January 16, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 16 JANUARY 1942

USA: War Production Board is established to supplant Office of Production Management (OPM).

Burma: Japanese invade Burma from Thailand.

Malaya: Japanese cross Muar River and force Ind 45th Brig from Muar, on S bank; continue landings on W coast in Muar-Batu Pahat area, increasing threat to communications. 53d Brig of Br 18th Div is released to Ind 3 Corps, which places it under Ind 11th Div command; 2 bns are dispatched to positions W of Yong Peng and the third is held in reserve at Ayer Hitam. RAF, concentrated on Singapore I, prepares to withdraw to Sumatra. Singapore airdromes are still targets of daily enemy air attacks.

Burma: 46th Brig, Ind 17th Div, arrive in Burma. Japanese attack and eventually outflank Imperial forces at Myitta, threatening Tavoy.

CENTRAL PACIFIC (Hawaiian Air Force): The first significant deployment of aircraft from Hawaiian Air Force begins with movement of 6 B-17s commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Walter C. Sweeney to Palmyra Airfield for patrol duty in support of U.S. Navy Task Group 8.9 (TG 8.9).

Alaska: A group of B-26s on a ferry flight run out of fuel and force land near Smith River in British Columbia. Lost are B-26 40-1464 and B-26 40-1459.

U.S. Army: On Luzon in the II Corps area, 51st Div (PA) counterattacks to restore positions on corps western flank; after making limited progress on right, is subjected to severe pressure and falls back in confusion, W flank elements making futile attempt to gain contact with I Corps on rugged terrain of Mt. Natib. Entire line on Bataan is jeopardized by enemy breakthrough in this sector. Japanese encircling force, although in position to turn W flank of corps, prepares instead to advance down Abo-Abo R valley. To E, 41st Div (PA) refuses its left flank in effort to tie in with 51st Div and, with assistance of elements of 23d and 32d Regts and quickly formed prov bn, succeeds in halting enemy. U.S. 31st Inf moves to vicinity of Abucay Hacienda, on left flank of 41st Div, and prepares to counterattack; reserve force, 45th Inf (PS), also moves toward attack positions. I Corps engages enemy for first time. Japanese cross Batalan R and attack Moron but are forced back to river line by 1st Inf and elements of 26th Cav. Cavalrymen are withdrawn after engagement because of heavy losses.

USN: TBD-1 Devastator 0335 pilot ACMM Harold F. Dixon launched on a reconnaissance mission scouting ahead of Task Force 8 (TF-8) and ditched due to fuel starvation at roughly Lat 04°20'S Long 169°30'E. The three crew deploy their life raft and drift in the open sea for 34 days before reaching land and are rescued. Patrol Squadron 23 began daily patrols of the sea between their temporary base at Canton to Suva in Fiji. These are the first combat patrols flown by U.S. Navy aircraft in the South Pacific.

IJN: Japanese submarines continue mining the approaches to Darwin Harbor. I-122 mines Clarence Strait, I-123 mines Bundas Strait, and I-124 mines off Darwin.

Japanese cargo ship Taishu Maru is wrecked when she runs aground off Okushiri Island, Hokkaido, 42°00'N, 139°00'E.