SATURDAY, 18 APRIL 1942
ALASKA (11th Air Force): 18th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 28th Composite
Goup, transfers from Elmendorf Field to Fort Greely, Kodiak with P-40's.
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA): "Doolittle Raid" against Japan is led by Col. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle, the first bombing mission against Japan. Sixteen B-25's took off from USS
Hornet (CV-8) while at sea 668 miles off Tokyo. The Hornet
departed from Alameda on April 2, and rendezvoused with USS Enterprise and ships
of Task Force 16 (TF 16) under the command of Vice Admiral William F. Halsey north of Hawaii before proceeded across the Pacific.
Fifteen of the B-25's hit targets in Tokyo, Kobe, Yokohama,
and Nagoya. Since the bombers launched earlier than scheduled and
were unable to reach their intended airfields in China. Fifteen ditch or crash and one lands in Soviet Union. Participating are:
No. 1 - B-25B 40-2344 (17th BG, 34th BS) pilot Col. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle ditched into the South China Sea
No. 2 - B-25B 40-2292 (17th BG, 37th BS) pilot Lt. Travis Hoover force landed in a rice paddy near Ningpo
No. 3 - B-25B "Whiskey Pete" 40-2270 (17th BG, 95th BS)
No. 4 - B-25B 40-2282 (17th BG, 95th BS)
No. 5 - B-25B 40-2283 (17th BG, 95th BS)
No. 6 - B-25B "Green Hornet" 40-2298 (17th BG, 95th BS)
No. 7 - B-25B "Ruptured Duck" 40-2261 pilot Lawson ditched in the South China Sea west of Shangchow in China, crew rescued
No. 8 - B-25B 40-2242 pilot York landed Primorskrai Airfield (Primiori) near Vladivostok in Soviet Union, crew returned
No. 9 - B-25B 40-2303 (17th BG, 34th BS) ***
No. 10 - B-25B 40-2250 (17th BG, 89th RS) ***
No. 11 - B-25B "Hari Carrier" 40-2249 (17th BG, 89th RS)
No. 12 - B-25B 40-2278 (17th BG, 37th BS)
No. 13 - B-25B 40-2247 (17th BG, 37th BS)
No. 14 - B-25B 40-2297 (17th BG, 89th RS)
No. 15 - B-25B "TNT" 40-2267 (17th BG, 89th RS)
No. 16 - B-25B "The Bat" 40-2268 (17th BG, 34th BS)
(SWPA, 5th Air Force): 5th Air Force units come under control of the Allied
Air Forces (SWPA) which is created in Australia to control AAF, Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Dutch elements. HQ 19th
Bombardment Group transfers from Melbourne to Garbutt Field.
Six B-26s from 22nd BG take off on a bombing mission against Rabaul, three abort due to bad weather before reaching the target. Over the target, B-26 40-1486 bombed Lakunai Airfield while the other two B-26s attacked shipping in Simpson Harbor. During the attack, B-26 "Shittenengitten" 40-1404 scored a single 500 pound bomb hit on Komaki Maru. The other bomber, B-26 40-1400 arrived late over the target and was intercepted by a pair of A6M2 Zeros from Tainan Kokutai and damaged in the left engine and crashed near shore. Two crew bailed out and were taken prisoner.
(RAAF) Shot down is P-40E A29-21 (KIA) north of Port Moresby.
