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• British Prime Minister Winston Churchill formally announced that Spain would not be a target of the forthcoming Allied invasion on continental western Europe. ww2dbase [Normandy Campaign, Phase 1 | TH]
• SS official Adolf Eichmann's office in Budapest reported that 116,000 Hungarian Jews had already been deported, and another 200,000 were awaiting deportation, most of which were from Carpatho-Ruthenia and Transylvania. ww2dbase [Adolf Eichmann | CPC]
• USS Cabrilla damaged a Japanese ship east of Borneo, hitting her with 1 of 6 torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Cabrilla | CPC]
• Japanese troops penetrated Chindit defense lines near the Blackpool site in Burma. ww2dbase [Operation Thursday | CPC]
• USS Flying Fish attempted to attack a Japanese convoy; all 4 torpedoes fired missed. She was detected and was subjected to a depth charge counterattack. ww2dbase [Flying Fish | CPC]
• Destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Hopewell, USS O'Bannon, and USS Taylor departed Nouméa, New Caledonia bound for Tulagi, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Nicholas | DS]

• While sailing from Cherbourg to Le Havre, France, torpedo boats Greif, Möwe, Falke, Kondor and Jaguar were attacked by Allied aircraft early in the day. Greif was struck by two bombs and lost all power at about 0600 hours. Without power, she drifted and collided with Falke (causing little damage). Möwe attempted to tow Greif, but failed to save her as Greif sank at 0632 hours. ww2dbase [Jaguar | Falke | Kondor | Greif | Möwe | English Channel | CPC]

• Colonel Henry Kinnison received orders to pull back K Force of US 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) two miles southward behind Chinese-held lines in northern Burma. ww2dbase [Henry Kinnison | Battle of Myitkyina | CPC]

• A transport of 859 prisoners from the Pawiak prison in Warsaw, Poland arrived at Stutthof Concentration Camp in Sztutowo, occupied Danzig. ww2dbase [Discovery of Concentration Camps and the Holocaust | CPC]

• Z43 was commissioned into service with Fregattenkapitän Carl Heinrich Lampe in command. ww2dbase [Z43 | CPC]
• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against Berlin, Germany. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | RAF Thurleigh | Berlin | DS]

• Iceland's four-day plebiscite ended; the result would show that 97% of the population wished to terminate the personal union with the King of Denmark, and 95% of the population wished to establish a new republic. ww2dbase [CPC]

• Japanese troops captured Gibraltar Hill and attacked Lone Tree Hill near Imphal, India. To the north at Kohima, Indian 7th Division began an offensive against Dyer Hill, Pimple Hill, and Big Tree Hill. ww2dbase [Battle of Imphal-Kohima | Imphal, Manipur | CPC]

• US forces captured Terracina, Italy. ww2dbase [Battle of Anzio | Terracina, Lazio | TH]
• The German Senger Line south of Rome, Italy was breached by troops of Canadian 1st Infantry Division, Canadian 5th Armoured Division, and II Polish Corps. ww2dbase [Battle of Monte Cassino | CPC]
• Inigo Campioni was executed by firing squad in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. ww2dbase [Inigo Campioni | Parma, Emilia-Romagna | CPC]

• The keel of landing ship No. 158 was laid down by Hitachi Zosen. ww2dbase [No. 101/103-class | CPC]

• The Japanese submarine RO-116 was sunk 225 miles north-northwest of Kavieng, New Ireland by Hedgehog depth charges from the American destroyer escort USS England commanded by Lieutenant Commander Walton B. Pendelton. ww2dbase [HM]

• USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Wake Island. ww2dbase [Wasp (Essex-class) | Wake | CPC]

24 May 1944 Interactive Map