Air Operations, CBI

• 8 10th Air Force B-25s attack the rail line between Myingatha and Saye.
• 16 459th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack the airfield at Nawnghkio.
• B-25s and fighter-bombers complete more than 140 sorties against targets in the Mogaung Valley, especially Myitkyina.
• 2 14th Air Force P-40s attack a bridge at Shweli.
• 1st Air Commando Group P-51s down a Ki-48 'Lily' bomber and 2 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters over Indawgyi at 0810 hours.
• 459th Fighter Squadron P-38s down 2 Ki-43 'Oscars' over Nawnghkio at 1420 hours.

• 2 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack shipping at Hong Kong.
• 31 14th Air Force fighters support Chinese Army forces on the Salween River front.
• 16 P-38s and P-40s attack military targets at Yangsin and a bridge at Tayeh.
• 13 P-40s attack the Puchi area.
• 11 P-51s attack an occupied village near Anking.
• 16 CACW P-40s attack troops, tanks, motor vehicles at Ichang, Loyang, and Tangyang, and Yangtze River traffic at Itu.

• 10 Air Force A-31s complete more than 60 sorties against occupied villages near Bishenpur and artillery positions at Kanglatongbi.

Air Operations, Central Pacific

In an effort to test new target-briefing procedures and aerial rockets against ground targets, aircraft from 2 (USS Essex and USS Wasp) of 3 Task Group 58.6 carriers attack Marcus Island.

Air Operations, Europe

• 143 aircraft of Nos. 4 and 8 Groups are sent to hit the railway yards at Boulogne. In this total are 106 Halifaxes, 32 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos. Only 1 of the Oboe Mosquitos is able to mark the target but the bombing is accurate. A local report states the main station is badly damaged and 33 civilians are killed.
• There are no losses.
• 118 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitos of Nos. 1 and 8 Groups carry out an accurate attack on the railway yards at Orleans.
• 1 Lancaster is lost.
• 112 Lancasters and 9 Mosquitos of Nos. 5 and 8 Groups find their railway target at Amiens covered in cloud and the Master Bomber orders the bombing to stop after 37 aircraft have dropped their loads.
• 1 Lancaster is lost.
• 113 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitos of No. 5 Group attempt the difficult task of attacking the railway installations in the center of Tours. Both the marking and the bombing force are ordered to carry out their particular tasks with great care and be prepared to wait until the Master Bomber is satisfied that the surrounding housing areas are not hit. The raid continues until well after the planned period, but no fighters appear and no aircraft are lost. Much damage is caused to the railways, but some bombs do fall to the west of the target.
• 112 Lancasters and 4 Mosquitos of Nos. 3 and 8 Groups are sent to Le Mans. The majority of the bombs hit the railway yards and cause serious damage. The local report says that the locomotive sheds were destroyed, an ammunition train (or some ammunition wagons) blew up, 2 main lines were destroyed and all other lines blocked because overhead power lines were brought down across the tracks.
• Unfortunately the Lancasters of the Master Bomber and his deputy collide over the target and crash. The Master Bomber was a brilliant young New Zealander, Wing Commander J. F. Barron, DSO and Bar, DFC, DFM, and the Deputy Master Bomber was Squadron Leader J. M. Dennis, DSO, DFC. They were both killed, both were from No. 7 Squadron. 1 other Lancaster is lost.
• 58 Halifaxes of No. 6 Group and 6 Pathfinder Mosquitos attack a coastal gun positions at Le Clipon, but there is haze and the results are no known.
• There are no losses.
• 63 aircraft including 42 Halifaxes, 15 Lancasters and 6 Mosquitos, bomb a gun position at Merville near Dunkirk. Some bombs do hit the area despite the haze.
• There are no losses.
• 39 Lancasters and 5 Mosquitos of No. 8 Group attack a radar station at Mont Couple. The Mosquitos are not able to use their Oboe equipment, but 31 Lancasters use their H₂S sets to make a timed run from the coast. The approximate position of the target area is bombed.
• 1 Lancaster is lost to flak.

• 29 Mosquitos are sent to Cologne, 24 Halifaxes and 4 Stirlings lay mines off the French coast, and there are 8 Serrate and 23 Intruder patrols and 10 RCM and 12 OTU sorties.
• 1 OTU Wellington is lost.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack beach defenses on Biak Island.
• V Bomber Command B-24s and A-20s, and V Fighter Command P-38s attack shipping and airfields on and around Noemfoor Island.
• 380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s based in Australia attack the airfield on Manokwari with escorts based at Hollandia.
• 12 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s attack shipping at Manokwari and strafe the Kamiri airfield on Noemfoor.
• 5th Air Force bombers, fighter-bombers, and fighters complete more than 270 sorties against numerous targets between Hansa Bay and Wewak.
• A 475th Fighter Group P-38 downs an F1M 'Pete' reconnaissance float plane near the Kamiri airfield on Noemfoor Island at 1000 hours.
• 49th Fighter Group P-40s and a 475th Fighter Group P-38 down 4 Ki-43 'Oscar' fighters over Manokwari between 1315 and 1340 hours.

Burma

The Japanese garrison in Myitkyina is partly surrounded by the Chinese and Americans, who occupy several positions south and north of the town. The Chinese 38th Div, having obtained Chiand Kai-shek's authority, advances toward Kamaing and Magaung, important road junctions.

Germany, Policy

It is publicly announced that 47 RAF officers had been executed by the Germans when they were recaptured after escaping from Stalag Luft III near Sagan, Silesia. Only 3 of the escaped prisoners, 2 Norwegians and a Dutchman, reach England.

Italy

In the extreme southern sector of the front, on the Tyrrhenian Coast, units of the US 85th Div reach Gaeta, abandoned by the Germans; not much more that 45 miles now separate the forces of the US II Corps from the perimeter of the Anzio beachhead.

Further north, still opposite the 'Gustav' Line, the 88th Div - the other formation in the US II Corps - reaches Monte Grande. The French Expeditionary Corps are near Pico after having reached and by-passed Campodimele.

British armor and infantry overrun the Aquino airfield in the Liri Valley, but German anti-tank guns repulse the attempted seizure of Aquino town.

Marcus Island

2 days of heavy air attacks are put in by the carriers Essex (CV-9), Wasp (CV-18) and San Jacinto (CVL-30) of Adm Albert Montgomery's TG 58.2.

Mediterranean

The German submarine U-960 is sunk by the US destroyers Niblack (DD-424), Ludlow (DD-438) and British aircraft in the western Mediterranean.

New Guinea

On Insoemar the remnants of the Japanese forces retire to the northeast corner. Allied forces begin work on re-opening the airfield.

Occupied Poland

50 Allied airmen who escaped from Sagan prison camp are shot by the Gestapo at Gorlitz. Only 3 escapees reach England.

Pacific

6 Japanese submarines are sunk by the American destroyer escort England (DE-635) in the southwest Pacific during the next 12 days. I-16 is sunk this day in the Solomon Islands area.

Images from May 19, 1944

May 19, 1944: On Eighth Air Force mission to Berlin, B-17G 'Miss Donna Mae II' of the 94th Bomb Group drifted under another bomber and is lost when a bomb falls on her from above, all 11 men are killed.

8th Air Force Mission to Berlin

Destroyed Monastery in Cassino, Italy, 19 May 1944

The Queen and Princess Elizabeth talk to paratroopers in front of a Halifax aircraft during a tour of airborne forces preparing for D-Day, 19 May 1944

Talking to Paratroopers

HRH Princess Elizabeth watching paratroopers dropping during a visit to airborne forces in England in the run-up to D-Day.

Princess Elizabeth Watching Paratroopers

The Queen and Princess Elizabeth talk to a camouflaged sniper during a tour of Airborne forces, 19 May 1944.

Talking to a Camouflaged Sniper

Appian Way Passing Formia, Fifth Army, Itri area, Italy, 19 May 1944

Private J.D. Hamilton stencils a Canadian formation sign on a Universal Carrier of The Highland Light Infantry of Canada, somewhere in England, 19 May 1944.

Adding a Canadian Formation Sign

American Engineers Clear the Appian Way (Route #7) near Itri, Italy, 19 May 1944

A medical unit's jeep pushes on through Formia past a wrecked bus terminal (back-end of a tank on left). Fifth Army, Formia area, Italy. 19 May 1944.

Moving Through Formia

US Fifth Army M4 Sherman medium tank, bulldozer, and other vehicles head toward Gaeta and Itri, Formia area, Italy, 19 May 1944

Moving Toward Gaeta and Itri

US Soldier Looks at Damaged Tanks in Cassino, Italy, 19 May 1944

German POWs are marched back through a rifle company weapons platoon of the 1st Battalion, 339th Infantry outside of Itri, 19 May 1944

Marching German POWs Through a Rifle Company

Bulldozer clears debris in Cassino, Italy, 19 May 1944

British Troops with Captured Italian Semovente Self-propelled Gun, 19 May 1944

Mechanized equipment pushes on to Gaeta and Itri through Formia's main street. Fifth Army, Formia area, Italy. 19 May 1944

Mechanized Equipment Pushes on to Gaeta and Itri

Damage in Cassino