Friday, 1 May 1942

US NAVY

EUROPE—Admiral William D. Leahy, USN (Ret.) ends service as Ambassador to Vichy France.

PACIFIC—Submarine Grenadier (SS-210) mistakenly torpedoes and sinks Soviet merchant ship Angarstroi about 90 miles west-southwest of Nagasaki, Japan, 32°00'N, 129°25'E.

            Submarine Triton (SS-201) torpedoes and sinks Japanese army cargo ship Calcutta Maru about 180 miles north-northwest of Formosa, 28°06'N, 123°47'E.

            8th Defense Battalion arrives on Wallis Island, from Tutuila, Samoa.

ATLANTIC—British battleship HMS King George V accidentally collides with, and sinks, destroyer HMS Punjabi during operations out of Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands; battleship Washington (BB-56), unable to maneuver to clear the wreckage, has to steam through it. Punjabi's exploding depth charges cause some concussion damage to Washington’s fire control systems.

            Naval Base and Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Great Exuma, Bahama Islands, and Naval Base, Grand Cayman, British West Indies, are established.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—X Air Service Command is activated under command of General Adler, who arrived in India on 26 Apr.

EIGHTH AF—General Spaatz is designated Eighth AF commander.

US ARMY

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—On Mindanao, Japanese force driving N along Route Island gains control of that highway as far N as Lake Lanao and virtually eliminates 61st Infantry (PA). Other forces continue E unopposed toward Sayre Highway at Kabacan. Fighting in E Mindanao continues indecisive. Japanese planes and artillery begin final phase of preinvasion bombardment of Corregidor.

BURMA—Japanese overrun Monywa.

INDIA—Air Service Command of Tenth Air Force is activated under Brigadier General Elmer E. Adler, with HQ at New Delhi.

US MARINE CORPS

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Thursday, 30 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—PBYs evacuate military and civilian personnel from Corregidor.

            Submarine Greenling (SS-213 torpedoes Japanese ammunition ship Seia Maru, 09°32'N, 156°03'E.

EUROPE—Admiral Harold R. Stark assumes command of U.S. Naval Forces Europe.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

BURMA—Japanese capture Lashio and begin move to drive Chinese back along Burma Road toward China and drive US and British forces back toward India.

FIFTH AF—P‑39’s flying out of Port Moresby strafe airplanes and fuel dumps at Lae and Salamaua.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Air Transport Command is established.

US ARMY

MINDANAO—From Cotabato, Japanese move E toward Sayre Highway via Route Island and Mindanao River and reach Piket, about 8 miles from objective. Philippine forces from Cotabato move N and guard trails leading N from Route Island. The Parang detachment of Japanese, having left holding force there and moved NW during night 29–30 by boat, lands S of Malabang and at dawn attacks 61st Infantry (PA), disposed along Mataling River, forcing it to withdraw 4 miles northward. Action in E Mindanao is limited and indecisive.

BURMA—Japanese complete conquest of central Burma. British Imperial forces withdraw across the Irrawaddy over Ava bridge, which is destroyed at midnight. Chinese 22d Division, after covering withdrawal, pulls back from Mandalay. Japanese follow withdrawal closely and begin action against Monywa, crossing river on night 30 April–1 May. Allied commanders agree that Chinese 5th Army plus 38th Division will move from Katha to Imphal, India, if line Kalewa–Katha–Bhamo–Hsenwi cannot be held.

US MARINE CORPS

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Wednesday, 29 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese naval force (3d Kure Special Landing Force) occupies former RAAF seaplane base at Tulagi, Solomons (see 3-4 May).

            Japanese seize Parang and Cotabato, Mindanao.

ATLANTIC—First coastal convoy leaves New York for the Delaware River.

            Off Frying Pan Shoals, British steamship Pacific Exporter rescues 27 survivors (including the remaining four Armed Guard sailors) from U.S. freighter Steel Maker, sunk by German submarine U-136 on 19 April (see 18 May).

            U.S. tanker Mobileoil, proceeding alone, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-108 about 350 miles northwest of Turks Island, at 26°10'N, 66°15'W; all hands (43 man merchant crew and 9 man Armed Guard) survive the loss of the ship (see 2 May).

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. tanker Federal, bound for Banes, Cuba, is shelled and sunk by German submarine U-507 at 21°13'N,76°05'W; heavy close-range fire from the U-boat's guns kill four crewman and wound one of the 33 man merchant complement, as well as destroy one lifeboat and prevent the tanker's crew from launching a second. U.S. Army transport Yarmouth arrives on the scene soon thereafter but only circles the survivors; fishing boats from Gibara, Cuba, rescue Federal's survivors from rafts while the one boat that was launched follows the Cuban boats to shore. The one wounded man dies subsequently.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—Rangoon is again hit by a flight of Heavy Bombers which pound dock area.

US ARMY

SOUTH PACIFIC—Admiral King establishes South Pacific Amphibious Force (primarily 1st Marine Division).

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—On Mindanao, Japanese begin offensive to clear the island. Force of 4,852 men from Cebu lands on W coast at Cotabato and Parang and takes both towns despite opposition of a Battalion of 104th Infantry, 101st Division (PA), at Cotabato and of 2d Infantry of 1st Division (PA) at Parang; 3d Battalion of 102d Infantry is unable to prevent elements of the Parang force from establishing contact with the Cotabato force. Enemy detachment already on Mindanao, having been relieved at Davao, turns NW toward Sayre Highway, which extends from Kabacan on S to Bugo on N. The E and the W assault forces both have air support. Preinvasion air and artillery bombardment of Corregidor becomes intense.

NEW GUINEA—Japanese order landing at Port Moresby.

BURMA—Japanese overrun Lashio, terminus of Burma Road, the only land route to China, just as leading elements of Chinese 29th Division, 66th Army, arrive there. Blockade of China is thus completed. Chinese 200th Division reaches Loilem; subsequently withdraws from this area to China. General Alexander decides to make a stand on line Kalewa–Katha–Bhamo–Hsenwi and orders withdrawal to this line to begin on 2 May.

MIDDLE EAST—General Auchinleck issues operation instructions to commanders of British Ninth and Tenth Armies for action in the event of enemy attack through Anatolia.

US MARINE CORPS

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Tuesday, 28 April 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—U.S. Escort Force (Rear Admiral Robert C. Giffen) departs Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, to protect convoys to Russia.

            District patrol craft YP-77 is sunk in collision off Atlantic Coast.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—VIII Ground Air Support Command is activated at Bolling Field.

US ARMY

MINDANAO—Japanese are particularly aggressive against Digos defense force.

BURMA—Chinese 28th Division, 66th Army, is ordered to Lashio from Mandalay, since Lashio is in great danger.

US MARINE CORPS

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Monday, 27 April 1942

US NAVY

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US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—ADVONs of HQ, Eighth AF and of bomber, fighter and base commands, along with 15th Bomb Squadron, 2d Air Depot Group, and a weather dets totaling about 1,800 men, sail from Boston for UK.

FIFTH AF—In Australia, US Army Air Services, under General Rush B. Lincoln, took over responsibility as an administrative, supply, maintenance, and engineering command under Allied Air Forces, SWPA.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—U.S. Army Air Services is formed under Maj General Rush B. Lincoln to take responsibility for air service from USAFIA.

CHINA—General Stilwell presents “Proposal to Organize and Train a Chinese Force in India” to Chiang Kai-shek and gains his approval in principle.

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday, 26 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Pickerel (SS-177) damages Japanese hospital ship Takasugo Maru in Manipa Strait, Malay Archipelago,03°00'S, 127°00'E.

            Japanese transport No.2 Nankai Maru is damaged by aircraft (nationality unspecified), Shortland Island.

ATLANTIC—Destroyer Sturtevant (DD-240) is sunk by mine off Marquesas Key, Florida.

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. freighter Alcoa Partner is torpedoed by German submarine U-66 approximately 80 miles northeast of Bonaire, N.W.I., at 13°32'N, 67°57'W; the ship's bauxite ore cargo causes the ship to sink before the men on board have time to launch boats. One boat floats free, however, and 25 men gather in it. Nine crewmen and a workaway, however, drown in the wake of the ship's loss. The survivors reach Bonaire the next day.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

FANNING ISLAND—U.S. detachment arrives.

MINDANAO—Japanese detachment from Cebu sails for Mindanao. Enemy forces already on Mindanao are exerting pressure against Digos defense force—101st FA (PA), less Battalion, and 2d Battalion of 102d (PA).

BURMA—General Alexander decides to concentrate on defense of India rather than that of Burma.

US MARINE CORPS

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Saturday, 25 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) torpedoes Japanese army transport Toba Maru off northwestern Luzon, 17°01'N, 120°15'E.

ATLANTIC—Norwegian motor vessel Gallia rescues one merchant sailor and five of the 10 man Armed Guard from U.S. freighter Otho, sunk by German submarine U-754 on 3 April. All told, 23 of the 36 man merchant complement, four of the 10 man Armed Guard and four of seven passengers perish.

            Swedish motor vessel Astri rescues 15 survivors from U.S. freighter Lammont Du Pont, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-125 on 23 April (see 16 May). These men are subsequently transferred to light cruiser Omaha (CL-4).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

BURMA—General Alexander orders withdrawal to N bank of Irrawaddy from line Meiktila–Kyaukpadaung to start after nightfall. Chinese 22d Division withdraws from Pyawbwe and is being encircled in Meiktila area by Japanese. Chinese 5th Army force (200th Division and 1st and 2d Regiments of T-55th) clears enemy from Taunggyi but is unable to halt drive toward Lashio. General Stilwell confers with British and Chinese commanders concerning defense of Lashio.

US MARINE CORPS

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