Thursday, 11 December 1941

US NAVY

EUROPE—Germany and Italy declare war on United States.

UNITED STATES—United States declares war on Germany and Italy.

PACIFIC—Secretary of the Navy Knox arrives on Oahu to personally assess the damage inflicted by the Japanese on 7 December. 

           Submarine Triton (SS‑201), patrolling south of Wake Island, attacks the Japanese ship she has encountered shortly before midnight; she is unsuccessful.

           Wake Island garrison (Commander Winfield S. Cunningham) repulses Japanese invasion force (Rear Admiral Kajioka Sadamichi); Marine shore battery gunfire (1st Defense Battalion) sinks destroyer Hayate and damages destroyers Oite, Mochizuki, and Yayoi, and Patrol Boat No. 33 (high‑speed transport); USMC F4Fs (VMF 211) bomb and sink destroyer Kisaragi and strafe and damage light cruiser Tenryu and armed merchant cruiser Kongo Maru. Later the same day, USMC F4F (VMF 211) bombs and most likely damages submarine RO 66 south of Wake. U.S. submarines deployed off Wake, Triton to the south and Tambor (SS‑198) to the north, take no active part in the battle. Following the abortive assault, Japanese naval land attack planes (Chitose Kokutai) bomb marine gun batteries on Peale islet.

           Japanese submarine I 9 shells unarmed U.S. freighter Lahaina about 800 miles northeast of Honolulu, T.H., 27°42'N,147°38'W (see 12 and 20 December).

           Japanese make landings at Legaspi, Luzon.

           Unarmed U.S. freighter Capillo, damaged by bomb on 8 December 1941, is partially scuttled by U.S. Army demolition party, off Corregidor, P.I. (see 29 December). Freighter Sagoland, damaged by bombs the previous day, sinks in Manila Bay.

ATLANTIC—TU 4.1.5 (Commander William K. Phillips) detaches destroyers Babbitt (DD‑128) and Leary (DD‑158), low on fuel because of the delayed arrival of convoy ON 41 at the MOMP, to proceed to Argentia. En route to that place, Babbitt depth charges sound contact without result at 51°37'N, 43°08'W.

           TU 4.1.6 (Commander John S. Roberts) assumes escort duty at MOMP for convoy ON 43, which has been badly scattered by heavy weather conditions (see 13 and 15 December). Convoy HX 163, being escorted by TU 4.1.3(Commander George W. Johnson), encounters same abominable weather.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

INTERNATIONAL—Germany and Italy declare war on US Congress declares war on Germany and Italy.

HAWAIIAN AF—6 B‑18’s fly sea search mission from Hawaiian Islands. Similar missions by B‑17’s, B‑18’s, and A‑20’s are flown each day for the remainder of the year; several submarines are sighted and some are attacked but without positive evidence of hits.

ZONE of the INTERIOR—Second and Fourth AFs are assigned to Western Defense Command.

 

US ARMY

INTERNATIONAL SITUATION—Germany and Italy declare war on U.S., which then replies with declarations against them.

WAKE—Wake garrison (about 450 marines of 1st Defense Battalion) repels invasion attempt. Japanese naval force arrives off Wake early in morning and at dawn opens fire. Shore batteries force the vessels to withdraw with landing force still embarked. 4 aircraft of VMF‑211, all that remain serviceable of the original fighter squadron on Wake, pursue and attack enemy force as it retires toward the Marshalls. 2 planes that survive this action intercept shore-based Japanese aircraft that try to attack Wake later in the morning. Wake is subsequently subjected to almost daily air strikes as enemy continues softening the defense in preparation for landing.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—Japanese Aparri force on Luzon continues rapidly S along Route 5 toward Tuguegarao. Laoag and its airfield fall to Vigan force. Japanese begin mining San Bernardino and Surigao Straits. Commercial vessels withdraw from Manila Bay.

MALAYA—Indian 9th Division, Indian 3 Corps, abandons the 2 remaining airfields in Kelantan (Gong Kedah and Machang) in order to protect communications. Japanese exert strong pressure against one Indian 11th Division column on Kroh-Patani road and force the other, on road to Singora, back toward partially prepared positions at Jitra. RAF, now greatly depleted in strength, adopts policy of conducting bomber operations only at night until adequate fighter support is available and of using fighters primarily for defense of Singapore Naval Base and for protection of convoys bringing reinforcements. Indian 3 Corps troops are thus denied much close air support.

BURMA—Japanese begin offensive against lower Burma with air attack on Tavoy airdrome.

 

US MARINE CORPS

UNITED STATES —U. S. declares war on Germany and Italy,

WAKE—Wake Island defenders repulse Japanese landing attempt.

PHILLIPINE ISLANDS—Japanese make additional landings in Philippines