April 10, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 10 APRIL 1942

AVG: At 3:45am, eleven Ki-43 Oscars from 64th Sentai led by Lieutenant Colonel Tateo Kato took off on a strike against Loiwing Airfield, the base of the AVG's 2nd and 3rd Squadrons and a RAF Squadron. Before take off, three were damaged when their pilots accidentally taxied into one another in the darkness. Eight Oscars proceed to the target but three more abort due to engine trouble. At 6:10 five arrived over Loiwing Airfield where P-40s were parked side by side. Kato waggled his wings, turned of his navigation lights, and dove to the attack. The attack was a complete surprise and the 64th Sentai pilots actually saw the enemy airmen running across the field. The Hayabusas strafed the field repeatedly, but they failed to set any of the fighters alight. Finally Kato turned on his navigation lights and waggled his wings for the flight home. To the astonishment of his pilots, he then fired a burst from his machine guns. Back at Chiang Mai, Lieutenant Hinou asked Kato about this unusual signal, and the Colonel admitted that he had strafed Loiwing with dead guns. Reaching to turn off his navigation light, Kato had hit the main switch instead, and did not realize the error until he tried to turn the lights on again; he had fired his guns to convince himself that he had really done this stupid thing. Kato’s pilots were convinced that they had torn a great swath through the enemy air force, though they were puzzled why the planes did not burn. (They finally decided that the Americans had drained the gasoline from their planes overnight.) 64th Sentai claimed at least 15 of the American fighters destroyed on the ground but in fact, the damage at Loiwing was trivial. Of twenty-three fighters on the field that morning - thirteen Tomahawks, seven Kittyhawks, and three Hurricanes - fewer than half were hit, and only one was so badly damaged that it could not be put back into commission. With just one hour's delay, the AVG fighters were up showing the twelve-pointed CAF star over the Chinese lines.

When Kato returned to Chiang Mai he decided to make another raid on Loiwing during the afternoon. This raid consisted of nine Hayabusas. The AVG warning net picked them up at 14:30 near Lashio and the alarm sounded at Loiwing at 14:45. Seven Tomahawks took off, but one returned back with a loose oil cap; the others climbed through the clouds to 25,000 feet. They patrolled for half an hour, and then got word that the Japanese fighters were over the field. Four RAF Hurricanes from 17 Squadron were also up on patrol but it has not been possible to verify from which base they operated. The Allied fighters intercepted the lower flying Ki-43s. In the ensuing clash 'Bob' Brouk of the AVG probably shot down Sergeant Major Eikichi Misago (NCO82), Lieutenant Hinoki was almost certainly wounded by Robert T. Smith (AVG) and his aircraft was seriously damaged although he managed to return to Chiang Mai. Kato and Sergeant Yoshito Yasuda claimed one Tomahawk each but since none were lost it seems that they were two Hurricanes, which in fact were lost. Second Lieutenant Gordon Peter, SAAF, saw Sergeant Barrick shoot down one Ki-43, after which the South African dived on two others, which were trying to get on the tail of Barrick's aircraft. Before he could open fire however, he was attacked by another Ki-43, which thoroughly shot- up his Hurricane. Badly wounded, Peter was able to bale out of the stricken BH121 and, as soon as he was located, was rushed to Nalmkalm Hospital. Meanwhile Barrick, having watched his victim crash, was jumped by two others (as witnessed by Peter). He managed to get some strikes on one of these before his own aircraft (BG824) was hit in the engine, which stopped. Hot oil from the damaged engine spurted into the cockpit, burning his face, chest and arms, while shrapnel splinters inflicted minor wounds. Almost blinded by oil, and without the aid of flaps, Barrick managed to force-land the Hurricane on the side of a hill, but struck his head on the gunsight in the process. Despite the pain of his injuries he was aware of a native shouting to him and pointing skywards. He was able to scramble from the cockpit and dive for cover just as his victor came down to strafe the Hurricane. The other two Hurricane pilots, Pilot Officer Earnshaw and Sergeant Gibson claimed one destroyed and one damaged respectively one damaged. As soon as he was able Kato broke of the engagement and headed for home. Knowing that the Japanese pilots tended to relax when the heat was off, they were followed by the American pilots. Chuck Older and Duke Hedman intercepted the Ki-43 flown by Sergeant Yasuda and damaged it but the pilot was able to limped back home with his stricken fighter. Smith shot down Sergeant Major Tsutomu Goto (NCO77). Totally in this combat the 64th Sentai claimed two aircraft and lost two aircraft and got two damaged. 17 Squadron claimed two and one damaged while losing two Hurricanes. The AVG claimed three and didn't sustain any losses.

Burma: Patrols of Burma I Corps find that Japanese are moving forward toward the Minhla- Taungdwingyi.

Submarine Snapper (SS-185) evacuates military personnel from Corregidor.

Minesweeper Finch (AM-9) is sunk by aerial bombs off Luzon, 14°22'N, 120°35'E.

Crews of river gunboats Oahu (PR-6), Luzon (PR-7), and Mindanao (PR-8) are transferred ashore to man U.S. Army guns at Fort Hughes, Manila Bay.

Submarine Thresher (SS-200) torpedoes and sinks Japanese (ex-Portuguese) merchant cargo ship Maru six miles north of Oshima, near the entrance to Tokyo Bay, Honshu, Japan, 34°59'N, 139°29'E.

RAAF: Lost is P-40E Kittyhawk A29-24 pilot S/L John F. Jackson (survived) on a solo reconnaissance mission bailed out and later returns to duty.

U.S. Army: Japanese invade Cebu garrisoned by about 6,500 troops under command of Col Irwin C. Scudder. The bulk of enemy assault force goes ashore on east coast at Cebu City, the rest on the west coast in vicinity of Toledo. Cebu MP Regt at Cebu City and 3d Bn of 82d Inf (PA) at Toledo engage in lively delaying actions before withdrawing inland from both towns under pressure. Gen Chynoweth, CG Visayan Force, whose hq is on Cebu, sends 3d Bn of 83d Inf to defend Cantabaco, where cross- island highway branches.

U.S. Navy: A reorganization of the Pacific Fleet abolished the Battle Force and Scouting Force and creates new type commands for ships and aviation. With the change, titles of the aviation type commands became Carriers, Pacific and Patrol Wings, Pacific. The type commands: Battleships under Rear Admiral Walter S. Anderson; Aircraft Carriers under Vice Admiral William F. Halsey Jr.) Cruisers under Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher; Destroyers under Rear Admiral Robert A. Theobald; Service Force under Vice Admiral William L. Calhoun; Amphibious Force under Vice Admiral Wilson Brown, Jr.; Submarine Force under Rear Admiral Thomas Withers; and Patrol Wings under Rear Admiral John S. McCain. The old designations Battle Force and Scouting Force are abolished.