Thursday, 12 March 1942

US NAVY

GENERAL—By executive order President Roosevelt combines duties of Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations (see March 26).

PACIFIC—U.S. Army troops (Brigadier General Alexander M. Patch) arrive on New Caledonia to establish a base at Nouméa.

ATLANTIC—U.S. tanker John D. Gill is torpedoed and irreparably damaged by German submarine U-158 off Frying Pan Shoals, 33°55'N, 77°39'W. Four of the seven man Armed Guard are lost. Coast Guard cutter CG-186 and cutter Agassiz (WPC-126) rescue one group of survivors, tanker Robert H. Colley the remainder. John D. Gill sinks the next morning.

            German submarine U-126 torpedoes unarmed U.S. freighters off the coast of Cuba, sinking Olga off Camaguey,23°39'N, 77°00'W, and damaging Colabee about 10 miles off Cape Guajaba, 22°14'N, 77°35'W. Colabee drifts ashore and grounds on a shoal; Cuban ship Oriente rescues one group of survivors (and then tows the damaged ship off the shoal), tanker Cities Service Kansas the other. Cuban Navy vessels later salvage the ship.

            First British armed trawlers sent to augment U.S. Navy patrol force efforts off the German submarine-plagued Eastern Seaboard, HMS Wastwater and HMS Le Tigre, begin patrol operations in Third Naval District waters. They are assigned duties off Atlantic City and Barnegat, New Jersey.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—10 P‑40’s arrive in Karachi by ship from Australia.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—XII Bomber Command is activated at MacDill Field.

US ARMY

NEW CALEDONIA—U.S. TF (17,500 men) under General Patch reaches Noumea to assist in defense of that area.

ANDAMAN ISLANDS—Garrison of Andaman Islands. (Company of British and Battalion of Gurkhas) is withdrawn, since loss of Rangoon makes it unfeasible to maintain this seaplane base.

BURMA—Burma Army establishes hq at Maymyo.

US MARINE CORPS

U. S. forces arrive in New Caledonia.

Wednesday, 11 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Lieutenant General Douglas MacArthur and Rear Admiral Francis W. Rockwell depart Luzon, with their respective staffs, in motor torpedo boats PT-32, PT-34, PT-35, and PT-41, bound for Mindanao. For his role in the evacuation, as well as other operations in the Philippines since the start of hostilities, Lieutenant John D. Bulkeley, Commander, Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, will receive the Medal of Honor (see 13 March).

            Submarine Pollack (SS-180), operating in the East China Sea about 270 miles east of Shanghai, sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Fukushu Maru, 30°53'N, 126°20'E and passenger-cargo ship Baikal Maru, 31°00'N, 126°32'E.

            U.S. passenger ship Mount McKinley is stranded off Unimak Island, Aleutians; wrecked subsequently by heavy seas, the ship will be written off as a total loss.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Texan is torpedoed, shelled, and sunk by German submarine U-126 about 40 miles east of Nuevitas, Cuba, 21°32'N, 76°24'W; Cuban fishing boat Yoyo rescues survivors.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Caribsea is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-158 about 14 miles east of Cape Lookout, North Carolina, 34°40'N, 76°10'W; U.S. freighter Norlindo rescues survivors.

            Coastal minesweeper AMc-202, at 40°32'N, 71°40'W, rescues seven survivors from Brazilian steamship Cairo, sunk by German submarine U-94 on 9 March, and transports them to New London, Connecticut.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—General MacArthur and his family and staff embark from Corregidor in 4 PT boats for Mindanao.

BURMA—Burma Army regroups in preparation for defense of upper Burma. In Irrawaddy Valley, Indian 17th Division is disposed in Tharrawaddy area. In Sittang Valley, Burma 1st Division, after successful diversionary attacks against Shwegyin and Madauk, E of Nyaunglebin, withdraws, except for 13th Brigade, to positions N of Kanyutkwin. General Stilwell is placed in command of Chinese 5th and 6th Armies. Chinese 6th Army is holding Shan States. Chinese 5th Army, except for 200th Division disposed in Toungoo area, is to concentrate at Mandalay. 

MALTA—Military garrison is placed under command of CinC MEF. Naval and RAF garrisons are under command of CinC Mediterranean and Air Officer Commanding in Chief, respectively. Lt General Sir William Dobbie, Governor of Malta, remains commander in chief.

US MARINE CORPS

Gen MacArthur leaves Philippines for Australia.

Tuesday, 10 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—TF 11 (Vice Admiral Wilson Brown Jr.), which includes ships of TF 17 (Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher), on the heels of initial nuisance raids by RAAF Hudsons, attacks Japanese invasion fleet (Rear Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi) off Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea. SBDs (VB 2, VS 2, VB 5, VS 5) and TBDs (VT 2, VT 5), supported by F4Fs (VF3 and VF 42) from carriers Lexington (CV-2) and Yorktown (CV-5) sink armed merchant cruiser Kongo Maru, auxiliary minelayer Ten'yo Maru, and transport Yokohama Maru; and damage light cruiser Yubari; destroyers Yunagi, Asanagi, Oite, Asakaze, and Yakaze; minelayer Tsugaru; seaplane carrier Kiyokawa Maru; transport Kokai Maru; and minesweeper No.2 Tama Maru. One SBD (VS 2) is lost to antiaircraft fire. USAAF B-17s and RAAF Hudson conduct follow up strikes but inflict no appreciable additional damage. In a message to Prime Minister Churchill, President Roosevelt hails the raid as "the best day's work we've had." The success of the U.S. carrier strike (the first time in which two carrier air groups attack a common objective) convinces Japanese war planners that continued operations in the New Guinea area will require carrier support, thus setting the stage for confrontation in the Coral Sea (see 4-8 May).

            Japanese invade Finschhafen, New Guinea.

            Japanese collier Kosei Maru is sunk by mine in Lingayen Gulf, P.I., 16°05'N, 120°20'E.

            USMC F2As (VMF 221) from Midway shoot down Japanese reconnaissance flying boat (Yokosuka Kokutai) attempting to reconnoiter the atoll.

ATLANTIC—U.S. tanker Gulftrade is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-588 about two miles east of Barnegat, New Jersey, 39°50'N, 73°52'W; net tender Larch (YN-16) and Coast Guard cutter Antietam (WPC-128), along with Eagle Boat PE-48 and Coast Guard motor lifeboats from the Barnegat station are sent to the scene. Larch rescues seven survivors; Antietam nine.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

MIDWAY—Enemy patrol plane is shot down SW of island.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—General Wainwright visits General MacArthur on Corregidor and learns that he (Wainwright) will head Luzon Force and that his I Corps will be turned over to General Jones, 51st Division CG. General Mac- Arthur, after his withdrawal from the Philippines, plans to remain in control of Philippine operations from Australia through Col Lewis C. Beebe, who will be deputy chief of staff of USAFFE.

NEW GUINEA—Japanese make another landing on New Guinea, at Finschhafen. U.S. planes, 104 strong, from carriers Lexington and Yorktown make co-ordinated attacks on enemy shipping and installations at Lae and Salamaua, considerably damaging shipping and airfields. A few B–17’s from Townsville, Australia, follow up carrier strikes with attacks on same area. Japanese fly fighters from Rabaul, New Britain, to Huon Gulf area and continue neutralization of Port Moresby by air.

IRAN—Declared eligible for U.S. lend-lease.

US MARINE CORPS

Japanese invade Finschhafen, New Guinea.

Monday, 9 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) disembarks U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands Francis B. Sayre and his party (embarked since 24 February) at Fremantle, Australia. The collapse of the ABDA command has led to this change of destination.

            Java surrenders to the Japanese.

ATLANTIC—Naval Air Transport Service Squadron (VR 1) is established at Norfolk, Virginia, for operations in Atlantic area.

            U.S. freighter Alcoa Scout rescues survivors of U.S. freighter Mary, sunk by German submarine U-129 on 3 March.

            Brazilian steamship Cairo is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-94 at 39°10'N, 72°02'W (see 11 March).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ARMY AIR FORCES—Military reorganization, implementing Executive Order of 28 Feb, becomes effective. The Air Corps and the US Army Air Force Combat Command, which previously had made up the AAF under General Arnold as Chief, are discontinued, and the AAF is reorganized with Arnold as CG. Army Ground Forces under General McNair and Services of Supply (later Army Serv Forces) under General Sommervell are also organized. All are under control of General Marshall, CoS. In the Navy, Adm King, CinC US Fleet, assumes additional responsibilities as he succeeds Adm Stark as Chief of Naval Operations.

SE ASIA—Japanese forces complete capture of Rangoon, dealing China a great blow by cutting off supplies from Burma Road.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Major reorganization of U.S. Army is effective this date. GHQ is abolished and 3 autonomous commands—Army Ground Forces under Lt General Lesley J. McNair, Army Air Forces under Lt General Henry H. Arnold, and Services of Supply (later designated as Army Service Forces) under Maj General Brehon B. Somervell—are given responsibility for Zone of Interior functions under General Marshall as Chief of Staff. Field forces remain under control of War Department General Staff. Admiral King is appointed Chief of Naval Operations in addition to his post of CinC, U.S. Fleet. Admiral King succeeds Admiral Harold R. Stark, who will command U.S. naval forces operating in European waters.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—General MacArthur announces that General Yamashita has replaced General Homma as CinC of enemy forces in the Philippines.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES—Japanese complete conquest of Java and thereby gain control of entire Netherlands East Indies. With Malaya Barrier thus penetrated, Australia is in greater danger.

NEW GUINEA—Land-based planes attack Japanese convoy in Huon Gulf with unobserved results. Japanese aircraft continue neutralization of points in New Guinea.

BURMA—Burma Army forces at Taukkyan continue northward withdrawal without serious difficulty.

US MARINE CORPS

Java surrenders to Japanese, ending conquest of Netherlands East Indies

Sunday, 8 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Japanese naval force (Rear Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi) occupies Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea.

            Japanese occupy Rangoon, Burma.

            Small reconnaissance seaplane from Japanese submarine I-25 reconnoiters Wellington, New Zealand.

ATLANTIC—Net tender Mulberry (YN-22) rescues 14 survivors from U.S. freighter Cardonia, sunk by German submarine U-126the day before.

            Coast Guard cutter Calypso (WPC-104) rescues 54 survivors from Brazilian steamship Arabutan, sinks their lifeboats as a hazard to navigation, and transports the men to Little Creek, Virginia.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—HQ Tenth AF begins moving from Patterson Field to India. Between this date and 13 Mar, the 8 B‑17’s in India transport 474 troops and 29 tons of supplies from India to Magwe and on the return flights evacuate 423 civilians.

ELEVENTH AF—Col William O Butler assumes command of the Eleventh with HQ at Ft Richardson.

US ARMY

ALASKA—Brigadier General William O. Butler assumes command of U.S. Eleventh Air Force under Alaska Defense Command (Maj General Simon B. Buckner, Jr.). Alaska Defense Command is in turn under Western Defense Command (Lt General John L. De-Witt), which was designated a theater of operations early in the war.

BURMA—63d Brigade and elements of 16th, with tank and artillery support, clear Japanese block on Rangoon–Prome road at Taukkyan. During period 8–13 March, heavy bombers of U.S. Tenth Air Force transport troops and supplies from India to Magwe, Burma.

MIDDLE EAST—General Ritchie is ordered by General Auchinleck to provide diversion in Libya for passage of convoy to Malta. Supply situation on Malta is very serious.

US MARINE CORPS

Japanese land at Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea.

 

Saturday, 7 March 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Grenadier (SS-210) torpedoes Japanese transport Asahisan Maru south of Shioyasaki, 36°27'N, 141°06'E.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Barbara is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-126 approximately nine miles north-northwest of West Tortuga Island, Dominican Republic, 20°00'N, 73°56'W; a PBY rescues one group of survivors while the remainder reach shore. Later, U-126 shells and sinks unarmed U.S. freighter Cardonia about five miles west-northwest of San Nicholas Mole, Haiti, 19°53'N, 73°27'W; 22 survivors reach safety at San Nicholas Mole less than five hours after the ship sinks (see 8 March).

            U.S. freighter Independence Hall, straggling from convoy SC 73, founders and sinks off Sable Island, 43°55'N,59°55'W. Ten of the 38 man merchant crew perish; there are no casualties among the 9 man Armed Guard.

            Brazilian steamship Arabutan is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-155 off the Virginia capes, 35°15'N,73°55'W (see 8 March).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES—Japanese conquest of Java is virtually completed. Radio and cable communications with Bandoeng cease. Final reports indicate that enemy is still advancing on all fronts, that the defenders are completely exhausted, and that all Allied fighter planes have been destroyed.

NEW GUINEA—Japanese convoy arrives in Huon Gulf during night 7–8 and under cover of naval bombardment lands assault forces at Salamaua and Lae without opposition.

NEW CALEDONIA—Maj General Alexander M. Patch, commander-designate of New Caledonia Task Force, arrives.

BURMA—Burma Army evacuates Rangoon, moving along Prome road except for demolition forces, which are removed by sea. Loss of Rangoon seriously handicaps supply and reinforcement of Burma Army, which must now depend on air for this. Withdrawal from Rangoon is halted at Taukkyan by enemy roadblock. Bypassed force in Pegu is ordered to withdraw.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday, 6 March 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—German submarine U-129 torpedoes and sinks unarmed U.S. freighter Steel Age about 130 miles northeast of Paramaribo, Dutch Guiana, 06°45'N, 53°15'W, and takes the sole survivor captive.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

AUSTRALIA—U.S. TF sails for New Caledonia.

CHINA—General Stilwell confers for the first time with Chiang Kai-shek in Chungking.

BURMA—Newly arrived 63d Brigade, under command of Indian 17th Division, makes futile effort to clear block on Rangoon–Pegu road and relieve Pegu garrison, which is isolated. General Alexander orders Rangoon evacuated since situation in lower Burma is deteriorating rapidly; denial program is to be put into effect at midnight 6–7.

US MARINE CORPS

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