1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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25 February
ABDA COMMAND—Is dissolved and defense of
Java is left to the Dutch, who are to be assisted by
Br, Aus, and U.S. detachments.
BURMA—Japanese are infiltrating into Pegu
Yomas through gap of some 30–40 miles that exists
between Burma 1st Div at Nyaunglebin and Ind
17th Div at Pegu, threatening Rangoon–Mandalay
road.
INDIA—Gen Stilwell, who receives rank of Lt
Gen, AUS, confers with GHQ, India, at New Delhi.
26 February
P.I.—Japanese amphibious force, consisting of
a bn of infantry and a FA battery, sails from Olongapo,
Luzon, for Mindoro.
AUSTRALIA—U.S. TF bound for New Caledonia
reaches Australia.
INDIAN OCEAN—USS Langley (ACV), with 32
fighters on board, is sunk en route to Java by Japanese
planes.
BURMA—Hard fighting is developing in Waw
area, NE of Pegu, as enemy continues infiltration
westward from Sittang R.
LIBYA—13 Corps is responsible for defenses organized
in depth over 36-mile area from Gazala to
Bir Hacheim. 30 Corps prepares defensive positions
on frontier and has detachment at Giarabub.
27 February
U.S.—President Roosevelt, by executive order,
authorizes creation of joint Mexican–U.S. Defense
Commission. Brig Gen Raymond A. Wheeler, now
in Iran, is named commander of SOS CBI; Gen
Wheeler is also to continue as chief of Iranian
Mission.
P.I.—Japanese force lands on NE Mindoro,
where a town and airfield are overrun. No effort is
made to secure rest of island. Enemy blockade about
the Philippines is thus tightened.
JAVA SEA—Organized Allied naval resistance
collapses during Battle of Java Sea. Combined naval
TF under Adm Doorman attacks Japanese convoy
approaching Java and is decisively defeated. Br DD’s
Electra and Jupiter and Dutch DD Kortenaer are
sunk, as are Dutch cruisers De Ruyter and Java.
Japanese sustain some damage but not enough to
interfere with their plan for completing conquest
of NEI.
INDIA—Gen Wavell arrives in New Delhi from
Java.
FRANCE—British successfully raid radio location
station at Bruneval during night 27–28, dropping
parachute force of 120.
[ 25 FEBRUARY– 1 MARCH 1942 ]
28 February
U.S.—War Department directive gives Gen
Wheeler mission of expediting flow of supplies and
equipment to Gen Stilwell.
NEI—After severe air attacks on air and naval
installations, Japanese 16th Army invades Java during
night 28 February–1 March, going ashore on N
coast and making main effort near Batavia. Allied
planes attack enemy shipping before and during
landing. Adm Doorman’s naval force, split into
small groups, heads toward Soenda Strait in effort
to escape from Java Sea; some of the vessels are not
heard from again. Sea Witch, with 27 crated P–40’s
on board, reaches Tjilatjap safely, but P–40’s are
destroyed to prevent them from falling into enemy
hands.
BURMA—Br Imperial forces fall back on Pegu
from Payagyi and Waw in anticipation of general
withdrawal.
1 March
MIDWAY—MAG 22 is formed from squadrons
on the island.
LUZON—Japanese 14th Army, during period 6
January to date, has suffered severe setback on
Luzon and sustained almost 7,000 casualties (2,700
killed and over 4,000 wounded).
NEI—Japanese, now in undisputed control
of air and sea, make rapid progress on the ground
on Java. Allied planes based on Java are virtually
wiped out, many of them on the ground. After a
final effort to stall enemy by air, surviving air personnel
begin assembling in Jogjakarta, the last remaining
airfield in Java, for withdrawal to Australia.
Since Java ports are untenable, Allied naval
command is dissolved and ships are directed to
withdraw to Australia. U.S. DD’s Edsall and Pillsbury
and PG Asheville, as well as a few Br corvettes,
are unable to make good their escape. Of Adm Doorman’s
original Java Sea striking force (5 cruisers
and 10 DD’s), only 4 U.S. DD’s succeed in reaching
Australia. Cruisers Houston (U.S.) and Perth
(Aus) and DD’s Pope (U.S.), Encounter (Br), and
Evertsen (Dutch) are lost while trying to escape.
BURMA—Burma 1st Div covers concentration of
Ch 5th Army in Toungoo area. 200th Div of the
army, which is already disposed in this area, regains
Nyaunglebin and Pyuntaza, on Rangoon–
Mandalay road. Gen Wavell arrives in Burma and
orders Rangoon held as long as possible, at least
until reinforcements en route (63d Brig Gp) arrive.
Ind 17th Div returns toward Waw, which is to be
defended.
USSR—Soviet advance comes to a halt during
March. Battle line remains about the same throughout
month, despite continued fighting on all fronts.