Monday, 9 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) disembarks U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands Francis B. Sayre and his party (embarked since 24 February) at Fremantle, Australia. The collapse of the ABDA command has led to this change of destination.

            Java surrenders to the Japanese.

ATLANTIC—Naval Air Transport Service Squadron (VR 1) is established at Norfolk, Virginia, for operations in Atlantic area.

            U.S. freighter Alcoa Scout rescues survivors of U.S. freighter Mary, sunk by German submarine U-129 on 3 March.

            Brazilian steamship Cairo is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-94 at 39°10'N, 72°02'W (see 11 March).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ARMY AIR FORCES—Military reorganization, implementing Executive Order of 28 Feb, becomes effective. The Air Corps and the US Army Air Force Combat Command, which previously had made up the AAF under General Arnold as Chief, are discontinued, and the AAF is reorganized with Arnold as CG. Army Ground Forces under General McNair and Services of Supply (later Army Serv Forces) under General Sommervell are also organized. All are under control of General Marshall, CoS. In the Navy, Adm King, CinC US Fleet, assumes additional responsibilities as he succeeds Adm Stark as Chief of Naval Operations.

SE ASIA—Japanese forces complete capture of Rangoon, dealing China a great blow by cutting off supplies from Burma Road.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Major reorganization of U.S. Army is effective this date. GHQ is abolished and 3 autonomous commands—Army Ground Forces under Lt General Lesley J. McNair, Army Air Forces under Lt General Henry H. Arnold, and Services of Supply (later designated as Army Service Forces) under Maj General Brehon B. Somervell—are given responsibility for Zone of Interior functions under General Marshall as Chief of Staff. Field forces remain under control of War Department General Staff. Admiral King is appointed Chief of Naval Operations in addition to his post of CinC, U.S. Fleet. Admiral King succeeds Admiral Harold R. Stark, who will command U.S. naval forces operating in European waters.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—General MacArthur announces that General Yamashita has replaced General Homma as CinC of enemy forces in the Philippines.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES—Japanese complete conquest of Java and thereby gain control of entire Netherlands East Indies. With Malaya Barrier thus penetrated, Australia is in greater danger.

NEW GUINEA—Land-based planes attack Japanese convoy in Huon Gulf with unobserved results. Japanese aircraft continue neutralization of points in New Guinea.

BURMA—Burma Army forces at Taukkyan continue northward withdrawal without serious difficulty.

US MARINE CORPS

Java surrenders to Japanese, ending conquest of Netherlands East Indies

Sunday, 8 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese naval force (Rear Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi) occupies Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea.

            Japanese occupy Rangoon, Burma.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-25 reconnoiters Wellington, New Zealand.

ATLANTIC—Net tender Mulberry (YN-22) rescues 14 survivors from U.S. freighter Cardonia, sunk by German submarine U-126the day before.

            Coast Guard cutter Calypso (WPC-104) rescues 54 survivors from Brazilian steamship Arabutan, sinks their lifeboats as a hazard to navigation, and transports the men to Little Creek, Virginia.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—HQ Tenth AF begins moving from Patterson Field to India. Between this date and 13 Mar, the 8 B‑17’s in India transport 474 troops and 29 tons of supplies from India to Magwe and on the return flights evacuate 423 civilians.

ELEVENTH AF—Col William O Butler assumes command of the Eleventh with HQ at Ft Richardson.

US ARMY

ALASKA—Brigadier General William O. Butler assumes command of U.S. Eleventh Air Force under Alaska Defense Command (Maj General Simon B. Buckner, Jr.). Alaska Defense Command is in turn under Western Defense Command (Lt General John L. De-Witt), which was designated a theater of operations early in the war.

BURMA—63d Brigade and elements of 16th, with tank and artillery support, clear Japanese block on Rangoon–Prome road at Taukkyan. During period 8–13 March, heavy bombers of U.S. Tenth Air Force transport troops and supplies from India to Magwe, Burma.

MIDDLE EAST—General Ritchie is ordered by General Auchinleck to provide diversion in Libya for passage of convoy to Malta. Supply situation on Malta is very serious.

US MARINE CORPS

Japanese land at Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea.

 

Saturday, 7 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Grenadier (SS-210) torpedoes Japanese transport Asahisan Maru south of Shioyasaki, 36°27'N, 141°06'E.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Barbara is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-126 approximately nine miles north-northwest of West Tortuga Island, Dominican Republic, 20°00'N, 73°56'W; a PBY rescues one group of survivors while the remainder reach shore. Later, U-126 shells and sinks unarmed U.S. freighter Cardonia about five miles west-northwest of San Nicholas Mole, Haiti, 19°53'N, 73°27'W; 22 survivors reach safety at San Nicholas Mole less than five hours after the ship sinks (see 8 March).

            U.S. freighter Independence Hall, straggling from convoy SC 73, founders and sinks off Sable Island, 43°55'N,59°55'W. Ten of the 38 man merchant crew perish; there are no casualties among the 9 man Armed Guard.

            Brazilian steamship Arabutan is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-155 off the Virginia capes, 35°15'N,73°55'W (see 8 March).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES—Japanese conquest of Java is virtually completed. Radio and cable communications with Bandoeng cease. Final reports indicate that enemy is still advancing on all fronts, that the defenders are completely exhausted, and that all Allied fighter planes have been destroyed.

NEW GUINEA—Japanese convoy arrives in Huon Gulf during night 7–8 and under cover of naval bombardment lands assault forces at Salamaua and Lae without opposition.

NEW CALEDONIA—Maj General Alexander M. Patch, commander-designate of New Caledonia Task Force, arrives.

BURMA—Burma Army evacuates Rangoon, moving along Prome road except for demolition forces, which are removed by sea. Loss of Rangoon seriously handicaps supply and reinforcement of Burma Army, which must now depend on air for this. Withdrawal from Rangoon is halted at Taukkyan by enemy roadblock. Bypassed force in Pegu is ordered to withdraw.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday, 6 March 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—German submarine U-129 torpedoes and sinks unarmed U.S. freighter Steel Age about 130 miles northeast of Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana, 06°45'N, 53°15'W, and takes the sole survivor captive.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

AUSTRALIA—U.S. TF sails for New Caledonia.

CHINA—General Stilwell confers for the first time with Chiang Kai-shek in Chungking.

BURMA—Newly arrived 63d Brigade, under command of Indian 17th Division, makes futile effort to clear block on Rangoon–Pegu road and relieve Pegu garrison, which is isolated. General Alexander orders Rangoon evacuated since situation in lower Burma is deteriorating rapidly; denial program is to be put into effect at midnight 6–7.

US MARINE CORPS

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Thursday, 5 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Salmon (SS-182) torpedoes Japanese transport Taito Maru north of Lombok, N.E.I., 05°35'S, 112°35'E.

            Japanese transport Takao Maru, damaged and driven aground off Vigan, Luzon, on 10 December 1941, is destroyed by Filipino saboteurs.

ATLANTIC—Coastal yacht Alabaster (PYc-21) collides with unidentified merchant ship while patrolling off Cape May, New Jersey, but since the damage suffered by neither ship is serious enough to hamper their operations, both vessels continue on their way.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Collamer, straggling from convoy HX 178, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-404 off the coast of Nova Scotia, 44°18'N, 63°10'W. British freighter Empire Woodcock rescues the 24 survivors from the 31 man crew.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Mariana is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-126 east of Nassau, Bahamas,22°14'N, 71°23'W. There are no survivors from the 36 man crew.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—General Brereton who arrived in India from NEI on 25 Feb, formally takes command of Tenth AF, which at this time has 8 tactical aircraft (B‑17’s).

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Civil Air Patrol begins flying patrols off the E coast. XII Interceptor Command (later redesignated XII Fighter Command) is activated at Drew Field.

US ARMY

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES—Dutch continue a losing battle for Java. Batavia is reported evacuated.

NEW BRITAIN—Japanese convoy bound for Huon Gulf, New Guinea, sails from Rabaul, New Britain, during night 5–6.

INDIA—General Breton takes command of U.S. Tenth Air Force, which is at this time extremely small, with HQ at New Delhi.

BURMA—Lt General Sir Harold R. L. G. Alexander arrives at Rangoon to take command of Burma Army. General Hutton remains as Chief of General Staff. General Alexander at once begins offensive to close gap between Burma 1st and Indian 17th Divisions. Japanese attack Pegu from W and succeed in entering the town.

USSR—Moscow announces recapture by Red Army of Yukhnov, NW of Kaluga, on central front.

US MARINE CORPS

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Wednesday, 4 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—TG 16.5 (Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr.) raids Marcus Island; SBDs (VB 6, VS 6) from carrier Enterprise (CV-6) bomb Japanese installations there.

            Operation K: two Japanese reconnaissance flying boats (Yokosuka Kokutai), refueled by submarines I-15 and I-19 at French Frigate Shoals, bomb Oahu, T.H., but cause no damage (see 10 March).

            Submarine Grampus (SS-207) torpedoes and sinks Japanese tanker No.2 Kaijo Maru 145 miles south of Truk,00°56'N, 149°31'E.

            Submarine Narwhal (SS-167) torpedoes and sinks Japanese army cargo ship Taki Maru off Amami O Shima, south of Kyushu, 28°37'N, 129°10'E.

            Submarine S-39 (SS-144) torpedoes and sinks Japanese oiler Erimo south of Billiton Island, 04°19'S, 108°25'E.

            Submarine Sargo (SS-188), while approaching Fremantle, Australia, is mistakenly attacked and damaged by an RAAF Hudson.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

SEVENTH AF—A lone Japanese aircraft attempts to attack Honolulu but drops its bombs short of the city. Overcast conditions prevent successful pursuit by Seventh AF airplanes.

US ARMY

HAWAII—2 Japanese planes drop total of 4 bombs near Punch Bowl crater, Oahu. No damage.

MARCUS ISLAND—U.S. planes from carrier Enterprise make surprise attack on island just before dawn, achieving satisfactory results.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—General MacArthur is reorganizing his forces in the Philippines in preparation for his departure. Composite Visayan-Mindanao Force is divided into 2 commands. General Sharp retains command of forces on Mindanao; the Visayan forces are placed under Brigadier General Bradford G. Chynoweth. MacArthur’s plans envisage the formation of 2 more commands. Maj General George F. Moore’s harbor defense forces on Corregidor and other islands in Manila Bay will constitute one, the forces on Luzon the other.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES—Dutch continue fighting on Java and report that destruction of principal installations has been completed.

CHINA—General Stilwell establishes HQ, American Army Forces, China, Burma, and India, at Chungking, using his U.S. Task Force in China and AMMISCA personnel as a nucleus. General Magruder’s directive is altered to place AMMISCA personnel at disposal of General Stilwell.

US MARINE CORPS

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Tuesday, 3 March 1942

US NAVY 

PACIFIC—Submarine Perch (SS-176), depth-charged and irreparably damaged by Japanese destroyers Ushio and Sazanami, is scuttled by her crew in Java Sea. All hands (59 men) survive the boat's loss and are taken prisoner.

            Gunboat Asheville (PG-21) is sunk by gunfire of Japanese destroyers Arashi and Nowaki south of Java, 12°33'S,111°35'E. Asheville's sole survivor will perish in POW camp in 1945.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Mary is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-129 about 250 miles northeast of Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana, 08°25'N, 52°50'W (see 9 March).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

UNITED STATES—CCS take under consideration recommendation to continue SUPERGYMNAST as an ‘academic study’ only. Thus the proposed N African venture ceases to affect Eighth AF until it is revived later as TORCH.

FIFTH AF—Japanese airplanes attack airfield and harbor at Broome, Australia at 1000, shortly after arrival of 8 Heavy bombers evacuating men from Java. The Japanese destroy 2 B‑17’s, 2 B‑24’s, 12 seaplanes, and 2 Hudsons, and kill at least 45 Dutch civilians and 20 US airmen.

US ARMY

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES—Dutch continue losing battle for Java against superior enemy forces.

AUSTRALIA—Japanese planes strike hard at Broome, where refugees from Java are concentrated, destroying many planes on ground and in water.

BURMA—Fighting continues in Waw-Pyinbon area, NE of Pegu. 63d Brigade Group arrives at Rangoon.

US MARINE CORPS

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