February 14, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 1942

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (7th Air Force): A B-17 flies a photo reconnaissance mission over Wake.

Singapore: Japanese continue to make main effort against W part of S Area and gain ground near Alexandra. Water supply of garrison is in danger of failing within a short time. Supplies of food and ammunition are also dwindling rapidly. Br flotilla withdrawing from Singapore is attacked by enemy naval and air forces in approaches to Bangka Strait and suffers heavily. Boat carrying Rear Adm, Malaya, and Air Officer Commanding, Far East, is driven ashore on small deserted island where the men later perish.

NEI: Japanese invade Sumatra, dropping paratroopers drop over the Palembang area after air attack on Palembang I Airfield defended by a small force of 150 Dutch infantry and about 60 RAF ground defense gunners that is forced to withdraw toward the west coast, Japanese having blocked road to town of Palembang. Allied naval TF moves N to engage enemy shipping in Bangka Strait but comes under heavy air attack and retires to base. Palembang-based aircraft are attacking enemy shipping in Bangka Strait and cannot be notified in time to intercept invasion force.

RAF: Blenheims bomb and sink merchant ship Inabasan Maru off Palembang during the Japanese invasion of Sumatra.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 9th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 49th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers from Melbourne to Williamstown with P-40's; first mission is 18 Mar. A detachment of the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based at Jogjakarta begins operating from Nandi Airport with B-17's under control of US Navy (USN).

U.S. Army: USS President Taylor accidentally ran aground west of Canton Island.

On Luzon, I Corps further reduces salient in MLR, which is now about half its original size.

ABDA: Vice Adm Conrad E. L. Helfrich of Royal Netherlands Navy succeeds Adm Hart as commander of ABDA Combined Naval Striking Force.

ABDAFloat orders task force (Rear Admiral Karel W.F.M. Doorman) to proceed and attack Japanese Palembang-bound expeditionary force. As Doorman's ships--two Dutch light cruisers, a Dutch flotilla leader, one British heavy cruiser, one Australian light cruiser, four Dutch destroyers and six American-- heads toward its objective, Dutch destroyer Van Ghent runs aground on a reef north of Banka Island; irreparably damaged, she is scuttled; sistership Banckert takes off the crew (see 15 February).

IJN: Japanese submarine I-23 is last reported south of Oahu. She is not heard from again and her fate is unknown

U.S. Navy: Launched is Gato Class Submarine USS Wahoo (SS-238) at Mare Island and will become one of the most famous and successful submarines of World War II.

On request from local British naval authorities, light cruiser USS Boise (CL-47) at Ceylon en route to Bombay, India, for repairs following her grounding in Sape Strait on January 21, 1942 and provides her two SOCs (VCS 9) to augment routine RAF Catalina searches from the seaplane station at Kogalla, Ceylon. Boise's planes fly morning and evening search flights for the next three days.

PBY Catalina from VP-73 accidentally bombs submarine Thresher (SS-200) returning from a war patrol, southwest of Oahu.

Chartered U.S. passenger ship USS President Taylor transporting 900 troops runs aground on a reef west of Canton Island and becomes stranded.

Submarine Sargo (SS-188) delivers ammunition to Polloc Harbor on Mindanao and evacuates USAAF ground crews from 14th Bombardment Squadron.

Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) torpedoes and sinks Japanese transport Amagisan Maru off Davao, P.I., 06°45'N, 126°54'E.

Admiral Thomas C. Hart, USN, is relieved as Commander in Chief Allied Naval Forces in Southwest Pacific by Vice Admiral Conrad E. L. Helfrich, RNN.