Today in World War II History

70 Years Ago—Dec. 20, 1941: Japanese land on Mindanao in the Philippines and in Dutch Borneo, Celebes, and the Moluccas in Dutch East Indies. American Volunteer Group ("Flying Tigers") flies first mission over China. Adm. Ernest King named Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet. US tanker Montebello torpedoed by Japanese sub I-21 off Santa Cruz, CA; survivors machine-gunned in lifeboats but no one injured.