MONDAY, 21 MAY 1945
CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, eight B-25s bomb a bridge approach
north of Hankow, 1 damages the railroad track between Changsha and Kweiyi, and 2
score near misses on a bridge at Kuanshuishih; 3 B-25s and 6 P-51s damage a
bridge at Chihsien and hit railroad targets of opportunity in the Anyang area;
50+ fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance continue attacks against river,
road, and rail traffic, positions, troops, bridges, and numerous other targets
in S and E China.
India–Burma: SOS merges with theater Hq, IBT G-4 replacing SOS commander. SOS is inactivated.
AAFPOA (VII Fighter Command): During the night of 21/22 May P-47s fly heckler strikes against Kyushu.
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon,
B-25s blast numerous targets in the Cagayan Valley while A-20s and P-51s support
ground forces in NW sectors; P-38s napalm-bomb the Ipo Dam and Marikina River sectors and hit positions throughout Negro Island. In Borneo, B-24s hit Brunei, Samarinda Airfields shipyards, and troop concentrations on Tarakan.
P-38s strafe railroad rolling stock in the Saigon area.
U.S. Army: In U.S. Sixth Army's XI Corps area, 38th Div commander orders 149th Inf to patrol Wawa area carefully. Patrols report enemy established on the dam itself. 3d Bn, 152d Inf, renews attack on Woodpecker Ridge with fire support of 1st and 2d Bns; crosses the ridge to draw between there and Regimental Objective Hill.
On Mindanao, In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 155th Inf of 31st Div, ordered to clear Malaybalay-Kalasungay region, temporarily halts northward
drive up Sayre Highway and takes Malaybalay, Japanese supply base, with ease. 1st Bn of 19th Inf, 24th Div, attacking N through 2d Bn, reaches Bunawan. To block enemy escape from 34th Inf E of Talomo R, 3d and 1st Bns, 21st Inf, cross the river N of Mintal and 1st Bn pushes northward. 3d Bn, 34th Inf, renews attack but cannot advance despite air support. After heavy preparatory fire, Co G, 34th Inf, secures rest of Hill 550, from which Japanese have now withdrawn.
On Okinawa,
during a night attack against high ground near Shuri, U.S. Army medic Pfc Desmond T. Doss remained exposed to enemy fire and risked being mistaken as an enemy infiltrator in order to give first aid to wounded Americans until injured in the legs by a grenade and tended to his own wounds. Instead of exposing anyone else, he waiting five hours before litter bearers reached him but were caught by an enemy tanks and had to take cover. Spotting a more wounded solider nearby, he crawled off the stretcher and directed his rescuers to help the other man first and was hit in his left arm causing a compound fracture and used a rifle stock as a splint for his arm and crawled 300 yards over rough terrain back to the aid station. Afterwards, his injuries were severe enough that he was evacuated to USS Mercy (AH-8). On Okinawa, Doss was wounded four times and would later earn the Medal of Honor for his actions saving lives.
In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, 6th Mar Div continues to clear toward the Asato R on W flank of corps, fighting for Horseshoe and Crescent in Japanese Sugar Loaf defense system. Elements clear part of tunneled interior of the Horseshoe but efforts of others to expand hold on Crescent fail. 1st Mar Div is attacking toward Shuri Ridge, last feature covering Shuri Castle on W; makes slow progress against reverse slope of Wana Ridge and resists enemy efforts to regain forward slopes. In XXIV corps area, 77th Div replaces 305th Inf, just N of Shuri on Route 5, with 306th. Co A, 307th Inf, reaches base of Jane Hill, SW of Flattop, where it is isolated until the 30th and exposed to intense fire. 382d Inf, 96th Div, drives to edge of Oboe Hill 1,000 yards east of Shuri, and is halted there by enemy for some days. With capture of Sugar Hill by 3d Bn of 381st Inf, E slopes of Conical Hill are clear and enemy's right flank is turned. 184th Inf, 7th Div, starts southward along E coast at 1900 to envelop Shuri.
U.S. Navy: Submarine Chub (SS-329) sinks Japanese minesweeper W.34 in Java Sea off Kepualuan, 06°15'S, 116°01'E.
Japanese merchant cargo ship Santen Maru is sunk by USAAF mine laid by B-29 (20th Air Force) off Niihama, 33°57'N, 133°16'E.
IJA:
On Okinawa, General Ushijima and his staff decide the to withdraw from Shuri southward to prolong the battle.
A withdrawal was ultimately authorized and will be aided by bad weather that allowed soldiers, supplies and wounded to slip away without being observed or harassed by American aircraft. Afterwards, only a rear guard remained behind in the ruins of the Shuri Castle.
USMC: Marine Torpedo-Bomber Squadron 131 lands on Ie Shima to participate in the Okinawa campaign.
Marine Aircraft Group 22 (MAG-22) including Marine Fighter Squadron 113, Marine Fighter Squadron 314, and Marine Fighter Squadron 422 join VMF-533 and VMF(N)-533 on Ie Shima in support of operations on Okinawa.
