February 5th, 1944 (SATURDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Frigate HMS Labuan commissioned.
GERMANY: U-322 commissioned.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: One man washed overboard from U-450 in the Mediterranean. [Matrosengefreiter Thomas Heneka]. Later that day the boat suffered a fire in the engine room and was forced to return to base.
MARSHALL ISLANDS: Glen Borens' diary reads:
At about noon, Captain Thomas P Jeter came aboard. At 1335 hrs, R ADM John J. Ballentine was relieved as Captain of the Bunker Hill and Capt Jeter took over. RADM Ballentine left the ship.
In the middle of the afternoon, the port skuppers were shut down and after awhile, the deckedge elevator was lowered to the hanger deck and swimming became the game of the day. Three Marines were lined at different intervals along the catwalk, armed with rifles and kept a lookout for sharks.
We stayed there til Feb. 12th when we left for Truk.
U.S.A.: Destroyer escort USS Lake commissioned.
Submarine USS Piranha commissioned.
Submarine USS Segundo launched.
Escort carrier HMS Puncher commissioned Tacoma, Washington.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: