SprueStack Zero Hour: WW2 day by day

5 May 1942

What happened on this day in the Second World War, from 1939 to 1945, with a source for every entry.

About this page

Each day we list events from the Second World War that happened on that date, from 1939 to 1945. Every entry names its source and links to it, so you can read further. Entries are sourced and machine-screened before they go up, a subset is human-reviewed, and we add more over time.

7 of 9 sourced entries for this date, chosen by the editor.

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Entries

Burma

Gen Stilwell, withdrawing toward Myitkyina, learns at Indaw that railway is blocked and enemy are in Bhamo, so decides to take his party W instead to India.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Coral Sea

Yorktown rejoins Lexington and the combined naval force (the 2 carriers plus 7 CA’s, 1 CL, 13 DD’s, a oilers, and a seaplane tender) moves NW searching for enemy.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Japan

Imperial General Headquarters directs Combined Fleet to assist Army invasion of Midway and the Aleutians.

Source US Army CMH chronology (opens external site)
Heavy Japanese artillery attack on Corregidor.

Source Wikipedia (opens external site)
China-Burma-India Theater

THOR mission records show at least 10 Allied sorties (4 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1942-05-05, flown by RAF, USAAF 10th Air Force. Targets included BURMA.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.
Madagascar Theater

THOR mission records show at least 22 Allied sorties (5 recorded unit missions) in the Madagascar Theater on 1942-05-05, flown by RAF. Targets included MADAGASCAR.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.
Pacific Theater

THOR mission records show at least 2 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1942-05-05, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force. Targets included BISMARK ARCHIPELAGO.

Source US Air Force THOR (opens external site)

THOR is a secondary compilation with known gaps, not a complete record.

The full list for this date is being cleaned and will return soon.

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5 May in other years 1940 1941 1943 1944 1945

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5 May 1942

Entries

Gen Stilwell, withdrawing toward Myitkyina, learns at Indaw that railway is blocked and enemy are in Bhamo, so decides to take his party W instead to India.

Yorktown rejoins Lexington and the combined naval force (the 2 carriers plus 7 CA’s, 1 CL, 13 DD’s, a oilers, and a seaplane tender) moves NW searching for enemy.

Imperial General Headquarters directs Combined Fleet to assist Army invasion of Midway and the Aleutians.

Heavy Japanese artillery attack on Corregidor.

THOR mission records show at least 10 Allied sorties (4 recorded unit missions) in the China-Burma-India Theater on 1942-05-05, flown by RAF, USAAF 10th Air Force. Targets included BURMA.

THOR mission records show at least 22 Allied sorties (5 recorded unit missions) in the Madagascar Theater on 1942-05-05, flown by RAF. Targets included MADAGASCAR.

THOR mission records show at least 2 Allied sorties (1 recorded unit missions) in the Pacific Theater on 1942-05-05, flown by USAAF 5th Air Force. Targets included BISMARK ARCHIPELAGO.

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