January 12, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 12 JANUARY 1942

U.S. Army: 2nd Lt. Alexander R. Nininger, Jr. is Killed is Killed In Action (KIA) leading a counter attack near Abucay. Postumously, he earned the Medal of Honor, the first U.S. Army receipent of World War II.

RAAF: During a patrol, Buffalo W8202 collides with Buffalo AN171 with both damaged and crash, both pilots survive.

USAAF: Charles Lindbergh is refused to be recommissioned in the U.S. Army Air Force due to his vocal pre-war isolationist views. His request was declined by Secretary of War, Henry L. Stimson on instructions from U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

U.S. Army: On Luzon, Japanese exert strong pressure against II Corps, particularly on W, while taking up positions for concerted assault. 51st Div (PA) is hard hit and gives ground, some of which is regained after reserves are committed. In center, Japanese push back OPL of 41st Div (PA). On E coast, Japanese regain positions on S bank of Calaguiman R; to meet threat there, 21st Inf (PA) is released from reserve to assist 57th Inf (PS). In I Corps area, Japanese detachment moves by boat and seizes undefended Grande Island.

U.S. Navy: Authorized enlisted strength is increased to 500,000.

Dutch army shore battery sinks Japanese minesweepers W.13 and W.14 off Tarakan, Borneo; destroyer Asagumo is damaged when she runs aground off Tarakan.

Japanese submarine I-121 mines Clarence Strait, the body of water connecting Van Diemen Gulf and the Timor Sea, off Australia's northern territory, at the approaches to Darwin, the Asiatic Fleet's main logistics base.