February 1st, 1943 (MONDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM:
Submarine HMS Subtle laid down.
Submarine HMS Surf laid down.
Escort carrier HMS Trouncer laid down.
GERMANY: Rastenburg: Hitler holds a military conference at which he accuses his generals of disloyalty.
Baron Maximilian von Weichs, Ewald von Kleist and Ernst Busch are promoted to Field Marshal. (Glenn A. Steinberg and Steen Ammentorp)
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The fast minelayer
HMS Welshman, which took urgent stores to Malta from Alexandria during the siege, is sunk by the
U-boat U-617 45 miles east of
Tobruk at 32 12N, 24 52E. There are 152 casualties.
(Alex Gordon)(108)
An explosion occurred at 0615 in the diesel engine room of U-77, resulting in some damage to the boat
NORTH AFRICA: American tanks and
infantry are battered at German positions in Faid Pass (In Tunisia, roughly
east-northeast from Kasserine). (Michael Ballard)
On 30 January von Arnim's Fifth Panzer Army had driven the French out of the
Faid Pass and then attacked them at Pichon. Combat Command A of the U.S. 1st
Armored Division then attempted to retake Faid, but was repulsed. Other U.S. and
British forces (I don't know which units) were sent to Pichon and restored some
stability along the front. About two weeks later Faid Pass was one of the
staging points for the German counteroffensive against the U.S. Army around
Kasserine. (Keith Allen)
NEW GUINEA: The Australians repel the Japanese less than 400 yards from Wau airfield.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: The 2nd Btn 132nd Regiment with 4 75mm howitzers of the 4th Battery 10th Marines is landed on the south coast of Guadalcanal north of Verahue. A Japanese recon pilot reports the escorting destroyers as cruisers. This misidentification results in an airstrike which sinks destroyer DeHaven 2 miles southeast of Savo Island in the afternoon. Six Japanese planes attack. Three of them are shot down but the remaining three drop their bombs and flee. The hits destroyed the bridge, killing the captain. A fourth bomb split the hull plates and the DeHaven capsized and sank with 167 of her men from a crew of 299.
18 Japanese destroyers make the trip down the slot to Guadalcanal. They are on the first of the evacuation runs. Loading 4,935 troops as Kamimbo and Cape Esperance against fierce opposition from US PT Boats, they return to the Shortlands with the loss of one destroyer, Makikumo. Either a mine or torpedo for a PT boat left her without power and she was scuttled. US destroyers Radford, Fletcher and Nicholas are spotted by a "Pete" which drops flares. The loss of surprise renders any chance of success for Captain Briscoe and Desron 21 futile.
NEW ZEALAND: Bill Paull lands in Wellington. These US Marines arrive after spending six months on Tulagi and Guadalcanal. (William T. Paull)
CANADA: Destroyer HMCS Columbia commenced refit Saint John, New Brunswick.
Trawler HMS Liscomb collided with minesweeper HMCS Minas off Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Frigates HMCS Antigonish, St Stephen, Capilano, Strathadam, Northumberland, Wulastock, Stone Town, Hallowell, Royalmount (ex-Alwington), Poundmaker, Tisdale, Hardrock, Ste Agathe, Victoriaville, Pressiville, Toronto (ex-Giffard), Ste Therese, Lasalle, Coaticook, St Pierre, Prestonian (ex-Beaucharnois, Sea Cliff, Rouyn, Buckingham (ex-Royalmount), Inch Arran, Sussexvale (ex-Valdorian), Carlplace, Foster and Megantic ordered.
U.S.A.: In response to a growing need for Naval Intelligence Officer (NIO) support to senior government diplomatic and military staffs, an 8-10 week school, built on the NACIOS (Naval Air Combat Intelligence Officers School) concept, was established for advanced intelligence training. (William L. Howard)
Destroyer USS Cogswell laid down.
Minesweepers USS Pinnacle, Phanton and Peril laid down.
Heavy cruiser USS Bremerton laid down.
Destroyer USS Stevens commissioned.
The USN aircraft colour scheme is changed so that the upper portion of the fuselage is painted flat sea blue with flat intermediate blue applied to the fuselage sides, vertical tail and rudder surfaces. The upper surfaces of the wings and horizontal tail surfaces are to be painted semi gloss sea blue and the under surfaces to be painted flat insignia white.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 2310, MFV Joseph Elise was shelled and sunk by U-66 after a torpedo had missed at 2300.