20 Dec 1942
- Japanese aviation units began four days of bombarding on Calcutta, India. ww2dbase [TH]
- RAF used Oboe, an aid to bombing radar, operationally for the first time. ww2dbase [TH]
- Hiroaki Abe was relieved of his command of Japanese Navy Battleship Division 11 for his lack of aggressiveness during the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal. He would be forced to retire within months. ww2dbase [Hiroaki Abe | CPC]
- USS Gar fired three torpedoes at a Japanese ship; all torpedoes missed. ww2dbase [Gar | CPC]
- The United States Marine Corps redesignated the Marine Barracks at New River, North Carolina, United States as Camp Lejeune. ww2dbase [CPC]
- All of five of USAAF 59th Fighter Squadron's P-40F fighters were transferred to a French squadron in North Africa. ww2dbase [CPC]
- Satoru Anabuki, flying Ki-43 fighter "Fubuki", shot down a Hurricane and a Blenheim aircraft over Magwe, Burma, his sixth and seventh victories. He sustained injury during combat. ww2dbase [Satoru Anabuki | Magwe | CPC]
- Comandante Cappellini departed Pauillac, Aquitaine, France at 1330 hours and arrived at Le Verdon-sur-Mer, Aquitaine, France at 1630 hours. ww2dbase [Comandante Cappellini | Pauillac, Aquitaine | CPC]
- The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against the aircraft depot at Romilly, France. ww2dbase [RAF Thurleigh | Bombing of Cities in France and Low Countries | Romilly | DS]
- Kamoi took on food from auxiliary storeship Kitakami Maru at Taroa, Marshall Islands. ww2dbase [Kamoi | Taroa | CPC]
- USS Nashville crossed the equator for the first time and escort USS Ralph Talbot crossed for the second time heading from north to south while escorting USAT Funston from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii to Viti Levu in the Fiji Islands. ww2dbase [Line Crossing Ceremony | Ralph Talbot | Nashville | DS]
- S-36 arrived at Mariveles Bay, Philippine Islands, ending her first war patrol. ww2dbase [S-36 | Mariveles, Bataan | CPC]
- Ships of Allied convoy JW-51A began to arrive at Kola Inlet near Murmansk, Russia. ww2dbase [Arctic Convoys | Murmansk | CPC]
20 Dec 1942 Interactive Map
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this article with your friends: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Change View
Desktop ViewSearch WW2DB
News
- » WW2DB's 19th Anniversary (29 Dec 2023)
- » Looted Painting "Madonna with Child" Returned to Poland (2 Jun 2023)
- » Wreck of USS Mannert L. Abele Found (29 May 2023)
- » Wreck of Montevideo Maru Found (25 Apr 2023)
- » Accidental Detonation of a WW2-Era Bomb in Great Yarmouth (10 Feb 2023)
- » See all news
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,146 biographies
- » 337 events
- » 43,422 timeline entries
- » 1,237 ships
- » 349 aircraft models
- » 207 vehicle models
- » 372 weapon models
- » 123 historical documents
- » 259 facilities
- » 468 book reviews
- » 28,395 photos
- » 432 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue."Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, 16 Mar 1945