Historical Events in April 1942

  • Apr 1 Allied air raid on harbor city Kupang Timor
  • Apr 1 Mexico changes from 3 time zones to 2

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Apr 2 USS Hornet with Jimmy Doolittles B-25 departs from San Francisco

Aviation Pioneer Jimmy Doolittle
Aviation Pioneer
Jimmy Doolittle

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Apr 8 Arnold Schoenberg & Tudor's ballet "Pillar of Fire" premieres in NYC

Composer and Painter Arnold Schoenberg
Composer and Painter
Arnold Schoenberg
  • Apr 9 Battle of Bataan; US-Filipino forces overwhelmed by Japanese at Bataan
  • Apr 10 Cigarettes & candy rationed in Holland
  • Apr 11 US Merchant Marine Distinguished Service Medal established

Sport awardGolf Major

Apr 12 9th Masters Golf Tournament: Byron Nelson wins, shooting a 280

Golfer Byron Nelson
Golfer
Byron Nelson
  • Apr 12 Japan kills about 400 Filipino officers in Bataan
  • Apr 14 Destroyer Roper sinks German U-85 of US east coast

Event of interestEvent of Interest

Apr 15 George VI awards George Cross to people of Malta

King of Great Britain George VI
King of Great Britain
George VI
  • Apr 16 Japanese occupying army on Java installs film censorship
  • Apr 17 12 Lancasters bomb MAN factory in Augsburg
  • Apr 17 Operations begin to destroy Sobibor Concentration Camp
  • Apr 17 POW French General Henri Giraud escapes from his castle prison in Festung Königstein
  • Apr 18 "Stars & Stripes" paper for US armed forces starts

  • Apr 18 James Doolittle bombs Tokyo & other Japanese cities
  • Apr 18 Stanley Cup: Toronto Maple Leafs beat Detroit Red Wings, 4 games to 3
  • Apr 19 46th Boston Marathon won by Joe Smith of Mass in 2:26:51.2
  • Apr 20 German occupiers forbids Dutch access to their beach
  • Apr 23 4-day allied bombing on Rostock begins
  • Apr 23 1st night Exeter bombed by German Luftwaffe
  • Apr 24 2nd night Exeter bombed by German Luftwaffe
  • Apr 25 Beginning of a 3 night bombing blitz on Bath by German Luftwaffe - 417 killed
  • Apr 26 Coal mine explosion kills 1,549 at Honkeiko, Manchuria
  • Apr 27 Belgian Jews are forced to wear stars
  • Apr 27 Tornado destroys Pryor, Oklahoma, killing 100, injuring 300
  • Apr 28 German Luftwaffe estimated to have flown over 11 thousand sorties against Malta since 20th March
  • Apr 28 "WW II" titled so, as result of Gallup Poll
  • Apr 28 Nightly "dim-out" begins along US East Coast
  • Apr 29 Japanese troop march into Lashio, cut off Burma Road
  • Apr 29 Jews forced to wear a Jewish Star in Netherlands & Vichy-France
  • Apr 30 1st submarine built on Great Lakes launched, (Peto), Manitowoc, Wisconson