February 16, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 16 FEBRUARY 1942

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): HQ 49th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) and 7th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) transfer from Melbourne to Bankstown, Australia with P-40's; the 8th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) transfers from Melbourne to Canberra with P-40's. Air echelon of the 16th Bombardment Squadron , 27th Bombardment Group, transfers from Brisbane to Batchelor with A-24s. The ground echelon is on Bataan.

U.S, Army: On Luzon, in I Corps reduces salient in MLR to area 75 by 100 yards. In South Sector, enemy remnants from Silaiim Point, attempting to escape northward, are detected about 7 miles from the point and destroyed in 2-day fight. The Japanese destroy a section of pipeline on Cavite that supplies fresh water to Fort Frank on Carabao Island. As a result, Fort Frank begins operating a distillation plant to create fresh water.

NEI: Withdrawal of British personnel and operational aircraft from Sumatra to Java is completed. Equipment is left behind at Oesthaven. Allied convoy bound for Timor is recalled to Darwin because of heavy attacks by Japanese planes.

Allied convoy with reinforcements including the Australian Army 2/4 Pioneer Bn and U.S. 148th Field Artilery Regiment, less one battaion departs Darwin bound for Koepang on Timor. The units are to secure Penfoie Airfield as the only Allied airfield on Timor.

NEIAF: Lost is B-10 M-531 pilot Elt.KV.Vlg.Wnr. Taede Postma (MIA) bombing a Japanese convoy off Muntok (Mentok) on Bangka Island off Sumatra.

U.S. Navy: Japanese planes bomb a U.S. Timor-bound convoy, escorted by heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) with destroyer USS Peary (DD-226); U.S. Army transport USAT Miegs is damaged by near misses and SS Mauna Loa is damaged by a near-miss with one crew member killed and one soldier killed plus 18 wounded. Houston's heavy anti-aircraft fire saves the convoy from further damage, but the imminent fall of Timor results in the recall of the convoy back to Darwin.