Air Operations, Carolines

FEAF B-24s attack the airfield on Yap.

Air Operations, CBI

• 10th Air Force fighter-bombers support Allied ground forces around Taungni and attack numerous targets of opportunity in northern and central Burma.
• P-40s attack strongpoints and artillery positions near Myitkyina.

• 11 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 32 14th Air Force P-38s and P-40s attack Tengchung, breaching the city wall in five places.
• 9 P-38s and P-40s attack a bridge at Tingka.
• 8 P-40s attack Yangtze River shipping.
• An 81st Fighter Group P-47 downs a Ki-48 'Lily' bobmer over the Anking airfield.

Air Operations, East Indies

• V Bomber Command B-24s attack Cape Chater and Lautem.
• B-25s attack a military camp on Timor.
• B-25s conduct sweeps throughout the Molucca Islands and Lesser Sunda Islands.
• V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack vessels and coastal targets at Talaud in the Sunda Islands.

Air Operations, Europe

• 394 aircraft including 234 Lancasters, 99 Halifaxes, 40 Mosquitos, 20 Stirlings and 1 Lightning bomb 1 flying bomb launch site and 3 storage facilities. Visibility is clear and all targets are claimed to have been hit with good results.
• 2 Lancasters of No. 5 Group are lost on the Bois de Cassan site raid.
• 54 Lancasters of Nos. 1 and 8 Groups attack naval vessels in the port area of Le Havre in good visibilty and without a loss.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• V Bomber Command A-20s attack the airfield at Nabire.
• 5th Air Force bombers, fighter-bombers, and fighters attack numerous targets in bypassed areas; and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack the Mapia Islands.

Battle of the Atlantic(?)

The US destroyer escort Fiske (DE-143) is sunk by a topedo from the German submarine U-804 in the North Atlantic.

Burma-China

On the Salween front the aircraft supporting the Chinese attacks on Teng-chung bomb the town walls and open at least 5 breaches.

Diplomatic Relations

Turkey breaks off diplomatic and commercial relations with Germany but refuses to declare war as requested by the Allies.

Eastern Front

POLAND - The battle at Wolomin continues, with the Germans feeding in the 4th Panzer Div. The Soviet 69th Army crosses the Vistula at Pulawy.

The fighting at Wolomin intensifies as the Germans throw the 4th Panzer Division in to support the 3 panzer divisions already in action. The Poles continue their attacks in Warsaw, gaining control of a larger area of the city. Significantly, an assault upon the Okacie airbase fails. The capture of the airfield would have given the Home Army a point of supply for Allied aircraft. The Germans defending the base repel repeated Polish attacks and inflict heavy casualties. Hitler appoints SS Gen Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski to command the forces tasked with the defeat of the Polish revolt.

Along the Vistula, the 69th Army succeeds in crossing the Pulawy to support those armies already across near the town.

Guam

On the left flank the 3rd Marine Div advances northward almost unopposed, and occupies Tiyan airfield; on the right flank the 77th Inf Div is held up near the village of Barrigada by Japanese units deployed in the jungle perfectly camouflaged positions.

New Guinea

In the Aitape area the Japanese renew their attacks without success. Both sides have high losses.

Occupied Poland

The Home Army fails to capture Okacie airfield. Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski is appointed commander of the German units ordered to crush the revolt.

V Weapons

The Germans launch 316 V-1 bombs on London, the highest daily total yet. More than 100 reach the capital and cause great damage to armament factories on the outskirts. The Tower Bridge is also hit.

Western Front

In the British 2nd Army sector the VIII and XXX Corps continue to advance in the direction of the road that links Vire and Argentan. The VIII Corps of Patton's 3rd Army advances into Brittany, the 6th Arm Div reaches Dinan and the 4th Arm Div the outskirts of Rennes. The VII Corps advances rapidly with the 1st Div plus elements of the 3rd Arm Div towards Mortain, some 25 miles east of Avranches. On the left flank of the VII Corps, the XIX Corps is making a determined advance southeast of the area of Tessy and toward Mortain, taking Villedieu.

Hitler orders a counterattack between Mortain and Avranches to cut off the American forces in Brittany.

Images from August 2, 1944

REME troops with their Diamond T 969A Wrecker working on a disabled Universal Carrier in the centre of Cahagnes, 2 August 1944.

Working on a Disabled Vehicle

Sherman Tanks Advancing towards Vire, Normandy, 2 August 1944

Carriers, motorcycles and other transport prepare to cross the River Souleuvre in their advance towards Vire, 2 August 1944.

Advancing towards Vire

American medics gingerly evacuate a badly wounded French boy. France, 2 August 1944

Helping a French Boy

French Army Sherman Lands from LST-517

German Tiger tank captured intact by 22nd Battalion, 4th Brigade, 2nd NZ Division at La Romola, 2 August 1944

Captured German Tiger Tank

US troops walk through the recently liberated town of Villedieu les Poêles, France, 2 August 1944

Walking through a Liberated Town

2nd Free French Armored Division M4A2 Sherman named 'Tarentaise' debarks from LST at Utah Beach, 2 August 1944

French Sherman Debarks

25-pdrs and 'Quad' Tractors Advancing towards Vire, 2 August 1944

GI's watch a long column of German prisoners go down the road from Avranches station, 2 August 1944

A Long Column of Prisoners

A German SdKfz 250-9 half-track burning after being knocked out by a British tank during the advance towards Vire, 2 August 1944

German Half-track Burning

Sherman Firefly tanks, trucks and infantry in the village of St Charles-de-Percy during the advance to Vire, 2 August 1944

The Village of St Charles-de-Percy