Wednesday, 15 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine bases at Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and naval air station at Barbers Point, Oahu, T.H., are established.

            Last remaining motor torpedo boat in the Philippines, PT-41, her torpedoes expended and lacking gasoline to operate, is transferred to the Army to be moved overland to Lake Lanao. She is slated for service as a machine gun boat. The rapid Japanese advance across Mindanao, however, compels the Army to destroy PT-41 to prevent her capture.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Robin Hood, en route to Boston, Massachusetts from Trinidad, B.W.I., is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-575 about 300 miles off Nantucket, 38°39'N, 66°38'W; three merchant sailors perish in the torpedo explosion while 11 men go down with the ship (see 23 April).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—HQ of VIII Bomber Command established in Wycombe Abbey, in High Wycombe by General Eaker.

US ARMY

BURMA—Japanese continue to press northward and are bypassing Burma 1st Division.

UNITED KINGDOM—General Eaker establishes hq of U.S. Bomber Command at High Wycombe. U.S. Eighth Air Force, which was originally to have supported GYMNAST, is now committed to U.K. instead.

US MARINE CORPS

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Tuesday, 14 April 1942

US NAVY

ATLANTIC—Destroyer Roper (DD-147) sinks German submarine U-85 off Virginia capes, 35°55'N, 75°13'W.

            British freighter Empire Thrush is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-203 approximately eight miles north of Diamond Shoals, 35°12'N, 75°14'W. Antisubmarine vessel ("Q-ship") Asterion (AK-100), masquerading as freighter Evelyn (her original mercantile name), picks up entire crew (and the captain's dog). The rescued sailors are enjoined not to reveal the fact that they were rescued by a "Q-ship" and to keep secret Asterion's true identity.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Margaret is sunk by German submarine U-571 off the eastern seaboard while bound for New York from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Although the Germans see the crew lower a boat and put rafts over the side, none of the 29 sailors from Margaret's complement are ever seen again.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

INTERNATIONAL—British Government and CoS accept General Marshall’s BOLERO plan for Allied build-up in UK for attack on Germany.

US ARMY

UNITED KINGDOM—British Government and Chiefs of Staff accept BOLERO Plan, proposed by General Marshall, for build-up to attack Germany.

AUSTRALIA—Government approves directive of 30 March to General MacArthur as Supreme Commander, SWPA. This is the last of the nations concerned to do so.

BURMA—Yenangyaung oil fields are ordered destroyed, night 14–15; this is accomplished during next 48 hours. Japanese are moving around Chinese T-55th Division in Mawchi-Loikaw area.

FRANCE—Pierre Laval is restored to power by Marshal Henri-Philippe Pétain.

US MARINE CORPS

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Monday, 13 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Grayling (SS-209) torpedoes and sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Ryujin Maru off southwest tip of Shikoku, Japan, 31°51'N, 132°50'E. Destroyer Minazuki drives off Grayling with depth charges.

            Japanese transport No.3 Hino Maru is damaged by aircraft (nationality unspecified) off Koepang, Timor.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. tanker Esso Boston, torpedoed and shelled by German submarine U-130 the previous day, sinks; the entire 37 man crew is rescued by destroyer Biddle (DD-151) and taken to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

            Abandoned U.S. tanker Eugene V.R. Thayer, shelled on 9 April by Italian submarine Pietro Calvi, sinks off coast of Brazil.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—Australia-based B‑25’s hit targets in the  Philippine Islands for second consecutive day. Staging through Valencia the B‑25’s take off just after midnight during 12/13 Apr and bomb Cebu shipping and installations at Davao. Later in the day the Medium Bombers again attack Davao, bombing the dock area.

SOUTH PACIFIC—Adm Ghormley is assigned as COMSOPAC. He is to command all Allied base and local def forces (land, sea, and air) in the South Pacific islands, with the exception of NZ land defenses.

US ARMY

SOUTH PACIFIC—Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley is designated Commander, South Pacific Area (COMSOPAC) and S Pac Forces.

BURMA—Gap develops in Burma I Corps line, and Japanese are moving N through it toward oil fields. Burma 1st Division, under pressure S of Magwe, is reinforced by 7th Armored Brigade (less 7th Hussars). General Stilwell’s orders designed to avert threat to Lashio—93d Division (less regiment) is directed to move to Taunggyi; 49th Division plus regiment of 93d is to continue to guard Thailand border; T-55th Division is to remain in Mawchi-Loikaw area—are delivered to Chinese 6th Army. Chinese 66th Army, less 38th Division, is to concentrate below Mandalay.

US MARINE CORPS

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Sunday, 12 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Motor torpedo boat PT-35, undergoing repairs on the marine railway at the Cebu Shipyard and Engineering Works, is destroyed by crew as Japanese capture Cebu, 10°18'N, 123°54'E.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Delvalle, en route from New Orleans, Louisiana to Buenos Aires, Argentina, via St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-154 at 16°51'N, 72°25'W. One man from the 54 man crew drowns when the ship is abandoned; there are no casualties among the five passengers or the four man Armed Guard. Canadian armed merchant cruiser HMCS Prince Henry rescues some of the survivors, the rest reach Jacmel, Haiti, via motor launch.

            Panamanian motor tanker Stanvac Melbourne is torpedoed by German submarine U-203 about 15 miles off Frying Pan Shoals, 33°53'N, 77°29'W; Coast Guard cutter CG-186 rescues survivors, 41 merchant seamen and the 7 man Armed Guard.

            Unarmed U.S. tanker Esso Boston, en route from Venezuela to Nova Scotia, is torpedoed and shelled by German submarine U-130 at 21°42'N, 60°00'W and abandoned. The Germans question the survivors, offer food and water and provide directions to nearest land (see 13 April).

            U.S. freighter Leslie is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-123 approximately three miles southeast of Hetzel Shoals Gas Buoy, 28°37'N, 80°25'W; 27 survivors from the 31 man crew, and one passenger, reach the coast of Florida just north of Cape Canaveral. U.S. tanker Esso Bayonne rescues one other surviving crewman; he goes ashore at Key West the next day.

            Coast Guard cutter Vigilant (WPC-154) runs aground during search for submarine off St. Lucie's Inlet, 27°03'N,80°05'W, but emerges from the incident with only minor damage.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ARMY AIR FORCES—General Arnold sends air plans for BOLERO to General Marshall in London. Plan calls for establishment of Eighth AF in UK.

FIFTH AF—Australia-based B‑25’s, staging through Mindanao, hit harbor and shipping at Cebu while B‑17’s carry out single-bomber strikes from Mindanao against Cebu harbor and Nichols Field.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—General Arnold, Chief AAF, sends General Marshall, attending BOLERO conference in London, air plan for BOLERO, calling for establishment of Eighth Air Force in England.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—Since Japanese now control cross-island highway on Cebu, General Chynoweth retreats to mountains of N Cebu, where he organizes remnants of the garrison for guerrilla warfare. Japanese, employing guns on Bataan and Cavite, intensify artillery bombardment of Corregidor. Enemy aircraft continue to pound the island.

BURMA—Chinese 38th Division of 66th Army, previously earmarked for defense of Mandalay, begins movement to Irrawaddy front to assist Burma I Corps in holding line Minhla–Taungdwingyi. During night 12–13, Japanese occupy Migyaungye, exposing W flank of Burma Army.

US MARINE CORPS

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Saturday, 11 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Submarine Trout (SS-202) torpedoes Japanese fleet tanker Nisshin Maru west of Shionomisaki, Japan, 33°26'N,135°38'E.

            USAAF A-20s attack Japanese shipping off Lae, New Guinea, damaging cargo vessel Taijun Maru, 06°49'S,147°02'E. Taijun Maru, deemed irreparable, is later scuttled.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. tanker Harry F. Sinclair, Jr., is torpedoed by German submarine U-203 seven miles south of Cape Lookout, North Carolina, 34°25'N, 76°30'W. Intense fires, fed by the tanker's 66,000 barrels of gasoline, consume the amidships section of the vessel; 10 of the 36 man crew perish in the flames. British armed trawler HMS Hertfordshire rescues 24 survivors, destroyer Herbert (DD-160) two. British (ex-French) armed trawler HMS Senateur Duhamel tows Harry F. Sinclair, Jr. into Morehead City, North Carolina.

            British steamship Ulysses is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-160 at 34°23'N, 75°35'W; high speed transport Manley (APD-1) rescues all hands (195 crew, 95 passengers).

            British trawler HMS St. Cathan (one of the Royal Navy patrol vessels operating off the eastern seaboard) and Dutch freighter Hebe collide at 38°40'N, 73°00'W, both ships sink. District patrol vessel YP-22 rescues 7 survivors from St. Cathan and 31 from Hebe; yachts Azurlite (PY-22) and Beryl (PY-23) participate in rescue efforts and between them later transport the survivors (Hebe's entire 31 man crew and nine of the 39 man crew of St. Cathan) to Charleston, South Carolina.

            After a patrol plane sights lifeboat at 38°40'N, 73°00'W, Coast Guard patrol boat 455 proceeds from Cape May, New Jersey, to the reported position, and there rescues last nine survivors of U.S. steamship City of New York, sunk by U-160 off Cape Hatteras on 29 March, and transports them to Lewes, Delaware. All told, one Armed Guard sailor, 16 crewmen and seven passengers have perished in the loss of the ship.

            Second group of 13 survivors from U.S. tanker Eugene V.R. Thayer, shelled on 9 April by Italian submarine Pietro Calvi reach the Brazilian coast north of Aracati (see 13 April).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

VISAYAN ISLANDS—On Cebu, 3d Battalion of 83d Infantry fails to stop enemy at Cantabaco, and Japanese drive rapidly eastward from Toledo with little difficulty.

BURMA—Japanese open attacks against center of line Minhla–Taungdwingyi.

USSR—Germans vigorously oppose Soviet efforts to land additional forces on Crimean coast near Eupatolia. Stalemate continues on central front. On northern front, Germans continue to make slow progress toward encircled forces.

US MARINE CORPS

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Friday, 10 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Pacific Fleet is reorganized into type commands: Battleships (Rear Admiral Walter S. Anderson); Aircraft Carriers (Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr.); Cruisers (Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher); Destroyers (Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald); Service Force (Vice Admiral William L. Calhoun); Amphibious Force (Vice Admiral Wilson Brown, Jr.); Submarine Force (Rear Admiral Thomas Withers); and Patrol Wings (Rear Admiral John S. McCain). Old titles Battle Force and Scouting Force are abolished.

            Submarine Snapper (SS-185) evacuates military personnel from Corregidor.

            Minesweeper Finch (AM-9) is sunk by aerial bombs off Luzon, 14°22'N, 120°35'E.

            Crews of river gunboats Oahu (PR-6), Luzon (PR-7), and Mindanao (PR-8) are transferred ashore to man U.S. Army guns at Fort Hughes, Manila Bay.

            Japanese troops land on Cebu.

            Submarine Thresher (SS-200) torpedoes and sinks Japanese (ex-Portuguese) merchant cargo ship Maru six miles north of Oshima, near the entrance to Tokyo Bay, Honshu, Japan, 34°59'N, 139°29'E.

ATLANTIC—U.S. tanker Gulfamerica, silhouetted by the lights of Jacksonville, Florida, is torpedoed and shelled by German submarine U-123 at 30°14'N, 81°18'W. Some of the tanker's crew perish in the torpedo explosion or gunfire when U-123 shells and machineguns the vessel; others drown as the ship is abandoned. Of the 41 man crew, 17 perish; 2 of the7 man Armed Guard die in the attack. District patrol vessel YP-32 aids in rescue of survivors. Gulfamerica capsizes and sinks on 16 April.

            Norwegian freighter Marpesia, off Surinam, rescues 19 survivors from U.S. tanker T.C. McCobb, sunk by Italian submarine Pietro Calvi on 31 March (see 16 May).

            Seaplane recovers 13 survivors from U.S. tanker Eugene V.R. Thayer, shelled on 9 April by Italian submarine Pietro Calvi (see 11 and 13 April).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

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US ARMY

VISAYAN ISLANDS—Japanese invade Cebu Island., garrisoned by about 6,500 troops under command of Col Irwin C. Scudder. Bulk of enemy assault force goes ashore on E coast at Cebu City, the rest on W coast in vicinity of Toledo. Cebu MP Regiment at Cebu City and 3d Battalion of 82d Infantry (PA) at Toledo fight lively delaying actions before withdrawing inland from both towns under pressure. General Chynoweth, CG Visayan Force, whose HQ is on Cebu, sends 3d Battalion of 83d Infantry to defend Cantabaco, where cross island highway branches.

BURMA—Patrols of Burma I Corps find that Japanese are moving forward toward the Minhla- Taungdwingyi.

GERMANY—RAF Bomber Command drops first 2-ton bomb during attack on Essen, night 10–11.

US MARINE CORPS

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Thursday, 9 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Luzon Force (Major General Edward King, USA) on Bataan peninsula surrenders to Japanese. Gunboat Mindanao (PR-8) rescues soldiers attempting to escape from Bataan to Corregidor.

            U.S. Navy facilities at Mariveles are demolished to prevent enemy use: Navy forces scuttle submarine tender Canopus (AS-9), minesweeper Bittern (AM-36), tug Napa (AT-32), and drydock Dewey. Ferry launches San Felipe (YFB-12), Camia (YFB-683), and Dap Dap (YFB-684), and Canopus motor launches, evacuate men and equipment to Corregidor.

            Submarine Snapper (SS-185) delivers food to Corregidor.

            Motor torpedo boats PT-34 and PT-41 engage Japanese light cruiser Kuma and torpedo boat Kiji in a running fight off Cape Tanon, the southern tip of Cebu, P.I.; Kuma is hit by a dud torpedo and machine gun fire. Later that same day, PT-34 is bombed and strafed by floatplanes from Japanese seaplane carrier Sanuki Maru and beached off Cauit Island, P.I., 10°16'N, 123°52'E. A second bombing and strafing attack by Sanuki Maru's planes destroys PT-34, which suffers two dead and three wounded from her six man crew in the action.

INDIAN OCEAN—Japanese Operation C continues: carrier striking force (Vice Admiral Nagumo Chuichi) raids Trincomalee, Ceylon, which has been cleared of shipping in expectation of the attack. Notwithstanding the precautions taken by the British, Japanese carrier bombers attack the ships they find returning to Trincomalee. British carrier HMS Hermes is sunk, as is Australian destroyer HMAS Vampire, British corvette HMS Hollyhock, depot ship HMS Athelstane and RFA oiler British Sergeant.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Esparta, en route from Honduras to New York, is torpedoed by German submarine U-123about 14 miles south of Brunswick, Georgia, 30°46'N, 81°11'W; one man perishes out of the merchantman's 40 man crew.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Malchace is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-160 about 50 miles off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 34°28'N, 75°56'W; Mexican freighter Faja De Oro rescues the 28 survivors (one crewman drowns when Malchace is abandoned).

            Unarmed U.S. tanker Atlas is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-552 off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina,34°27'N, 76°16'W; two of the 34 man crew die attempting to escape the fires fed by the cargo of 84,239 barrels of gasoline. Coast Guard cutter CG 462 rescue the 32 men who survive the inferno. Later the same day, U-552 torpedoes tanker Tamaulipas at 34°25'N, 76°00'W; British trawler HMS Norwich City rescues the 35 survivors (two crewmen perish when the tanker is abandoned). Tamaulipas, gutted by fires, sinks the following morning.

            Unarmed U.S. tanker Eugene V.R. Thayer, en route to Caripito, Venezuela from Buenos Aires, Argentina, is pursued and shelled by Italian submarine Pietro Calvi at 02°20'S, 39°30'W; 11 of the tanker's crew are killed in the engagement that ends when Eugene V.R. Thayer is abandoned (see 10, 11 and 13 April).

            Motor torpedo boat PT-59, on practice run in upper Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, accidentally torpedoes cargo ship Capella (AK-13); tugs are on the scene immediately and anchor the damaged auxiliary in shoal water. Eight crewmen are injured in the mishap.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—HQ echelon is located at Bolling Field to prepare Eighth AF for move overseas.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS—Japanese capture Bataan after 3 months. US-Philippine forces surrender unconditionally. Japanese artillery emplaced on Bataan opens fire on Corregidor in conjunction with air attacks.

US ARMY

LABRADOR—U.S. detachment arrives.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—On Luzon, at 0330, emissaries of General King start to Japanese lines under white flag to arrange for surrender. General King surrenders Luzon Force unconditionally at 1230, and grim march of prisoners from Balanga to San Fernando follows. Fall of Bataan permits Japanese aircraft previously employed against it to devote their full attention to Corregidor. For the first time since end of March, enemy planes attack in force. Japanese artillery emplaced at Cabcaben, S Bataan, opens fire on Corregidor.

VISAYAN ISLANDS—Cebu Island garrison is alerted as enemy flotilla heading toward the island is spotted.

BURMA—Burma I Corps is now disposed to defend oil fields, on general line Minhla–Taung-dwingyi, a 40-mile front. Chinese are not in position to support corps because of a series of contradictory orders.

CEYLON—Trincomalee undergoes heavy air attack by Japanese planes from carriers. HMS Hermes (aircraft carrier) is sunk offshore.

USSR—Strong Soviet efforts to advance from Kerch area in the Crimea make little headway against stubborn enemy forces. Germans remain on the defensive on central front, containing most of Red Army thrusts; on northern front, make slow progress against firm opposition toward encircled forces in vicinity of Cholm and Staraya Russa.

US MARINE CORPS

End of American resistance on Bataan.