04/04 Tue. United States naval vessel damaged: Destroyer HALL (DD-583), by coastal defense gun, Marshall Islands area, 09 d. 30' N., 170 d. 00' E. 04/05 Wed. Japanese naval vessel sunk: Auxiliary submarine chaser No. 46, by carrier-based aircraft, Caroline Islands area. 04/07 Fri. United States naval vessel damaged: Destroyer CHAMPLIN (DD-601), by intentional ramming of German submarine and by gunfire, North Atlantic area, 40 d. 18' N., 62 d. 22' W. [Who rammed who? LWJ] Japanese submarine sunk: I-2, by destroyer SAUFLEY (DD-465), north of New Ireland, 02 d. 17' S., 149 d. 14' E. German submarine sunk: U-856, by destroyer CHAMPLIN (DD-601) and destroyer escort (DE-145), North Atlantic area, 40 d. 18' N., 62 d. 22' W. 04/09 Sun. United States naval vessel sunk: Submarine chaser SC-984, by grounding in New Hebrides. German submarine sunk: U-515, by aircraft (VC-58) from escort carrier GUADALCANAL (CVE-60), and destroyer escorts PILLSBURY (DE-133), POPE (DE-134), FLAHERTY (DE- 135), and CHATELIN (DE-149), off Madeira Island, 34 d. 35' N., 19 d. 18' W. 04/10 Mon. German submarine sunk: U-68, by aircraft (VC-58)from escort carrier GUADALCANAL (CVE-60), off Madeira Island, 33 d. 25' N., 03 d. 58' W. 04/11 Tue. United States naval vessel damaged: Destroyer escort HOLDER (DE-401), by submarine torpedo, western Mediterranean area, 37 d. 03' N., 03 d. 58' E. Japanese naval vessel sunk: Destroyer AKIGUMO, by submarine REDFIN (SS-272), Celebes Sea, 06 d. 43' N., 122 d. 23' E. 04/12 Wed. United States naval vessels sunk: PT-135, damaged by grounding, Bismarck Archipelago area, 05 d. 29' s., 152 d. 09' E.; sunk by United States forces. Rescue tug ATR-98, by collision, Azores area, 44 d. 05' N., 24 d. 08' W. 04/13 Thu. Japanese naval vessel sunk: Destroyer IKAZUCHI, by submarine HARDER (SS-257), Central Pacific area, 10 d. 13' N., 143 51' E. 04/15 Sat. Alaskan Sea Frontier (Vice Adm. F. J. Fletcher) with headquarters at Adak, Aleutian Islands, and Seventeenth Naval District (Rear Adm. F. E. M. Whiting) with temporary headquarters in Adak and permanent headquarters at Kodiak, Alaska, are established. United States Naval Base, Abemama, Gilbert Islands, is established. Carrier HANCOCK (CV-19) is commissioned at Fore River, Mass. 04/16 Sat. Battleship WISCONSIN (BB-64) is commissioned at Philadelphia, Pa. United States naval vessel damaged: Destroyer escort GANDY (DE-764), by intentional ramming of German submarine, North Atlantic area, 40 d. 09' N., 69 d. 44' W. German submarine sunk: U-550, by destroyer escorts PETERSON (DE-152), JOYCE (DE-317), and GANDY (DE-764), North Atlantic area, 40 d. 09' N., 69 d. 44' W. 04/17 Mon. United States naval vessel sunk: Submarine TROUT (SS-202), Pacific Ocean area, reported as presumed lost. German submarine sunk: U-986, by minesweeper SWIFT (AM-122), and submarine chaser PC-619, North Atlantic area, 50 d. 09' N., 12 d. 51' W. 04/19 Wed. Allied naval force (Adm. J. F. Sommerville, RN), including United States carrier SARATOGA (CV-3) and three United States destroyers, strikes enemy positions at Sabang, Netherlands East Indies. 04/20 Thu. United States naval vessel sunk: Destroyer LANDSDALE (DD-426), by aircraft torpedo, western Mediterranean area, 37 d. 03' N., 03 d. 51' E. Japanese submarine sunk: RO-45, by submarine SEAHORSE (SS-304), off Marianas Islands, 15 d. 19' N., 145 d. 31' E. 04/21 Fri. Naval task force (Vice Adm. M. A. Mitscher), including carriers, battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, bombs and bombards enemy airfields and defensive positions at Hollandia, Wakde, Sawar, and Sarmi areas of New Guinea; attacks continue on 22 April. 04/22 Sat. Army forces land at Aitape, Tanahmerah Bay, and Humboldt Bay in New Guinea. The assault operation is under the control of Rear Adm. D. E. Barbey and supported by gunfire and carrier-based aircraft from Vice Adm. M. A. Mitscher's carrier task force. Submarine REDFIN (SS-272) lays mines off Sarawak, Borneo. 04/23 Sun. Japanese naval vessel sunk: Destroyer AMAGIRI, by mine, Makassar Strait, Netherlands East Indies area, 02 d. 12' S., 116 d. 45' E. 04/26 Wed. Japanese submarine sunk: I-180, by destroyer escort GILMORE (DE-18), North Pacific area, 55 d. 10' N., 155 d. 40' W. German submarine sunk: U-488, by destroyer escorts FROST (DE-144), HUSE (DE-145), BARBER (DE-161), and SNOWDEN (DE-246), mid-Atlantic area, 17 d. 54' N., 38 d. 05' W. 04/27 Thu. United States naval vessel sunk: Cargo ship ETAMIN (AK-93), by aircraft torpedo, western New Guinea area, 03 d. 09' S., 142 d. 24' E. Japanese naval vessels sunk: Light cruiser YUBARI, by submarine BLUEGILL (SS- 242), southwest of the Palau Islands, 05 d. 20' N., 132 d. 16' E. Minelayer KAMONE, by submarine HALIBUT (SS-232), off Ryukyu Islands, 27 d. 37' N., 128 d. 11' E. 04/28 Fri. Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox dies at Washington, D. C. United States naval vessels sunk: LST 507, and LST 531, by torpedoes from surface craft, English Channel, 50 d. 28' N., 02 d. 51' W. Japanese submarine sunk: I-183, by submarine POGY (SS-266), off Kyushu, Japan, 32 d. 07' N., 133 d. 03' E. 04/29 Sat. Aircraft from fast carrier task force (Vice Adm. M. A. Mitscher), including 12 carriers, commence 2-day bombing attack on Japanese shipping, oil and ammunition bumps, aircraft facilities, and other installations at Truk, Caroline Islands. United States naval vessels sunk: PT-346 and PT-347, accidentally by friendly aircraft, Bismarck Archipelago area, 04 d. 13' S., 151 d. 27' E. Japanese naval vessels sunk: Submarine I-174, by aircraft from light carrier MONTEREY (CVL-26) and destroyers MACDONOUGH (DD- 351) and STEPHEN POTTER (DD-538), Caroline Islands area, 06 d. 13' N., 151 d. 19' E. River gunboat TAHURE, by submarine FLASHER (SS- 249), South China Sea, 13 d. 02' N., 109 d. 28' E. German submarine sunk: U-421, by Army aircraft, Toulon, France. 04/30 Sun. Cruiser and destroyer force (Rear Adm. J. B. Oldendorf) bombards enemy positions on Satawan Island, in the Namoi Group, Caroline Islands.