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3/1/42 The Fifth Air Force flies its last heavy bomber mission from bases in Java.
3/2/42 5 B-17’s and 3 LB-30’s of the 5th Air Force (the last airplane taking off just before midnight) evacuate the last 260 men from Jogjakarta, the last airfield on Java in Allied hands. Enemy ground forces are within 20 miles of the field at this time. Bataan-based P-40’s attack shipping in Subic Bay. The pilots claim considerable damage to the ships, but 4 of the few P-40’s remaining on Bataan are lost.
3/3/42 Japanese airplanes attack the air field and harbor at Broome, Australia at 1000. This occurs shortly after the arrival of 8 US heavy bombers that were evacuating men from Java. The Japanese destroy 2 B-17’s, 2 B-24’s, 12 seaplanes, and 2 Hudsons, and kill at least 45 Dutch civilians and 20 US airmen.
3/4/42 A lone Japanese aircraft attempts to attack Honolulu, Hawaii but drops its bombs short of the city. Overcast conditions prevent successful pursuit by Seventh AF airplanes.
3/5/42 General Lewis Brereton who arrived in India from Netherlands East Indies (NEI) on 25 Feb, formally takes command of the Tenth AF, which at this time only has 8 tactical aircraft (B-17 bombers).
3/8/42 Headquarters (HQ) of the Tenth AF begins moving from Patterson Field, Ohio to India. Between this date and 13 Mar, the 8 B-17’s in India transport 474 troops and 29 tons of supplies from India to Magwe and on the return flights evacuate 423 civilians.
3/8/42 Colonel William O. Butler assumes command of the Eleventh Air Force with its Headquarters (HQ) at Fort Richardson.
3/9/42 A large military reorganization occurs making effective Executive Order of 28 February. The Air Corps and the US Army Air Force Combat Command, which previously had made up the Army Air Forces (AAF) under General Hap Arnold as Chief, are discontinued. The AAF is reorganized with Arnold as Commanding General (CG). Army Ground Forces under General Lesley McNair and Services of Supply (later Army Service Forces) under General Sommervell are also organized. All are under control of General George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff (CoS). In the Navy, Admiral Ernest King, Commander in Chief (CinC) US Fleet, assumes additional responsibilities as he succeeds Admiral Stark as Chief of Naval Operations.
3/9/42 In Southeast Asia Japanese forces complete the capture of Rangoon, dealing China a great blow by cutting off supplies from Burma Road.
3/12/42 In the Tenth AF, 10 P-40’s arrive in Karachi by ship from Australia. Stateside, Zone of the Interior (ZI), the XII Bomber Command is activated at MacDill Field, Tampa, Florida.
3/15/42 In the South Pacific (SOPAC) the 67th Fighter Squadron, the first Army Air Forces (AAF) tactical unit in the theater, arrives on the Island of New Caledonia located Northeast of Brisbane, Australia on the eastern side of the Coral Sea.
3/15/42 In the 11th Air Force, the XI Fighter Command is activated at Elmendorf Field under the command of Colonel Norman D. Sillin. Its operational components are the 11th and 18th Pursuit Squadrons.
3/16/42 3 B-17’s of 435th Reconnaissance Squadron (Rcn Sq), 19th Bombardment Group of the Fifth Air Force begin evacuating General MacArthur, his family, and his staff from Del Monte Airfield in the Philippines to Australia.
3/17/42 General MacArthur arrives in Australia and on 18 April assumes command of United Nations forces in SWPA (Southwest Pacific Area).
3/20/42 Report submitted by General Ira Eaker to the Army Air Force in Britain (AAFIB) in compliance with General Chaney’s instructions of 25 Feb indicates the completion of studies of Royal Air Force Bomber Command (RAF BC) operations and of airfields, training, tactical doctrine, equipment, and methods of conducting the air offensive in cooperation with RAF. This Report also indicates a large US dependence upon British for the present time period but emphasizes the apparent compatibility of the tactical doctrines of the US’ daylight precision bombing and RAF’ night area bombing, and implies the principle of coordinating these attacks in order to complement each other.
3/25/42 Major Cecil P. Lessig becomes first Eighth Air Force (AF) pilot to fly a mission over France in World War II. Flying a Spitfire with 64 Squadron of the British Royal Air Force (RAF), Lessig participates in a 36-aircraft fighter sweep that is recalled when 50 German fighters challenge them.
3/26/42 3 B-17’s of 435th Recon Squadron, 19th Bomb Group of the Fifth Air Force, evacuate Philippine President Quezon and his family to Australia.
3/28/42 In the US Zone of the Interior (ZI), units of I Bomber Command engaged in antisubmarine operations off the northeast coast are placed under operational control of the Commander, Eastern Sea Frontier.
3/31/42 General Carl Spaatz suggests that the current “task-less Eighth” Air Force be made the nucleus for Army Air Forces in Britain (AAFIB).
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Historical Artifacts: We are looking for photos, documents and other types of artifacts including uniforms, medals, insignia, gear, manuals, and training material. We accept electronic/scans or originals of pictures and paper records. A General Order could be an award document that contains information on many servicemen. Special Orders may contain transfers or other information. Flight records, accident reports, maintenance logs, after action reports, pilot encounter reports, diaries and biorgraphies; all of these types of documents help us support or mission: preserving your history! Contact us today for instructions on sending us this material. Contact Today
Are you an AAC, AAF or USAF Veteran, family member, historian or WW2 enthusiast? We Need YOU! Contact us today to see how you can help the Army Air Corps Library and Museum, a Texas Not-For-Profit Corporation. We need your help! We are looking for volunteers that can help us with the following tasks. Typing and Transcriptionists: One of our big projects is extracting data from the thousands of documents we have and putting this data into a database where we can display the information on a website such as this one. We also need assistance with retyping unit history documents.
