January 5, 1942 - Monday - 80 years ago today

 Status - John Skinner - USS O'Brien:

On January 5, 1942, O'Brien was still in port, undergoing a refit and awaiting its transit to the Pacific which was to begin on January 15. 

Background - War in the Pacific

The Japanese military advanced rapidly on all fronts after the Pearl Harbor attack. Midway Island was bombarded on December 7th but was not invaded. 

• December 8th: Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines bombed. Japanese troop landings began on outlying Philippine Islands.
• December 9th: Tarawa and Makin Islands in the Gilberts taken. Tarawa was retaken by US forces later in the war with high casualties. The Japanese also captured Bangkok, Thailand, and would soon launch an invasion of Burma from there.
• December 10th: Invasion of the Philippines was begun with landings on Luzon. The British Battleship Prince of Wales and Battle Cruiser Repulse were sunk by Japanese air attacks off of Malaysia, showing again the vulnerability of large capital ships with no air cover.
• December 11th: Wake Island attacked, defenders stop this initial attack and sink one destroyer; more landings on Luzon.
• December 13th: US Airfields and shipping attacked at Subic Bay, Philippines.
• December 15th: US force sails from Pearl Harbor in attempt to relieve Wake Island garrison. Task Force with carrier USS Saratoga sailed the next day.
• December 21st: Attacks on Wake Island continue; Japanese are using planes from two carriers in addition to bombardment.
• December 23rd: Wake Island captured and US garrison taken prisoner. Relief Task Force is recalled.
• December 25th: British surrender Hong Kong. US Asiatic Fleet Headquarters moved to Java.
• December 26th: Manila is declared an open city; Japanese continue bombing.
• December 29th: Corregidor Island is bombed for the first time.
• January 2nd: Manila, Philippines falls to the Japanese.

See: Official Navy Chronology for details.

These setbacks implied a troubling future for the Allied forces. There was little hope for reinforcing the Philippines. Japan's next targets would be Singapore, and the Dutch East Indies that held the raw materials (rubber, tin, oil, etc.) needed for the Japanese military. The US Asiatic Fleet was made up of smaller, aged ships, with only a few heavy and light cruisers available.

The harsh reality was that the US would have to establish a command organization in the South Pacific, and reinforce the string of islands that linked Hawaii and Australia. The chain of communications and supply to Australia would have to be kept open; this would be the first task, and then later a place must be found to stop the Japanese advance. 

That would require destroyers; to escort carrier task forces, to escort convoys and resupply ships, and to patrol the waters around Hawaii and the islands on the route to Australia. O'Brien and her sister-ships in the Sims class would all be returned to the Pacific, regardless of the equally critical need for convoy escorts in the Atlantic. 

 As we are now up to date for January 5th, posts will not be every day but will be a few days apart.  

NEXT POST: JANUARY 9TH