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.
