SUNDAY, 4 JANUARY 1942
China: 32 Ki-27s from 77th Sentai appeared over Rangoon on an offensive sweep led by Major Yoshio Hirose. At 12:30pm fourteen P-40s from AVG, 2nd Squadron "Panda Bears" were scrambled and climbed through the clouds to 20,000', only to find that they had lost radio contact with Mingaladon. Eight aircraft kept the altitude while the other spiralled down in hopes of regaining communications with fighter control. The descending Tomahawks also divided. Frank Swartz led one three-plane element, with Gil Bright and Hank Geselbracht as his wingmen. Bert Christman led the other, tailed by George ‘Pappy’ Paxton and Ken Merritt. They broke through the clouds at 11,000 feet and were immediately attacked by the Ki-27s from the southeast. The Japanese fighters were below the AVG top cover and therefore invisible to them, but they held the altitude advantage over the six descending Tomahawks. The American fighters were hard hit and Christman came under attack from five Ki-27s and baled out. He was then fired at as he floated down. Paxton went to his aid but his own aircraft was then badly shot-up and he suffered multiple wounds. With two bullet holes through his right side and one through his left shoulder, incendiary burns on his arm and leg, and fragments of another bullet in his back, Paxton crash-landed on the airfield, where 61 bullet holes were subsequently counted in his aircraft. Meanwhile Ken Merritt claimed the Ki-27 (identified as a ‘Navy 96’) which had shot down Paxton, and Geselbracht a second as probably destroyed, but Bright’s aircraft was also hit and badly damaged, which caused him to force-land in a paddy field. As he raced away from his smoking aircraft, it suddenly burst into flames and exploded, causing him slight facial burns. Swartz also claimed hits on Japanese fighters in the combat. The 77th Sentai actually suffered no loss in this engagement, but claimed four destroyed and one probable. Warrant Officer Masao Hideshima made one claim, the others going to other 3rd chutai pilots; Sergeant Kobayakawa, Warrant Officer Yoshida and Warrant Officer Honma each received credit for one confirmed, and Lieutenant Shigeru Suzuki for the probable.
China: Chinese halt enemy drive in Changsha area of Hunan Province.
Malaya: Ind 11th Div is under constant air attacks as it prepares defensive positions along Slim R in W Malaya. Japanese force moves S along W coast to Selangor R, then E along the river, threatening communications line at Rawang. To meet this threat, Ind 6/15 Brig Gp starts toward Batang Berjuntai.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Far East Air Force): Fighters from Bataan Peninsula, attempt the interception of a bombing raid on Corregidor.
The
fighters, failing to intercept until the enemy airplanes are over the target,
have little effect on the raid. Several fighters depart for Mindanao following
the mission. 21st Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) transfers from Lubao to Bataan with P-40's. During the night,
B-17s stage through Samarinda Airfield where they refuel and bomb Japanese shipping in Davao Bay off Mindanao and damage heavy cruisers Myoko and Nachi.
U.S. Army: Continuing strong attacks against E flank of Porac-Guagua line, Japanese overrun Guagua and continue along Route 7 to Lubao, cutting planned line of retreat of 11th Div (PA). 21st Div zone (W part of line) is relatively quiet. Withdrawal from line Porac-Guagua begins under cover of darkness, 4-5, with 21st Div covering for 11th. Some cut-off elements of 11th Div make circuitous withdrawal through San Jose, while others move down Route 7 and form OPL between Lubao and Santa Cruz. Japanese forces in Manila detain civilian prisoners at Santo Thomas University (STU). The 3,787 civilian prisoners include: 3,792 Americans, 733 British, 200 Australians, 61 Canadians, 51 Dutch, 8 French, 1 Swiss, 2 Egyptians, 2, Spanish, 1 German and 1 Slovak.
U.S. Navy: At Mariveles Seaplane Base, five U.S. Navy (USN) seaplanes from Patrol Wing 10 (Pat Wing 10) were parked a semi-circle near the beach. Spotted and strafed by Zeros that sink two SOC Seagulls, two OS2U Kingfishers and one J2F Duck.
IJN: Japanese
flying boats bomb Rabaul for the first time and results in the death of two civilians and 15 New Guinea laborers killed at the Rapindik Labour Compound. Garrisoned by 1,400 men (principally 2/22d Bn of 8th Div, AIF; RAAF detachment; 100 men of NGVR; and a few RAN officers.
After sunset, Japanese submarine I-19 surfaces east of Lahaina Roads attempts to launch her E9W1 floatplane but the catapult malfunctions and the floatplane is instead put alongside and took off on a reconnaissance of Pearl Harbor as an enemy patrol craft that tries to signal the submarine with a blinker and dives to avoid detection and for the next hour. After 2 hours 40 minutes the E9W1 returns reporting a carrier, nine cruisers and six smaller warships in Pearl Harbor.
USAAF: 9th Pursuit Squadron departs overseas bound for Australia. P-40E Warhawk pilot Joe Cole force lands at Fabrica Airfield and was injured.
