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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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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