Air Operations, CBI
CHINA- 14 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s, 14 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s, and 26 14th Air Force P-51s attack Paoching and nearby targets of opportunity.
- Several fighter-bombers attack Hengyang.
- 41 V Bomber Command B-24s attack the White Cloud airfield at Canton.
- 44 B-24s attack the Tienho airfield at Canton.
- 4 51st Fighter Group P-51s attack rail targets between Hue and Tourane.
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]Air Operations, East Indies
XIII Fighter Command P-38s attack Brooketon, Sarawak, and targets on Tarakan Island.
[ | ]Air Operations, Japan
12 28th Composite Bomb Group B-24s attack a convoy in the Kurile Islands through heavy cloud cover with the use of radar.
[ | ]Air Operations, Philippines
- V Bomber Command A-20s attack various targets on Luzon.
- 1st Marine Aircraft Wing PBJs, SBDs, and F4Us support the US X Corps on Mindanao.
- Following intense air and naval bombardment, US 8th Army troops land without opposition at Macajalar Bay, Mindanao. Support is provided by XIII Bomber Command B-24s.
| ]Air Operations, Ryukyus
- US Navy, Marine Corps, and Royal Navy aircraft support US 10th Army ground forces on Okinawa and attack airfields in the Sakishima Islands.
- VMF-224 F4Us down 3 K5Y 'Willow' biplane trainers off northeastern Okinawa at 1845 hours, and a VMF-441 F4U downs a D3A 'Val' dive bomber southwest of Okinawa at 1900 hours.
- For the first time, Royal Navy carrier aircraft from Task Force 57.2 attack airfields in the Sakishima Islands. The Royal Navy strikes against these and similar targets will alternate on a daily basis with US Marine Corps carrier-based aircraft. On opposite days, the Royal Navy and US Marine Corps carrier aircraft will be available for ground-support missions against Okinawa.
- 1654 and 1705 hours, kamikazes evade Task Force 57’s poorly deployed anti-aircraft defenses and crash into HMS Formidable and HMS Victorious, whose armored flight decks prevent serious damage. (Beginning on May 14, Task Force 57 will deploy a US Navy-style anti-aircraft defense based on fighter control teams aboard picket destroyers operating well ahead of the carriers.) Altogether, 3 are killed and 19 are wounded, but HMS Formidable’s air group loses enough aircraft to force her to retire for replenishment, and the Victorious also retires to refuel.
- A US Navy destroyer-escort on anti-submarine patrol is damaged beyond repair by a kamikaze, and a destroyer, also on anti-submarine patrol, is severely damaged by a kamikaze. In all, 43 are killed and 80 wounded aboard the 2 ships.
| ]Britain, Home Front
Many defense regulations are revoked.
[ | ]Burma
Advancing south from Taungup along the Arakan coast, the 82nd West African Div occupies Sandoway.
[ | ]Eastern Front
At one minute past midnight, hostilities in Europe officially come to an end. But German resistance persists in Czechoslovakia, Austria and Croatia. The 1st Ukraine Front liberates Prague, with the collaboration of the Czechoslovak insurgents. Troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front liberate the island of Bornholm in Denmark. On the northern front, the German troops left in East Prussia and around Danzig surrender to the 2nd and 3rd Belorussian Fronts. The 3rd Ukraine Front, advancing westward in Austria, reaches Graz and Amstetten and near the latter town makes contact with the American troops.
CZECHOSLOVAKIAThe Soviet 3rd and 4th Guards Tank Armies are fighting inside Prague, isolating the German 1st Panzer and 17th Armies. The German 8th Army has been largely annihilated.[MORE]
[ | ]Europe
The German surrender is ratified in Berlin. For Germany Wilhelm Keitel, Hans Friedeburg and Stumpff sign, and for the Allies Spaatz, Tedder, Zhukov and de Lattre. The Soviets celebrate VE-Day.
The last German forces holding out in East Prussia and Pomerania capitulate.
Reichskommissar Terboven commits suicide. He was 46. Quisling is arrested by the Resistance in Oslo. He will be executed by a firing squad October 24.
20,000 German troops on Crete, Rhodes and other islands surrender to Allied troops.
The German garrison surrenders the Channel Islands, the only British home territory occupied by the Germand during the war. 40 miles from Cherbourg and 80 miles south of the English coast, the 9 islands had been under German control since June 30, 1940.
[ | ]Okinawa
Gen Simon B. Buckner orders the US 10th Army to launch a general offensive against the Shuri line on May 11. The attack is to be concentrated on the 2 wings. The 6th Marine Div, on the right flank, prepares to attack on the Asa River. The 1st Marine Div takes Height 60 after wiping out the last Japanese positions on Nan Hill. The 77th Div continues the destruction of Japanese strongpoints north of Shuri. The Japanese are now cleared from the Kochi Crest area.
Japanese suicide aircraft damage two US ships during the day's action, the destroyer escorts Oberrender (DE-344) and England (DE-635).
[ | ]Philippines
On Luzon in the US I Corps sector, Japanese resistance is lessening in the Balete Pass area. In the XI Corps sector, units of the 145th Inf take Mount Binicayan and send patrols into the Guagua area.
The 108th Regimental Combat Group leaves Cebu and Leyte for Macajalar Bay, Mindanao Island. Here, units of the 24th Div are defending the bridgehead over the Talomo River against Japanese counterattacks, but have not succeeded in putting up a bridge. The units of the 31st Div break off their attacks in the Colgan woods, where air attacks and mortar fire are brought to bear on the Japanese positions.
[ | ]Soviet Union, Home Front
There are victory celebrations in Moscow. 2 million people watch a spectacular fireworks display.
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Western Front
German garrisons surrender at La Rochelle, St Nazaire, Lorient and the Channel Islands. Vice-Adm Friedrich Huffmeier, Commander of the Channel Islands garrison, surrenders aboard the destroyer Bulldog.
[ | ]Images from May 9, 1945
Moscow Victory Parade |
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Victory Celebration in Moscow |
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Mopping Up with a Flame Tank |
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Action against Japanese Pill Boxes |
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