17 May 1944




See all photos dated 17 May 1944
- USS Hoe damaged a Japanese freighter with 1 of 5 torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Hoe | CPC]
- USS Tunny received reports of a Japanese convoy from USS Sand Lance and intercepted the 3-ship and 3-destroyer convoy just after sunset in the Mariana Islands. She launched three torpedoes each against two cargo ships, sinking Nichiwa Maru. She endured a counterattack consisted of 81 depth charges, suffering no damage. ww2dbase [Tunny | CPC]
- USS Astoria was commissioned into service with Captain George Dye in command. ww2dbase [Astoria (Cleveland-class) | CPC]
- USS Hawkbill was commissioned into service with Lieutenant Commander F. Worth Scanland, Jr. in command. ww2dbase [Hawkbill | CPC]
- The Japanese attack on the Blackpool site of Operation Thursday in Burma was repulsed. On the same day, William Slim handed operational control of the Chindits over to Joseph Stilwell. ww2dbase [Operation Thursday | CPC]
- American, Chinese, and Kachin troops began the assault on Myitkyina, Burma. The attack began at 1000 hours, and by 1050 the airfield was captured. ww2dbase [Battle of Myitkyina | CPC]
- Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Surabaya, Java. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Surabaya, Java | CPC]
- The oil refineries at the Wonokromo district of Surabaya, Java, Dutch East Indies and the nearby Braat Engineering Works were struck by British and American carrier aircraft struck by carrier aircraft of the Royal Navy’s Eastern Fleet made up of carriers HMS Illustrious and USS Saratoga escorted by HMS Cumberland, HMS Renown, USS Cummings, and others. ww2dbase [Operation Cockpit and Operation Transom | Renown | Saratoga | Illustrious | Cummings | Cumberland | Surabaya, Java | CPC]
- German troops evacuated Cassino, Italy. Meanwhile, the French penetration of the Gustav Line reached 25 miles. Nearby, Polish troops launched what was to become the final attack on Monte Cassino. ww2dbase [Battle of Monte Cassino | Cassino, Lazio | TH, CPC]




See all photos dated 17 May 1944
17 May 1944 Interactive Map
Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis
Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you. Share this article with your friends: Stay updated with WW2DB: |
Change View
Desktop ViewSearch WW2DB & Partner Sites
News
- » Passing of Margaret Kelly (25 Jan 2021)
- » WW2DB's 16th Anniversary (29 Dec 2020)
- » Hidekazu Tamura shared his feelings toward his war time internment (2 Sep 2020)
- » See all news
Random Photograph
Current Site Statistics
- » 1,095 biographies
- » 332 events
- » 38,377 timeline entries
- » 1,131 ships
- » 337 aircraft models
- » 191 vehicle models
- » 352 weapon models
- » 118 historical documents
- » 225 facilities
- » 464 book reviews
- » 27,232 photos
- » 352 maps
Famous WW2 Quote
"All that silly talk about the advance of science and such leaves me cold. Give me peace and a retarded science."Thomas Dodd, late 1945