May 29, 1945
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

TUESDAY, 29 MAY 1945

ALASKA (Eleventh Air Force): Four B-25s weather abort a shipping sweep along the east coasts of Paramushiru and Shimushu.

CHINA THEATER (Fourteenth Air Force): In China, a single B-24 damages a railroad bridge over the Huto River and 4 B-25s and 4 P-51s knock out a bridge S of Kuanshuishih. In French Indochina, 2 B-25s attack locomotives near Vinh and about 30 fighter-bombers attack communications and transportation targets around Thanh Hoa, Vinh, Quang Tri, Vinh and Yen, Chenghsien and Yoyang, China.

INDIA-BURMA THEATER (Tenth Air Force): The 88th Fighter Squadron, 80th Fighter Group moves from Moran to Dudhkundi, India with P-47s.

HQ AAF (Twentieth Air Force): Mission 186: 454 B-29s, escorted by 101 P-51s from the VII Fighter Command for the first time on a fire-bomb raid, bomb Yokohama with incendiaries and destroy the main business district (a third of the city's area) along the waterfront; the burned out area of Yokohama now amounts to almost 9 square miles; about 150 Japanese fighters attack the formations; the B-29s claim 6 fighters and the P-51s claim 26-9-23: 7 B-29s including B-29 "City of Atlanta" 42-94039 pilot Captain Gerard J. O'Leary (MIA) plus 3 P-51s are lost. Headquarters (HQ), 509th Composite Group arrives at North Field from the US.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA [SWPA, Far East Air Force (FEAF)]: On Formosa, 100+ B-24s bomb Kiirun and several other towns and B-25s, and fighter-bombers, hit the Tainan alcohol plant and targets of opportunity. B-24s, B-25s, and A-20s hit a variety of targets in north Luzon while other fighter bombers hit the central part of Luzon including the Cagayan Valley, Baguio, Balete and Ipo areas. Two B-32 In Borneo, B-24s hit Oelin Airfield, Tabanio Airfield, and Fort Brook Airfield. Lost is F-5F Lightning 44-24953 pilot F/O Charles E. Shannon, Jr. (MIA).

U.S. Army: On Luzon in U.S. Sixth Army area, I Corps prepares for operation to clear Cagayan Valley. 37th Div is to attack through 25th Div toward Aritao while Philippine guerrilla forces seize Cervantes. Each will then be prepared to move into Cagayan Valley. 25th Div and 32d Div have security missions. 129th Inf, 37th Div, motors to Santa Fe for drive on Aritao.

On Mindanao, in the U.S. Eighth Army's X Corps area, 19th Inf of 24th Div opens westward drive on Mandog, last enemy defensive position at N edge of Davao Plain, employing 3d Bn and assisted by aircraft.

On Okinawa, in U.S. Tenth Army's III Amphib Corps area, 6th Mar Div drives eastward with 29th Marines on left and 22d on right. 22d Marines crosses canal into E Naha, where enemy is prepared to make a stand. 1st Bn of 5th Marines, 1st Mar Div, takes Shuri Ridge, south of Wana Draw, and crosses into 77th Div zone to occupy undefended Shuri Castle at 1015. Bypassing enemy opposition, 1st Marines moves forward and relieves 1st Bn, 5th Marines. In XXIV Corps area, 77th Div is pressing southward toward Shuri. On 7th Div left, 184th Inf continues to battle enemy at hill near Karadera.

U.S. Navy: Off Okinawa, kamikazes crash destroyer Shubrick (DD-639), 26°38'N, 127°05'E, and high speed transport Tatum (APD-81), 26°40'N, 127°50'E; groundings account for damage to motor minesweeper YMS-81, 26°16'N, 127°52'E, and tank landing ship LST-844, 26°17'N, 127°51'E.

Mine laid by B-29 sinks Japanese cargo vessel Umatsu Maru off Mutsure Jima, 34°00'N, 130°50'E, and damage army cargo ship No.6 Unyo Maru 3.6 miles off Hesaki light, 31°41'N, 129°45'E, and merchant cargo ship No.5 Nissen Maru off Mutsure Jima.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Etsunan Maru is sunk by RAF-laid mine at 10°30'N, 99°24'E; later that day, submarine Hawkbill (SS-366) torpedoes Kamiyama Maru as she picks up Etsunan Maru survivors, and forces the rescuing ship to take refuge at Cape Khokwang.

Submarine Sterlet (SS-392), despite proximity of escorting Coast Defense Ship No.65, sinks Japanese army cargo ships Kuretake Maru and Tenryo Maru, 46°46'N, 144°16'E.

USMC: The President increased the authorized strength of the the Marine Corns to 503,000. The 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, gained the crest of Shuri Ridge and secures Shuri Castle. Lt. Colonel Richard P. Ross, Jr. is photographed raising the U.S. flag atop the ruins.