Friday, 24 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Trout (SS-202) torpedoes Japanese merchant transport Tachibana Maru, Susami Kii, 33°31'N, 135°29'E.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

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US MARINE CORPS

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Thursday, 23 April 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Destroyer Greer (DD-145) rescues 24 survivors of U.S. freighter Robin Hood, sunk on 15 April by German submarine U-575, and transports them to Hamilton, Bermuda.

            Destroyer Rowan (DD-405) rescues surviving crew and passengers from U.S. freighter San Jacinto, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-201 on 21 April.

            U.S. tanker Connecticut, bound for Cape Town, South Africa, is torpedoed by German motor torpedo boat LS 4 (Esan), from auxiliary cruiser Michel, in the South Atlantic, 23°00'S, 15°00'W. The second torpedo ignites the 84,200 barrels of gasoline, airplane engine and heating oils that Connecticut is carrying as cargo; the ensuing inferno engulfs two lifeboats as the crew abandons the burning ship. Michel picks up the survivors, who will subsequently be transferred to a supply ship and thence to POW camp at Fukuoka, Japan.

            U.S. freighter Lammont Du Pont, bound for New York, is torpedoed by German submarine U-125 at 27°10'N,57°10'W; four men perish from among the combined 46 man merchant complement and the 9 man Armed Guard (see25 April and 16 May).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

BURMA—Chinese 200th Division, reinforced, of 5th Army engages enemy W of Taunggyi. Japanese seize Loilem. Chinese 6th Army retires into China.

UNITED KINGDOM—Germans begin series of retaliation air attacks on cathedral cities, the first occurring night 23–24 against Exeter.

US MARINE CORPS

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Wednesday, 22 April 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Destroyer Bristol (DD-453) rescues all 35 survivors of U.S. freighter West Imboden, sunk by German submarine U-752 on 20 April.

            Destroyer Rowan (DD-405) rescues 13 merchant seamen and 5 Armed Guard sailors from sunken U.S. freighter Steel Maker, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-136 on 19 April (see 29 April and 18 May).

            British steamship Tropic Star rescues two lifeboats full of survivors from sunken U.S. freighter Pipestone County, sunk by German submarine U-576 on 21 April (see 7 and 8 May).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—Aircraft begin to evacuate military and civilian personnel and supplies from Burma to India. By 15 Jun the Tenth has evacuated 4,499 passengers and 1,733,026 lbs of freight.

SOUTH PACIFIC—A joint United States New Zealand Naval Command was ordered established under Admiral Robert L. Ghormley. It was to operate separately but in close liaison with General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Herbert F. Leary.

US ARMY

BURMA—General Stilwell orders Chinese 200th Division to move from Meiktila to Taunggyi to counter enemy moves in Loikaw-Loilem area. Chinese 28th Division, 66th Army, concentrated in Mandalay area, is directed to move to Loilem via Hsipaw but does not do so. Chinese 96th Division continues delaying action in Sittang Valley, while Indian 17th Division, 7th Armored Brigade, and Chinese 22d Division take up positions around Meiktila and Thazi.

US MARINE CORPS

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Tuesday, 21 April 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Pipestone County, en route from Trinidad, B.W.I., to Boston, Massachusetts, is torpedoed by German submarine U-576 at 37°35'N, 66°20'W and abandoned by all hands (36 man merchant complement and the 9 man Armed Guard). U-576 provisions one of the sunken freighter's four lifeboats after questioning some of the survivors (see 22 April, and 7 and 8 May).

            Unarmed U.S. freighter San Jacinto, en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico, is torpedoed and shelled by German submarine U-201 at 31°10'N, 70°45'W, and abandoned before she sinks. Lost with the ship are five merchant sailors and nine passengers; 74 crewmen and 95 passengers survive (see 23 April).

EUROPE—Louise Leahy, wife of Admiral William D. Leahy, USN (Retired), Ambassador to France, dies of an embolism in Vichy. Her death, on the eve of their departure from Vichy, is a "crushing emotional shock" to the admiral, "beyond the understanding of anyone who has not had an identical experience."

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

BURMA—Japanese overtake Chinese 6th Army at Hopong. Chinese 49th Division is moving quickly W as ordered, and elements are committed in Mong Pawn-Loilem region.

US MARINE CORPS

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Monday, 20 April 1942

US NAVY

MEDITERRANEAN—Operation CALENDAR: carrier Wasp (CV-7), as part of the effort to reinforce fighter defenses of the embattled British island of Malta, launches 47 RAF Spitfires. Within four days, however, heavy German bombing raids on the besieged isle’s airfields reduce the number of flyable Spitfires to six, necessitating a second ferry mission (see 9 May).

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter West Imboden, her presence advertised by an accidental fire in her stack, is torpedoed by German submarine U-752 about 200 miles off Nantucket lightship, 41°14'N, 65°54'W, and abandoned as she is being shelled by the U-boat. U-752 nears one of the lifeboats and asks about casualties. "That's good," one German officer responds when told that the American merchant sailors have come through unharmed.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—General Brett assumes command of Allied AF, which has units based in N and E Australia, with advanced facilities in the Port Moresby area.

US ARMY

VISAYAN ISLANDS—Japanese conquest of Visayan Islands. is virtually completed. Cebu and Panay are in enemy hands, although guerrillas continue to hold out in mountain areas. Small garrisons in hills of Negros, Samar, Leyte, and Bohol are too weak to interfere with enemy plans.

BURMA—Chinese 38th Division troops withdraw northward from Yenangyaung toward Gwegyo and cover retreat of Burma 1st Division toward Mt Popa area. In Sittang Valley, Chinese 5th Army troops fall back northward from Pyinmana. Japanese continue active in vicinity of Loikaw. Taunggyi-Meiktila road is left undefended as Chinese withdraw toward Hopong, closely followed by Japanese. 2 Battalions of Chinese 93d Division reach Loikaw area but return at once to Kengtung. Chinese 49th Division is ordered to move W.

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday, 19 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese guard boat No.21 Nanshin Maru, damaged by Enterprise (CV-6) planes on 18 April, is scuttled by gunfire of light cruiser Kiso, 37°12'N, 151°15'E; guard boat No.1 Iwate Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by Enterprise planes on 18 April. Submarine I-74 rescues No.1 Iwate Maru's crew and ultimately transfers them to Kisoon 22 April.

CARIBBEAN—German submarine U-130 shells oil installations at Curacao, N.W.I.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Steel Maker is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-136 west of Bermuda, 33°05'N, 70°36'W, all hands save one (36 crewmen, the 9 man Armed Guard, and one passenger) survive. "I am sorry to have to sink you and do this to you," one German officer says apologetically after the enemy has questioned the survivors about the ship, its cargo, and destination, "but this is war." He promises to send Steel Maker's position to enable the Americans to be rescued (see 22, 29 April and 18 May).

            Destroyer Broome (DD-210) rescues 27 survivors from U.S. freighter Alcoa Guide, sunk by German submarine U-123on 16 April (see 18 May).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA—General MacArthur appoints staff of GHQ SWPA. Among members are Maj General Richard K. Sutherland, Chief of Staff; General Richard Marshall, Deputy Chief of Staff; Col Charles P. Stivers, G–1; Col Charles A. Willoghby, G–2; Brigadier General Stephen J. Chamberlain, G–3; and Col Lester G–4.

VISAYAN ISLANDS—Japanese claim all of Cebu Island.

BURMA—113th Regiment, Chinese 38th Division, drives into Yenangyaung and finds Japanese firmly established there; clears 3 of 5 enemy strongpoints. Burma 1st Division continues efforts to advance in Twingon area until ordered to withdraw northward, then escapes with heavy losses in men and equipment. Threat to Burma Road is increased as Japanese columns converge a few miles S of Loikaw.

US MARINE CORPS

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Saturday, 18 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Searaven (SS-196) completes rescue of Australians from Japanese-occupied Timor, begun the previous evening.

            Japanese troops land at Panay, Visayan Islands.

            Halsey-Doolittle Raid: TF 16 (Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr.), formed around carriers Enterprise (CV-6) and Hornet (CV-8), approaches to within 650 miles of Japan. Discovery by Japanese guard boat No.23 Nitto Maru compels Vice Admiral Halsey to order Hornet to launch 16 USAAF B-25s (Lieutenant Colonel James H. Doolittle) earlier than planned. B-25s bomb targets in Tokyo, Yokosuka, Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagoya; one B-25 bombs and damages carrier Ryuho (being converted from submarine depot ship Taigei) at Yokosuka. Of the 16 B-25s launched, 15 are lost in occupied China, where brutal reprisals by Japanese against Chinese populace (Chekiang province) ensue; one B-25lands intact at Vladivostok where it and its crew are interned by the Soviets. SBDs (VB 3, VB 6) and F4Fs (VF 6) from Enterprise, meanwhile, attack Japanese guard boats ("picket" boats) encountered near TF 16, damaging armed merchant cruiser Awata Maru and guard boats Chokyu Maru, No.1 Iwate Maru, No.2 Asami Maru, Kaijin Maru, No.3Chinyo Maru, Eikichi Maru, Kowa Maru, and No.26 Nanshin Maru. Guard boats No.23 Nitto Maru and Nagato Maru, also damaged by SBDs and F4Fs from Enterprise, are sunk by gunfire of light cruiser Nashville (CL-43) (see 19April). While the material damage inflicted by the bombers is small, the psychological effect of an air raid on the Japanese capital itself is great. Most importantly, the Halsey-Doolittle Raid ends all debate within the Japanese high command whether or not a thrust against the important U.S. advanced naval base at Midway should be attempted.

            Carrier Lexington (CV-2), in TF 11 (Rear Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch), ferries USMC F2As (VMF 211) to Palmyra Island.

            USAAF B-26s sink Japanese aircraft transport Komaki Maru in Rabaul harbor, 04°12'S, 152°10'E.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. tanker Axtell J. Byles, in a coastal convoy, is torpedoed by German submarine U-136 off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 35°32'N, 75°19'W, but reaches Hampton Roads the next day; there are no injuries to any of the 39 man crew.

EUROPE—Change of government in Vichy France: Pierre Laval becomes Chief of Government, Minister of Interior, Foreign Affairs and Information.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FAR EAST AF—Doolittle raid on Japan. 16 B‑25’s launched from carrier Hornet carry out first AAF attack on Japanese mainland. 15 of the B‑25’s bomb in Japan, the principal targets being Tokyo, Kobe, Yokohoma, and Nagoya. Since the bombers had to be launched earlier than scheduled they are unable to reach planned bases in China and have to be crash-landed or abandoned, 15 in China and the other in the USSR.

FIFTH AF—Fifth AF units come under control of Allied AF (SWPA) which is created in Australia to control AAF, RAAF and Dutch elements. General MacArthur assumed command of allied forces in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA). All Fifth Air Force assets came under the control of SWPA.

US ARMY

PACIFIC—General MacArthur assumes supreme command of SWPA, USAFFE becoming inactive. General Sir Thomas Blarney, CinC Australian Military Forces, is to command Allied Land Forces; General Brett is to head Allied Air Forces; Admiral Leary, previously in command of ANZAC Force, is to command Allied Naval Forces. USAFIA, under General Barnes, has about the same supply and administrative functions. USAFIP, under General Wainwright, remains in the new command structure until its dissolution on 6 May.

VISAYAN ISLANDS—Japanese make another unopposed landing on Panay, at San Jose.

JAPAN—Tokyo undergoes its first air attack of the war. 16 B–25’s of 17th Bombardment Group, U.S. Eighth Air Force, led by Lt Col James H. Doolittle, take off from USS Hornet, standing with naval TF under Admiral Halsey some 800 miles from Tokyo, in morning and at 1215 begin strikes on Japanese homeland, hitting Tokyo, Kobe, Yokohama, and Nagoya with good effect. Search and fighter support are provided by planes of USS Enterprise. After the attack, all bombers head for China where they were to have come under control of General Stilwell, but because of poor weather conditions and the late hour, all crash-land or are abandoned by crews. One lands near Vladivostok and its crew is interned; 2 land in enemy territory and their crews are imprisoned, some of the flyers being executed on 15 October 1942. Admiral Halsey’s naval TF (the 2 carriers plus 4 cruisers, 8 DD’s, and 2 oilers) withdraw safely. This is the first occasion on which medium land bombers are moved by carriers and launched off enemy shores.

BURMA—In Yenangyaung area, Burma 1st Division drives to outskirts of Twingon; Chinese 38th Division clears portion of Pin Chaung. On Sittang front, Chinese 22d Division is relieved by Chinese 96th and withdraws N of Pyinmana. Chinese 200th Division is ordered to Meiktila but does not move. Chinese T-55th Division collapses under enemy attacks S of Loikaw, and communications between it and Chinese 6th Army cease. Road to Lashio is thus uncovered. Elements of 93d Division, which were to have assisted T-55th, do not reach the T-55th in time to be of help.

US MARINE CORPS

Doolittle raid strikes Tokyo, Yokosuka, Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagoya.