Hitler Takes A Powder

MON 30 APR 1945
Europe
Grossadmiral Karl Doenitz proclaims himself head of the German state by Hitler's appointment.

Sometime during April 1945 (exact dates indeterminate), USAAF and British aircraft sink German submarines U-3525 in the Baltic; U-1131 and U-1227 at Kiel, Germany; and U-677, U-982, and U-2516 at Hamburg, Germany.

Atlantic
Destroyer escorts Thomas (DE-102), Bostwick (DE-103), Coffman (DE-191), and frigate Natchez (PF-2) sink German submarine U-548 off Virginia, 36°34'N, 74°00'W.

PBY (VP 63) sinks German submarine U-1055 west of France, 48°00'N, 06°30'W.

Pacific
Off Okinawa, kamikazes damage destroyer Bennion (DD-662), 27°26'N, 127°51'E, and minelayer Terror (CM-5), 26°10'N, 127°18'E. One suicide plane damages U.S. freighter S. Hall Young in Nago Bay; there are no fatalities among the crew, passengers, and 12-man Armed Guard.

Destroyer Jenkins (DD-447) is damaged by mine off Tarakan, Borneo, 03°12'N, 117°37'E.

Submarine Trepang (SS-412), despite proximity of three escorting coast defense ships, attacks Japanese convoy MOSI-05, sinking transport Miho Maru in Yellow Sea, 34°27'N, 123°48'E.

Japanese army tanker Yuno Maru is sunk by mine [laid by submarine Guitarro (SS-363) on 20 April 1945 or Dutch submarine O-19 on 13 April 1945] off east coast of Sumatra, 01°00'S, 104°30'E.

Japanese auxiliary minelayer Nuwashima is damaged by aircraft southeast of Dainyu-Jima, Saeki.

Japanese merchant cargo ship No.18 Yamabishi Maru is damaged by mine, off Wakamatsu light.

USAAF B-24s (13th Air Force) sink Japanese transport (ex-seaplane carrier) Kunikawa Maru (previously damaged by Australian mine) in Balikpapan Bay, 01°15'S, 116°50'E.