Tuesday, 9 December 1941

 US NAVY

CHINA—China declares war on Japan, Germany, and Italy.

PACIFIC—Japanese seize Tarawa and Makin, Gilbert Islands.  

           Japanese submarines RO 63, RO 64, and RO 68 bombard Howland and Baker Islands in the mistaken belief that American seaplane bases exist there.

           Transport William Ward Burrows (AP‑6), en route to Wake Island, is re‑routed to Johnston.

           Japanese submarine I 10 shells and sinks unarmed Panamanian‑flag motorship Donerail 200 miles southeast of Hawaii, 08°00'N, 152°00'W. There are only eight survivors of the 33‑man crew; all seven passengers perish.

           Japanese Naval Aviation Pilot First Class Nishikaichi Shigenori, from the carrier Hiryu, who had crash‑landed his Mitsubishi A6M2 fighter Type 0 carrier fighter on Niihau on 7 December, is placed under guard by the islanders; attempts this day and the next to transport him to Kauai are frustrated by bad weather (see 12‑14 December).

           Japanese naval land attack planes (Chitose Kokutai) bomb defense installations on the islets of Wilkes and Wake, Wake Island.

           Japanese occupy Bangkok, Thailand.

           River gunboat Mindanao (PR‑8), en route from Hong Kong to Manila, encounters Japanese fishing vessel No. 3 South Advance Maru, stops her, and takes her 10‑man Formosan crew prisoner. Mindanao leaves the craft adrift at 16°42'N,118°53'E, and steams on, reaching her destination the following day.

           Submarine Swordfish (SS‑193), in initial U.S. submarine attack of the war, torpedoes Japanese ship 150 miles west of Manila at 14°30'N, 119°00'E. Her claim of a sinking, however, is not confirmed in enemy records.

ATLANTIC—TU 4.1.5 (Commander William K. Phillips) continues its escort duty with convoy ON 41; destroyers Babbitt (DD‑128) and Mayo (DD‑422) depth‑charge sound contacts; Babbitt's at 57°19'N, 33°09'W. Destroyer Schenck (DD‑159), operating independently from TU 4.1.5 while escorting U.S. freighter Ozark, carries out "well conducted" depth charge attack on sound contact at 52°19'N, 39°37'W.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FEAF—Shortly after 0300 aircraft attack Nichols Field. This attack, added to the previous day’s raids on Clark and Iba Fields, leaves FEAF strength reduced by half. Only 17 of 35 B‑17’s remain in commission; about 55 P‑40’s,3 P‑35’s, and close to 30 other aircraft (B‑10’s, B‑18’s, and observation airplanes) have been lost in aerial combat or destroyed on the ground. During morning and afternoon, B‑17’s from Mindanao fly reconnaissance missions and land on Clark and San Marcelino Fields. Several more B‑17’s are flown from Mindanao to these Luzon bases for resistance against possible invasion attempt.

ZONE of the INTERIOR—Fighters at Mitchel Field are dispatched to intercept hostile airplane reported (falsely) to be approaching the E coast.

 

US ARMY

CENTRAL PACIFIC—Japanese continue preinvasion bombing of Wake and Guam; invade Gilbert Islands.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—Continuing neutralization of airpower on Luzon, enemy bombers strike Nichols Field, near Manila.

THAILAND—Japanese occupy Bangkok without opposition.

MALAYA—Japanese force Indian 9th Division of Indian 3 Corps from Kota Bharu airfield and continue air attacks on other fields, including Kuantan. RAF abandons Kuantan airfield for Singapore Island and Alor Star airfield, on NW coast, for Butterworth. RAF bomber attack on Singora airfield (Thailand) proves very costly since fighter protection is lacking. Dutch planes arrive at Singapore to augment strength of RAF.

CHINA—Declares war on Japan, Germany, and Italy.

 

US MARINE CORPS

CENTRAL PACIFIC—Japanese occupy Tarawa and Makin Islands in Gilberts.