Friday, 3 April 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Admiral Chester W. Nimitz is named Commander in Chief Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA); his command encompasses the North, Central, and South Pacific. He retains his position as Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC).

            Light minelayers Pruitt (DM-22), Preble (DM-20), Sicard (DM-21), and Tracy (DM-19) mine French Frigate Shoals, Hawaiian Group, to prevent Japanese submarines from using the area as a refueling point for flying boat raids on Oahu.

INDIAN OCEAN—U.S. freighter Exhibitor is bombed and damaged by Japanese reconnaissance flying boat near Calcutta, India, while proceeding to Colombo, Ceylon. The ship's gunfire drives off the enemy plane as it makes a second pass; only four of the men on board (43 man merchant complement and 9 man Armed Guard) are injured in the attack.

ATLANTIC—U.S. freighter Otho, en route to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from Takoradi, Gold Coast, is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-754 about 200 miles east of Cape Henry, Virginia, 36°25'N, 71°57'W; survivors abandon ship in a raft and three boats (see 8 and 25 April).

            U.S. freighter West Irmo, en route to Takoradi, Gold Coast, from Marshall, Liberia, is torpedoed by German submarine U-505 at 02°10'N, 05°50'W, and abandoned. Ten longshoremen are lost in the explosion while the remainder of the ship's complement, 36 merchant seamen, the 8 man Armed Guard and 55 longshoremen, are rescued by British escort vessel HMS Copinsay (see 4 April).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

TENTH AF—6 Heavy Bombers from Asansol bomb warehouses and docks at Rangoon, starting 3 large fires. 1 B‑17 fails to return.

US ARMY

LUZON—Japanese open all-out offensive against Bataan line, which is by now understrength, undernourished, poorly clothed and equipped, and battle weary. After air and artillery bombardment, lasting from 1000 until 1500, Japanese move forward, making main effort against Sector D, the W flank of II Corps, where 41st and 21st Divisions (PA) are thinly spread and dazed as result of preliminary bombardment. 41st, on W, gives way and is rendered virtually ineffective as a fighting force, although regiment on extreme W succeeds in withdrawing in an orderly fashion. Battalion on W flank of 21st Division is forced to pull back. Effort to re-establish line of 41st Division after dark is partially successful. The only corps reserve unit, 33d Infantry (PA), less 1st Battalion, is released to Sector D as is Provisional Tank Group (—) of Luzon Force reserve. In I Corps sector to W, Japanese succeed in reaching MAIN LINE OF RESISTANCE on E flank but are unable to pierce it.

BURMA—Burma I Corps continues northward withdrawal from Allanmyo area although not under enemy pressure. In Sittang Valley, General Stilwell begins deploying Chinese for stand at Pyinmana. Chinese 22d Division is to fall back gradually on Pyinmana, where Chinese 96th Division is to take over.

MIDDLE EAST—India is removed from U.S. Iranian Mission’s sphere of responsibility, but Karachi remains base for the 2 U.S. Middle East missions. General Wheeler is relieved as chief of Iranian Mission.

US MARINE CORPS

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