MAY 1942
May 1 . Eleven Japanese transports set sail from Rabaul for Port Moresby invasion escorted by 7 cruisers and an escort carrier, Shoho .
May 1 . Japanese take Mandalay, Burma.
May 1 . Japanese code book change, rescheduled from Apr 1, is further delayed.
May 2 . Australian seaplane base at Tulagi (Guadalcanal) evacuated.
May 2 . Japanese troops occupied Mandalay Burma.
May 3 . Japanese take Tulagi, Florida Island, Solomons.
May 4 . Yorktown (TF 17, Fletcher) attacks Tulagi, forcing temporary Japanese withdrawal.
May 4 . Japanese land 2,000 troops on Corregidor, P.I.
May 5 . Yorktown and Lexington join up south of Tulagi.
May 5 . Corregidor surrenders, 13,000 soldiers, last of the Philippine defenses.
May 5 . British land on Vichy Madagascar.
May 5 . IJN Junyo commissioned - Dutch Harbor, Kiska, Santa Cruz, Guadalcanal, Philippine Sea.
May 6 . US carriers meet-up with Australian cruisers, set up ambush for Jomard Passage.
May 7 . Japanese carriers attack US oiler Neosho and destroyer Sims thinking they are a carrier and cruiser.
May 7 . US carriers attack escort carrier Shoho thinking it was the main force.
May 7 . Australian cruiser force sent ahead to block Japanese invasion fleet.
May 7 . Both sides decide against a night battle and prepare for dawn air attacks.
May 7 . Flying Tigers (AVG) stop Japanese advance at Salween River which becomes front line until 1944..
May 8 . Battle of Coral Sea is fought with Japanese in squalls and USN in sunlight. Shokaku damaged and retires. Both US carriers hit. Later, gas explodes in Lexington and abandoned. pic Carrier groups of both sides retire.
May 8 . Aussie cruiser force fight off land based air attack. Japanese invasion fleet, without air cover, withdraws.
May 8 . The Battle of Coral Sea is the first time the Japanese Navy is stopped from an objective. Japs fare better in the battle, but lost the opportunity to take Port Moresby on south coast of New Guinea and to raid Australia. US convoy route to Australia remains open. Both Japanese carriers will miss Battle of Midway next month, whereas Yorktown will participate in that victory.
May 9 . Zuikaku ordered to pursue any remaining of American fleet.
May 9 . Wasp (CV-7) again ferries 47 RAF Spitfires to Malta.
May 10. Japanese Invasion force departs Rabaul for Ocean & Nauru Islands.
May 10. Churchill warns German against using poison gas in Russia.
May 10. Test to extend range of fighters by towing as gliders behind bomber.
May 10. Ranger (CV-2) launches 60 P-40 Warhawks to Accra, Africa destined for India.
May 11. Invasion flagship Okinoshima sunk by S-42. Jap force retires.
May 11. Yorktown heads for Tongatabu and temporary repair.
May 11. Enterprise and Hornet arrive near New Hebrides.
May 11. Zuikaku task force withdrawn.
May 11. Codebreaker Rochefort determines Japanese buildup is to attack Midway.
May 12. Washington disagrees.
May 12. U-507 sinks American tanker Virginia at mouth of Mississippi River.
May 12. Soviet Army makes first major offensive taking Kharkov, Ukraine.
May 13. First pre-flight schools established at the Univ of North Carolina and Univ Iowa.
May 14. Tangier (AV-8) sets up at Noumea with flying boats, release carriers from scouting duty.
May 15. Enterprise and Hornet (Halsey) scare off invasion force for Ocean & Nauru, Phosphate Islands.
May 15. Gasoline rationing limits sales to 3 gallons per week for non-essential use.
May 16. Allied 900 mile retreat from Burma to India completed with over 50% losses.
May 16. Enterprise and Hornet ordered back to Pearl.
May 17. Japanese plans to invade Midway with 200 ships including 11 BB, 8 CV, 23 CA, 65 DD, 20 SS.
May 17. French colonies of New Caledonia declare for Allies, but many spy for Vichy.
May 18. Halsey ordered to expedite return as Japanese troops mass at Saipan for invasion of Midway.
May 18. British refuse to send 1 of 3 carriers from Madagascar to SWPac.
May 18. Japanese Phase 3 plans to occupy Fiji, Samoa, & New Caledonia.
May 19. Midway Island told to claim water shortage by insecure code.
May 19. Japanese sub-based seaplanes scout Fiji and Zanzibar.
May 20. Japanese complete conquest of Burma.
May 20. RAdm J. S. McCain, Commander Aircraft, (Senator's grandfather) to direct the operations of tender and shore-based aviation in the South Pacific area.
May 20. Japanese report "AF" short on water; confirms Midway is site of attack.
May 21. U-boat attacks on tankers in Atlantic Coast and Caribbean at height.
May 21. North Pacific force established: 2 CA, 3 CL, 4 DD added to 9 DD, 5 SS and 107 aircraft.
May 22. Five I-class submarines with 4 minisubs and 1 airplane enroute to Sydney.
May 23. Plan of attack on Midway and Aleutians known, extent of forces not known.
May 24. All warships from Coral Sea recalled to Pearl Harbor.
May 25. Carlson's Raiders arrive Midway on St. Louis (CL-49).
May 26. Kittyhawk (APV-1) delivers 23 Marine aircraft, 5 light tanks to Midway.
May 26. Enterprise & Hornet arrive Pearl Harbor. VAdm Halsey ill, replaced by RAdm Spruance.
May 26. Last pro-Axis leader overthrown in French islands. Sympathizers report ship movements.
May 26. Test of JATO, jet-assisted takeoff, on Brewster F2A Buffalo reduced the takeoff distance by half.
May 26. Tank battle at Bir Hakeim between African Corps and Free French, allows reinforecement of Tobruk.
May 27. Yorktown arrives Pearl drydock. 1,400 dockworkers perform 3 months of repair in 2 days.
May 27. Marine Fighter Squadron 212 initiated operations from Efate. New Hebrides.
May 28. Enterprise and Hornet sail for Midway.
May 28. Japanese carriers sail. Japanese code books finally changed.
May 28. Mini-sub attack on Madagascar, torpedoes battleship HMS Ramillies and tanker British Loyalty.
May 29. 15 transports depart Saipan for invasion of Midway.
May 30. 8 transports depart Honshu for Aleutians.
May 30. Yorktown, hull watertight and replenished, sails for waters north of Midway.
May 30. Japan's main body fleet, including largest battleship in the world, depart Hiroshima for Midway.
May 30. First RAF 1,000 plane raid over Germany. 1,047 bombers hit Cologne.
May 31. Japanese midget sub attack at Sydney sinks ferry.
May 31. Battleships Maryland and Colorado patrol 650 mile west of San Francisco. < April   June >