03/01 Wed. United States Naval Base, Milne Bay, New Guinea, and Naval Auxiliary Air Facility, Tanaga, Alaska, are established. German submarines sunk: U-603, by destroyer escort BRONSTEIN (DE-189), North Atlantic area, 48 d. 55' N., 26 d. 10' W. U-709, by destroyer escorts THOMAS (DE-102), BOSTWICK (DE-103), North Atlantic area, 49 d. 10' N., 26 d. 00' W. 03/02 Thu. Submarine NARWHAL (SS-167) delivers ammunition and supplies and evacuates certain personnel from Butuan Bay, Nasipit, Mindanao, P. I. 03/03 Fri. President announces that the Italian Fleet will be distributed among the United States, Great Britain, and Russia. Japanese naval vessel sunk: River boat KARATSU, by submarine NARWHAL (SS-167), Philippine Islands area, 08 d. 52' N., 123 d. 23' E. 03/04 Sat. Army and Naval land-based aircraft attack Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands. Allied task force (Rear Adm. V. A. C. Crutchley, RN) including 2 United States cruisers and 4 United States destroyers, bombards Japanese shore batteries and positions on Hauwei and Norilo Islands in the Admiralty Islands; bombardment is repeated on 6 and 7 March. 03/05 Sun. NARWHAL (SS-167) delivers cargo and evacuates certain personnel from Tawi Tawi, P. I. 03/06 Mon. United States naval vessels sunk: Submarine SCORPION (SS-278), Pacific Ocean area, reported as presumed lost. United States naval vessel damaged: Destroyer NICHOLSON (DD-442), by coastal defense gun, Bismarck Archipelago area, 02 d. 00' S., 147 d. 00' E. 03/07 Tue. United States naval vessel sunk: PT-337, by coastal defense gun, eastern New Guinea area, 04 d. 09' S., 144 d. 50' E. 03/08 Wed. Japanese aircraft attack United States position on Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands. 03/09 Thu. United States Naval Air Facility (Lighter than Air), Santa Cruz, Brazil, is established. United States naval vessel sunk: Destroyer LEOPOLD (DE-319), by submarine torpedo, south of Iceland. 03/10 Fri. United States naval vessel sunk: Submarine chaser SC-700, by fire, Vella Lavella, Solomon Islands. 03/11 Sat. German submarine sunk: U-380 and U-410, by Army aircraft, Toulon, France. 03/13 Mon. Japanese naval vessels sunk: Light cruiser TATSUTA, by submarine SANDLANCE (SS- 381), off Honshu, Japan, 32 d. 58' N., 138 d. 52' E. German submarine sunk: U-575, by aircraft (VC-95) from escort carrier BOGUE (CVE-9), destroyer HOBSON (DD-464), destroyer escort HAVERFIELD (DE-393), Canadian vessel, and British aircraft, North Atlantic area, 46 d. 18' N., 27 d. 34' W. 03/16 Thu. Japanese naval vessels sunk: Destroyer SHIRAKUMO, by submarine TAUTOG (SS-199), off Japan, 42 d. 25' N., 144 d. 55' E. German submarines sunk: U-392, by naval land-based aircraft (VP-63) and British surface craft, western Mediterranean area, 35 d. 55' N., 05 d. 41' W. U-801, by aircraft (VC-6) from escort carrier BLOCK ISLAND (CVE-21), destroyer CORRY (DD-463), destroyer escort BRONSTEIN (DE-189), west of Cape Verde Islands, 16 d. 42' N., 30 d. 26' W. 03/17 Fri. United States naval vessel sunk: PT-283, by coastal defense gun, Solomon Islands area, 06 d. 27' S., 155 d. 08' E. 03/18 Sat. Task group including 1 carrier, 2 battleships, and destroyers (Rear Adm. W. A. Lee) bombs and bombards Japanese installations on Mili Island in the Marshall Islands. Destroyers bombard enemy in Wewak area, New Guinea; bombardment continues on 19 March. United States naval vessel damaged: Battleship IOWA (BB-61), by coastal defense gun, Mili Island, Marshall Islands. 03/19 Sun. German submarine sunk: U-1059, by aircraft (VC-6) from escort carrier BLOCK ISLAND (CVE-21), Atlantic area, 13 d. 10' N., 33 d. 44' W. 03/20 Mon. Naval attack group (Commodore L. F. Reifsnider) lands 4th Marine Division (Brig. Gen. A. H. Noble) on Emirau Island, Bismarck Archipelago. Task force including 4 battleships, 2 escort carriers, and destroyers (Rear Adm. R. M. Griffin) bombards and bombs Kavieng, New Ireland. Submarine ANGLER (SS-240) evacuates 58 persons including women and children from west coast of Panay, P. I. Japanese naval vessels sunk: Auxiliary submarine chasers Nos. 47 and 49, by Army aircraft, north of New Guinea, 02 d. 55' S., 143 d. 40' E. 03/23 Thu. Destroyers bombard enemy installations on Mussau Islands in the St. Matthias group, Bismarck Archipelago. United States Naval Air Facility, Dunkeswell, England, is established. Japanese submarine sunk: I-42, by submarine TUNNY (SS-282), off Palau Islands, 06 d. 40' N., 134 d. 03' E. 03/24 Fri. Japanese submarine sunk: I-32, by destroyer escort MANLOVE (DE-36), and submarine chaser PC-1135, Marshall Islands area, 08 d. 30' N., 170 d. 10' E. 03/25 Sat. Japanese naval vessels sunk: Submarine chaser No. 54, by submarine POLLACK (SS- 180), north of Bonin Islands, 28 d. 34' N., 142 d. 14' E. 03/26 Sun. United States naval vessel sunk: Submarine TULLIBEE (SS-284), probably by circular run of own torpedo, north of Palau Islands, Caroline Islands. 03/27 Mon. United States naval vessels sunk: PT-121 and PT-353, accidentally by friendly bomber, Bismarck Archipelago area, 05 d. 17' S., 151 d. 01' E. United States naval vessel damaged: PT-207, by naval gunfire, Italian area, 41 d. 27' N., 12 d. 40' E. 03/28 Tue. Destroyers bombard Japanese positions on Kapingamarangi Atoll, north of New Ireland. 03/30 Thu. Fast carrier forces under Commander Fifth Fleet (Adm. R. A. Spruance) commence intensive bombing of Japanese airfields, shipping, fleet service facilities, and other installations at Palau, Yap, Ulithi, and Woleai in the Caroline Islands group. Extensive minefields are planted by carrier-based aircraft in and around the channels and approaches to the Palau Islands. Attacks continue until 1 April. United States naval vessel sunk: Submarine GRAYBACK (SS-208), Pacific Ocean area, reported as presumed lost. United States naval vessel damaged: Submarine TUNNEY, (SS-282), accidentally by friendly aircraft off Palau Islands, 07 d. 29' N., 134 d. 26' E. Japanese naval vessels sunk, Palau, Caroline Islands raid: Repair ship AKASHI, oilers OSE, SATA, and IRO, submarine chasers Nos. 6 and 26, auxiliary submarine chasers Nos. 22 and 53, and patrol boat No. 31, by carrier-based aircraft. 03/31 Fri. Japanese naval vessels sunk: Old destroyer WAKATAKE, by carrier-based aircraft, off Palau Islands, Caroline Islands.