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| Back to The Beginning |
| Back to March 1942 |
JOURNAL of DONALD ANDERSON, USN
APRIL, 1942
| Below is the journal my father kept during the years of 1941/42. I found it in his effects after his death in April of 1998, along with a series of photos that he took during that time period. I am publishing this account on the Web because it is a wonderful way to get to know the man who was my father, and the hundreds of men like him who manned the ships known as Four Stackers. Words in black type are transcribed directly from the journal. Where I deem it useful and appropriate I will include background data in other colors, and photos from his collection. |  |
April 1, 1942 Wednesday
Arrived in Panama this morning and tied up to Pier 6A Christobal.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:Today the Naval Air Transport Service Squadron (VR-2) was commissioned at Alameda, Calif., for operations in the Pacific area.
The Japanese now occupy Buka Island, Solomon Islands.
April 2, 1942 Thursday
Went to de-permenenting slip today at Coco Solo. Moved to dock where I first boarded the BARRY. Payday today.
April 3, 1942 Friday
Alongside of dock in Coco Solo. Went ashore tonight. Had a fight with Reid before I hit the beach.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:Adm. C. W. Nimitz, USN, today was named Commander in Chief Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA); Admiral Nimitz is also Commander in Chief Pacific Fleet (CINCPAC).
April 4, 1942 Saturday
Got underway this A.M. at 0600 to transit canal. Tied up in Balboa at Pier 14 about 3 O'clock.
April 5, 1942 Sunday
Easter Day. At repair dock in Balboa. Went out to degausing range for about 5 hrs and then returned. Went ashore tonight.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:Submarine SNAPPER (SS-185) delivered food today to Corrigedor, Phillipine Islands, and evacuated certain key military personnel.
Lorengau, Manus Island, in the Admiralty Islands, is now occupied by the Japanese.
April 6, 1942 Monday
Two weeks upkeep period started. Started to install sound gear.
April 7, 1942 Tuesday
In Balboa for 2 weeks upkeep. Went ashore tonight.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:United States naval patrol aircraft arrived today at Natal, Brazil, for operations in the South Atlantic.
April 8, 1942 Wednesday
In Balboa for two weeks upkeep. Duty today.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:The US Submarine SEADRAGON (SS-194) today delivered more food to Corrigedor, Phillipine Islands, and evacuated additional military personnel.
United States naval vessels sunk:
- Minesweeper BITTERN (AM-36), damaged 10 December 1941, Cavite, Phillipine Islands, sunk by United States forces.
- Tug NAPA (AT-32), by scuttling, Philippine Islands area, 14 d. 25' N., 120 d. 30' E.
April 9, 1942 Thursday
In Balboa at repair dock. Stayed aboard and wrote letters for Clarke to mail from the states.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:United States-Philippine forces on Bataan, Phillipine Islands, today surrendered to the Japanese.
United States naval vessel lost:
- PT-34, by horizontal bomber, Philippine Islands area; beached and abandoned, 10 d. 16' N., 123 d. 52' E.
April 10, 1942 Friday
In Balboa, duty today. Weber and Clarke left this AM to fly home on 10 days leave.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:The US Pacific Fleet has been reorganized into type commands:
- Battleships (Rear Admiral W. S. Anderson)
- Aircraft Carriers (Vice Admiral W. F. Halsey)
- Cruisers (Rear Admiral F. J. Fletcher)
- Destroyers (Rear Admiral R. A. Theobald)
- Service Force (Vice Admiral W. L. Calhoun)
- Amphibious Force (Vice Admiral W. Brown)
- Submarine Force (Rear Admiral T. Whiters)
- Patrol Wings (Rear Admiral H. S. McCain).
Today the Japanese landed on Cebu, in the Philline Islands.
United States naval vessels sunk:
- Submarine tender CANOPUS (AS-9), by scuttling, off Mariveles Bay, P. I.
- Minesweeper FINCH (AM-9), by horizontal bomber, Philippine Islands area, 14 d. 22' N., 120 d. 35' E.
April 11, 1942 day
In Balboa. Went ashore tonight with Foster. Went to the show at "The Cecellia".
April 12, 1942 day
In Balboa. Had duty today and wrote letters.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:United States naval vessel sunk:
- PT-35, by scuttling, Philippine Islands area, 10 d. 18' N., 123 d. 54' E.
April 13, 1942 day
In Balboa. Went to clubhouse tonight to see "How Green was my Valley".
April 14, 1942 day
In Balboa. Duty today.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:German submarine sunk:
- U-85, by destroyer ROPER (DD-147), off Virginia, 35 d. 55' N.
April 15, 1942 day
In Balboa for sound gear and general upkeep.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:The United States Navy today established submarine bases at Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, Alaska.
Naval Air Station, Barbers Point, Oahu, Territory of Hawaii, was established on this date.
United States naval vessel sunk:
- PT-41, by scuttling, Philippine Islands area, 07 d. 53' N., 124 d. 15' E.
April 16, 1942 day
At repair dock - Pay day today. Had duty today. GOFF and BORIE came thru from Christobal today.
April 17, 1942 day
In Balboa for sound gear. Had liberty and went ashore.
April 18, 1942 day
In Balboa. Had shore patrol this evening. Sound gear was completed tonight.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:Vice Admiral W. F. Halsey in carrier HORNET (CV-8) today launched 16 Army B-25's under command of Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle at a point more than 650 miles east of Honshu, Japan; the US bombers hit Tokyo, Yokosuka, Yokohoma, Kobe, and Nagoya, Japan. President Roosevelt announced that the plans came from 'Shangri-La'.
A German submarine shelled oil installations at Curacao, Netherlands West Indies.
April 19, 1942 day
Underway this AM to escort convoy shomwhere near Australia. In escort are CONCORD, TRENTON, ERIE, SAMPSON, GOFF, BORIE, BARRY.
April 20, 1942 day
Escorting convoy of 16 ships heading west. Doing 12 knots.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:The United States carrier WASP (CV-7), in the Mediterranean Sea, launched 47 British Spitfire aircraft as a delivery of war materiel to aid in the defense of the Island of Malta, under British control.
April 21, 1942 day
Escorting convoy. Condition II watches. Got a piece of carbon in my eye and was sent to CONCORD to have it removed.
April 22, 1942 day
Still escorting ships. Eye is some better today but cannot stand any watches.
April 23, 1942 day
Back standing watches again. Have left convoy and are heading back to Balboa again with BORIE and GOFF.
April 24, 1942 day
Enroute to Balboa, operating with BORIE and GOFF. Fired starshells tonight.
April 25, 1942 day
Operating with BORIE and GOFF. Battle practice. Fired 4" twice today at simulated submarine. Enroute to Balboa.
April 26, 1942 day
Enroute to Balboa. Simulated battle with Aux. Cruiser this AM - laid smoke screen.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:United States naval vessel sunk:
- Destroyer STURTEVANT (DD-240), by mine, of Marquesas Key, Fla.
April 27, 1942 day
Arrived in Balboa at about 2 O'clock and tied up at Pier 13 alongside of GOFF. No liberty for any military personnel till May 2nd.
April 28, 1942 day
In Balboa. Had watch this morning. No liberty yet.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:A United States Escort Force under Rear Admiral R. C. Giffen, today departed Scapa Flow, Scotland, to protect convoys to Russia.
April 29, 1942 day
In Balboa for repiars. Having low pressure turbine in For'd Engine Room lifted for repairs. No liberty yet.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:Today the first coastal convoy departed New York for the Delaware River.
Japanese forced landed on and seized Parang and Cotabato, Mindanao, in the Phillipine Islands.
April 30, 1942 day
In Balboa, moved into drydock today to have sound gear finished and checked.
WAR NEWS BULLETIN:Two US naval patrol planes evacuated military and civilian personnel from Corregidor, Phillipine Islands.
Admiral H. R. Stark assumed command of United States Naval Forces Europe. (See also 17 March 1942).
The Battleship INDIANA (BB-58) was commissioned at Newport News, Va.
| Ahead to May 1942 |
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This page, and all contents, are Copyright (C) 2000 by Kenn Anderson,Sr., Scranton, PA. (USA)