Pacific Wrecks 2021 Daily Updates
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- 4-21 April 21, 1942: Lost is B-25C 41-12486 (KIA) crashed Mount Bartle Frere returning from a search mission in heavy cloud.
- 4-20 April 20, 1942: In Australia, Lt. General George H. Brett assumes command of Allied Air Headquarters, SWPA
- 4-19 April 19, 1942: The crew of B-26 40-1418 travel aboard three outrigger canoes to Tufi arriving the next morning.
- 4-18 April 18, 1942: "Doolittle Raid" B-25B Mitchells launch from USS Hornet (CV-8) led by Colonel
James H. Doolittle bomb Japan.
- 4-17 April 17, 1942: Lost are P-40E Kittyhawk A29-7 (KIA) and P-40E Kittyhawk A29-12 (WIA) / TBM Avenger 91188 ditched off Patrick AFB
- 4-16 April 16, 1942: A direct hit from Japanese artillery disables the No. 2 gun and commander's station of Battery Grubbs on Corregidor.
- 4-15 April 15, 1942: Former U. S. Navy (USN) PT-41 is destroyed
on Mindanao / 370th Bombardment Squadron activated Geiger Field.
- 4-14 April 14, 1942: Filipino guerrillas led by Lt. Severino Antiporda attack and captured the Japanese garrison in Tayug.
- 4-13 April 13, 1942: Second day of Royce Mission hit targets and destroyed while parked is B-17E "San Antonio Rose II" 41-2447.
- 4-12 April 12, 1942: First day of Royce Mission B-25C Mitchells and B-17E Flying Fortresses hit targets in the Philippines.
- 4-11 April 11, 1942: Lost is P-40E A29-38 pilot Sgt David S. Brown captured / A-24 41-15773 pilot 2nd Lt. Gus Kitchens crashed Lae.
- 4-10 April 10, 1942: Shot down is P-40E Kittyhawk A29-24 pilot S/L John F. Jackson bails out and later returns to Port Moresby.
- 4-9 April 9, 1942: Major General King surrenders at Limay / D3A Vals sink HMS Hermes and HMAS Vampire (D68) off Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
- 4-8 April 8, 1942: In the evening, U. S. Army Major General Edward P. King decides to surrender Bataan to save his men.
- 4-7 April 7, 1942: Lost is A-24 41-15798 pilot 2nd Lt. Henry G. Swartz (MIA) dive bombing Lae.
- 4-6 April 6, 1942: Pan American Airways DC-3s begin hauling fuel and lubricants from Calcutta to Asansol bound for China.
- 4-5 April 5, 1942: "Operation C" Japanese carrier planes strike Colombo on Ceylon (Sri Lanka) / Crashed is B-17E 41-2443 on Oahu.
- 4-4 April 4, 1942: Shot down is G4M1 Betty T-361 pilot PO1c Matsuda over the Cox Peninsula near Darwin by P-40E 41-5647 pilot Landers.
- 4-3 April 3, 1942: P-39 Airacobras from the 39th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) "Cobra In The Clouds" move to Williamstown Airfield.
- 4-2 April 2, 1942: Aerial collision SBD Dauntless 2136 and SBD Dauntless 2165 lost off Oahu with the pilots rescued passengers missing.
- 4-1 April 1, 1942: Crew of B-17E 41-2446 aboard MV Matoma arrive Port Moresby / General Douglas MacArthur earns the Medal of Honor.
- April 2021
- 3-31 March 31, 1942: Lost is G3M2 Nell pilot Harada on a solo suicide bombing mission and explodes over Port Moresby.
- 3-30 March 30, 1942: Japanese warships enter Shortland Harbor and Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) occupy the Shortland Islands.
- 3-29 March 29, 1942: The ground echelon of Marine Fighting Squadron 212 (VMF-212) arrives at Port Vila Airfield on Efate.
- 3-28 March 28, 1942: Ocean liner RMS Queen Mary enters Sydney Harbor but is large to dock and personnel board a ferry to reach shore.
- 3-27 March 27, 1942: Shot down by P-40E Kittyhawk pilot John Piper is G4M1 Betty pilot Itsuda (KIA) crashed inland from Rigo.
- 3-26 March 26, 1942: Small ship MS Van Heemskerk is chartered by the U. S. Army forces in Australia as a transport.
- 3-25 March 25, 1942: Raised from Pearl Harbor, battleship USS California (BB-44) is refloated and enters dry dock.
- 3-24 March 24, 1942: Lost over Chang Mai are P-40B Warhawk P-8115 pilot McGarry (POW) and P-40B Warhawk P-8196 pilot Newkirk (KIA)
- 3-23 March 23, 1942: Japanese Army 18th Division lands at Port Blair on South Andaman Island and occupied the city without resistance.
- 3-22 March 22, 1942: Kittyhawks from RAAF No. 75 Squadron strike Lae Airfield lost is P-40E A29-16 and P-40E A29-6.
- 3-21 March 21, 1942: The first four Kittyhawks from RAAF No. 75 Squadron land at 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby.
- 3-20 March 20, 1942: At Terowie railroad station in South Australia, General Douglas MacArthur remarks "I came through and I shall return".
- 3-19 March 19, 1942: Air raid! Port Moresby Air Raid March 19, 1942 (Raid #14) eight G3M2 Nells bomb Tuaguba Hill Gun Battery
- 3-18 March 18, 1942: A6M2 Zeros from 4th Kokutai (4th Air Group) strafe MV Canberra off Torres Strait in Australia
- 3-17 March 17, 1942: The 9th Pursuit Squadron "The "Flying Knights" with P-40 Warhawks arrive at Batchelor Field near Darwin.
- 3-16 March 16, 1942: Evacuation of General MacArthur, his family and senior staff on B-17E 41-2408, B-17E 41-2429 and B-17E 41-2447.
- 3-15 March 15, 1942: Disassembled at San Francisco is A-20A Havoc 40-082 then loaded as cargo aboard a ship bound for Australia.
- 3-14 March 14, 1942: Over Horn Island with jammed guns P-40E "Poopy" pilot 2nd Lt. A. T. House spontaneously rams A6M2 Zero pilot Oishi.
- 3-13 March 13, 1942: During the night, Japanese submarine I-25 launches E14Y "Glen" floatplane piloted by W/O Fujita Nobuo
- 3-12 March 12, 1942: Aircraft and personnel arrive at Karachi Airfield in Pakistan | American personnel arrive in New Caledonia.
- 3-11 March 11, 1942: Ordered by U. S. President F. D. Roosevelt to evacuate General Douglas MacArthur departs Corregidor aboard PT-41.
- 3-10 March 10, 1942: U.S. Navy carrier aircraft strike Japaneses ships off Lae and Salamaua sinking Tenyo Maru and Yokohama Maru.
- 3-9 March 9, 1942: Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Lt. General Hein ter Poorten announces the surrender of Allied forces on Java.
- 3-8 March 8, 1942: Japanese forces capture Yogyakarta Airfield (Djogjakarta) on Java including B-17E 41-2471 repaired and test flown.
- 3-7 March 7, 1942: The British Army withdraws from Rangoon (Yangoon) in southern Burma (Myanmar).
- 3-6 March 6, 1942: The 8th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) arrives in Brisbane equipped with P-39 Airacobras.
- 3-5 March 5, 1942: Crew of Do 24K-1 X-36 burn their flying boat fifty miles south of Broome fearing Japanese air raids or invasion.
- 3-4 March 4, 1942: Operation K: H8K1 Emily Tail Y-71 bombs Mount Tantalus on Oahu shattering windows but no other damage.
- 3-3 March 3, 1942: A6M2 Zeros from 3rd Kōkūtai attack Broome destroying flying boats in Roebuck Bay and aircraft at Broome Airfield.
- 3-2 March 2, 1942: Sunk is HMS Stronghold (H50) by gunfire from heavy cruiser Maya and sunk in the Indian Ocean.
- 3-1 March 1, 1942: Japanese forces land on Java after American, British, Dutch and Australian (ABDA) defeat in the Battle of the Java Sea.
- March 2021
- 2-28 February 28, 1942: A6M2 Zeros at Napa Napa destroying Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Catalina A24-3 and Catalina A24-6.
- 2-27 February 27, 1942: Sunk is USS Langley AV-3 and in the afternoon begins the first phase of the Battle of the Java Sea.
- 2-26 February 26, 1942: Lost is C-53 41-20066 force landed near Truscott / Crashed is DC-3 "Emoe" PH-AFZ on Sumatra
- 2-25 February 25, 1942: American-British-Dutch-Australian (ABDA) "Eastern Striking Force" including HMS Encounter departs Batavia.
- 2-24 February 24, 1942: First Wake Island Raid: USS Enterprise (CV-6) carrier aircraft strike Wake and Marcus.
- 2-23 February 23, 1942: Lost is B-17E 41-2446 (aka "Swamp Ghost") pilot Captain Frederick C. Eaton, Jr. force lands in Agaiambo Swamp.
- 2-22 February 22, 1942: After dark at Garbutt
Field while taxiing B-17E 41-2434 collides with B-17E 41-2416 damaging both bombers.
- 2-21 February 21, 1942: Seaplane tender USS Curtiss (AV-4) and Patrol Squadron 14 arrives Nouméa on New Caledonia.
- 2-20 February 20, 1942: U. S. bombers and fighters strike the Japanese landing force off Bail are intercepted crashed is P-40E "Colleen".
- 2-19 February 19, 1942: Japanese carrier aircraft strike Darwin and Darwin Harbor. Crashed is A6M2 Zero 5349 pilot Toyoshima POW.
- 2-18 February 18, 1942: Artwork "Singosari Savior" by Paul Eckley depicts P-40E Warhawk pilot 2nd Lt. Adkins at Singosari Airfield.
- 2-17 February 17, 1942: A6M2 Model 21 Zeros took off from Shōhō land at Lakunai Airfield and are assigned to 4th Kōkūtai (4th Air Group).
- 2-16 February 16, 1942: Lost Martin B-10 M-531 pilot Postma damaged over Bangka Island and crashed on southern Sumatra.
- 2-15 February 15, 1942: The British Army on Singapore surrenders to the Imperial Japanese Army at Ford Factory.
- 2-14 February 14, 1942: at 6:20pm USS President Taylor ran aground west of Canton Island and efforts to tow or salvage failed.
- 2-13 February 13, 1942: Sunk is MV Derrymore hit by torpedoes fired by Japanese submarine I-55 off Batavia (Jakarta) survivors rescued.
- 2-12 February 12, 1942: Armed flyingboat Short S.23 "Centaurus A18-10 was assigned to No. 33 Squadron at Townsville.
- 2-11 February 11, 1942: Lost are Hudson A16-91 and Hudson A16-126 bomb then are shot down by A6M4 Claudes over Gasmata.
- 2-10 February 10, 1942: Civilian DH.83 Fox Moth "Irene" VH-UUS departs New Guinea for Australia where it serves in Qantas and RAAF.
- 2-9 February 9, 1942: Lost is P-40E Warhawk pilot 2nd Lt. Stone and Ki-27 Nate pilot Kurosawa over the Bataan Peninsula.
- 2-8 February 8, 1942: At 8:30pm the Japanese 25th Army under General Yamashita 5th Division and 18th Division land on Singapore Island.
- 2-7 February 7, 1942: Do 24K-1 X-1, Do 24K-1 X-24 and Do 24K-1 X-36 fly reconnaissance from Lake Grati near Soerabaja in Java.
- 2-6 February 6, 1942: Guinea Airways Ford 5-AT-C Trimotor VH-UBI and Ford 4-AT-E Trimotor VH-UDY enter service with the RAAF.
- 2-5 February 5, 1942: Landed is PBY-5 Catalina 2309 pilot Lt(jg) Richard Bull north of Ambon Island with three missing
- 2-4 February 4, 1942: Captured, stripped of possessions and Australian Army soldiers from "Lark Force" are massacred at Tol and Waitavalo
- 2-3 February 3, 1942: Five Catalinas bomb shipping in Simpson Harbor off Rabaul / Lost is B-17C 40-2062 pilot Cox crashed Java
- 2-2 February 2, 1942: U. S. Army Air Force Thomas B. McGuire, Jr. earns his wings and is commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant.
- 2-1 February 1, 1942: Lost over the target TBD-1 Devastator 1515 and TBD-1 Devastator 0298 ditch into Jaluit Lagoon.
- February 2021
- 1-31 January 31, 1942: Under repair at Bremerton Navy Yard in Bremerton is USS Saratoga (CV-3) to fix torpedo damage.
- 1-30 January 30, 1942: Guinea Airways Junkers G 31 Trimotor VH-UOW is impressed into service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
- 1-29 January 29, 1942: War correspondent George A. Weller Chicago Daily News Foreign Service departs Singapore for Java.
- 1-28 January 28, 1942: During taking off B-17D Flying Fortress 40-3067 had the left engines fail and crashed at Batchelor Field near Darwin.
- 1-27 January 27, 1942: Allied personnel are withdrawn from Tebrau Airfield on the southern tip of the Malayan Peninsula to Singapore.
- 1-26 January 26, 1942: Open fire! Battery Geary mortars on Corregidor commence fire on the Japanese positions on Bataan Peninsula.
- 1-25 January 25, 1942: The administration orders missionaries to evacuate but many stay including those at Gona Mission Station.
- 1-24 January 24, 1942: First U.S. Navy (USN) surface action since the Spanish-American War is the Battle of Balikpapan.
- 1-23 January 23, 1942: After midnight
the Japanese Army 144th Infantry Regiment "South Seas Detachment" occupies Rabaul.
- 1-22 January 22, 1942: Damaged during take off is B-17E 41-2419 at Palembang I Airfield on Sumatra then written off and abandoned
- 1-21 January 21, 1942: At Bulolo Airfield strafing Zeros destroy G 31 "Pat" VH-URQ, G 31 "Paul" VH-UOU and G 31 "Peter" VH-UOV.
- 1-20 January 20, 1942: Lost is B5N1 Kate pilot Sugihara hit by anti-aircraft fire over Rabaul crashed Mount Kombiu (Mother).
- 1-19 January 19, 1942: Japanese forces occupy Sandakan on northeast Borneo and rename it Elopura "Beautiful City".
- 1-18 January 18, 1942: During the night, PT-31 ran aground in Subic Bay and and PT-34 fires two torpedoes at a ship defective torpedoes
- 1-17 January 17, 1942: In Sunda Strait destroyer HMS Jupiter (F85) uses depth charges and gunfire to sink Japanese submarine I-60
- 1-16 January 16, 1942: Ditched is TBD Devastator 0335 pilot ACMM Harold F. Dixon and crew survive 34 days at sea in a life raft.
- 1-15 January 15, 1942: Crashed is PBY Catalina A24-11 (MIA) during take off from Kavieng Harbor.
- 1-14 January 14, 1942: Japanese warships and aircraft carriers assemble at Truk including Akagi ahead of Operation R in the South Pacific.
- 1-13 January 13, 1942: Assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 4 (MTBS-4) is PT-68 at the Training Center at Melville, Rhode Island.
- 1-12 January 12, 1942: Denied! Charles Lindbergh is refused to be recommissioned due to his vocal pre-war isolationist views.
- 1-11 January 11, 1942: Japan declares war on the Netherlands to coincide with landings at Tarakan, Borneo and Celebes (Sulawesi).
- 1-10 January 10, 1942: For eight hours General Douglas MacArthur makes his only visit to inspect forces on the Bataan Peninsula.
- 1-9 January 9, 1942: Commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant is Richard I. Bong who later becomes America's highest scoring ace of World War II.
- 1-8 January 8, 1942: Commissioned is HMAS Whyalla (J153) Bathurst class corvette in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).
- 1-7 January 7, 1942: A6M2 Zeros from the Tainan Kokutai (Tainan Air Group) arrive at Zettle Airfield on Jolo Island in the Philippines.
- 1-6 January 6, 1942: Japanese flying boats bomb Vunakanau Airfield on the ground is RAAF No. 24 Squadron Wirraways and Hudsons.
- 1-5 January 5, 1942: Zeros strafe Mariveles Seaplane Base sinking five U. S. Navy seaplanes from Patrol Wing 10 (Pat Wing 10).
- 1-4 January 4, 1942: Japanese forces occupy Manila with thousands of civilian prisoners detained at Santo Thomas University.
- 1-3 January 3, 1942: Creation of ABDA: American, British, Dutch, and Australia unified command in the South West Pacific.
- 1-2 January 2, 1942: The Japanese Army occupies Manila and Cavite. "Manila, Cavite lost; MacArthur fights on, holding Corregidor."
- 1-1 January 1, 1942: South Luzon Force withdraws across the Pampanga River at Calumpit and demolishes both bridges.
- January 2021
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