Air Operations, Europe

1 Wellington is sent on a cloud-covered raid to Essen and bombs are dropped somewhere in the Ruhr.

Allied Command

By order of President Roosevelt, Gen MacArthur flies from Mindanao to Darwin in Australia where he takes over Supreme Command of Allied Forces in the Southwest Pacific. The territorial limits of his command have yet to be worked out. However, by agreement with the Allied governments, the US takes over responsibility for the strategic defense of the whole of the Pacific Ocean. Maj-Gen Wainwright now commands all US-Filipino forces in the Philippines.

Battle of the Atlantic

The unarmed US tanker Acme (6894t) is torpedoed and sunk by U-124 west of Diamond Shoals, North Carolina. A short time later U-124 torpedoes and sinks the Greek freighter Kassandra Louloudi (5106t) four miles west-southwest of Diamond Shoals. Survivors from the two sinkings are rescued by the Coast Guard cutter Dione (WPC-107) and the steamship Beta.

Britain, Home Front

British homes now have rationing on electricity, gas and coal.

Malta

The hammering of the island by Axis aircraft goes on without pause. Out of 25,000 tons of supplies consigned to the island during the month, only 5,000 tons get through.

Mediterranean

The British submarine Unbeaten sinks the Italian submarine Guglielmotti off Calabria. 12 survivors are later rescued by a motor torpedo boat.

New Arrivals at the Belzec Death Camp

In this photo is a group of gypsies, new arrivals at the Belzec death camp. The camp was located in occupied Poland and operated from March 17, 1942 to the end of June 1943. The city of Belzec served as the headquarters for the primary Jewish extermination effort in Poland. An estimated 430,000 and 500,000 Jews are believed to have been systematically slaughtered at Belzec, along with an unknown number of Poles.

United States, Politics

Roosevelt recalls the US ambassador to Vichy France, Adm William D. Leahy.

Ensign Thomas H. Taylor Receiving the Navy Cross

Navy Secretary Frank Knox pinned the Navy Cross for distinguished service on Ensign Thomas H. Taylor in Washington, 17 March 1942. Knox said that Ensign Taylor, though wounded, deafened because of broken ear drums, and suffering burns, took command of an anti-aircraft battery directing its fire accurately during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7.