May 23, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 23 MAY 1942

Alaska: The first fighter planes lands at the newly completed Umnak Airfield.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, 7th Air Force): 31st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Hickam Field to Kipapa Field with B-17's and B-18's.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (5th Air Force): Five B-25s from 3rd BG strike Lae Airfield and buildings at Lae. Lost is B-25C 41-12491 pilot 1st Lt. Wesley E. "Wes" Dickinson (survived, 4 MIA) and B-25C 41-12462 pilot 2nd Lt Henry A. Keel (5 MIA, 1 POW).

U.S. Navy: District patrol craft YP-277 is destroyed by fire after accidentally hitting U.S. mine at French Frigate Shoals.

IJN: At dawn, Japanese submarine I-29 surfaces and launches her E14Y1 Glen floatplane that reconnoiters Sydney Harbor and reports a large concentration of Allied warships and three or four merchants and returns safely. The report is transmitted to Headquarters, Sixth Fleet in Kwajalein and as a result, the warships in Sydney Harbor will be targeted by Midget submarines.

RAAF: Lost is Hudson A16-190 pilot F/Lt Arthur E Adams (MIA) crashed into the sea off Beverley Island in the Northumberland Islands off Mackay. Lost is Wirraway A20-19.