March 31, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 31 MARCH 1942

Burma: Ch 200th Div makes contact with Ch 22d Div N of Toungoo and withdraws N of Pyinmana as reserve. With loss of Toungoo, road to Mawchi is left undefended and Japanese, during next few days, overrun small Ch garrison at Mawchi; continue E, forcing elements of Ch T-55th Div back to Bawlake.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (SWPA, 5th Air Force): 8th Bombardment Squadron, 3rd Bombardment Group transfers from Charters Towers to Port Moresby with A-24 Dive Bombers with their first mission April 1, 1942.

U.S. Navy: USS Seawolf (SS-197) fires a spread of four torpedoes at light cruiser Naka but all miss and was damaged by depth charges off Christmas Island, 10°26'S, 105°41'E.

IJN: Lost is G3M2 Nell pilot CPO1c Takeo Harada on a solo suicide bombing mission over 7 Mile Drome near Port Moresby.

After a preinvasion bombardment, Japanese forces land on Christmas Island. The British surrendered before the landings had even been completed.