December 1, 1941
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

Sunday, 1 December 1941

USN: Patrol Wing 9 (PatWing 9) is established at Quonset Point, RI with the the prospective Commanding Officer (C. O.) Lieutenant Commander T. U. Sisson.

President orders a "defensive information patrol" of "three small ships" established off the coast of French Indochina; he specifically designates yacht Isabel (PY-10) (reserve flagship for Commander in Chief Asiatic Fleet) as one of the trio of vessels (see 3 and 6 December). Schooner Lanikai is acquired and commissioned, but the start of the war results in her planned mission being cancelled. The third vessel, schooner Molly Moore, is selected for the mission but is never taken over. Lanikai's civilian career had seen her used as a "prop" in the filming of motion picture "Hurricane" that starred Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall.

U.S. passenger liner President Harrison arrives at Olongapo, P.I., with the remaining elements of the 4th Marine Regiment (Colonel Samuel L. Howard, USMC) withdrawn from Shanghai. President Harrison soon sails to bring out the last marines from China (see 8 December).

As river gunboats Luzon (PR-7) and Oahu (PR-6) (Rear Admiral William A. Glassford, Commander Yangtze Patrol, in Luzon), submarine rescue vessel Pigeon (ASR-6) and minesweeper Finch (AM-9) proceed toward Manila, they become the object of curiosity by Japanese forces in the vicinity; first a floatplane circles the formation, then seven Japanese warships of various types.

USMC: Cunningham Field, Cherry Point, North Carolina, commanded by Colonel Thomas J. Cushman, was designated a Marine Corps Air Station for development purposes to relieve the facilities at Quantico.

Marine Corps Air Station, Quantico, commanded by Major Ivan W. Miller, was established by redesignation from Base Air Detachment 1, Marine Barracks.

Marine Corps Air Station, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ford 0. Rogers, was established by redesignation from Marine Corps Air Facility, Bourne Field.

USMC: The 2d Defense Battalion and the 4th Defense Battalion arrive at Pearl Harbor. They are scheduled to be the permanent garrison on Wake Atoll.

IJN: I-3 and I-2 arrive at a position 300 miles off Oahu. Destroyer Division 7 (DesDiv 7) depart Tokyo with orders to proceed via a carefully planned route to Midway, provisionally designated as the Midway Neutralization Unit.

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