March 8, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 8 MARCH 1942

ALASKA (11th Air Force): Colonel William O. Butler assumes command of the 11th Air Force with HQ at Fort Richardson in Anchorage.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (10th Air Force): HQ 10th Air Force begins moving from Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio to India. Between this date and 13 Mar, the 8 B-17's in India transport 474 troops and 29 tons (26.3 metric tonnes) of supplies from India to Magwe, Burma and on the return flights evacuate 423 civilians.

JAVA: Two Hurricanes fly the last Allied mission on Java.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Air echelons of 16th and 17th Bombardment Squadrons, 27th Bombardment Group, cease operating from Batchelor Field and begin a movement to Brisbane with A-24s while their ground echelon are at Bataan. 89th Bombardment Squadron and 90th Bombardment Squadron, 3d Bombardment Group transfer from Brisbane to Charters Towers with A-20s; first mission is in April 1942. Following units transfer from Brisbane to Ballarat: HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 15th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) with B-26s. Ground echelon of 69th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) also transfers; air echelon of 69th remains in the U.S. until May 1942. Also transfering is 39th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 35th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) with P-39s.

IJA: Japanese forces capture Djogjakarta Airfield (Yogyakarta) on Java including the wreckage of B-17E 41-2471. In New Guinea, Japanese forces occupy Lae and Lae Airfield.

New Guinea: Japanese forces occupy Lae and Salamaua on the north coast of New Guinea.

USN: Inshore Patrol Squadron VS-2-D14 begins air operations over the Society Islands.

Peru: The first American forces arrive at Talara Airfield in Peru.