May 12, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 12 MAY 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Seventeen B-25s and eight P-51s bomb the barracks and storage area at Loyang and hit railroad targets around Sinsiang and Sinyang, from Hankow to Sinyang, from Chenghsien to Szeshui, from Kioshan to Lohochai, and between Hengshan and Yoyang and knock out a bridge north of Hengyang; 150+ fighter-bombers again hit scattered targets in S and E China, concentrating on road, rail, and river traffic and supply lines.

SEAC: Preparations for Operation Zipper the invasion of Malaya are in progress. Part of the assault forces, Force W (amphibious), 15 Corps, 224th Gp (air), and newly formed 34 Corps, all under Lt Gen O. L. Roberts are now assembled in India for reorganization, rest, and training. Other assault forces that can be spared are concentrated in Rangoon area, from which the Zipper forces from Burma will be mounted.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): Unit moves in India: 12th Combat Cargo Squadron, 3d Combat Cargo Group, from Tulihal to Ledo with C-47s; 71st Liaison Squadron, Tenth AF, from Dinjan to Piardoba with UC-64s, L-1s, L-4s and L-5s.

AAFPOA Seventh Air Force: Nine Guam based B-24s bomb Marcus Airfield, while twelve more hit Param Airfield. VII Fighter Command: The 6th Night Fighter Squadron, 7th Fighter Wing, arrives at Kipapa Field with P-61s.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): HQ 331st Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) and 355th, 356th and 357th Bombardment Squadrons (Very Heavy) and HQ 502d Bombardment Group (Very Heavy) and 402d, 411th and 430th Bombardment Squadrons (Very Heavy) arrive at Northwest Field, Guam Island from the US with B-29s.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: A-20s and fighter- bombers support ground forces on Luzon and Negros Islands. In French Indochina, B-24s pound several railroad and road bridges at Binh Dinh, Phu My, Bong Son, Lai Ha, Tuy Hoa, and Phu Hiep and attack the railroad yard at An Trach and other railroad targets. In Borneo, B-24s, B-25s, and P-38s hit targets in the Brunei Bay area including Labuan AIrfield, Brooketon Airfield, and Jesselton Airfield and troops on Tarakan. On Celebes Island, B-24s bomb Makassar shipyards and Limboeng Airfield. HQ 345th Bombardment Group (Medium) and 499th Bombardment Squadron (Medium) and 501st Bombardment Squadron (Medium) move from San Marcelino to Clark Field with B-25s.

U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's XI Corps area, 43d Div columns are converging on Ipo; Japanese are driven from Hill 815.

In the southern Philippines, In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area on Mindanao, some elements of RCT 108 take Del Monte Airfield while others advance to positions southwest of Tankulan. 155th Inf is directed to continue 31st Div's northward drive along Sayre Highway toward RCT 108. 124th Inf renews attack on Colgan Woods strongpoint and overcomes resistance there. 21st Inf, 24th Div, supported by massed arty fire, attacks NW along Talomo R with 1st Bn on left and attached 1st Bn of 34th Inf on right. 2d Bn, 19th Inf, assisted by air strikes, makes limited progress on Hill 550. 3d Bn, 34th Inf, asks and receives permission to remain in Guma area until its relief can be physically accomplished by 162d Inf rather than return to Digos at once. On Samal, aircraft and arty bombard suspected enemy gun positions.

On Okinawa, In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, while 3d Bn of 22d Marines, 6th Mar Div, remains on west coast north of Naha, Co G, to E, pushes forward to Sugar Loaf Hill, key point in Shuri defenses SE of Amike, but is forced back with heavy casualties. 7th Marines, 1st Mar Div, gains most of Dakeshi Ridge. 1st Marines, veering westward in order to advance, must be supplied by air. In XXIV Corps area, 305th Inf of 77th Div continues extremely slow advance generally along Route 5 toward Shuri. 306th temporarily suspends action against Chocolate Drop and assists 305th. 382d Inf, 96th Div, continues attack toward Dick hill mass with negligible results but takes hill 600 yards S of Zebra. 2d Bn, 382d Inf, gains weak hold on N spur of Conical Hill, whereupon div is ordered to intensify frontal attacks on the hill.

U.S. Navy: Off Okinawa, a kamikaze damages battleship USS New Mexico (BB-40), 26°22'N, 127°43'E; heavy cruiser USS Wichita (CA-45) is damaged by friendly fire, 26°22'N, 127°43'E.

Destroyers support landing of Army soldiers on Torishima west of Okinawa.

Submarine Raton (SS-270) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Rekizan Maru in the Yellow Sea off the Shantung Peninsula, 37°25'N, 123°42'E.

Mine sink Japanese army cargo ship Brazil Maru off Kobe; mine laid by B-29s on May 3, 1945 sink merchant cargo ship Manbo Maru off Osaka, 34°30'N, 135°10'E; cargo ship No.1 Nissho Maru is sunk by mine laid by B-29s off Futaoi Light, Shimonoseki, 34°06'N, 130°47'E; and No.1 Nisshin Maru in Shimonoseki channel; and damage merchant cargo ship Hokusei Maru (northwest of Mutsure Jima).

Japanese merchant tanker No.13 Takasago Maru is damaged by aircraft, Kogunsan-Kundo.

Navy patrol bombers (TU 50.5.5) damage Japanese merchant ship Chile Maru, which is run aground to permit salvage on the north coast of Iki Jima, 34°16'N, 129°40'E. Chile Maru is written off as a total loss.