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 Home > History > The 5th Air Force in WWII > December 1941



Monday 8 December 1941

The first word of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is received on Luzon, Philip-pine Islands by commercial radio between 0300-0330 hours local. Within 30 minutes radar at Iba Field, Luzon plots a formation of airplanes 75-miles (120-km) offshore, heading for Corregidor Island. P-40's are sent out to intercept but make no contact. Shortly before 0930 hours, after Japanese aircraft are detected over Lingayen Gulf heading toward Manila, B-17's at Clark Field, Luzon are ordered airborne to prevent being caught on the ground. Fighters from Clark and Nichols Fields are sent to intercept the enemy but do not make contact. The Japanese airplanes swing East and bomb military installations at Baguio, Tarlac, Tuguegarao, and airfields at Cabantuan are also attacked. By 1130 hours, the B-17's and fighters sent into the air earlier have landed at Clark and Iba Fields for refueling, and radar has disclosed another flight of Japanese aircraft 70-miles (112-km) West of Lingayen Gulf, headed South. Fighters from Iba Field make a fruitless search over the South China Sea. Fighters from Nichols Field are dispatched to patrol over Bataan and Manila. Around 1145 hours a formation is reported headed South over Lingayen Gulf. Fighters are ordered from Del Carmen Field to cover Clark Field but fail to arrive before the Japanese hit Clark shortly after 1200 hours. B-17's and many fighters at Clark Field are caught on the ground, but a few P-4O's manage to get airborne. 2d Lieutenant Randall B. Keator of the 20th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), shoots down the first Japanese aircraft over the Philippines. The P-40's earlier sent on patrol of the South China Sea return to Iba Field with fuel running low at the beginning of a Japanese attack on that airfield. The P-40's fail to prevent bombing but manage to prevent low-level strafing of the sort which proved so destructive at Clark Field. At the end of the day's action it is apparent that the Japanese have won a major victory. The effective striking power of Far East Air Force has been destroyed, the fighter strength has been seriously reduced, most B-17 maintenance facilities have been demolished, and about 90 men have been killed.


Tuesday 9 December 1941

Shortly after 0300 hours, Japanese aircraft attack Nichols Field. This attack, added to the previous day's raids on Clark and Iba Fields, leaves the Far East Air Force strength reduced by half. Only 17 of 35 B-17's remain in commission; about 55 P-40's, 3 P-35's, and close to 30 other aircraft (B-10's, B-18's, and observation airplanes) have been lost in aerial combat or destroyed on the ground. During the morning and afternoon, B-17's from Mindanao Island fly reconnaissance missions and land on Clark and San Marcelino Fields on Luzon. Several more B-17's are flown from Mindanao Island to these Luzon bases for resistance against a possible invasion attempt. The 3d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers from Iba Airfield to Nichols Field, Luzon with P-40's. The 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), based at Nichols Field begins operating from Clark Field, Luzon with P-40's.


Wednesday 10 December 1941

B-17's, P-40's, and P-35's attack a convoy landing troops and equipment at Vigan and at Aparri in N.Luzon. 1 transport at Vigan is destroyed. The strikes include the much publicized attack of Captain Colin P Kelly Jr of the 14th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy) on a warship off Aparri. Captain Kelly, who is killed when his B-17 is shot down by fighters as he is returning to Clark Field, is later posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for destroying a battleship. However, later information reveals that he attacked the heavy cruiser ASHIGARA, probably scoring near misses.


Thursday 11 December 1941

Italy and Germany declare war on the United States.


Friday 12 December 1941

More than 100 Japanese aircraft hit targets at Clark Field, Batangas, and Olongapo on Luzon Island. No hits are scored by the single B-17 that is sent against Japanese transports at Vigan. The 3d Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers from Nichols Field to Ternate, Luzon and operating from Del Carmon, Luzon with P-40's.


Saturday 13 December 1941

1st Lieutenant Boyd D Wagner of the 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), shoots down 4 Japanese airplanes near Aparri while on a reconnaissance mission over North Luzon. In another action, Captain Jesus Villamor of the Philippine Air Force leads 6 P-26's in an interception of 54 Japanese bombers attacking Batangas Field, Luzon; their harassing tactics minimized the damage to the field.


Sunday 14 December 1941

B-17's are sent against the Japanese beachhead at Legaspi, Luzon. 1st Lieutenant Hewitt T Wheless is later awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for bringing his bullet-riddled B-17 back from the mission to an emergency crashlanding at Cagayan, Mindanao Island.


Tuesday 16 December 1941

1st Lieutenant Boyd D. Wagner of the 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), leads a dive-bombing raid on the airfield at Vigan and shoots down his fifth aircraft, thereby becoming the first Army Air Forces "Ace" in World War II.


Wednesday 17 December 1941

B-17's, evacuating Luzon, begin arriving at Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Captain Floyd J Pell arrives in Australia to begin arrangements for the use of Australian facilities by the Far East Air Force.


Friday 19 December 1941

The air echelon of the 93d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Clark Field, Luzon to Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia with B-17's. The ground echelon is attached to the 5th Interceptor Command (Provisional) and will fight as infantry on Luzon and Mindanao Islands in the Philippines.


Saturday 20 December 1941

The air echelon of the 30th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Clark Field, Luzon to Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia with B-17's. The ground echelon is reassigned to the 5th Interceptor Command (Provisional) and will fight as infantry in the Philippines.


Monday 22 December 1941

9 B-17's from Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, attack shipping in Davao Bay, Mindanao Island and land at Del Monte on Mindanao Island. HQ 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the ground echelon of it's 9th, 11th and 22d Bombardment Squadrons (Heavy) and attached 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) arrive at Brisbane, Australia from the US. The air echelons of the 9th and 11th are enroute from the US to Australia with B-17's; the air echelons of the 22d and 88th are operating from Hickam Field, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii until 5 January 1942 and 10 February 1942 respectively with B-17's. The 16th, 17th and 91st Bombardment Squadrons (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light) transfer from Ft William McKinley to Lipa Airfield, San Fernando and San Marceleno, Luzon respectively without aircraft.


Tuesday 23 December 1941

4 B-17's take off from Del Monte on Mindanao Island after midnight during the night of 22/23 Dec and bomb shipping in Lingayen Gulf, Luzon. 12 P-4O's and 6 P-35's strafe forces landing in San Miguel Bay on Luzon. The Far East Air Force comes under control of the newly-created US Forces in Australia (USFIA). Major General Lewis H. Brereton, Commanding General Far East Air Force, receives orders establishing HQ Far East Air Force at Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.


Wednesday 24 December 1941

3 B-17's fly from Del Monte, Mindanao Island during the night of 24/25 Dec, bomb the airfield and shipping at Davao on Mindanao Island and land at Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. 2 airplanes leave Manila, Luzon for Darwin with personnel of HQ Far East Air Force. Army Air Force units on Luzon, as well as ground forces, begin moving to Bataan Peninsula. HQ 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the air echelon of the 28th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) transfer from Clark Field, Luzon to Batchelor Field with B-17's. The ground echelon of the 28th will fight as infantry on Luzon and Mindanao. The air echelon of the 14th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy) begins operating from Batchelor Field with B-17's. The ground echelon is still at Clark Field, Luzon. The air echelons of the 16th, 17th and 91st Bombardment Squadrons (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light) begin operating from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia with A-24's. The ground echelons will fight as infantry on Luzon. The 17th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) ceases operating from Clark Field, Luzon with P-40's.


Thursday 25 December 1941

Lieutenant Colonel Charles H. Caldwell sets up HQ Far East Air Force on the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) airfield at Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. HQ V Bomber Command is also established at Darwin. The 3d, 17th, 20th, 21st and 34th Pursuit Squadrons (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfer from Ternate, Nichols Field, Clark Field, Nichols Field and Del Carmen respectively to Bataan, Luzon with P-35's and P-40's. The 17th and 20th begin operating from Lubao, Luzon with P-40's HQ 27th Bombardment Group (Light) and the ground echelon of it's 16th, 17th and 91st Bombardment Squadrons (Light) transfer from Lipa Airfield, San Fernando and San Marceleno respectively to Cabcaben, Luzon. The air echelons are operating from Brisbane, Australia; the ground echelons will fight as infantry on Luzon.


Sunday 28 December 1941

The ground echelon of the 17th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light) transfers from Cabcaben to Limay, Luzon. The air echelon is operating from Brisbane, Australia.


Monday 29 December 1941

Major General Lewis H. Brereton, Commanding General Far East Air Force, arrives at his new HQ at Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. Colonel Harold H. George remains at Manila in command of the air elements left in the Philippines, the chief center of Army Air Force activity in the South Philippines being Del Monte on Mindanao Island where air personnel are under the command of Major Ray T. Ellsmore. The ground echelon of the 16th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light), transfers from Cabcaben to Bataan, Luzon. The air echelon is operating from Brisbane, Australia.


Tuesday 30 December 1941

HQ 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy) and the air echelon of it's 28th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) transfer from Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia to Singosari, Java, Netherlands East Indies with B-17's. The ground echelon of the 28th is on Luzon and Mindanao Islands. The air echelon of the 14th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Batchelor Field to Singosari, Java with B-17's. The ground echelon is on Luzon Island.


Wednesday 31 December 1941

The 17th and 20th Pursuit Squadrons (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), cease operating from Lubao with P-40's and return to their base on Bataan, Luzon. The air echelon of the 30th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Batchelor Field near Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia to Singosari, Java, Netherlands East Indies with B-17's. The ground echelon is on Luzon and Mindanao Islands in the Philippines.