February 20, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 20 FEBRUARY 1942

Burma: Ind 17th Div begins withdrawal behind Sittang R, 48th Brig leading.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, 7th Air Force): 19th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 18th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers from Wheeler Field to Bellows Field with P-40's.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Air echelon of 17th Bombardment Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group, begins a movement from Brisbane to Batchelor with A-24s. Ground echelon is on Bataan. Detachment of the 22d Bombardment Squadron and air echelon of 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrive at Townsville from Fiji with B-17's. The detachment of the 22d is under control of the USN. The ground echelon of the 22d BS are at Jogjakarta while the ground echelon of 88th BS is enroute from Australia to India.

NEI: Japanese invade Timor, where the Aus 2/40th Bn defends Penfoie Airfield.

U.S. Army: Japanese artillery bombardment of fortified islands reaches peak intensity.

IJN: Over eastern Java, nine A6M2 Zeros from the Tainan Kokutai (Tainan Air Group) strafe Singosari Airfield. Destoyed on the ground is B-17E 41-2455, B-17E 41-2484, B-17E 41-2488, B-17E 41-2478 and B-17E 41-2498.

FEAF: A-24s, with P-40 escort, and LB-30s attack Japanese landing force off Bail. Lost are A-24 41-15796 (MIA), A-24 41-15760 (damaged), P-40E pilot Sprague (KIA), P-40E "Colleen" Tail 6 pilot Lt. Thomas L. "Tommy" Hayes (survived).

IJN: in the morning, an H6K Mavis from Yokohama Kōkūtai (Yokohama Air Group) spots U.S. Navy (USN) Task Force 11 (TF 11) northeast of Rabaul. G4M1 Bettys from 4th Kokutai (4th Air Group) took off from Vunakanau Airfield to strike the force and focus on aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2) and are intercepted by F4F Wildcats from (VF-3) and SBD Dauntless from (VS-2) plus anti-aircraft fire and the bomber formation is nearly annihilated. Lost is G4M1 Betty pilot Ito (KIA), G4M1 Betty pilot Ono (ditched).

U.S. Navy: Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet directs Atlantic and Pacific Fleets to establish Amphibious Forces.

Darwin Harbor heavily damaged by the Japanese carrier strike yesterday is abandoned as an Allied naval base. RAF and USAAF air operations from Darwin Airfield and the vicinity continue.

Task Force 11 (TF-11) including USS Lexington (CV-2) with a screen of cruisers and destroyers under Vice Admiral Wilson Brown Jr. are enroute to attack Japanese shipping off Rabaul. Inbound, spotted by H6K Mavis from Yokohama Kōkūtai (Yokohama Air Group) and off Bougainville are targeted by G4M1 Bettys from 4th Kokutai (4th Air Group) that target the carrier. They are intercepted by the Combat Air Patrol (CAP) including F4F Wildcats from VF-3 and SBD Dauntless from VS-2 in their anti-torpedo plane role plus anti-aircraft fire and the bomber formation is nearly annihilated. During the engagement, F4F Wildcat 4031 (White F-13) pilot Edward "Butch" H. O'Hare claims five Bettys shot down in six minutes, a phenomenal performance that earns him the Medal of Honor. Detected, the Task Force withdraws without executing their mission.

Submarine USS Swordfish (SS-193) at Mariveles embarks Philippine President Manuel Quezon, his wife and two children, Vice President Sergio Osmeña, and other Philippine government officials to evacuate them from the Philippines.

Destroyer USS Stewart (DD-224), damaged by gunfire last night during the Battle of Badung Strait (Bali Sea Battle) suffers further damage when improperly shored and placed on blocks and rolls on her port side while in a Dutch floating drydock at Surabaya.