January 30, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 30 JANUARY 1942

U.S. At the Good Shepherd Church a memorial service is held for S1c Paul Z. Hollenbach who died aboard USS Arizona BB-39 sunk December 7, 1941. He remains listed as Missing In Action (MIA) to this day.

Burma: Japanese open strong attack on Moulmein and seize Moulmein Airfield.

Malaya: British withdrawal to Singapore reaches its final stage. East Force is the first unit to cross causeway and is followed by Ind 11th Div and West Force. West Force delays withdrawal as long as possible in futile effort to recover 22d Brig of Ind 9th Div. Remnants of this brig are eventually ferried across Strait of Singapore. It is decided to withdraw Malaya Air Force to NEI except for a single squadron.

IJN: Japanese naval land attack planes (Genzan Kokutai) bomb Allied shipping at Keppel Harbor on Singapore where transport Wakefield (AP-21), waiting to embark passengers, is damaged by a bomb, as are British transports (ex-passenger liners) Duchess of Bedford and Empress of Japan and freighter Madura. Transport West Point (AP-23) is straddled and showered with fragments, but suffers no damage. She provides medical assistance to Wakefield. Both U.S. transports subsequently embark passengers that include dockyard workers from Singapore and their families, in addition to Royal Navy officers and enlisted men and a small RAF contingent. The ships will then proceed to Batavia and then to Colombo.

CENTRAL PACIFIC (Hawaiian Air Force): B-17's of Task Group 8.9 (TG 8.9) returns to Hawaii having completed a mission that started on January 16, 1942 which afforded a pioneer look at the problem of air operations over vast Pacific areas, especially navigation problems and servicing aircraft.

NEI: Japanese land on Ambon Island at two locations: Special Navy Landing Force (SNLF) of 800 personel at Hitu-Iama and a Japanese Army regiment of 4,000 personnel on the southern coast at Laitimor. Defending Ambon Island were 2,800 Dutch soldiers and 1,100 Australian Army soldiers of "Gull Force". At the Japanese landing ocations, only a few Dutch detachments were in the vicinity to defend. At Hitu-Iama on the north coast the defenders were quickly overwhelmed. Other landings occurred around Hutumori where the Japanese split westward to the town, and are opposed by garrison of Dutch and Australians. Allied air and naval forces have already been withdrawn because of enemy air attacks.

USN: The Secretary authorized a glider program for the U.S. Marine Corps consisting of small and large types in sufficient numbers for the training and transportation of two battalions of 900 men each.

RAAF: Junkers G 31 Trimotor VH-UOW operated by Guinea Airways is impressed into service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).

U.S. Army: General Douglas MacArthur takes control of all remaining naval forces in the Philippines. On Luzon, in Sector C of II Corps, efforts to dislodge enemy from the Pilar River bridgehead fail. Indecisive fighting continues along MLR. I Corps makes slow progress against enemy pockets behind MLR. While 1st Div attempts to reduce Little Pocket, elements of 11th and 45th Regts attack Big Pocket from N and S, respectively. In South Sector, 3d Bn of 45th Inf, reinf, continues to attack Quinauan Pt beachhead. 2d Bn of same regt, reinf, supported by 88th FA battery, pushes slowly toward the mouth of Silaiim River.