March 28, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 28 MARCH 1942

U.S. Army: Ocean liner RMS Queen Mary enters Sydney Harbor but is large to dock, so personnel were loaded onto a ferry and transferred ashore.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 43rd Bombardment Group HQ, 63rd Bombardment Squadron and 65th Bombardment Squadron arrives Sydney from the US with B-17s. Their first combat missions are August 14, 1942 and November 12, 1942 respectively.

28th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Melbourne to Cloncurry with B-17s with a detachment operating from Perth with the ground echelon on Bataan and Mindanao.

80th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 8th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers from Brisbane to Lowood, Australia with P-39s, their first mission is July 22, 1942.

RAAF: Shot down is P-40E Kittyhawk A29-5 pilot Sgt Ronald Summerson Bailey. Damaged is Spitfire A58-88 ground looped while landing at Williamtown Airfield.