SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

31 August 1942

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

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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.

8 sourced entries for this date.

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Entries

India

Gen Stilwell agrees to SOS proposal that main base in India be established at Calcutta rather than Karachi.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
New Guinea

Australians take the offensive in Milne Bay area against demoralized enemy. 18th Brig drives E to K. B. Mission. While tide has turned against enemy in Milne Bay area, other forces continue across Owen Stanley Range toward Port Moresby.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Solomons Is.

USS Helm (DD) tows 3 harbor patrol boats to Tulagi. USS Saratoga (CV) is damaged by enemy torpedo while patrolling W of Santa Cruz Is.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Start of the 1942 Luxembourgish general strike against conscription.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
1942 World War II battle.

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

THOR mission records show at least 14 Allied sorties (2 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1942-08-31, flown by USAAF 10th Air Force. 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 27 Allied sorties (3 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1942-08-31, flown by USAAF 9th Air Force. Targets included EGYPT, 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 12 Allied sorties (2 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1942-08-31, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force. Targets included NEW GUINEA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

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

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31 August in other years 1940 1941 1943 1944 1945

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31 August 1942

Entries

Gen Stilwell agrees to SOS proposal that main base in India be established at Calcutta rather than Karachi.

Australians take the offensive in Milne Bay area against demoralized enemy. 18th Brig drives E to K. B. Mission. While tide has turned against enemy in Milne Bay area, other forces continue across Owen Stanley Range toward Port Moresby.

USS Helm (DD) tows 3 harbor patrol boats to Tulagi. USS Saratoga (CV) is damaged by enemy torpedo while patrolling W of Santa Cruz Is.

Start of the 1942 Luxembourgish general strike against conscription.

1942 World War II battle.

THOR mission records show at least 14 Allied sorties (2 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1942-08-31, flown by USAAF 10th Air Force. Targets included BURMA.

THOR mission records show at least 27 Allied sorties (3 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1942-08-31, flown by USAAF 9th Air Force. Targets included EGYPT, LIBYA.

THOR mission records show at least 12 Allied sorties (2 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1942-08-31, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force. Targets included NEW GUINEA.

Talk about it