Air Operations, CBI
CHINA- 308th Heavy Bomb Group B-24s sow mines in the Yangtze River.
- 33 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 16 14th Air Force P-47s and P-51s attack barracks, rail targets, bridges, river shipping, and Japanese headquarters facilities at 20 locations.
- More than 100 fighter-bombers harass Japanese Army units withdrawing from southern China and attack numerous other targets across southern and eastern China.
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]Air Operations, East Indies
- XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Balikpapan, Manggar, and Tondano.
- 42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and XIII Fighter Command P-38s attack Bintula, Brooketon, Fort Brook, and Miri.
- P-38s support Australian Army ground forces on Tarakan Island.
| ]Air Operations, Formosa
V Bomber Command B-24s attack Taichu while B-25s attack rail yards and 3 alcohol plants.
[ | ]Air Operations, Japan
During the night, 457 XXI Bomber Command B-29s attack the Nagoya city area with 3,609 tons of incendiary bombs. 11 B-29s attack targets of opportunity; and 29 9th Very Heavy Bomb Group B-29s sow mines in the Shimonoseki Strait and the harbors at Maizuru and Miyazu. 3 B-29s are lost.
[ | ]Air Operations, Pacific
US planes begin one of the most intensive napalm bombing operations of the war, against Japanese units defending the Ipo Dam, east of Manila, which provided the main source of water for the capital of the Philippines. 5th Fighter Command drops 110,000 gallons of napalm on the well-entrenched Japanese in a 3-day period, and the US 43rd Div is able to take control of the dam when the bombing had destroyed most of the defending positions.
[ | ]Air Operations, Philippines
Nearly 100 V Fighter Command P-38s attack the Ipo Dam area of Luzon with napalm. Royal Australian Air Force fighter units relieve the 347th Fighter Group at the Sanga Sanga airfield and will now take primary responsibility for providing fighter support to Australian Army ground forces on Borneo.
[ | ]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 VMF(N)-533 F6F downs a G4M 'Betty' bomber near Kume Shima at 0300 hours.
- A VMF(N)-542 F6F downs an unidentified airplane near Kikai Shima at 2315 hours.
- The 7th Air Force’s 163rd Liaison Squadron, in L-5s, enters combat over Okinawa under the operational control of the 10th Army Tactical Air Force.
- As part of a plan to thwart kamikaze attacks on the US radar picket line, construction begins on a new long-range radar station on an island 20 miles north of Ie Shima.
| ]Channel Islands
British forces liberate Alderney.
Okinawa
The 6th Marine Div attacks the Sugar Loaf with 2 regiments, but Japanese resistance is more stubborn than ever. In the 1st Marine Div's sector, Japanese anti-tank guns put out of action a number of American tanks which were trying to advance along the valley of the Wana River. The attacks of the 77th Div north of Shuri are still unsuccessful, but the 96th Div succeeds in reaching the edge of the Yonabaru. However, the Japanese hold on to Love Hill, west of Conical Hill.
The US escort carrier Shipley Bay (CVE-85) is damaged in a collision off Okinawa.
[ | ]Pacific
- The US submarine Snook (SS-279) is reported as presumed lost in the Pacific Ocean area.
- The Japanese minelayer Hatsutaka is sunk by the US submarine Hawkbill (SS-366) off Malaya.
| ]Philippines
On Luzon in the US XI Corps sector, the 152nd Inf attacks Woodpecker Ridge with strong artillery support, and dig in on the summit. In the XIV Corps sector, the capture of Bicol peninsula is officially declared to be complete.
On Mindanao the Japanese hold the American advance along the course of the Talomo River.
[ | ]Images from May 16, 1945
Marines Press towards 'Shuri Line' |
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6th Marine Division Reports Heavy Casualties |
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Aircraft Accident |
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Loading Wisconsin's 16-inch Guns |
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