K  e  n  s  m  e  n   :   4  3  r  d    B  o  m  b    G  r  o  u  p    (H),    5  t  h    A  A  F
  Home > History > The 5th Air Force in WWII > February 1942



Sunday 1 February 1942

In the Philippine Islands, P-40's from Bataan bomb and strafe Ianding barges off Quinauan Point during the night of 1/2 Feb. These strikes, in conjunction with naval and field artillery fire, cause considerable damage and casualties but fail to prevent the landings which take place S of the point, although the attempt to reinforce troops already on the point is thwarted. HQ 35th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) arrives at Brisbane, Australia from the US.


Monday 2 February 1942

Bad weather from now until 18 Feb, along with effective interception by fighters, thwarts attempts of heavy bombers in Java to deliver damaging blows on shipping and airfields in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). B-17's strikes from Singosari, Java against shipping at Balikpapan, Borneo on 9 Feb and an airfield at Kendari, Celebes Island on 9 Feb are repulsed by fighter attacks. B-17's on a shipping strike claim hits on a carrier near Sinjai, Sumatra.


Tuesday 3 February 1942

Bad weather from now until 18 February, along with effective interception by fighters, thwarts attempts of heavy bombers in Java to deliver damaging blows on shipping and airfields in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI). B-17's strikes from Singosari, Java against shipping at Balikpapan, Borneo on 9 Feb and an airfield at Kendari, Celebes Island on 9 Feb are repulsed by fighter attacks. B-17's on a shipping strike claim hits on a carrier near Sinjai, Sumatra.


Wednesday 4 February 1942

HQ 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), 9th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), and 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy) begin a movement from Brisbane, Australia to Karachi, India. The 9th is operating from Jogjakarta, Java with B-17's; the 88th is operating from Hickam Field, Territory of Hawaii with B-17's.


Thursday 5 February 1942

Far East Air Force is redesignated 5th Air Force. Air echelon of 91st Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light), ceases operating from Brisbane, Australia with A-24's and begins a movement to Malang, Java. The ground echelon is based on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands.


Monday 9 February 1942

Between now and 18 February, heavy bombers fly at lesst 14 missions, but they result in claims of only 3 hits on shipping.


Tuesday 10 February 1942

Air echelon of the 88th Reconnaisssance Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), begins a movement from Hickam Field, Territory of Hawaii to the Fiji Islands with B-17's. The ground echelon is enroute from Australia to India.


Thursday 12 February 1942

Air echelon of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrives at Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands from the Territory of Hawaii with B-17's. The ground echelon is enroute from Australia to India.


Saturday 14 February 1942

9th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 49th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), transfers from Melbourne to Williamstown, Australia with P-40's; first mission is 18 March. A detachment of the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), based at Jogjakarta, Java begins operating from Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands with B-17's under control of US Navy (USN).


Monday 16 February 1942

HQ 49th Pursuit Group (Interceptor) and 7th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) transfer from Melbourne to Bankstown, Australia with P-40's; the 8th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) transfers from Melbourne to Canberra with P-40's. Air echelon of the 16th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light), transfers from Brisbane to Batchelor, Australia with A-24's. The ground echelon is on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands.


Tuesday 17 February 1942

The air echeon of the 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), departs Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands from Australia with B-17's. The ground echelon is enroute Australia to India.


Wednesday 18 February 1942

Detachment of the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Hevy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), departs Nandi Airport, Fiji Islands from Australia with B-17's. The squadron is based at Jogjakarta, Java. Air echelon of 91st Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light), begins operating from Malang, Java with A-24's; ground echelon is on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands.


Thursday 19 February 1942

In the NEI, A-24's, with P-40 escort, and B-17's operating out of Malang, Madioen, and Jogjakarta, Java, attack vessels landing troops on Bali; the attacks, carried out during the aftenoon of 19 Feb and throughout the morning of 20 Feb, cause considerable damage to vessels but fail to halt the landings; P-40's shoot down or turn back seversl bombers sweeping W over Java. Japanese aircraft attack Darwin, Australia, bombing vessels loaded with troops destined for the defense of Koepang on Timor Island; 10 P-40's sent to Darwin to escort the convoy are almost entirely wiped out by the attack.


Friday 20 February 1942

Air echelon of 17th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light), begins a movement from Brisbane to Batchelor, Australia with A-24's. Ground echelon is on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands. Detachment of the 22d Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) and air echelon of 88th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrive at Townsville, Australia from Fiji Island with B-17's. The detachment of the 22d is under control of the USN. Ground echelon of the 22d is at Jogjakarta, Java; ground echelon of 88th is enroute from Australia to India.


Saturday 21 February 1942

Major General George H Brett, Deputy Commanding General American-British-Dutch-Australian Forces Command (ABDACOM) informs the War  Department of his decision to evacuate the 5th Air Force and other US troops from Java, NEI. 5th Air Force bombers at Java bases fly about 20 strikes, usually in 2- and 3-aircraft elements, against shipping in the Java Sea and against targets on Bali from this date through 1 Mar. 11 strikes are complete failures; the remainder, although causing some damage to vessels and airfield facilities, fail to deter the invasion of Java.


Sunday 22 February 1942

Air echelon of 17th Bombardment Squadron (Light), 27th Bombardment Group (Light), arrives at Batchelor from Brisbane, Australia with A-24's. Ground echelon is on Bataan, Luzon, Philippine Islands.


Monday 23 February 1942

B-17's fly the first mission against Rabaul, New Britain Island. Operating out of Townsville, Australia the force suffers mechanical trouble and runs into bad weather. Only 1 B-17 manages to bomb the target. Major General Lewis H Brereton, Commanding General 5th Air Force, departs for India after issuing an order terminating HQ 5th Air Force. Until 3 September 42, units of the 5th Air Force will be initially under control of ABDACOM and then Allied Air Force (SWPA).


Tuesday 24 February 1942

Heavy bomber units begin evacuating Java, NEI.


Wednesday 25 February 1942

Arriving at Brisbane, Australia from the US are:


 HQ 3d Bombardment Group (Light) and 8th, 13th, 89th and 90th Bombardment Squadrons (Light) with A-20's; first mission is in April


HQ 22d Bombardment Group (Medium), 2d, 19th and 33d Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) and 18th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) with B-26's; first mission is in April

 HQ 38th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 15th Reconnaissance Squadron (Medium) and 69th, 70th and 71st Bombardment Squadrons (Medium) with B-26's; first mission is June; air echelon of 69th and 70th remain in the US until May/June.

39th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 35th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), with P-39's; first mission is 2 June.


Friday 27 February 1942

The Battle of Java Sea. Allied air and naval units try to stop a convoy of some 80 ships approaching Java from the Northeast. All available B-17's, A-24's, P-40's and LB-30's are put into the air but achieve only insignificant results. An Allied naval force, 5 cruisers and 11 destroyers, under Rear Admiral Karel W Doorman, Royal Netherlands Navy, meets the enemy near Surabaya, Java and is decisively defeated, losing 5 ships. Most of the 5th Air Force ground echelon in Java is evacusted by sea. The SS Sea Witch delivers 27 crated P-40's to Tjilatjap, Java, but these will be destroyed to prevent their falling into Japanese hands. 32 P-40's aboard the Seaplane Tender USS Langley (AV-3), which sailed from Australia for India on 23 February, are lost when the USS Langley is sunk by aircraft 100 mi (160 km) South of Tjilatjsp. The pilots are rescued by other vessels in the convoy, but the enemy sinks these ships with the exception of a destroyer, which delivers 2 of the pilots to Perth, Australia. 13th Reconnaissance Squadron (Heavy), 43d Bombardment Group (Heavy), arrives at Melbourne, Australia from the US with B-17's; first mission is October 1942.