World War II Database

• Home
• » Events
• » WW2 Timeline
• » 18 Mar 1942

• The repair work on light cruiser Voroshilov completed. ww2dbase [Voroshilov | CPC]

• German submarine U-124 sank Greek ship Kassandra Louloudis off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, United States at 0114 hours; all 35 aboard survived. At 0827, U-124 struck again, sinking US tankers US tankers E. M. Clark; 1 was killed, 26 survived. ww2dbase [Second Happy Time | CPC]

• Douglas MacArthur officially accepted the position of the Supreme Commander of Southwest Pacific Area while still aboard a train traveling for Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ww2dbase [Douglas MacArthur | CPC]
• US 9th Pursuit Squadron, flying P-40 fighters, arrived at Batchelor Field, located 98 kilometers (61 miles) south of Darwin, Australia. ww2dbase [Batchelor, Northern Territory | CPC]

• Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Rabaul, New Britain. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Rabaul, New Britain | CPC]
• Several US B-17 bombers launched from Port Moresby, Australian Papua to attack Rabaul, New Britain, causing no damage. ww2dbase [Rabaul, New Britain | CPC]
• Tenryu arrived at Kavieng, New Ireland. ww2dbase [Tenryu | Kavieng, New Ireland | CPC]

• Japanese aircraft attacked Port Moresby, Australian Papua. ww2dbase [Port Moresby | CPC]

• Chinese troops ambushed 200 Japanese reconnaissance troops near Pyu in Battle of Tachiao, killing 30. Meanwhile, aircraft of the 1st American Volunteer Group "Flying Tigers" bombed the Japanese airfield at Moulmein, claiming 16 Japanese aircraft destroyed on the ground. Of the Burmese coast, troops from India reinforced the garrison on Akyab Island. ww2dbase [Invasion of Burma | CPC, AC]

• Naka was assigned to the Seizure Force for the invasion of Christmas Island. ww2dbase [Naka | Makassar, Celebes | CPC]

• The first A4 rocket exploded on Test Stand VII at Peenemünde, Germany during a combustion chamber test. ww2dbase [Peenemünde Army Research Center | Peenemünde, Pommern | AC]

• British submarine HMS Upholder sank Italian submarine Tricheco 2 miles off of Brindisi, Italy; 38 were killed, 3 survived (including the commanding officer). ww2dbase [Tricheco | Brindisi | CPC]

• Katori departed Yokosuka, Japan. ww2dbase [Katori | Yokosuka, Kanagawa | CPC]

• Japanese troops under Major Kyomi Yokokoji massacred the entire village of Joo Loong Loong (now known as Titi), Negeri Sembilan in Malaya; 990 were killed. ww2dbase [Invasion of Malaya and Singapore | Joo Loong Loong, Negeri Sembilan | CPC]

• US Army engineers arrived at Efate, New Hebrides for the construction of a new airfield. ww2dbase [Efate | CPC]

• Louis Mountbatten was appointed as the British Chief of Combined Operations. ww2dbase [Louis Mountbatten | CPC]

• US President Franklin Roosevelt signed an Executive Order for the establishment of the War Relocation Authority, which led to the internment of Japanese-Americans during WW2. ww2dbase [Internment of Japanese-Americans and Japanese-Canadians | Franklin Roosevelt | Washington | CPC]
• The keel of Oriskany was laid down at Bethlehem Steel Company's Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States. ww2dbase [Wasp (Essex-class) | Quincy, Massachusetts | CPC]

18 Mar 1942 Interactive Map