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.