26 January 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: The first US troops arrive in Northern Ireland. They are troops of the 133d Infantry, 34th Division.

Belfast: The first American soldiers have arrived in the British Isles. Air and naval squadrons arrived three weeks ago, but without the fanfares which today greeted the first of many thousand "Doughboys" destined for Europe.

Landfall for today's arrivals - an infantry division from Iowa - was Northern Ireland, where they are to guard war stocks supplied under Lend-Lease. Many of them are of German or Irish extraction. If some of their cousins are less than happy about their return to uniform, the British are euphoric. The Duke of Abercorn, the governor of the province, John Andrews, the Ulster premier, and Sir Archibald Sinclair, the air minister, welcomed them ashore, as did the Royal Ulster Rifles band with its own version of "The Star-Spangled Banner". Sir Archibald said that their arrival marked a new stage in the world war - "a gloomy portent for Mr. Hitler."

FRANCE: Paris: A simple matchbox can open many a door. The one that Jean Moulin always carries around contains microfilmed orders from General de Gaulle.

Moulin, known as "Max" was formerly mayor of the town of Chartres and escaped to England nearly five months ago. Ever since he parachuted back into France on 1 January, the top-secret contents of the matchbox have been his letter of introduction to the leaders of the Resistance in the southern sector. De Gaulle has ordered him to unit the Resistance movements under the Free French banner. Despite some qualms, Henri Frenay, the leader of the Combat group, was first to rally to de Gaulle. Moulin then travelled to Avignon, Nimes, Valence and finally, Lyons, where he met Raymond Aibrac of the Liberation group.

These initial contacts between the various heads of the anti-Nazi movement did not always go without a hitch. Resistance leaders are not on the whole keen to relinquish their hard-won independence and authority, particularly since de Gaulle has so far only given them a few vague promises in exchange for their support and allegiance.

What they have not seen are the money, arms, ammunition and explosives for which they have been calling so desperately.

BURMA: AVG pilot Louis Hoffman is lost in action against the Japanese. (Chuck Baisden)

Pilots of the 1st and 2d Fighter Squadrons, American Volunteer Group (AVG, aka, “The Flying Tigers”) shoot down three Japanese Army fighters over Rangoon at 1100 hours local.

MALAYA: A Japanese convoy carrying reinforcements approaches Endau. They are attacked by nine RAAF Hudson and 12 Vildebeestes; no ships are hit and 5 of the Vildebeestes are shot down. In the evening, the old destroyers HMAS Vampire and HMS Thanet sail to attack the Japanese convoy.

NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES: Lieutenant General Sir John Lavarack, General Officer Commanding I Australian Corps, arrives in Java as the advance party of Australian troops preparing to leave the Middle East. Lavarack is soon convinced that the situation is “grim” and believes that the Japanese might seize southern Sumatra before the main body of his command arrives.

BORNEO: After occupying Balikpapan yesterday, the Japanese mop up the surrounding area today and then the troops begin repairing the airfield.

PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: On Bataan, the Philippine II and I Corps complete their withdrawal to the final defence line on Bataan in the morning, closely followed by the Japanese. The new line, which is to be continuous for the first time, extends from Orion on the east to Bagac on the west and is generally behind the Pilar-Bagac road. Gaps develop in each corps sector when HQ U.S. Army Forces, Far East (USAFFE) withdraws the Philippine Division as its reserve. Units are hastily shifted to replace the U.S. 31st and Philippine Scouts (PS) 57th Regiments in the II Corps line and the PS 45th Infantry in the I Corps line. The II Corps, responsible for eastern Bataan from the coast to the Pantingan River, organizes its line into four sectors, from east to west: Sector A, 31st Infantry of 31st Division, Philippine Army (PA); Sector B, Provisional Air Corps Regiment; Sector C, elements of the 31st and remnants of the 51st Divisions, PA; Sector D, the 41st and 21st Divisions, PA, and 33d Infantry, less the 1st Battalion, of the 31st Division, PA. In addition, the beach defence forces are organized as Sector E. 1st Battalion of the 33d Infantry, 31st Division, PA, and a regiment of the PA combat engineers constitute corps reserve. The Japanese patrol along the eastern slopes of Mt Samat almost to the main line of resistance but do not discover a gap in the line, which exists for several hours. The I Corps line, extending from the Pantingan River to the west coast, is divided into Right and Left Sectors: the Right Sector is manned by the Philippine Constabulary's 2d Regiment (less one battalion) on the east and the 11th Division, PA, on the west; disposed in the Left Sector are elements of the 1st Division, PA, on the east and 91st Infantry, PA, on the west. Beach defence forces make up the South Sector. The 26th Cavalry, Philippine Scouts (PS), is held in corps reserve. The Japanese open an offensive, driving south along West Road toward the Binuangan River. The 91st Division, PA, contains these attacks. In the South Sector, the Japanese maintain beachheads at Quinauan and Longoskawayan Points and move reinforcements toward the former. USAFFE sends the 88th Field Artillery, PS, from the west coast from II Corps sector, one of its gun batteries to Quinauan Point and another to Longoskawayan Point.
During the night, the few remaining P-40s on Bataan bomb and strafe Nichols and Nielson Fields on Luzon.

U.S.A.: The Board of Inquiry which has been investigating the Pearl Harbor Attack releases its findings.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: Armed but unescorted U.S. freighter SS West Ivsis is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-125 off the eastern seaboard. The U-boat had fired and at first missed the ship. But the second torpedo broke her in two, sinking in 14 minutes. There are no survivors from either the 36-man civilian crew or the 9-man Armed Guard who had to operate the 4in gun (the ship also had four 50 cal. and four 30 cal. aboard). (Jack McKillop and Dave Shirlaw)

U-404's periscope was damaged during an air attack in the North Atlantic.

U-753 was rammed and damaged in an attack by a British escort in the North Atlantic.