claim 1-0-7 Japanese aircraft; no B-29s are lost.

VOLCANO ISLANDS: Landings begin on Iwo Jima by the Fourth and Fifth US Marine Divisions.

The day dawns clear. Task Force 58, its Tokyo strikes completed, comes in for the assault and two of its battleships and 13 cruisers join in the neutralization fire as Marines shifted from transports into the landing craft.

Starting at 0640 hours, seven battleships and various other warships lay down the heaviest pre-landing bombardment of WWII. Flying artillery spotting missions are Eastern Aircraft FM Wildcats and TBM Avengers of Composite Spotting Squadron One (VOC-1) in USS Wake Island (CVE-65). Also bombing the area are B-24 Liberators of the Seventh Air Force's VII Bomber Command; 44 aircraft are dispatched but due to thick cloud cover, only 14 find targets and release their bomb loads.

Between H minus 1 and H-hour (0800 to 0900), while the amphibious tractors manoeuvred into position, the warships laid down a barrage. Between 0805 and 0815 hours, 24 F4U Corsairs of Marine Fighting Squadron One Hundred Twenty Four (VMF-124) and 24 F4F Hellcats of Fighting Squadron Four (VF-4) in USS Essex (CV-9), mount low-level strafing and rocket attacks on the beaches supporting the V Marine Amphibious Corps which lands at 0900 hours. A strike by 44 B-24s had been scheduled, but when over half of them aborted, only 15 arrived to drop 19 tons of 100-pound GP's on the island's eastern defences.

The first wave of US Marines hit the beaches northeast of Mount Suribachi and under the US Navy's barrage move inland about 200 yards on a 1,500 yard front. By evening 30,000 Marines were ashore: the 5th Division had pushed almost across the island at its narrowest point, just north of Suribachi, but the 4th, against very heavy opposition, had been stopped at the edge of Montoyama Airfield No. 1.

During the day, aircraft from Task Groups 58.2 (Hancock, Lexington and San Jacinto) and 58.3 (Bunker Hill, Essex and Cowpens) fly 602 sorties supporting the Marines. Aircraft from the escort aircraft carriers, Task Group 52.2 support the Marines by flying several hundred sorties against Iwo Jima and Chichi Jima.

Between 1900 and 2130 hours, several Japanese bombers based in Japan attacked the US ships. A Night Fighting Squadron Ninety [VF(N)-90] pilot in a Hellcat downs a Nakajima Ki-49 Army Type 100 Heavy Bomber Donryu (Storm Dragon), Allied Code Name "Helen," 20 miles (32 km) from TF 58 at 1926 hours and ship AA fire downs two others.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: US Army troops covered by USMC aircraft are landed on the northwest coast of Samar and on Capul Island to insure control of San Bernardino Strait.

The Seventh Air Force dispatches 26 B-24s from Angaur Island in the Palau Islands to bomb Likanan Airfield on Mindanao Island.

In the central Philippines, USMC F4U Corsairs under the tactical command of the Thirteenth Air Force fly napalm strikes against airfields and other targets.

On Luzon, Far East Air Forces fighters, B-25s, and A-20s continue to support ground forces at San Augustin, Carranglen, Balete Pass, and Bataan Peninsula and bomb Japanese-held sectors on Corregidor Island.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC: Major General Paul B Wurtsmith becomes Commanding General Thirteenth Air Force, one of the two air forces assigned to the Far East Air Forces.

U.S.A.: The government imposes a midnight curfew on all places of entertainment.

Escort carrier USS Palau laid down.

Minesweeper USS Elusive commissioned.