Sunday 15 March 1942

Adolf Hitler greets disabled veterans as part of the Heroes Day celebrations, 15 March 1942 (Polish National Digital Archives).

Eastern Front: After two days of postponements, Army Group North's 18th Army finally begins Operation Raubtier ("Beast of Prey") on 15 March 1942. The weather remains frigid, but the Luftwaffe sends its Stukas to soften up the Soviet defenders on the Volkhov River salient at 07:30. German I Corps and 38th Corps advance from the north and south, respectively, in an effort to pinch off the Soviet salient and create a pocket. The troops in the southern section include General de División Augustín Muñoz Grandes’s División Azul, or Blue Division, the Spanish volunteer formation known to the Germans as the 250th Division.

The two German attacks advance slowly, with the northern group advancing about 3500 yards (3200 meters) and the southern group only about 880 yards (800 meters). The Germans find that the snow greatly lessens the effectiveness of the Stukas, because when the planes drop their bombs far ahead of the advancing troops, the Soviets have time to recover. When the Stukas drop their bombs closer to the advancing troops, they often hit their fellow German soldiers. Operation Raubtier continues despite the slow progress, however, and eventually does cut off the Soviet salient and create a Soviet pocket on the west side of the Volkhov River.

This March, 1942, infographic from Life magazine showed the lines of Axis attack against the United States and its Allies.

In the Army Group South sector, the Soviet offensive at the Parpach Narrows peters out without achieving his major objective of a breakthrough to relieve Sevastopol. The only victory by the Soviet 51st Army is the capture of strongpoint Korpech’, which requires heavy Soviet losses and is something of a Pyrrhic victory. While the attacks continue sporadically for a few days, the main effort ends on 15 March 1942 because the Soviets are out of ammunition and have taken devastating tank losses.

The Germans have destroyed 157 Soviet tanks in three days, including 88 tanks of the 56th Tank Brigade. Among the heroes of the defensive victory for the Germans is Fritz Schrödel, whose StuG III destroyed eight Soviet tanks, of which two were KV-1s, and Lieutenant Johann Spielmann, whose StuG III destroyed 14 T-34s in one day. This is the heyday of the German tank destroyers, which are almost as effective as tanks but vastly cheaper to produce because they lack expensive turrets.

The headline on the 15 March 1942 Washington, D.C., The Sunday Stary is, "Allies Reveal Loss of 12 Ships, Including U.S. Cruiser Houston, In Last-Ditch Battle for Java." Information, especially about losses, was released very slowly during World War II.

Battle of the Pacific: The British 1st Burma Division wards off the advancing Japanese 55th Division and retreats toward India. It is being replaced in the front lines by the Chinese Division in Burma.

The Japanese High Command is beginning to plan Operation C, a full carrier strike in the Indian Ocean against the British Eastern Fleet stationed in Colombo, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). They order reconnaissance of the western coast of India and Ceylon. Meanwhile, on the British side, Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton is announced as the new commander-in-chief of Ceylon.

The front on the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines remains deceptively quiet, but the Japanese are working furiously to build up their forces. Heavy artillery along the southern shore of Manila Bay southwest of Ternate renews intensive bombardment of the fortified Allied islands in the bay such as Forts Frank and Drum. The US Army attempts counterfire, but it is insufficient to make a difference. The Japanese bombardment damages four guns at Battery Ermita (Battery E, 91st Coast Artillery) in Fort Frank, two beyond repair.

British tanker British Resources, sunk on 15 March 1942.

At Del Monte Airfield on Mindanao, General MacArthur continues to cool his heels waiting for B-17s to carry him and his party on to Australia. MacArthur is furious at the delay and commands General Brett in Australia to send him the three best bombers in the theater. In order to make Mrs. Jean MacArthur more comfortable during her wait, MacArthur aid Sid Huff moves her preferred mattress (yes, she brought her mattress on the PT boat) ashore for her. This leads to a cynical rumor that the mattress is stuffed with treasure, which it isn't - apparently.

Pursuant to President Roosevelt's telegram to Winston Churchill of 14 March 1942, the US Army informs Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell, Commanding General American Army Forces, China, Burma, and India, that Chiang Kai-Shek's request that he be placed in charge of Allied operations in Burma is being denied. This is a delicate diplomatic situation because Chiang is still bitter about the British attempt to commandeer lend-lease supplies allocated to him in December 1941. Chiang has gotten along well with Stilwell and apparently wants to show his preference for the Americans. British General Archibald Wavell, Commander in Chief India, will remain responsible for operations In Burma even though he is no favorite of Churchill's. The British power base in India makes this a pragmatic if not altogether ideal solution.

An Oberleutnant (first lieutenant) of a Luftwaffe Field Division (the Meindl division) in Russia, March 1942. He has the Iron Cross First Class and a pilot's badge (House Block, Federal Archive Figure 101I-395-1513-30).

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command is in the middle of a lengthy quiet period as it builds its forces and waits for better flying weather. During the day, six Bostons fly unproductive sweeps off the Brittany coast. After dark, three Blenheims make solo attacks on Dutch airfields, including Schiphol near Amsterdam.

The Luftwaffe conducts a coastal sweep and sinks 91-ton Belgian fishing boat Gratie Gods in Oxwich Bay on the south of the Gower Peninsula, Wales.

HMS Vortigern (D 37), sunk on 15 March 1942.

Battle of the Atlantic: The early morning hours see a brutal sea action off the eastern British coast. In a typical night-time attack, five German E-boats (S 105, S 111, S 62, S 104, and S 108) swarm English coastal convoy FS-749 near Cromer. Royal Navy destroyer HMS Vortigern is defending the merchantmen and occupies the E-boats while the rest of the convoy escapes. E-boat S-104 sinks Vortigern with a torpedo, causing the loss of 147 lives with only 14 survivors. On the way back to their base, the E-boats tangle with Royal Navy MGB 87, 88, and 91, and E-boat S-111 takes heavy damage and eventually sinks. A force of Spitfires from Nos. 234 Squadron, 317 Squadron, and 412 Squadron also attack the E-boats and claim to sink one E-boat (probably S-111) and damage four others.

The crew of another Royal Navy destroyer nearby witnesses the Vortigern sinking but they do not stop to render aid, as Captain S. Lonbard-Hobson feels that it makes more sense to remain with the fleeing convoy to protect it. This action leads to a Court of Inquiry that is inconclusive. The loss of life is the worst for any single sinking along the English east coast during World War II.

U-503 (Kptlt. Otto Gericke), on its maiden patrol out of Bergen, has been at sea for only 16 days when it is spotted by a patrolling US PBO-1 Hudson aircraft (VP-82 USN) about 250 miles southeast of St. John's, Newfoundland. The Hudson quickly attacks and sinks U-503. All 51 men on board perish. U-503 has sunk no ships during its brief career.

HMS Dido as seen from HMS Euryalus in the Meditteranean, 14 or 15 March 1942. They are en route to bombard the Italian base at Rhodes (© IWM (A 8578)).

U-158 (Kptlt. Erwin Rostin), on its first patrol out of Helgoland, is in a heavily trafficked spot about 15 miles south of Cape Lookout when it spots 7118-ton tanker Olean. At 06:04, Rostin hits the tanker with one torpedo and the crew abandons ship even though the tanker is still moving forward (though out of control). Rostin pumps a second torpedo into the tanker at 06:18 and then departs the scene. However, the tanker does not sink. Olean is later towed to Hampton Roads and eventually repaired and returned to service first under the new name Sweep and then USS Silver Cloud (IX 143), being used as a mobile floating storage tanker. There are six dead and 36 survivors.

U-158 is not done for the day. At 07:22, Rostin spots a second tanker, 6952-ton Ario about four miles from Olean. He pumps one torpedo into Ario, then surfaces and opens fire with his deck gun. The tanker's crew abandons ship but reboards it after U-158 (which is close by and almost collides with a lifeboat) departs the scene. Unlike Olean, though, this tanker really is sinking, though it takes its time and drifts to within 10 miles east of Cape Lookout before finally going under. There are 26 survivors and 8 dead, most of whom perish as their lifeboat is struck by a shell as it is being lowered to the water.

U-161 (Kptlt. Albrecht Achilles), on its second patrol out of Lorient, concludes a successful patrol by using its deck gun to sink 1130-ton USCG Acacia, a Coast Guard lighthouse west of St. John's and north of Haiti (about 80 miles southwest of Saint Kitts and Nevis). This is the only US Lighthouse Service vessel lost during World War II. All 35 men aboard the lighthouse are rescued and taken to San Juan.

Canadian freighter Sarniadoc, sunk on 15 March 1942.

U-161 also torpedoes and sinks 1940-ton Canadian freighter Sarniadoc in the same area as Acacia. All 21 men on board perish.

U-124 (KrvKpt. Johann Mohr), on its eighth patrol out of Lorient, torpedoes 7209-ton British tanker British Resource about 230 miles north of Bermuda late on 14 March. After the first two torpedoes do not sink her, Mohr fires another which turns the tanker into a blazing wreck. It sinks during 15 March, with 46 deaths and only seven survivors, including the master, third radio operator, and three gunners.

Italian submarine Enrico Tazzoli sinks 8780-ton British tanker Athelqueen near the Bahamas using torpedoes and gunfire. There are three deaths.

British 971-ton freighter Presto sinks during a convoy from Blyth to Dover due to a collision with fellow freighter Llandover. There is no record of casualties.

German freighter H-5, sunk on 15 March 1942.

German 4974-ton freighter H-5, the former Nicole Schiaffino captured on 5 August 1940 at Bordeaux and used as a troop transport, wrecks at Finnsnesrenna, Gisund, south of Tromsø, Norway. There is no record of casualties.

German FW 200 Condor aircraft bomb and sink 1757-ton British freighter Dago near Cape Carvoeiro during a passage from Lisbon to Oporto. There is no record of casualties. The location of this wreck was finally pinpointed in 2014 by a volunteer team of divers (International Journal of Nautical Archaeology).

British 127-ton utility barge Sparsholt hits a mine and sinks in the Thames Estuary. There are seven deaths.

British 231-ton fishing vessel Danearn runs aground at Scotstoun, North of Peterhead, and is written off. There is no record of casualties.

"Two Wrens having a banquet of oranges, a rare treat for them." The ladies have just arrived in the Middle East, probably Cairo, on 14 or 15 March 1942 (© IWM (A 8440)).

Battle of the Mediterranean: The Luftwaffe resumes its major bombing campaign against Malta on 15 March 1942, targetting Valletta for the first time. The most notable feature of today's raids is the first use of 1800kg (two-ton) "Satan" bombs. These are the heaviest bombs carried by Junkers Ju 88s. The Luftwaffe presence has greatly increased recently, and enemy fighters now outnumber defending RAF planes during raids. In all, the Axis planes drop over 15,000kg of high explosive bombs on Valletta, killing a dozen civilians and a British serviceman.

With the British occupied in Malta, the Italian Navy mounts Operation Sirio, a supply convoy of two transport ships from Naples to North Africa via Messina. The British also send supply ships of their own in Operation MF-8 to transfer supplies to Malta and return empty freighters to Alexandria.

"A large cloud of smoke rising from the center of Valletta as a bomb bursts on St Ursula's Church." Malta, 15 March 1942. © IWM (A 9624).

POWs: At the Colditz officer's camp, the Germans have set the prisoners to work removing dirt that they have discovered being stockpiled in an attic. It has been moved there from an abortive tunnel being dug beneath the chapel and discovered by the Germans in January. The prisoners are forced to load carts full of the dirt and take them through Colditz town for dumping. Today, as one of the carts is rolling through town, French Lieut. H. Desjobert is spotted emerging from beneath the mound of dirt. He is quickly apprehended.

US Military: The US Army Air Force activates the XI Interceptor Command (11th and 18th Pursuit Squadrons) at Elmendorf Field, Anchorage.

The USAAF 67th Pursuit Squadron arrives in New Caledonia. This is the first USAAF tactical unit in the theater. It brings with it 45 crated P-40 fighters.

A three-volume collection of Adolf Hitler's speeches issued by the Central Publishing House of the NSDAP concludes with his address at the Sportspalast on 15 March 1942.

German Government: In the evening, Adolf Hitler gives his annual speech at the Berlin Sportpalast in honor of Heroes' Memorial Day. In it, Hitler accuses the victors of World War I of causing World War II through the draconian Treaty of Versailles that caused the "impoverishment" of Germany. He further accuses the western Allies ("especially in the United States") of planning World War II "as far back as 1935 and 1936." The speech is loaded with references to "the Jews who pull the strings" who fomented a "conspiracy of the Plutocracies and of Bolshevism." He vows:

Therefore, there can be only one solution, which is, to continue this fight until a permanent peace has been guaranteed, i.e., until the destruction of the enemies of such a peace has been accomplished.

The 15 March 1942 speech is notable for a somewhat pessimistic tone. Rather than bragging about Wehrmacht successes as in past speeches, Hitler makes a curiously truthful reference to the role played by the Russian winter on the course of the conflict:

Sooner than any experience or scientific knowledge had anticipated, a winter broke upon our army which now gave the adversary four months' time, to bring about on his part the turning point in this fateful struggle. It was the sole hope for the potentates of the Kremlin, in this behavior of the elements of nature which even they had never experienced, to inflict the Napoleonic fate of 1812 on the German Wehrmacht. In the superhuman struggle, under the exertion of the last forces of body and soul, the German and allied soldiers have withstood these trials and thus have conquered the hordes.

Of course, the Wehrmacht still faces the "hordes" and they are far from conquered, a fact his audience well knows.

Uncanny Tales, March 1942. Melvin R. Colby, No. 15 Volume 2, Canadian pulp magazine.

Holocaust: The Dünamünde Action (Aktion Dünamünde) takes place in Biķernieki forest, near Riga, Latvia. Conducted by SS troops under the command of SS General Friedrich Jeckeln and local collaborators, the Dünamünde Action involves the murder of about 1900 Jews who had been deported recently to Latvia from Germany, Austria, and the province of Bohemia and Moravia (former Czechoslovakia). The victims of the Riga Ghetto are tricked into boarding trucks that they are told will take them to a better camp called Daugavgrīva (Dünamünde), but in fact, the trucks take them to the words north of Riga where they are shot. They are buried in pre-dug mass graves. A similar second incident that is sometimes called the Second Dünamünde Action takes place on March 26, 1942, with 1840 people murdered and buried in that action.

The Dünamünde Action is notable because it marks the beginning of efforts to make these kinds of mass killings more "efficient." General Jeckeln has become disturbed by the haphazard manner in which his troops have been conducting executions, which he considers wasteful. In the Dünamünde Actions, Jeckeln invents Sardinenpackung (sardine packing). This involves forcing the victims to climb down into the pit and lie down in a pattern that occupies the least amount of space, usually above the corpses of previous victims in a head-to-foot arrangement, before they are shot. This greatly reduces the number of pits that must be dug.

At Auschwitz, the SS men running the camp get drunk and decide to have some fun. They force prisoners to exercise, which directly leads to 278 prisoner deaths and 28 others who perish later in the prison hospitals from the effects of exposure and beatings. The dead today include 198 Poles, 103 Soviet POWs, 68 Jews, 30 Czechs, 8 Germans, and 2 Yugoslavians.

The latest fashion in the 15 March 1942 Vogue, as captured by Horst P. Horst (Horst Bohrmann).

Norwegian Homefront: The Quisling government arrests more than 1300 schoolteachers who have refused to teach the required German curriculum. A total of 12,000 out of 14,000 teachers have refused to join the teacher's association and the occupation authorities wish to make a point. Half of the teachers are held in a concentration camp outside of Oslo, while the rest are sent to Kirkenes in the Arctic to perform forced labor alongside Soviet prisoners of war.

A Salvation Army assembly in Newtown, New South Wales, Australia, 15 March 1942 (State Library New South Wales 30906).

New Zealand Homefront: As in other Allied nations, New Zealand begins to experience tire shortages due to reduced rubber supplies.

British Homefront: World War I veteran J. R. R. Tolkien, who has attempted to become a World War II cryptographer but failed, is working on a new book. He writes a letter to friend John Kettle on 15 March 1942 in which he discusses "The Hobbit," his book published on 21 September 1937. He goes further, though, and also discusses a new book that he is writing in which:

You will meet the perennial Gandalf again… Bilbo and many other hobbits of Took descent, and also one Sam Gamgee; Tom Bombadil… Trotter the Ranger; Ents (very strange creatures); Elrond, Gollum, and others; and visit the Mines of Moria, the elf-lands of Lothlórien; the Riders of Rohan; the Fortress of Minas Tirith; and come to the final overthrow of the Dark Tower. Or I hope so. And supposing you want to.

This will become "The Lord of the Rings," finally published in 1954. It will become one of the best-selling novels ever written, with over 150 million copies sold.

Maclean's, 15 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

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

Wednesday 4 March 1942

A Japanese Kawanishi H8K is seen seconds before being shot down by a Navy aircraft in July 1944. COURTESY OF THE U.S. NAVY.

Battle of the Pacific: One of the forgotten facts of World War II is that there was not just one Japanese raid on Oahu, Hawaii, but two. Everyone remembers the 7 December 1941 raid on Pearl Harbor, but the 4 March 1942 raid is lost in the mists of time. It thus makes for a good trivia question if you are determined to stump someone who claims to know "everything" about World War II. Late on 3 March, two Kawanishi H8K "Emily" flying boats depart their refueling station at the French Frigate Shoals (refueled by submarines HIJMS I-15 and I-19) and embark on Operation K. They fly the 560 miles (900 km) to Oahu armed with four 250-kg (550 lb) bombs each. As on the first raid, US radar stations pick up the two approaching planes. This time, rather than ignoring them, the USAAF sends up Curtiss P-40 Warhawk fighters to intercept them and also Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boats to seek out their presumed aircraft carrier source. However, the weather is poor, and the US planes find nothing. The Japanese planes thus reach Oahu unmolested.

Soldiers inspect a crater left near Honolulu after a Japanese bombing raid on Hawaii, March 4, 1942, in this undated photo on display at the Pacific Aviation Museum in Honolulu. WYATT OLSON/STARS AND STRIPES.

The huge Japanese planes approach through a heavy cloud cover at 15,000 feet (4600 m). The Japanese pilots spot the Kaena Point lighthouse and their leader, Hisao Hashizuma, decides to attack from the north - the same direction as on 7 December 1941. However, for some reason, the crew of the other plane, commanded by Ensign Shosuke Sasao, does not hear this plan and instead approach Pearl Harbor from the south. Hashizuma cannot see through the clouds and the blackout on the island gives him no reference points. He winds up dropping his bombs at about 02:00 on the slopes of Tantalus Peak. These bombs shatter some windows at a nearby high school (Theodore Roosevelt High, which is still there) and create some craters nearby. According to eyewitnesses, this wakes up everyone in Honolulu. It is unclear where the second plane drops its bombs, either over the ocean or some uninhabited land. The two flying boats then slip away to the southwest, and Hashizuma returns to Jaluit Atoll in the Marshall Islands while the second plane lands at nearby Wotje atoll.

HMAS Yarra, sunk by Japanese cruisers on 4 March 1942.

Due to its lack of impact, this second raid on Hawaii becomes a footnote to history. However, it is a tremendous technical achievement and does have an impact. By flying from the French Frigate Shoals to Oahu, executing his attack, and then returning to Jaluit, Hashizuma successfully completes the longest bombing raid in history up to this point. The raid causes massive confusion in the United States, with the military claiming that it had dropped the bombs at Tantalus while a spurious Los Angeles radio news report claims there were 30 dead and 70 wounded. The Japanese, meanwhile, remain quite pleased with the raid despite not causing any real damage or obtaining useful visual data. They plan another one as soon as it can be readied. On 10 March, Hashizuma and his crew will also carry out that raid, but they are shot down near Midway Atoll. Propaganda broadcasts about the raid from Tokyo lead the US Navy to secure the French Frigate Shoals to prevent future attacks by stationing a destroyer there for the remainder of the war.

Dutch freighter Enggano, sunk by Japanese cruisers near Java on 4 March 1942.

At Java, Netherlands East Indies, the Dutch are busy blowing up installations of strategic importance as the Japanese advance. Blackforce, a unit composed of a hodgepodge of units from all the Allied combatants but principally Australian, withdraws from  Buitenzorg to Sukabumi, about 30 miles to the south. A top Japanese priority is the capture of the port of Tjilatjap on the south coast, from which Allied ships have been leaving for Australia, but that is not directly threatened yet.

A Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless ready for delivery at Douglas Aircraft Company's El Segundo, California (USA), plant on 4 March 1942. This is the type of plane used during the raid on Marcus Island (US Navy National Naval Aviation Museum).

At 06:30, Vice-Admiral "Bull" Halsey's Task Force 16 attacks Marcus Island (about 725 miles northwest of Wake Island). Launched from USS Enterprise, 32 SBD Dauntlesses along with 6 F4F Wildcats fly through some heavy antiaircraft fire, losing one SBD whose crew is captured. Marcus Island is within 1000 miles of Japan, which is closer than it may seem in the Pacific.

Tanker Francol, sunk south of Java on 4 March 1942.

The Japanese Navy continues its depredations against Allied ships evacuating Java. Heavy cruisers HIJMS Atago, May, and Takao, accompanied by two destroyers, pounces on a convoy of three merchant ships (depot ship Anking, tanker Francol, and minesweeper MMS.51)) escorted by Australian sloop HMAS Yarra. The convoy has left Tjilatjap, Java, bound for Fremantle, Australia. By about 08:00, all four ships are sunk. Of the 151 sailors aboard Yarra, only 13 survive (they are rescued by a Dutch submarine on 10 March). There are two survivors of Francol, 14 survivors from MMS.51, and 57 survivors of Anking (several of whom perish from exposure within days of being rescued). The Japanese also capture an unnamed freighter which is not officially part of the convoy but sailed at the same time and remained near it. There are other naval encounters south of Java in which Japanese heavy cruiser Chikuma and destroyer Urukaze sink 5412-ton Dutch freighter Enggano. Japanese submarine I-7 torpedoes and sinks 3271-ton Dutch freighter Le Maire near Cocos Island and uses its deck to sink 865-ton Dutch freighter Merkus in the same area.

Lieutenant Commander Robert Rankin, commander of HMAS Yarra, who goes down with the ship on 4 March 1942.

The Allies do have some naval successes today. Four U.S. Navy destroyers that left Surabaya late on 28 February arrive in Fremantle. The four ships of DesDiv 58 (USS John D. Edwards, John D. Ford, Alden, and Paul Jones) wisely avoided battle in the Bali Strait and are some of the very few Allied warships to escape intact from Java. US Navy submarine USS-S-39 (SS-144, Lt. J. W. Coe) torpedoes Japanese oiler Erimo south of Beltung Island (the oiler's captain beaches it, but it is a total loss), while US submarine Grampus (SS-207) torpedoes and sinks Japanese tanker Kaijo Maru No. 2 about 145 miles south of Truk. Numerous Allied ships arrive at Colombo in the Indian Ocean, including battleship Ramillies and several destroyers.

The German occupation newspaper on the Channel Island of Guernsey dated 4 March 1942 is full of good news for the Axis, such as "Japan Rules the Pacific Waves" and "Strong Soviet Tank Attacks Frustrated."

In the Philippines, the front along the Bataan Peninsula remains quiet as the Japanese continue building up their forces for a major offensive. General Douglas MacArthur (now holed up in the bunkers on the fortified island of Corregidor, which is often under air attack) is under orders to depart for Australia. Before he leaves, he reorganizes his command. He divides the Composite Visayan-Mindanao Force into two separate commands, with the Mindanao portion under Brigadier General William F. Sharp and the Visayan force under Brigadier General Bradford G. Chynoweth. General MacArthur's departure date to Australia is set for 14 March 1942.

Italian Navy officers at La Spezia, 4 March 1942.

Eastern Front: The German Fourth Army complete their evacuation of Yukhnov following Hitler's unexpected approval on 1 March. The men head for a new line behind the Ugra River which offers better defensive possibilities but is still a tenuous position. While this problem is "solved," the Germans still have bigger problems, one of which is the trapped garrison under the command of Generalmajor Theodor Scherer at Kholm. A relief force under Generalmajor Horst von Uckermann is almost within sight of the garrison but is stuck in deep snow and blocked by heavy Soviet tanks. The Luftwaffe finds it difficult to help Uckermann to move forward because the Soviet defenses are concealed under snow. As often happens in these types of situations, Uckermann begins attracting negative comments from the Luftwaffe, almost certainly to shield their own ineffectiveness from Hitler. They make the usual complaints that he isn't aggressive enough and "lacks confidence." On the Soviet side, Stalin is fixated on restarting his counteroffensive and places a priority on Second Shock Army and Fifty-fourth Army taking Lyuban. The Germans intend to save Lyuban by moving in behind these two armies by retaking the line of the Volkov River in proposed Operation Raubtier. However, the troops need at least another week to build up sufficient strength to surround the attacking Soviet troops.

Firefighting in Boulogne-Billancourt after air raid of 3-4 March 1942. Source: Archives municipales de Boulogne-Billancourt.

European Air Operations: RAF Bomber Command begins a four-day period of inactivity today as it recuperates from its all-out attack on the Billancourt Renault Factory on the night of 3/4 March. While the RAF loses two bombers during the night, this is an "acceptable" loss ratio of 0.8%.

A Free French soldier from Billancourt, Georges Gorse, pens an article for the British press which praises the raid despite the inevitable French civilian deaths, writing:

If we want the liberation of France, we must clench our teeth and accept that the British must bomb occupied Paris just as the Germans bombed London and that some French people will die under those Allied bombs. They are German casualties just as much as casualties during the 1940 campaign and the men shot by the Germans at Nantes and Paris. Boulogne-Billancourt workers rightfully see the March raids as a promise of liberation. Those who have perished have contributed to the war effort.

Gorse is elected mayor of Billancourt after the war.

A cropped photograph of the USS Hobson off Charleston, South Carolina, 4 March 1942. She is painted in camouflage Measure 12 (Modified). This photograph has been censored to remove radar antennas atop her foremast and Mark 37 gun director (Official U.S. Navy Photograph NH-53548, from the collections of the Naval Historical Center.).

Battle of the Atlantic: It is a fairly quiet day in the North Atlantic. British 3915-ton freighter Gypsum Prince collides with fellow freighter Voco about 4 miles off Lewes, Delaware. British 6675-ton freighter Frumenton hits a mine and sinks near Orfordness.

There is a report published in the NY Times that "an enemy vessel, presumably a submarine," shelled the cliffs of Mona Island, about fifty miles southwest of Puerto Rico on 3 March. However, there is no confirmation from any other source that this actually happened. The paper touts this as the "First Land Attack on Us in Atlantic Waters."

A soldier's dog looks after his master's boots and rifle while he takes a shower provided by a mobile bath unit in the Western Desert, 4 March 1942. © IWM (E 9068).

Battle of the Mediterranean: Malta remains under heavy Axis air attack throughout the day. The War Office today places Malta under the direct supervision of Middle East Commander General Claude Auchinleck, with General Dobbie, the Malta commander, now reporting to him rather than directly to the War Office. There is a hint of annoyance in the telegram to Dobbie which suggests that his daily complaints about lack of supplies and military resources on the island led to this change. Dobbie remains as governor for the time being.

War Crimes: The Japanese conclude the Sook Ching massacre in Singapore. This elimination of ethnic Chinese considered potential threats or simply inconvenient began on 18 February and results in many thousands of deaths (actual totals are just estimates). This leads to bitter resentment by locals against both the Japanese who actually commit the crimes and the British for not doing enough to prevent them or later punish those who committed them. There is a war crimes trial after the war which is widely considered unsatisfactory for failing to dispense adequate punishments. The Sook Ching massacre influences events in Singapore for decades and remains a lingering issue.

US/Canadian Relations: The US and Canada sign a treaty "for the avoidance of double taxation."

Japanese freighter Erimo, sunk by a US Navy submarine on 4 March 1942.

Japanese Military: Flush with success, the Japanese High Command begins expanding the map of conquest. Its new targets include New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, the Fiji Islands, and American Samoa. Most of these new objectives have little economic value, unlike the oil-rich Netherlands East Indies. The Japanese aim is to create a far-flung defensive perimeter to protect the homeland from any US Navy strikes in which to establish the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.

US Military: Lieutenant General Joseph Stilwell establishes the Headquarters, American Army Forces, China, Burma, and India, at Chungking. It is staffed by Stilwell's U.S. Task Force in China and the American Military Mission to China (AMMISCA) personnel.

The USAAF Fifth Air Force in Australia continues its frantic reorganization following Japanese advances in the region, including the imminent fall of Java. The 11th and 22d Bombardment Squadrons of the 7th BG (Heavy) arrive in Melbourne, Australia, from Jogjakarta, Java. Also arriving at Melbourne are the air units (B-17s, B-24s, and LB-30s) of the 14th Bombardment Squadron, which is attached to the 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), and the air units of the 28th Bombardment Squadron, 19th BG (Heavy, which left Singosari, Java. The ground units of most of these units remain trapped at Java or Bataan, Philippines, with little hope of rescue.

Canadian Military: The US/Canadian buildup of forces in the British Isles continues. The first 40 Canadian Cruiser Tank Mk. I Rams arrive in England today.

Jenny Jugo on the cover of Filmwelt Magazine, Germany, 4 March 1942. Jugo began acting for UFA in 1924, and by this point, she was a well-established star. Her career faded out after World War II and she retired in 1950. Jenny Jugo passed away in 2001 at the age of 97.

German Government: Either Adolf Hitler or Martin Bormann, Hitler's private secretary, sees a seemingly innocuous news item in the newspaper. It causes Bormann to fire off a sharply worded letter today. Bormann sends it to the head of the Reich Chancellery Hans Lammers, telling him that the Fuhrer noticed that the German Society for Mammalogy, which has passed a resolution changing the official names for bats and shrews. The name for bats has been shortened from Fliedermaus to Flieder, while the name for bats has been shortened from Spitzmaus to simply Spitz. Bormann writes:

The Führer subsequently instructed me to communicate to the responsible parties, in no uncertain terms, that these changes of name are to be reversed immediately. Should members of the Society for Mammalogy have nothing more essential to the war effort or smarter to do, perhaps an extended stint in the construction battalion on the Russian front could be arranged.

The changes are reversed immediately, and on 1 July 1942 the Society goes further and issues instructions that "terms that have become established over the course of many years are not to be altered."


US Government: The House of Representatives authorizes the construction of a "free highway bridge" from Needles, California. across the Colorado River to Arizona.

Canadian Homefront: All people of Japanese racial origin are told to leave the protected area of a 100-mile wide strip along the west coast of British Columbia. They are told to pack a single suitcase and proceed to waiting areas where trains will arrive to take them to the interior. These sealed trains arrive sporadically over the course of several months, and until then, the refugees are held in places such as local livestock buildings. All property that they leave behind, including homes and cars, will be sold at auction.

The site of the Rock End Hotel after it burned down on 4 March 1942 (Great Harbor Maritime Museum).

American Homefront: The Rock End Hotel of Northeast Harbor, Maine, burns to the ground. A very popular hotel, it lasted for 60 years. No cause for the fire is identified.

The first assembly line of the Arkansas Ordnance Plant (AOP) is completed. This is one of the first plants of its kind in the country, and the majority (about 75%) of production line workers will be women. By November 22, 1943, there are 14,092 employees at AOP. The plant is closed completely by early 1946, but in the 1950s part of it is absorbed into the Little Rock Air Force Base.

Future History: PT-109, a PT-103 class motor torpedo boat, is laid down on 4 March 1942 in Bayonne, New Jersey. Built by the Electric Launch Company (Elco), it is launched on 20 June 1942 and serves in the Pacific Theater of Operations. PT-109 becomes famous when future President John F. Kennedy writes about his adventures relating to PT-109 before and after its sinking on 2 August 1943. It also is the title of a 1963 motion picture depicting the life of JFK.

Joseph Goebbels at the world premiere at Ufapalast of "The Great King," 4 March 1942. Goebbels is the head of the German film industry. Also visible are Christina Söderbaum and Dr. Hippler (Schwahn, Ernst, Federal Archive Bild 183-J00575).

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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