MR 203(2) Sec. 3 War Department Operational Summaries - February 1942

GEORGIA 3 DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS FEBRUARY ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE Franklin D. Roosevelt Library DECLASSIFIED 25pp. DOD DIR. 5200.9 (9/27/58) Date- AUG 29 1972 Signatures RHP DECRET DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 81 7:00 AM February 28 to 7:00 AM March 1 ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE ABRIDGED FORM FOR WHITE HOUSE Nothing to Report. 0 DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 81 7:00 AM February 27 to 7:00 AM February 28 ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE DECLASSIFIED GSD Letter, 5-8-72 A. WESTERN HEMISPHERE (GREENLAND & ICELAND included). 61 P-40's (Pursuit ships) shipped to AUSTRALIA for BURMA. B. PAR EAST. General MACARTHUR reports from the PHILIPPINE ISLANDS that the enemy disposition indicates that he 1a taking up positional warfare 8 in & semi-circular defensive position. General MACARTHUR further reports that the enemy shows definite signs of exhaustion. ROADS BLOCKED By JAP JAP ENTRANCHED 0. JAP EVACUATES ABRA VALLEY LUZON 8 -- DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 9 7:00 AM February 26 to 7:00 AM February 27 ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE DECLASSIFIED CSD Letter, 5-3-78 B. FAR EAST. General MACARTHUR reports from LUZON that enemy action passive except for long range artillery fire and air bombing. DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL 0 DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 78 7:00 AM February 25 to 7:00 AM February 26 ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE DECLASSIFIED 08D Letter, 5-3-78 B. FAR EAST. 1. Approximately 3,000 Air Corps officers and men and Air Corps services, to include 10 pursuit ships and substantial 8 supplies of bombs and small arms ammunition, sailed from AUSTRALIA to INDIA. 2. General MACARTHUR reports that U. S. forces in LUZON have command of the terrain to their front after forcing the enemy to withdraw 6 - 10 kilometers. Guerilla activities in the mountain province of ABRA have been very deadly against the 8 enemy. JAP FORCED BACK 6-10 Km 0. 8 ABRA luzon 8 8 o i DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS 8 RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 77 7:00 AM February 24 to 7:00 AM February 25 ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE 0 OBD B. FAR EAST. General BRETT reports from AUSTRALIA that 26 tons small caliber ammunition have been shipped to date from AUSTRALIA by submarine to LUZON. He further reports that 3,000 tons of rations and substantial quantities of mortar and small arms ammunition arrived by surface vessel on February 19 at MINDANAO. Included in this shipment were engineer and medical supplies. 8 I - " 0° NOTAT 8 & or 8 DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 76 7:00 AM February 23 to 7:00 AM February 24 ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE DECLASSIFIED 08D Letter, 0-3-78 A. WESTERN HEMISPHERE. 1. The Commanding General, WESTERN DEFENSE COMMAND, reports military aircraft were dispatched in search of submarine which attacked U. S. coast 12 miles northwest of SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA. 2. As of this date the following aircraft are aboard ships enroute to AUSTRALIA: 259 - P-39's (Pursuit) 48 - P-40's (Pursuit) 16 - B-26's (Medium Bombardment) 15 - A-24's (Dive Bombardment) 3 - A-20's (Light Bombardment) In addition twenty-two heavy bombardment airplanes are in flight outside of the UNITED STATES enroute to AUSTRALIA. UNITED STATES H - : -- ELLWOOD Attacked by marchs 1. INCAL COMIC PRO. - " BOODES SENSES OF BASE MAPS - A - - DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 75 7:00 AM February 22 to 7:00 AM February 23 ABRIDGED FORM FOR 0 THE WHITE HOUSE DECLASSIFIES OBD Letter, 5-3-78 B. FAR EAST. 1. All U. 8. Mission personnel in RANGOON have withdrawn northward except those necessary to destroy property not evacuated. 2. Two pursuit ships were destroyed on the ground and 10 pursuit ships were destroyed in the air during aerial combat at DARWIN February 20. 3. General MACARTHUR reports from LUZON that President QUEZON and his cabinet have been successfully moved by submarine to a location unoccupied by the enemy in the PHILIPPINE ISLANDS. DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL 8 DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 74 7:00 AM February 21 to 7:00 AM February 22 ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE- 8 DECLASSIFIED OBD Letter. 5-3-72 B. FAR EAST. Ceneral MACARTHUR reports "There are indications that the enemy has been mauled so badly during the BATAAN fighting that he is unable to set up with his present forces the attack necessary to destroy no. CAVITE shore fire temporarily silenced. Little activity except 8 in the air." 8 DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 73 7:00 AM February 20 to 7:00 AM February 21 8 ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE DECLASSIFIED 08D Letter, 5-3-78 B. FAR EAST. 1. General BARNES reports from AUSTRALIA two pursuit ships were destroyed and seven damaged in attack on DARWIN. 2. In preliminary combat in BALI and EAST JAVA, the following 8 airplanes were lost: 2 A-24's 5 B-17's 5 P-40's 4 Pilots 3. General MACARTHUR reports from LUZON that activity was confined to infantry patrols, artillery dualling and enemy air bombing, and that all harbor forts being shelled by the enemy. 8 DAILY SUMMARY 8 WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 72 7:00 AM February 19 to 7:00 AM February 20 ABRIDGED FORM FOR 8. THE WHITE HOUSE DECLASSIFIED ORD Letter, 5-3-78 A. WESTERN HEMISPHERE. Two shipments of pursuit ships sailed from SAN FRANCISCO for AUSTRALIA. One shipment consisted of 29 planes and the other 35 planes. 8 8 8 DAILY SUMMARY WAR DEPARTMENT OPERATIONAL DECISIONS AND ACTIONS RESPECTING HOSTILITIES WITH AXIS No 71 7:00 AM February 18 to 7:00 AM February 19 8 ABRIDGED FORM FOR THE WHITE HOUSE DECLASSIFIED OBD Letter, 5-3-72 A. WESTERN HEMISPHERE. 28 bombing airplanes arrived by boat in HAWAII. These planes will be assembled and flown to AUSTRALIA. B. FAR EAST. 8 General MACARTHUR reports from LUZON that the enemy continues to increase his artillery fire, particularly on the right of his position. The enemy is regrouping his batteries at CAVITE and concentrating fire on FORT FRANK, where damage is cumulative. 8 JAP AR TILLERY INCREASES HERE 0. Q. JAP ARTILLERY FIRE CAN. TE & CONTINUES ON FT FRANK LUZON 8 8 A 4.89