Today in World War II History—December 20, 1941

American Volunteer Group 3rd Pursuit Squadron in front of a P-40C Tomahawk, 1941 (US National Archives)
80 Years Ago—Dec. 20, 1941: Japanese land on Mindanao in the Philippines and in Dutch Borneo, Celebes, and the Moluccas in Netherlands East Indies.
American Volunteer Group (“Flying Tigers”) flies its first mission over China.
Adm. Ernest King is named Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet.
Off Mendocino, CA, Japanese sub I-17 sinks US tanker Emidio, the first loss off the US West Coast.
Goebbels appeals to German public for winter clothing for troops.

Certificate for participating in German winter clothing collection, December 1941