Tuesday, 5 May 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese troops (61st Infantry Regiment, and supporting units) land on Corregidor, initially opposed by the 1^st Battalion, 4th Marines. Submarine rescue vessel Pigeon (ASR-6) is bombed and sunk, 14°23'N, 120°36'E; tug Genesee (AT-55) and harbor tug Vaga (YT-116) are scuttled off Corregidor, 14°25'N, 120°30'E.

            Japanese Imperial General Staff orders the Combined Fleet to assist in Army operations against Midway and the Aleutian Islands, Alaska.

            U.S. freighter John Adams is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-21 85 miles from Amadee lighthouse, Nouméa, New Caledonia, 23°11'S, 165°08'E; five of the 11 man Armed Guard drown when the ship is abandoned (see 9 May).

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Afoundria is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-108 about eight miles north of LeMale Light, Haiti, 20°00'N, 73°30'W. There are no casualties among the 38 man crew and eight passengers (see 6 May).

            U.S. tanker Java Arrow is torpedoed by German submarine U-333 at 27°30'N, 80°08'W, and abandoned, with the 39 survivors of the 41 man merchant complement, together with the six man Armed Guard, taking to two lifeboats. Submarine chaser PC-483 and a Coast Guard boat rescue the men. The ship is later reboarded and believed reparable. Subsequently, civilian tugs Ontario and Bafshe tow Java Arrow to Port Everglades, Florida.

            Twelve survivors of U.S. freighter Eastern Sword, torpedoed by German submarine U-162 the previous day, reach Georgetown, British Guiana (see 6 May).

            Navy PBYs rescue the ten survivors of U.S. tanker Joseph M. Cudahy, attacked by German submarine U-507 the day before (see 6 May).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—General Spaatz assumes command at Bolling Field.

TENTH AF—On a raid against Mingaladon airfield during 4/5 May, 4 B‑17’s bomb a hangar and parked aircraft. The crews claim 40 airplanes destroyed but searchlights make accurate observation impossible.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Lt General Carl Spaatz is appointed commander of Eighth Air Force, replacing General Duncan.

CORAL SEA—Yorktown rejoins Lexington and the combined naval force (the 2 carriers plus 7 CA’s, 1 CL, 13 DD’s, an oiler, and a seaplane tender) moves NW searching for enemy.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—After final day of intense bombardment, Japanese invade Corregidor, landing at North Pt during night 5–6. On Mindanao, Filipinos continue to organize defense line.

JAPAN—Imperial General Headquarters directs Combined Fleet to assist Army invasion of Midway and the Aleutians.

BURMA—General Stilwell, withdrawing toward Myitkyina, learns at Indaw that railway is blocked and enemy are in Bhamo, so decides to take his party W instead to India.

US MARINE CORPS

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Monday, 4 May 1942

US NAVY

GENERAL—Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet (Admiral Ernest J. King) directs Coast Guard Auxiliary to organize civilian small craft as coastal pickets.

PACIFIC—Battle of the Coral Sea opens as TF 17 (Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher) attacks Japanese Tulagi Invasion Force (Rear Admiral Shima Kiyohide) at Tulagi, Solomons, where elements of the Japanese 3d Kure Special Landing Force have gone ashore (as well as on neighboring Gavutu) to establish defenses. SBDs and TBDs (VB 5, VS 5, VT 5), supported by F4Fs (VF 42) from carrier Yorktown (CV-5) sink destroyer Kikuzuki, minesweeper Tama Maru and auxiliary minesweepers Wa 1 and Wa 2 and damage destroyer Yuzuki, minelayer Okinoshima, transport Azumasan Maru, and cargo ship Kozui Maru. Lieutenant John J. Powers of VB 5 participates all three strikes, receiving credit for one direct hit, two close-misses, and a persistent low-level strafing attack (see 7 and 8 May). Destroyer Hammann (DD-412) rescues two downed F4F pilots (VF 42) from Guadalcanal; destroyer Perkins (DD-377), however, sent to retrieve downed two man TBD crew (VT 5) south of the island, does not locate the missing men. The crew, though, reaches Guadalcanal and ultimately sails to the New Hebrides in a schooner with a Chinese crew.

            Japanese transports sail from Rabaul, bound for Port Moresby.

            Minesweeper Tanager (AM-5) is sunk by Japanese shore battery, Corregidor.

            Submarine Greenling (SS-213) sinks Japanese gunboat Kinjosan Maru near Truk, Carolines, 08°44'N, 150°56'E.

            Submarine Trout (SS-202) sinks Japanese gunboat Kongosan Maru off southeast coast of Honshu, Japan, 33°32'N,136°05'E.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Eastern Sword is torpedoed by German submarine U-162 approximately 12 miles off Georgetown, British Guiana, 07°10'N, 57°58'W (see 6 May).

            Unarmed U.S. tanker Norlindo is torpedoed by German submarine U-507 approximately 200 miles northeast of Havana, Cuba, 24°57'N, 84°00'W, and sinks, taking five crewmen with her (see 6 May). Eight hours later, U-507 torpedoes and shells tanker Munger T. Ball at 25°17'N,83°57'W; flames, fed by the ship's cargo of 65,000 barrels of gasoline, trap many crewmen. Only four sailors of the 34 man crew survive the inferno to be rescued by Norwegian motor vessel Katy later the same day. Before the day is over, U-507 attacks a third tanker, the unarmed Joseph M. Cudahy, and torpedoes her approximately 74 miles northwest of the Dry Tortugas, 25°57'N, 83°57'W. Of the ship's 37 man complement, 27 perish in the attack (see 5 and 7 May).

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Delisle is torpedoed by German submarine U-564 15 miles off Jupiter Inlet, Florida, 27°02'N,80°03'W, and abandoned by the 34 survivors (30 crewmen and four workaways) of the 36 men that had been on board at the time of the attack. They row to shore, but return to the ship the following day to rig the ship for tow. Subsequently repaired, Delisle is returned to service.

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. freighter Tuscaloosa City is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-125 at 18°25'N, 81°35'W; the latter’s officers, after questioning the survivors, give them directions to the nearest land and wish them well. U.S. steamship Falcon rescues all hands (34 souls all told) and transports them to Cartagena, Colombia.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—B‑26’s bomb Vunakanau airfield at Rabaul. P‑39’s and B‑17’s hit airfield at Lae.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Battle of the Coral Sea begins with US carrier-based air attack on Tulagi.

US ARMY

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—Filipinos complete withdrawal to new defense line on Mindanao and begin organizing it. 102d Division, reorganized to include the 2.95-inch gun detachment, 62d Infantry, 81st FA, and 2 PS companies of 43d Infantry, is stationed in Dalirig sector and 61st FA and

93d Infantry in Puntian sector. 103d Infantry, isolated from rest of force, is to defend Cagayan River Valley. Japanese planes are active, but front is otherwise quiet. Japanese air and artillery bombardment of Corregidor reaches peak of intensity.

SOLOMON ISLANDS—Carrier planes from the Yorktown attack Tulagi harbor early in modeling, opening series of Coral Sea actions. A number of enemy vessels are sunk or damaged before the Yorktown withdraws toward rest of Coral Sea naval force.

NEW BRITAIN—Japanese transports leave Rabaul for Port Moresby, New Guinea.

BURMA—British Imperial forces evacuate Akyab, on Bay of Bengal. AVG abandons Loiwing for Kunming, China. Japanese occupy Bhamo and defeat Chinese 29th Division at Wanting. Chiang Kai-shek orders Chinese 5th Army to Myitkyina.

MADAGASCAR—British naval and military forces under Rear Admiral Syffret and Maj General Sturges land on N Madagascar at Courier Bay against little opposition from Vichy French.

US MARINE CORPS

Battle of the Coral Sea begins.

Sunday, 3 May 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Spearfish (SS-190) evacuates naval and military officers, including nurses, from Corregidor. Those evacuees will be the last to leave "The Rock" by this method.

            Japanese land on northern Mindanao.

            Light cruiser Nashville (CL-43) departs Pearl Harbor under orders to fuel at Midway and then proceed on a foray into the Japanese fishing grounds off the Kamchatka Peninsula. Submarines S-34 (SS-139) and S-35 (SS-140) are to operate in support.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—Japanese amphibious force from Panay goes ashore on Mindanao about 0100 at Cagayan and Tagoloan River mouth, in Macajalar Bay, and presses S along Sayre Highway. Troops of Cagayan defense sector (PA 102d Division, formed from 61st and 81st FA and 103d Infantry) oppose landing but are unable to halt enemy. In a desperate effort to hold Sayre Highway, reserves—2.95-inch gun detachment and 62d and 93d Regiments (PA)—are committed, but these, too, fall back under pressure. During night 3–4, General Sharp orders general withdrawal. Meanwhile, other Japanese forces gain control of road to N shore, routing

73d Infantry, which withdraws into hills N of Lake Lanao. Still other enemy forces arrive at Kabacan after Digos force has made good its escape, but are halted there. Preinvasion air and artillery bombardment of Corregidor continues without let up. U.S. submarine succeeds in withdrawing 25 persons from the island.

SOLOMON ISLANDS—Small Japanese force invades Tulagi, which is soon converted into a seaplane base. Learning of this, Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, commanding naval force cruising the Coral Sea, heads for Tulagi in carrier Yorktown.

US MARINE CORPS

Japanese occupy Tulagi, Solomons.

 

Saturday, 2 May 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Admiral Chester W. Nimitz visits Midway to informally inspect defenses and present decorations. He will leave the following day.

            Japanese special landing force (3d Kure Special Landing Force) lands on Florida Island, Solomons.

            SBDs (VS 5) and TBDs (VT 5) from carrier Yorktown (CV-5) bomb Japanese submarine I-21 in the Coral Sea. I-21reports being attacked by planes, but significantly fails to specify whether or not her attackers are land- or carrier-based; TF 17's approach to the Solomons thus remains undetected.

            River gunboat Mindanao (PR-8) is scuttled off South Harbor, Corregidor.

            Submarine Drum (SS-228) torpedoes and sinks Japanese seaplane carrier Mizuho off south coast of Honshu, 34°26'N,138°14'E.

            Submarine Trout (SS-202) torpedoes and sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Uzan Maru off southeast coast of Honshu, 33°26'N, 135°52'E.

ATLANTIC—Yacht Cythera (PY-26) is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-402 off the coast of North Carolina; 66 men perish with the ship. U-402 rescues the two survivors and transports them back to Germany as POWs.

            Submarine chaser PC-490 rescues all 52 survivors of U.S. tanker Mobiloil, sunk on 29 April by German submarine U-108.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson, in letter to General Greely, terminates U.S. Mission to USSR since Soviet Government has refused it diplomatic clearance as a whole.

MIDWAY—Admiral Nimitz visits Midway to inspect defenses.

MINDANAO—73d Infantry (PA), reinforced with stragglers of defeated 61st, attempts to stall enemy advancing N along Route Island. Unable to hold at SW corner of Lake Lanao, 73d withdraws N, establishes line from lake Lanao across Route Island, and delays enemy briefly. Japanese detachment from Cotabato continues E toward Kabacan. Brigadier General Joseph P. Vachon, CG of Cotabato-Davao defense sector, places all available forces at Kabacan. Digos defense force, ordered to withdraw to Kabacan, starts movement during night 2–3. Cagayan defense sector is alerted as enemy convoy heading toward Macajalar Bay is sighted.

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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