Burma
SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day
20 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 9 sourced entries for this date, chosen by the editor.
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Entries
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NEI
Japanese invade Timor, where Aus 2/40th Bn defends Penfoie airdrome.
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South Pacific
Newly formed U.S. naval TF, consisting of USS Lexington with screen of cruisers and DD’s, heads toward Rabaul, New Britain, to disperse Japanese concentrations but when attacked by enemy planes withdraws without executing mission.
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Japanese troops cross the important Salween River in Burma.
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Lieutenant Edward O'Hare becomes America's first World War II flying ace.
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China-Burma-India Theater
THOR mission records show at least 24 Allied sorties (3 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1942-02-20, 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.
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Pacific Theater
THOR mission records show at least 10 Allied sorties (2 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1942-02-20, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force. Targets included BALI.
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.
20 February in other years 19401941194319441945
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