Sunday 1 February 1942
In the Philippine Islands, P-40's from Bataan bomb and strafe Ianding barges
off Quinauan Point during the night of 1/2 Feb. These strikes, in conjunction
with naval and field artillery fire, cause considerable damage and casualties
but fail to prevent the landings which take place S of the point, although
the attempt to reinforce troops already on the point is thwarted. HQ 35th
Pursuit Group (Interceptor) arrives at Brisbane, Australia from the US.
Monday 2 February 1942
Bad weather from now until 18 Feb, along with effective interception by fighters,
thwarts attempts of heavy bombers in Java to deliver damaging blows on shipping
and airfields in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). B-17's strikes from
Singosari, Java against shipping at Balikpapan, Borneo on 9 Feb and an airfield
at Kendari, Celebes Island on 9 Feb are repulsed by fighter attacks. B-17's
on a shipping strike claim hits on a carrier near Sinjai, Sumatra.
Tuesday 3 February 1942
Bad weather from now until 18 February, along with effective interception
by fighters, thwarts attempts of heavy bombers in Java to deliver damaging
blows on shipping and airfields in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). B-17's
strikes from Singosari, Java against shipping at Balikpapan, Borneo on 9
Feb and an airfield at Kendari, Celebes Island on 9 Feb are repulsed by fighter
attacks. B-17's on a shipping strike claim hits on a carrier near Sinjai,
Sumatra.
Wednesday 4 February 1942
HQ 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and 88th
Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) begin a movement from Brisbane, Australia
to Karachi, India. The 9th is operating from Jogjakarta, Java with B-17's;
the 88th is operating from Hickam Field, Territory of Hawaii with B-17's.
Thursday 5 February 1942
Far East Air Force is redesignated 5th Air Force. Air echelon of 91st Bombardment
Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light), ceases operating from Brisbane,
Australia with A-24's and begins a movement to Malang, Java. The ground echelon
is based on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
Monday 9 February 1942
Between now and 18 February, heavy bombers fly at lesst 14 missions, but
they result in claims of only 3 hits on shipping.
Tuesday 10 February 1942
Air echelon of the 88th Reconnaisssance Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), begins a movement from Hickam Field, Territory of Hawaii to
the Fiji Islands with B-17's. The ground echelon is enroute from Australia
to India.
Thursday 12 February 1942
Air echelon of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), arrives at Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands from the Territory
of Hawaii with B-17's. The ground echelon is enroute from Australia to
India.
Saturday 14 February 1942
9th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 49th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers
from Melbourne to Williamstown, Australia with P-40's; first mission is 18
March. A detachment of the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), based at Jogjakarta, Java begins operating from Nandi Airport,
Fiji Islands with B-17's under control of US Navy (USN).
Monday 16 February 1942
HQ 49th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) and 7th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor)
transfer from Melbourne to Bankstown, Australia with P-40's; the 8th Pursuit
Squadron (Interceptor) transfers from Melbourne to Canberra with P-40's.
Air echelon of the 16th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group
(Light), transfers from Brisbane to Batchelor, Australia with A-24's. The
ground echelon is on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
Tuesday 17 February 1942
The air echeon of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment
Group (Heavy), departs Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands from Australia with B-17's.
The ground echelon is enroute Australia to India.
Wednesday 18 February 1942
Detachment of the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Hevy), 7th Bombardment Group
(Heavy), departs Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands from Australia with B-17's.
The squadron is based at Jogjakarta, Java. Air echelon of 91st Bombardment
Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light), begins operating from Malang,
Java with A-24's; ground echelon is on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
Thursday 19 February 1942
In the NEI, A-24's, with P-40 escort, and B-17's operating out of Malang,
Madioen, and Jogjakarta, Java, attack vessels landing troops on Bali; the
attacks, carried out during the aftenoon of 19 Feb and throughout the morning
of 20 Feb, cause considerable damage to vessels but fail to halt the landings;
P-40's shoot down or turn back seversl bombers sweeping W over Java. Japanese
aircraft attack Darwin, Australia, bombing vessels loaded with troops destined
for the defense of Koepang on Timor Island; 10 P-40's sent to Darwin to escort
the convoy are almost entirely wiped out by the attack.
Friday 20 February 1942
Air echelon of 17th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group
(Light), begins a movement from Brisbane to Batchelor, Australia with A-24's.
Ground echelon is on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Detachment of the
22d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) and air echelon of 88th Reconnaissance Squadron
(Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrive at Townsville, Australia from
Fiji Island with B-17's. The detachment of the 22d is under control of the
USN. Ground echelon of the 22d is at Jogjakarta, Java; ground echelon of
88th is enroute from Australia to India.
Saturday 21 February 1942
Major General George H Brett, Deputy Commanding General
American-British-Dutch-Australian Forces Command (ABDACOM) informs the War
Department of his decision to evacuate the 5th Air Force and other
US troops from Java, NEI. 5th Air Force bombers at Java bases fly about 20
strikes, usually in 2- and 3-aircraft elements, against shipping in the Java
Sea and against targets on Bali from this date through 1 Mar. 11 strikes
are complete failures; the remainder, although causing some damage to vessels
and airfield facilities, fail to deter the invasion of Java.
Sunday 22 February 1942
Air echelon of 17th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group
(Light), arrives at Batchelor from Brisbane, Australia with A-24's. Ground
echelon is on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands.
Monday 23 February 1942
B-17's fly the first mission against Rabaul, New Britain Island. Operating
out of Townsville, Australia the force suffers mechanical trouble and runs
into bad weather. Only 1 B-17 manages to bomb the target. Major General Lewis
H Brereton, Commanding General 5th Air Force, departs for India after issuing
an order terminating HQ 5th Air Force. Until 3 September 42, units of the
5th Air Force will be initially under control of ABDACOM and then Allied
Air Force (SWPA).
Tuesday 24 February 1942
Heavy bomber units begin evacuating Java, NEI.
Wednesday 25 February 1942
Arriving at Brisbane, Australia from the US are:
HQ 3d Bombardment Group (Light) and 8th, 13th, 89th and 90th
Bombardment Squadrons (Light) with A-20's; first mission is in April
HQ 22d Bombardment Group (Medium), 2d, 19th and 33d Bombardment
Squadrons (Medium) and 18th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) with B-26's;
first mission is in April
HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 15th Reconnaissance
Squadron (Medium) and 69th, 70th and 71st Bombardment Squadrons (Medium)
with B-26's; first mission is June; air echelon of 69th and 70th remain in
the US until May/June.
39th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 35th Pursuit Squadron
(Interceptor), with P-39's; first mission is 2 June.
Friday 27 February 1942
The Battle of Java Sea. Allied air and naval units try to stop a convoy of
some 80 ships approaching Java from the Northeast. All available B-17's,
A-24's, P-40's and LB-30's are put into the air but achieve only insignificant
results. An Allied naval force, 5 cruisers and 11 destroyers, under Rear
Admiral Karel W Doorman, Royal Netherlands Navy, meets the enemy near Surabaya,
Java and is decisively defeated, losing 5 ships. Most of the 5th Air Force
ground echelon in Java is evacusted by sea. The SS Sea Witch delivers 27
crated P-40's to Tjilatjap, Java, but these will be destroyed to prevent
their falling into Japanese hands. 32 P-40's aboard the Seaplane Tender USS
Langley (AV-3), which sailed from Australia for India on 23 February, are
lost when the USS Langley is sunk by aircraft 100 mi (160 km) South of Tjilatjsp.
The pilots are rescued by other vessels in the convoy, but the enemy sinks
these ships with the exception of a destroyer, which delivers 2 of the pilots
to Perth, Australia. 13th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment
Group (Heavy), arrives at Melbourne, Australia from the US with B-17's; first
mission is October 1942. |