1 May 1939
  • US Marine Corps aviation units Aircraft One and Aircraft Two were renamed 1st and 2nd Marine Aircraft Group, respectively. ww2dbase [CPC]
China
  • Admiral Harry E. Yarnell visited USS Astoria in the morning; in the afternoon, the cruiser departed Shanghai, China for Hong Kong. ww2dbase [Astoria (New Orleans-class) | Shanghai | CPC]
  • Chiang Kaishek ordered Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China to be taken back by 5 May 1939. He also relieved General Duan Lan of his duties for ordering his 79th Division to fall back, while General He Ping, who had also fallen back with his Chinese 16th Division, was told to redeem himself. ww2dbase [Battle of Nanchang | Nanchang, Jiangxi | CPC]
Germany
  • The German Kampfgeschwader 55 wing was formed with two groups; Major General Wilhelm S¸ssmann was named its first commanding officer. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • Hans-Joachim Marseille was promoted to the rank of Fahnenjunker-Gefreiter. ww2dbase [Hans-Joachim Marseille | CPC]
Japan
  • I-68 was recommissioned into service. ww2dbase [I-68/I-168 | CPC]
United States

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Please help us spread the word:

 Reddit
 Bluesky
 Mastodon

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds

Search WW2DB
News

Random Photograph

Georgi Zhukov as the commanding officer of the Soviet 39th Cavalry Regiment, 1923

Current Site Statistics

Famous WW2 Quote
"No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. You win the war by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country!"

George Patton, 31 May 1944


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!