Air Operations, CBI

1st AVG Fighter Squadron P-40s destroy 2 bombers and 1 fighter on the ground at Rahaeng/Tak Airdrome, Thailand during the early afternoon.

Air Operations, East Indies

ava-based 5th Air Force bombers attack Japanese shipping in the Java Sea and ground forces wherever they can be located on Bali. 17th Provisional Pursuit Squadron P-40s down 5 A6Ms over Java during morning action.

Arctic

The pocket-battleship Admiral Scheer and the cruiser Prinz Eugen leave Germany for bases in Norway.

Battle of the Atlantic

• U-432 sinks the American steamer Azalea City (5529t) 125 miles east-southeast of Ocean City, Maryland with the loss of the entire crew of 38.
• U-502 sinks the American tanker J. N. Pew (9033t) 225 miles west of Aruba with the loss of 33 of her crew. 2 survivors make it by lifeboat to Colombia and 1 is picked up by the Panamanian steamer Annetta I.
• U-161 sinks the British tanker Circe Shell (8207t) 20 miles west-northwest of Port of Spain, Trinidad with the loss of 1 crewmen. 57 survivors are picked up by the British tug Busy.
• The Greek steamer Atlanticos (5446t) sinks on a mine off Barrow Deep. 1 crewman is lost of a crew of 40.
• The German steamer Amerika (7463t) sinks on a mine near Terschelling, Netherlands.

Burma

The 17th Indian Div begins to fall back on Mokpalin toward the Sittang River through Kyaikto. At one point, British forces crossing the river using a single bridge are forces to blow it up with large numbers of men stranded on the other side. Allied losses are heavy, many men drowning when attempting to swim the Sittang. Elements of the Japanese 15th Army are now free to turn west and drive for Rangoon. A brigade from the Middle East arrives in Rangoon.

Diplomatic Relations

Salazar makes 'energetic protest' against the Japanese occupation of Portuguese Timor.

In a message to the people of India, Chiang Kai-shek calls for their wholehearted support in the war and indicated Britain 'without waiting for any demands on the part of the people of India, will as speedily as possible give them real political power.'

Pacific

The US submarine Triton (SS-201) sinks the Japanese merchant ship Shokyu Maru in the East China Sea, 60 miles south of Quelpart Island.

Philippines

The Japanese consolidate their defensive positions, withdrawing the troops still in forward positions in the area of Balanga.

United States, Home Front

The Pacific coast is declared a 'strategic defense area'.

Uruguay

President Alfredo Baldomir foils an attempted coup.