29 May 1939

May 29th, 1939 (MONDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: Rochdale, Lancashire: Ramblers out taking a Whit Monday Bank Holiday walk watched in horror as a small plane crashed into the hills.

It was 6.30pm when the Hillcom Praga aircraft left Barton Aerodrome for a leisurely cruise around the region.

It came into the Rochdale area over Royton, between Tandle Hills and Trows, then disaster struck.

Just before 7pm ramblers in fields in the Balderstone and Thornham district looked skywards, attracted by the noise of the plane's engine.

While they looked on the engine stopped, spluttered back into life then stopped again before what sounded like an explosion rang out.

Part of a wing fell off and dropped within 200 yards of Hill Crest in Castleton, home of C R Hartley, clerk to Rochdale Borough magistrates.

Other pieces fell on the railway sidings at Castleton, the recreation ground of Castelton Congregational Church on Heywood Road and a garden in Alexander Street.

The aircraft then turned towards Balderstone Fold and another large piece of wing fell away and landed close to Rop o' th' Hill Farm before the stricken plane crashed nose first into the ground against a fence in a field adjoining Kirkholt Farm.

An ambulance was immediately called and a fire engine also arrived with the brigade's equipment van but none were needed.

The wreckage did not catch fire while the two men were killed instantly.

One of them was David Johnston, 24, of Grove House, Drake Street, Rochdale.

A qualified pilot, he was a car salesman at Rochdale Motor Garage on Tweedale Street, having formerly worked at Collinge Motors on Maclure Road.

The other victim was Donald Smith Ferguson, a 26-year-old commercial traveller from Hull.

After the crash, Mr Hartley said of the plane: "Just as it passed over it seemed to do a big bank upwards and turned half right and the next moment it appeared to drop to pieces.

"For a moment or two it looked as though there had been a paper chase in the sky as small pieces came floating down."

Probably the nearest person to the crash was John Taylerson of Ramsden Road, Wardle, who had been sitting in fields near Top o' th' Hill Farm.

He said: "There was a crack and I saw a wing drop off and fall somewhere near the farm. Then the machine plunged down in a spiral dive and hit the ground."

One person left counting his blessings after the tragedy was Mr J W Waddington, son of the licensee of the George and Dragon pub in Castleton.

He was a colleague of David Johnston and had arranged to join him on that fatal flight, only to pull out at the last moment because of pressure of work.

(Rochdale Observer 2 February, 2002: From the Gank to the Mount)

29 May 1940

May 29th, 1940 (WEDNESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM:

Destroyer HMS Bicester laid down.

Destroyer HMS Fernie commissioned.

WESTERN FRONT: The Wehrmacht High Command announced:-

‘On May 28, enemy air losses totalled 24 aircraft, 16 of which were shot down in aerial combat, 8 by Flak. Three German aircraft are missing. [German air ace] Captain Molders has won his 20th air victory.’

The German take Ostend and Ypres in Belgium and Lille in France.

FRANCE: Operation Dynamo: 47,310 men are evacuated today. The French allow evacuation of their troops.

Three RN destroyers are sunk off the beaches - HMS Grafton torpedoed by U-62, HMS Grenade by bombs, and VandW class HMS Wakeful by a torpedo from German Schnellboot S30. HMS WAKEFUL was carrying 600 troops who were below decks and of whom only 1 survived. Casualties numbered about 650 crew and soldiers, and only 25 plus an embarked soldier survived the sinking.

Destroyer HMS GRENADE whilst alongside the east mole at Dunkirk is damaged and disabled by aircraft attacks. The destroyer is abandoned and her burning hull towed clear of the main channel. After burning for some hours, she then blows up.

Destroyer Grafton is torpedoed by U-62 in the English Channel 13 miles north of Nieuport. Alongside at the time was Trawler HMS Comfort. HMS Ivanhoe later sinks Grafton the same day after the crew and troops had been taken off.

Trawler HMS Comfort is attacked by own side forces and then rammed in the English Channel 13 miles north of Nieuport. After suffering some flooding and damage whilst alongside Grafton, Comfort pulls away and is mistaken for a German S boat by HMS Lydd and is fired upon with 4 inch and Lewis guns. Lydd then rams the trawler and cuts her in half. Some of the crew of Comfort attempt to jump on to Lydd, but are mistaken for Germans and repelled with gunfire.

Minesweeper HMS Waverley, a paddlesteamer, is bombed in the English Channel near Kwint Bank Buoy by German aircraft. Four of the 600 embarked troops are killed outright and another 150 drown as Waverley sinks.(Alex Gordon)(108)

Minesweeping trawlers HMS Calvi and Polly Johnson bombed and sunk off Dunkirk.

47,310 men are taken off.

The arrival of French warships improves the take off rate.

The Allied rearguard leaves the Cassel, Poperinghe, Yser line.

Lieutenant-General Alan Brooke, General Office Commanding II Corps is ordered to leave France for the United Kingdom. (W. Jay Stone)

Somme: French 4th Armoured Div., resumes its attack and reaches its second objective leaving the Germans holding only Mount Caubert, the last stronghold covering the bridges over the Somme.

The war diary of the German Blumm Division reads: "Our anti-tank guns had little effect on the French armour. Our anti-tank defences were crushed and our infantry had to retreat. A profound fear of tanks infected our ranks."

The French auxiliary cruiser Ville d'Oran loads the Bank of France gold reserves (200 tons of gold) for transport to Casablanca, French Morocco.

NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN: HMS Glorious was detected by a snooper, resulting in one section of 802 Squadron, led by Lieutenant G. D. D. Lyver, RN, being sent off and ultimately downing one He-111. Thereafter, Glorious was ordered to return to Scapa. She arrived off the harbour at 1600 on the 29th, but was unable to enter due to fog. (Mark Horan)

U.S.A.: The XF4U-1 prototype Vought F4U Corsair makes it maiden flight.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 06.15 hours on 29 May, 1940, U-37 tried to stop the unescorted Marie Jose by a shot across her bow about 40 miles northwest of Vigo, but the ship turned away and sent radio messages. The U-boat opened fire, hitting several times and soon the crew abandoned ship. The burning ship was hit by a coup de grâce at 06.57 hours and sank within 15 minutes.

Motor tanker Telena sunk by U-37 at 42.25N, 09.08W.

29 May 1941

May 29th, 1941 (THURSDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM:

London: The Daily Mails' editorial says:

When are we really going to get down to the job of winning the war? When are we going to run machines, factories, and shipyards to full capacity; when are we going to see an end of masterly retreats ...?

Churchill">Churchill declined to believe that there was any uneasiness about Greece. Perhaps he can be persuaded that the people are deeply disturbed about Crete.

We have been surprised in Norway, France, Greece and Crete. We have suffered from serious mistakes. The Germans seem to have made no mistakes.

Something is wrong...

Changes are needed and Churchill should not hesitate to make them. The fate of the government may well depend upon his prompt and vigorous action.

Destroyers HMS Grove and Southwold launched.

Minesweeper HMS Whitehaven launched.

Destroyer HNLMS Isaac Sweers commissioned.

GERMANY:

U-262, U-618 laid down.

U-132, U-452, U-572 commissioned.

ITALY: Count Ciano notes in his diary: "The Duke of Spoleto comes on a visit. He wishes to take Guariglia (my note: diplomat, former ambassador to Germany and France) with him to Zagreb, and this seems to me an excellent choice. He said nothing of any particular importance, but the tone of his conversation was distinctly anti-German." (Mike Yaklich)

GREECE: CRETE: Early in the morning 4,000 men are evacuated from Heraklion on the north side. As they do so the damaged HMS Imperial has to be scuttled. She is heading south from Heraklion at high speed when she suffers a loss of steering. It is decided that there is no time available to allow the steering fault to be repaired, so the crew are taken off the ship by HMS Hotspur and Imperial is scuttled at 35 23N, 25 40E. HMS Hereward is hit in an air attack 5 miles south of Crete at 35 20N, 26 30E. It is decided to leave her on her own rather than delay the rest of the force, and Hereward is last seen heading slowly towards Crete shrouded in smoke. She is eventually sunk in an air attack close to land, and Italian motor boats rescue the majority of the survivors. (Alex Gordon)(108) Shortly, HMS Dido and HMS Irion are badly damaged to the southeast. Evacuations from the port of Sfakia continue as well.

SYRIA: Associated Press reported:

A German infantry detachment geared for speed lands at the port of Latakia just south of the Turkish border. Armoured cars and mobile field guns are among the equipment unloaded from coastal steamers which apparently hugged the coast to avoid British naval interception enroute from the Italian Dodecanese islands. The German units are believed to have moved southward to Beirut.

IRAQ: The last three remaining He-111s of the Junck Special Unit fly their last mission.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: MacArthur "> MacArthur informs Marshall that he would be closing the Mission and returning to the U.S. in the near future. (Marc Small)

CANADA:

Minesweeper HMCS Swift Current launched Montreal, Province of Quebec.

Corvettes HMCS Baddeck and Levis arrived Halifax from builders Quebec City, Province of Quebec.

NEWFOUNDLAND: U.S. Navy Patrol Squadron Fifty Two (VP-52), based at Naval Air Station (NAS) Argentia, Newfoundland with PBY-5 Catalinas, deploys four aircraft to Reykjavik, Iceland, based on the seaplane tender (destroyer) USS Belknap (AVD-8). The aircraft survey the east coast of Greenland where Danish weather stations are suspected of being in use by the Germans for relaying weather forecasts to the submarine wolfpacks. Inspections of the facilities shows that they are abandoned and the detachment returns to NAS Argentia on 8 June 1941.

RN auxiliary oiler Teakwood arrived St John's to support NEF. The establishment of the NEF posed significant logistical challenges. There were virtually no naval facilities at St. John's and the issue of which Government would pay for the necessary development provoked a prolonged exchange between Canada and Great Britain. The short-term solution was to employ a 'Base Force Afloat' (USN term) through the use of depot and stores ships, afloat accommodations, and 'post' tankers. Teakwood, although termed an 'oiler' was neither intended nor equipped for underway replenishment. Teakwood was built in 1927 for the Jacobs Line. Her Gross Registered Tonnage was 6,000 tons and her deadweight cargo capacity was 9,100 tons. She was 415 feet long. Her draught was 26 feet and she could make 10.5 knots. She was, in most ways, typical of inter-war period British tankers, although her capacity was a bit under the wartime planning average of 10,000 tons. Plans for fuel oil storage tanks at St. John's were increased several times. Work on the base did not begin until Aug 41 whereas the first warships arrived on 27 May. By Aug 41, 40 ships were based at St. John's. The logistical demand constantly outpaced the capacity of the 'base' to provide support. The demand for fuel reached a weekly total of 39,000 barrels by Mar 42. The original plan to build tankage for 89,000 barrels was obviously inadequate and in March another 180,000 barrels expanded the plan. The first of the shore tanks did not go into operation until Sep 42 and the last tanks were finished in Sep 43. Because of enemy action, the main problem became one of getting fuel to St. John's. As soon as the last tanks were useable, Teakwood joined a shuttle service hauling fuel from Halifax and Montreal. She was returned to the UK in Dec 43.

U.S.A.: Washington: The US agrees to train RAF pilots to fly American planes supplied under Lend-Lease.
The U.S. Army Air Corps (superseded by the US Army Air Forces effective 20 June 1941) activates the Air Corps Ferrying Command to assist the British in the movement by air of American-built planes from factories in the United States to Britain and the Middle East. Initially, the aircraft were flown to Canada or to bases in the U.S. where British pilots would pick them up. But the command was shortly tasked with delivering aircraft across the Atlantic to the UK and Africa.

In Washington, an Army-Navy planning board draws up a plan for the occupation of the Portuguese Azores Islands in the event that Germany invades Spain and/or Portugal. The joint Army-Marine occupation force will be commanded by Major General Holland M. Smith, USMC, Commanding General 1st Marine Division.

Destroyer USS Swanson commissioned.

Destroyers USS Carmick, MacKenzie and McLanahan laid down.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The U.S. Navy's Task Group Three (TG 3) consisting of the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV-4), heavy cruiser USS Tuscaloosa (CA-37) and three destroyers, gets underway from Bermuda for a 4,000+ mile (6,437+ km) neutrality patrol in the Atlantic that will end in Bermuda on 8 June.

SS Tabaristan sunk by U-38 at 06.32N, 15.23W.

At 2043, the Empire Storm, a straggler from Convoy HX-128, was torpedoed and sunk by U-557 south of Cape Farewell. Three crewmembers were lost. The master, 35 crewmembers and four gunners were picked up by the Norwegian merchantman Marita and landed at St John's on 4 June.

29 May 1942

May 29th, 1942 (FRIDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM:

ASW trawler HMS Dunkery commissioned.

Destroyer HMS Nepal commissioned.

Minesweeping trawler HMS St Kilda launched.

Submarine HMS Trespasser launched.

FRANCE: Paris: Jews are ordered to wear the six pointed yellow star, as in Germany and Poland. This star, the width of a man's palm, is embroidered with the word "Juif" and must be worn on the left side of the jacket or overcoat, in the region of the heart. Textile ration coupons had to be traded in exchange for the star. A couple of dozen arrests are made of men and women who express solidarity with the Jews by sewing on the star although they are not Jewish, or ridiculing it with some other word, for instance "Français" or "Goy", the Yiddish for Gentile.

GERMANY: U-969, U-970 laid down.

U-184 commissioned.

U.S.S.R.: The Germans complete encirclement west of the Donnets. 250,000 Russian soldiers are lost.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: U-568 sunk in the Mediterranean NE of Tobruk, in position 32.42N, 24.53E, by depth charges from destroyer HMS Hero and escort destroyers HMS Eridge and Hurworth. 47 survivors (No casualties).

NORTH AFRICA: The British fail to develop a coordinated attack. The German antitank guns are very effective.

INDIAN OCEAN: Diego Suarez: About ten miles from the harbour entrance, the Captains of the Japanese submarines I-16, I-18 and I-20 were ordered to launch their Type "A" midget submarines. I-18's midget took no part in the attack because the launching machinery failed to work properly. The I-18 Mother submarine with its midget still on board was therefore forced to return to the armed flotilla support ships Hokoku Maru, 10,438 tons and the Airoko Maru, 10,437 tons, for maintenance. The other two midgets were successfully launched and started their mission.

I-16s midget submarine was crewed by Ensign Katsusuke Iwase as Captain and Petty Officer Takazo Takata as the navigator, both single men. I-20's midget submarine was crewed by Lt. Saburo Akieda as Captain and Petty Officer Takemoto as the navigator. They were both married men and each had a family. The story continues tomorrow. (Denis Peck)

CHINA: Kinhwa: More than 40,000 Japanese troops supported by aircraft have overrun Kinhwa, the capital of Chekiang province, 200 miles south-west of Shanghai, as a new Japanese offensive in eastern China gathers pace.

During the fighting 1,500 Japanese were killed crossing a minefield. At Lanch'i, 20 miles north-west of Kinhwa, Chinese troops claim to have repulsed ten enemy attempts to cross the Lan river. Poison gas was used in one attack, disabling, but proving too weak to be fatal. The Japanese advance in Chekiang began five days ago with the capture of Chu-chi followed by the fall of Lungyu two days ago.

PACIFIC OCEAN: At French Frigate Shoals, Territory of Hawaii, the seaplane tender (destroyer) USS Thornton (AVD-11) arrives to relieve the light minelayer USS Preble (DM-20). Later that day, the Japanese submarine HIJMS I-123 also arrives. The Japanese had intended to use the shoals as a refuelling stop for Japanese seaplanes flying reconnaissance missions over Pearl Harbor; the aircraft would be refuelled by submarines. The presence of the U.S. ships prevents this operation and the Japanese never learn that two of the USN's aircraft carriers have already departed Pearl Harbor.

The seaplane tender (destroyer) USS Ballard (AVD-10) arrives at Midway with eleven motor torpedo boats (PTs) of Motor Torpedo Squadron One (MTBRon 1).

The USN's Patrol Squadron Seventy One (VP-71) based at Noumea, New Caledonia on the seaplane tenders USS Curtiss (AV-4) and USS Tanigier (AV-8) with PBY-5 Catalinas joins RAAF Catalinas in bombing Tulagi Island in the Solomon Islands.

AUSTRALIA: The Commonwealth Boomerang, Australia's first home-designed and built, aircraft of the war, has its first flight.

The Japanese submarine HIJMS I-21 launches a Yokosuka E14Y1, Navy Type 0 Small Reconnaissance Seaplane, Allied Code Name "Glen," to fly a reconnaissance mission over Sydney, Australia.

U.S.A.: The great actor John Barrymore dies in Los Angeles, California, of pneumonia and cirrhosis of the liver. John, and his siblings Ethel and Lionel Barrymore, were legendary stars in Hollywood during the 1920s, 30s and 40s. John made his stage debut in 1900 at age 18 and became a major Broadway star in 1909. His first "official movie" was made in 1914 and during the early 1930s, he was cast as a romantic leading man. However, his drinking, which began when he was a boy, began to take its toll and he became an old man before his time and his last few films were distasteful.

The first North American P-51 Mustang destined for the RAF makes its first flight.

Submarine USS Raton laid down.

Destroyer USS Barton commissioned.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: SS Western Head sunk by U-107 at 19.57N, 74.18W.

At 0103, the unescorted Norman Prince was torpedoed by U-156 about 60 miles west of St. Lucia and sunk by a coup de grâce at 0137. 14 crewmembers and two gunners were lost. The master, 24 crewmembers and seven gunners were picked up by the French merchantman Angouleme, landed at Martinique and were interned by the Vichy French authorities. The radio officer Hubert John Tanner was rescued after two and a half days by the USCGC Unalga.

At 2137, the unescorted Allister was torpedoed and sunk by U-504 54 miles south of Grand Cayman Island. 15 crewmembers were lost. Eight crewmembers landed at Port au Prince, Haiti.

29 May 1943

May 29th, 1943 (SATURDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: A damaged Sunderland flying boat of No. 461 Sqdn., RAAF, is successfully landed on an airfield in South Wales. This is one of the first occasions on which a flying-boat has been put down safely on land. (22)

327th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 92d Bombardment Group (Heavy), based at Alconbury, flies its first mission with the YB-40 to St. Nazaire, France.

The USAAF's VIII Bomber Command in England flies Mission Number 61: 169 B-17 Flying Fortresses are dispatched against the submarine pens and locks at Saint-Nazaire, France; 147 aircraft hit the target at 1706-1711 hours local and claim 6-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; eight B-17s are lost. Seven YB-40s, heavily armoured B-17s with increased firepower for escorting bombers, fly their first mission. YB-40s show an inability to keep up with B-17s after they drop their bombs and the need for modification of waist and tail gun feeds and ammunition supplies. In two other raids, 72 B-17s are dispatched against the Rennes, France naval depot; 57 hit the target at 1601-1605 hours and claim 19-5-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; six B-17s are lost. In the third raid, 38 B-24 Liberators are dispatched against the U-boat yards at La Pallice, France; 34 hit the target without any casualties on either side.

Sloop HMS Woodcock commissioned.

GERMANY:

U-392, U-846 commissioned.

U-315, U-766, U-1162 launched.

INDIAN OCEAN: At 1937, the unescorted Hopetarn was torpedoed and sunk by U-198 about 450 miles east of Durban. Six crewmembers and one gunner were lost. The second officer was taken prisoner by the U-boat, landed at Bordeaux on 24 September and taken to the POW camp Milag Nord. The master, 28 crewmembers and seven gunners were picked up two days later by the British merchantman Nirvana and landed at Durban on 3 June.

CHINA: Chinese troops halt the Japanese advance on Chungking and recapture Yuyangkwan, east of Ichang.

JAPAN: The Japanese Imperial General Headquarters abandons its plan to evacuate Attu.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: ALEUTIAN ISLANDS: The final Japanese counterattack on Attu is carried out with fanatical determination.
This final suicide charge of a little over 1,000 Japanese soldiers was led by their commander, Colonel Yasuyo Yamasaki. Their aim is to penetrate the enemy's lines and seize the artillery positions and then destroy the US main base at Massacre Bay and force a general re-embarkation of US troops. Before the attack, all casualties in the Japanese hospital commit suicide. The charge is through American lines and against Engineer Hill manned by the 13th and 50th Engineers, 20th Field Headquarters, 7th Medical Battalion and some infantrymen of the 4th Infantry Regiment. They push aside a surprised infantry company, and sweep headlong toward Massacre-Sarana Pass. There engineers and service troops, with ten-minutes' warning, hastily organized defence lines and in desperate hand-to-hand combat broke the force of the attack. A few enemy detachments won through the pass but were brought up just short of a battery of 105mm howitzers.

Colonel Yamasaki is killed with his sword in hand.

After this charge, Attu is declared secured. American casualties are 549 killed in action, 1,148 wounded and approximately 2,100 suffering from frostbite and disease. Japanese casualties are 2,350 killed in action; 29 Japanese are taken prisoner. The capture of Attu is second only to Iwo Jima in terms of the number of Japanese casualties compared to American casualties.

US ground forces are landed on Shemya, the same day Attu was declared secured. [This was a shore-to-shore operation from Attu. Original plans for the invasion of Attu had called for occupation of Shemya first and construction of a fighter strip by Seabees in three weeks, but shipping and other problems ruled this out. - ESM] (Edward S. Miller) These troops were from the 4th Infantry Regiment and they had to endure a six hour voyage over heavy seas to get to Shemya. As far as Attu being secured, since the Japanese banzai charge occurred during the night of 29/30 May, the island was not declared secured until 30 May.

CANADA:

Frigate HMCS Matane launched Montreal, Province of Quebec.

Corvette HMCS Guelph (ex-Sea Cliff) laid down Collingwood, Ontario.

U.S.A.: Rosie the Riveter appears on the cover of the Saturday Evening Post. (Pat Holscher)

Destroyers USS Albert W Grant and Bryant launched.

Destroyer escorts USS Solar, Lee Fox, J Douglas Blackwood, Enright, Darby, Coolbaugh and Bunch launched.

29 May 1944

May 29th, 1944 (MONDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: The USAAF's Eighth Air Force in England flies Mission 379: 993 bombers and 673 fighters are dispatched in three forces to attack aircraft plants and oil installations in Germany and Poland; they claim 117-38-49 Luftwaffe aircraft; 34 bombers and 10 fighters are lost:

1. 443 B-24s are dispatched to hit an oil terminal at Politz (224 bomb) and airfield and aircraft assembly plant at Tutow (167 bomb); 14 hit Rensburg Airfield, nine hit Misdroy and one hits Schwerin; they claim 29-15-10 Luftwaffe aircraft; 17 B-24s are lost.

2. 251 B-17s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets at Leipzig/Mockau (149 bomb) and Leipzig/Heiterblick (50 bomb); four others hit targets of opportunity; they claim 11-4-5 Luftwaffe aircraft; nine B-17s are lost.

3. 299 B-17s are dispatched to hit aviation industry targets at Krzesinki (91 bomb) and Posen (58 bomb), Poland and Sorau (52 bomb) and Cottbus (48 bomb), Germany; 19 others hit Schneidemuhl Airfield and two hit targets of opportunity; they claim 22-18-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; eight B-17s are lost .

Personal Memory: For my sixth mission we were assigned a ten hour slugfest. We were to bomb a Fock Wulf assembly plant in Posen, Poland. The 303rd Bomb Group furnished 18 B-17s for the 41st Wing. We took off at 0825 and assembled at 8,000 feet over our base at Molesworth. We climbed to 21,000 feet as we crossed the channel. Our target was in the suburbs of Posen at Erzesinki. The weather was CAVU and our compass heading to the target was 64 degrees because of a 5 degree wind-drift. The intervalometer was set at the salvo position and all planes dropped as soon as bombs appeared from the lead plane. Despite considerable flak we hit the target almost dead center. We saw no fighter planes and of course we were far out of range of our own fighters. We turned north after the drop and headed for the Baltic sea, dropping down to 14,000 feet to save fuel. We had bombed from 22,000 feet. We crossed over an "undefended" island and got peppered by a four gun flak battery before we could turn enough to throw off their aiming lead. One B-17 lost an engine on their second burst and started dropping back. And then we were attacked head-on by a squadron of Me-109s and FW-190s. One Me-109 chose our plane as its target and came in from 1'oclock high firing everything he had. It's enough to give one an involuntary colonic spasm. And we fired back of course. Evidently we missed each other but we got hit by another B-17 who was firing at "our" Me-109. At this point our plane was very light and the B-17 was quite agile. On the way home we saw a B-17 go out of control and explode with eight parachutes. We saw another ditch in the North Sea having run out of fuel. Their raft had several men who were picked up two hours later. Our trip took us near Sweden and eight bombers landed there to sit out the war. One was the now famous Shoo Shoo Baby that is at the Wright museum. This was not a "Milk Run" and the score so far of my six missions was 3 Milk Runs and 3 others. (Dick Johnson)

Escort is provided by 184 P-38 Lightnings, 187 P-47 Thunderbolts and 302 P-51 Mustangs; the P-38s claim none and none are lost; the P-47s claim 1-0-1 Luftwaffe aircraft with the loss of four P-47s; the P-51s claim 38-1-4 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 16-0-15 on the ground with the loss of six Mustangs. 592 Ninth Air Force fighters also support the mission; they claim 1-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft and lose two fighters.

23 B-24s are dispatched on CARPETBAGGER missions; one is lost.

The USAAF's Ninth Air Force in England dispatches 450+ B-26 Marauders and A-20 Havocs to bomb airfields, marshalling yards, railroad bridges, coastal battery and NOBALL (V-weapon) targets in France and Belgium. 200+ P-47s bomb targets in the same area.

GERMANY: Poznan: Himmler promises Nazi officials that "before the end of the year the Jewish problem will be settled once and for all."

U-2506 laid down.

BALTIC SEA: During Baltic exercises U-1203 lost one man after crash diving north of Danzig. [Maschinengefreiter Johann Igel].

ITALY: The Canadians advance north on Route 6 from Caprano near Anzio.

The USAAF's Fifteenth Air Force in Italy dispatches 829 bombers (the largest number of bombers completing attacks in a single day up to this time) to bomb targets in Austria and Yugoslavia; B-17s and B-24s attack an aircraft factory at Wollesdorf, Austria; B-24s also attack industrial areas at Wiener Neustadt and Atzgersdorf, Austria and troop concentrations at Poderica, Yugoslavia. P-38s and P-51s escort the Austrian missions while P-38s accompany B-24s to Yugoslav targets and afterwards strafe numerous targets of opportunity; fighter opposition over Yugoslavia is negligible but around 150 fighters attempt interception over Austria, principally in the Wiener-Neustadt area; 23 USAAF aircraft are lost; the bombers and fighters claim 60+ fighters shot down.

BLACK SEA: At 1256, U-23 fired a spread of two torpedoes at tanker of about 1800 tons, which was in tow escorted by two warships and aircraft. Wahlen heard two detonations, but could not observe the effects because the U-boat was attacked with depth charges for the next two hours. In fact the tug Smelyj was hit by one torpedo and sank off Babushery near Suchumi.

CHINA: General Chennault asks for an increase in supplies for the US 14th Air Force to oppose the Japanese threat to vital Chinese position in Eastern China.

PACIFIC OCEAN: USN destroyers shell Japanese installations on the north coast of New Ireland Island in the Bismarck Archipelago.

NEW GUINEA: The first tank battle of the Pacific War is fought on Biak island.

US forces spearheading General MacArthur's new thrust west in New Guinea appear to have been lured into a gigantic trap today by the Japanese force defending three airstrips in the heart of Biak island, off equatorial New Guinea.

Men of the US 158th, 162nd and 186th Infantry Regiments were suddenly hit by withering crossfire, preventing any withdrawal as they made their first advance inland, 18 hours after making a virtually unopposed landing at Bosnik, on Biak, the largest island in the Schoutens group. The US force is trapped nine miles west, at Mokmer.

Yesterday's advance to Mokmer, along a cliff wall that swings inland to create a deep valley, met only mortar and light machine-gun fire. This morning the easternmost airstrip was discovered empty with, surprisingly all the buildings still intact. But as the US troops crossed the airstrip they were hit by salvoes from Japanese artillery hidden deep in cliffside caves where the Japanese commander, Colonel Noyuki Kuzume, is believed to have garrisoned nearly all of his 11,000 men. The Japanese 222d Infantry Regiment attacks the American lines supported by six light tanks. American M4 Sherman tanks dispatched the Japanese tanks and troops of the 162d Infantry Regiment broke the Japanese attack. The Japanese regroup for another attack and the Americans finally realize that they must clear the high ground before they can drive to the airfields.

Dislodging them could take months, rather than the few weeks which MacArthur anticipated for this latest thrust, which puts him only 900 miles from the Philippines. He has ordered tanks into Mokmer and is getting bomber support from the USAAF. For this first time he is basing some Mitchells at Wakde, 220 miles east of Biak.

U.S.A.:

Destroyer USS Henry W Tucker laid down.

Minesweeper USS Wheatear laid down.

Minesweeper USS Reign launched.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The US escort carrier BLOCK ISLAND's planes detected U-549, on the 28th, and an intensive hunt began by the escorting destroyers. Early in the morning of 29th May, U549 fired three electric and two acoustic torpedoes at the hunters. The electric torpedoes all hit the escort carrier which sank quickly. One of the acoustic torpedoes seriously damaged the destroyer USS BARR and the other missed. The other escorts including the USS Eugene E. Elmore finally sank U549 with depth charges at 31.13N, 23.03W. All U-boat crew of 57 are lost. This engagement took place about 300 miles WSW of Madeira. No destroyer was sunk.
Escort aircraft carrier USS Block Island (CVE-21) was the only US aircraft carrier that was sunk in the Atlantic Ocean. (Peter Beeston, Jack McKillop and Alex Gordon)

29 May 1945

May 29th, 1945 (TUESDAY)

UNITED KINGDOM: U-985 (Type VIIC) which had been heavily damaged on 15 Nov, 1944 at Lister by mine, returned to Kristiansand and taken out of service, is on this day in 1945, transferred from Kristiansand-S to Loch Ryan, Scotland for Operation Deadlight

U-4706 (Type XXIII) is on this day in 1945 transferred from Kristiansand Süd, Norway to Loch Ryan, Scotland and given a British pennant number. Subsequently it is transferred to Norway in October 1948, to become the KNM Knerter. Used for storage by the Royal Norwegian Yacht Club from 14 Apr 1950. Stricken in 1954 and broken up. (Alex Gordon)

HMCS Fennel arrived Greenock with her last convoy.

HMCS Annan, Loch Achamalt and Loch Morlich departed Halifax for Sheerness and return to RN.

Repair ship HMS Tarbat Ness launched.

Frigate HMS St Austell Bay commissioned.

BELGIUM: Brussels: Belgian socialists call for the abdication of King Leopold, who agreed to surrender to the Germans in 1940.

GERMANY: During the night PFC Jack A. McHenry, of the 38th Armored Infantry Battalion, 7th Armored Division, was on guard duty at Post 13, a bridge on the Mulde River in Saxony. On the opposite side of the river were elements of the Red Army. The primary purpose of the guards was to stop German refugees attempting to escape from the Soviet occupied area. At about 0100 hours, his partner went to awaken their relief. When his partner and their relief returned, McHenry was gone. There was no sign of struggle, no blood on the ground, etc. At that point, McHenry's Platoon LT organized a search party and combed both sides of the river until daybreak, using peep lights and a number of troops.

The next morning, the Battalion C.O. went across the river and met with the Russian C.O., a Major, who agreed to help search for McHenry. No success was had in locating McHenry.

Two days later, a swollen and water-logged body was seen up river from the bridge. Two soldiers went after it in a row boat. It was so heavy that it threatened to swamp the boat when they tried to pull the body aboard, so instead they put a rope around it and towed it to shore. It turned out to be PFC McHenry. An autopsy was performed, and the cause of death was found to be drowning, although a very large lump on McHenry's head was also noted.

The investigation of McHenry's death was forwarded up the chain for approval, and at the Division level, the cause of the death was attributed to 'Werewolf' partisans said to be active in the area. At the time, the 38th AIB had suffered some vandalism (nails placed under vehicle tires, especially) but no casualties had been incurred. As the report went further up the chain, the 'Werewolf' cause was confirmed. (Bill Beigel, Personalized WW2 Historical Research Torrance, California)

However, in interviewing a number of survivors from the 38th, a different story emerges. In spite of orders to the contrary, there was a great deal of trading going on between US and Red Army troops at the bridge over the Mulde (and elsewhere, I'm sure). The consensus of the troops I interviewed was that McHenry was an "operator", and may have tried to tried to drive a hard bargain with a Russian(s) one time too many. They believed that McHenry was killed, then, by a Red Army soldier, but that in order to avoid an "incident" with the Soviets, "Werewolf" was blamed instead.

As a note, McHenry had no living next of kin, and when the War Dept. began returning the remains of Americans in 1947, no one could be found to determine if he would remain overseas or be returned home (San Francisco, CA). In the end, the Army made an administrative decision, and interred McHenry at Margraten. (William L. Beigel)

NORWAY: The Nobel-prize-winning author Knut Hamsun is arrested for allegedly collaborating with the Nazis.

SYRIA: French forces shell Hama and Damascus, and Syrian gendarmes attack French military posts.

JAPAN: Admiral Ozawa is named to replace Admiral Toyodo as Commander in Chief of the Combined Fleet for the Imperial Japanese Navy.

US Superfortress bombers drop incendiaries on Yokohama, burning 85% of the port area.

In the latest raids 16.8 square miles of Tokyo were gutted, making a total of some 50 square miles burnt out. Millions have fled to the countryside, abandoning blitzed war-production factories. Civilian morale has slumped profoundly.

The B-29s are also sowing mines in the Inland Sea and Shimonoseki Strait with startling results; they are sinking more merchant tonnage than the US submarines and helping to cut Japan off totally from imported food and vital materials. In order to intensify the USAAF aerial onslaught to an intolerable level, yet more B-29s have been ordered to the Far East from India.

But Allies preparations for the invasion of Japan are under way. On past experience of Japanese military fanaticism this could result in much bloodshed. Yet air force chiefs believe that with enough bombs and aircraft, Japan could be forced into unconditional surrender without an invasion.

The USAAF's Twentieth Air Force in the Mariana Islands flies Mission 186: 454 B-29 Superfortresses, escorted by 101 P-51s from the VII Fighter Command for the first time on a fire-bomb raid, bomb Yokohama with incendiaries and destroy the main business district (a third of the city's area) along the waterfront; the burned out area of Yokohama now amounts to almost 9 square miles (23.3 square km); about 150 Japanese fighters attack the formations; the B-29s claim six fighters and the P-51s claim 26-9-23: seven B-29s and three P-51s are lost.

Headquarters of the USAAF's 509th Composite Group arrives at North Field, Tinian Island from the US. The 509th is the unit that will drop two atomic bombs on Japan.

Mines previously laid by B-29 Superfortresses sink a Japanese cargo vessel and damage an army cargo vessel and a freighter off Japan.

Off Okinawa, Japanese kamikazes are again active and strike two ships:

- The destroyer USS Shubrick (DD-639) is attacked by two aircraft at 0010 hours; one crashes the ship. The bomb carried by the plane blew a 30-foot (9.1 m) hole in the starboard side, and further damage was done when one of the ship's depth charges exploded. All wounded and unnecessary personnel were removed in anticipation that the ship would sink but the crew finally controlled the flooding, and Shubrick was towed to Kerama Retto. The ship lost 35 men killed and missing, and 25 wounded in the attack.

- The high-speed transport USS Tatum (APD-81, ex DE-789) is attacked by four aircraft at dusk. One aircraft is shot down but when it strikes the water, its bomb skips off the water and strikes the underside of a gun sponson and pierces the ship's hull and two of her longitudinal bulkheads. The dud comes to rest with its nose protruding 8-inches (20.3 cm) into a passageway. The gunners on the ship shoot down the second and third aircraft before the fourth attacks. They also shoot down the fourth which crashes 30-feet (9.1 m) off her port bow; the bomb the aircraft was carrying explodes underwater and rocks the ship but causes no damage. Tatum later takes aboard a bomb disposal officer and the bomb is removed and dumped overboard 2 miles (3.2 km) offshore.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: The first combat mission by the Consolidated B-32 is carried out by two aircraft of the 312th Bombardment Group, who perform a ground support mission.

U.S.A.: Minesweeper USS Minivet commissioned.

Destroyer USS Herbert J Thomas commissioned.

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