Thursday, 26 March 1942

US NAVY

UNITED STATES—Admiral Ernest J. King relieves Admiral Harold R. Stark as Chief of Naval Operations and thus becomes Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations; Vice Admiral Frederick J. Horne (Vice Chief of Naval Operations) and Vice Admiral Russell Willson (COMINCH Chief of Staff) are his principal assistants.

ATLANTIC—TF 39 (Rear Admiral John W. Wilcox), including battleship Washington (BB 56), carrier Wasp (CV-7), heavy cruisers Wichita (CA-45) and Tuscaloosa (CA-37), and eight destroyers, sails from Portland, Maine, for Scapa Flow, to reinforce the British Home Fleet (see 27 March).

            Commander Eastern Sea Frontier is given operational control of certain USAAF units for antisubmarine patrol duty in the Atlantic. Unity of command over Navy and USAAF units operating over water to protect shipping and conduct antisubmarine warfare is thus vested in the Navy.

            Antisubmarine vessel Atik (AK-101) is torpedoed and sunk with all hands by German submarine U-123 in the North Atlantic, 36°00'N, 70°00'W, after the "Q-ship's" gunfire damages the U-boat in a spirited encounter. Atik is the only U.S. Navy warship disguised as a merchantman that is lost to enemy action during World War II. Sistership Asterion (AK-100) will conduct a fruitless search for survivors (see 30 March).

            Unarmed U.S. tanker Dixie Arrow, bound for Paulsboro, New Jersey, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-71 about 12 miles off the Diamond Shoals Lighted Buoy, off the coast of North Carolina, 34°59'N, 75°33'W. The ship breaks in half and sinks. Destroyer Tarbell (DD-142), directed to the scene by a Coast Guard plane, rescues 22survivors; 11 merchant sailors either drown or burn to death, however, as the torpedo explosions set the ship's cargo of 86,136 barrels of crude oil afire.

            Panamanian freighter Equipoise is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-160 at 36°36'N, 74°45'W (see 27March).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—3 B‑17’s of 435th Reconnaissance Squadron, 19th Bomb Group, evacuate Philippine President Quezon and his family to Australia.

US ARMY

CELEBES—Japanese carrier force leaves Kendari for Indian Ocean.

BURMA—Continuing pressure against Chinese in Toungoo, Japanese seize the town as far as Railroad line. Chinese 22d Division, which has previously been ordered to Pyinmana-Yedashe area, N of Toungoo, to counterattack in support of Chinese 200th Division, arrives in position but fails to take the offensive.

US MARINE CORPS

Admiral King relieves Admiral Stark as Chief of Naval Operations.

Wednesday, 25 March 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Dutch tanker Ocana is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-552 at 42°36'N, 64°25'W; destroyer Mayo (DD-422) rescues four survivors.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—Maj Cecil P Lessig becomes first Eighth AF pilot to fly a mission over France in World War II. Flying a Spitfire with RAF 64 Squadron, Lessig participates in a 36-aircraft fighter sweep that is recalled when 50 fighters challenge them.

US ARMY

SOCIETY ISLANDS—162d Infantry, U.S. 41st Division, arrives at Bora Bora.

BURMA—Chinese 200th Division is virtually besieged in Toungoo. Elements of T-55th Division arrive N of the town but do not attack. Burma I Corps is ordered to concentrate in Prome-Allanmyo area.

US MARINE CORPS

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Tuesday, 24 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese naval planes (12th Kokutai) begin daily bombings of Corregidor.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Pacific Theater is established as an area of U.S. responsibility by Combined Chiefs of Staff.

LUZON—Japanese begin intense air and artillery bombardment of Bataan. Luzon-based Japanese Army and Navy planes begin thorough bombardment of Corregidor, continuing through end of March. During this period night air attacks are conducted for the first time.

BURMA—In surprise attack on Kyungon airfield, N of Toungoo, Japanese rout defenders (troops of Chinese 200th Division and rear elements of Burma 1st Division) and cut rail line and road, thus partially surrounding Toungoo. Chinese fall back on Toungoo, while Burmese succeed in withdrawing to Irrawaddy front.

US MARINE CORPS

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Monday, 23 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Gato (SS-212) is damaged when accidentally bombed by nonrigid airship (blimp) TC 13 off the entrance to San Francisco Bay, California.

INDIAN OCEAN—Japanese occupy Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

ANDAMAN ISLANDS—Japanese invade islands without opposition.

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday, 22 March 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. tanker Naeco is torpedoed by German submarine U-124 at 33°59'N, 76°40'W. Coast Guard cutter Dione (WPC-107) rescues 10 survivors from one lifeboat and two men from the sea; minesweeper Osprey (AM-56) rescues one survivor from a raft; tug Umpqua (AT-25) takes off one man who had returned to the ship after she had been abandoned. All told, 24 men perish with the ship, which later breaks in half (the stern section sinking). Destroyer Roper (DD-147) scuttles the bow section with gunfire.

            Unarmed U.S. tanker Muskogee is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-123 at 28°00'N, 58°00'W. U-123 draws near to the survivors on two rafts and questions them before clearing the area. None of the 34 man crew, however, are ever seen again.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

UNITED STATES—President Roosevelt sends message to General MacArthur in Australia expressing his desire that General Wainwright control all forces in the Philippines; General MacArthur concurs.

BURMA—Japanese planes make another destructive attack on Magwe airdrome, forcing AVG and RAF aircraft to withdraw to Loiwing (on Chinese frontier) and Akyab, respectively. Troops defending Burma are thus denied close air support. General Stilwell, upon arriving at front, begins planning for counterattack in support of Chinese 200th Division at Toungoo. Chinese continue to withstand pressure against Toungoo from the S.

US MARINE CORPS

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Saturday, 21 March 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. tanker Esso Nashville is torpedoed by German submarine U-124 off Frying Pan Lightship Buoy,33°35'N, 77°22'W. High speed transport McKean (APD 5) rescues eight survivors from two lifeboats; Coast Guard cutters Tallapoosa (WPG-52) and Agassiz (WPC-126) recover the rest (21 men and 8 men, respectively). After Esso Nashville breaks in two, tug Umpqua (AT-25) tows the after end of the vessel to Morehead City, North Carolina. Later, U-124 torpedoes tanker Atlantic Sun off Beaufort (North Carolina) Lightship, but inflicts little damage; there are no casualties among the 40 man merchant complement or the 5 man Armed Guard and Atlantic Sun reaches Beaufort without further incident.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—General Wainwright, as commander of U.S. Forces in the Philippines (USFIP), which supersedes USAFFE, establishes HQ on Corregidor and appoints General Beebe his chief of staff. Maj General Edward P. King, Jr., is to be commander of Luzon Force.

AUSTRALIA—Lt General George H. Brett, U.S. Army, becomes commander of combined air forces, retaining command of USAFIA.

CHINA BURMA INDIA—Assam-Burma-China Ferry Command is activated. It consists of 25 Pan-American transports, which are soon diverted from mission of taking supplies to China in order to supply forces withdrawing from Burma.

BURMA—Burma 1st Division, upon being relieved on Toungoo front by 200th Division, Chinese 5th Army, begins movement to Irrawaddy front, leaving large area S of Toungoo undefended. General Stilwell, now in Burma, issues orders for Chinese participation in defense of line Toungoo–Prome. Chinese 5th Army is charged with defense of Toungoo. Its 200th Division is reinforced by attachment of Temporary 55th Division (T-55th) of Chinese 6th Army, which is to move to Pyawbwe. In army reserve, Chinese 22d Division is directed to Taungdwingyi, where it is to be prepared to assist British in Prome area while Chinese 96th Division is to move to Mandalay. Crippling enemy air attack on Magwe airdrome reduces the already meager air force defending Burma.

LIBYA—British Eighth Army continues raids on forward landing grounds of Axis forces as diversion for convoy to Malta. Raids are partially successful, drawing off part of enemy’s aircraft, but convoy is unable to reach Malta intact and later suffers additional damage under air attack while unloading.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday, 20 March 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. tanker Oakmar is shelled by German submarine U-71 at 36°21'N, 68°50'W, and abandoned; submarine R-6 (SS-83) is sent to her assistance. U-71 torpedoes Oakmar and shells her until she sinks. Six men perish in the abandonment; the remainder (30 men) are rescued by Greek steamship Panos Pladelis.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ARMY AIR FORCES—Plan for Initiation of US Army Bombardment Operations in the British Isles’ further elaborates previous AAF plans outlining intention of launching strategic bombardment from UK against facilities supporting German national, economic, and industrial structure.

ARMY AIR FORCES IN BRITIAN—Report submitted by General Eaker in compliance with General Chaney’s instructions of 25 Feb indicates completion of studies of RAF Bomber Command operations and of airfields, training, tactical doctrine, equipment, and methods of conducting air offensive in cooperation with RAF. Report also indicates much dependence upon British for the present but emphasizes the apparent compatibility of the tactical doctrines of the US (daylight precision bombing) and RAF (night area bombing), and implies the principle of coordinating these attacks to complement each other.

US ARMY

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—General Wainwright learns that he has been promoted to rank of Lt. General and that Washington has placed him in command of all U.S. forces in the Philippines.

LIBYA—Complying with request of 8 March for offensive action to divert enemy’s attention from Malta-bound convoy, British Eighth Army raids landing grounds in Derna and Benghazi areas after nightfall.

US MARINE CORPS

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