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04/01/42
ZI
AC Proving Ground becomes Proving Ground Cmd, with main base at Eglin
Field.
04/02/42
Tenth AF
Gen Brereton, CG, leads 3 HBs on raid on shipping in Andaman Is
during 2/3 Apr. The HBs claim hits on a cruiser and a transport. 2
HBs are damaged by AA and ftrs, but all return to base. Earlier in
the evening, a mission scheduled against Rangoon area is aborted when
1 HB crashes on takeoff and the other has mechanical trouble.
04/03/42
Tenth AF
6 HBs from Asansol bomb warehouses and docks at Rangoon, starting 3
large fires. 1 B-17 fails to return.
04/06/42
Tenth AF
10 DC-3's of Pan American Airways begin hauling 30,000 gals of fuel
and 500 gals of lubricants from Calcutta to the airstrip at Asansol,
completing the mission on the following day. This fuel, subsequently
transferred via Dinjan to China, is for use by Lt Col James H
Doolittle's Tokyo raiders, already at sea aboard the carrier Hornet.
04/07/42
US
WD officially states that Eighth AF will be established in UK as
intermediate cmd between USAFBI and the AF cmds. Gen Marshall
notifies Gen Chaney of this decision.
04/07/42
Fifth AF
During 6/7 Apr the Japanese break the Philippine II Corps front on
Bataan, thus necessitating immediate removal of all remaining ftrs to
Mindanao, where for the next 3 days they will fly rcn, cover HBs
(sent to Mindanao from Australia) operating against concentrations at
Legaspi, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao, and carry out a strafing attack
against aircraft at Davao. After the HBs return to Australia on 12
Apr, the ftrs will continue to fly rcn until Japanese forces envelop
the troops on Mindanao on 1 May.
04/08/42
International
Harry Hopkins and Gen Marshall arrive in London for talks with
British serv and supply chiefs concerning integration of US and
British manpower and war production for action in Europe. Gen
Marshall urges an offensive in the west to relieve pressure upon
Russia, and promises a constant flow of US troops, including many air
units, to UK.
04/08/42
Ninth AF
VA Spt Cmd (activated 1 Sep 41) is redesignated Ninth AF. HQ is at
New Orleans AAB.
04/09/42
Eighth AF
HQ echelon is located at Bolling Field to prepare Eighth AF for move
overseas.
04/09/42
Phil Is
Japanese capture Bataan after 3 months. US-Philippine forces
surrender unconditionally. Japanese arty emplaced on Bataan opens
fire on Corregidor in conjunction with air attacks.
04/12/42
AAF
Gen Arnold sends air plans for BOLERO to Gen Marshall in London. Plan
calls for establishment of Eighth AF in UK.
04/12/42
Fifth AF
Australia-based B-25's, staging through Mindanao, hit harbor and
shipping at Cebu while B-17's carry out single-bmr strikes from
Mindanao against Cebu harbor and Nichols Field.
04/13/42
Fifth AF
Australia-based B-25's hit tgts in the Phil Is for second consecutive
day. Staging through Valencia the B-25's take off just after midnight
during 12/13 Apr and bomb Cebu shipping and installations at Davao.
Later in the day the MBs again attack Davao, bombing the dock area.
04/13/42
SOPAC
Adm Ghormley is assigned as COMSOPAC. He is to cmd all Allied base
and local def forces (land, sea, and air) in the South Pacific
islands, with the exception of NZ land defenses.
04/14/42
International
British Government and CoSs accept Gen Marshall's BOLERO plan for
Allied build-up in UK for attack on Germany.
04/15/42
Eighth AF
HQ of VIII BC established in Wycombe Abbey, in High Wycombe by Gen
Eaker.
04/16/42
Tenth AF
HBs take off from Dum A/F near Calcutta to bomb Rangoon. 6 B-17's,
guided by flares, bomb the tgt. Numerous searchlights make it
impossible to estimate the bombing results.
04/18/42
Doolittle Raid
16 B-25's launched from carrier Hornet carry out first AAF attack on
Japanese mainland. 15 of the B-25's bomb in Japan, the principal tgts
being Tokyo, Kobe, Yokohoma, and Nagoya. Since the bmrs had to be
launched earlier than scheduled they are unable to reach planned
bases in China and have to be crashlanded or abandoned, 15 in China
and the other in the USSR."
04/18/42
Fifth AF
Fifth AF units come under control of Allied AF (SWPA) which is
created in Australia to control AAF, RAAF and Dutch elements.
04/20/42
Fifth AF
Gen Brett assumes cmd of Allied AF, which has units based in N and E
Australia, with advanced facilities in the Port Moresby area.
04/22/42
Tenth AF
Aircraft begin to evacuate military and civilian personnel and
supplies from Burma to India. By 15 Jun the Tenth has evacuated 4,499
passengers and 1,733,026 lbs of freight.
04/22/42
SOPAC
Joint US-NZ Naval Cmd ordered established under Adm Ghormley. It is
to operate separately but in close liaison with Gen MacArthur and Adm
Leary.
04/27/42
Eighth AF
ADVONs of HQ, Eighth AF and of bmr, ftr and base cmds, along with
15th Bomb Sq, 2d Air Depot Gp, and a weather dets totalling about
1,800 men, sail from Boston for UK."
04/27/42
Fifth AF
In Australia, US Army Air Services under Gen Lincoln takes over
responsibility as an administrative, supply, maintenance, and
engineering cmd under Allied AF.
04/27/42
Eighth AF
VIII GASC is activated at Bolling Field.
04/29/42
Tenth AF
Rangoon is again hit by a flight of HBs which pound dock area.
04/30/42
Burma
Japanese capture Lashio and begin move to drive Chinese back along
Burma Road toward China and drive US and British forces back toward
India.
04/30/42
Fifth AF
P-39's flying out of Port Moresby strafe airplanes and fuel dumps at
Lae and Salamaua.
04/30/42
ZI
ATC is established.
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