April 20, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

MONDAY, 20 APRIL 1942

USA: At the Martin factory in Baltimore, B-26B "Liberty Bell" 41-17584 was paid for by citizens of Philadelphia and at the factory is nicknamed "Liberty Bell".

AVG: At 6:30am Vice-Squadron Leader Rector, 2nd Squadron and Flight Leader Hedman, 3rd Squadron jointly intercepted and shot down a Ki-15 with observer Lieutenant Akira Fujimori from 8th Sentai is shot down and both aboard, pilot and observer were killed.

Burma: Ch 38th Div troops withdraw northward from Yenangyaung toward Gwegyo and cover retreat of Burma 1st Div toward Mt Popa area. In Sittang Valley, Ch 5th Army troops fall back northward from Pyinmana. Japanese continue active in vicinity of Loikaw. Taunggyi-Meiktila road is left undefended as Chinese withdraw toward Hopong, closely followed by Japanese. 2 bns of Ch 93d Div reach Loikaw area but return at once to Kengtung. Ch 49th Div is ordered to move westward.

IJA: Japanese conquest of Visayan Islands in the central Philippines is virtually completed. Cebu and Panay are in enemy hands, although guerrillas continue to hold out in mountain areas. Small garrisons in hills of Negros, Samar, Leyte, and Bohol are too weak to interfere with the occupation.

5th Air Force: Lt. General George H. Brett assumes command of Allied Air Headquarters, SWPA at Victoria Barracks in Melbourne with units in northern and eastern Australia, with advanced echelon at Port Moresby in New Guinea. 39th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 35th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers from Williamstown to Woodstock with P-39's; first mission is 2 Jun. Ground echelon of 70th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) transfers from Ballarat to Amberley. The air echelon is still in the US with B-26's.

At Laverton Field, damaged P-40E Warhawk 41-25119 intended for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is returned and assigned to the 49th Fighter Group (49th FG).