"Akagi", along with "Kaga" and the carrier , sortied in search of American naval forces raiding the Marshall Islands on 1 February 1942, before being recalled. On 7 February "Akagi" and the carriers of the First and Second Carrier Divisions were ordered south to the Timor Sea where, on 19 February, from a point southeast of the easternmost tip of Timor, they launched air strikes against Darwin, Australia, in an attempt to destroy its port and airfield facilities to prevent any interference with the invasion of Java. "Akagi" contributed 18 B5Ns, 18 D3As, and 9 Zeros to the attack, which caught the defenders by surprise. Eight ships were sunk, including the American destroyer , and fourteen more were damaged. None of the carrier's aircraft were lost in the attack and the attack was effective in preventing Darwin from contributing to the Allied defense of Java. On 1 March, the American oiler was sunk by D3As from "Sōryū" and "Akagi". Later that same day the American destroyer was attacked and sunk by D3As from "Akagi" and "Sōryū", in combination with gunfire from two battleships and two heavy cruisers of the escort force. "Akagi" and her consorts covered the invasion of Java, although her main contribution appears to have been providing 18 B5Ns and 9 Zeros for the 5 March air strike on Tjilatjap. This group was very successful, sinking eight ships in the harbor there and none of "Akagi"s aircraft were lost. Most of the Allied forces in the Dutch East Indies surrendered to the Japanese later in March. The "Kido Butai" then sailed for Staring Bay on Celebes Island to refuel and recuperate.