World War II Database

• Home
• » Events
• » WW2 Timeline
• » 19 May 1943

• German propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels declared Berlin Judenfrei ("Free of Jews"). In truth, about 2,000 to 3,000 Jews were in hiding in Berlin, while another 18,000 Germans of mixed Jewish heritage were living in Berlin legally. ww2dbase [Joseph Goebbels | CPC]
• USS Gar reported sinking a Japanese sampan in daylight with her deck gun. ww2dbase [Gar | CPC]
• In the North Atlantic, as German submarines began to form an attack formation against Allied convoy SC 130, Liberator bombers of No. 120 Squadron RAF pre-emptively struck them, breaking up the attack. The convoy was met by additional 3 frigates and 1 sloop as reinforcement. ww2dbase [Black May | CPC]
• Sproston was commissioned into service. ww2dbase [Sproston | CPC]
• 30 TBF Avenger aircraft of US Marine Scout-Bomber Squadron 143 and US Navy Tropedo Squadron 11 mined waters off Buin, Bougainville, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Solomon Islands Campaign | CPC]
• USS Pollack sank Japanese ship Bangkok Maru in the Gilbert Islands with three of four torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Pollack | CPC]
• Robert Johnson engaged in combat with German fighters over Europe. ww2dbase [Robert Johnson | CPC]

• Japanese 3rd Corps gathered at Chayuansi, Hunan Province, China, preparing for a planned offensive. On the Chinese side, Chen Cheng, commanding officer of the Chinese 6th War Area, returned to the region and reassumed command. ww2dbase [Battle of Exi | Chayuansi, Hunan | CPC]

• Kamoi departed Sibolga, Sumatra, Dutch East Indies; she would arrive at Padang to the south later on the same day. ww2dbase [Kamoi | Sibolga, Sumatra | CPC]

• US B-17F bomber 'Memphis Belle' became the second aircraft to complete 25 combat missions after attacking Kiel, Germany. ww2dbase [B-17 Flying Fortress | Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein | CPC]
• Fanni Luukkonen was awarded Order of the German Eagle by Adolf Hitler. ww2dbase [Fanni Luukkonen | CPC]
• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against the shipbuilding yards at Kiel, Germany. ww2dbase [RAF Thurleigh | Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Kiel | DS]

• Destroyer USS Saufley arrived at Efate, New Hebrides. ww2dbase [Saufley | Efate | DS]

• Destroyer USS Cummings arrived at Caliope Dock, Devonport Navy Yard, Auckland, New Zealand for a brief overhaul. ww2dbase [Cummings | Auckland | DS]

• While transiting toward her patrol area south of Japan, submarine USS Saury ran into the edges of a typhoon. ww2dbase [Saury | DS]

• USS Alabama arrived at Scapa Flow, Scotland, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Alabama | Scapa Flow | Scapa Flow, Scotland | CPC]

• Gato-class submarine USS Silversides put into Johnson Island, took aboard 11,000 gallons of fuel oil, and departed again on her way to her patrol area. ww2dbase [Silversides | Johnson Island | DS]

19 May 1943 Interactive Map