Air Operations, Carolines

• In the heaviest strike to date against the target, 39 VII Bomber Command B-24s attack Ponape Island.
• During the night, VII Bomber Command B-24s attack the Truk Atoll.

Air Operations, CBI

• 24 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Maymyo and marshalling yards and barracks at Mandalay.
• 12 A-31s attack Kaladan.
• 12 490th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25s attack Tiddim and a bridge at Kalemyo.
• 2 P-51s attack a bypass bridge at Shweli.

• 2 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s strafe 12 troop-filled sampans near Hong Kong.
• 8 14th Air Force P-40s attack artillery batteries at Pailochi.

• 24 10th Air Force A-31s attack Kohima.

Air Operations, Europe

There is an RAF night raid on Budapest rail installations.

• 28 Mosquitos are sent to Ludwigshafen, 4 to Leverkusen, and 20 Halifaxes lay mines off Channel and Biscay ports.
• There are no losses.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 26 5th Heavy Bomb Group (XIII Bomber Command) B-24s attack the Mokmer airfield on Biak in the Schouten Islands.
• More that 60 5th Air Force B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, and P-47s attack roads, bridges, airfields, barges, and shipping throughout the Wewak area.
• A-20s attack bridges spanning the Awar River and targets of opportunity around Hansa Bay.
• V Fighter Command fighter-bombers attack targets of opportunity in the Ramu Valley and coastal targets around Hansa Bay.
• During the night, several Japanese bombers mount an ineffective raid against ground targets in the Hollandia area.

Eastern Front

The Soviet attack at Targul Frumos has been defeated.

India

The British 4th Bde retakes GPT Ridge to the south of Kohima. Over the next few days, Allied troops of the 6th and 33rd Bdes attacking Japanese positions between Jail Hill and the Tennis Court experience less success, and are beaten back with heavy casualties.

Marshalls

A US naval base and naval air facility is established on Majuro Atoll, providing another logistics center for US operations in the central Pacific.

Mediterranean

The German submarine U-371 is sunk by the US destroyer escorts Joseph E. Campbell (DE-70) and Pride (DE-323) and British and French surface craft in the western Mediterranean area.

New Guinea

There is no action in the Aitape sector. Since April 22, the date of the landing, the Japanese have lost 525 dead and 25 prisoners in fighting around Aitape, the Americans about 20 dead and 40 wounded.

United States, Home Front

All meats are taken off the ration with the exception of steaks and certain choice cuts of beef for roasting.

Images from May 4, 1944

Soldiers Get Tea from a YMCA Tea Car, Anzio, Italy, 4 May 1944

Troops of the 16th Infantry descend a cargo net into the waiting landing craft below, 4 May 1944.

Exercise Fabius I at Slapton Sands