May 1st, 1944 (MONDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: London: A Yugoslav military mission from Tito arrives for consultations on closer co-operation with the Allies.
Commonwealth prime ministers also meet to discuss the progress of the war.
U.S.S.R.: The highest Soviet military command, Stavka, formulates the political goals of the strategic strikes of the coming summer: "to purge our country of fascist invaders and reach the Barents Sea - Black Sea line".
PACIFIC OCEAN: Seven US battleships accompanied by destroyers under the commandCAROLINE ISLANDS: The US Navy's Task Force 58 has destroyed about 120 Japanese planes, half on the ground, in a two-day attack on Truk.
CANADA: Corvettes HMCS Calgary and Moose Jaw departed Halifax for Western Approaches Command Greenock.
Maintenance ships HMS Beachy Head, Flamborough Head, Berry Head, Hartland Point, Duncansby Head, Girdle Ness, Dodman Point, Fife Ness, Portland Bill, Spurn Point, Selsey Bill, Mull of Galloway, Rame Head, Mull of Kintyre, Rattray, Mull of Oa, Buchan Ness, Dungeness, Orford Ness, Tarbat Ness and Cape Wrath ordered in Canada.
Tug HMCS Glenbrook laid down Owen Sound, Ontario.
U.S.A.: The 442nd RCT ships out of Hampton Roads, Virginia, Port of Embarkation to Europe. (Gene Hanson)
Destroyer escorts USS French and Alvin C Cockrell laid down.
Aircraft carrier USS Oriskany laid down.
Submarine USS Macabi laid down.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: At 0411, the unescorted Janeta was torpedoed and sunk by U-181 about 900 miles SW of Ascension Island. The U-boat misidentified the ship as Banavon. Nine crewmembers and four gunners were lost. The master, 31 crewmembers and three gunners were rescued; the master, the third officer and eight survivors were rescued and landed at Bahia on 14 May. 15 more survivors were picked up by the Swedish MS Freja about 150 miles south of Bahia and landed at Rio de Janeiro. Ten survivors were picked up on 12 May by destroyer escort USS Alger and landed at Bahia.
U-277 sunk
in the Arctic Ocean SW of Bear Island, Norway, in position 73.24N, 15.32E, by
depth charges from a 824 Sqn Swordfish
from escort carrier HMS Fencer. 50 dead (all hands lost).