Air Operations, CBI

• 5 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sow mines in the Yangtze River.
• 10 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 5 14th Air Force fighter-bombers attack bridges at Hankow, Hengyang, and Siokan.
• More than 130 fighter-bombers mount attacks to disrupt Japanese troop movements through southern and eastern China.

• 43 V Bomber Command B-24s attack various bridges in coastal areas.

Air Operations, East Indies

• B-24s attack the Oelin and Tabanio airfields on Borneo.
• 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and XIII Fighter Command P-38s attack Sandakan and support Australian Army ground forces on Tarakan Island.

Air Operations, Formosa

V Bomber Command B-25s attack an alcohol plant at Byorutsu.

Air Operations, Japan

• Task Group 58.1 and Task Group 58.3 carrier aircraft attack targets throughout Kyushu and Shikoku.
• VF-83 F6Fs down a Ki-61 'Tony' fighter and 2 E13A 'Jake' reconnaissance planes at sea between 0245 and 0445 hours.
• A VT(N)-90 TBM downs a A6M2-N 'Rufe' fighter near Kyushu at 0545 hours.
• A VF-12 F6F downs a C6N 'Myrt' reconnaissance plande 35 miles from Task Force 58 at 0645 hours.
• VMF-112 carrier-based F4U downs an N1K 'Rex' fighter over Kagoshima Bay at 0745 hours.
• A VF-82 F6F downs a Ki-84 'Frank' fighter and 2 N1K 'Rex' fighters over the Izumi airfield on Honshu at 0830 hours.
• A VMF-123 carrier-based F4U downs a C6N 'Myrt' reconnaissance plane at sea at 1015 hours.
• A VF(N)-90 F6F downs a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane 90 miles from Task Force 58 at 2300 hours.
• During the night, 12 9th Very Heavy Bomb Group B-29s sow mines in Shimonoseki Strait.

Air Operations, Philippines

V Bomber Command bombers and V Fighter Command fighter-bombers support US 6th Army ground troops on Luzon. Following protracted heavy fighting, US 6th Army ground forces capture Balete Pass on Luzon—in large measure due to close air support provided by 5th Air Force combat aircraft.

Air Operations, Ryukyus

• US Navy and Marine Corps, and Royal Navy aircraft support US 10th Army ground forces on Okinawa and attack airfields in the Sakishima Islands.
• A kamikaze severely damages a US radar picket destroyer, killing 41 and injuring 32.
• US Marine Corps F4Us down 5 F1M 'Pete' reconnaissance planes, a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance planes, 2 D3A 'Val' dive bombers, 2 K5Y 'Willow' trainers, and an A6M 'Zero' in the Okinawa area in several engagements between 1820 and 1920 hours. A VMF(N)-542 F6F downs a P1Y 'Galaxy' bober just off the island at 2030 hours.

Britain, Home Front

A Thanksgiving Service is held at St Paul's Cathedral. The Royal Family attends.

Burma

In the Arakan area, the 82nd West African Div takes Gwa unopposed.

Eastern Front

Tito's forces occupy Trieste. In Yugoslavia most of Alexander Löhr's forces surrender, but some units still resist in Upper Slovenia, west of Maribor, near the Austrian frontier. In Czechoslovakia, German units are still trying to escape from the Russians to hand themselves over to the Americans. But all resistance is finished.

The majority of German forces, cut off in East Prussia, in the Vistula Delta and along the Baltic coast, have surrendered.

Germany

The Scots Guards occupy Heligoland.

Okinawa

There is still fierce fighting along the Shuri line. The 6th Marine Div suffers heavy losses, but completes the capture of Dakeshi Ridge. In the east coast sector, units of the 96th Div succeed in penetrating into the strip east of the Shuri line and taking part of 'Conical Hill'.

Damaged by kamikazes off Okinawa are the destroyer Bache (DD-470) and the destroyer escort Bright (DE-747).

Pacific

Aircraft from Vice-Adm Marc A. Mitscher's fast carrier squadron begin a series of attacks lasting 2 days against the airfields on Kyushu Island. Off Honshu Island the aircraft carrier Enterprise (CV-6) is hit by a Japanese suicide aircraft. The light carrier Bataan (CVL-29) is damaged in the day's action from friendly naval gunfire.

Philippines

On Luzon the US I Corps completes the occupation of Balete Pass, finally clearing the way into the Cagayan valley. In the XI Corps sector, the 43rd Div comes in sight of the Ipo dam.

On Mindanao operations go forward in the area north of Davao. The 24th Div advances slowly northward along the Talomo track and in the valley of the Talomo River.

Images from May 13, 1945

Surrender of U-889 near Shelburne, Nova Scotia, 13 May 1945

U-boat Surrender

German soldiers handing in weapons at a 1st Canadian Infantry Division arms dump, Rotterdam, Netherlands. 13 May 1945

Handing in Weapons in Rotterdam

U-Boats Surrender at Wilhelmshaven. 13 MAY 1945, formal surrender of U-boats at the famous German naval base.

U-Boats Surrender at Wilhelmshaven

Famous Norwegian Resistance fighter Max Manus armed with a Swedish m/37-39 SMG while acting as the Personal Protection Officer to the Crown Prince of Norway, Olav V, during his triumph parade through Oslo, 13 May 1945.

Crown Prince of Norway in Oslo Parade