May 28, 1943
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 28 MAY 1943

U.S. Army: On Attu, the 7th Div maintains pressure on the Japanese and by the end of the day the remaining defenders are compressed into a small portion of Chichagof Harbor. Messages requesting Japanese to surrender are air dropped in hopes they will surrender.

USAAF: Ditched is P-38G 42-13381 pilot 1st Lt. Gaston M. Hensley (survived) into the sea off Torey Pines in California.

CENTRAL PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Seventh Air Force) Three B-24's from Canton fly a reconnaissance-bombing mission over Abemama dropping six 500 pound bombs.

CBI CHINA (Fourteenth Air Force) In China, 16 P-40's, operating in two forces, dive-bomb railroad yards at Yoyang damaging tracks, warehouses, and the roundhouse.

SOUTH PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Thirteenth Air Force) P-38's and P-40's, along with naval aircraft, attempt a strike on the Kolombangara and Munda but are hampered by bad weather. Some of the Navy TBF bombers manage to bomb the runway and revetment area of Munda Airfield.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Fifth Air Force) B-17's and B-24's attack Wewak Airfield, Dagua Airfield, and Boram Airfield and bomb the coastal road between Wewak to Dagua.

USN: USS S-41 (SS-146) sinks Japanese merchant barkentine/cargo ship Asuka Maru off Paramushiro at 50°38'N, 155°15'E.

USS Saury (SS-189) torpedoes and sinks Japanese fleet tanker Akatsuki Maru about 90 miles northwest of Okinawa at 27°32'N, 126°08'E. Although early in the battle Akatsuki Maru responds to the submarine's attack with depth charges and gunfire, and later claims to have sunk her assailant, her efforts at self-defense prove unavailing and Saury emerges the victor in the encounter.

USS Trigger (SS-237) damages Japanese merchant tanker Koshin Maru off Irosaki, Japan, 34°33'N, 138°50'E.