SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

3 February 1942

What happened on this day in the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, with a source for every entry.

About this page

Each day we list events from the Second World War that happened on that date, from 1939 to 1945. Every entry names its source and links to it, so you can read further. Entries are sourced and machine-screened before they go up, a subset is human-reviewed, and we add more over time.

7 of 8 sourced entries for this date, chosen by the editor.

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Entries

Burma

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek agrees to let Ch 5th Army take over Toungoo front. Balance of Ch 6th Army is ordered to move into Burma. Ind 48th Brig is ordered to zone of Ind 17th Div, under which it is to fight.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Luzon

II Corps, finding enemy bridgehead clear, advances OPL in that sector. I Corps continues to make little headway against enemy pockets in sectors of 1st and 11th Divs.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
NEI

Japanese begin preinvasion air attacks on Java. From Kendari, Celebes, enemy aircraft strike hard at Soerabaja, Madionen, and Malang.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Japanese air power conducts airstrikes against Java, especially the naval base at Surabaya.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
China-Burma-India Theater

THOR mission records show at least 2 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1942-02-03, flown by RAF. Targets included BURMA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.
Mediterranean Theater

THOR mission records show at least 0 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1942-02-03, flown by RAF. Targets included LIBYA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.
Pacific Theater

THOR mission records show at least 9 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1942-02-03, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force. Targets included INDONESIA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.

The full list for this date is being cleaned and will return soon.

Sources listed with each entry. Spotted an error? Tell us.

3 February in other years 1940 1941 1943 1944 1945

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3 February 1942

Entries

Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek agrees to let Ch 5th Army take over Toungoo front. Balance of Ch 6th Army is ordered to move into Burma. Ind 48th Brig is ordered to zone of Ind 17th Div, under which it is to fight.

II Corps, finding enemy bridgehead clear, advances OPL in that sector. I Corps continues to make little headway against enemy pockets in sectors of 1st and 11th Divs.

Japanese begin preinvasion air attacks on Java. From Kendari, Celebes, enemy aircraft strike hard at Soerabaja, Madionen, and Malang.

Japanese air power conducts airstrikes against Java, especially the naval base at Surabaya.

THOR mission records show at least 2 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1942-02-03, flown by RAF. Targets included BURMA.

THOR mission records show at least 0 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1942-02-03, flown by RAF. Targets included LIBYA.

THOR mission records show at least 9 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1942-02-03, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force. Targets included INDONESIA.

Talk about it