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

WEDNESDAY, 8 APRIL 1942

U.S. Army: Late in the evening, Major General Edward P. King decides to surrender the Bataan Peninsula and notice of the surrender is communicated to defenders to destroy equipment while key personnel including Army nurses were evacuated on a motor launch to Corregidor. At 9:30pm a natural earthquake of large proportions shook the entire Bataan Peninsula adding to the confusion and urgency.

IJA: Japanese forces occupy Lorengau on Manus.

(SWPA, 5th Air Force): The air echelons of the 3d, 17th and 20th Pursuit Squadrons (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), and 21st and 34th Pursuit Squadrons (Interceptor), 35th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) [attached to 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor)] based on Bataan begin operating from Mindanao with whatever aircraft are left. B-26 Marauders from 2nd Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 22nd Bombardment Group (Medium) fly their first combat mission in the SWPA. Eleven B-25C Mitchells from 3rd Bombardment Group (3rd BG) were selected for the mission (eight from 13th Bombardment Squadron and three from 90th Bombardment Squadron) are selected for the Royce Mission and flown from Charters Towers Airfield to Archerfield Airfield for installation of 12,000 gallon axillary fuel tanks in the bomb bay for the planned flight to the Philippines.