By: Dr. Zo L. Simmons
Wartime Editor
January 5, 1942
Army Bombers Hit Japanese Battleship.
The War Department reports that a formation of heavy American bombers scored three direct hits on Japanese battleship and sank a destroyer off Davao, Mindanaao Island, and the Philippines. Other Japanese ships were hit with undetermined damage. All U.S. planes returned to their base, believed to be in the Netherlands East Indies. One Japanese battleship has been sunk and another damaged in previous raids.
700 Japanese Slain.
The War Department announces that at least 700 Japanese soldiers were killed yesterday when they made a frontal attack against American-Filipino troops northwest of Manila. This was one of the most serious reverses
suffered by the Japanese invaders since the war began, it adds. Fifty-two Japanese bombers raided Corregidor Island yesterday, causing slight material damage and casualties. Four planes were shot down and four others were hit.
New Registration Feb. 16.
President Roosevelt issues a proclamation calling up the nations manpower to insure victory, final and complete, over the enemies of the United States and ordering all men from 20 to 44, inclusive, who did not register before, to register Feb. 16 for active military service. It is estimated that about 9,000,000 men will thus be added to the 17,500,000 previously registered.
Tender Heron Escapes Japanese Raid.
The Navy Department announces that the U.S. seaplane tender Heron fought off 15 Japanese bombers for seven hours in the Far East and finally reached port even though hit by one of the 46 bombs dropped. One bomber was shot down. The Navy Cross is awarded to the commanding officer, Lieutenant William Leverette Kabler, and his promotion to the rank of lieutenant commander is recommended.
Beardall Heads Annapolis.
Captain John R. Beardall, 54, President Roosevelts naval aide, is appointed superintendent of the Naval Academy at Annapolis.
January 6, 1942
Roosevelt Message to Congress.
President Roosevelt tells Congress in his state of the Union message that he has just ordered the production of 60,000 planes, 45,000 tanks, 20,000 anti-aircraft guns and 8,000,000 deadweight tons of ships in 1942 and 125,000 planes, 75,000 tanks 35,000 anti-aircraft guns, 10,000,000 tons of shipping and similar increases in other implements of war in 1943 as part of an all-out victory program that will cost $56,000,000,000 in the coming fiscal year. The militarists of Berlin and Tokyo started this war, he says. But the massed, angered forces of common humanity will finish it. Our own objectives are clear; the objective of smashing the militarism imposed by the war lords upon their enslaved peoples; the objective of liberating the subjugated nations; the objective of establishing and securing freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear everywhere in the world. We shall not stop short of these objectives. This time we are determined not only to win the war but also to maintain the security of the peace that will follow.
The superiority of the United Nations in ammunitions and ships must be overwhelming, so overwhelming that the Axis nations can never hope to catch up with it. Arms must be supplied to all who fight the Axis. We must raise our sights all along the production line. Let no man say it cannot be done. It must be done and we have undertaken to do it.
Our task is hard, and the time is short. We must strain every existing armament-producing facility to the utmost. We must convert every available plant and tool to war production. Only this all out scale of production will hasten the ultimate all out victory. Speed will count. Lost ground can always be regained, lost time never.
We have already tasted defeat. We may suffer further setbacks. We must face that fact of a hard war, a long war, a bloody war, a costly war. We cannot wage this war in a defensive spirit. As our power and resources are fully mobilized we shall carry the attack against the enemy. We shall hit him, and hit him again, wherever and whenever we can reach him. We must keep him far from our shores, for we intend to bring this battle to him on his won home grounds. American armed forces must be used in any place in all the world where it seems advisable to engage the forces of the enemy in the Far East on all the oceans. American land and air and sea forces will take positions in the British Isles, which constitute and essential fortress in this great world struggle.
The war will end, he says, only when the militarism in Germany, Italy and Japan is ended. Most certainly we shall not settle for less. But we of the United Nations are not making all this sacrifice of human effort and human lives to return to the kind of world we had after the last World War. We are fighting today for security and progress and for peace, not only for ourselves but also for all men, not only for one generation but also for all generations. We are fighting to cleanse the world of ancient evils, ancient ills.
The speech in interrupted 33 times by applause.
Corregidor Bombed.
The War Department reports that the fortifications of Manila Bay, including Corregidor Island and Mariveles, were again heavily bombed for four hours by 50 Japanese planes yesterday. Material damage and casualties were light and at least seven planes were hit by anti-aircraft fire.
It adds that additional information indicates that the damage inflicted in Japanese warships at Davao yesterday was probably greater than was first reported. The Japanese fleet consisted of one battleship, which was hit, five cruisers, six destroyers, 15 submarines and 12 transports. Probably more than one destroyer was sunk and numerous hits were scored on other vessels.
General Douglas MacArthur reports that occupying Japanese troops in Manila are circulating large quantities of paper money in various denominations which are clever imitations in color and texture of Philippine currency, substituting the Japanese Government for the Commonwealth Government. The War Department adds that the nature of the currency indicates it was prepared a long time in advance of the invasion.
Knudsen, Hillman Assure Roosevelt.
William S. Knudsen and Sidney Hillman of the OPM declare in a statement: The President has set our goal. We have raised our sights to meet it. Only a free people can achieve such goals. We can do it. We will do it.
Published U.S. Legacies April 2004
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