02/01 Tue. Invasion of the Marshall Islands continues as Marines
land on Roi and Namur Islands, and Army troops land
on Kwajalein Island under cover of heavy naval
gunfire from battleships, cruisers and destroyers.
Command designated Amphibious Forces, Pacific Fleet,
with headquarters at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, T. H., is
established. Vice Admiral R. K. Turner, Commander
Fifth Amphibious Force, is ordered to assume this
command as additional duty.
United States Naval Base, Finschhafen, New Guinea, is
established.
United States naval vessels damaged, Marshall
Islands invasion:
Destroyer ANDERSON (DD-411), by grounding,
09 d. 10' N., 167 d. 25' E.
Destroyer HAGGARD (DD-555), by accidental
explosion,
09 d. 00' N., 167 d. 00' E.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer UMIKAZE, by submarine GUARDFISH (SS-
217), Caroline Islands area,
07 d. 10' N., 151 d. 43' E.
Submarine RO-39, by destroyer WALKER (DD-517),
Marshall Islands area,
09 d. 24' N., 170 d. 32' E.
02/02 Wed. Roi and Namur Islands in the Marshall Islands are
secured.
United States naval vessels damaged:
Battleships WASHINGTON (BB-56) and INDIANA (BB-
58), by collision, Marshall Islands operation,
07 d. 00' N., 167 d. 00' E.
02/03 Thu. Cruiser and destroyer gunfire supports landing of
Army troops on Ebeye, Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall
Islands.
United States naval vessels damaged:
Destroyer CLAXTON (DD-571), by coastal defense
gun, Solomon Islands area,
05 d. 49' S., 154 d. 39' E.
Minesweeper CHIEF (AM-135), by grounding, Marshall
Islands area,
09 d. 00' N., 167 d. 00' E.
02/04 Fri. Cruisers and destroyers (Rear Adm. W. D. Baker)
bombard enemy installations at Paramushiro, Kurile
Islands.
02/05 Sat. Submarine NARWHAL (SS-167), delivers supplies and
evacuates certain personnel from near Libertad,
Panay, P. I.
Japanese submarine sunk:
I-21, by destroyer CHARRETTE (DD-581) and
destroyer escort FAIR (DE-35), Marshall Islands
area,
06 d. 48' N., 168 d. 08' E.
02/06 Sun. German submarine sunk:
U-177, by naval land-based aircraft (VB-107), South
Atlantic area,
10 d. 35' S., 23 d. 15' W.
02/07 Mon. Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, is declared
secured.
Submarine NARWHAL (SS-167), delivers supplies and
evacuates certain personnel from near Balatong Point,
Negros, P. I.
02/08 Tue. United States naval vessel damaged:
Destroyer LUDLOW (DD-438), by coastal defense gun,
Italian area,
41 d. 28' N., 12 d. 30' E.
02/10 Thu. Aircraft from carrier task group (Rear Adm. S. P.
Ginder) bomb enemy installations on Eniwetok Atoll,
Marshall Islands; similar strikes are made on 11 and
12 February.
United States naval vessel damaged:
LST 170, by horizontal bomber, eastern New Guinea
area,
08 d. 39' S., 148 d. 27' E.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Destroyer MINEKAZE, by submarine POGY (SS-266), off
Formosa,
23 d. 12' N., 121 d. 30' E.
02/11 Fri. United States naval vessels sunk:
PT-279, by collision with PT-282, Solomon Islands
area,
05 d. 30' S., 154 d. 15' E.
02/12 Sat. Marines land on Arno Atoll, Marshall Islands; this
begins a series of "mopping-up" operations in minor
atolls of the Marshall Islands.
Japanese aircraft bomb and destroy supply
concentrations on Roi Islands, Marshall Islands.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Submarine rescue vessel MACAW (ASR-11), by
grounding, entrance to Midway Channel.
02/14 Mon. United States naval vessel damaged:
Light cruiser ST. LOUIS (CL-49), by dive bomber,
Bismarck Archipelago area,
06 d. 15' S., 153 d. 29' E.
02/15 Thu. United States Third Amphibious Force (Rear Adm. T. S.
Wilkinson) lands New Zealand troops in the Green
Islands off New Ireland. The operation is covered by
cruisers, destroyers and Solomon Islands-based
aircraft.
Command designated Central Pacific Forward Area (Rear
Adm. J. H. Hoover) is established; Rear Admiral
Hoover flies his lag in the seaplane tender CURTISS
(AV-4).
Naval aircraft from Abemama, Gilbert Islands, bomb
Wake Island.
United States naval vessel damaged:
Destroyer escort HERBERT C. JONES (DE-137), by
radio controlled bomb, Anzio, Italy,
41 d. 27' N., 12 d. 35' E.
Japanese submarines sunk:
I-43, by submarine ASPRO (SS-309), Central Pacific
area,
12 d. 42' N., 149 d. 17' E.
RO-40, by destroyer PHELPS (DD-360) and minesweeper
SAGE (AM-111), Marshall Islands area,
09 d. 50' N., 166 d. 35' E.
02/16 Wed. Aircraft from carrier group (Rear Adm. S. P. Ginder)
bomb Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands.
Japanese naval vessels sunk:
Light cruiser AGANO, by submarine SKATE (SS-305),
Central Pacific area,
10 d. 11' N., 151 d. 42' E.
Submarine chasers Nos. 16 and 39, by Army
aircraft, north of New Ireland,
02 d. 24' S., 150 d. 06' E.
02/17 Thu. Naval task force (Vice Adm. R. A. Spruance), which
includes 9 carriers and 6 battleships, strikes
Japanese installations and vessels at Truk, Caroline
Islands; attack is repeated on 18 February.
United States naval vessel damaged:
Carrier INTREPID (CV-11), by aircraft torpedo,
Truk, Caroline Islands,
07 d. 23' N., 153 d. 32' E.
Japanese naval vessels sunk:
Light cruiser NAKA, by carrier-based aircraft, Truk
area, Caroline Islands,
07 d. 15' N., 151 d. 15' E.
Training cruiser KATORI, by carrier-based aircraft
and surface craft, Truk area, Caroline Islands,
07 d. 45' N., 151 d. 20' E.
Destroyer MAIKAZE, by carrier-based aircraft and
surface craft, Truk area, Caroline Islands,
07 d. 45' N., 151 d. 45' E.
Destroyer OITE, by carrier-based aircraft, Truk
area, Caroline Islands,
07 d. 40' N., 151 d. 45' E.
Destroyer TACHIKAZE, by carrier-based aircraft,
Truk area, Caroline Islands,
07 d. 40' N., 151 d. 55' E.
Minesweeper No. 26, by aircraft, Rabaul, New
Britain.
Submarine I-11, by destroyer NICHOLAS, (DD-449),
Marshall Islands area,
10 d. 34' N., 173 d. 31' E.
Submarine chaser No. 24, by destroyer BURNS (DD-
588),
07 D. 24' N., 150 d. 30' E.
02/18 Fri. Marines and Army forces land on Engebi Island,
Eniwetok Atoll, in the Marshall Islands. Preliminary
landings are made 17 February on several nearby
islets. The operation is under the command of Rear
Adm. H. W. Hill and is supported by naval gunfire and
carrier-based aircraft.
Destroyers bombard enemy positions at Kavieng, New
Ireland, and Rabaul, New Britain.
United States naval vessel sunk:
Tug YT-198, by mine, Italian area,
41 d. 27' N., 12 d. 38' E.
United States naval vessel damaged:
Minesweeper PILOT (AM-104), by collision, Italian
area,
40 d. 48' N., 14 d. 16' E.
Japanese naval vessels sunk, Truk area, Caroline
Islands:
Destroyer FUMIZUKI, by carrier-based aircraft,
07 d. 24' N., 151 d. 44' E.
Submarine chaser No. 29, by carrier-based NO. 29,
by carrier-based aircraft,
07 d. 25' N., 151 d. 45' E.
02/19 Sat. Marines and Army troops supported by naval
bombardment land on Eniwetok Island, Eniwetok Atoll,
Marshall Islands. The operation is under the command
of Rear Adm. H. W. Hill. (P)Army, Naval, and Marine
land-based aircraft heavily attack airfield and other
Japanese installations at Rabaul, New Britain.
The area is repeatedly bombed, and after this date
the enemy abandons air defense of Rabaul.
Motor torpedo boats engage German convoy southeast of
Elba.
Allied cruiser and destroyer gunfire supports United
States positions at Anzio, Italy.
Japanese naval vessels sunk:
Submarine chasers Nos. 22, 34, and 40 by Army
aircraft, off New Ireland.
02/20 Sun. Carrier task group (Rear Adm. J. W. Reeves) bombs
Japanese installations on Jaluit Atoll, Marshall
Islands.
United States naval vessel sunk:
LST 348, by submarine torpedo, Italian area,
40 d. 57' N., 13 s. 14' E.
Japanese naval vessel sunk:
Submarine chaser No. 48, by Army aircraft, off New
Ireland.
02/22 Tue. Marines land on Perry Island, Eniwetok Atoll,
Marshall Islands, under cover of naval bombardment
and carrier-aircraft bombing; this operation
completes United States control of Eniwetok Atoll.
Destroyers bombard Japanese airstrips, pier area, and
anchorages at Kavieng, New Ireland.
Submarine RAY (SS-271), lays mines off Saigon, French
Indochina.
United States naval vessel sunk:
PT-200, by collision with unknown object, off Long
Island, N. Y.,
41 d. 23' N., 71 d. 01; W.
Japanese naval vessels sunk:
Minelayer NATSUSHIMA, by destroyers, off New
Ireland,
02 d. 40' S., 149 d. 40' E.
Tug NAGAURA, by destroyers, off New Ireland,
06 d. 54' S., 148 d. 38' E.
River gunboat FRANCIS GARNIER, by mine, South China
Sea,
10 d. 30' N., 108 d. 00' E.
[What the heck is this? LWJ]
02/23 Wed. Aircraft from fast carrier task force (Rear Adm. M.
A. Mitscher) bomb Saipan, Tinian, Rota, and Guam, in
first strike against the Marianas Islands.
02/24 Thu. United States naval vessels damaged:
Destroyer BUCHANAN (DD-484) and FARENHOLT (DD-491),
by coastal defense gun, north of New Ireland,
02 d. 20' S., 151 d. 02' S.
German submarine sunk:
U-761, by United States naval land-based aircraft
(VP-63 and VB-127), British aircraft and ships,
off Gibraltar,
35 d. 55' N., 05 d. 45' W.
02/25 Fri. Destroyers bombard enemy positions at Kavieng, New
Ireland and Rabaul, New Britain.
02/26 Sat. United States naval vessels sunk:
PT-251, by coastal defense gun, Solomon Islands
area,
06 d. 30' S., 155 d. 10' E.
LST 349, by grounding, Italian area,
40 d. 55' N, 12 d. 58' W.
02/28 Mon. United States naval vessel damaged:
Destroyer ABNER READ (DD-526), by grounding,
eastern New Guinea area,
08 d. 44' S., 148 d. 27' E.
02/29 Tue. Destroyer task group (Rear Adm. W. M Fechteler) lands
Army troops on Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands.
Destroyers bombard wharf area and buildings at
Rabaul, New Britain.