Air Operations, CBI

• 4 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-17s based at the Calcutta/Dum Dum airfield in India attack MyitKyina airfield from which Japanese fighters can now reach the Allied airfield at Dinjan, India.
• 2nd and 3rd AVG Fighter Squadron P-40s destroy 14 Japanese fighters and 1 transport plane on the ground at Hanoi's Gia Lam airfield.

Air Operations, Mediterranean

RAF Kittyhaws and Beaufighters attack a formation of 16 Ju-52 troop-carriers off the north African coast. 9 are shot down while 2 others are badly damaged.

Air Operations, New Guinea

8th Pursuit Group P-39s shoot down 2 A6M Zeros over Port Moresby at 0750 hours.

Battle of the Atlantic

The US tanker Esso Houston (7699t) is torpedoed by U-162 about 150 miles east of Barbados and abandoned. 42 survivors leave the ship in two life boats.

Britain, Home Front

The first major contingent of the US 8th Air Force arrives in England.

Burma

The Japanese cross the Salween River and head for Kengtung. Japan's steady advance through Burma slows substantially, however, under extremely heavy monsoon rains, which turn jungle trails into almost impassable quagmires.

Second Battle of Kharkov, May 1942

Eastern Front

While the German Army Group South continues its offensive against Kerch, the Russian Southwest Front launches a counteroffensive from the Barvenkov Salient south of Kharkov. This offensive is a renewal of the attempts made in January to trap German forces against the Sea of Azov. It is a 'pincer' attack northwards from the Izyum salient and southwest across the Donetz River.

The Soviet Southwestern Front launches the Kharkov Offensive designed to push German forces back to the Dnieper River from the Barvenkovo salient. To achieve this it has Group Bobkin, which has 2 rifle divisions and a cavalry corp plus the 2nd Cavalry Corps from the Southwestern Front's Reserve, and the 6th, 21st, 28th and 38th Armies. In addition, the Southern Front (9th and 57th Armies) will attack from the south. Total Red Army forces for the offensive are 765,000 troops. 1,200 tanks, 13,000 artillery pieces and 900 aircraft. Following lengthy artillery barrages the 21st, 28th and 38th Armies attack, to achieve advances of only 6 miles.

The Second Battle of Kharkov Begins

Despite taking heavy casualties, the German XVII and LI Corps hold their positions. To the south the Soviet Group Bobkin, and the 6th Army make better progress, advancing up to 10 miles on a 25-mile front.[MORE]

German Raiders

The German auxiliary cruiser Stier leaves Kiel on her first operational cruise.

Bedford, Truck, 15 cwt, 4x2 with Rhodesian troops of the 60th King's Royal Rifles in the Western Desert, May 12, 1942

Bedford, Truck, 15 cwt, 4x2

Gulf of Mexico

The unarmed US tanker Virginia (10,731t) is torpedoed by U-507 about 1-1/2 miles off Southwest Pass, Louisiana. The torpedoes ignite the tanker's gasoline cargo and the rapid spread of the fire prevents the crew from launching life boats. 27 men of the 41-man crew die in the inferno. Survivors are rescued by the motor torpedo boat PT-157.

Pacific

The US submarine S-44 (SS-155) torpedoes and sinks the Japanese repair ship Shoei Maru (5644t) 15 miles southwest of Cape St George and survives counterattacks by her victim's escort.