Air Operations, CBI
BURMA- 6 7th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Indaw.
- 4 B-24s attack a rail junction near Naba.
- 28 459th Fighter Squadron P-38s attack many targets while conducting sweeps around Mandalay.
- A 3rd CACW Fighter Group P-40 downs a transport near Mihsien during the afternoon.
- 20 10th Air Force A-31s attack a bridge spanning the Manipur River at Tonzang.
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]Air Operations, East Indies
380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack shipping near Halmahera.
[ | ]Air Operations, Europe
US 8th AIR FORCEFRANCE:
- As part of an experiment to test heavy bombers against tactical targets, a total of 325 8th Air Force heavy bombers operating in small, independent formations attack German coastal batteries at Fecamp and St.-Valery as well as numerous marshalling yards and airdromes in France and Belgium.
- 2 B-17s and 2 B-24s are lost
- Escort for the various heavy-bomber formations is provided by 604 VIII Fighter Command fighters and 207 IX Fighter Command fighters. 12 Luftwaffe fighters are downed, and a number of figbter groups attack ground targets on their way home following escort duty.
- 12 fighters are lost with their pilots
BELGIUM:
- IX Bomber Command B-26s attack bridges around Liege.
- 9th Air Force P-47 fighter-bombers attack numerous other targets. FRANCE:
- IX Bomber Command B-26s attack the Lille/Nort and Monchy-Breton Airdromes.
- 9th Air Force P-47 fighter-bombers attack numerous other targets.
FRANCE:
- 15th Air Force B-24s attack marshalling yards at Toulon and two other locations.
- 15th Air Force B-17s attack a marshalling yard at Lyon.
- 15th Air Force B-24s attach the port area of Monfalcone, the Piacenza Airdrome, and oil-industry targets at Porto Marghera.
- While escorting the bombers 14th Fighter Group P-38 pilots down 8 Bf-109s.
- 15th Air Force B-17s attack German Army troop concentrations around Bihac.
ITALY:
- As the German Army attempts to establish a new line between Frascati and Tivoli, A-36s and P-40s of the 86th Fighter Group is called upon to disrupt German efforts to rush troops and equipment to the new line. During the course of 86 combat sorties in twelve separate missions, the group is credited with 217 vehicles destroyed and 245 damaged.
- 2 aircraft are lost, 5 damaged beyond repair
- In a morning fighter engagement south of Orbetello, P-47 pilots of the 57th Fighter Group's 66th Fighter Squadron down 5 FW-190s.
| ]Air Operations, Japan
1 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s reconnoiters and attacks targets in the central Kurile Islands.
[ | ]Air Operations, New Guinea
- V Bomber Command B-24s attack the Mokmer airfield on Biak and targets in the Wakde Islands.
- 5th Air Force B-24s, B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers complete more than 90 sorties against the Wewak area.
- 38th Medium Bomb Group B-25s, based at the airfield at Nadzab, pass through Merauke (on the south New Guinea coast) to attack the airfield at Nabire.
Battle of the Atlantic
Liberator 'S' of No 59 Squadron RAF sights U-990 in the early morning. The aircraft attacks under cover of a rain squall. Six depth charges are dropped and when the explosions subside, the U-boat could be sinking amid a large oil slick.
| Class | Type VIIC |
| CO | Kapitänleutnant Hubert Nordheimer |
| Location | Norwegian Sea, NW of Trondheim |
| Cause | Air attack |
| Casualties | 20 |
| Survivors | 31 |
| ]CBI
BURMAIn the NCAC area of Burma, Indian 3rd Division columns begin a withdrawal, some elements up the Bhamo-Myitkyina road and others toward Mogaung, abandoning the roadblock (BLACKPOOL) on the railway near Namkwin. This is a matter of some concern to Gen Stilwell, who wants the blocking of the enemy on the south continues. Outflanking the enemy, elements of the Chinese 38th Division block the Kamaing road at Seton, evoking a strong enemy reaction.
On the Salween front, the Chinese 88th Division is ordered to join the 87th and the 28th Divisions (71st Army) in the drive on Lung-ling, leaving the Chinese 2nd Army responsible for operations in the Pingka-hsiangta-Mangshih area. The 2nd Army orders the 76th Division to bypass Pingka, leaving the 226th Regiment to besiege the valley. The 226th maintains a thin line before Pingka until the Japanese yield the valley late September. The Japanese are finally forced from defensive positions at the east end of the Tatangtzu Pass and fall back 8 miles to another line of defense.
A Chinese attack against the Japanese defenses at Myitkyina fails.
INDIA
US infantry replacements arrive in India. They are minimally trained and completely unprepared for jungle warfare, but are sent to Myitkyina three days later.
[ | ]Italy
Patrols of the II US Corps link up with units of VI Corps from Anzio. The main advance of VI Corps, the 3rd Division, takes Cisterna and Cori. The obvious next move from here is toward Velletri and Valmontone which the 1st Armored Division pushes toward, and if this is executed quickly most of the German 10th Army may be cut off. Kesselring therefore sends his only remaining reserve, the Hermann Goering Division, to join the forces in this sector. Gen Clark, commanding 5th Army, only keeps 1 div moving forward in this sector and despite direct orders from Alexander puts his principal effort into capturing the glory of freeing Rome rather than moving his forces east as quickly as possible to trap von Vietinghoff's 10th Army. From the military and strategic aspect the second alternative would probably mean the end of the war in Italy. But Clark finds the attaction of Rome irresistible.
In the Liri Valley the battle is still going well for the Allies. While the British 78th Division takes Aquino, units of the British X Corps capture Monte Cairo and the divisions of Gen Anders' Polish II Corps enter Piedimonte San Germano. The British XIII Corps reaches the Melfa River. Because of Clark's errors however, Senger is able to prepare a strong resistance around Arce and Ceprano which will enable his forces to pull back to the Caesar Line and even for a time look like making a stand.[MORE]
[ | ]New Guinea
Continuing to the west toward Sarmi, with the 1st Battalion in the lead, the 158th Infantry takes Maffin No. 1 against scattered opposition. The 1st and 2nd Battalions cross the Tirfoam River and press to the west toward its next objective, Lone Tree Hill, against strong resistance. The hill is actually a number of hills covered by heavy jungle and has been converted into a formidable strongpoint.
Command of TF TORNADO (Wadke-Sarmi) passes from Gen Doe, 41st Division ADC, to Brig-Gen Edwin D. Patrick. Headquarters, 158th RCT, replaces Headquarters 163rd RCT as TORNADO Headquarters.
Meanwhile the huge Task Force HURRICANE, with the 162nd and 186th Infantry Regiments of the 41st Infantry Division for operations against Biak, sails from Humboldt Bay. Maj-Gen Horace H. Fuller commands the division. Task Force 77 under Rear-Adm William M. Fechteler supports the attack with 2 heavy cruisers, 3 light cruisers, and 21 destroyers.
[ | ]Occupied France
A Resistance raid halts production of artillery pieces at Arsénal National, Tarbes.
[ | ]Pacific
The US submarine Flying Fish (SS-229) attacks a Japanese convoy north of Palau and sinks the guardboat Taito Maru (4466t) and the merchant cargo ship Osaka Maru (3740t).
[ | ]Yugoslavia, Resistance
(5/24?) A small German paratroop force is dropped at Tito's hq at Drvar in Bosnia. The Germans occupy the surrounding area while Tito radios for Allied help and escapes to his cave hideaway. Tito and Maj Randolph Churchill who is with him as a liaison officer both have a narrow escape. Now the Partisans use their local knowledge to surround the Germans and the whole episode becomes a disaster for the attackers as they lose 1,100 dead and wounded and Tito remains free.
[]Images from May 25, 1944
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