January 23, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 23 JANUARY 1942

CENTRAL PACIFIC (Hawaiian Air Force): HQ 14th Pursuit Wing is inactivated at Wheeler Field. B-17's of Task Group 8.9 (TG-8.9) returns from Nandi Airfield to Canton.

USN: The first Navy aircraft to arrive in Samoa are OS2Us of VS-1-D14 with U.S. Marine Corps reinforcements sent from San Diego.

IJA: After midnight, the 144th Infantry Regiment "South Seas Detachment" landed at several locations on the on the Gazelle Peninsula of New Britain including Raluana Point, west of Kokopo and Kerawun and north of Vulcan. Also Malaguna, west of Praed Point and Nordup. Defending were the outnumbered Australian Army 2/22nd Battalion and New Guinea Volunteer Rifles (NGVR). By morning, the Japanese occupy Rabaul.

IJN: Japanese carrier planes strike Wau Airfield and damage facilities and destroy the wreckage of DH.60M "Eros" VH-UQY in storage.