January 20, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 20 JANUARY 1942

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Far East Air Force): Major General George H. Brett, Commanding General U.S. Army Forces in Australia (USAFIA), halts ferrying of aircraft from India to the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). The USAAF has been sending bombers from the United States via the "Africa Route" via India to Java, but the Japanese are able to inflict prohibitive losses on USAAF aircraft on the last stops of the route by interception from newly acquired airfields near Java.

IJN: Japanese aircraft carriers Akagi, Kaga, Zuikaku and Shōkaku under the command of Admiral Nagumo launch a carrier planes for a strike against Rabaul and Kavieng in preparation for an amphibious assaults against each location. Akagi launches 20 x B5N1 Kates led by Commander Murata Shigeharu aboard as an observer escorted by 9 x A6M2 Zeros. Kaga launches 27 x B5N1 Katess escorted by 9 x A6M2 Zeros. Zuikaku launches 19 D3A1 Vals escorted by 6 A6M2 Zeros without loss. Shōkaku launches 19 D3A1 Vals without loss. The only loss was B5N1 Kate pilot Sugihara shot down by anti-aircraft fire that crashed atop Mount Kombiu (Mother). At Kavieng, dive bombers strike Kavieng Airfield and Kavieng wharf while escorting A6M2 Zeros strafed Induna Star docked at Government wharf in Kavieng Harbor.

Australian Army: At Rabaul, 11 were killed and slightly more wounded. MS Herstein at the Burns, Philp & Company wharf is damaged and abandoned in Simpson Harbor and drifts until it ran aground. Shot down by Australian Army anti-aircraft fire is B5N1 Kate pilot Sugihara that crashed atop Mount Kombiu (Mother).

RAAF: At Rabaul, eight Wirraways from No. 24 Squadron scramble from Vunakanau Airfield to intercept the incoming Japanese air raid against Rabaul but were intercepted by escorting A6M2 Zeros and within seven minutes three were shot down including CA-7 Wirraway A20-179 pilot F/O John C. Lowe and CA-8 Wirraway A20-303 pilot Charles F. Bromley, two crash landing and one was damaged. Afterwards, only two Wirraways remained. Also lost is Hudson A16-97 pilot F/Lt Robert W. B. Cuming (KIA) crashed on take off from Poeloeti Airfield (Penfui) in West Timor.