May 26, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 26 MAY 1945

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, twelve B-25s and six P-51s damage two bridges north of Hankow; Four B-25s hit railroad targets around Lohochai and between Kinkiang and Kioshan; 3 B-25s attack truck convoys in the Siangtan and Paoching areas and along the Paoching-Hengyang-Changsha highway; 80+ fighter-bombers over several areas in S and E China continue to harass Japanese movements, attacking troops and positions and hitting rail and road traffic; the Japanese complete their withdrawal from Yungning, severing the land connection with French Indochina; the Chinese retake Nanning.

AAFPOA (Seventh Air Force): Ten B-24s from Guam bomb the Marcus Airfield.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Sixteen P-47s from Saipan strafe Moen Airfield, Dublon Seaplane Base, and targets of opportunity at Truk. Mission 184: During the night of 26/27 May, 29 B-29s mine waters in Shimonoseki Strait and at Fushiki, Fukuoka, and Karatsu.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA: B-25s and P-38s sweep the W part of Formosa causing extensive damage to a variety of communications and industrial targets. A-20s and fighter-bombers pound numerous Luzon Island targets, particularly in the Balete Pass area and B-24s bomb Tuguegarao and Echague. Fighter-bombers support ground forces on Cebu. In Borneo, B-24s, B-25s, and fighter-bombers hit Tarakan, Beaufort, Weston, Tenom, Trusan Haji, Sandakan, and Jesselton.

HMAS: Damaged by shore batteries is HMAS Colac (J242/M05).