On This Day
1944 > WW2
On This Day - 1944
- May 26, 1944
The Fremantle-based USS CABRILLA, (submarine), sank the Japanese transport SANYO MARU, in Macassar Strait.
- May 25, 1944
The Bathurst class minesweeper, (corvette), HMAS PARKES, was commissioned. PARKES was laid down at Evans Deakin Yard, Brisbane, on 16 March 1943, and launched on 3 October 1943.
- May 24, 1944
The Fremantle-based US Submarines GURNARD, LAPON, and RATON, sank four Japanese ships. GURNARD torpedoed the tanker TATEKAWA MARU, off Mindanao; LAPON torpedoed the transports WALES MARU and BIZEN MARU, off Saigon; and RATON sank the destroyer escort IKI, in the South China Sea.
- May 22, 1944
Task Force 74, which consisted of HMA Ships AUSTRALIA, SHROPSHIRE, ARUNTA, and WARRAMUNGA, and the US Navy vessels MULLANY and AMMEN, withdrew to Humboldt Bay, (New Guinea), to refuel, after having supported the US landings at Biak Island.
- May 17, 1944
HMA Ships QUIBERON, NAPIER and NEPAL, (destroyers), were involved in Operation Transom. This was the attack mounted by Allied aircraft and surface units on Japanese oil installations at Surabaya.
HMA Ships AUSTRALIA and HOBART, (cruisers), and ARUNTA and WARRAMUNGA, (destroyers), supported the landing of US troops on Wakde Island. Of the Japanese garrison of 760, 759 were killed, and one taken prisoner.
- May 16, 1944
HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser), bombarded Sawar Airfield, Dutch New Guinea.
- May 15, 1944
The Fremantle-based USS BONEFISH, (submarine), reported a Japanese fleet of 9 aircraft carriers, 6 battleships, 11 heavy cruisers, 2 light cruisers, and 30 destroyers, at Tawitawi in the Philippines.
- May 13, 1944
HMA Ships BARCOO, (frigate), KAPUNDA and STAWELL, (corvettes), supported by motor launches, bombarded Japanese troop fortifications at Karkar Island, New Guinea.
- May 12, 1944
HMA Ships GOULBURN, GYMPIR, STAWELL, and KAPUNDA, (corvettes), with ML431, ML806, and ML424, bombarded Karkar Island.
- May 6, 1944
CAPT H.A. Showers, RAN, assumed command of HMAS SHROPSHIRE, (cruiser).
Mrs Ruby Boye, Australia’s only woman Coastwatcher, was appointed Honorary Third Officer, WRANS.