80 Years ago Today, Tuesday, 16 May 1944

 International

US, UK, USSR, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands sign agreement concerning the administration of countries as they are liberated.

USN

Pacific

During exercises, battleship Colorado (BB-45) is damaged when she accidentally runs aground on a pinnacle off Kahoolawe, T.H.

Destroyers Franks (DD-554), Haggard (DD-555), and Johnston (DD-557) sink Japanese submarine     I-176, 150 miles north of Cape Alexander, Solomons, 04°01'S, 156°29'E. Haggard suffers slight damage from exploding depth charges.The sinking of I-176 prompts the Japanese to shift the position of a cordon of submarines (the NA line) in the New Guinea-Carolines area; much radio traffic accompanies the move (see 19 May 1944).

Japanese minelayer Aotaka is damaged by mine, Kaoe Bay.

Atlantic

Non-rigid airship K 5 is destroyed in crash into number one hangar, Lakehurst, New Jersey.

AAF

Twelfth AF

MBs attack railroad bridges and a tunnel in C Italy. LBs blast guns in Roccasecca while FBs and ftrs just behind enemy lines seek out motor transport tgts, crater roads, and hit bridges, harassing the already strained comm network, while US Fifth Army troops push rapidly W and NW and British Eighth Army forces push through last defenses of Gustav Line in effort to isolate Cassino, a joint effort by British 13 Corps and Polish 2 Corps.

Tenth AF

30-plus A-31’s pound Kohima, Moirang, and S of Buthidaung. About 70 B-25’s and FBs hit Myitkyina and Hopin areas. 11 B-24’s hit Ywataung and Sagaing M/Ys and town of Akyab.

Fourteenth AF

8 B-24’s blast motor pool and warehouse areas at Mangshih.

Fifth AF

Fifth AF aircraft continue to pound a variety of tgts in Netherlands New Guinea and NE New Guinea. Tgts include A/Fs and supply areas on Noemfoor and Biak Is, AA guns, supplies, and occupied villages in Wakde I-Maffin-Sawar coastal area, and bridges, villages, troop concentrations, and AA positions.

Thirteenth AF

40-plus FBs hit Vunakanau area. Ftrs on sweeps hit barges at Jacquinot Bay and Mioko Harbour, vehicles at Kurakakaul, Mandres Bay, and Vunarima, and N of Vunakanau, a small vessel in Mandres Bay, and a sawmill at Keravat. FBs hit occupied areas at Tunuru, near Kieta, near Manetai Mission, and at Tinputs.

Seventh AF

Kwajalein-based B-24’s pound Wake. B-25’s from Makin hit Nauru and Ponape.

USA

NEW GUINEA—TF TORNADO—Wakde assault force—begins voyage to target from Hollandia area.

CBI—In NCAC area, H Force crosses the Namkwi after confining inhabitants of Namkwi village in order to assure secrecy.

On Salween front, 593d Regt, Ch 190th Div, reaches Shweli valley near Laokai, having moved W over mountains. Rest of 190th Div is clearing strongpoints in Mamien Pass. On S flank, where enemy has thinned out in order to strengthen upper Shweli valley, elements of Ch 76th and 88 Divs are progressing rapidly toward Pingka and have taken 13 villages NE of that objective.

11 Army Group: In Br Fourteenth Army area, Kachin guerrillas gain temporary possession of Washang, about 30 miles E of Myitkyina.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, II Corps rapidly pursues enemy. In 85th Div sector, 339th Inf, after clearing Scauri and M. Scauri, is pinched out by 338th, which drives along Ausonia road to Highway 7 and to Acquatraversa Creek. 337th Inf, pushing W from Castellonorato, meets opposition from M. Campese and halts in valley below it. 349th Inf, 88th Div, advances in conjunction with 337th Inf. Continuing toward Itri, 351st reaches M. Ruazzo and M. Mesola. In FEC area, one column of Mtn Corps completes difficult trek, almost unopposed, to M. Revole; another reaches positions S of Esperia. Elements of 3d Algerian Div secure junction of S. Giorgio–Esperia roads and hold it against counterattack. On right flank, 1st Motorized Div silences fire on S. Giorgio and drives W, pinching out 2d Moroccan DIV.

In Br Eighth Army area, Cdn 1 Corps takes over sector to left of 13 Corps and relieves Ind 8th Div. In 13 Corps area, 78th Div, assuming burden of assault, pushes NW through last defenses of Gustav Line in effort to isolate Cassino in conjunction with Poles. Pol 2 Corps, which has been reorganizing after its initial defeat, is ordered to renew offensive on 17th.