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1941 in the United States
Centuries:	19th century – 20th century – 21st century
Decades:	1920s  1930s  – 1940s –  1950s  1960s
Years:	1938 1939 1940 – 1941 – 1942 1943 1944
Flag:	48 stars (1912 – 1959)

Events from the year 1941 in the United States. At the end of this year, the United States officially enters World War II by declaring war on the Empire of Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Events

January

• January 4 – The short subject Elmer's Pet Rabbit is released, marking the second appearance of Bugs Bunny, and also the first to have his name on a title card.
• January 6 – The keel of the USS Missouri (BB-63) is laid at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn.
• January 10 – Lend-Lease is introduced into the U.S. Congress.
• January 13 – All persons born in Puerto Rico since this day are declared U.S. citizens by birth, through U.S. federal law 8 U.S.C. § 1402.
• January 20 – Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes swears in U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his third term.
• January 23 – Aviator Charles Lindbergh testifies before the U.S. Congress and recommends that the United States negotiate a neutrality pact with Adolf Hitler.
• January 27 – World War II – Attack on Pearl Harbor: U.S. Ambassador to Japan Joseph C. Grew passes on to Washington a rumor overheard at a diplomatic reception about a planned surprise attack upon Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

February

• February 4 – World War II: The United Service Organization (USO) is created to entertain American troops.
• February 8 – World War II: The U.S. House of Representatives passes the Lend-Lease Act (260–165).
• February 9 – Winston Churchill, in a worldwide broadcast, asks the United States to show its support by sending arms to the British: "Give us the tools, and we will finish the job."
• February 14 – World War II – Attack on Pearl Harbor: Admiral Kichisaburo Nomura begins his duties as Japanese ambassador to the United States.

March

March 11: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act

• March – Captain America Comics #1 issues the first Captain America & Bucky comic.
• March 1 – W47NV begins operations in Nashville, Tennessee, becoming the first FM radio station.
• March 1 – Arthur L. Bristol becomes Rear Admiral for the U.S. Navy's Support Force, Atlantic Fleet.
• March 8 – World War II: The U.S. Senate passes the Lend-Lease Act (60–31).
• March 11 – World War II: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Lend-Lease Act into law, allowing American-built war supplies to be shipped to the Allies on loan.
• March 16 – A fleet of U.S. warships arrive in Auckland, New Zealand on a goodwill visit. On March 20, they visit Sydney, Australia.
• March 17 – In Washington, D.C., the National Gallery of Art is officially opened by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
• March 22 – Washington's Grand Coulee Dam begins to generate electricity.
• March 27 – World War II – Attack on Pearl Harbor: Japanese spy Takeo Yoshikawa arrives in Honolulu, Hawaii and begins to study the United States fleet at Pearl Harbor.
• March 30 – All German, Italian, and Danish ships anchored in United States waters are taken into "protective custody".

April

• April 9 – The U.S. acquires full military defense rights in Greenland.
• April 10 – World War II: The U.S. destroyer Niblack, while picking up survivors from a sunken Dutch freighter, drops depth charges on a German U-Boat (the first "shot in anger" fired by America against Germany).
• April 15 – World War II: The U.S. begins shipping Lend-Lease aid to China.
• April 23 – The America First Committee holds its first mass rally in New York City, with Charles Lindbergh as keynote speaker.
• April 25 – Franklin D. Roosevelt, at his regular press conference, criticizes Charles Lindbergh by comparing him to the Copperheads of the Civil War period. In response, Lindbergh resigns his commission in the U.S. Army Air Corps Reserve on April 28.

May

May 1: President Roosevelt buys the first War Bond

• May 1 – Orson Welles' film Citizen Kane premieres in New York City.
• May 1 – The first Series E "War Bonds" and Defense Savings Stamps go on sale in the United States, to help fund the greatly increased production of military equipment.
• May 6 – At California's March Field, entertainer Bob Hope performs his first USO Show.
• May 15 – Joe DiMaggio's 56-game hitting streak begins as the New York Yankee center fielder goes one for 4 against Chicago White Sox pitcher Eddie Smith.
• May 21 – World War II: 950 miles off the coast of Brazil, the freighter SS Robin Moor becomes the first United States ship sunk by a German U-boat.
• May 27 – World War II: President Roosevelt proclaims an "unlimited national emergency."

June

• June 14 – All German and Italian assets in the United States are frozen.
• June 16 – All German and Italian consulates in the United States are ordered closed and their staffs to leave the country by July 10.
• June 20 – Walt Disney's live-action animated feature, The Reluctant Dragon, is released.

July

• July 7 – World War II: American forces take over the defense of Iceland from the British.
• July 26 – World War II: In response to the Japanese occupation of French Indo-China, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt orders the seizure of all Japanese assets in the United States.
• July 26 – World War II: General Douglas MacArthur is named commander of all U.S. forces in the Philippines; the Philippines Army is ordered nationalized by President Roosevelt.
• July 30 – World War II: The U.S. gunboat Tutuila is attacked by Japanese aircraft while anchored in the Yangtze River at Chungking. Japan apologizes for the incident the following day.

August

August 14: The Atlantic Charter issued

• August 6 – Six-year-old Elaine Esposito goes to an appendix operation in Florida and lapses into a coma. She dies in 1978, still in a coma.
• August 9 – Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill meet at Argentia, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Atlantic Charter is created as a result.
• August 12 – By one vote (203–202), the U.S. House of Representatives passes legislation extending the draft period for selectees and the National Guard from 1 year to 30 months.
• August 31 – The Great Gildersleeve debuts on NBC Radio.

September

• September 4 – World War II: The USS Greer becomes the first United States ship fired upon by a German submarine in the war, even though the United States is a neutral power. Tension heightens between the nations as a result.
• September 11 – World War II: Charles Lindbergh, at an America First Committee rally in Des Moines, Iowa, accuses "the British, the Jewish, and the Roosevelt administration" of leading the United States toward war. Widespread condemnation of Lindbergh follows.
• September 27 – The first Liberty Ship, the SS Patrick Henry, is launched at Baltimore, Maryland.
• September 29 – World War II: The first Moscow Conference begins; U.S. representative Averill Harriman and British representative Lord Beaverbrook meet with Soviet foreign minister Molotov to arrange urgent assistance for Russia.
• September – First production P38E Lightning fighter produced by Lockheed.

October

• October 17 – World War II: The destroyer USS Kearny is torpedoed and damaged near Iceland, killing 11 sailors (the first American military casualties of the war).
• October 23 – Walt Disney's animated film Dumbo is released.
• October 30 – World War II: Franklin D. Roosevelt approves US$1 billion in Lend-Lease aid to the Soviet Union.
• October 31 – After 14 years of work, drilling is completed on Mount Rushmore.
• October 31 – World War II: The destroyer USS Reuben James is torpedoed by a German U-boat near Iceland, killing more than 100 United States Navy sailors.

November

• November 10 – In a speech at the Mansion House in London, Winston Churchill promises, "should the United States become involved in war with Japan, the British declaration will follow within the hour."
• November 14 – World War II – Attack on Pearl Harbor: Japanese diplomat Saburo Kurusu arrives in the United States to assist Ambassador Kichisaburo Nomura in peace negotiations.
• November 17 – World War II – Attack on Pearl Harbor: Joseph Grew, the United States ambassador to Japan, cables to Washington a warning that Japan may strike suddenly and unexpectedly at any time.
• November 24 – World War II: The United States grants Lend-Lease to the Free French.
• November 26 – U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs a bill establishing the 4th Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day in the United States (this partly reverses a 1939 action by Roosevelt that changed the celebration of Thanksgiving to the third Thursday of November).
• November 26 – The Hull note ultimatum is delivered to Japan by the United States.
• November 27 – A group of young men stop traffic on U.S. Highway 99 south of Yreka, California, handing out fliers proclaiming the establishment of the State of Jefferson.
• November 27 – World War II – Attack on Pearl Harbor: All U.S. military forces in Asia and the Pacific are placed on war alert.

December

December 7: Attack on Pearl Harbor

December 8: U.S. declares war on Japan

• December 1 – World War II: Fiorello La Guardia, Mayor of New York City and Director of the Office of Civilian Defense, signs Administrative Order 9, creating the Civil Air Patrol under the authority of the United States Army Air Force.
• December 4 – The State of Jefferson is declared in Yreka, California, with judge John Childs as a governor.
• December 6 – World War II – Attack on Pearl Harbor: Franklin D. Roosevelt makes a personal peace appeal to Emperor Hirohito of Japan.
• December 7, (December 8, Japan standard time) – The Japanese Navy launches a surprise attack on the United States fleet at Pearl Harbor, thus drawing the United States into World War II.
• December 8 – World War II: The United States officially declares war on Japan.
• December 11 – World War II: American forces repel a Japanese landing attempt at Wake Island.
• December 11 – World War II: Germany and Italy declare war on the United States. The U.S. responds in kind.
• December 12 – World War II: Hungary and Romania declare war on the United States.
• December 12 – World War II: The United States seizes the French ship SS Normandie.
• December 23 – World War II: A second Japanese landing attempt on Wake Island is successful, and the American garrison surrenders after a full night and morning of fighting.
• December 26 – World War II: Winston Churchill becomes the first British Prime Minister to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress.

Ongoing

• World War II (U.S. participation; 1941–1945)

See also

• Timeline of World War II

External links

• Media related to 1941 in the United States at Wikimedia Commons