December 18, 1941
World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

Thursday, 18 December 1941

USA: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt announces that Supreme Court Justice Owen J. Roberts will head the Roberts Commission to investigate the Pearl Harbor disater 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...to provide bases for sound decisions whether any derelictions of duty or errors of judgment on the part of United States Army or Navy personnel contributed to such successes as were achieved by the enemy on the occasion mentioned; and if so, what these derelictions or errors were, and who were responsible therefor." In addition to Justice Roberts, the commission's membership includes retired Admiral William H. Standley and Rear Admiral Joseph W. Reeves; Major General Frank R. McCoy, USA (Retired) and Brigadier General Joseph T. McNarney, USA. The comittee will place much of the blame on U.S. Army Lt. General Walter C. Short for lack of preparedness and U.S. Navy (USN) Admiral Husband E. Kimmel.

U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs Executive Order No. 8984 that provides that Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet will take supreme command of the operating forces of all Navy fleets and coastal frontier commands, and be directly responsible to the President.

USN: Two-plane detachments from Patrol Wing 1 (PatWing 1) and Patrol Wing 2 (PatWing 2) begin scouting patrols from Johnston.

U.S. submarines of Task Force 7 (TF 7) patrolling in the vicinity of Wake Atoll are ordered to move south out of the area until the relief expedition arrives.

Malaya: Indian 11th Div completes withdrawal behind Krian R and is held in reserve in Taiping area. Forces defending Grik road are further reinf. After visiting forward areas, Gen Percival draws up plans for withdrawal behind Perak R; decides to amalgamate certain units, among them Ind 6th and 15th Brigs (to be designated Ind 6/15 Brig) and to incorporate Ind 12th Brig Gp in Ind 11th Div.

IJA: Japanese Legaspi detachment reaches Naga (Luzon). A Japanese reconnaissance plane locates secret Del Monte Airfield. Realizing the field was spotted, the rest of the day was spent camouflaging parked aircraft with palm fronds.

Japan Army lands on Hong Kong with two assault units crossing from the mainland of China.

IJN: G3M Nells from Mihoro Kōkūtai (Mihoro Air Group) bomb and sinks SS Perekop in the South China Sea east of the Natuna Islands, Netherlands East Indies (NEI). Aboard eight of her forty crew were lost.

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