March 9, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 9 MARCH 1942

China: Six DB-3s bombed Yichang at the extreme of their range. One DB-3 was lost.

Burma: Burma Army forces at Taukkyan continue northward withdrawal without serious difficulty. Japanese Army fully capture Rangoon in southern Burma, dealing China a great blow by cutting off supplies via the Burma Road.

NEI: At 9:00am Royal Netherlands East Indies Army Lt. General Hein ter Poorten announces the surrender of Allied forces under his command on Java. Japanese complete conquest of Java and thereby gain control of entire NEI. With Malaya Barrier thus penetrated, Australia is in greater danger.

Land-based planes attack Japanese convoy in Huon Gulf with unobserved results. Japanese aircraft continue neutralization of points in New Guinea.

U.S. Army: Major reorganization of U.S. Army is effective this date. GHQ is abolished and 3 autonomous commands--Army Ground Forces under Lt Gen Lesley J. McNair, Army Air Forces under Lt Gen Henry H. Arnold, and Services of Supply (later designated as Army Service Forces) under Maj Gen Brehon B. Somervell are given responsibility for Zone of Interior functions under Gen Marshall as Chief of Staff. Field forces remain under control of War Department General Staff. Adm King is appointed Chief of Naval Operations in addition to his post of CinC, U.S. Fleet. Adm King succeeds Adm Harold R. Stark, who will command U.S. naval forces operating in European waters.

General Douglas MacArthur announces that General Tomoyuki Yamashita has replaced General Homma as CinC of enemy forces in the Philippines.

IJN: Japanese warships enter Queen Carola Harbor on the western side of Buka island. In addition to mine sweeping operations, Special Naval Landing Force (SNLF) land forces on Buka and carry out mopping-up operations the following day.

U.S. Navy: Admiral Ernest J. King was appointed CNO in addition to his CominCh post.

Submarine Swordfish (SS-193) disembarks U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippine Islands Francis B. Sayre and his party at Fremantle in Western Australia. The collapse of the ABDA command has led to this change of destination.