Thursday, April 16, 2026

Thursday, 16 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Tambor (SS-198) torpedoes and sinks Japanese stores ship Kitami Maru 50 miles southeast of Kavieng, New Ireland, 03°00'S, 152°00'E.

PACIFIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Alcoa Guide is shelled by German submarine U-123 (which expended her last torpedo on 12 April) at 35°34'N, 70°08'W; Alcoa Guide tries to ram the U-boat without success. U-123 pauses to allow the crew to abandon ship and then sinks the freighter with gunfire once the merchant sailors (two of whom die of wounds suffered in action) have gotten away safely (see 19 April and 18 May).

EUROPE—Admiral Leahy receives cable from Washington with information that his recall "for consultation" will be announced shortly after the formation of a new Vichy government (see 18 April).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—Heavy Bombers take off from Dum airfield near Calcutta to bomb Rangoon. 6 B‑17’s, guided by flares, bomb the target. Numerous searchlights make it impossible to estimate the bombing results.

US ARMY

VISAYAN ISLANDS—General Wainwright places General Sharp in command of Visayan garrisons and orders him to reorganize Visayan-Mindanao Force for stand on Mindanao. Cebu Island. is thus conceded to be lost. Japanese force of 4,160 invades Panay at dawn, most going ashore at Iloilo and the rest at Capiz. Landings are unopposed by Col Albert F. Christie’s Panay Force of about 7,000 which retires to mountains to wage guerrilla warfare.

MALTA—Awarded the George Cross in recognition of its heroism under attack.

US MARINE CORPS

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