Friday, 12 December 1941

US NAVY

UNITED STATES—Naval Air Transport Service (NATS) is established.

           U.S. government seizes French ships in U.S. ports. 

PACIFIC—Secretary of the Navy Knox departs Oahu after inspecting the damage done by the Japanese attack of 7 December.

           Japanese reconnaissance flying boats (Yokohama Kokutai) bomb Wake Island in pre‑dawn raid. Later in the day, land attack planes (Chitose Kokutai) bomb Wake.

           Unarmed U.S. freighter Vincent is shelled and sunk by Japanese armed merchant cruisers Aikoku Maru and Hokoku Maru about 600 miles northwest of Easter Island, 22°41'S, 118°19'E, and her entire crew captured.

           Unarmed U.S. freighter Lahaina, shelled and torpedoed by Japanese submarine I 9 the previous day, sinks (see 21December).

           Japanese Naval Aviation Pilot First Class Nishikaichi Shigenori begins, with aid of Harada Yoshio, a Japanese resident of Niihau, to terrorize the inhabitants of the island into returning papers confiscated on 7 December. In response to this campaign of intimidation, the islanders flee to the hills (see 13 December).

           Submarine S 38 (SS‑143) mistakenly torpedoes and sinks Norwegian merchantman Hydra II west of Cape Calavite, Mindoro, P.I., believing her to be a Japanese auxiliary. Hydra II had been en route from Bangkok, Thailand, to Hong Kong, when she is diverted to Manila by the outbreak of war.

           During Japanese bombing of shipping off Cebu, in the Visayan Sea, Philippine passenger vessel Governor Wright is sunk, 12°55'N, 123°55'E.

           USAAF B‑17 (19th Bombardment Group) bombs Japanese shipping off Vigan, P.I., damaging transport Hawaii Maru.

           Dutch submarines operate off Malaya against Japanese invasion shipping. K XII torpedoes and sinks army cargo ship Toro Maru off Kota Bharu, 06°08'N, 102°16'E; O 16 torpedoes and damages army cargo ships Tozan Maru, Kinka Maru, and Asosan Maru off Patani/Singora.

           Japanese minelayer/net layer Naryu is damaged by marine casualty, Tomogashima Channel.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FEAF—More than 100 aircraft hit targets at Clark Field, Batangas, and Olongapo. No hits are scored by the single B‑17 that is sent against transports at Vigan.

 

US ARMY

PACIFIC—U.S. troops aboard Allied convoy proceeding from Hawaii toward Far East under escort of CA Pensacola are organized as TF South Pacific and placed under command of Brigadier General Julian F. Barnes.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—Japanese make another preliminary landing, at Legaspi, S Luzon. TF of 2,500 men from Palau goes ashore unopposed and secures Legaspi and the airfield. Major General George M. Parker, Jr., whose South Luzon Force consists of 41st and 51st Divisions (PA), sends elements of 51st forward to delay enemy, but contact is not made for several days. Tuguegarao airfield falls to Aparri force early in morning. Japanese planes attack Luzon in force. Iba and Clark Fields are targets, with main force against Iba. Batangas is an alternate target.

MALAYA—General Percival decides to withdraw Indian 3 Corps from Kelantan since airfields there are already in possession of Japanese; movement of surplus supplies to rear is begun. Troops fight delaying actions while awaiting rolling stock in which to withdraw. Japanese penetrate Jitra position and force Indian 11th Division TF back to Kedah River Indian 11th Division force, called Krohcol force, on Kroh–Patani road, also falls back under pressure and at midnight 12–13 passes to direct command of corps. Indian 12th Brigade Group is released from reserve for action on W coast.

BURMA—Japanese begin small-scale operations, using infiltration tactics. From Thailand, small force crosses into lower Tenasserim unopposed. General Sir Archibald P. Wavell, CinC India, is given responsibility for Burma, previously within Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham's Far Eastern Command, and is promised reinforcements to strengthen the small garrison, fighting strength of which does not exceed 30 battalions during the campaign. Lieutenant General D. K. MacLeod's Burma Army, charged with protecting Burma Road and Tenasserim airfields, is a heterogeneous group of Burmese, Indian, and British forces, some poorly trained, formed into Burma 1st Division (Burma 1st and 2d Brigades and Indian 13th Brigade) and Indian 16th Brigade. The 16 obsolete RAF fighters on hand are augmented by squadron of American Volunteer Group (AVG) fighters, which is flown in to Mingaladon from AVG base in China. Air strength is eventually increased but not enough to alter ground operations materially.

MIDDLE EAST—General Auchinleck receives the first of a number of notices that forces intended for Middle East must be diverted to Far East to help stem Japanese advance. First call is for British 18th and Indian 17th Divisions, 4 light bomber squadrons, and AA and AT guns.

LIBYA—Eighth Army's 30 Corps moves to Libyan-Egyptian frontier to destroy isolated enemy garrisons and open communication lines. 13 Corps begins probing enemy's new line, which extends from Gazala southward.

 

US MARINE CORPS