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• Hitler postponed Operation Citadel, which ultimately would give the Soviets more time to prepare their defenses. ww2dbase [Battle of Kursk | TH]
• RAF bombers conducted a raid on Dortmund, Germany late in the night and into the next day, killing almost 700. Log book of pilot J. H. Searby noted there were "considerable flak" and that he "took ciné (35mm) film hoping to get pictures to convince the 'public' that we do bomb Germany." ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | CPC]
• The German Luftwaffe evacuation from Tunisia, Italian North Africa completed. ww2dbase [Conclusion of the Desert War | CPC]
• A posthumous award of a Victoria Cross was made to Commander John Linton of HMS Turbulent after the submarine was declared lost. Turbulent had sunk one cruiser, a U-boat and 28 supply ships as well as destroying three trains with gunfire. She had been attacked 13 times and survived 250 depth charges. ww2dbase [AC]
• German submarine U-625 spotted Allied convoy ONS 5 in the North Atlantic at about 1200 hours local time. Several German submarines gathered and began attacking at dusk and lasted through the night into the next date, sinking 7 ships (British freighters L'Orient, North Britain, Harbury, Harpurley, Bristol City, and Wentworth; US freighter West Maximus). U-630 was lost during the attacks. ww2dbase [Black May | CPC]
• The body of Glyndwr Michael was buried at the Cemetery of Solitude in Huelva, Spain as Major William Martin of the British Royal Marines. ww2dbase [Operation Mincemeat | CPC]
• USS Sunfish departed for her third war patrol. ww2dbase [Sunfish (Gato-class) | CPC]

• Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Part of 72nd Construction Battalion (72nd SeaBees) arrived on board. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]

• Satoru Anabuki, flying Ki-43 fighter "Fubuki", shot down a Hurricane fighter over Cox's Bazar, India (now Bangladesh), his 36th victory. ww2dbase [Satoru Anabuki | Cox's Bazar | CPC]

• USS Wahoo reconnoitered the northeastern tip of Etorofu, Japan (now Iturup, Russia), then damaged seaplane tender Kamikawa Maru, hitting her with 1 of 3 torpedoes. ww2dbase [Wahoo | Etorofu, Hokkaido | CPC]

• The Soviet Directorate of NKVD Troops for Guarding the Rear of the Red Army was elevated to form its own main directorate. ww2dbase [CPC]

• The "Grado" Battalion of the "San Marco" naval infantry regiment of Italian Navy was relocated to the regimental headquarters at Bizerte. Tunisia. ww2dbase [CPC]

• The Vatican Secretary of State reminded the Apostolic Delegate in London, England, United Kingdom that the Vatican opposed establishing a Jewish homeland in British Palestine due to the area's sacred status to Christianity as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. ww2dbase [CPC]

4 May 1943 Interactive Map