02/01 Sun. Two carrier task forces (Vice Adm. W. F. Halsey and Rear Adm.
F. J. Fletcher) and a bombardment group (Rear Adm. R. A.
Spruance), totaling 2 aircraft carriers, 5 cruisers, and 10
destroyers, attack Kwajalein, Wotje, Maloelap, Jaluit, and
Mili in the Marshall Islands and Makin, Gilbert Islands.
Japanese landing attempt on southwest Bataan, P. I., is
repulsed by motor torpedo boats and Army aircraft.
United States Naval Base, Sydney, Australia, is established.
United States Naval Air Stations, St. Lucia, British West
Indies, and British Guiana, and United States Naval Auxiliary
Air Facility, Antigua, British West Indies, are established.
Seventh Naval District, with headquarters at Key West, Fla.,
is reactivated.
United States naval vessels damaged:
Carrier ENTERPRISE (CV-6), by suicide bomber, Marshall-
Gilberts raid,
10 d. 33' N., 171 d. 53' E.
Heavy cruiser CHESTER (CA-27), by dive bomber, Marshall-
Gilberts raid,
08 d. 45' N., 171 d. 33' E.
02/02 Mon. Japanese naval vessel sunk :
Minesweeper No. 9, by mine, Netherlands East Indies area,
03 d. 42' S., 128 d. 10' E.
02/03 Tue. Submarine TROUT (SS-202) delivers ammunition to Corregidor,
P. I., and removes gold, silver, securities, and mail.
Japanese bomb Surabaya, Java, Netherlands East Indies.
02/04 Wed. Japanese aircraft bomb allied force (Rear Adm. K. W. F. M.
Doorman, Royal Netherlands Navy) of 4 cruisers and
accompanying destroyers attempting transit of Madoera Strait
to attack Japanese Borneo invasion fleet; 2 United States
cruisers and 1 Netherlands cruiser are damaged.
Submarine SEADRAGON (SS-194) evacuates certain military
personnel and material from Corregidor, P. I.
Asiatic Fleet (Adm. T. C. Hart) cease to exist
organizationally (not formally abolished). Units of Asiatic
Fleet are organized into Southwest Pacific Force (Vice Adm.
W. A. Glassford).
Australian-New Zealand naval command is established (Vice
Adm. H. F. Leary, USN).
United States naval vessels damaged:
Heavy Cruiser HOUSTON (CA-30) and light cruiser MARBLEHEAD
(CL-12), by horizontal bombers, Madoera Strait, Borneo,
07 d. 23' S., 115 d. 47' E.
02/05 Thu. United States Naval Operating Base, Londonderry, Northern
Ireland, is established.
National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., is established.
02/06 Fri. Naval Coastal Frontiers redesignated Sea Frontiers: Eastern
Gulf, Caribbean, Panama, Hawaiian, Northwest, Western,
Philippine.
United States and Britain establish Combined Chiefs of Staff
(CCS).
Japanese land reinforcements at Lingayen Gulf, P. I.
02/07 Sat. Naval Forces Southwest Pacific Area (Vice Adm. W. A.
Glassford, USN) establish headquarters at Tjilatjap, Java.
War Shipping Administration is established.
02/08 Sun. Japanese submarine shells Midway Island.
Japanese troops land at Gasmata, New Britain.
Japanese naval vessel sunk :
Destroyer NATSUSHIO, by submarine S-37, Makassar Strait,
Netherlands East Indies area,
05 d. 10' S., 119 d. 24' E.
02/09 Mon. Transport LAFAYETTE (AP-53), former French liner NORMANDIE,
burns at New York pier.
Rear Adm. E. S. Land is appointed Director of War Shipping
Administration.
Adm. W. H. Standley, USN (Ret.), is named ambassador to
Russia.
Japanese aircraft bomb Batavia, Surabaya, and Malang, Java.
Japanese land at Singapore Island.
02/11 Wed. United States troops arrive at Curacao and Aruba, Netherlands
West Indies.
02/14 Sat. Submarine SAGO (SS-188) delivers ammunition to Polloc Harbor,
Mindanao, P. I., and evacuates certain military personnel.
Adm. T. C. Hart, USN, is relieved as Commander in Chief
Allied Naval Forces in Southwest Pacific by Vice Adm. C. E.
L. Helfrich, Royal Netherlands Navy.
Japanese paratroopers drop on Palembang, Sumatra.
02/15 Sun. Singapore surrenders to the Japanese.
Japanese forces land on Sumatra, Netherlands East Indies.
02/16 Tue. German submarine shells oil refinery on Aruba, Netherlands
West Indies.
02/17 Tue. Seabees (1st Naval Construction Battalion) arrive at Bora
Bora, Society Islands.
02/18 Wed. United States naval vessels sunk:
Destroyer TRUXTUN (DD-229) and stores ship POLLUX( AKS-2),
by storm Placentia Bay, Newfoundland.
02/19 Thu. Bali, Netherlands East Indies, is invaded by the Japanese.
Battle of Badoeng Strait starts at night and continues the
next day. Allied naval force (Rear Adm. K. W. F. M. Doorman,
Royal Netherlands Navy) of three cruisers and accompanying
destroyers attack retiring Japanese Bali occupation force in
Badoeng Strait. One Netherlands destroyer is sunk, 2
Netherlands cruisers and 1 United States destroyer are
damaged. One Japanese destroyer is damaged.
Japanese bombers raid harbor, airfields, and shore
installations at Darwin, Australia.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer PEARY (DD-226), by dive bomber, Darwin,
Australia,
12 d. 30' S., 130 d. 50' E.
02/20 Fri. Submarine SWORDFISH (SS-193) evacuates President Quezon and
other Philippine officials from Luzon, P. I.
Atlantic and Pacific Fleets are directed by Commander in
Chief United States Fleet to establish Amphibious Forces.
Darwin, Australia, is abandoned as an Allied naval base.
Japanese invade Timor Island in the Netherlands East Indies.
United States naval vessel damaged:
Destroyer STEWART (DD-224), by naval gunfire, Battle of
Badoeng Strait, Netherlands East Indies,
07 d. 18' S., 112 d. 46' E.
02/23 Mon. Japanese submarine shells oil refinery at Ellwood, Calif.
02/24 Tue. Carrier task force (Vice Adm. W. F. Halsey) bombards Wake
Island.
Submarine SWORDFISH (SS-193) evacuates United States High
Commissioner F. B. Sayre from Philippine Islands.
02/25 Wed. Coast Guard assumes responsibility for United States port
security.
02/27 Fri. Battle of Java Sea is fought as Allied naval force (Read Adm.
K. W. F. M. Doorman, Royal Netherlands Navy) of 5 cruisers
and 11 destroyers in Java Sea near Surabaya attacks enemy
force covering Java invasion convoy. Two Netherlands
cruisers, 2 British destroyers, 1 Netherlands destroyer are
sunk; 1 United States cruiser and 1 British cruiser are
damaged.
Joint United States-Mexican Defense Commission is
established.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Seaplane tender LANGLEY (AV-3), by horizontal bombers, 75
miles south of Tjilatjap, Java,
08 d. 58' S., 109 d. 02' E.
United States naval vessel damaged:
Heavy Cruiser HOUSTON (CA-30), by naval gunfire, battle of
Java Sea.
02/28 Sat. Submarine PERMIT (SS-178) delivers ammunition to Corregidor,
P. I., and evacuates certain military personnel.
Japanese land on north coast of Java, Netherlands East
Indies.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer JACOB JONES (DD-130), by submarine torpedo, off
Delaware Capes,
38 d. 42' N., 74 d. 39' W.