February 6, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 6 FEBRUARY 1942

China: Japanese launched an assault on Mingaladon. This began with attacks just after 4:00am by four Ki-21s from 14th Sentai, followed an hour later by six more from the 62nd Sentai. At 07:00 15 Ki-30s from the 31st Sentai attacked, about 80 bombs landing within the airfield boundaries on this occasion, although little damage was done. Two 'A' Flight Hurricanes of 17 Squadron, on night readiness, were scrambled into the dawn sky – Flight Lieutenant Allan Carvell for the fourth time that night! He and Sergeant Ken Rathbone finally intercepted a number of the Ki-30s, each claiming one shot down. They obviously attacked the same aircraft for only one of the bombers failed to return.

Finally, with full daylight, came some 25 Ki-27 fighters of the 50th and 77th Sentai on a fighter sweep. A number of P-40s of AVG 1st Squadron and six Hurricanes were scrambled to intercept; the Japanese reported meeting 17-18 fighters, identified as ‘Spitfires’, Buffaloes and P-40s. Pilot Officer Storey (Z5659/WK-C) was leading the Hurricanes, but these were jumped by three Ki-27s whilst climbing to 21,000 feet. Storey claimed two Ki-27s while Pilot Officer Underwood claimed one destroyed and one probable before returning with a damaged Hurricane and a wounded leg. Sergeant Malcolm McRae claimed one damaged, but was hit in the shoulder when an armour-piercing bullet went straight through the armour plate behind his seat; Pilot Officer Eric Batchelar's aircraft was also hit. Meantime Flight Lieutenant Barry Sutton (BE171/YB-B of 17 Squadron), who had been carrying out a reconnaissance sortie over the Salween River, also encountered the Japanese fighters as he was returning to base and claimed two probably shot down.

The American pilots who had joined the fight claimed a further seven ‘I-97’ fighters shot down and one probable to add to the RAF's three ‘confirmed’, three ‘probables’ and three damaged. Their claims were two apiece by Flight Leaders Robert L. Little and Greg Boyington, one each by Vice-Squadron Leader Robert H. Neale, Robert W. Prescott and William D. McGarry whilst Charles R. Bond claimed the probable. One AVG pilot was slightly wounded, joining Underwood and McRae in sick-quarters to receive anti-tetanus injections. All three were given the afternoon off, although they were advised that they would be fit for flying next day!

For the Japanese the 50th Sentai claimed three certain and four probables, and the 77th Sentai two and two probables: Lieutenant Kisaji Beppu one and one probable; Lieutenant Yoshiro Kawabara one, and Warrant Officer Fujinaga one probable), but from the latter unit Lieutenant Kitamura failed to return and Major Yoshio Hirose force-landed his damaged fighter at Molulmein. No losses were recorded by the 50th Sentai.

In evening Squadron Leader Robert J. Sandell took up his newly-repaired P-40 to test the tail unit which had been fitted to replace that damaged by the Japanese suicide pilot a week earlier. Whilst performing aerobatics over the airfield, the tail broke away and he was killed in the resultant crash. Vice Squadron Leader Bob Neale took over the command of the AVG 1st Squadron.

USA/UK: The United States and Britain establish Combined Chiefs of Staff.

USAAF: Construction begins for Alamogordo Army Airfield in New Mexico.

RAAF: Guinea Airways Ford 5-AT-C Trimotor VH-UBI and Ford 4-AT-E Trimotor VH-UDY are impressed into service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as Ford 5-AT-CTrimotor A45-1 and Ford 4-AT-E Trimotor A45-2.

NEI: Japanese capture Samarinda on the eastern coast of Dutch Borneo.

Philippines: Japanese land reinforcements at Lingayen Gulf.

U.S. Army: In I Corps area, Japanese receive reinforcements and attack late in day to relieve pockets. While some elements increase pressure against 1st and 11th Philippine Divs, others drive toward Big Pocket until stopped by 11th Div 800 yards from objective. Small salient in corps MLR is thus formed and called Upper Pocket. In Manila Bay area, Japanese artillery emplaced at Cavite coast, near Ternate begins daily bombardment of fortified islands including Corregidor, Fort Hughes, Fort Frank, Fort Drum and South Harbor achorage south of Corregidor. The main Japanese targets are Fort Drum and Fort Frank.

U.S. Navy: Naval Coastal Frontiers are redesignated as Naval Sea Frontiers, designated Eastern, Gulf, Caribbean, Panama, Hawaiian, Northwest, Western, Philippine.

During Japanese bombardment of Corregidor, river gunboat USS Luzon (PR-7) in South Harbor off Corregidor is hit by a shell in her vacant admiral's quarters; there are no casualties.