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• British bombers attacked East Frisian Islands (Ostfriesische Inseln) in northwestern Germany. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | CPC]
• After suffering many submarine sinkings during May 1943, German Admiral Karl Dönitz ordered a temporary halt to submarine operations in the North Atlantic to regroup and re-evaluate tactics. ww2dbase [Black May | CPC]
• Bunker Hill was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Bunker Hill | CPC]
• The United States Marine Corps abolished its glider program. ww2dbase [CPC]
• USS Cabrilla was commissioned into service with Commander Douglas Thompson Hammond in command. ww2dbase [Cabrilla | CPC]

• British destroyer HMS Active (H 14), escorting Allied convoy KMF-15, sighted Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci in the Atlantic Ocean at 1130 hours. Shortly after, frigate HMS Ness (K 219), escorting Allied convoy WS-30 which sailed together with KMF-15, also sighted her. Leonardo da Vinci submerged, and HMS Active attacked with 10 depth charges at 1143 hours. At 1150 hours, HMS Ness joined in with 10 depth charges of her own. At 1158 hours, HMS Active dropped 10 depth charges. At 1212 hours, HMS Ness dropped 10 depth charges. At 1223 hours, HMS Active dropped 10 depth charges. At 1240 hours, wreckage, life jackets, coffee tins, and human remains were observed. At 1305 hours, HMS Ness dropped 10 depth charges. Leonardo da Vinci, with her crew of 9 officers and 54 ratings, was never heard from again. ww2dbase [Leonardo da Vinci | Black May | HM]

• Five B-17 and six B-24 bombers attacked Rabaul, New Britain with 17 tons of bombs between 0030 and 0145 hours, hitting Lakunai, Rapopo, and Vunakanau airfields. One B-24D bomber crashed at Port Moresby, Australian Papua upon its return at 0530 hours, killing all aboard. ww2dbase [Rabaul, New Britain | CPC]

• From Port Moresby, Australian Papua, Ennis Whitehead sent George Kenney a request for setting up regular reconnaissance flights over Rabaul, New Britain using F-5 (P-38) aircraft. ww2dbase [Port Moresby | CPC]

• Japanese 39th Division completed the crossing of the Yangtze River near Pianyan, Hubei Province, China. ww2dbase [Battle of Exi | Pianyan, Hubei | CPC]

• Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Part of Torpedo Squadron 12 (VT-12) on board. (F4U-1) [sic] ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]
• USS Wahoo departed Pearl Harbor, US Territory of Hawaii. ww2dbase [Wahoo | Honolulu, Oahu | CPC]

• Irako departed Kure, Japan for Truk, Caroline Islands with armed merchant cruiser Aikoku Maru in escort. ww2dbase [Irako | Kure, Hiroshima | CPC]

• USS Whale conducted a reconnaissance mission on Rota, Mariana Islands between Tinian and Guam. ww2dbase [Whale | Rota | CPC]

• SS-Hauptsturmfuehrer Dr. Josef Mengele arrived at Auschwitz Concentration Camp. He was soon to begin experiments on prisoners. ww2dbase [Auschwitz Concentration Camp | Discovery of Concentration Camps and the Holocaust | Oswiecim | CPC]

• USS Bluefish was commissioned into service with Commander George E. Porter in command. ww2dbase [Bluefish | CPC]
• George Washington Carver was delivered to the United States Maritime Commission. ww2dbase [George Washington Carver | CPC]

24 May 1943 Interactive Map