SUNDAY, 1 MARCH 1942
SWPA, 5th Air Force - The last heavy bomber mission is flown from Java, Air echelon of 9th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating from Jogjakarta and begins a movement to India with B-17's and LB-30's. Ground echelon is
already enroute from Australia to India. 11th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), begins a movement from Jogjakarta to Melbourne with B-17's and LB-30's. Air echelon of 14th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group [attached to 19th Bombardment
Group (Heavy)] ceases operating from Singosari with B-17's, B-24's and LB-30's and begins moving to Melbourne. Ground
echelon is at Bugo, Mindanao. 33d Bombardment Squadron (Medium),
22d Bombardment Group (Medium), transfers from Brisbane to Ipswich, Australia
with B-26's; first mission is 6 Apr. Air echelon of 91st Bombardment Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group, ceases operating from Malang and begins moving to Brisbane; ground echelon is on Bataan. 93d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy),
transfers from Singosari to Melbourne. HQ 27th Bombardment Group transfers from Bataan to Batchelor Field. HQ 35th Pursuit Group (Interceptor)
transfers from Brisbane to New Delhi.
RN: During the Second Battle of the Java Sea (The Battle off Bawean Island) sunk HMS Encounter (H10), HMS Exeter (68) and USS Pope (DD-225).
USN: Sunk is USS Edsall DD-219.
MONDAY, 2 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 5 B-17's and 3 LB-30's (the last
airplane taking off just before midnight) evacuate the last 260 men from Jogjakarta Airfield
the last airfield on Java in Allied hands. Japanese ground forces are within 20 miles at this
time. Bataan based P-40's attack shipping in Subic Bay. The pilots claim considerable
damage to the ships, but 4 of the few P-40's remaining on Bataan are lost. HQ
V Bomber Command ceases operating on Java and ceases to function as an operational unit. HQ 19th Bombardment Group
transfers from Singosari to Melbourne. 2d and 19th Bombardment Squadrons (Medium), 22d Bombardment
Group (Medium), transfer from Brisbane to Ipswich, Australia with B-26's; first
mission is in April.
RAAF: Hudson A16-101 flew a high altitude reconnaissance mission over Rabaul.
TUESDAY, 3 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Japanese aircraft attack the airfield
and harbor at Broome, Australia at 1000 hours, shortly after the arrival of
9 heavy bombers evacuating men from Java,
NEI. The Japanese destroy 2 B-17's, 2 B-24's, 12 seaplanes, and 2 Hudsons, and
kill at least 45 Dutch civilians and 20 US airmen.
USN: After being damaged in battle and forced to the surface, USS Perch SS-176 is scuttled by her crew who are made POWs.
RAAF: Five Hudsons took off from 7 Mile Drome on nighttime bombing raid on Gasmata. Lost overnight are Hudson A16-101 and Hudson A16-165.
IJN: Japanese fighters attack Broome, causing Australia's second worst air raid. 70 people
were killed and 24 aircraft destroyed, including 16 flying
boats
by an attacking force of nine A6M2 Zeros led by C5M2 Babs piloted by Akira Hayashi. They took off from Keopang, Timor and attacked Broome for 15 minutes. Lost is A6M2 Zero Kudo (MIA). Another
ditched after the mission. Lost were Loadstar LT9-18, B-24A 40-2373, Loadstar A16-119, Do24 X-1, RAF PBY Catalina, Dutch Navy PBY Catalina, S.23 "Centaurus" A18-10, S.23 "Corinna" G-AEUC, B-17E 41-2449 and B-17E 41-2454. Shot down is B-24A 40-2374.
WEDNESDAY, 4 MARCH 1942
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (7th Air Force): A lone Japanese H8K1 Emily flying boat tail Y-71 attempts to attack Honolulu, but experienced bad weather and instead bombs Tantalus harmlessly.
Overcast conditions prevent successful pursuit by 7th Air Force fighters.
(SWPA, 5th Air Force): 11th and 22d Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy), 7th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), arrive at Melbourne from Jogjakarta with B-17's and LB-30's. Air echelon of 14th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
7th Bombardment Group [attached to 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy)] begins
operating from Melbourne with B-17's, B-24's and LB-30's; ground echelon is at Bugo,
Mindanano attached to 5th Interceptor Command (Provisional). Air
echelon of 28th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Singosari to Melbourne with B-17's, B-24's and LB-30's. Ground echelon
remains in Luzon and Mindanano attached to the 5th Interceptor
Command (Provisional).
USN - First Raid on Marcus USS Enterprise, as part of Task Force 16 (Vice
Admiral W. F. Halsey), moved to within 1,000 miles of Japan to launch air attacks
on Marcus Island.
THURSDAY, 5 MARCH 1942
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (10th Air Force): Major General Lewis H Brereton who arrived in India from the NEI on 25 Feb, formally takes command of the 10th Air Force, which at this time has 8 tactical aircraft (B-17's).
British remove Thomas Hutton from command of their forces on Burma, and replace
him with General Sir Harold Alexander, who two days later will have to retreat
from Rangoon.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Air echelon of 30th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrives at Melbourne from Singosari with B-17's, B-24's and LB-30's. The ground echelon is on Luzon and Mindanao , Philippines attached to the 5th Interceptor Command (Provisional).
FRIDAY, 6 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): HQ 8th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) and 35th, 36th and 80th Pursuit Squadrons (Interceptor) arrive at Brisbane, Australia from the US with P-39's; first mission in Apr.
SATURDAY, 7 MARCH 1942
BURMA - British forces retreat from Rangoon.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): HQ 22d Bombardment Group (Medium) transfers from Brisbane to Ipswich, Australia.
USN - Patrol Wing 10 completed withdrawal from the Philippines and the Netherlands
East Indies, and established headquarters in Perth, for patrol operations along
the west coast of Australia.
USN - The practicability of using a radio sonobuoy in aerial anti-submarine
warfare was demonstrated in an exercise conducted off New London by the K-5
blimp and the S-20 submarine. The buoy could detect the sound of the submerged
submarine's propellers at distances up to three miles, and radio reception aboard
the blimp was satisfactory up to five miles.
SUNDAY, 8 MARCH 1942
ALASKA (11th Air Force): Colonel William O Butler assumes command of the 11th
Air Force with HQ at Ft Richardson, 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 - The last mission by the Allied air force in Java is flown by two Hurricanes.
On the next day the island commander surrenders to the Japanese.
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; ground echelon
is on Bataan. 89th and 90th Bombardment Squadrons,
3d Bombardment Group transfer from Brisbane to Charters
Towers with A-20's; first mission is in Apr. Following units
transfer from Brisbane to Ballarat: HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 15th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) with B-26's. Ground echelon of 69th
Bombardment Squadron (Medium) also transfers; air echelon of 69th remains in
US until May 1942. 39th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 35th Pursuit Group (Interceptor)
with P-39's.
USN: Inshore Patrol Squadron VS-2-D14 which had arrived at Bora Bora on 17
February, inaugurated air operations in the Society Islands.
MONDAY, 9 MARCH 1942
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (10th Air Force): Japanese forces
complete the capture of Rangoon dealing China a great blow by cutting
off supplies from the Burma Road.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Crashed while attempting to land was B-26 "Thunderbird" 40-1480 (one died).
TUESDAY, 10 MARCH 1942
SWPA, 5th Air Force: HQ 3d Bombardment Group and 13th Bombardment Squadron
transfer from Brisbane to Charters
Towers with A-20's; first mission is 6 Apr. Arriving at Brisbane
are the A-24 air echelons of the following 27th Bombardment Group
units:
16th and 17th Bombardment Squadrons from Batchelor Field and 91st Bombardment Squadron from Malang.
Ground echelon of all 3 squadrons is on Bataan.
(USN) Task Force 11 (TF-11) carrier
air strike was launched from aircraft carriers USS Lexington and USS Yorktown in the
Gulf
of Papua. Supporting
them was Heavy Cruiser USS Astoria. 104 aircraft participated, flying over the
Owen Stanley Range in New Guinea. SBDs hit Lae and
the bomber and torpedeo squadrons hit Salamaua,
both raids caught the Japanese by surprise and hiting shipping engaged in landing
troops and
supplies.
One converted light cruiser, Tenyo Maru and Yokohama Maru were sunk and other ships damaged including Kokai Maru. Lost is SBD Dauntless 2130. Two SBDs landed at Port Morseby on
the way back. Meanwhile, six B-17s of the 435th BS lead by Major Richard H. Carmichael took off from Garbutt Field on a bombing mission against Lae Airfield. This was the only mission in the New Guinea theater when the U. S. Navy and USAAF units operated together.
A contract with the Office of Scientific Research and Development became
effective whereby the Johns Hopkins University agreed to operate a laboratory
which became known as the Applied Physics Laboratory. This was one of several
important steps in the transition of the radio-proximity fuze from development
to large scale production. Other steps taken within the next 6 weeks included
the organizational transfer of Section T from the National Defense Research
Committee directly to the Office of Scientific Research and Development and
the relocation of most of the Section T staff from the Carnegie Institution
of Washington to the Applied Physics Laboratory at Silver Spring, Maryland.
WEDNESDAY, 11 MARCH 1942
PHILIPPINES - At dusk on 11 March General MacArthur on PT 41, and Admiral
Rockwell on PT-34 escapes Corregidor by PT boat to Mindanao, then
from Del Monte Airfield aboard a B-17 Flying Fortress on March 15.
THURSDAY, 12 MARCH 1942
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (10th Air Force): 10 P-40's
arrive in Karachi, India by ship from Australia. Arriving at Karachi are: HQ 7th Bombardment Group and 88th Reconnaissance Squadron
from Australia; the air echelon of the 88th is at Townsville with B-17's; 88th will be redesignated 436th Bombardment Squadron
on April 22nd; last mission from Australia is March 14; first mission is CBI
is 4 June; and 16th and 25th Pursuit Squadrons, 51st Pursuit Group, from the US with P-40's; first mission is in July 42.
NEW CALEDONIA - US Forces arrive in New Caledonia.
FRIDAY, 13 MARCH 1942
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (10th Air Force): 26th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 51st Pursuit Group (Interceptor), arrives at Karachi from the US with P-40's; first mission is 15 Oct.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 36th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor),
8th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers from Brisbane to Lowood, Australia
with P-39's.
RAAF - During a Japanese strafing attack Ford Trimotor A45-2 is destroyed on the ground at 7-Mile Drome.
SATURDAY, 14 MARCH 1942
CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (10th Air Force): HQ 51st Pursuit
Group (Interceptor) arrives at Karachi from the US. 9th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrives at Karachi from Australia with B-17's; first mission is 2 Apr.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 13th Reconnaissance Squadron
(Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Melbourne to Laverton with B-17's; the 13th will be redesignated 403d Bombardment Squadron
on 22 Apr; first mission is Oct 42. Air echelon of 14th Bombardment
Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), ceases operating from Melbourne,
Australia with B-17's; men and equipment are transferred to other units; the
ground echelon is at Bugo, Mindanano and fights as infantry; the unit is carried
as an active unit but is not manned or equipped after the surrender of the
Philippiness in May 42. Detachment of the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
7th Bombardment Group, ceases operating from Townsville and returns to base at Melbourne with B-17's. 40th Reconnaissance Squadron is formed at Townsville,
Australia with LB-30's and assigned to 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy); first
mission is today; squadron is redesignated 435th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy)
on 22 Apr. Air echelon of 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), ceases operating from Townsville with B-17's and begins moving to Karachi; squadron is redesignated
436th Bombardment Squadron on 22 Apr; first mission in CBI is 4 Jun. Crashed is B-17D "The Gazelle" 40-3079 (one killed).
IJN: G4M1 Betty bombers escorted by A6M2 Zeros attack Horn Island at 11:25am. Over the target, the formation is intercepted by 49th Fighter Group P-40 Warhawks. Lost is A6M2 piloted by Oishi.
SUNDAY, 15 MARCH 1942
ALASKA (11th Air Force): XI Interceptor Command is activated at Elmendorf Field Colonel Norman D Sillin commanding. Its operational
components are the 11th and the 18th Pursuit Squadrons (Interceptor).
SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (SOPAC, 7th Air Force): 67th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor),
58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), the first AAF tactical unit in the theater,
arrives on New Caledonia from the US with P-400's.
MONDAY, 16 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Three B-17's of the 40th Reconnaissance
Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group begin evacuating General Douglas
MacArthur, his family, and his staff from Del
Monte to
Bachelor Field.
39th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 35th Pursuit Group (Interceptor),
transfers from Ballarat to Mount Gambier with P-39's; first combat
is 2 Jun. 64th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy),
arrives at Sydney, Australia from the US with B-17's; first mission is 13 Aug.
68th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 58th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), arrives
at Amberly Field from the US with P-39's.
TUESDAY, 17 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): General Douglas MacArthur arrives
in Australia to assume command of United Nations forces in the SWPA. He actually
assumed command on 18 Apr. 8th Bombardment Squadron, 3d Bombardment Group, transfers from
Brisbane to Charters Towers with A-20's; first mission is 1 Apr. 9th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor),
49th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) transfers from Williamstown to Batchelor with P-40's; first mission is 18 Mar.
WEDNESDAY, 18 MARCH 1942
Crashed on take off is B-17B 38-264
THURSDAY, 19 MARCH 1942
FRIDAY, 20 MARCH 1942
SATURDAY, 21 MARCH 1942
RAAF: Shot down off Port Moresby is G4M1 Betty piloted by Kawai by P-40E Kittyhawk piloted by Wackett and P-40E Kittyhawk pilot Cox.
SUNDAY, 22 MARCH 1942
(RAAF) S23 "Corinthian" G-AEUF crashes on landing at Darwin Harbor.
In New Guinea,
75 Squadron P-40s strafe Lae Airfield, two Zeros flying top cover dive down to attack them. Other P-40s arrive, lost is P-40E Kittyhawk A29-16 (POW/MIA pilot captured, later executed). Intercepting, two Zeros were shot down by Hudson gunners. Lost are A6M2 piloted by Yamazaki (WIA, survived) and A6M2 piloted by Kikuchii (KIA).
MONDAY, 23 MARCH 1942
TUESDAY, 24 MARCH 1942
PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, 7th Air Force): 23d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th
Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Hickam Field to Mokuleia Field with B-17's and continues flying patrols.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Air echelon of 91st Bombardment
Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group, ceases operating from Brisbane,
Australia and begins moving to Charters
Towers with A-24s. Ground echelon is on Bataan.
AVG: Lost due to anti-aircraft fire is P-40B Warhawk 15452 (POW, survived).
RAAF: Crashed while landing is P-40E "Poison P" A29-125 (KIA).
WEDNESDAY, 25 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 16th and 17th Bombardment Squadrons
, 27th Bombardment Group, cease operating from Brisbane
with A-24s and begin moving to Charters
Towers.
THURSDAY, 26 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 3 B-17's of the 40th Reconnaissance
Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), evacuate Philippines President
Manual L Quezon and his family to Australia.
US Army - A medal of honor is presented to General Douglas MacArthur for his service
in the Philippines, despite his having spent no time in actual combat.
RAAF - Force landed is Hudson A16-139
FRIDAY, 27 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 30th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Melbourne to Cloncurry, Australia
with B-17's; ground echelon is on Bataan and Mindanao.
RAAF: Lost is P-40E A29-19 (MIA).
IJN: Lost is G4M1 Betty piloted by Itsuda (KIA)
USMC: The forward echelon
of Marine Fighter Squadron VMF-212 arrived on Efate to construct an airfield for Marine aircraft.
SATURDAY, 28 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): HQ 43d Bombardment Group
and 63d and 65th Bombardment Squadrons arrive at Sydney, Australia from
the US with B-17's; first mission is 14 Aug and 12 Nov respectively.
28th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers
from Melbourne to Cloncurry with B-17's; a detachment begins operating
from Perth; ground echelon is on Bataan on Mindanao.
80th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 8th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers
from Brisbane to Lowood, Australia with P-39's; first mission is 22 Jul.
SUNDAY, 29 MARCH 1942
SWPA, 5th Air Force: 19th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 22d Bombardment Group
(Medium), transfers from Ipswich to Townsville with B-26's; first mission is 6 Apr. 93d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy),
19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Melbourne to Cloncurry, Australia
with B-17's; ground echelon is on Bataan and Mindanao; first mission
is 23 Jul.
USMC: Marines arrive on Efate in New Hebrides
MONDAY, 30 MARCH 1942
USN - Two U.S. commands established in Pacific Nimitz in 'Ocean Zone' and MacArthur
in south Pacific
TUESDAY, 31 MARCH 1942
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 8th Bombardment Squadron,
3d Bombardment Group, transfers from Charters
Towers to Port Moresby with A-20's; first mission
is 1 April.
