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• A fire broke out on Tatsuta Maru, but it was quickly extinguished. ww2dbase [Tatsuta Maru | CPC]
• Admiral Darlan was replaced as High Commissioner in French North Africa by Henri Giraud, who commanded the French army at the outbreak of the war, before being captured by the Germans, escaping and fleeing to Algeria. ww2dbase [Henri Giraud | AC]
• Brigadier General Francis P. Mulcahy, currently the commanding officer of the US 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, relieved Brigadier General L. E. Woods as the commanding general of the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Guadalcanal Campaign | CPC]
• As 15 US B-24 and 6 B-17 bombers began to take off from Port Moresby, Australian Papua to attack the Japanese base at Rabaul, New Britain, one of the bombers crashed at the end of the runway, blocking many of the bombers from launching. The aircraft that took off prior to the crash reached Rabaul and sank Italy Maru near Lakunai airfield, sank Tsurugisan Maru, and damaged destroyer Tachikaze (killing destroyer commanding officer Lieutenant Commander Yasumi HIrasata). ww2dbase [CPC]
• Allied convoy JW-51B was hit by a major storm about half way between Bear Island and Jan Mayen island north of Norway; five ships lost contact with the convoy. ww2dbase [Arctic Convoys | CPC]

• USS Wahoo arrived at Brisbane, Australia, ending her second war patrol. ww2dbase [Wahoo | Brisbane, Queensland | CPC]

• Yugure, Urakaze, Tanikaze, Isonami, Inazuma, and Arashio departed Rabaul, New Britain, Bismarck Islands to transport 600 troops and supplies to occupy Wickham Anchorage, Vangunu, New Georgia, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Arashio | Tanikaze | Yugure | Rabaul, New Britain | CPC]

• Japanese aircraft from Rabaul, New Britain attacked Dobodura Airfield in Australian Papua, causing minimal damage. ww2dbase [New Guinea-Papua Campaign, Phase 2 | Dobodura Airfield | Dobodura | CPC]

• Comandante Cappellini departed La Pallice, La Rochelle, France at 1500 hours, starting her eleventh war patrol. ww2dbase [Comandante Cappellini | La Rochelle, Poitou-Charentes | CPC]

• Kamoi arrived at Roi, Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Kamoi | Roi | CPC]

• The Soviet law punishing those who were late to work for more than 20 minutes was made harsher; those who violated this law were now subjected to prison terms between two to five years. ww2dbase [CPC]

26 Dec 1942 Interactive Map