Friday 13 March 1942

Kapitänleutnant Nicolai Clausen poses on board U-129 in the mid-Atlantic, 13 March 1942. Clausen is wearing a temporary Knights Cross made by his crew after receiving confirmation of the award. Clausen becomes the 103rd member of the Kriegsmarine and the 46th member of the U-Boat forces to receive the Knights Cross.

Eastern Front: Following an order by Joseph Stalin, General Dimitri Kozlov's troops in the Crimea launch another attempt to break through German lines at the Parpach Narrows to relieve Sevastopol on 13 March 1942. Stalin had commanded on 3 March, when the previous offensive failed, that the next one was to begin ten days later, and Kozlov dutifully complies.

The main Soviet objective is the German strongpoint at Koi-Asan and the Soviets have 224 tanks. Soviet 44th Army mounts a feint against the German 132nd Infantry Division in the north along the coast, where the line bulges west slightly, but the main attack is in the center. The Red Air Force has brought in 581 aircraft to support the offensive, though most are obsolete models that are no match for the modern Luftwaffe planes.

US tanker John D. Gill, sunk on 13 March 1942.

The Soviet attack by 51st Army begins at 09:00. It quickly fails due to the boggy terrain caused by the early onset of the Spring thaw (Rasputitsa) in Crimea. The infantry has to struggle through the marshy ground that also slows the Soviet tanks. The Germans have anticipated an attack in this stop and have massed their anti-tank guns and StuG III assault vehicles under Lieutenant Johann Spielmann for this exact situation.

While the Germans stay busy knocking out the tanks, though, the Soviet infantry launches attack after attack in bitter fighting. Field Marshal Erich von Manstein, commander of the German 11th Army, calls in a top Luftwaffe fighter wing, II./JG 77, and neutralizes the Red Air Force buildup. The Soviet attacks will last for three days and is a failure.

Further north, the German 18th Army under the command of General Georg Lindemann, part of Generaloberst Georg von Küchler’s Army Group North, is trying to get its own offensive begun. The operation, codenamed Operation Raubtier ("Beast of Prey" or "Predator"), aims to cut off a Soviet salient north of Novgorod. One of the reasons for the offensive is to protect Lyuban, which is threatened by the Soviet salient. The offensive was planned to begin today, but fog and low clouds force a postponement.

Gulf calendar for March 1942.

Battle of the Pacific: The Japanese complete Operation SR, the invasion of Salamaua-Lae, New Guinea. They quickly begin building an airfield to support further operations in eastern New Guinea and the Coral Sea area. The Australian defenders withdraw toward Wau while conducting harassing operations with their Kanga Force. Japanese planes strafe 7 Mile Drom at Port Moresby and destroy a Ford Trimotor A45-2. Off Salamaua-Lae, Japanese minesweeper Tama Maru No. 2 sinks from damage inflicted by the 10 March 1942 US Navy air raid.

The conquest of Salamaua-Lae frees up the forces to invade Tulagi in the Solomon Islands eventually. In preparation for that, the Japanese 4th Fleet sails from Rabaul, New Britain, to seize Buka Island, Solomon Islands.

US Navy submarine USS Gar, on its maiden patrol, torpedoes and sinks 1520-ton Japanese freighter Chichiubu Maru about 6-10 miles southwest of Mikura Jima, Japan. Gar is patrolling near the Nagoya and the Kii Channel entrance to the Inland Sea of Japan.

Chilean freighter Tolten, sunk by U-404 on 13 March 1942.

HIJMS submarine I-64 sinks 1513-ton Norwegian freighter Mabella east of India. There are six deaths and six survivors.

Japanese submarine HIJMS I-25 sends its "Glen" patrol plane to reconnoiter Auckland, New Zealand. As with similar flights, this one by Japanese Warrant Flying Officer Nobuo Fujita (who had flown over Melbourne on 26 February) passes unnoticed.

Having secured Java on 12 March, the Japanese quickly send the Sakaguchi Detachment from there to Burma to rejoin the 56th Division.

General MacArthur and most of his party, having escaped from Bataan, arrive at Cagayan on Mindanao Island aboard three motor torpedo (PT) boats after a two-day journey. MacArthur, however, is temporarily stranded there because there are no sufficiently reliable planes at Del Monte Airfield to take him to his destination in Australia. Major General George Brett, Commanding General U.S. Army Forces in Australia, sends three B-17 Flying Fortresses from there to pick up the general. A fourth PT boat had to divert to Tagauayan Island due to engine trouble. Submarine USS Permit arrives there during the day and picks up the crew and passengers. Permit's commander destroys the disabled PT boat (PT-32) with its deck gun before leaving.

Stern view of USS Regulus (AK-14) at Mare Island, 13 March 1942. Regulus was under repairs at Mare Island from 17 January to 20 March 1942. Note the exposed after steering station on her stern (US Navy).

European Air Operations: During the day, RAF Bomber Command sends 11 bombers to attack the Hazebrouck marshaling yard, with ten making successful attacks.

After dark, RAF Bomber Command attacks Cologne with 135 bombers (112 reach the target) at the cost of one Manchester. There is extensive damage in the Nippes section of the city, especially to the Franz Cloud rubber works and the Land- und See-Kabelwerke A.G. factory. Five churches and 1500 homes are hit. This is the first successful raid led by the Gee navigational system. It also involves the use of "Pathfinder" bombers (though they are not yet called that) which drop flares and incendiary bombs to identify the target for following bombers. The results are good, with 237 separate fires started, 62 Germans killed, and 84 injured.

Bomber Command also sends two bombers to attack the port area at Ostend, 20 aircraft to bomb Boulogne (seven planes bomb the target), and 19 to bomb the port area of Dunkirk (11 complete the attack). One other bomber attacks Schiphol Airfield near Amsterdam, and one bombs Bonn. Another five Hampdens drop leaflets over France.

US schooner Albert F. Paul, sunk by U-332 on 13 March 1942.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-332 (Kptlt. Johannes Liebe), on its third patrol out of La Pallice, torpedoes and sinks two ships northeast of Cape Hatteras:

• 735-ton US schooner Albert F. Paul (all 8 aboard killed)
• 5402-ton Yugoslavian freighter Trepca (4 dead, 33 survivors)

Both ships are independents, as an effective convoy system has not yet been organized along the US East Coast.

U-404 (Kptlt. Otto von Bülow), on its second patrol out of Lorient, torpedoes and sinks 1858-ton Chilean freighter Tolten east of Neptune, New Jersey. There is only one survivor and 27 dead. This sinking of a neutral ship leads to a diplomatic protest by the Chilean government, but things soon settle down and it does not lead to a break in relations between Chile and Germany.

U-158 (Kptlt. Erwin Rostin), on its first patrol out of Lorient, torpedoes and sinks 11,641-ton US tanker John D. Gill about 25 miles east of Cape Fear, North Carolina. There are 26 survivors (many badly burned) and 23 deaths.

Italian submarine Enrico Tazzoli torpedoes and sinks 6422-ton British freighter Daytonian in the Atlantic while en route from Mobile to Halifax.

Historical artwork by Peter McIntyre, "Wrecked Italian tank at Sidi Barrani, 13 March 1942" - watercolor (New Zealand government).

Battle of the Mediterranean: Fierce Axis air attacks continue on Malta. Luftwaffe Ju 88 bombers drop bombs on Ta Qali, Hal Far, Dingli, Siggiewi, and Wardia.

HMS Turbulent (Cdr. J.W. Linton) sinks 32-ton Greek schooner Anastassis (KAL-155) with its deck gun west of Serifos, Greece.

Freighter Rabmanso leaves Haifa, Palestine, with a cargo of 7000 tons grain in emergency food supplies for Greece.

Anglo/US Relations: President Roosevelt cables Winston Churchill to discuss relations with China. Chiang Kai-Shek has requested the appointment of General "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell to command all Allied forces in Burma and southern China. While FDR notes that this would be "unwise," he tells Churchill that he is "pleased" that Chiang is forming a "closer working relationship" with the US and UK. Chiang, of course, remains upset with the British over the Tulsa Incident in which local British commanders in Burma tried to take US Lend-Lease goods intended for China.

Australian/US Relations: Prime Minister Curtin broadcasts to the United States that "Our minds are set on attack." He instructs Minister for External Affairs Dr. Evatt to head immediately for Washington (this takes a week).

A U.S. Navy North American SNJ-2 Texan (BuNo 2556) at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida (USA), in March 1942. (U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation photo No. 1996.488.166.130).

US Military: Some US Army Air Force troops of the 10th Air Force, 26th Pursuit Squadron, originally sent to Java arrive in Karachi after being diverted. These are the first US troops to reach the China-Burma-India Theater (aside from some individuals such as General Joe Stilwell and the "volunteer" air force known as the "Flying Tigers"). These units bring P-40 fighters. They will fly their first mission on 15 October 1942.

The 8th Pursuit Group, 36th Pursuit Squadron, 5th Air Force, transfers from Brisbane to Lowood, Australia. They fly P-39s.

USAAF XII Bomber Command headquarters is activated at MacDill Field, Tampa, Florida.

Julia Flikke, Nurse Corps, becomes the first female Colonel in the U.S. Army, 13 March 1942.

Yugoslavian freighter Trepca, sunk by U-332 on 13 March 1942.

Canadian Military: The Canadian Women's Army Corps is integrated into the Canadian Army.

Holocaust: A transport of 62 Poles deported by Germans from Warsaw arrives at Auschwitz concentration camp. Among them are 23 prison wardens from Pawiak prison arrested for helping prisoners there to escape and communicate with the outside world.

American Homefront: 20th Century Fox releases the musical comedy film "Song of the Islands" starring Betty Grable and Victor Mature. While little remembered, "Song of the Islands" begins Grable's long run as a major box office star. She will remain in the top ten box office stars every year from 1942 into the 1950s, hitting No. 1 in 1943.

NYPD New York City Police Department "Spring 3100 Magazine" from March 1942.Volume 13, No.1.

March 1942

March 1, 1942: Second Battle of Java Sea
March 2, 1942: Huge Allied Shipping Losses at Java
March 3, 1942: Japan Raids Western Australia
March 4, 1942: Second Raid On Hawaii
March 5, 1942: Japan Takes Batavia
March 6, 1942: Churchill Assaults Free Speech
March 7, 1942: British Defeat in Burma
March 8, 1942: Rangoon Falls to Japan
March 9, 1942: Japanese Conquest of Dutch East Indies
March 10, 1942:US Navy attacks Japanese Landings at Lae
March 11, 1942: Warren Buffett's First Stock Trade
March 12, 1942: Japan Takes Java
March 13, 1942: Soviets Attack In Crimea Again 
March 14, 1942: The US Leans Toward Europe
March 15, 1942: Operation Raubtier Begins
March 16, 1942: General MacArthur Gets His Ride
March 17, 1942: MacArthur Arrives in Australia
March 18, 1942: Japan Attacks In Burma
March 19, 1942: Soviets Encircled on the Volkhov
March 20, 1942: "I Shall Return," Says MacArthur
March 21, 1942: Germans Attack Toward Demyansk
March 22, 1942: Second Battle of Sirte
March 23, 1942: Hitler's Insecurity Builds
March 24, 1942: Bataan Bombarded
March 25, 1942: Chinese Under Pressure in Burma
March 26, 1942: Win Or Die, Vows MacArthur
March 27, 1942: The Battle of Suusari
March 28, 1942: The St. Nazaire Commando Raid
March 29, 1942: The Free Republic of Nias
March 30, 1942: Japanese-Americans Off Bainbridge Island
March 31, 1942: Japanese Seize Christmas Island

2020

Tuesday 10 March 1942

"View from a VT-5 TBD-1, showing KIYOKAWA MARU (Japanese seaplane tender, 1937-1945) under attack. Note bomb splash astern and what may be a "hit" aft. Planes were from USS YORKTOWN (CV-5)." 10 March 1942. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 95444.

Battle of the Pacific: On the Huon Peninsula in Papua, New Guinea, Japanese landings continue on 10 March 1942. Having secured Lae and Salamaua, the Japanese take Finschhafen. Japanese aircraft based at Rabaul in the Solomon Islands support the landings and also attack Port Moresby. US Navy Task Forces 11 (Vice Admiral Wilson Brown Jr.) and 17 (Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher) attack the Japanese ships in the Huon Gulf. This is a technically impressive feat because the carriers are 201 km (120 miles) away and the Dauntlesses must fly over the 15,000 Owen Stanley Range to reach their target. The planes and later B-17 bombers flying from Garbutt Field at Townsville sink three Japanese transport vessels (Kongō Maru, Tenyō Maru, and Yokohama Maru) and damage several other ships. This US Navy raid has far-reaching consequences, as Japanese military strategists decide that they will need aircraft carrier support in order to take Port Moresby. This leads to the Battle of the Coral Sea.

"Enlargement of picture of KIYOKAWA MARU (Japanese seaplane tender, 1937-1945), showing what appears to be a bomb hole aft. Note planes on deck-three Mitsubishi F1M2 ("Pete") and one E8N2 ("Dave"). Taken by a VT-5 TBD-1, from the USS YORKTOWN (CV-5) air group." 10 March 1942. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 95446.

Pleased with the bombing attack on Hawaii (Operation K) carried out by two Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boats on 4 March, the Japanese try again on 10 March 1942. This time, only one flying boat takes off from Wotje Atol, once again piloted by Pilot Lieutenant Hisao Hashizume, who led the first mission. The Americans have been closely monitoring Japanese radio broadcasts about the raid and are ready and waiting for another attempt. Brewster F2A Buffalo fighters of Squadron 221 (VMF-221) intercept Hashizume's flying boat southwest of Midway Atoll, killing him and his crew. The US Navy guards the French Frigate Shoals, the refueling site being used by the Japanese, for the remainder of the war.

"View is taken from a VT-5 plane, a Douglas TBD-1 "Devastator" showing ships below maneuvering off Salamaua. Plane at upper right is TBD-1 (BuNo 0319) flown by Lieutenant Joe Taylor, USN Commanding Officer of VT-5. Radioman is ACRM (PA) H. S. Nobbs, USN. Note weathered markings and individual plane No. (1) on the fuselage." 10 March 1942. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 95442.

In the Philippines, General Douglas MacArthur informs Lieutenant General Jonathan M. Wainwright, Commanding General I Corps, that he will be leaving the Philippines shortly. Wainwright will take over command of all forces on Luzon. However, MacArthur makes clear that he intends to continue exercising control through orders to Colonel Lewis C. Beebe, who will be deputy chief of staff of USAFFE. MacArthur and his party, including Mrs. MacArthur, will depart from Corregidor Island to Mindanao aboard PT-41.

Japanese troops continue their occupation of the Solomon Islands, landing at Buka Island (north of Bougainville).

In Burma, the British 17th Indian Division and 7th Armoured Brigade complete a difficult withdrawal northwards to the Tharawaddy area.  Chinese troops begin arriving in the Sittang River region, covered by the 1st Burma Division.

The Japanese make Lieutenant-General Hitoshi Imamura the new governor of Java and Madura. His boss is Field Marshal Count Hisaichi Terauchi, Supreme Commander of the Southern Army.

Japanese submarine I-62 uses its deck gun to sink 235-ton British sailing ship Lakshmi Govinda in the Indian Ocean. Japanese collier Kosei Maru hits a mine and sinks in Lingayen Gulf, Philippines. There are 13 deaths on the Kosei Maru.

"View taken from a VS-5 SBD shows KONGO MARU (Japanese armed merchant cruiser, 1933-1942) sinking off Lae. Note paint finish: Dark gray with light mast tops, reminiscent of U.S. Measure 1." 10 March 1942. Naval History and Heritage Command NH 95434.

Eastern Front: German Fifth Panzer Division captures part of Soviet I Guards Cavalry Corps in a pocket south of Vyazma. After this, a blizzard hits the area which stops all movement for almost a week. The unusually heavy snowfall (even for the area) hampers the Uckermann relief attempt toward the Kholm pocket and creates dangerous icing conditions on the Luftwaffe's planes that are keeping the pocket from collapsing.

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command launches a large raid on Essen. The raid is notable for the first use of Lancasters in a raid on a German target. All told, 126 bombers (56Wellingtons, 43 Hampdens, 13 Manchesters, 12 Stirlings, and two Lancasters) set off. However, as has often been the case recently, the results of the raid are poor due to weather conditions. Only 85 bomber crews report bombing Essen, and the authorities in Essen see only limited damage (two bombs hit railway lines near the target, the Krupps factory). There are five deaths and 12 injured. A Polish service worker perishes when a spent anti-aircraft shell explodes near him. There are subsidiary raids on Bochum, Duisburg, and Gelsenkirchen. Two bombers attack Boulogne, while another bomber attacks the Rotterdam port area.

"U.S. Navy Douglas TBD-1 Devastator aircraft from torpedo squadron VT-5, assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5), prepare to attack Japanese shipping with bombs in the Huon Gulf supporting the Japanese invasion of Lae-Salamaua, New Guinea, on 10 March 1942. Two Japanese ships, possibly the auxiliary vessel Noshiro Maru and minesweeper Hagoromo Maru, can be seen making a smoke screen below in anticipation of the air attack. The first plane on the left was piloted by Joe Taylor, the second by Leonard E. Ewoldt, and the third by Francis R. Sanborn." Scanned from the book: Cressman, Robert (2004), That Gallant Ship USS Yorktown (CV-5), Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, p. 75.

Battle of the Atlantic: U-161 (Kptlt. Albrecht Achilles), on its second patrol out of Lorient, torpedoes and damages two ships in the harbor of Port Castries, St. Lucia. Achilles fires two torpedoes at 04:49. The first hits 7970-ton Canadian passenger ship Lady Nelson, while the second torpedo strikes 8141-ton British freighter Umtata. While both ships sink to the harbor bottom, the silver lining for the Allies is that the harbor is shallow and both ships are later raised. There are 18 deaths on board the Lady Nelson, including fifteen passengers, but all 92 people on board the Umtata survive.

U-588 (Kptlt. Victor Vogel), on its second patrol out of Lorient, torpedoes and sinks 6776-ton US tanker Gulftrade about three miles off of Barnegat Light (near Toms River, New Jersey). There are 18 dead and 16 survivors.

An unidentified U-boat or Italian submarine torpedoes and sinks 9957-ton Norwegian tanker Charles Racine in the mid-Atlantic northeast of the British Virgin Islands.

Battle of the Mediterranean: Supermarine Spitfires which only arrived on Malta on the 7th get their first kill, downing Bf 109 piloted by Heinz Rahlmeier of Luftwaffe unit 8/JG53. The victorious pilot is Flt Lt Heppell of RAF No. 249 Squadron. The Spitfires and Hurricanes disrupt attacks on Luqa airfield.

Failed propagandist Jane Anderson.

Propaganda War: On 6 March 1942, Jane Anderson, a Georgia socialite (nicknamed "The Georgia Peach"), broadcast English-language propaganda from Berlin. She praised Adolf Hitler and denounced the usual targets: Jewish people, the Western press, and Winston Churchill. She described the fine dining available in Berlin. After hearing this, the Allies decide to translate the speech into German for the benefit of citizens of the Reich. They rebroadcast it today to the Reich in order to anger ordinary Germans subsisting on reduced rations with no frills. This works exactly as intended. As a result of this broadcast and its unexpected results, the German broadcasting service (Rundfunk) takes Anderson off the air.

Manhattan Project: The Office of Scientific Research and Development contracts with Johns Hopkins University to open the Applied Physics Laboratory.

"Douglas SBD-3 "Dauntless" dive bombers en route to the target, at an altitude of 16,000 feet. Planes are from the USS YORKTOWN (CV-5) air group." 10 March 1942.Naval History and Heritage Command NH 95435.

US/Anglo Relations: President Roosevelt follows up his suggestions for reorganizing the war effort with another telegram to Winston Churchill. In this one, FDR broaches the delicate topic of India, which he admits "all of you good people know far more about than I." Roosevelt suggests setting up a "temporary government, headed by a small representative group covering different castes" that would lead to a "more permanent government." He justifies this suggestion by referring to "the world changes of the past half-century."

US/Iran Relations: The United States extends Lend-Lease to Iran. Iran is becoming a major conduit for aid to the Soviet Union.

US Military: US Fifth Air Force transfers the 3rd Bombardment Group and 13th Bombardment Squadron from Brisbane to Charles Towers.

A P-40E Kittyhawk of the 20th Pursuit Squadron, 4th Air Depot Group, based at Laverton piloted by Captain Joseph Potter McLaughlin crashes into mountains near Aberfeldy in Victoria, Australia. The plane and pilot's remains are not found until 1948.

Chinese Military: Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek appoints US Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell as his Chief of Staff.

British freighter Umtata, Sunk in Port Castries, St. Lucia on 10 March 1942 by U-161.

US Government: The US House of Representatives approves an increase in the national debt limit from $65 billion to $125 billion.

British Government: Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden makes a speech in the British House of Commons about Japanese atrocities in Hong Kong.

The government reports that it already has spent over nine billion pounds on the war, more than during the entire First World War.

American Homefront: Universal Pictures releases "Unseen Enemy," a wartime drama about German spies in San Francisco. "Unseen Enemy" is notable for being one of the first Hollywood films, if not the first, to put the title and credits after the film rather than before it. Only the Universal Logo appears before the action.

David Eisenhower, Dwight D. Eisenhower's father, passes away in Abilene, Kansas. Dwight, who holds a critical U.S. Army staff position in Washington, D.C., notes in his diary: "war is not soft, it has no time to indulge even the deepest and most sacred emotions." He does, however, leave work early at 7:30 p.m., noting further, "I haven't the heart to go on tonight." He does not attend the funeral on 12 March but does close his office door for half an hour to think about this father and compose a eulogy.

Lady Nelson, sunk today by U-161 in Port Castries, St. Lucia.

March 1942

March 1, 1942: Second Battle of Java Sea
March 2, 1942: Huge Allied Shipping Losses at Java
March 3, 1942: Japan Raids Western Australia
March 4, 1942: Second Raid On Hawaii
March 5, 1942: Japan Takes Batavia
March 6, 1942: Churchill Assaults Free Speech
March 7, 1942: British Defeat in Burma
March 8, 1942: Rangoon Falls to Japan
March 9, 1942: Japanese Conquest of Dutch East Indies
March 10, 1942:US Navy attacks Japanese Landings at Lae
March 11, 1942: Warren Buffett's First Stock Trade
March 12, 1942: Japan Takes Java
March 13, 1942: Soviets Attack In Crimea Again 
March 14, 1942: The US Leans Toward Europe
March 15, 1942: Operation Raubtier Begins
March 16, 1942: General MacArthur Gets His Ride
March 17, 1942: MacArthur Arrives in Australia
March 18, 1942: Japan Attacks In Burma
March 19, 1942: Soviets Encircled on the Volkhov
March 20, 1942: "I Shall Return," Says MacArthur
March 21, 1942: Germans Attack Toward Demyansk
March 22, 1942: Second Battle of Sirte
March 23, 1942: Hitler's Insecurity Builds
March 24, 1942: Bataan Bombarded
March 25, 1942: Chinese Under Pressure in Burma
March 26, 1942: Win Or Die, Vows MacArthur
March 27, 1942: The Battle of Suusari
March 28, 1942: The St. Nazaire Commando Raid
March 29, 1942: The Free Republic of Nias
March 30, 1942: Japanese-Americans Off Bainbridge Island
March 31, 1942: Japanese Seize Christmas Island

2020

Sunday 8 March 1942

PBY-5A on 8 March 1942 (USAF).

Battle of the Pacific: Japanese forces of the 33rd Division enter Rangoon, Burma on 8 March 1942. They find the city empty of Allied forces, as the British Army has known the city would fall for several days. British units of the 16th and 63rd Brigades force their way through a Japanese roadblock at Taukkyan on the Rangoon-Prome road. USAAF bombers begin ferrying operations to consolidate remaining British troops in Burma at Magwe, where they are protected by the "Flying Tigers" (American Volunteer Group, or AVG).

The Japanese invasion of Salamaua–Lae begins when a convoy arrives in the Huon Gulf. Troops land at Salamaua (144th Regiment) and Lae (2nd Maizuru Special Naval Landing Force) without interference. A RAAF Hudson (No. 32 Squadron) attacks the convoy and scores a hit on a large transport that sinks or is beached. The US Navy is preparing a raid by aircraft carriers USS Lexington and Yorktown against the Japanese landing force, but it will take days to launch.

"25 pounders going into action in support of an Infantry Brigade during training in the Western Desert, 8 March 1942." © IWM (E 9134).

The Japanese roll forward in their conquest of Java. The Commander-in-Chief of the Allied forces, Lieutenant General Hein Ter Poorten, broadcasts a general surrender over the radio at 09:00. In the afternoon, the Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies and General Ter Poorten in the Bandoeng area surrender to Lieutenant General Imamura Hitoshi at Kalidjati. Japanese troops are in Surabaya by 18:00. The final broadcast by Dutch radio station NIROM is made at 23:00 with the words: "We are closing now. Farewell till better times. Long live the Queen!"

There are still determined Australian troops, "Blackforce," under Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur S. Blackburn in the hills at Tjikadjang which refuse to surrender. This is a blocking position which at least theoretically allows Allied forces on the south coast to continue evacuating, though those operations, by and large, are over. Blackburn has no hope of holding out for long but remains holed up for several days despite repeated radioed orders to surrender from RAF Air Vice-Marshal Maltby and Major General Hervey Sitwell, General Officer Commanding British Troops Java. Ultimately, Blackburn makes the very tough decision to surrender for the (presumed) good of his men. What the British do not know is that a large fraction (up to 25% in some cases) of Allied prisoners taken on Java will perish in the camps.

PBY-5A, 8 March 1942 (USAF).

There are still some Allied forces left on the southern portion of the island and Hawker Hurricanes based there fly their final mission before the command surrenders. The Lesser Sunda Islands Invasion forces under Rear Admiral Hara Kenzaburos leaves Surabaya bound for Lombok Island. At Northern Sumatra, Japanese forces take Sabang Island and Koetaradja. Troops quickly secure oilfields at Langsa and Pangkalanbrandan.

The front on Bataan in the Philippine Islands is relatively quiet. General Douglas MacArthur, Commanding General U.S. Army Forces, Far East, issues a communique stating that his opponent, General Homma Masaharu, has committed suicide out of frustration. Homma is far from dead, however, and sees the report of his supposed death with surprise. MacArthur apparently is engaging in psychological warfare, because the Japanese high command is upset with Homma for the stalemate at Bataan. It is unclear if it is coincidental or not, but staff officers arrive from Tokyo and insult Homma. They tell him to stop living the high life in Manila and finish the battle. Just to make their point crystal clear, they transfer some of Homma's staff to Manchuria, not considered a particularly desirable posting. Homma quickly begins planning an offensive. He secures a promise of reinforcements from Shanghai, some crack troops of the 65th Brigade and 4th Infantry Division, to resume the advance.

Dutch minesweeper Jan van Amstel is sunk by a Japanese destroyer in the Madura Strait near Java.

Japanese submarine HIJMS I-25 sends its Yokosuka E14Y1, "Glen," to fly over Wellington, Australia. As with other reconnaissance flights, the Allies do not spot it.

Eastern Front: The Soviets under General Kozlov are preparing to resume their offensive on the Crimea. They are under strict orders from Stalin to get moving quickly, who has taken a personal interest in the situation (he likes to vacation in the south). Kozlov's plan is to break the German defensive strongpoint at Koi-Asan, hitting the Germans where they are strongest. The Germans also are reinforcing their positions on the Parpach Narrows. The Germans are bringing in anti-tank StuG units while the Red Army is building up its tank force.

"Low-level oblique aerial photograph was taken during the course of a daylight attack on the Matford automotive works at Poissy, France." 8 March 1942. © IWM (C 2282).

European Air Operations: It is a big day for the RAF. During the day, 24 Boston (Douglas A-20 Havoc) bombers raid targets in France. Twelve of them hit the Ford truck factory at Poissy, while, in diversionary raids, six each attack Abbeville railway yards and the Comines power station. The RAF loses its first Boston of the war after the raid on Poissy.

After dark, RAF Bomber Command sends 211 bombers (211 aircraft, 115 Wellingtons, 37 Hampdens, 27 Stirlings, 22 Manchesters, and 10 Halifaxes) to attack the German manufacturing center of Essen. Despite being led by Gee navigational equipment, the bombers have difficulty finding the target, some Krupp installations, and only 168 actually claim to bomb the factories. The raid illustrates the limitations of RAF direction-finding equipment, as the Gee system can only lead bombers to a city, not a specific target. The factories escape unscathed, but bombs kill ten people with an additional 19 missing. There also are raids by single bombers on the German cities Dortmund, Duisburg, Dusseldorf, Gelsenkirchen, and Oberhausen. Six Blenheim bombers raid the docks of Ostend, with four claiming hits. A group of 13 Wellington and Stirling bombers attack targets in the Netherlands, two bombing Soesterberg Airfield.

Supermarine Walrus aircraft being catapulted from the cruiser HMS Shropshire between 8 and 12 March 1942 (© IWM (A 8069)).

The Luftwaffe raids the western part of Lowestoft, England, at 22:56. There is some minor damage along Essex Road from four high explosive 250kg bombs. An unexploded 1000kg "Hermann" bomb falls in a field and does no damage, but remains there until 1948. There is one death and 10 wounded, with 14 houses destroyed and 75 others damaged.

Damage in Lowestoft from the 8 March 1942 Luftwaffe raid (Bert Collyer via Lowestoft Aviation Society).

Battle of the Atlantic: Royal Navy 541-ton anti-submarine trawler HMS Notts County hits a mine and sinks off Iceland. There are 41 deaths.

German battleship Tirpitz remains at sea on a mission to attack Arctic Convoys QP 8 and PQ 12. Unbeknownst to the Germans, Royal Navy battleship HMS King George V and aircraft carrier Victorious are in the vicinity to provide support to the convoys. The British know of the Tirpitz mission due to Enigma intercepts and are maneuvering into a position to attack. Late in the day, though, German commander Admiral Ciliax decides to return to port. The British still hope to intercept the German battleship with aircraft on the 9th.

"Bren gun carriers moving off in the Western Desert, 8 March 1942." © IWM (E 9140).

Battle of the Mediterranean: British General Sir Claude Auchinleck, Commander in Chief Middle East Command, orders Eighth Army Commander Lieutenant General Neil Ritchie to prepare a diversion to distract Axis forces from an incoming convoy.

At Malta, the Axis launches virtually continuous air raids on Luqa Airfield in an attempt to put it out of action. There are 325 bombs dropped. Some time bombs must be dealt with by the bomb disposal forces. There are multiple civilian casualties. Hal Far airfield and other locations also are attacked.

Allied Relations: The British and U.S. governments extend loans of £50 million and $500 million, respectively, to the Nationalist Chinese government.

Damage to Lowestoft from the 8 March 1942 Luftwaffe raid (Bert Collyer via Lowestoft Aviation Society).

US Military: Brigadier General William O. Butler takes command of the USAAF 11th Air Force based in Ft Richardson, Anchorage, Alaska. The 11th Air Force is assigned to the Alaska Defense Command under Major General Simon B. Buckner, Jr. The Alaska Defense command is part of the Western Defense Command under Lieutenant General John L. DeWitt. While there is no enemy activity in Alaska at this time, the entire Western Defense command is a theater of operations.

The 10th Air Force based in Patterson Field, Fairfield, Ohio (near Dayton) begins transferring to India. Its mission is to assist with operations in Burma and, ultimately, perform supply operations to China over the "Hump" (mountains) in the China-Burma-India (CBI) Theater of Operations.

The 5th Air Force in Australia begins moving the 16th and 17th Bombardment Squadrons of the 27th Bombardment Group from Batchelor Field in the Northern Territory to Brisbane. The 3rd Bomber Group leaves Brisbane for Charters Towers.

On Bora Bora, Inshore Patrol Squadron VS-2-D14 begins air operations over the Society Islands.

The US Army Corps of Engineers (with assistance from US and Canadian civilian contractors) begins construction on the Alaskan Highway (ALCAN). Two separate crews set out from each end of the highway and plan to meet somewhere in the middle. The highway is completed by November 1942 and dedicated on 20 November 1942.

Carmen Miranda is on the cover of the 8 March 1942 Cine Radio Actualidad Magazine [Uruguay].

American Homefront: There are practice blackouts in New England. For instance, the Draper Corporation plant in Hopedale, Massachusetts, has its first blackout.

José Raúl Capablanca passes away in New York City from complications of hypertension at the age of 53. Capablanca, ultimately buried in his native Havana, Cuba, is widely considered one of the truly great chess players and consistently either was the World Chess Champion or a serious contender for that title. Many of his books about chess are considered classics.

Richard Anthony Allen is born in Wampum, Pennsylvania. He goes on to a stellar career in professional baseball, becoming a seven-time All-Star for the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox.

Actress Penny Singleton graces the cover of Sunday News magazine on 8 March 1942.

March 1942

March 1, 1942: Second Battle of Java Sea
March 2, 1942: Huge Allied Shipping Losses at Java
March 3, 1942: Japan Raids Western Australia
March 4, 1942: Second Raid On Hawaii
March 5, 1942: Japan Takes Batavia
March 6, 1942: Churchill Assaults Free Speech
March 7, 1942: British Defeat in Burma
March 8, 1942: Rangoon Falls to Japan
March 9, 1942: Japanese Conquest of Dutch East Indies
March 10, 1942:US Navy attacks Japanese Landings at Lae
March 11, 1942: Warren Buffett's First Stock Trade
March 12, 1942: Japan Takes Java
March 13, 1942: Soviets Attack In Crimea Again 
March 14, 1942: The US Leans Toward Europe
March 15, 1942: Operation Raubtier Begins
March 16, 1942: General MacArthur Gets His Ride
March 17, 1942: MacArthur Arrives in Australia
March 18, 1942: Japan Attacks In Burma
March 19, 1942: Soviets Encircled on the Volkhov
March 20, 1942: "I Shall Return," Says MacArthur
March 21, 1942: Germans Attack Toward Demyansk
March 22, 1942: Second Battle of Sirte
March 23, 1942: Hitler's Insecurity Builds
March 24, 1942: Bataan Bombarded
March 25, 1942: Chinese Under Pressure in Burma
March 26, 1942: Win Or Die, Vows MacArthur
March 27, 1942: The Battle of Suusari
March 28, 1942: The St. Nazaire Commando Raid
March 29, 1942: The Free Republic of Nias
March 30, 1942: Japanese-Americans Off Bainbridge Island
March 31, 1942: Japanese Seize Christmas Island

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