January 22, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 22 JANUARY 1942

China: 18 Chinese SBs from the 2nd BG bombed Anqing Airfield escorted by the American Volunteer Group (AVG) "Flying Tigers" with one SB was shot down.

Burma: Ind 16th Brig breaks off action in Kawkareik area and falls back toward Moulmein.

Malaya: Six-day battle on Muar front ends in victory for Japanese. Ind 45th Brig, despite close air and naval support during the operation, is destroyed as a fighting body. Muar force destroys its vehicles and weapons and pushes toward Yong Peng by infiltration, leaving wounded behind. Batu Pahat defense force (detachment of Ind 11th Div) skirmishes with enemy on Batu Pahat-Ayer Hitam road. Ind 8th Brig Gp, 9th Div, having withdrawn from Segamat sector to positions astride main road between Labis and Yong Peng, is attacked by enemy. East Force repels enemy attempt to cross river at Mersing. Partly trained Ind 44th Brig, reinf, and 7,000 Ind reinforcements arrive at Singapore.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC (Far East Air Force): Between January 22, 1942 until February 3, 1942 B-17s fly at least 15 bombing missions from Singosari Airfield (Malang) against a Japanese convoy in the Makassar Strait between Borneo and Celebes. Four missions abort due to bad weather, 6 end with negative results, and the remaining 5 suffer heavy losses but sink 4 ships. Damaged during take off is B-17E 41-2419 piloted by Jack W. Hughes and written off.

IJN: Japanese Navy carrier planes strike Rabaul, but find few targets and instead perform aerobatics over the area.

RAAF: Damaged is PBY Catalina A24-7 and written off at Napa Napa.

IJA: During the night, a Japanese landing foce of approximately 900 soldiers from 2d Battalion, 20th Japanese Infantry land at Quinauan Point and Longoskawayan Point on southern Bataan Peninsula.

U.S. Army: On Luzon, General Dougas MacArthur orders withdrawal of entire Mauban-Abucay line southward to final defense position on Bataan behind the Pilar-Bagac road with the withdrawal to start after nightfall on January 23, 1942 and be completed by daylight on January 26. In II Corps area, Japanese open offensive that forces Philippine Div back to positions E and S of Abucay Hacienda, approximately those held at beginning of counteroffensive on 16 January. In I Corps area, elements of 91st Div (PA), supported by Scouts of 26th Cav and tanks, attempt unsuccessfully to reduce roadblock on West Road and to reach 1st Div troops still fighting along MLR to N. Japanese begin series of amphibious operations, night January 22-23, when battalions embarks in barges at Moron bound for Caibobo Point below Bagac. PT-34 encounters and sinks two barges.

New Guinea: Allied forces evacuate Lae and Salamaua.

U.S. Navy: Japanese reinforcements land at Subic Bay.

Task Force 8 (TF 8) proceeding toward the Marshalls and Gilberts when destroyers USS Gridley (DD-380) and USS Fanning (DD-385) are damaged in collision 150 miles northwest of American Samoa.

Survey vessel USS Sumner (AG-32) arrives at Bora Bora and commences survey work.

IJN: Japanese land on Mussau Island.