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• B-17 bomber "Hell's Angels" of US 303rd Bomb Group became the first aircraft to complete 25 combat missions. ww2dbase [B-17 Flying Fortress | CPC]

• Submarine USS Growler departed Brisbane, Australia on her fifth war patrol. ww2dbase [Growler | Brisbane, Queensland | DS]

• During a bombardment of Kolombangara Island in the Solomons shortly after midnight, cruiser USS Nashville suffered an explosion inside her Number III main turret that killed 18 men and injured 17. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | Nashville | Kula Gulf, Solomon Islands | DS]

• Danish resistance fighters damaged a railway installation at Tønder, Denmark. ww2dbase [Tønder, Sønderjyllands | TH]

• British Royal Navy warships bombarded Pantelleria Island, Italy. ww2dbase [Battle of Pantelleria and Pelagie Islands | Pantelleria, Sicilia | TH]

• Yamato, Chuyo, Unyo, Myoko, Haguro, Yugure, Naganami, Samidare, and Ushio arrived at Yokosuka, Japan. Later on the same day, Yamato departed for Kure, Japan. ww2dbase [Yamato | Chuyo | Unyo | Haguro | Myoko | Yugure | Yokosuka, Kanagawa | CPC]
• Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru arrived at Yokosuka, Japan. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Yokosuka, Kanagawa | CPC]

• 26 B-24s of USAAF 44th Bomb Group launched from Benina Airfield in Libya at 0400 hours. 20 of them reached their target, the Wiener Neustadter Air Frame Works in occupied Austria. They encountered 40% cloud coverage. They dropped 159 500-pound bombs between 8,000 to 15,000 feet in altitude. The rear flight observed flame and smoke in the target area, with large buildings on fire accompanied by large explosions. The Germans had 16 anti-aircraft guns at the target area, and the firing was reported to be inaccurate. 5 to 10 Fw 190 fighters and 10 to 15 Me 109 fighters attempted to intercept during the bombers' flight back to Libya, to little effect. The bombers experienced anti-aircraft fire at Bokaloloraska in Yugoslavia and at the west end of Lake Balaton in Hungary. 1 B-24 bomber became missing, and the Germans lost 1 Me 109 and 1 Fw 190 aircraft from this action. 21 of the surviving US bombers landed at Tunis in Tunisia, and 5 landed in Sicily, Italy, all without damage. B-24 "Wing and a Prayer" piloted by 1st Lieutenant Robert J. Lehnhausen of US 68th Squadron ran out of fuel and successfully landed his B-24 on a small landing strip with many craters in Sicily, causing only minor damage to his aircraft. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Benghazi | HM]

• USS Snook sank a Japanese freighter with 1 of 2 torpedoes fired about 90 miles southeast of Jeju island, Korea in the East China Sea. ww2dbase [Snook | East China Sea | CPC]
• USS Wahoo damaged a Japanese transport east of Japan, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes. ww2dbase [Wahoo | CPC]

• The false documents found on the body of Glyndwr Michael/William Martin was returned by the Spanish to the British, ostensibly unopened but actually shared with and photographed by the Germans. ww2dbase [Operation Mincemeat | CPC]

• The remaining Axis troops surrendered in Tunisia. For the first time in the war, the British claimed more German prisoners than the number of British captives in Germany. ww2dbase [Conclusion of the Desert War | TH]

• Italian torpedo boats stationed at Yalta, Ukraine conducted their last sortie from this base. ww2dbase [Yalta, Krym | CPC]

• Squadron X of the No. 5 Group of the British Royal Air Force, led by Wing Commander Guy Gibson, received water-skipping "Upkeep" bombs for the upcoming mission against German dams in the Ruhr region. ww2dbase [Dambuster Raid | CPC]

• The keel of Bergall was laid down by the Electric Boat Company in Groton, Connecticut, United States. ww2dbase [Electric Boat Company | Bergall | Groton, Connecticut | CPC]

13 May 1943 Interactive Map