Friday, 23 January 1942

US NAVY 

PACIFIC—Roberts Commission, whose work had begun on 18 December 1941, concludes its investigation to "ascertain and report the facts relating to the attack made by the Japanese armed forces upon the Territory of Hawaii on December 7,1941..." The exhibits gathered amount to 2,173 printed pages.

           Japanese land at Balikpapan, Borneo, N.E.I.

           Japanese occupy Rabaul, New Britain, and land at Kieta, Bougainville, Solomons.

           Japanese force lands on southwest coast of Bataan peninsula; local Army commander inserts naval battalion of sailors and marines (Commander Francis J. Bridget) into the battle as a stopgap. It blocks enemy progress. Motor torpedo boat PT-34 is damaged in action with Japanese armed launch while on patrol off Bataan Peninsula.

           Oiler Neches (AO-5) is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-72, off Hawaiian Islands, 21°01'N, 160°06'W. The loss of the oiler supporting TF 11 (Vice Admiral Wilson Brown Jr.) forces cancellation of the projected raid on Wake.

           Destroyer Edsall (DD-219) is damaged by explosion of own depth charges during attack on submarine contact in Howard Channel, Clarence Strait, one of the approaches to Darwin, Australia.

           Submarine Seadragon (SS-194) damages Japanese merchant cargo ship Fukuyo Maru off the northern coast of French Indochina, 12°00'N, 109°00'E.

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. collier Venore is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-66 about 20 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, 35°50'N, 75°20'W (see 25 January).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

HAWAIIAN AF—B‑17’s of TG 8.9 return from Nandi to Canton Island.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Flying Tiger Command is established and given jurisdiction over the Southeast Gulf Coast and West Coast Flying Tiger Centers which had been established on 8 Jul 40.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—General Stilwell, in Washington, accepts China assignment and takes over part of staff previously selected by General Drum.

LUZON—Philippine Division, on II Corps W flank, withstands increasingly heavy pressure. After nightfall, II Corps begins withdrawal to final defense line. In I Corps area, Japanese maintain heavy pressure against Mauban MAIN LINE OF RESISTANCE and frustrate further attempts to reduce roadblock on West Road. In Service Command Area, enemy amphibious force heading for Caibobo Pt, having lost its way during night, arrives at 2 points on SW coast, both well S of objective. About a third land at Longoskawayan Pt; the rest land at Quinauan Pt. General McBride, responsible for defense of S tip of Bataan except for naval reservation near Mariveles, sends Philippine Constabulary elements to Quinauan Pt, but they make little headway. Comdr Francis J. Bridget, commanding naval reservation, dispatches sailors and marines to Longoskawayan Pt; these, reinforced by personnel of U.S. 301st Chemical Company and a howitzer from the Constabulary, clear Pucot Hill, but enemy returns after nightfall.

MALAYA—Rear guards from Segamat and Muar fronts complete withdrawal through Yong Peng at midnight, 23–24; West Force then comes under command of Indian 3 Corps, which is to defend central Johore and thereby protect Singapore naval base until reinforcements arrive. Japanese are to be kept N of line Batu Pahat–Ayer Hitam–Kluang–Jemaluang, if possible. Fighting continues in Batu Pahat area, and road from there to Ayer Hitam is closed. Japanese intensify air attacks.

BISMARCK ARCHIPELAGO—Japanese Fourth Fleet lands troops at Rabaul (New Britain) and Kavieng (New Ireland). Small Australian garrison of the important Rabaul base is soon overwhelmed. Kavieng is undefended. Japanese are now within easy striking distance of New Guinea.

SOLOMON ISLANDS—Elements of Japanese Fourth Fleet invade Kieta (Bougainville) without opposition.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES—Japanese invasion forces move S in 2 convoys, one through Makassar Strait to Balikpapan (Borneo) and the other through Molucca Passage to Kendari (Celebes). Unopposed landings are made at both places, but convoy off Balikpapan is attacked by Dutch planes. On Sumatra, RAF reinforcements from Middle East begin arriving at Palembang, where one of the 2 airdromes is attacked for first time by enemy planes.

BURMA—Japanese planes begin period of intensified attacks on Rangoon area in effort to destroy Allied aircraft in Burma.

LIBYA—Axis troops take Antelat and Saunnu despite opposition of 13 Corps, British Eighth Army.

USSR—Thrusting strongly SW from Valdai Hills, NW of Moscow, Red Army seizes Cholm, German center of resistance near boundary of Center and Northern Army Groups. To SE, Rzhev, another enemy center of resistance, is being encircled.

US MARINE CORPS

Japanese occupy Rabaul, New Britain, and land at Kieta on Bougainvillea in the Solomon Islands.