Limeys On Warpath

WED 16 MAY 1945
Pacific
Thirty USAAF B-29s mine Shimonoseki Straits and the waters off Miyazu and Maizuru, Japan.

Escort carrier Shipley Bay (CVE-85) is damaged in collision with oiler Cache (AO-67) off Okinawa, 25°00'N, 130°00'E.

Avengers from British escort carrier HMS Emperor sight and attack Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro heading into Malacca Strait; subsequently, British destroyers HMS Saumarez, HMS Venus, HMS Verulam, HMS Vigilant, and HMS Virago sink Haguro 55 nautical miles west-southwest of Penang, Malaya, 04°49'N, 99°42'E, as the enemy ship, in company with destroyer Kamikaze (which is damaged in the engagement) is evacuating troops from Port Blair to Singapore.

Submarine Hawkbill (SS-366) sinks Japanese minelayer Hatsutaka off east coast of Malaya, 04°49'N, 103°31'E.

Submarine Raton (SS-270) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Eiju Maru in Yellow Sea off west coast of Korea, 37°34'N, 124°13'E.

Japanese merchant cargo ship No.5 Yamanami Maru is sunk by mine laid by USAAF B-29s (20th Bomber Command) off Wadanomisaki, 34°36'N, 135°08'E.