Mines Sink Ships

THU 24 MAY 1945
Pacific
Aircraft from TF 58 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) attack airfields in southern Kyushu.

Japanese aircraft attack U.S. positions and ships at Okinawa; strikes continue on 25 May. Kamikazes damage destroyer escort William C. Cole (DE-641), 26°45'N, 127°52'E; high speed transport Sims (APD-50), 26°00'N, 127°00'E; and large support landing craft LCS(L)-121; friendly fire damages destroyer Heywood L. Edwards (DD-663), 26°20'N, 127°43'E. Escort carrier Suwannee (CVE-27) is damaged when plane landing on her flight deck explodes upon landing, 24°00'N, 124°00'E.

PBMs sink Japanese Special Coast Defense Ship No.21 off China coast, 20°58'N, 110°30'E.

Thirty USAAF B-29s mine Shimonoseki Straits and the waters off Niigata, Nanao, and Fushiki, Japan. Mine laid by USAAF B-29 (20th Air Force) sinks Japanese cargo vessel No.14 Kaishin Maru west of the mouth of Kammon Channel, 34°31'N, 130°54'E. Mines sink Japanese merchant cargo ships Fukuei Maru off Shodo Jima, Kinryuzan Maru off Moji, Tatsufuku Maru off Hesaki, Inaba Maru west of Oshima, Kagawa prefecture, and (USAAF B-29-laid mine) merchant tanker No.7 Nanko Maru off Motoyamamisaki, 33°55'N, 131°20'E; and damage transport (ex-seaplane carrier) Kiyokawa Maru off Motoyamamisaki, and merchant cargo ships Nitcho Maru 44 kilometers southwest of Onna Jima, Yamazumi Maru at 34°05'N, 130°51'E, and No.2 Tomoe Maru at 32°52'N, 129°15'E.