Chronology of World War II

May 1945

Friday, May 25th

Air Operations, CBI

CHINA

5 341st Medium Bomb Group B-25s and 2 14th Air Force P-51s attack bridges at 2 locations and rail targets.
16 fighter-bombers attack various targets of opportunity.

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Air Operations, East Indies

XIII Bomber Command B-24s attack Fort Brook, Oelin, and Tarakan Island.
42nd Medium Bomb Group B-25s and XIII Fighter Command P-38s attack Kudat.
P-38s support Australian Army ground forces on Tarakan Island.

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Air Operations, Japan

73 VII Fighter Command P-51s based on Iwo Jima attack Matsudo and Tokorozama.
15th Fighter Group P-51s down a Ki-46 'Dinah' reconnaissance plane and 8 fighters over Honshu between 1300 and 1330 hours.
During the night, 464 XXI Bomber Command B-29s attack Tokyo urban areas with 3,262 tons of incendiary bombs. 6 six B-29s attack other targets.

26 B-29s are lost, the largest loss of B-29s in a single day.

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Air Operations, Philippines

V Bomber Command B-25s and A-20s, and V Fighter Command support of US 6th Army ground forces on Luzon.
XIII Fighter Command fighter-bombers support US 8th Army ground forces on Cebu.

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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.
A VF-30 F6F downs a Ki-84 'Frank' fighter near Amami O Shima at 0710 hours.
VF-49 F6Fs down a C6N 'Myrt' reconnaissance plane and an A6M Zero over US picket destroyers at 0755 and 0805, respectively.
318th Fighter Group P-47s down 8 D3A 'Val' dive bombers and 26 Japanese fighters over Ie Shima and northwest of Okinawa between 0743 and 0925.
US Marine Corps F4Us down 6 Japanese bombers and 36 fighters between Kyushu and Okinawa in several large engagements between 0745 and 1130 hours.
A VF-30 F6F downs a G4M 'Betty' bomber near Task Force 58 at 1040 hours.
Air attacks throughout the Ryukyus from about 0030 hours and on throughout the day by an estimated 165 kamikaze aircraft result in the sinking of a transport and a large landing ship and damage to 3 destroyers, 2 destroyer-escorts, 2 transports, and 2 minesweepers.

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Allied Planning

The Joint Chiefs of Staff approve the general directives for Operation OLYMPIC, the invasion of metropolitan Japan. The date fixed for its start is November 1.

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Burma

Bassein, 87 miles from Rangoon, is occupied by Allied forces.

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Okinawa

After a series of assaults by the 4th Marine Regiment, the Japanese casemates and underground positions on Machishi Hill are eliminated. The 29th Regiment mops up in Naha.

In the day's suicide attacks the high-speed transport Bates (APD-47) is sunk, the destroyer Stormes (DD-780) and the high-speed transport Roper (APD-20) are damaged. The destroyer Cowell (DD-547) is accidentally hit by US naval gunfire in the day's action.

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Pacific

The US submarine Blenny (SS-324) sinks the Japanese gunboat Kairyu Maru off Sungaibuntu, Dutch East Indies.
The US submarine Ray (SS-271) sinks the Japanese schooner Tsuki Maru 35 miles east of Kaiyo Island.
The British submarine Thorough sinks the Japanese cargo ship Nittei Maru (1000t) off the west coast of Borneo.

The British submarine Trenchant sinks the Japanese auxiliary minesweeper WA-105 east of Mandalike Island.
Mines sink the Japanese cargo vessel Hikawa Maru (891t) and merchant tanker No.3 Toyo Maru (834t) off Hesaki; the transport Tobi Maru (878t) northwest of Kyushu; cargo ship Matsushima Maru south of Matsuzaki Island; merchant cargo ships Shiragi Maru (3032t) and No.1 Nissan Maru (6889t) off Mutsure.

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Philippines

In Luzon, elements of the 1st Cavalry Division capture Infanta on the east coast of Luzon and stand on the left flank of the perimeter of the remainder of the Shimbu Group. The 38th and 43rd Infantry Divisions of XI Corps continue pressure on the Japanese defenders, now with their backs to the sea.

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