February 4, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 1942

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), Headquarters (HQ), 9th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and 88th Reconnaissance Squadron begin a movement from Brisbane to Karachi. The 9th is operating from Jogjakarta with B-17's; the 88th is operating from Hickam Field with B-17's.

ABDA: Battle of Makassar Strait (Battle of the Flores Sea, Action off Madura Strait) American, British, Dutch, Australian Flotilla (ABDAFLOAT) warships are bombed by Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) land based bombers with two cruisers damaged.

U.S. Army: USAFFE takes direct control of the garrisons on Panay and Mindoro which were previously part of Visayan-Mindoro Force, established in early January 1942 under command of Brig Gen William F. Sharp. On Luzon, II Corps front is relatively quiet. In I Corps area, Japanese in Big Pocket repel still another tank-infantry attack. In South Sector, Scouts and tanks continue attack against Quinauan Pt and this time succeed in compressing enemy into small area at tip. In Anyasan-Silaiim sector, tank-infantry attacks against enemy still make slow progress.

NEI: The small Australian garrison, largely 2/21 Battalion on Ambon surrenders to Japanese.

Australian Army / IJA: Four separate massacres of prisoners occurred at Tol and Waitavalo. In total, 141 Australian Army soliders from "Lark Force" that retreated from Rabaul across New Britain were captured and executed at Tol Plantation.

Royal Netherlands Navy / U.S. Navy: Battle of Makassar Strait Japanese reconnaissance flying boats from Toko Kōkūtai (Toko Air Group) locate and shadow the Allied force of four cruisers and seven destroyers under Rear Admiral Karel W.F.M. Doorman, RNN of four cruisers and accompanying destroyers to attack Japanese Borneo invasion force off Balikpapan but were spotted Feburary 3, 1942 by returning bombers from 1st Kōkūtai (1st Air Group) transiting the Madoera Strait. On the strength of that intelligence, Japanese naval land attack planes including Nells and Bettys from Takao Kōkūtai (Takao Air Group), Kanoya Kōkūtai (Kanoya Air Group) and 1st Kōkūtai (1st Air Group) target the warships, aiming at the cruisers and ignoring the escorting destroyers. Their bombs damage heavy cruiser USS Houston (CA-30) attacked by 1st Kōkūtai (1st Air Group) that disable her turret no. 3 with one-third of her main battery and light cruiser USS Marblehead (CL-12) attacked by Kanoya Kōkūtai (Kanoya Air Group) at roughly Lat 07°23'S, Long 115°47'E. Dutch light cruisers Ms De Ruyter and Hr Ms Tromp are slightly damaged by near-misses by 1st Kōkūtai (1st Air Group). Although Marblehead sustained extensive damage she reaches Tjilatjap then is withdrawn via Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and South Africa then to the United States for permenant repairs.

The Asiatic Fleet under Admiral Thomas C. Hart ceases to exist organizationally but is not formally abolished. Units of the Asiatic Fleet are organized into Naval Forces, Southwest Pacific Area under Vice Admiral William A. Glassford.

USS Sculpin (SS-191) torpedoes Japanese destroyer Suzukaze patrolling off Staring Bay, south of Kendari on Celebes at roughly Lat 4°00'S, Long 123°00'E.

RAN: The Australian-New Zealand naval command is established under Vice Admiral H. Fairfax Leary.