80 Years Ago, Thursday 4 May 1944

USN

Pacific

Naval Base and Naval Air Facility, Majuro, are established.

Submarines Bang (SS-385), Parche (SS-384) and Tinosa (SS-283) attack Japanese convoy of merchant cargo ships in Luzon Strait. Bang sinks Kinrei Maru, 20°58'N, 117°59'E; Parche sinks Shoryu Maru and Taiyoku Maru, 20°48'N,118°03'E, and Tinosa sinks Taibu Maru and Toyohi Maru, 20°55'N, 118°12'E.

Submarine Pargo (SS-264) sinks Japanese auxiliary net layer Eiryo Maru east of Mindanao, 07°14'N, 129°12'E.

Submarine Tuna (SS-203) sinks Japanese guard boat Tajima Maru north of Wake Island, 22°06'N, 166°47'E. At Truk, Japanese guard boat Sapporo Maru is sunk by aircraft; gunboat No.2 Hino Maru sinks as the result of damage inflicted by TF 58 planes on 30 April. Japanese merchant vessel Akira Maru is sunk by gunfire, 00°53'S, 134°55'E. Japanese convoy No.3503 (ten Marus and six escort vessels) leaves Tateyama, bound for the Marshalls (see 10-20 May 1944).

Mediterranean

While convoy GUS 38 continues on its way, destroyer escorts Joseph E. Campbell (DE-70) and Pride (DE-323), French destroyer escort Senegalais, and British destroyer HMS Blankney continue the hunt for German submarine U-371 in the western Mediterranean. Senegalais attacks the U-boat, 37°49'N, 05°39'E, which is scuttled by her crew and abandoned, but not before U-371 has torpedoed and damaged Senegalais.

AAF

Eighth AF

851 B-17’s and B-24’s (13 combat wings) take off to bomb industries at Brunswick and Berlin. Because of thick cloud conditions less than 300 Heavy Bombers proceed and these are forced to abandon mission over the Low Countries. 48 B-17’s manage to attack Bergen/Alkmaar airfield during withdrawal.

Ninth AF

More than 170 B-26’s and 36 A-20’s bomb gun emplacements and other military targets at Etretat/Sainte-Marie-Au-Bosc, Etaples, Le Treport, Ault, Fecamp, and Ouistreham.

Twelfth AF

Main effort again is against lines of comm. MBs hit bridges, tracks, and marshalling yards. P-40’s, A-36’s, and P- 47’s hit rail lines in and around Priverno, guns and radar station N of Anzio, railroad cars, rail lines, and bridge in Orte-Attigliano and Orte-Narni areas, motor transport and stores E of Frascati, marshalling yards at Colleferro and Follonica, and trucks and personnel on Fondi-Pico road. Vessels at Leghorn and numerous railroad targets at scattered points are attacked.

Tenth AF

12 A-31’s bomb Kaladan while a single B-24 bombs Akyab. 12 B-25’s damage bridge at Kalemyo and bomb Tiddim, while 24 A-31’s hit Kohima. 24 B-24’s bomb Mandalay marshalling yard and barracks and general area at Maymyo. 2 P-51’s knock out bypass bridge near Shweli.

Fourteenth AF

8 P-40’s hit gun positions at Pailochi. 2 B-25’s strafe 12 sampans between Hong Kong and Luichow Peninsula, killing many soldiers on board.

Fifth AF

26 B-24’s of Thirteenth Air TF bomb Mokmer airfield. 60-plus B-24’s, B-25’s, A-20’s, and P-47’s pound airfields, road, bridges, shipping, barges and other targets in Wewak area. A-20’s attack bridges over Awar R and targets of opportunity in Hansa Bay area while Fighter Bombers hit targets of opportunity in Ramu R Valley and on Hansa Bay coast.

Thirteenth AF

24 B-25’s bomb Talili Bay area. 43 Fighter Bombers hit Vunakanau airfield. Allied fighter sweeps over the Bismarcks continue. 38 P-39’s, flying 18 missions, hit several targets on Bougainville, including buildings at Sovele, Tinputs, Reboine Bay area, Monoitu, and in area N of Taki. targets of opportunity in Koromira area are also attacked.

Seventh AF

12 B-25’s, based at Makin, pound Jaluit and Wotje, using Majuro as a shuttle base for rearming between the strikes. 39 B-24’s from Kwajalein and Eniwetok hit Ponape.

USA

NEW GUINEA—32d Div’s RCT 726 and other div troops arrive at Blue Beach; div CG assumes command of TF PERSECUTION. From 22 April to date, Japanese casualties in Aitape area are estimated at 525 killed and 25 captured as against Allied losses of 19 killed and 40 wounded. Admiral Barbey proposes that D Day for Wakde-Sarmi operation be postponed until 21 May in order to take advantage of higher tides and to have more time to complete preparations.

BURMA—In NCAC area, Ch 22d Div overruns Inkangahtawng, on road to Kamaing, in co-ordinated effort by air, armor, and arty. Chinese then halt in this region for some time.