If Only: H.M.S. Trump Sinks ...

SUN 13 MAY 1945
Pacific
Aircraft from fast carrier task force (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) begin two-day attack on Kyushu airfields.

Phase III of Operation STARVATION, a blockade of northwest Honshu and Kyushu, commences as 12 USAAF B-29s mine Shimonoseki Straits and the waters off Niigata, Japan.

Off Honshu, small carrier Bataan (CVL-29) is damaged by friendly fire, 30°30'N, 132°30'E; off Okinawa, kamikazes damage destroyer Bache (DD-470), 26°01'N, 126°53'E, and destroyer escort Bright (DE-747), 26°21'N, 127°17'E.

Submarine Baya (SS-318) attacks Palembang-bound Japanese convoy, sinking tanker Yosei Maru, 06°31'S, 111°19'E; guardboat No.17 Shonan Maru carries out unsuccessful counterattack. Although Baya claims a second ship sunk, her quarry, tanker Enoshima Maru, emerges unscathed.

Submarine Cero (SS-225) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Shinnan Maru off Todozaki, Honshu, 39°06'N, 141°57'E.

Submarine Plaice (SS-390) attacks Japanese guardboat Nisshin Maru southwest of Uruppu Island 45°30'N, 147°04'E.

British submarine HMS Trump sinks Japanese guardboat No.15 Shosei Maru at Sapudi Strait, 07°05'S, 114°13'E.

Japanese guardboat No.8 Choyo Maru is sunk by U.S. aircraft, Kumun Island 34°28'N, 127°45'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship No.2 Funakawa Maru is sunk by aircraft, 34°00'N, 128°00'E.

Mine laid by USAAF B-29 (20th Air Force) sinks Japanese tanker No.2 Takasago Maru off Wadanomisaki, 34°39'N, 135°11'E. Mines sink Japanese merchant cargo ships Kinoto Maru and Mishima Maru (off Kobe, Japan), merchant cargo ship Magane Maru (location unspecified), and damage auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 170 (off Shodo Jima), (laid by USAAF B-24) merchant cargo ship Gyoryu Maru off Kobe, 34°40'N, 135°10'E; and merchant vessel Miyajima Maru 129 miles off Ezaki light, 34°36'N, 134°59'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship Hakuju Maru is damaged by aircraft between Kurosaki and Shirohana.