Wednesday, 24 December 1941

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Absaroka is shelled by Japanese submarine I 17 about 26 miles off San Pedro, California,33°40'N, 118°25'W; although abandoned, she is later reboarded and towed to San Pedro. 

           Unarmed U.S. steamship Dorothy Philips is shelled by Japanese submarine I 23 off Monterey Bay, California.

           Seaplane tender Wright (AV‑1) disembarks Marine reinforcements (Batteries "A" and "C," 4th Defense Battalion) at Midway.

           Second Marine Brigade (Colonel Henry L. Larsen, USMC) is formed at Camp Elliott, California, to defend American Samoa (see 6 and 20 January 1942).

           Japanese land at Lamon Bay, Luzon.

           Motor torpedo boat PT‑33 is damaged by grounding on reef five miles northwest of Cape Santiago, Luzon, 13°46'N,120°40'E.

           During Japanese bombing of shipping in Manila Bay by naval land attack planes (Takao Kokutai and 1st Kokutai), seized French steamship Si‑Kiang is set afire off Mariveles; of the 8‑man USMC guard detachment on board (from 1stSeparate Marine Battalion), two marines are killed and three wounded. Tug Napa (AT‑32) assists in fire‑fighting efforts.

           Dutch submarine K XVI torpedoes and sinks Japanese destroyer Sagiri off Kuching, Sarawak, 01°34'N, 110°21'E.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FEAF—3 B‑17’s fly from Del Monte during 24/25 Dec, bomb airfield and shipping at Davao, and land at Batchelor Field. 2 airplanes leave Manila for Darwin with personnel of Hq FEAF. AAF units on Luzon, as well as ground forces, begin moving to Bataan Peninsula.

ZONE of the INTERIOR—95th Bomb Squadron, at Pendleton Field, claims sub sunk off mouth of Columbia R, but this claim is not confirmed by committees of USN and British Admiralty which later assesses damage to enemy subs during World War II.

 

US ARMY

ST PIERRE AND MIQUELON Islands.—These islands, off Newfoundland, are seized by Free French.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE—Anglo-American conference, called ARCADIA, opens in Washington to consider war strategy. Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and British and U.S. Chiefs of Staff attend.

U.S.—American engineers and military members of Iranian, USSR, and North African missions sail for the Middle East from New York on Army transport Siboney.

MIDWAY—Garrison is reinf with 2 batteries of 4th Defense Battalion, which arrive from HawaiIsland

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—On Luzon, Adm Hart releases 4th Marines, stationed at Olongapo, to defend beaches of Corregidor. Japanese Lamon Bay invasion force, which constitutes southern prong of pincers applied against Manila, goes ashore early in morning at 3 points—Mauban, near Atimonan, and Slain. Main assault force, in center, secures Atimonan, forcing defenders back toward Pagbilao. Mauban force takes that town and pushes 5 miles W. From Slain enemy advances in 2 columns, one SW toward Tayabas Bay and the other SE along Route 1 toward the Legaspi detachment. Japanese on N Luzon consolidate beachhead and debouch on central plain to thrust sharply toward Agno R line. San Fabian and Binalonan fall, 26th Cav (PS) retiring from Binalonan across the Agno to Tayug. Planned withdrawal toward Bataan is begun in evening. USAFFE HQ, except for rear echelon, and President and High Commissioner of the Philippines sail to Corregidor from Manila. Fort Stotsenburg is evacuated. Major General Jonathan M. Wainwright's North Luzon Force, disposed generally along line Tayug– Urdaneta–San Carlos–Aquilar, from E to W, begins withdrawing toward Agno R line. South Luzon Force, command of which passes from General Parker to Brigadier General Albert M. Jones, is to withdraw northward into Bataan. General Parker moves to Bataan to head Bataan Defense Force, organized to prepare defensive positions.

SULU ARCHIPELAGO—Japanese invade Jolo Island in evening against light resistance from the constabulary.

BORNEO—Japanese convoy, despite attacks by British and Dutch planes and Dutch submarines, succeeds in landing troops in Kuching area, Sarawak, early in morning. Garrison, having already destroyed Kuching airdrome, requests permission to withdraw to Dutch Borneo and is told to delay enemy as long as possible before retiring. Dutch aircraft withdraw from Singkawang, Borneo, to Palembang, Sumatra.

MALAYA—Indian 11th Division, controlling all Indian 3 Corps troops N of Slim and Bernam Rivers, is organizing defense in depth astride main road with MLR in Kampar area and rear positions near Slim River Commander AIF Malaya, Ma) General Gordon Bennett (Commanding General Australian 8th Div), assigns responsibility for N Johore to Australian 27th Brigade Group, Australian 8th Division.

AUSTRALIA—Brigadier General Henry B. Claggett takes temporary command of USFIA, pending arrival of General Brett from Chungking.

LIBYA—Detachment Of 7th Armored Division, 13 Corps, British Eighth Army, enters Benghazi and finds that enemy has withdrawn.

 

US MARINE CORPS