03/01 Sun. Battle of Sunda Strait which commenced shortly before midnight 28 February 1942 continues. After the Battle of the Java Sea (see 27 February 1942) Allied vessels heading for Sunda Strait are attacked by superior Japanese surface forces. One United States cruiser, 1 Australian cruiser, and 1 Netherlands destroyer are sunk. Four Japanese transports are lost. Base Force, Pacific Fleet, is redesignated Service Force Pacific; Train, Atlantic Fleet, is redesignated Service Force Atlantic. American-British-Dutch-Australian Command is dissolved. United States naval vessels sunk: Heavy Cruiser HOUSTON (CA-30), by torpedoes and gunfire, Sunda Strait, Java Sea, 05 d. 50' S., 105 D. 55' E. Destroyer POPE (DD-225), by dive bomber, and surface gunfire, Java Sea, 04 d. 00' S., 111 d. 30' E. Destroyer EDSALL(DD-219) and PILLSBURY (DD-227), by naval gunfire, south of Christmas Island, 14 d. 30' S., 106 d. 30' E. Oiler PECOS (AO-6), by dive bomber, south of Christmas Island, 14 d. 27' S., 106 d. 11' E. German submarine sunk: U-656, by naval land-based aircraft (VP-82), south of Newfoundland, 46 d. 15' N., 53 d. 15' W. 03/02 Mon. Antisubmarine Warfare Unit, Atlantic Fleet, is established at Boston, Mass. Japanese troops land at Zamboanga, Mindanao, P. I. 03/03 Tue. United States naval vessels sunk: Submarine PERCH (SS-176), damaged by depth charges and surface gunfire, scuttled by crew in Java Sea. Gunboat ASHEVILLE (PG-12), by naval gunfire, south of Java, Netherlands East Indies area, 12 d. 33' S., 111 d. 35' E. 03/04 Wed. Aircraft from carrier task force (Vice Adm. W. F. Halsey) bomb Marcus Island. Japanese seaplanes raid Oahu, T. H.; no damage. 03/07 Sat. United States naval vessels sunk: Submarine SHARK (SS-174), Pacific Ocean area, reported as presumed lost. 03/08 Sun. Japanese forces invade Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea. Japanese occupy Rangoon, Burma. 03/09 Mon. Naval Air Transport Service Squadron (VR-1) is commissioned at Norfolk, Va., for operations in Atlantic area. Java surrenders to the Japanese. 03/10 Tue. Aircraft from carriers LEXINGTON (CV-2) and YORKTOWN (CV-5) bomb Japanese shipping at Salamaua and Lae, New Guinea. Japanese invade Finschhafen, New Guinea. 03/11 Wed. Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur and Rear Adm. F. W. Rockwell leave Luzon, P. I., by motor torpedo boat for Mindanao, P. I. 03/12 Thu. United States forces arrive in New Caledonia to establish a base at Noumea. President, by executive order, combines duties of Commander in Chief United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations. (See 26 March 1942). 03/13 Fri. United States naval vessel sunk: PT-32, by scuttling, Philippine Islands area, 10 d. 58' N., 121 d. 12' E. 03/14 Sat. Amphibious Force, Atlantic Fleet (Rear Adm. R. M. Brainard) is established. 03/15 Sun. United States Coast Guard vessel sunk: Tender ACACIA (AGL-200), by German submarine, south of Haiti. German submarine sunk: U-503, by naval land-based aircraft (VP-82), North Atlantic area, 46 d. 50' N., 48 d. 50' W. 03/17 Tue. United States Naval Forces Europe is established. (See 30 April, 1942.) United States, in agreement with Allied governments, assumes responsibility for the strategic defense of entire Pacific Ocean. 03/18 Wed. Naval force (Rear Adm. J. W. Wilcox, USN) including 2 battleships, 1 carrier, 2 cruisers, and 8 destroyers is ordered to Great Britain to join British Home Fleet. 03/20 Fri. Battleship South Dakota (BB-57) is commissioned at New York, N. Y. 03/23 Mon. Japanese occupy Andaman Islands, Bay of Bengal. 03/26 Thu. Adm. E. J. King relieves Adm. H. R. Stark as Chief of Naval Operations. Admiral King is Commander in Chief United States Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations. His principal assistants are Vice Adm. F. J. Horne, Vice Chief of Naval Operations, and Vice Adm. R. Willson, Chief of Staff. Commander Eastern Sea Frontier is given operational control of certain Army Air Force units for antisubmarine patrol duty in the Atlantic. United States naval vessel sunk: Miscellaneous auxiliary ATIK, by submarine torpedo, 36 d. 00' N., 70 d. 00' W. 03/29 Sun. Marines arrive at Efate, New Hebrides. 03/30 Mon. Joint Chiefs of Staff order Pacific Ocean divided into two commands: Pacific Ocean Areas ( Adm. C. W. Nimitz), and Southwest Pacific Area (Gen. Douglas MacArthur). Pacific War Council representing United States, Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, and China is established in Washington, D. C., to plan war policy. Christmas Island is occupied by Japanese forces. 03/31 Tue. Commander of All Forces Aruba and Curacao, Netherlands West Indies, is established (Rear Adm. J. B. Oldendorf, USN).