May 30, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SATURDAY, 30 MAY 1942

India: Japanese TF (2 transports, 2 carriers, 2 CA's, 3 DD's) leaves Japan for Aleutians, where it is to create a diversion for the invasion of Midway and land small forces on W Aleutians.

ALASKA (11th Air Force): 77th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 28th Composite Group based at Elmendorf Field begins operating from Umnak with B-26's.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (10th Air Force): B-17s bomb Myitkyina Airfield. Again no activity is observed and the attacks are discontinued. HQ 7th Bombardment Group transfers from Karachi to Dum Dum.

IJN: Japanese submarine I-16 launches Type A Midget Submarine under the command of Lt. Katsusuke Iwase and Japanese submarine I-20 launch HA-20 Type A Midget Submarine (M20b) under the command of Lt Saburo Akieda for an attack against Allied shipping inside Diego-Suarez Bay (Antsiranana Bay) on Madagascar.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, 7th Air Force): 7th Air Force begins flying B-17E Flying Fortresses from Hawaii begin flying to Midway Airfield ahead of an expected attack on Midway Atoll. 394th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) transfers from Hickam Field to Bellows Field with B-17s.

U.S. Navy: Task Foirce 17 (TF 17) under Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher formed around carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5) departs Pearl Harbor to join Task Force 16 (TF 16) already underway for a position northeast of Midway.

Submarine USS Pompano (SS-181) sinks Japanese army transport Atsuta Maru in East China Sea east of Okinawa, 26°07'N, 129°06'E, and survives counterattack by escort.

IJN: Japanese TF (2 transports, 2 carriers, 2 CA's, 3 DD's) departs Japan bound for the Aleutians, where it is to create a diversion for the invasion of Midway and will land forces in the western Aleutian Islands.

New Zealand: An Initial detachment of U.S. personnel arrives at New Zealand.