4 May 1942

UNITED KINGDOM: Exeter: Exeter was bombed again last night in the latest of a series of raids in reprisal for the RAF's bombing of the historic cities of Lubeck and Rostock at the end of March. Exeter was first to suffer, on 24 April, followed by Bath, Norwich and York.

Many people died in last night's raid, which wrecked the old centre of Exeter. One German official has said these attacks are "Baedeker raids", aimed at British towns designated of great cultural interest in the Baedeker guides. But his nickname seems to confirm that the Nazis as vandals; Goebbels is furious at this propaganda own-goal.

NETHERLANDS: Amsterdam: In a nationwide crackdown on the growing and anti-Nazi resistance movement in Holland, the Germans today executed 72 members of the Dutch underground by firing squad. Seven others were sentenced to life imprisonment. Army officers were among the victims.

A German statement broadcast on Hilversum radio said that the men were found guilty of making contact with Germany's enemies and possessing arms and explosives. The executions are seen as evidence that the Nazis have given up hope of persuading the Dutch to support Hitler's New Order.

BURMA: Akyab is evacuated by the British. The Chinese are defeated at Tating on the Burma River and at Bhano on the Irrawaddy River.

The collapse of the bid to establish a firm Allied defensive line in central Burma has led to the final phase of the military campaign. Today the Japanese took Akyab; the last port in Burma is now in enemy hands. The Japanese capture of Lashio on 29 April has cut the Burma Road to China. There remains now only an air transport kink across the "hump" from Dinjan to Kunming. Elements of the Chinese armies operating in Burma have reached Ledo from Myitkyina. The bulk of their formations have crossed into China.

COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: The Japanese bombardment of Corregidor becomes intense in preparation for the eventual landings. In 24 hours, Japanese artillery fires 16,000 shells at US positions.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The Battle of the Coral Sea begin. Aircraft from the USS Yorktown attack Japanese Naval forces off Tulagi in the Solomon Islands.
Beginning at 0845 hours, 28 Douglas SBD Dauntlesses of Bombing Squadron Five (VB-5) and Scouting Squadron Five (VS-5) and 12 Douglas TBD Devastators of Torpedo Squadron Five (VT-5), escorted by Grumman F4F Wildcats of Fighting Squadron Forty Two (VF-42) from the USS Yorktown (CV-5) Air Group attack a Japanese invasion flotilla and shore facilities in an around Tulagi. During the day, these aircraft sink a Japanese destroyer, a minesweeper and two auxiliary minesweepers and damage a destroyer, a minelayer, a transport and a cargo ship. The US loses three aircraft.

In another phase of Operation "MO," a Japanese invasion force bound for Port Moresby, New Guinea departs Rabaul on New Britain Island in the Bismarck Archipelago. A IJN task force consisting of the aircraft carriers HIJMS Shokaku and HIJMS Zuikaku is also in the area and is sighted by the crew of a USAAF North American B-25 Mitchell. The crew reports the ship's position but is driven off by IJN carrier-based aircraft and is unable to regain the contact.

And in a finale for the day two F4F pilots (Ed Bassett and William Leonard) from VF-42 shot down three F1M2 (later code named 'Pete') floatplanes near Tulagi. As far as I know this was the first encounter of the ubiquitous 'Pete' by USN carrier based aircraft. Joining up with the other two F4Fs of their division they then attacked the destroyer YUZUKI off the coast of Guadalcanal in a series of strafing runs, killing 10 men (including the captain) and wounding 20 more. Incendiary rounds started fires and AP rounds punched numerous holes through the hull. The YUZUKI limped back to Rabaul trailing oil. (Rich Leonard, son of the pilot)

Destroyer USS Harrison launched.

Submarine USS Rasher laid down.

Submarine USS Herring commissioned.

ATLANTIC OCEAN and CARIBBEAN SEA: German submarines sink three US freighters and three US tankers.

At 0943, the unescorted and unarmed Eastern Sword was torpedoed by U-162 about twelve miles off the Georgetown Light. Two torpedoes struck in quick succession on the port side at the #4 hold aft of the midship house, causing the ship to settle rapidly by the stern. Two minutes later water reached the decks and she sank on an even keel with 15 feet of her mainmast above water. The explosion had destroyed the radio shack, preventing the sending of a distress message. Three officers and nine crewmen of seven officers and 22 men abandoned ship in one lifeboat and landed the next day at Georgetown. One crewman was picked up from a raft by the fishing boat Ocean Star on 6 May and landed in Georgetown.

At 1742, the unescorted and unarmed Norlindo was torpedoed by U-507 about 80 miles NW of Dry Tortugas Island. One torpedo struck on the starboard side aft between the #3 and #4 hatches, causing the mainmast to fall. The ship began sinking quickly, listed to starboard and finally sank by the stern. The seven officers and 21 crewmen on board did not have the time to launch the lifeboats and jumped overboard, but five men working in the after hold went down with the ship. The survivors were picked up from four rafts by San Blas two days later and landed at Cristobal on 11 May. At the time of the attack, two tankers lay in view of the Norlindo, the Joseph M. Cudahy and Munger T. Ball, one about ten miles to the east and the other just over the horizon. Schacht questioned the survivors, even providing them supplies and then went on to chase the other ships and managed to sink both.

At 1904, U-564 torpedoed the Eclipse and observed the tanker grounded by the stern, but the ship was later salvaged.

U-456 encountered a Soviet submarine in the Arctic Sea, but neither boat attacked.