April 25, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 25 APRIL 1942

AVG: A reconnaissance mission was flown to Kweilin by the 54th Sentai. During the mission Sergeant Major Kazuka Kobayashi (NCO82) was obliged to force-land near Kweilin. Captain Toshio Dozono (Class 50), CO of the 2nd chutai, landed alongside in an effort to rescue him, but in the event both pilots were captured.

During a sortie between 2:30pm until 5:00pm Flight Leaders Robert T. Smith, John Petach, Lewis Bishop and Link Laughlin of the 3rd AVG Squadron reported meeting an 'Army 98', some 75-80 miles south of Lashio, which they shared in shooting down with Peter Wright of the 2nd AVG Squadron. Petach and Wright then joined Smith, Robert Raines and Freeman Ricketts in shooting down another, identified as either an 'Army 97' or 'Army 98', which fell in the same area. Raines made the third claim, alone, for a single-engined aircraft 10 miles south of Loilem, identified as either a fighter or a reconnaissance aircraft.

IJN: Japanese aircraft attack Darwin. Fifteen A6M2 Zeros fly a fighter sweep over Port Moresby with four strafing 7 Mile Drome.

5th Air Force: Over Darwin, flying together for the first time, P-40 Warhawks from 49th Pursuit Group claims ten Japanese bombers and three Zeros shot down without incurring any combat losses. B-17s strike Rabaul. Lost is B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2505 pilot 1st Lt. Daniel W. Fagen (MIA) crashed into Mount Obree. Destroyed is B-17E Flying Fortress 41-2641 after a Japanese fighter sweep.