May 1, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

FRIDAY, 1 MAY 1942

Burma: Japanese occupy Monywa.

India: (10th Air Force): 10th Air Service Command of 10th Air Force (10th AF) is activated under Brig Gen Elmer E. Adler with their headquarters in New Delhi.

(5th AF): P-39 Airacobras took off from Townsville on a ferry flight via Cooktown bound for Port Moresby. The formation ran into a heavy storm near Horn Island and made force landings. Lost are P-39D 41-6951 pilot Lt. Charles Faletta (survived), P-39F 41-7215 pilot Lt. Walter Harvey (survived), P-39F 41-7216 pilot Lt. Yundt (survived) and P-39F Airacobra pilot 2nd Lt. Robert R. Love (KIA).

Three B-26s from 22nd BG including B-26 40-1446 armed with incendiary clusters or 100 pound bombs on a mission to strike Vunakanau Airfield near Rabaul but inbound to the target experienced bad weather and diverted to bomb Gasmata, the alternate target. Without opposition, the bombers made a second pass to strafe the area and before midday returned to 7 Mile Drome.

U.S. Army: The Japanese Army on Mindanao driving northward along Route 1 gains control of that highway as far N as Lake Lanao and virtually eliminates 61st Inf (PA). Other forces continue E unopposed toward Sayre Highway at Kabacan. Fighting in eastern Mindanao continues indecisively. Japanese planes and artillery begin the final phase of preinvasion bombardment of Corregidor.

U.S. Navy: Admiral William D. Leahy ends his service as Ambassador to Vichy France.

USMC: 8th Defense Battalion (reinforced) arrives on Wallis from Tutuila.

USS Grenadier (SS-210) mistakenly torpedoes and sinks Soviet merchant ship Angarstroi about 90 miles west-southwest of Nagasaki, Japan, 32°00'N, 129°25'E.

Submarine Triton (SS-201) torpedoes and sinks Japanese army cargo ship Calcutta Maru about 180 miles north-northwest of Formosa, 28°06'N, 123°47'E.