Today in World War II History—December 23, 1941
Thursday, December 23, 2021 by Sarah Sundin

Malayan rubber plantation burnt by the British as they retreat to Singapore, Dec 1941 (Imperial War Museum: 4700-45 KF 97)
80 Years Ago—Dec. 23, 1941: Japanese take Wake Island after determined defense by US Marines.
British evacuate Malaya above the Perak River as the Japanese advance.
Off Cambria, CA, Japanese sub I-21 sinks US tanker Montebello in sight of the coast; survivors machine-gunned in lifeboats but no one is injured.