February 21st, 1943 (SUNDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: A message from Joseph Stalin was read out at meetings all over Britain today in honour of the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Red Army. Stalin thanked British citizens for their demonstrations of "friendly feelings" and expressed confidence in joint victory. Prayers were said for Russia in churches.
At Cardiff, Clement Attlee, the deputy prime minister, said that the battle of Stalingrad was decisive: "Let me pay tribute to the steadfastness of mind of Stalin in holding the Russian reserves until the time for counter-attack." At Sheffield. Sir Stafford Cripps said of Stalin: "For his courage, leadership and consummate skill we and the world owe the deepest gratitude."
Tonight in London 2,000 serviceman and women presented a pageant in honour of the Red Army to an audience of 6,000, including Mrs Churchill, who heads the Aid for Russia fund, and the Soviet ambassador, Mr Maisky, Lieutenant Laurence Olivier, RNVR, gave the call to arms from Alexander Nevsky and Lt-Cdr Ralph Richardson narrated. John Gielgud as "the voice of Moscow radio" described the battle for Stalingrad. No mention was made of the Red Army's founder, Leon Trotsky.
Submarine HMS Scythian laid down.
Rescue tug HMS Weazel launched.
GERMANY: Munich: Hans and Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst, leaders of the "White Rose" rebellion, are guillotined.
U.S.S.R.: German forces launch a big counter-offensive to regain Kharkov.
NORTH AFRICA: With Field Marshal Rommel at the front the German attacks at the Kassarine Pass reach their maximum effect and then stop.
INDIA: Delhi: A day of prayer is observed for Gandhi.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: The US 43rd. Division occupies the Russell Islands.
U.S.A.: Benis M. Frank turns 18 today. He asks to be inducted as soon as possible into the United States' forces.
We were sent to the joint examination center in Hartford, CT, where, after your physical, you could opt for which service you wanted to join. When my mother took me to the train station to catch a train to Hartford, the last thing she said was, "Whatever you do, don't join the Marine Corps." I must have misunderstood her. I opted for the Marine Corps and have never regretted it. We, who joined he Corps this way were classified as Selective Service-Volunteers. (Benis M. Frank, USMC)
Corvette HMCS Fredericton arrived New York City for Guantanamo escort duties.
Destroyer USS Callaghan laid down.
Destroyer USS Brown launched.
Submarine USS Bluefish launched.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-623 (TypeVIIC) is sunk in position 48.68N, 29.15W, by 6 depth charges from a British Liberator aircraft (Sqdn. 120/T). 46 dead (all hands lost). (Alex Gordon)
USCGC Spencer received credit from the US Navy for attacking and sinking the U-225 in the North Atlantic. The British have since recorded that the U-225 was actually destroyed by the Liberator "S" of RAF No. 120 Squadron on 15 February and they have changed the official British records to reflect this change. The renowned German historian, Professor/Dr. Jurgen Rohwer states that the Spencer "probably" attacked and sank the U-529 on this date, although the Spencer has not received official credit for this sinking.
At 2135, U-664 fired torpedoes at Convoy ONS-167 about 600 miles west of Ireland and sank SS Rosario in station #11 and tanker SS H.H. Rogers in station #13. H.H. Rogers was struck by one torpedo on the port side around #10 main tank rupturing the tank and the decks in the vicinity and the fireroom bulkhead. This resulted in the engine and fire rooms flooding. After 30 minutes, the officers decided that the ship could not be saved and the order to abandon ship was given. All 47 American crewmembers and 26 armed guards abandoned ship in three lifeboats (one lifeboat had been destroyed in the explosion) and all rafts. One of the lifeboats picked up several survivors from the Rosario, which had been in the water for about one hour. Almost all survivors were picked up by the British rescue ship Rathlin and landed at Halifax on 6 March. Four men on a raft were picked up by a British corvette and landed at St John's on 1 March. The wreck of the tanker was later sunk by U-664 with a coup de grāce in 50°13N/24°48W.
SS Empire Trader was ordered to the Azores with corvette HMCS Dauphin after the ship straggled from Convoy ON-166. At 2226, Empire Trader was torpedoed and damaged by U-92 north of the Azores. The next day, the vessel was abandoned and at 2000 Dauphin tried to sink her with gunfire on Admiralty orders in 48°27N/29°47W. On 23 February, the drifting wreck was last seen in 47°40N/28°46W. The master, 89 crewmembers and 16 gunners were picked up by the British rescue ship Stockport, transferred to Dauphin and landed at St John's, Newfoundland.
The Stigstad in Convoy ON-166 was hit at 1659 by torpedo from U-332 in the starboard tank 16. At 1705, two torpedoes fired by U-603 struck amidships and engine room, which sank the ship. The 34 men abandoned their ship in a lifeboat and received some food supplies from U-603. The survivors were picked up by the trawler Thomas Boot after 14 days and were landed on the next day.