In the Solomon Islands... First landings on Guadalcanal. From a US naval based task force of three carriers and support ships under the command of Admiral Fletcher, an amphibious force under Admiral Turner and 1st Marine Division, General Vandergrift, land on Guadalcanal. Smaller forces are also landed on Tulagi and Gavutu. Initially the landings receive little opposition.

In North Africa.... British General Gort is killed on the flight back to Cairo, where he was to assume tactical command of the British 8th Army. General Montgomery replaces him.

From British Palestine... The formation of a Palestine Regiment within the British Army is announced by Sir John Grigg. Separate Arab and Jewish battalions will be created within the regiment. The training and experience received by these units will prove valuable to both Arab and Jewish members in the struggles in Palestine in the postwar period.

In the Aleutian Islands... An American task force bombards the Japanese-held island of Kiska.