1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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Inf (PS) attacks enemy beachhead at Quinauan
Pt, but jungle terrain and enemy make progress
slow and costly. At night 3d Bn is reinf by Co B of
57th Inf. In Anyasan-Silaiim sector, 17th Pursuit
Sq and Philippine Constabulary elements push almost
to coast of Anyasan Bay, but Constabulary,
fearing counterattack, withdraws in confusion after
dark.
MALAYA—East Force continues unopposed
withdrawal toward Singapore. Japanese reach Benut
and continue southward behind Ind 11th Div. Gap
develops between the two brigs of Ind 9th Div
withdrawing along RR; 22d Brig becomes isolated
from main body.
LIBYA—Ind 4th Div is authorized to withdraw
from Benghazi since armored elements of 13 Corps,
Br Eighth Army, are too busily engaged to assist it.
Ind 7th Brig, the last to withdraw, finds its line of
retreat blocked but breaks out to S and eventually
makes its way back to Eighth Army.
29 January
U.S.—Combined Chiefs of Staff establish
ANZAC Area, covering ocean expanses between
Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. This
area is to be under U.S. naval command.
FIJI IS.—U.S. troops arrive in islands.
Luzon—II Corps withstands further efforts of
Japanese to breach MLR. In r Corps area, troops of
1st and 11th Divs operate against Little and Big
Pockets, respectively, in effort to determine their
strength and disposition, and evoke sharp opposition.
Scouts of 1st Bn, 45th Inf,, prepare to assist
11th Div in attack on Big Pocket. In South Sector,
after half-hour arty preparation augmented by fire
of mine sweeper offshore, ad Bn of 57th Inf (PS)
attacks and clears Longoskawayan Pt; enemy remnants
are being mopped up. 3d Bn of 45th Inf (PS)
continues to make slow and costly progress at
Quinauan Pt. In Anyasan-Silaiim sector, Scouts of
2d Bn, 45th Inf, prepare for attack and are reinf by
1st Bn of Philippine Constabulary and 1st Bn of
12th Inf (PA), both of these having been relieved
at Quinauan Pt. Co A of 57th Inf is to guard West
Road.
MALAYA—Withdrawal toward Singapore continues.
Additional elements of Br 18th Div arrive
at Singapore; also, a sq of obsolete light tanks arrives
from India, the only tanks to reach Malaya.
NEI—Japanese occupy Pontianak, on W coast
of Dutch Borneo.
IRAN—Great Britain and Soviet Union sign
treaty of alliance with Iran, wherein Iran agrees to
remain neutral; Britain and USSR promise to withdraw
their troops from Iranian territory 6 months
after hostilities with Axis cease. (Persian Corridor
[ 29–31 JANUARY 1942 ]
is to become principal route for movement of
supplies to USSR.)
LIBYA—Axis main forces remain in Msus area,
but elements pursue Ind 4th Div of Br Eighth Army
as it falls back slowly toward Derna line.
USSR—On central front, Red Army continues
to deepen salient SW of Kaluga and reports capture
of Sukhinichi.
30 January
P.I—Gen MacArthur takes control of all
naval forces in the Philippines.
Luzon—In Sector C of II Corps, efforts to dislodge
enemy from Pilar R bridgehead fail. Indecisive
fighting continues along MLR. I Corps makes
slow progress against enemy pockets behind MLR.
While 1st Div attempts to reduce Little Pocket,
elements of 11th and 45th Regts attack Big Pocket
from N and S, respectively. In South Sector, 3d Bn
of 45th Inf, reinf, continues to attack Quinauan Pt
beachhead. 2d Bn of same regt, reinf, supported by
88th FA battery, pushes slowly toward Silaiim R
mouth.
MALAYA—British withdrawal to Singapore
reaches its final stage. East Force is the first unit
to cross causeway and is followed by Ind 11th Div
and West Force. West Force delays withdrawal as
long as possible in futile effort to recover 22d Brig
of Ind 9th Div. Remnants of this brig are eventually
ferried across Strait of Singapore. It is decided to
withdraw Malaya Air Force to NEI except for a
single squadron.
NEI—Japanese invade Ambon (Amboina),
second largest naval base in NEI, and are opposed
by garrison of Dutch and Australians. Allied air
and naval forces have already been withdrawn because
of enemy air attacks.
B URMA—Japanese open strong attack on
Moulmein and seize the airdrome.
31 January
U.S.—Gen Stilwell, in memo to Gen Marshall,
estimates his needs for China assignment and requests
that his staff and any forces that may join
it be called a task force. War Department subsequently
approves designation of Stilwell’s forces as
U.S. Task Force in China.
LUZON—After air and arty preparation, Japanese
begin attack on II Corps in evening but are
halted by corps fire. Enemy regt concealed in bridgehead
across Pilar R begins withdrawing under cover
of darkness. I Corps continues battle against enemy
pockets in sectors of 1st and 11th Divs. The pockets
are now cut off from supply. In South Sector, operations
against enemy beachhead at Quinauan Pt
continue with little change in positions. Japanese