May 13, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 13 MAY 1942

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (5th Air Force): B-17's and B-26's bomb shipping in Simpson Harbor and Lakunai Airfield.

30th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 19th Bombardment Group (Heavy), transfers from Cloncurry to Longreach with B-17's.

P-39 Airacobras from 8th Fighter Group (8th FG) scrable to intercept A6M2 Zeros over Port Moresby. Shot down is P-39D Airacobra 41-6945 pilot 2nd Lt. Hervey Carpenter (survived).

IJN: A6M2 Zeros from Tainan Kokutai (Tainan Air Group) conduct a fighter sweep over Port Moresby. Over the target area, intercepted by P-39 Airacobras from 8th Fighter Group (8th FG). Lost is A6M2 Zero pilot P. O. 1st Class Toshiaki Honda (KIA).

U.S. Army: The U.S. Army takes responsibility for the defense of Fiji from the New Zealand Army. The rear echelon of 41st Division arrives in Australia.

U.S. Navy: Bureau of Navigation is renamed Bureau of Naval Personnel.

Submarine USS Drum (SS-228) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Shonan Maru northeast of Mikimoto on Honshu, 34°00'N, 139°00'E.

RAAF Hudsons bomb Japanese shipping off Ambon sinking auxiliary Taifoku Maru and damaging gunboat Taiko Maru.

Japanese merchant cargo vessel Nagasaki Maru is accidentally sunk by Japanese mine off Nagasaki.