Historical Events
- Feb 1 Supreme Soviet increases Soviet republics' autonomy
- Feb 1 US 7th Infantry/4th Marine Division lands on Kwajalein/Roi/Namur
- Feb 2 4th US marine division conquers Roi, Marshall Islands
- Feb 2 Allied troops 1st set foot on Japanese territory
- Feb 2 Baseball meets in NYC to discuss postwar action
- Feb 2 Edward Chodorov's play "Decision" premieres in NYC
- Feb 3 World War II: United States troops capture the Marshall Islands.
"Antigone"
Feb 4 Jean Anouilh's play "Antigone" premieres in Paris
- Feb 4 US 7th Infantry Division captures Kwajalein, in the Pacific
"Captain American"
Feb 5 "Captain America" serial film premieres starring Dick Purcell, first appearance of a Marvel superhero outside of a comic book
- Feb 5 358 RAF bombers attack Stettin
Swinging on a Star
Feb 7 Bing Crosby records "Swinging on a Star" for Decca Records (Academy Award Best Original Song)
- Feb 7 Germans launch counteroffensive at Anzio, Italy
- Feb 8 1st African American reporter accredited to White House, Harry McAlpin
- Feb 8 German submarine U-762 sunk off Ireland by British forces with the loss of all 50 crewmen
- Feb 9 U-734/U-238 sunk off Ireland
- Feb 10 Belgian resistance fighter and author Kamiel van Baelen arrested
- Feb 10 U-666/U-545/U-283 sink off Ireland
- Feb 11 German troops reconquer Aprilia, Italy
- Feb 11 U-424 sunk off Ireland
- Feb 12 Wendell Wilkie enters the race to be the Republican nominee for US President
- Feb 14 Anti-Japanese revolt on Java
- Feb 14 Carl Wick publishes "Salmon Trolling for Commercial & Sport Fishing"
- Feb 15 891 British bombers attack Berlin in the largest raid by the RAF against the city
- Feb 15 Allies begin attack on Axis held Monte Cassino monastery, Italy
Battle of Eniwetok
Feb 17 Battle of Eniwetok begins with US forces landing on Canna and Camelia islets in the Pacific
- Feb 17 Operation Hailstone: US begins night bombing of Truk island in the Pacific
- Feb 18 15-year-old Joe Nuxhall signs a contract to play baseball with the Cincinnati Reds just one day after playing in a high school basketball game; debuts later that year
- Feb 18 Maastricht resistance fighter JAJ Janssen arrested
- Feb 19 823 British bombers attack Berlin
- Feb 19 U-264 sinks off Ireland
- Feb 20 Batman & Robin comic strip premieres in newspapers
- Feb 20 Battle of Eniwetok: US forces take Enewetak Atoll at the cost of 37 Americans killed or missing and 94 wounded, Japanese losses were 800 dead and 23 prisoners
- Feb 20 World War II: The "Big Week" began with American bomber raids on German aircraft manufacturing centers
- Feb 21 "War As It Happens" news show premieres on NBC-TV, in New York City only
- Feb 22 World War II: US Army Air Forces accidentally bomb Dutch town of Nijmegen, around 800 civilians die
- Feb 23 Battle of Eniwetok ends as US forces complete the capture of Parry Island from the Japanese 1st Amphibious Brigade
- Feb 23 Forced deportation of the Chechen and Ingush people to Central Asia.
Coup d'état
Feb 24 Minister of War Juan Perón leads a coup in Argentina
- Feb 25 Alexander Gretchaninov's "Missa Oecumenica" (Ecumenical Mass) premieres in Boston with Serge Koussevitzky conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra; the composer wrote the work in memory of the conductor's wife Natalie (1880-1942)
- Feb 25 US 1st Army completes invasion plan
- Feb 26 1st female US navy captain, Sue Dauser of nurse corps, appointed
- Feb 28 Arrests of the ten-Boom family in Nazi occupied Netherlands (Haarlem) through a Dutch collaborator on charges of hiding Jews
- Feb 29 5 leaders of Indonesia Communist Party sentenced to death
Future Pope Run Down by Nazi Truck
Feb 29 Karol Wojtyla, future Pope John Paul II, is run down and injured by a Nazi truck in Kraków
- Feb 29 US troop land on Los Negros, Admiralty Islands
Famous Birthdays
- Feb 1 Henri Depireux, Belgian soccer midfielder (2 caps; RFC Liège, Standard de Liège) and manager (Cameroon, Congo DR, FC Metz), born in Belgium (d. 2022)
- Feb 1 Leo Burmester, American actor (Flo, Chiefs, Abbys, Odd Jobs), born in Louisville, Kentucky
- Feb 1 Mike Enzi, American accountant, and politician (US Senator from Wyoming (R), 1997-2021), born in Bremerton, Washington (d. 2021)
- Feb 1 Paul Blair, American baseball outfielder (MLB All-Star 1969, 73; World Series 1966, 70, 77-78; Gold Glove Award 1967, 69–75; Baltimore Orioles), born in Cushing, Oklahoma (d. 2013)
- Feb 1 Tommy Duffy, American musician (Echoes), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Feb 2 Andrew Davis, British conductor (Toronto Symphony, 1975-88; BBC Symphony, 1989-2000; Lyric Opera of Chicago, 2000-21), born in Ashbridge, England (d. 2024) [1]
- Feb 2 Geoffrey Hughes, British actor (Coronation Street), born in Wallasey, England, (d. 2012)
- Feb 2 Karen Foss, American broadcaster (KSDK St. Louis), born in Kansas City, Kansas
- Feb 2 Katherine Crawford, American actress (Gemini Man, Captains & Kings), born in Los Angeles, California
- Feb 2 Michael Sharvell-Martin, British stage and screen character actor (Dave Allen At Large), born in Herne Bay, Kent, England (d. 2010)
- Feb 2 Sandy Carmichael, Scottish rugby union prop (50 caps; British and Irish Lions 1971, 74; West of Scotland, Glasgow District), born in Glasgow, Scotland (d. 2021)
- Feb 2 Ursula Oppens, American pianist and co-founder (Speculum Musicae, 1972-84), born in New York City
- Feb 3 C Thomas "Tom" Gallagher, American Republican politician, financier, and insurance agent, born in Wilmington, Delaware
- Feb 3 Stephen Ross, American economist (arbitrage pricing theory), born in Boston, Massachusetts, (d. 2017)
- Feb 3 Trisha Noble (aka Patsy Ann), Australian pop singer ("Good Looking Boy"), and actress, born in Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia (d. 2021)
- Feb 4 Daniel Mica, American politician (Rep-D-Florida, 1979-89), born in Binghamton, New York
- Feb 4 El Anatsui, Ghanaian Sculptor (Bottle-top installations), born in Anyako, Ghana
- Feb 4 Florence LaRue, American pop and R&B vocalist (5th Dimension - "Up, Up, And Away"), born in Plainfield, New Jersey
- Feb 5 (James) "J.R." Cobb American guitarist and songwriter (Classics IV - "Spooky"; Atlanta Rhythm Section - "Champagne Jam"), born in Birmingham, Alabama (d. 2019)
- Feb 5 Al Kooper [Kuperschmidt], American rock musician, record producer and songwriter (Blood Sweat & Tears; Super Session; Bob Dylan; The Tubes; The Banana Splits), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Feb 6 Christine Boutin, French politician, born in Levroux, France
- Feb 6 Michael Tucker, American actor (Stuart Markowitz-LA Law), born in Baltimore, Maryland
- Feb 7 Berend baron van Voorst tot Voorst, Dutch foreign state sect (CDA)
- Feb 7 Michael A. Andrews, American politician (Rep-D-TX, 1983-95), born in Houston, Texas
- Feb 8 Jiří Zídek Sr., Czech basketball center (considered best Czech player ever; FIBA European All-Star 1966, 67; USK Praha) and coach (USK Praha, Sparta Praha), born in Prague, Czech Republic (d. 2022)
- Feb 8 Roger Lloyd-Pack, British stage and screen actor (Only Fools and Horses - "Trigger"; The Vicar of Dibley - "Owen"; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), born in Islington, England (d. 2014)
- Feb 8 Sebastião Salgado, Brazilian documentary photographer
Alice Walker (80 years old)
Feb 9 American novelist (The Color Purple, Meridian), born in Putnam County, Georgia
- Feb 9 Derryn Hinch, Australian media personality
- Feb 10 Frank Keating, American politician
- Feb 10 Nathaniel Mayer, American R&B singer ("Village of Love"; "Leave Me Alone"), born in Detroit, Michigan (d. 2008)
- Feb 10 Peter Allen, Australian pop singer-songwriter, painist and performer ("I Go to Rio"; Legs Diamond), born in Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia (d. 1992)
- Feb 10 Rufus Reid, American jazz double bassist composer, and educator, born in Atlanta, Georgia
- Feb 11 Bert Greene, American golfer (PGA C'ship 1969 3rd), born in Gray, Georgia
- Feb 11 Buddhadev Dasgupta, director (Charachar, Grihajuddha)
- Feb 11 Michael G. Oxley, American politician (Rep-R-OH, 1981-2007), born in Findlay, Ohio (d. 2016)
- Feb 12 Charles Pasarell, Puerto Rican-American tennis player and administrator, born in San Juan, Puerto Rica
- Feb 12 Desmond Nuttall, English educator, born in Devon, England (d. 1993)
- Feb 12 Jackie Torrence 'The Story Lady', American story teller advocate and artist, born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2004)
- Feb 12 Marian "Moe" Bandy, American country vocalist (Just Good Ol' Boys), born in Meridian, Mississippi
- Feb 12 Mike Martin, American College Baseball HOF coach (all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division I: Florida State Uni 1980-2019; Baseball America Coach of the Year 2012, 19), born in Charlotte, North Carolina (d. 2024)
Jerry Springer (1944-2023)
Feb 13 German-American politician (Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1977), and television tabloid talk show host (Jerry Springer, 1991-2018), born in London, England
- Feb 13 Oduvil Unnikrishnan, Indian actor, born in Wadakkancherry, India (d. 2006)
- Feb 13 Rebop Kwaku Baah, Ghanaian percussionist, born in Konongo, Ghana (d. 1983)
- Feb 13 Sal Bando, American baseball third baseman (4 x MLB All-Star; World Series 1972, 73, 74 Oakland A's) and executive (GM Milwaukee Brewers 1991-99), born in Cleveland, Ohio (d. 2023)
- Feb 13 Stockard Channing, American actress (Grease, Big Bus, Without a Trace), born in New York City
- Feb 14 Alan Parker, English director (Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express), born in London, England (d. 2020)
Carl Bernstein (80 years old)
Feb 14 American investigative reporter who covered Watergate for the Washington Post, born in Washington, D. C.
- Feb 14 Ronnie Peterson, Swedish auto racer (World F1 C'ship runner-up 1971, 78), born in Örebro, Sweden (d. 1978)
- Feb 15 Aleksandr Serebrov, Soviet cosmonaut (Soyuz T-7, T-8, TM-8, TM-17), born in Moscow, USSR (d. 2013)
- Feb 15 Henry Threadgill, American composer, saxophonist and flautist (2016 Pulitzer Prize "In for a Penny, In for a Pound"), born in Chicago, Illinois
- Feb 15 Mick Avory, British rock drummer (The Kinks, 1964-84 - "A Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy"), born in East Molesey, Surrey, England
- Feb 15 Tineke Netelenbos, Dutch director and politician (PvdA), born in Wormerveer, Holland
- Feb 16 António Mascarenhas Monteiro, 2nd President of Cape Verde
- Feb 16 Betty Thatcher [Newsinger], English progressive rock lyricist (Renaissance - "Carpet of the Sun"; "Mother Russia"), born in Wimbledon, London, England (d. 2011)
- Feb 16 Richard Ford, American author (Sportswriter), born in Jackson, Mississippi
- Feb 17 Bernie Grant, British politician (Labour), born in Georgetown, British Guiana (d. 2000)
- Feb 17 Karl Jenkins, Welsh composer (Adiemus), born in Penclawdd, Wales
- Feb 18 Pat Bowlen, American Pro Football Hall of Fame team owner (Super Bowl 1998, 99, 2015 Denver Broncos), born in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin (d. 2019)
- Feb 20 Lew Soloff, American jazz trumpeter (Blood, Sweat & Tears), born in Brooklyn, New York (d. 2015)
- Feb 20 Robert de Cotret, French Canadian politician (d. 1999)
- Feb 20 Roger Knapman, British MP
- Feb 20 Willem van Hanegem, Dutch soccer champ/coach (Feyenoord)
- Feb 21 Herman de Coninck, Flemish writer, poet (Impossible Work), and publisher (Nieuw Wereldtijdschrift - New World Magazine), born in Mechelen, Belgium (d. 1997)
- Feb 22 E. J. Peaker, American actress (That's Life), born in Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Feb 22 Jonathan Demme, American film director (Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia), born in Baldwin, New York (d. 2017)
- Feb 22 Ranjit Fernando, Sri Lankan cricket wicket-keeper (1975 World Cup), born in Colombo, Sri Lanka
- Feb 22 Robert Kardashian, American lawyer, born in Los Angeles, California (d. 2003)
- Feb 22 Tom Okker, Dutch tennis player, born in Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Feb 23 Bernard Cornwell, English historical novelist
- Feb 23 Ed Flanagan, American football center (Pro Bowl 1969, 70, 71, 73; Detroit Lions, San Diego Chargers), born in San Bernardino, California (d. 2023)
- Feb 23 James Cousins, British MP
- Feb 23 John Sandford, American novelist
- Feb 23 Johnny Winter [John Dawson], American blues guitarist (Silver Train), born in Leland, Mississippi (d. 2014)
- Feb 23 Mike Maxfield, British rock guitarist and songwriter (Billy J Kramer & The Dakotas - "The Cruel Sea"), born in Manchester, England (d. 2023)
- Feb 24 Barry Bostwick, American actor (Rocky Horror Picture Show, Megaforce), born in San Mateo, California
Nicky Hopkins (1944-1994)
Feb 24 British rock session pianist (Rolling Stones (1967-75); The Who - "Getting In Tune"; The Kinks - "Sunny Afternoon"; Beatles - "Revolution"; John Lennon - "Jealous Guy"; Quicksilver Messenger Service), born in Perivale, Middlesex
- Feb 24 Sheila Larkin, American actress (Deborah-Storefront Lawyer), born in Brooklyn, New York
- Feb 25 Karen Grassle, American actress (Caroline-Little House on Prairie), born in Berkeley, California
- Feb 25 Kristina Holland, American actress (Tina-Courtship of Eddie's Father), born in Fayetteville, North Carolina
- Feb 26 Marilyn Michaels, American comedian (ABC Comedy Hour), born in New York City
- Feb 27 Alan Fudge, American actor (Man From Atlantis, Paper Dolls), born in Wichita, Kansas
- Feb 27 Graeme Pollock, South African cricket batsman (23 Tests @ 60.97, 7 x 100, HS 274; Transvaal, Eastern Province), born in Durban, South Africa
- Feb 27 Joyce Breach, American jazz cabaret singer, born in Alameda, California
- Feb 27 Roger Scruton, British philosopher, born in Buslingthorpe, United Kingdom
- Feb 28 Colin Nutley, director/writer (Such is Life, Black Jack)
- Feb 28 Kelly Bishop, CO, actress (Unmarried Woman, Advice to Lovelorn)
- Feb 28 Sepp Maier, German soccer goalkeeper (95 caps West Germany; Bayern Munich 536 games), born in Metten, Germany
- Feb 28 Storm Thorgerson, British graphic designer for album art, and music video director (Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, The Cranberries), born in Potters Bar, Middlesex (d. 2013)
- Feb 29 David Briggs, American record producer (Neil Young and Crazy Horse), born in Douglas, Wyoming (d. 1995)
- Feb 29 Dennis Farina, American actor (Get Shorty, Law & Order, Crime Story), born in Chicago, Illinois (d. 2013)
- Feb 29 Ene Ergma, Estonian politician
- Feb 29 Geoff Nicholls, British rock keyboardist (Black Sabbath, 1980-2013), born in Birmingham, England (d. 2017)
- Feb 29 John Niland, American NFL offensive guard (6 x Pro Bowl; 3 x All-Pro; Super Bowl 1971; Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles), born in Quincy, Massachusetts
- Feb 29 Paolo Eleuteri Serpieri, Italian illustrator
- Feb 29 Phyllis Frelich, American actor (Love is Never Silent), born in Devil's Lake, North Dakota
Famous Deaths
- Feb 1 Martin Lunssens, Belgian composer, dies at 72
Piet Mondrian (1872-1944)
Feb 1 Dutch abstract painter (Broadway Boogie Woogie, Composition with Red Blue and Yellow) and art theoretician, dies of pneumonia at 71
- Feb 4 Arsen Kotsoyev, Russian writer, dies at 72
- Feb 4 Yvette Guilbert, French singer and actress, dies at 79
- Feb 5 Robert E. Park, American sociologist (human ecology, marginal man), dies at 79
- Feb 7 Lina Cavalieri, Italian dramatic soprano, and silent film actress, killed during WWII Allied bombing near here home in Florence, Italy at 69
- Feb 10 Eugène Michel Antoniadi, Greek astronomer, a crater on Mars and the Antoniadi crater on the Moon were named in his honor (b. 1870)
- Feb 11 Ivan Sollertinski, friend of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, dies
- Feb 16 Bob Zurke [Boguslaw Zukowski], American jazz pianist, arranger, (Bob Crosby Orchestra), and composer ("Old Tom-Cat On The Keys"), dies of complications of pneumonia aggravated by acute alcohol poisoning at 32
- Feb 16 Edmund von Borck, German composer, dies fighting in Italy in WWII at 37
- Feb 17 Fausto Agnelli, Swiss painter, dies at 64
- Feb 19 Siegfried Garibaldi Kallenberg, German composer, dies at 76
- Feb 21 Ferenc Szisz, Hungarian auto racer (winner 1st Grand Prix motor racing event in Le Mans, France 1906), dies at 70
- Feb 22 Kasturba Gandhi, Wife of Mahatma Gandhi, dies at 74
Leo Baekeland (1863-1944)
Feb 23 Belgian-American chemist and inventor (bakelite plastics), dies at 80
- Feb 29 Pehr Evind Svinhufvud, President of Finland (b. 1861)
