May 1, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 1 MAY 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): A single B-24 flies a weather reconnaissance mission over the Kuriles.

ZONE OF INTERIOR (Second Air Force): The detachment of the 4th Photographic Charting Squadron, 311th Photographic Wing (Mapping and Charting) [attached to 4th Photographic Group (Reconnaissance)] operating in Australia with F-7s, returns to base at Hollandia, New Guinea (the squadron is mapping areas of the SW Pacific).

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): During May the Japanese decide to give up their Greater E Asia Corridor and withdraw from S China; the Fourteenth AF further concentrates its attacks on rail and road movements and river shipping and thus plays a major role in critically reducing the enemy's mobility and supply lines. In China, 2 B-25s and 16 P-51s knock out bridges near Taiku and Kiehsiu and hit AA positions and locomotives near the bridges, blast gun emplacements in the Loning area, and hit several locomotives, near Shihkiachwang. Lieutenant General Albert C Wedemeyer, Commanding General US Forces China Theater, selects Lieutenant General George E Stratemeyer to command HQ AAF China Theater, with both HQ Tenth and Fourteenth AFs under his command. During May, the detachment of the 449th Fighter Squadron, 51st Fighter Group, operating from Posek, China with P-38s, returns to base at Chengkung.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): Unit moves: 9th Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron, 8th Photographic Reconnaissance Group, from Myitkyina to Piardoba with F-5s; the detachment of the 317th Troop Carrier Squadron (Commando), 2d Air Commando Group, operating from Akyab Airfield with C-47s, to base at Kalaikunda, India.

AAFPOA Seventh Air Force): Sixteen Guam based B-24s bomb Marcus Airfield while ten hit air installations on Param; during the night 9 more, flying individual snooper strikes, hit Param Airfield and Moen Airfield. VII Fighter Command: The 6th Night Fighter Squadron, VII Fighter Command, departs Kagman Field for Kipapa Field with P-61s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: B-25s hit the Heito sugar refinery and the town of Kagi. FEAF continues to support ground forces on Luzon and Negros Islands. On Borneo, B-24s support Australian landings on Tarakan Island and bomb Tawau and B-25s attack Jesselton, Tarakan, Sandakan, and Kudat, concentrating on airfields. HQ 6th Photographic Reconnaissance Group moves from Leyte Island to Clark Field. Unit moves during May: HQ 309th Bombardment Wing from San Marcelino to Lingayen Airfield; 7th Combat Cargo Squadron, 2d Combat Cargo Group from Biak to Dulag; the detachment of the 160th Liaison Squadron (Commando), 3d Air Commando Group, ceases operating from Mindoro with UC-64s and L-5s and returns to base at Mabalacat.