21 May 1945 | World War II Database

21 May 1945

Heinrich Himmler was arrested by British troops near Bremen, Germany as he attempted to disguise himself as refugee "Heinrich Hitzinger" and flee with the masses. ww2dbase [Heinrich Himmler | CPC]
Japanese traditional and special attacks damaged five Allied ships off Okinawa, Japan. ww2dbase [Okinawa Campaign | CPC]
USS Charr arrived at the naval base at Subic Bay, Luzon, Philippine Islands, ending her second war patrol. ww2dbase [Charr | CPC]
USS Wake Island departed Guam, Mariana Islands for Okinawa, Japan. ww2dbase [Wake Island | CPC]
USS Missouri departed Guam, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Missouri | CPC]
USS Chub sank a Japanese ship in the Java Sea, hitting her with one of five torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Chub | CPC]
Rear Admiral Russell Berkey broke his flag aboard USS Nashville. ww2dbase [Nashville | CPC]

Hawaii

Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Carrier Air Group 91 (CVG-91) departed. Escort Carrier Air Group 33 (CVEG-33) arrived on board. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]

Japan

Prince Kotohito passed away in Odawara, Kanagawa, Japan. ww2dbase [Kotohito | Odawara, Kanagawa | CPC]

Taiwan

US Far East Air Force B-25 bombers attacked targets in the town of Kagi (now Chiayi), Taiwan. ww2dbase [Kagi, Tainan | CPC]

United States

Escort carrier USS Bogue arrived at Norfolk, Virginia. ww2dbase [Norfolk Navy Yard | Bogue | Norfolk, Virginia | DS]

US Pacific Islands

USS Hackleback departed Midway Atoll for her second war patrol. ww2dbase [Hackleback | Midway Bases | Midway | CPC]

Photo(s) dated 21 May 1945

View of airstrip on Tarakan, Borneo, showing extensive damage sustained during battle and some reconstruction efforts commited by 1st and 8th Airfield construction Squadrons of RAAF, 21 May 1945

Two days after all internees were evacuated from Bergen-Belsen, the last hut was set alight by a British flame thrower and burned to the ground due to the thick presence of typhus and lice, 21 May 1945.

USS Lexington (Essex-class) at anchor in Puget Sound, Washington, United States, 21 May 1945 following extensive repairs at the Navy Yard in Bremerton.

21 May 1945 Interactive Map

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis

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