Air Operations - CBI

A 49th Pursuit Group's 9th Pursuit Squadron P-40 shoots down a Japanese Navy recon bomber over Darwin around 1000 hours.

Axis Diplomacy

King Boris leaves Sofia for Berlin, where he will meet with Hitler. The meeting, like others with leaders of vassal states, is interpreted as a demand for additional manpower for the coming German spring offensive in Russia.

Battle of the Atlantic

• The unarmed US tanker Naeco is torpedoed by the German submarine U-124. 24 men are killed in the attack. Survivors are picked up by the Coast Guard cutter Dione (WPC-107), the minesweeper Osprey (AM-56) and the tug Umpqua (AT-25).
• U-123 torpedoes and sinks the unarmed US tanker Muskogee (7034t) some 335 miles north-northeast of Bermuda resulting in the deaths of the entire crew of 34.

Burma

After receiving heavy Japanese air raids on Magwe airfield, the British and American aircraft are moved to Loiwing, near the Chinese frontier, and to Akyab. The troops defending Burma are, therefore, drprived of close support from the air. In the Toungoo sector the Chinese hold out against Japanese pressure.

A Chevrolet 30cwt in use as an ambulance with red crosses painted on its canvas, 22 March 1942.

A Chevrolet in Use as an Ambulance

India, Home Front

Sir Stafford Cripps arrives in Karachi to discuss constitutional problems with Moslem League and Congress party leaders. He discloses that India will have dominion status following the war. This move is a result of pressure put on Winston Churchill by the Labor Party, and also because Indian troops are being so heavily committed as combatants on behalf of the British.

Mediterranean

Battle of Sirte. On this day the Italians send out the battleship Littorio, 2 heavy cruisers, 1 light cruiser and 8 destroyers to intercept the supply convoy, MW-10, heading for Malta. They attack the convoy during the afternoon but, despite their very superior strength, 1 of the British cruisers and several of the destroyers must stay as close escort and AA defense for the convoy, they are beaten off in an action involving smoke screens and torpedo attacks.

The Italian cruiser Gorizia firing her 8-in (200 mm) guns on the British destroyers during the battle

Italian Cruiser Gorizia Firing Her 8-in Guns

British cruisers Cleopatra (making smoke) and Euryalus (foreground) moving into action

British Cruisers Cleopatra and Euryalus

Adm Vian's skillful deployment of his cruisers and destroyers and rough seas deny the Italians a crushing victory. The cruiser Cleopatra and the destroyers Havock and Kingston are badly damaged in the action. During the night the destroyers Lanciere and Scirocco sink in a storm with many other ships, both British and Italian, sustaining damage.

Philippines

The Japanese demand the surrender of the Bataan garrison.

25-pdr Field Guns in Action in the Western Desert, 22 March 1942