April 1, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 1 APRIL 1942

USA: The United States goverment begins the relocation of Japanese-Americans to interment camps in the United States.

U.S. Army: General Douglas MacArthur earns the Medal of Honor despite his having spent no time in actual combat in the Philippines.

(SWPA, 5th Air Force): During April, Headquarters (HQ), 16th Bombardment Squadron, 17th Bombardment Squadron and 91st Bombardment Squadron, 27th Bombardment Group are established at Charters Towers while the ground echelon remains on Bataan.

At sunset, the crew of B-17E 41-2446 (aka "Swamp Ghost") led by Captain Frederick "Fred" C. Eaton aboard MV Matoma reach Fairfax Harbor off Port Moresby, thirty-seven days after force landing in a swamp on the north coast of New Guinea.

Six A-24 Dive bombers from 8th Bombardment Squadron (8th BS) took off from 7 Mile Drome at 6:00am escorted by RAAF P-40E Kittyhawks from No. 75 Squadron on a dive bombing mission against Japanese shipping off Lae. After take off, A-24 41-15798 pilot 2nd Lt. Henry G. Swartz experienced mechanical issues and aborts. The rest of the formation experiences bad weather and diverts to bomb Salamaua Airfield (Logui) and experience only light anti-aircraft fire.

U.S. Navy: Naval Air Transport Service Squadron Two (VR-2) is established at NAS Alameda for operations in the Pacific.

Japanese occupy Buka Island.

USS Seawolf (SS-197) at 6:50am fires three torpedoes at light cruiser Natori but all missed. At 6:04pm USS Seawolf (SS-197) fires two torpedoes at light cruiser Naka off Christmas Island and scores one hit at roughly Lat 10°00'S Long 105°00'E.

Royal Navy: British submarine HMS Truant sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships Yae Maru and Shunsei Maru in Malacca Strait, 80 miles west-northwest of Penang at roughly Lat 5°42'N, Long 98°57'E.

References
Harvest of the Grim Reapers The Illustrated History of the 3rd and 27th Bomb Groups During World War II Volume I: Prewar to December 1942 (2021) pages 125-126 (April 1, 1942)