February 13, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 13 FEBRUARY 1942

USA: U.S. and Canada approve construction of U.S. Military Highway through Canada to Alaska.

Singapore: Japanese further compress British on Singapore. Main thrusts are against W part of S Area; Br forward units pull back, night 13-14, to cover Alexandra area, where main ordnance depot and ammunition magazine are located. All remaining Br shipping--small ships and other light craft-- sail from Singapore, night 13-14. Some personnel are withdrawn in these vessels among them Rear Adm, Malaya, and Air Officer Commanding, Far East.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Eleven B-17s (three from the 19th BG and eight from the 19th BG) on a bombing mission against Japanese shipping off Makassar. This was the largest formation by Java based B-17s to date. Inbound to the target, B-17E 41-2466 aborted the mission due to engine trouble. The rest of the formation bombed through clouds, reporting: "Bombs were dropped on lights off shore - results undetermined." but claimed one ship hit. Meanwhile, B-17E "Topper" 41-2481 arrives at Bandoeng Airfield on Java.

RAN: MV Derrymore is sunk by Japanese submarine I-55 roughly 50 miles northwest of Batavia on Java.

NEI: Japanese capture Bandjermasin on southeast Borneo.

U.S. Army: On Luzon, I Corps, after searching entire area of Big Pocket without finding any live Japanese, turns its full attention to the salient, Upper Pocket, in MLR. Elements released from the Big Pocket assault force join in the battle. In South Sector, troops complete destruction of enemy in Silaiim area. Destruction of the last survivors of the Japanese amphibious attempts at Longoskawayan Point and Quinauan Point is completed.