April 1942 (3)

Equipment set ablaze before retreating from the Japanese, Tenangyaung, 16 April 1942

23 April – troops of the Chinese Expeditionary Force held off the Japanese advances around Twingon, Burma, which allowed thousands of Allied troops into the area of Tenangyaung to escape the enemy’s surrounding net.  But, six days later, when the Chinese 55th Division were defeated in the northern zone, the Japanese forces reunited and together the divisions successfully cut the Burma Road.  On the 30th, General Stilwell, who was appalled by the Chinese leader’s corruption, dubbed Chiang Kai-shek “Peanut” for his do-nothing attitude, received permission to withdraw his troops to India.

“Daily Mirror” headlines of 29 April ’42, Lashio-Mandalay Railway in danger, enemy 110 miles away!

New Caledonia 1942

25 April – US troops landed on the Free French colony of New Caledonia.  The island’s capital, Nouméa became a major US naval base. [The “Boomer” generation might recall this island as the naval base where “McHale’s Navy” was stationed.  For the younger readers, this was a very popular sit-com about a bunch of misfit sailors during the war, staring Ernest Borgnine and Tim Conway.)

30 April – during the heavy bombing and artillery fire transpiring on Corregidor, P.I., incredibly, 2 Navy PBY flying boats managed to land and take off again.  They were able to evacuate 50 people from ‘The Rock’, mostly from the female nursing staff.

Some nurses of Corregidor

To sum up April 1942: Doolittle’s Raid caused the Japanese Navy to overreact and deploy nearly every warship in the Imperial Combined Fleet.  They dispersed into far too many different operations over too great a distance.  One of the major objectives was their vital plan to sever the American sea route to Australia and allow the capture of Port Moresby, New Guinea.  The US Naval fleet and Admiral Nimitz, despite being aware that they lacked the strength of the Japanese, felt they could use their military intelligence against the enemy.

Japanese Admiral Inouye developed a series of complex operations for both sides of the Coral Sea. [the US sea route].  This plan was virtually dependent on the element of surprise, but this major factor was foiled by the Australian Coastal Watching Service, when the radio outposts reported spotting the enemy in the upper Solomons.

Another mistake was made on the part of the Combined Fleet’s eagerness to disperse.  Their wide distribution and speed resulted in the failure to change their signalling codes.  Hence, intelligence outposts from Alaska to Australia were able to pick-up and de-code Japan’s messages, (code-named JN 25).  This uncovered every move the enemy made during the Second Operational Phase.

Military communiques of the world

Click on images to enlarge.

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Military Humor –  the Old and the New

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Farewell Salutes – 

William Ackerman – Granite Ridge, CAN; RC Navy

Edward Brooke III – Washington DC; US Army, WWII

Stanley Butlin – Birmington, UK; RAF, radio telecommunications 

Erland Coombs – Scarborough, ME; USMC, WWII, PTO, Purple Heart

Noel Ford – Christchurch, NZ; LAC No. 5 SU Air Force # 439576, WWII

Henry Guardino – El Centro, CA; USMC, Korea, radio operator

David Joy – Connerville, IN; USMC, Vietnam / US Army (15 years)

Helen McKinley – Jupiter, FL; civilian, Secretary to the Red Cross Field Director, WWII

Kenneth Staples – Stroudesburg, PA; UA Army Air Corps, WWII, F/187th/11th A/B

Fernand Tremblay Sr. – Meriden, CT; US Army, WWII, Sgt., Silver Star

Woody Whigam – Folkston, GA; US Army, WWII

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