Air Operations, Carolines

XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Satawan Island.

Air Operations, CBI

• 27 10th Air Force B-25s and more than 40 fighter-bombers attack Japanese Army positions at Bhamo and Mohnyin, warehouses at Sahmaw, and rail facilities at Mogaung.
• 3 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack Wanling.

• 7 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s attack targets along the Burma Road.
• 2 B-24s attack a convoy at sea near Hainan.
• 26 14th Air Force P-38s and P-40s attack Japanese Army ground troops at Lushan, motor vehicles at Yuanchu, buildings at Changsha, and targets of opportunity around Nanchang.
• A 23rd Fighter Group P-40 downs a Ki-43 'Oscar' fighter in a morning engagement over Siangyin.
• An 11th Medium Bomb Squadron B-25 is destroyed by bombs during a Japanese air attack against the airfield at Hengyang.

Air Operations, Europe

The 8th Air Force attacks 5 Focke-Wulf and 2 Messerschmitt plants in eastern Germany and Poland. Also attacked are German synthetic fuel works and oil refineries at Polits and other locations and severely set back aircraft fuel production.

• 31 Mosquitos are sent to Hannover, 11 to the Xanten ammunition dump, and 4 to a coastal battery at Mardyck. 6 Halifaxes lay mines off Ijmuden, Dunkirk and Brest.
• There are no losses.

Air Operations, Japan

• 2 28th Composite Bomb Group B-25s photograph and attack Matusuwa and Shimushu islands at dawn.
• 2 B-25s and 4 343rd Fighter Group P-38s attack a Japanese Navy patrol boat during the early afternoon.
• 4 B-25s attack 2 ships near Shimushu during the afternoon.

Air Operations, Marianas

8 US Navy PB4Ys photograph Saipan, following which 10 11th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s staging through Eniwetok bomb targets on the island. Also, 8 US Navy PB4Ys photograph Guam and 13 30th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s bomb targets on the island. Both missions are intercepted by A6M Zeross, and 1 B-24 is lost over Saipan.

Air Operations, New Guinea

• 31 V Bomber Command B-24s and 6 B-25 gunships attack Japanses Army troops, tanks, and defenses on Biak Island.
• 17th Reconnaissance Squadron B-25s and 3rd Light Bomb Group A-20s provide on-call support throughout the day for US Army ground forces on Biak.
• B-24s attack the airfields at Babo and Timoeka.
• 38th Medium Bomb Group B-25s temporarily based at the Merauke airfield (on the south New Guinea coast) attack the airfield at Babo.
• B-25s and V Fighter Command B-25s attack Japanese Army ground troops on Mount Saskin.
• 5th Air Force B-25s, A-20s, and P-47s, and RAAF aircraft mount continuous, heavy attacks in the Wewak area.
• 1 B-25 gunship is lost to ground fire over Biak.
• 348th Fighter Group P-47s down 3 Japanese fighters over Biak Island at about 0825 hours.

Battle of the Atlantic

The US escort carrier Block Island (CVE-21) is sunk by the German submarine U-549 which also damages the destroyer escort Barr (DE-576) in the same engagement before being hunted down. This carrier is the only American carrier sunk in the Atlantic during the war. The US destroyer escorts Ahrens (DE-575) and Eugene E. Elmore (DE-686) sink the German submarine northwest of the Canary Islands.

Burma-China

The Chinese supply situation on the Salween front improves with the repair of a small bridge over the river. It is soon found that the volume of traffic that can cross this bridge is insufficient, and the Chinese have to ask for supplies to be air-lifted.

Gen Chennault asks for an increase in supplies for the US 14th Air Force to oppose the Japanese threat to vital Chinese positions in eastern China.

Germany, Home Front

Göring admits to Hitler that the Allies have achieved total air superiority on the Italian front: '. . . at the moment the situation in Italy is such that not a single Luftwaffe aircraft dares show itself.'

Italy

The US 1st Arm Div attacks on the Albano road and about midday takes Campoleone station. But it is then slowed down by the determined opposition of the German 1st Parachute Corps. German resistance also continues to be firm where the American 34th Div is operating in the Lanuvio sector.

In the British 8th Army sector the Canadian I Corps begins to advance up Route 6 from Ceprano towards Frosinone.

New Guinea

Both at Biak and at Arare the American beachheads come under heavy pressure. At Biak a tank battle develops, the first in the Pacific, and Japanese tanks are used to force back the 162nd Regt almost to its landing ground near Bosnek. Gen Walter Krueger orders 2 battalions of the 163rd Inf to be transported to Biak, even though the Arare-Toem beachhead on the mainland is still threatened by the Japanese.

Pacific

US destroyers bombard the northern coastline of New Ireland. However, there will be no invasion. New Ireland will be bypassed in favor of Emirau Island and Hollandia.

Images from May 29, 1944

Suspecting German snipers may be concealed in the ruins of this house in Velletri, a patrol party advances cautiously, rifles ready for instant use. Velletri, Italy, 29 May 1944

On the Lookout for Snipers

US Soldier Guards Appian Way outside of Velletri, Italy, 29 May 1944

A soldier from 101st Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (12th King's Regiment (Liverpool)) 3rd Division, prepares for D Day by reading at his French handbook at Camp A2 at Emsworth, near Portsmouth, Hampshire, 29 May 1944.

Reading His French Handbook

US Troops Moving towards Velletri, Italy, 29 May 1944

After it suffered battle damage during the mission to Politz Pilot 2/Lt Albert W. Evans had to crash-land #41-29433 just west of Wendling at Sporle.

Crash Landing at Sporle

US Soldiers Look at Destroyed German Artillery Weapon in Velletri, Italy, 29 May 1944

US Army PFC Edward J. Foley of the 143rd Infantry Regiment of the 36th Division cleaning his Springfield M1903A4 sniper rifle, near Valletri, Italy, 29 May 1944

Cleaning His Sniper Rifle

New Zealand armoured vehicles in cover beside road near enemy in next village of Vicalvi, Italy, 29 May 1944

New Zealand Armor in Cover