May 25, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 25 MAY 1945

ZONE OF INTERIOR: The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) approve the directive for Operation Olympic the invasion of the home islands of Japan scheduled to commence November 1, 1945.

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Two B-24s fly a radar ferret mission over Matsuwa and bomb the Tagan Cape area; another B-24 flies armed weather reconnaissance.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): Five B-25s and two P-51s knock out a bridge N of Kioshan, damage another N of Changtuikuan, and pound railroad targets around Sinyang, Saiping, Sinantien, Hsuchang, and Chenghsien; 16 fighter-bombers on armed reconnaissance hit various targets of opportunity in the Nanyang, Burma and Anyang, Hantan, Chenghsien, Kaifeng, Linfen, Shihkiachwang, Sinsiang, Miyanghsien, Tenghsien, Loning, Sichuan, and Hsuchang, China areas. The 322d Troop Carrier Squadron, Fourteenth AF, moves form Kunming to Loping, China with C-47s.

China: Maj Gen Henry S. Aurand assumes duties as head of SOS.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): Unit moves: 83d Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 12th Bombardment Group (Medium), ceases operating from Magwe, Burma with B-25s, and returns to base at Fenny; 427th Night Fighter Squadron, Tenth AF, moves from Myitkyina to Dinjan with P-61s (a detachment is operating from Kunming).

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): By concurrence of Commander-in-Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CINCPOA), the VII Fighter Command, with its subordinate units, is assigned to operational and administrative control of HQ Twentieth AF. 100 Iwo Jima based P-51s fly 73 effective strike sorties against Matsudo Airfield and Tokorozawa Airfield, claiming 8-0-1 Japanese aircraft in the air and 10-0-40 on the ground; 3 P-51s are lost. Mission 183: During the night of 25/26 May, 464 B-29's pound the urban area of Tokyo immediately south of the Imperial Palace just north of the area bombed on 23-24 May, including financial, commercial, and governmental districts as well as factories and homes; six others bomb targets of opportunity; they claim 19 Japanese fighters; 26 B-29s are lost on this mission, the highest single-day loss of B-29s in World War II including B-29A 42-94002 pilot Captain Cruger G. Edgerton (MIA). Large areas of Tokyo were destroyed including Tokyo Military Prison (Shibuya Military Prison) where Allied Prisoners Of War (POWs) are detained.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Luzon, B-25s, A-20s, and fighter-bombers fly numerous strikes and ground support missions. Fighter-bombers support ground force on Cebu. In Borneo, B-24s bomb Oelin, Ft Brook, and Tarakan while B-25s and P-38s hit Kudat and P-38s also support ground action on Tarakan.

U.S. Army: In U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 19th Inf of 24th Div consolidates for next few days and prepares to drive W on Mandog. 21st and 34th Regts continue to clear Talomo R Valley; 34th finds hill strongpoint that has been delaying it undefended.

In U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, 4th Marines, 6th Mar Div, gains Machishi and most of ridge line W of there. Div Rcn Co completes its crossing of the Asato and only meets stragglers as it pushes through the part of the city west of the north-southn canal.

U.S. Navy: Off Okinawa, kamikazes sink high speed transport Bates (APD-47), 26°41'N, 127°47'E, and medium landing ship LSM-135; and damage destroyers Guest (DD-472), 26°22'N, 127°44'E, and Stormes (DD- 780), 27°06'N, 127°38'E; destroyer escort O'Neill (DE-188), 26°20'N, 127°43'E; high speed transports Barry (APD-29), 26°30'N, 127°00'E (see 21 and 22 June), and Roper (APD-20), 26°34'N, 127°36'E; high speed minesweeper Butler (DMS-29), 26°12'N, 127°50'E; and minesweeper Spectacle (AM-305), 26°40'N, 127°52'E. Friendly fire damages destroyer Cowell (DD-547), 26°41'N, 126°50'E. Japanese plane torpedoes U.S. freighter William B. Allison in Buckner Bay; six merchant sailors and a stevedore die in the explosion. The 34-man merchant complement, 28 Armed Guard sailors and 150 stevedores, however, unload the ship's cargo.

Submarine Blenny (SS-324) sinks Japanese gunboat Kairyu Maru, 06°04'S, 107°27'E.

Submarine Ray (SS-271) sinks Japanese schooner Tsuki Maru 35 miles east of Kaiyo Island 39°04'N,

USAAF planes sink Japanese merchant cargo ship Amoy Maru off north coast of Tsushima, 34°46'N, 129°23'E.

Japanese merchant vessel Kokei Maru is sunk by aircraft off Pusan, Korea.

Japanese transport Kamishima Maru is damaged by stranding off north coast of Java, N.E.I., 06°25'S, 111°00'E.

Mines laid by B-29s sink Japanese cargo vessel Hikawa Maru at 33°58'N, 131°02'E, and merchant tanker No.3 Toyo Maru 3.2 kilometers off Hesaki, 33°55'N, 131°20'E. Mines also sink transport Tobi Maru northwest of Kyushu 33°58'N, 130°52'E, cargo ship Matsushima Maru two miles south of Matsuzaki Island and merchant cargo ships Shiragi Maru near Hesaki, and No.1 Nissan Maru off Mutsure, and damage destroyers Sakura seven kilometers off Hesaki Light and Tsubaki off Shimonoseki anchorage, Patrol Boat No.104 5.4 kilometers off Futaoi Light, army cargo ships Ginsei Maru and Ginzan Maru three kilometers off Mutsure Island merchant cargo ships No.3 Shinto Maru off Hesaki, and Iyo Maru east of the mouth of Kammon Channel, and merchant tanker No.4 Nanko Maru 6.5 kilometers off Hesaki.

USMC: Pilots from Marine escort carrier USS Gilbert Islands fly their first combat air patrol and close air support strikes.

Royal Navy: HMS Thorough sinks Japanese cargo ship Nittei Maru off west coast of Borneo.

HMS Trenchant sinks Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Wa 105 east of Mandalike Island at 06°23'S, 110°55'E.