SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

2 December 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.

6 sourced entries for this date.

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Entries

New Guinea

Japanese try to reinforce bridgehead. 4 DD’s, with about 800 men embarked, reach Basabua early in morning, but are forced by Allied aircraft to move on and land troops near Kumusi R mouth, about 12 miles N of Gona.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Tunisia

Br First Army withstands another attack on Tebourba. Br tank losses are now about 40 U.S. forces (2d Bn of U.S. 509th Para Regt with 3d Bn of RCT 26, U.S. 1st Div) in conjunction with Fr troops attack Faïd Pass, 65 miles NE of Gafsa.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
During the Manhattan Project, a team led by Enrico Fermi initiates the first artificial self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
Mediterranean Theater

THOR mission records show at least 48 Allied sorties (5 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1942-12-02, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force. Targets included TUNISIA.

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 74 Allied sorties (16 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1942-12-02, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force, RAAF. Targets included NEW GUINEA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.
China-Burma-India Theater

THOR mission records show at least 17 Allied sorties (3 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1942-12-02, 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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2 December in other years 1939 1940 1941 1943 1944

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2 December 1942

Entries

Japanese try to reinforce bridgehead. 4 DD’s, with about 800 men embarked, reach Basabua early in morning, but are forced by Allied aircraft to move on and land troops near Kumusi R mouth, about 12 miles N of Gona.

Br First Army withstands another attack on Tebourba. Br tank losses are now about 40 U.S. forces (2d Bn of U.S. 509th Para Regt with 3d Bn of RCT 26, U.S. 1st Div) in conjunction with Fr troops attack Faïd Pass, 65 miles NE of Gafsa.

During the Manhattan Project, a team led by Enrico Fermi initiates the first artificial self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction.

THOR mission records show at least 48 Allied sorties (5 recorded unit missions) in the Mediterranean Theater on 1942-12-02, flown by USAAF 12th Air Force. Targets included TUNISIA.

THOR mission records show at least 74 Allied sorties (16 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1942-12-02, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force, RAAF. Targets included NEW GUINEA.

THOR mission records show at least 17 Allied sorties (3 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1942-12-02, flown by RAF. Targets included BURMA.

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