This day in the war in the Pacific 65 years ago.

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ALASKA: In the Aleutians, the air-ground liaison B-24 bombs Chichagof Harbor with unobserved results. Another B-24 drops supplies to ground forces on Attu. 8 B-24's, 12 B-25's, and 12 P-38's fly ground support missions to Attu; because of weather, only the P-38's get through and strafe AA guns, installations and barges, scoring several hits. The bombers are directed to bomb Kiska. 2 P-40's fly reconnaissance mission over Kiska.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) In the Celebes, B-24's bomb the Kendari Airfield area. Single heavy bombers attack coastal or offshore targets in NE New Guinea, New Britain, and New Ireland. HQ 8th Fighter Group transfers from Mareeba to Port Moresby.

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ALASKA: In the Aleutians, 2 attempted ground support missions to Attu by a B-24, 5 B-25's, and 6 P-38's are recalled due to weather. The detachment of the 11th Fighter Squadron (P-40's), 343d Fighter Group that has been operating from Amchitka returns to it's base at Adak.
On Attu Island in the Aleutians, the Northern Landing Force moves forward on Moore Ridge and discovers that the Japanese had abandoned the ridge during the night and patrols report that the east arm of Holtz Bay is free of Japanese. The Southern Landing Force attacks Jarmin Pass and finds that the enemy has also abandoned this previously defended area.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) P-39's and Navy airplanes bomb and strafe a bivouac and AA positions in the Rekata Bay area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-25's bomb Dili, Penfoei, and Barique. B-25's bomb Gasmata; single heavy bombers hit Gasmata and Cape Gloucester. Single heavy bombers hit Lae and Finschhafen.

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ALASKA: 6 B-24's, weathered out of Attu, bomb the Gertrude Cove area on Kiska leaving large fires. 4 P-40's reconnoiter Kiska and strafe barges. 1 B-25 flies photo reconnaissance over Kiska.
On Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands, the Japanese withdrawal yesterday permits the linkup of the Northern and Southern Landing Forces on the western slope of the Holtz Bay-Massacre Bay Pass in the morning.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) Heavy bombers, operating individually, hit Gasmata and Rabaul Airfields twice and Cape Gloucester, and Arawe; in addition to Lorengau in the Admiralty Islands once. Lost on a ferry flight is B-25D-5 "Dittum-Dattum" 41-30073.

PACIFIC: The U.S. Marine Corps program to air assault Pacific islands with gliders is cancelled.

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AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eleventh Air Force) 6 B-24's and 11 B-25's fly 3 air-ground support missions to Attu, bombing the Sarana Valley. 4 P-40's fly 2 reconnaissance missions to Kiska.
On Attu Island in the Aleutians, the Southern Landing Force tries to advance against Japanese opposition at Point Able on the eastern shore of Holtz Bay.

CBI CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) HQ 402d Bombardment Group (Medium) is activated at Kunming, China. No squadrons are assigned and headquarters is never fully manned.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-24's hit Gasmata Airfield. Single heavy bombers hit Gasmata twice during the day. Lost on a daylight reconnaisance mission is B-24D 41-24269. B-25's attack the Salamaua area and targets of opportunity off the NE coast of the Huon Peninsula. In Timor, B-24's hit Penfoei.

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ALASKA: All air-ground support missions to Attu are cancelled due to weather. 20 P-40's bomb the Main Camp and submarine area at Kiska, and strafe barges in the harbor. The remaining Japanese on Attu are concentrated in the Chichagof Harbor area.

CBI BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force) The 490th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 341st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) based at Ondal, India begins operating from Chakulia, India with B-25's.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) During the night of 20/21 May, heavy bombers on snooper missions bomb he Kahili area and Ballale.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) The airfield and surrounding areas on Gasmata are hit by A-20's during the night of 20/21 May and by B-17's during the day. B-17's and B-24's bomb Vunakanau Airfield. B-25's sink several barges offshore between Madang and Cape Cretin. HQ 3d Bombardment Group (Dive) transfers from Port Moresby to Dobodura. The group and it's 4 squadrons will be redesignated Bombardment Group/Squadron on 25 May to reflect their true aircraft.

USN - Lost on a mine laying mission in the Bougainville area is TBF Avenger 06239.

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ALASKA: US forces fighting on Attu in the Aleutians are heavily engaged in the areas of Clevesy Pass.
Amplifying the above:
The U.S. 32d Infantry Regiment takes Point Able, a high point on Prenoesgast Ridge. The USAAF's Eleventh Air Force dispatches ten B-24 Liberators, 12 B-25 Mitchells, and 24 P-38 Lightnings to Attu but only three missions, totalling six P-38s and a B-24, are able to bomb and strafe troops and installations. Four other missions, after vainly waiting for a break in the overcast over Attu, bomb the Kiska Island submarine base through the overcast.
The Japanese Navy issues Directive No. 246 ordering that "at the last possible moment, every effort will be made to evacuate the Attu Island Defense Force, or even part of it, by submarines." Eight submarines are detailed to make supply and evacuation runs.

JAPAN: Tokyo: The Japanese announce the death of Admiral Yamamoto, shot down last month over Bougainville; the US has remained silent until to avoid revealing that it intercepted a Japanese coded message giving details of his itinerary.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-17's bomb airfields in the Rabaul area. A J1N1 Irving night fighter shoots down two: B-17E Number 41-9011 and B-17E "Honi Kuu Okole" 41-9244 B-24's hit the airfield at Gasmata, Nabire Airfield is hit by B-24's. In the Moluccas, B-25's blast AA positions, supply dumps, and town area, at Saumlakki. Lost on a reconnassance mission is F-4 "Dotin' Donna" 41-2177. The 90th Bombardment Squadron (Dive), 3d Bombardment Group (Dive) transfers with B-25's from Port Moresby to Dobodura. The squadron will be redesignated Bombardment Squadron on the 25th.

NEIAF - Three B-25s took off from Darwin for an attack on Saumlaki, Jamdena Island. Lost is B-25C N5-147.

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ALASKA: On Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands, the Southern Landing Force is blocked in their attempts to take Sarana Nose, a high point at the junction of Sarana and Chichagof Valleys, but by nightfall, the Northern Landing Force has taken the position.
6 B-24's and 12 B-25's fly 3 air-ground support missions to Attu. Due to bad weather they are routed to Kiska. Weather there is also poor and only 1 B-25 bombs the Main Camp area. Next, 3 B-24's and 18 P-38's fly 3 air cover missions to Attu. The last of these missions is notified by a PBY that 16 Japanese bombers are W of Attu. 5 of the P-38's then intercept the bombers over Attu, which jettison their bombs and close formation. The P-38's score 5 kills and 7 probables. 2 P- 38's are lost. The 344th Fighter Squadron, 343d Fighter Group begins a movement from Fort Glenn, Umnak to Shemya. The air echelon is operating with P-40's from Amchitka Island.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force) In the Territory of Hawaii, a flight of P-40's on patrol from Kauai bomb a submarine from 1,500 feet (457 m), after which an oil slick and debris are seen.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) 5 B-24's bomb the airfields at Kahili and Ballale Island during the night of 23/24 May. 10 B-17's, attempting a follow-up strike, abort because of bad weather. While other aircraft are successfully laying mines in the N Solomons in the Buin area, 19 B-17's and B-24's, in a diversionary raid, bomb the Buin-Kahili-Tonolai shoreline area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-24's and B-17's hit the harbor and airfield at Kavieng, the airfield at Gasmata, and the village of Ubili. The 13th Bombardment Squadron (Dive), 3d Bombardment Group (Dive) transfers with B-25's from Port Moresby to Dobodura.

PACIFIC: The large Japanese Naval Force consisting of the battleships HIJMS Musashi, HIJMS Kongo and HIJMS Haruna; the aircraft carrier HIJMS Hiyo; the heavy cruisers HIJMS Tone and HIJMS Chikuma; and five destroyers that departed Truk Atoll in the Caroline Islands on 16 May, arrives in Tokyo Harbor and joins the Attu relief force.

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ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) In the Aleutians, 6 B-24's and 12 B-25's fly 3 air-ground support missions to Attu. Due to bad weather they are routed to Kiska. Weather there is also poor and only 1 B-25 bombs the Main Camp area. Next, 3 B-24's and 18 P-38's fly 3 air cover missions to Attu. The last of these missions is notified by a PBY that 16 Japanese bombers are W of Attu. 5 of the P-38's then intercept the bombers over Attu, which jettison their bombs and close formation. The P-38's score 5 kills and 7 probables. 2 P- 38's are lost. The 344th Fighter Squadron, 343d Fighter Group begins a movement from Fort Glenn, Umnak to Shemya. The air echelon is operating with P-40's from Amchitka Island.
On Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands, the Americans begin a two-pronged attack on Fish Hook Ridge located southwest of Attu Village between Chichagof Harbor and the east arm of Holtz Bay. The 4th Infantry Regiment attacks the west face while the Southern Landing Force attacks the east face. The attacks are stopped cold by the Japanese.
A Navy construction battalion lands on Attu to begin construction of an airbase.

USA: The USS New Jersey BB-62 is commissioned. The sister ships of the Iowa class are: Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin. She displaces 45,000 tons, with a length of 887 feet 7 inches, a draft of 38 feet and beam of 108 feet 1 inch. Powered by 4 Westinghouse turbines fired by 8 boilers, with 212,000 shaft horsepower, she has a top speed of 33+ knots.
She will carry a crew (WWII) of 120 officers and 3,000 enlisted men. Nine 16"/50 cal guns in 3 turrets are the main armament, with 20 5"/38 cal dual purpose guns in twin mounts for the secondary armament. AA weapons include 64 40mm AA guns in 16 guad mounts and 49 20mm AA guns. She carries 3 Vought OS2U Kingfisher floatplanes.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force) In the Territory of Hawaii, a flight of P-40's on patrol from Kauai bomb a submarine from 1,500 feet (457 m), after which an oil slick and debris are seen.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) 5 B-24's bomb the airfields at Kahili and Ballale Island during the night of 23/24 May. 10 B-17's, attempting a follow-up strike, abort because of bad weather. While other aircraft are successfully laying mines in the N Solomons in the Buin area, 19 B-17's and B-24's, in a diversionary raid, bomb the Buin-Kahili-Tonolai shoreline area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-24's and B-17's hit the harbor and airfield at Kavieng, the airfield at Gasmata, and the village of Ubili. The 13th Bombardment Squadron (Dive), 3d Bombardment Group (Dive) transfers with B-25's from Port Moresby to Dobodura.

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ALASKA: 2 of 3 air-ground support missions to Attu, together 6 B-24's, 11 B-25's, and 1 F-5A, bomb Attu. The third mission is cancelled, except for 2 B-25's which do not hear the cancelling order. 3 B-24's and 14 P-38's fly 3 more air cover missions over Attu but make no contacts.
On Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands, the Americans
launch another attack on Fishhook Ridge in the morning but the Japanese repel the attackers.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-24's pound Lakunai Airfield while B-25's hit the runway at Gasmata. In Timor, B-25's bomb Penfoei.

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CBI BURMA-INDIA (Tenth Air Force) HQ 341st Bombardment Group (Medium) and it's 490th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) transfer to Kurmitola, India. Group HQ transfers from Chakulia, India while the 490th, which has been operating from Chakulia, India since 20 May, transfers with B-25's from Ondal, India.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) Single heavy bombers bomb coastal airfields and villages; in New Guinea they hit Madang, Kakakog, and Simbang; in the Bismarck Archipelago, they hit Cape Gloucester and attack barges off Gavuvu.

ALASKA: On Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands, the Americans again attack Fishhook Ridge and manage to take control of the base of the snow covered ridge as well as isolated slopes.

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CANADA: Canadians begin to ration meat.

ALASKA: On Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands, the American troops of the 4th and 32d Infantry Regiments are able to crawl above a snow covered trench on Fishhook Ridge and attack the Japanese in the trench from the high ground. This results in the capture of most of the ridge.
The USAAF's Eleventh Air Force dispatches eight B-24s and eleven B-25s to fly air-ground support and bomb enemy positions on Attu; two B-24s and 12 P-38s fly air cover sorties and also patrol and strafe Japanese positions on the Island. On Kiska Island, three F-5A Lightnings fly a photo recon mission while three attack missions are flown by nine B-25s and 16 P-40s; targets include gun emplacements on North Head and the eastern end of the runway.
The gunboat USS Charleston bombards the Japanese positions in the Chichagof Harbor area.
The Japanese begin Operation KE, the evacuation of personnel from Kiska Island. The submarine HIJMS I-7 lands two tons of weapons and ammunition and six tons of food and takes off 49 sailors, seven soldiers and four civilians.

PHILIPINES: In the Philippines, the submarine USS Trout lands a party of men and equipment on Basilan Island off the coast of Zamboanga, Mindanao Island, to set up an intelligence gathering facility. A second group of coastwatchers is landed near Zamboanga.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force) In the Gilbert Islands, 3 B-24's from Canton Island in the Phoenix Islands fly a reconnaissance-bombing mission over Abemama. Bombs are dropped on a barracks area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) 9 B-24's and B-25's bomb Madang town area and Madang Airfield.

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ALASKA: On Attu Island in the Aleutians in the late afternoon, a U.S. Army assault force attacks up a 60 degree incline in the Fishhook Ridge sector and cuts off the Japanese escape route to Chichagof Valley. The final Japanese defensive line, Buffalo Ridge, is almost taken by the Americans. About half of the 2,300 Japanese on Attu have been killed to date.
Attu is covered by 1 B-25 flying ground support, bombing and strafing troops and dropping photos taken on the previous day to friendly forces, and by 1 B-24 and 6 P-38's flying air cover. 6 P-40's fly an attack and reconnaissance mission to Kiska, concentrating on Little Kiska and on the Main Camp area.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-24's and B-25's pound the Lae town area and airfield. Other B-25's hit enemy forces at Labu and Jacobsens Plantation. Finschhafen, Saidor, Kakakog, and Langgoer are hit by single-plane strikes.

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CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force) In the Gilberts, 3 B-24's from Canton Island in the Phoenix Islands fly a reconnaissance-bombing mission over Abemama Island, dropping six 500- pound bombs.

CBI CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) In China, 16 P-40's, operating in 2 forces, dive-bomb railroad yards at Yoyang damaging tracks, warehouses, and the roundhouse.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) P-38's and P-40's, along with naval aircraft, attempt a strike on the Kolombangara area and Munda but are hampered by bad weather. Some of the Navy TBF bombers manage to bomb the runway and revetment area at Munda.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-17's and B-24's attack Wewak, Dagua, and Boram Airfields and bomb the Wewak-Dagua coast road.

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AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force) In the Aleutians, no missions are flown. All of Attu Island is secure after 19 days of fighting. US ground forces land on Shemya.
The final Japanese counterattack on Attu in the Aleutians is carried out with fanatical determination.
Amplifying the above:
On Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands, the Japanese commander elects to stake all in a desperate counterattack against American lines tonight. His plan is to penetrate the enemy's lines and seize the artillery positions and then destroy the U.S. main base at Massacre Bay and force a general reembarkation of U.S. troops.
Before the attack, all casualties in the Japanese hospital commit suicide and then a little over 1,000 Japanese troops attack and push aside a surprised infantry company, and sweep headlong toward Massacre-Sarana Pass. There engineers and service troops, with ten minutes' warning, hastily organized defense lines and in desperate hand-to-hand combat broke the force of the attack.
A few enemy detachments won through the pass but were brought up just short of a battery of 105 mm howitzers. The Japanese Imperial General Headquarters abandons its plan to evacuate Attu.

US ground forces are landed on Shemya, the same day Attu was declared secured. [This was a shore-to-shore operation from Attu. Original plans for the invasion of Attu had called for occupation of Shemya first and construction of a fighter strip by Seabees in three weeks, but shipping
and other problems ruled this out.
Amplifying the above, these troops were from the 4th Infantry Regiment and they had to endure a six hour voyage over heavy seas to get to Shemya. As far as Attu being secured, since the Japanese banzai charge occurred during the night of 29/30 May, the island was not declared secured until 30 May.

CBI CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) 9 B-24's bomb Ichang. 4 P-40's hit targets of opportunity in Tengchung and Lungling areas.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-17's bomb Madang and Alexishafen. Heavy and medium bombers, operating individually or in flights of 2 bombers, attack the town, airfields, shipping, docks, and other targets at various places, including Babo, Nabire, Saidor, Finschhafen, and Manam Island; Cape Gloucester; Damar Island, Soemba, and Soembawa in the Sunda Islands; and Dili and Penfoei.

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AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eleventh Air Force) The US Army retakes Attu. 8 P-40's fly 4 reconnaissance missions to Kiska. 3 air-ground support missions to Attu by 7 B-24's and 12 B-25's drop no bombs there and instead bomb Kiska installations. 2 B-24's and 12 P-38's fly air cover missions over Attu and patrol the area. 3 F-5A's fly photo reconnaissance and 8 P-40's attack and strafe tents and troops and blast the runway at Kiska.
On Attu Island in the Aleutian Islands, organized Japanese resistance ends. The Americans find 2,351 Japanese dead and an additional few hundred are presumed to have been buried in the hills by the Japanese. Only 28 Japanese surrender. Out of a force of 15,000 American soldiers, 549 are killed, 1,148 wounded and about 2,100 are taken out of action by disease and nonbattle injuries. Trench foot is the most common affliction. Most of the nonbattle cases are exposure, victims of the weather and inadequate clothing and boots. The men of the 7th Infantry Division were issued standard field jackets and leather boots which got wet and froze during the cold nights on the island. For the upcoming invasion of Kiska Island, the assault troops would be equipped with clothing and footwear better suited for the cold weather, i.e., parkas instead of field jackets and arctic shoes instead of leather boots. The landing force would consist of combat veterans of Attu or troops trained at Adak in the type of fighting encountered on Attu.
The Japanese submarine I-21 lands nine tons of weapons and ammunition and six tons of food and evacuates 44 sailors and 16 soldiers.

USN/HAWAII: The first new aircraft carrier to arrive in the Pacific in a year, USS
Essex (CV-9) with Carrier Air Group Nine (CVG-9) arrives at Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force) The 19th Fighter Squadron, 318th FG transfers with P-40's from NAS Barbers Point, Territory of Hawaii to Kipapa Field, Territory of Hawaii.

CBI CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) In China, 7 B-24's bomb artillery positions S of Ichang. 4 P-40's bomb and strafe Tengchung and targets of opportunity along the Burma Road and at Lamaing, Burma; 8 others on offensive sweep strafe several targets of opportunity in the Ichang area; 11 others hit riverboats at Shasi and trains NE of Yoyang.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-17's bomb Wewak, Boram, and Madang. In the Celebes, B-24's hit the Kendari area.