01/01 Thu. Adm. R. E. Ingersoll succeeds Adm. E. J. King as Commander in Chief Atlantic Fleet. 01/02 Fri. Manila and Cavite, P. I., fall to the Japanese. 01/06 Tue. Japanese amphibious force occupies Brunei Bay, Borneo. 01/07 Wed. Navy's authorized aircraft strength is increased from 15,000 to 27,500. 01/11 Sun. Naval Station, Pago Pago, Samoa, is shelled by Japanese submarine. Japanese begin invasion of Netherlands East Indies by landings at Tarakan and Jesselton, Borneo; Menado and Kema, Celebes. Japan declares war on the Netherlands. United States naval vessels damaged: Carrier SARATOGA (CV-3), by submarine torpedo, 500 miles southwest of Oahu, T. H. 01/12 Mon. Authorized enlisted strength of the Navy is increased to 500,000. 01/15 Thu. American-British-Dutch-Australian Supreme Command is established. Field Marshall Sir Archibald Wavell, British Army, assumes supreme command of all forces in area; Adm. T. C. Hart, USN, has command of naval forces under Field Marshall Wavell. 01/16 Fri. War Production Board (WPB) is established to supplant Office of Production Management (OPM). 01/18 Sun. Germany, Italy, and Japan sign new military pact in Berlin. 01/20 Tue. United States naval vessels sunk: PT-31, damaged by grounding and sunk by United States forces, Philippine Islands area, 14 d. 45' N., 120 d. 13' E. Japanese submarine sunk: I-124, by destroyer EDSALL (DD-219) and three Australian corvettes, off Port Darwin, Australia. 01/21 Wed. United States naval vessels sunk: Submarine S-36, damaged by grounding 20 January 1942 and sunk by United States forces, Makassar Strait, Netherlands East Indies. United States naval vessels damaged: Light cruiser BOISE (CL-47), by grounding, Sape Strait, Netherlands East Indies. 01/22 Thu. Japanese reinforcements land in Subic Bay area, P. I. 01/23 Fri. Japanese land at Balikpapan, Borneo. Japanese occupy Rabaul, New Britain, and land at Kieta, Bougainville, Solomon Islands. United States naval vessels sunk: Oiler NECHES (AO-5), by Japanese submarine torpedo, off Hawaiian Islands, 21 d. 01' N., 160 d. 06' W. 01/24 Sat. Battle of Balikpapan (Battle of Makassar Strait): Japanese Borneo invasion convoy undergoes night torpedo attack off Balikpapan, Borneo, by destroyer division (Cdr. P. H. Talbot) composed of PARROTT (DD-218), POPE (DD-225), JOHN. D. FORD (DD-228), and PAUL JONES (DD-230); four enemy transports and a patrol craft are sunk. Japanese land at Kendari, Celebes; Kavieng, New Ireland; Subic Bay, P. I. United States naval vessel sunk: Submarine S-26, by collision with submarine chaser PC-460, Gulf of Panama. United States naval vessel damaged: Destroyer JOHN D. FORD (DD-228) by naval gunfire, Netherlands East Indies area, 12 d. 00' S., 117 d. 01' E. Japanese naval vessel sunk: Patrol boat No. 37, by surface craft, Makassar Strait, Netherlands East Indies, 00 d. 10' N., 118 d. 00' e. 01/25 Sun. Japanese submarine shells Midway Island. 01/26 Mon. First United States Expeditionary Force to Europe in World War II arrives in Northern Ireland. 01/27 Tue. Submarine SEAWOLF (SS-197) delivers ammunition to Corregidor, P. I., and evacuates Naval and Army pilots. Naval Air Station, Puunene, Maui, T. H., is established. Japanese submarine sunk: I-173, by submarine GUDGEON (SS-211), Central Pacific area, 28 d. 24' N., 178 d. 35' E. 01/28 Wed. Third Conference of Foreign Ministers of the American Republics, in session in Rio de Janeiro since 15 January, is concluded. Japanese land on Rossel Island off New Guinea. 01/29 Thu. Japanese land at Badoeng Island and Mampawan, Celebes. United States Coast Guard vessel sunk: Cutter ALEXANDER HAMILTON (PG-34), sunk by German submarine torpedo, off Iceland. 01/31 Sat. Office of Procurement and Material (OP&M) is established in the Office of the Under Secretary of the Navy; Vice Adm. S. M. Robinson becomes director. Japanese land at Amboina Island, Netherlands East Indies.