While flying as second pilot in a Vickers Wellington of No. 75 Squadron during a night raid, Sgt. J.A. Ward (RNZAF) displays such gallantry that he is later awarded the Victoria Cross.

Corvette HMS CAMPION is commissioned.

GERMANY: Sgt James Allen Ward (1919-41), Royal New Zealand Air Force, crawled over the starboard wing of his Wellington to smother an engine fire.(VC)
Burt Knight adds: Sgt. Ward, 75th Squadron, was second pilot in a Wellington Mk. I. The aircraft was hit by Flak over Germany in a fuel tank and engine. The crew tried using fire extinguishers but the slipstream swept the spray away. Sgt. Ward volunteered to try to put the fire out and climbed out a hatch, tethered by a rope. Kicking holes in the fabric covering, Sgt. Ward was able to smother the fire. Sgt. Ward received the VC for this and command of his own aircraft. He died on his second mission over Germany as Pilot.(60)

Cologne: The city is attacked overnight by 114 RAF Wellingtons.

U-339 is laid down.

ICELAND: The United States takes over the protection of Iceland from Britain and lands troops to start building naval and air bases. The American security zone is also extended east wards to longitude 22 W, to embrace Iceland. The US also assumes the responsibility for the direct protection of all convoys of American ships bound for Iceland and of any such ships of other nationalities as wished to attach themselves to such convoys. General Marston is in command of the 1st Marine Brigade.

FINLAND: On the left flank of Karelian Army Group Oinonen (Maj. Gen. Oinonen) crosses the border near Ilomantsi to capture better starting positions for the coming main attack. The attack is soon stopped by stiff Soviet resistance.

U.S.S.R.: Russian and German tanks clash at Ostrov, a key point of the road to Leningrad.

EUROPE: Nazi-inspired anti-Bolshevik campaigns start in France and Belgium.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: Prestone arrives, the P-40B’s are flyable. (Marc Small)

U.S.A.: Washington: President Roosevelt today informed Congress that United States forces have landed in Iceland.

The immediate occasion for the decision for the US to join British and Canadian troops in defending Iceland was the report that Germany has assembled an expeditionary force in northern Norway to invade Iceland. It would clearly have been a strategic disaster fort Britain to allow the Germans to seize a bastion in the middle of the vital western shipping lanes from North America. to the Western Approaches. However, the significance of the US move goes beyond Iceland itself.

It signals the administration's willingness to relieve Britain of any burdens which a non-belligerent can undertake, so as to free British manpower for operations elsewhere.

The White House released copies of three-cornered negotiations between Washington, London and the prime Minister of Iceland, Herman Jonasson, in which the US recognized the sovereignty of Iceland and promised to withdraw all military forces as soon as the war came to an end.

The First Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), composed of a Headquarters Squadron and Marine Air Group 1 (MAG-1), is organized at Quantico, Virginia. This is the first of its type in the USMC and the first of five wings organized during the war.

The USAAF orders 150 model NA-91 P-51 Apaches intended for the RAF under Lend-Lease as Mustang Mk. IAs. These aircraft retained the Allison V-1710-39 engine.