May 24th, 1939 (WEDNESDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: Empire Day: The Royal Navy takes over complete charge of all sea-borne aircraft, whether in aircraft carriers or in other warships, and thus the Fleet Air Arm begins its independent existence.
Minelaying submarine HMS Grampus is commissioned today. More...
Submarine HMS Seal commissioned.
Submarines HMS P-611, P-612 and P-614 laid down.
GERMANY: General Thomas in a lecture today at the Foreign Office, says that "The mightiest armament industry"; or rather he reported that out of the few factories permitted by the Treaty of Versailles there had arisen "the mightiest armament industry now existing in the world. It has attained the performances which in part equal the German wartime performances and in part even surpasses them. Germany's crude steel production is to-day the largest in the world after the Americans. The aluminium production exceeds that of America and of other countries of the world very considerably. The output of our rifle, machine gun, and artillery factories is at present larger than that of any other State."
ITALY: The prototype Reggiane Re2000 fighter makes its maiden flight.
U.S.A.: First and only use of VAdm Allan McCann's Rescue Chamber to rescue 33 men from sunken USS Squalus.