May 1942 (1)

Burma Road cut by the Japanese

1 – 20 May – the Japanese 18th and 56th divisions in Burma were swift in their victory cutting through the Chinese 5th Army’s defenses and taking Mandalay.  The 33rd Division captured Monywa to the west and then drove up the Irrawaddy Valley.  On the 8th, Myitkyina, an important rail terminus and air base in the north, was taken.  Heavy monsoon rains, made jungle trails impassable and did slow the enemy down, but by 12 May, when the 20th Division arrived, Burma was conquered.  The Japanese suffered about 7,000 casualties, while the British, Indian and Burma troops lost 13,463 KIA.

Mandalay is taken.

The Australian Coastwatching Service again reported an enemy sighting past New Georgia on 2 May and the 50 Australian servicemen, at the Tulagi base in the Solomons, were evacuated.  The Japanese landed on the island the following day.  4 May, the Yorktown launched a strike group.  The enemy destroyer Kikuzuki and several smaller boats were sunk; the destroyer Yuzuki and the mine layer Okinoshima were damaged.  The enemy would turn the island into a seaplane base.

After an RAF plane dropped food, Gen. Stilwell helps to carry some bully beef out of the Uyu River.

4-6 May – as the Battle of the Coral Sea was about to begin (the first major carrier battle of the war), 3 US task Forces united to intercept a Japanese invasion group, including the carriers: Shoho, Zuikaku and Shokaku bound for Port Moresby.  As the enemy went around the Solomons, hoping to attack the Americans from the rear, they weren’t there.  US intelligence had decoded their plans in time to elude and confuse the enemy. 7 May – Task Force 44, commanded by RAdmiral Crace, (Royal Navy) turned the enemy invasion force back, but not before they managed to sink the destroyer, USS Sims, and the fleet oiler, USS Neosho.  Adm. Fletcher had split his force into two groups, which was the reason the Japanese only caught these 2 ships.  The enemy air squadron had not been detected by the Allies.

HMAS Australia being attacked

Japanese Captain Izawa made an error near Misma Island when he turned the Shoho into the wind to try and launch his planes.  He had made his ship an easy target.  The Yorktown and Lexington sent a massive air attack on the enemy carrier.  On the Yorktown the message received from Lt.Cmdr. R.E. Dixon was, “Scratch one flattop. REPEAT Dixon to carrier, scratch one flattop.”  Skillful helmswork of the HMAS Australia and the cunning of other captains of the US< New Zealand and Australia, the squadron was saved from all but superficial damage.

Shokaku under attack

8 May – major air strikes were exchanged throughout this day at a range of only 200 miles (320 km).  Dive bombers badly damaged the Shokaku, but the Yorktown was also in bad condition.  The USS Lexington was bombed and torpedoes which ruptured her gasoline tanks.  While smoke filled the air, the crew was rescued and then later sunk by other US ships.

destroyers assisting Lexington

This left Commander William Ault in the sky without a carrier to return to and far too distant from land.  Both Ault and his radio-gunner, William T. Butler, apparently suffered wounds when Zeros attacked their SBD Dauntless.  The Lexington heard his distress call, but he was not on the radar.  Ault radioed to “the Lady Lex”: “O.K.  So long people.  We put a 1,000-pound hit on the flattop… flying low on fuel and nowhere to land…”  Their reply was, “Good Luck.”  Neither man was ever seen again and the wreckage was never found.  Comdr. Ault received the Navy Cross posthumously.

9 May – the Japanese and Americans broke contact, with shipping losses to both sides.  The enemy put their plans for expansion to Papua and the Solomons on hold.  The Japanese lost 77 planes, 1074 men and the light carrier Shoho.  The US Navy lost 66 planes, 543 KIA, one tanker and destroyer sunk and damage to the Yorktown.  The overall result of the battle was the first major Japanese reversal in the war.

Click on images to enlarge. ################################################################################ updated – Military Humor – 

Safety first with the new PT belts!

    ############################################################################### Farewell Salutes –    Marvin Barnes – Mesa, CO; US Army, Korea, MP

John Como – Nashua, NH; US Army Med. Corps, 99th Evac Hospital, WWII, Bronze Star

Harry Davis – Dyer, AR; US Army, Korea

Christian Delionback – Birmingham, AL; US Air Force

Jerry Heinz – Tarboro, NC; US Army, Company F/187th RCT, Korea

Marjorie Johnson – Almeda, CA; US Army WACS, WWII

Wayne Kessel – Abbottstown, PA; US Army Air Corps, HQ2/11th A/B

Thornton Lounsbury – Toronto, CAN; US Navy, WWII

Michael Marino – Jupiter, FL; USMC (Ret. 40 years), Sgt.

Sebastiano ‘Buster’ Paciocco – Honeoye, NY; US Army, Cpl, WWII, ETO

Lloyd Tatton – Pukekohe, NZ; NZ Army # 514720

Thaddaeus Wozniak – Whitfield, AUS; SAS British Army # 2105322

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