February 27, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 27 FEBRUARY 1942

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): Allied air and naval units try to stop a convoy of some 80 ships approaching Java from the NE. All available B-17's, A-24s, P-40's and LB-30's are put into the air but achieve only insignificant results. Most of the 5th Air Force ground echelon in Java is evacusted by sea. 13th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy) arrives at Melbourne from the US with B-17's; first mission is Oct 42.

ABDA: In the afternoon, during the Battle of Java Sea the American, British, Dutch and Australian (ABDA) Eastern Strike Force under Rear Admiral Karel W. Doorman including five cruisers and eleven destroyers engage Japanese support force under Rear Admiral Takagi Takeo covering Java invasion convoy off Surabaya on Java.

During the engagement, Japanese gunfire proves ineffective with heavy cruisers Nachi and Haguro expending 1,271 200mm shells but achieve only five hits including four duds. One dud hit Houston (CA-30), one shell hits and explodes on HMS Exeter reducing her speed and withdraws escorted by HNLMS Witte de With and two duds hit Hr. Ms. De Ruyter. Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro torpedoes and sinks destroyer Hr Ms Kortenaer with survivors rescued by destroyer HMS Encounter. Japanese destroyer gunfire sinks destroyer HMS Electra (see 28 February); while British destroyer HMS Jupiter is accidentally sunk by mine laid earlier that day by Dutch minelayer Gouden Leeuw. Allied gunfire damages Japanese destroyers Asagumo and Minegumo; During the battle, American destroyer's torpedo attack proves ineffective.

At 11:40am USS Langley (AV-3) with 32 P-40E Warhawks as deck cargo is heavily damaged by Japanese G4M1 Betty bombers then scuttled by gunfire and torpedoes fired by USS Whipple (DD-217) at Lat 8° 58'S, Long 109° 2'E roughly 100 miles south of Tjilatjap. The pilots are rescued by other vessels in the convoy, but the enemy sinks them with the exception of a destroyer, which delivers two of the pilots to Perth.

Submarine USS Narwhal (SS-167) damages Japanese fleet tanker Manju Maru 28°55'N, 138°15'E.