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World War II Database

8 Feb 1942
  • German submarine U-108 sank British freighter Ocean Venture 50 kilometers east of Hampton Roads, Virginia, United States. ww2dbase [Second Happy Time | CPC]
  • The main Japanese offensive against Singapore began. Australian troops stationed on the northwestern coast of Singapore initially inflicted heavy casualties on the Japanese landing, but confusion of battle caused them to retreat prematurely, providing Japanese a beachhead by nightfall. ww2dbase [Invasion of Malaya and Singapore | CPC]
  • The United States Navy acquired the civilian ship Steel Architect, which was still under construction, for military service. She was to be the future escort carrier Copahee. ww2dbase [Copahee | CPC]
Caroline Islands
  • Akagi arrived at the Palau Islands, having abandoned the pursuit of the American fleet. ww2dbase [Akagi | Palau | CPC]
  • Kaga arrived at Palau Islands, Caroline Islands. ww2dbase [Kaga | Palau | CPC]
Dutch East Indies France Germany
  • In Germany, Albert Speer was appointed the Minister of Armaments and Munitions to succeed Fritz Todt who was killed when his aircraft exploded shortly after take off near Rastenburg, Ostpreußen (East Prussia), Germany. ww2dbase [Albert Speer | Fritz Todt | Rastenburg, Ostpreußen | AC]
Hawaii Libya
  • While in landing pattern at Martuba airfield in Libya, Hans-Joachim Marseille in his Bf 109 fighter encountered five Hurricane fighters that tried to jump him; he was able to break off from his landing approach, out-maneuver his attackers, and shot down two of them in return (his 37th and 38th kills). Later in the day, several British Blenheim bombers, escorted by P-40 and Hurricane fighters, attacked Martuba; Marseille shot down two of the fighters, bringing his score to 40 kills. At the end of the day, against orders, he flew over an enemy airfield to drop a note that stated Flight Sergeant Hargreaves (his 37th kill) was captured and uninjured; this personal mission led to Marseille being grounded by his commanding officer Gerhard Homuth. ww2dbase [Hans-Joachim Marseille | Martuba | CPC]
Marshall Islands
  • Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Wotje, Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Wotje | CPC]
Pacific Ocean
  • Japanese submarine I-4 sank Singaporean merchant ship Ban Ho Guan off Java, Dutch East Indies. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • Tanikaze completed escorting duty for carriers in the Central Pacific Ocean. ww2dbase [Tanikaze | CPC]
Philippines
  • American troops attacked and wiped out a Japanese infiltration force at Quinauan Point, Bataan on the Philippine island of Luzon; 600 Japanese troops were killed while the US-Filipino forces suffered 500 casualties. Meanwhile, General Masaharu Homma called off the first offensive against Bataan and fell back to more defensible positions while waiting for reinforcements. ww2dbase [Invasion of the Philippine Islands | CPC]
  • Ed Dyess led the first American landing of WW2 at Agloloma Bay, Bataan, Philippines. ww2dbase [Invasion of the Philippine Islands | Ed Dyess | Agloloma Bay | CPC]
Russia United States
  • USS Grayback departed the East Coast of the United States for the Hawaiian Islands. ww2dbase [Grayback | CPC]
US Pacific Islands
  • Japanese submarine I-69 shelled Sand Island, Midway Atoll, causing minor damage to the radio towers. US Marine Buffalo aircraft of VMF 221 squadron counterattacked and damaged I-69. ww2dbase [Midway Bases | Midway | CPC]
Photo(s) dated 8 Feb 1942
Destroyer USS Shaw underway in Pearl Harbor with a temporary stub bow, 8 Feb 1942; note SOC floatplane taxiing nearbyDestroyer USS Shaw fitted with a temporary bow and temporary bridge entering Pearl Harbor, Hawaii 8 Feb 1942 after conducting full-speed trials off Oahu.Wrecked Hurricane aircraft of Squadron Leader Richard Brookers of No.232 Fighter Squadron RAF, East Coast Park, Singapore, 8 Feb 1942

8 Feb 1942 Interactive Map

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




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