http://homepage.ntlworld.com/andrew.etherington/month/thismonth/03.htm
February 3rd, 1941
UNITED KINGDOM:
Minesweeping trawler HMS Flotta launched.
Corvettes HMS Abelia and Violet commissioned.
Minesweeper HMS Blackpool commissioned.
(Dave Shirlaw)
GERMANY: The German battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau break out of the North Sea into the Atlantic under the command of Admiral Lutjens.
Berlin: The Army General Staff presents detailed plans to Hitler for Operation Barbarossa. Halder estimates that the Russians have about 155 Divisions; German strength is about the same but ‘far superior in quality’. Hitler is convinced of Halder’s plan and exclaims:
“When Barbarossa commences, the world will hold its breath and make no comment!”
Hitler outlines his main aim to be “to gain possession of the Baltic States and Leningrad”, with the Ukraine in second place.
U-432 launched. (Dave Shirlaw)
U.S.S.R.: Soviet submarine K-21 commissioned. (Dave Shirlaw)
ETHIOPIA: The battle of Keren begins, a protracted and bloody siege.
CHINA: Japanese forces occupy Tamshin, east of Canton.
TERRITORY OF HAWAII: During routine exercises in the Hawaiian Operating Area off Oahu, destroyers USS Dale (DD-353) and USS Hull (DD-350) contact what they believe is a submarine. With all U.S. boats accounted for, Commander Destroyers Battle Force orders USS Lamson (DD-367) to join Dale and Hull. The ships are to maintain contact and to take offensive action only if attacked. USS Mahan (DD-364) joins in the search as well. With speculation that the only possible reason a submarine would be in those waters would be to obtain supplies or land agents, USS Lamson accordingly searches the shoreline east of Diamond Head. (Jack McKillop)
U.S.A.: Washington: Secretary Morgenthau has testified to the House that “the British ceased buying aircraft, arms and other munitions a month ago because of lack of dollars.”
Navy Department General Order No. 143 creates three independent fleets, each commanded by an admiral. Admiral Husband E. Kimmel becomes Commander in Chief U.S. Pacific Fleet (and also Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet in the event that two or more fleets operate together); Patrol Force U.S. Fleet becomes U.S. Atlantic Fleet under command of Admiral Ernest J. King; Admiral Thomas C. Hart continues as Commander in Chief U.S. Asiatic Fleet.
Jimmy Dorsey and his orchestra recorded the classic, “Amapola,” on Decca Records. Helen O’Connell and Bob Eberly joined in a vocal duet on this very famous and popular song of the Big Band era. (Jack McKillop)
The 29th Infantry Division is mobilised into Federal service and moved to Fort Meade. ( Nick Minecci )
ATLANTIC OCEAN:
SS Amerikaland sunk by U-106 at 36.36N, 74.10W. Five killed.
At 0145, SS Empire Citizen, a straggler from Convoy OB-279, was torpedoed and sunk by U-107 SW of Iceland. The master, 64 crewmembers, one gunner and 12 passengers were lost. Four crewmembers and one gunner were picked up by corvette HMS Clarkia and landed at Londonderry. (Dave Shirlaw)
At 2333, ocean boarding vessel HMS Crispin, dispersed from Convoy OB-279, was torpedoed and damaged by U-107 NNW of Rockall. The vessel foundered the following day in 56°52N/20°22W. The commander, 120 officers and ratings were picked up by HMS Harvester, the sole escort of the ship and landed at Liverpool. (Dave Shirlaw)
http://worldwar2daybyday.blogspot.com/
Day 522 February 3, 1941
Eritrea, East Africa. Italians withdraw into the mountains that run down the middle of Eritrea, where they will make their stand at the town of Keren. The road and railway, leading to the capital city Asmara and the Red Sea ports, pass through the narrow and heavily-defended Dongolaas Gorge.
Hitler appoints Erwin Rommel to command the newly-created Deutsches Afrikakorps which will soon be sent to Libya. Hitler considers Erich von Manstein before deciding on Rommel to replace Hans von Funck who is already in Libya making preparations but lacks attacking spirit.
300 miles South of Iceland, U-107 sinks British SS Empire Citizen at 2.23 AM (64 crew, 1 gunner and 12 passengers lost, 4 crew and 1 gunner picked up by corvette HMS Clarkia) and British ocean boarding vessel HMS Crispin at 11.33 PM (20 crew lost, 8 survivors picked up by rescue ship Copeland and 113 rescued by destroyer HMS Harvester).
At 2.10 PM 50 miles off the Northwest coast of Ireland, U-93 fires a torpedo that misses British SS Dione II, carrying 2650 tons of iron ore from USA to Britain. Later, Dione II is bombed and damaged by a German Fw200. At 11 PM, U-93 and Dione II engage in a brief gun duel in very rough seas.
British minesweeping trawler HMT Arctic Trapper is sunk by German bombing off Ramsgate (17 killed, 3 wounded survivors).
By March "Ampola" will top the Billboard Top Ten chart and it will stay there for a while. A list I found that ranks the top 80 most popular songs of 1941, using various criteria, names this #8 for the year.
“Ampola” ((Pretty Little Poppy) - Jimmy Dorsey, with Bob Eberly and Helen O’Connell