Air Operations, CBI

• The RAF bombs Akyab, Burma.
• 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-17s attack the airfield at Myitkyina rendering it unusable.

Air Operations, Europe

7 Lancasters and 7 Manchesters lay mines off Heligoland and Kiel. There are no losses.

The wartime prime minister stands with Maj-Gen Brian Horrocks (closest to the camera) on a tank during an inspection of the 9th Armored Division, near Newmarket, UK, May 16, 1942.

Inspecting the 9th Armored Division

Air Operations, New Guinea

14 5th Air Force B-25s and 4 22nd Medium Bomb Group attack Lae and Lae's airfield.

Air Operations, Pacific

5th Air Force bombers attack the Japanese seaplane base at Deboyne Island.

Caribbean

U-103 shells and sinks the unarmed US freighter Ruth Lykes (2612t) with the loss of 5 of her crew.

Eastern Front

The Germans capture Kerch dashing Russian hopes that the siege of Sevastopol can be lifted any time soon.[MORE]

Bodies and Destroyed War Material on the Beach of Kerch

Gulf of Mexico

U-506, operating off the Louisiana coast, torpedoes the US tanker Sun (9002t). There are no casualties and the ship is able to reach New Orleans. The U-boat next torpedoes and shells the US tanker William C. McTarnahan (7306t) with the loss of 18 of her 38-man crew. Later, U-506 torpedoes and sinks the US tanker Gulfoil (5189t) about 75 miles southwest of the mouth of the Mississippi. Only 19 survive of her 40-man complement.

Pacific

The US submarine Tautog (SS-199) torpedoes the Japanese fleet tanker Goyo Maru (8469t) west of Royalist Bank, Truk.

United States, Home Front

Oveta Culp Hobby is appointed Director of Women's Auxiliary Army Corps.

United States, Politics

Roosevelt orders the release of US Communist party leader Earl Browder from federal prison. He had served 14 months of a sentence for passport irregularities, which the Russians insist was a trumped-up charge. Moscow has been calling for his release since the Soviets became allies of the US.