http://www.kensmen.com/dec41.html
Monday 8 December 1941
The first word of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor is received on Luzon, Philip-pine Islands by commercial radio between 0300-0330 hours local. Within 30 minutes radar at Iba Field, Luzon plots a formation of airplanes 75-miles (120-km) offshore, heading for Corregidor Island. P-40's are sent out to intercept but make no contact. Shortly before 0930 hours, after Japanese aircraft are detected over Lingayen Gulf heading toward Manila, B-17's at Clark Field, Luzon are ordered airborne to prevent being caught on the ground. Fighters from Clark and Nichols Fields are sent to intercept the enemy but do not make contact. The Japanese airplanes swing East and bomb military installations at Baguio, Tarlac, Tuguegarao, and airfields at Cabantuan are also attacked. By 1130 hours, the B-17's and fighters sent into the air earlier have landed at Clark and Iba Fields for refueling, and radar has disclosed another flight of Japanese aircraft 70-miles (112-km) West of Lingayen Gulf, headed South. Fighters from Iba Field make a fruitless search over the South China Sea. Fighters from Nichols Field are dispatched to patrol over Bataan and Manila. Around 1145 hours a formation is reported headed South over Lingayen Gulf. Fighters are ordered from Del Carmen Field to cover Clark Field but fail to arrive before the Japanese hit Clark shortly after 1200 hours. B-17's and many fighters at Clark Field are caught on the ground, but a few P-4O's manage to get airborne. 2d Lieutenant Randall B. Keator of the 20th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor), 24th Pursuit Group (Interceptor), shoots down the first Japanese aircraft over the Philippines. The P-40's earlier sent on patrol of the South China Sea return to Iba Field with fuel running low at the beginning of a Japanese attack on that airfield. The P-40's fail to prevent bombing but manage to prevent low-level strafing of the sort which proved so destructive at Clark Field. At the end of the day's action it is apparent that the Japanese have won a major victory. The effective striking power of Far East Air Force has been destroyed, the fighter strength has been seriously reduced, most B-17 maintenance facilities have been demolished, and about 90 men have been killed.
Tuesday 9 December 1941
Shortly after 0300 hours, Japanese aircraft attack Nichols Field. This attack, added to the previous day's raids on Clark and Iba Fields, leaves the Far East Air Force strength reduced by half. Only 17 of 35 B-17's remain in commission; about 55 P-40's, 3 P-35's, and close to 30 other aircraft (B-10's, B-18's, and observation airplanes) have been lost in aerial combat or destroyed on the ground. During the morning and afternoon, B-17's from Mindanao Island fly reconnaissance missions and land on Clark and San Marcelino Fields on Luzon. Several more B-17's are flown from Mindanao Island to these Luzon bases for resistance against a possible invasion attempt.
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http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Far_East_Air_Force
Airfields of the Far East Air Force
Within 130 km of Manila, there were 6 airfields. Outside of Luzon, there were another 6 airfields. Clark Field was the only one that could support heavy bombers, until the December completion of Del Monte Field. Another bomber base was scheduled for construction, in the Visayas.
In August of 1941, $10,000,000 was spent to improve the airfields. Most of these funds were spent on Nichols and Clark Fields, with the rest spent mostly on auxiliary fields at Iba, on the Zambales coast, to the west of Clark, and various points on northern Luzon.
More:
http://www.whoa.org/publications/stories/barbedwire/
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Sunday, December 7th, 1941
The Japan's first act of war that day is not the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but the laying of mines off the coast of Malaya to cover the forthcoming invasion. The British planes on Malaya still had difficulties with low thick clouds, yet on several occasions they could see the Japanese invasion fleet steaming toward Malaya. The reports were, however, so unclear, that they couldn't make a clear picture toward which place are they sailing to. At the end they dispatched two flying boats Catalina futher to the north to observe the bays on the west coast of Indochina. One plane returned, not noticing anything, while the second plane never returned. The flying boat PBY Catalina of No.205 RAF Squadron captained by Flying Officer Bedell was shot down by Japanese aircraft whilst attempting to monitor the progress of the Japanese fleet and all his crew died. They were the first Allied casualties of the war with Japan. Shortly after midnight the Indian guards at Kota Bharu observed three large transport ships dropping anchor approximately 3km's from the coast. Several minutes afterwards the shelling starts. Rough seas and strong winds hampered the operation and a number of smaller craft capsized. Several Japanese soldiers drowned. Despite these difficulties by 12.45 the first wave of landing craft carrying troops under the command of Colonel Masu were heading for the beach in four lines. The Japanese soldiers, the veterans of the 56th Infantry Regiment, came ashore, and ran into stiff machinegun fire from British and Indian troops of the 8th Indian Brigade (Brigadier B.W. Key). After a short and tough fight with Key's Indians, the Japanese managed to create a solid bridgehead. Having been alerted of the Japanese landing, Hudsons of No.1 RAAF Squadronn began taking off to bomb the transports. Despite the intensity of the AA gunfire, the Allied planes scored several hits and severly damaged the ships.
The attackers had risked.
They were on land 70 minutes before the Pearl Harbor strike , and any news about the attack might warn the Americans on Hawaii. Fortunately for the Japanese this didn't happen.
http://www.geocities.com/dutcheastindies/december2.html