Air Operations, CBI

• 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.

Air Operations, East Indies

380th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack shipping near Halmahera.

Air Operations, Europe

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

Burma-China

In the northern sector the 3rd Indian Div begins to withdraw, abandoning some road and rail blocks. Gen Stilwell protests, for he wants the supply routes from the south to Myitkyina blocked. The Chinese 38th Div succeeds in cutting the Kamaing road at Seton, arousing furious Japanese reaction. On the Salween River front, the Chinese succeed in forcing the Japanese from the Tatangtzu Pass.

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.

U-990

CBI

A Chinese attack against the Japanese defenses at Myitkyina fails.

US infantry replacements arrive in India. They are minimally trained and completely unprepared for jungle warfare, but are sent to Myitkyina three days later. Chinese forces capture Kamaing and defeat Japanese counterattacks.

Italy

Patrols of the II US Corps link up with units of VI Corps from Anzio. The main advance of VI Corps, the 3rd Div, takes Cisterna and Cori. The obvious next move from here is toward Velletri and Valmontone which the 1st Arm Div 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 Div, 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 Div 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.

New Guinea

The US forces advancing from Arare cross the Tirfoam River after a brisk engagement. Meanwhile the huge Task Force Hurricane, with 12,000 men for operations against Biak, sails from Humboldt Bay.

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

US and British Soldiers Meet in Terracina

German POWs at Cisterna

US Patrol Moves through Cisterna

British Soldier and US Officer Meet in Fogliano

US Troops in the Ruins of Cisterna

Gen Mark Clark with Reporters at Borgo Grappa

Bren Carrier and Soldiers of 5th New Zealand Infantry Brigade

Destroyed Tiger Tank

Gen Clark with Troops at the Link-up

Artillery in Support of Infantry Advance

Clearing Mines near Anzio Beachhead

A Destroyed Panther