3 May 1940
  • Dutch intelligence detected further hints of German troop gathering near its border; this information was forwarded on to Belgium. Meanwhile, in Germany, forecast of bad weather caused a postponement of the invasion. ww2dbase [Invasion of France and the Low Countries | TH]
  • Danish constituent country of Greenland sought American protection as her mother country was now occupied by Germany. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • Norwegian troops south of Trondheim surrendered to the Germans. The Allies completed the evacuation at Namsos, Norway. The British destroyer HMS Afridi, left behind to shell British vehicles on the dock that could not be evacuated, departed at 0445 hours. German aircraft found part of the evacuation fleet and attacked the convoy at 0945 hours, sinking French destroyer Bison at 1010 hours, killing 103. HMS Afridi was bombed at 1400 hours and sank 45 minutes later, killing 49 men of the crew, 13 men of 146th Brigade, and 30 rescued men of Bison. ww2dbase [Invasion of Denmark and Norway | CPC]
  • British RAF aircraft attacked German airfields in Denmark and Norway. ww2dbase [CPC]
  • U-23 completed her ninth war patrol. ww2dbase [U-23 | CPC]
Malta
  • British destroyer Garland, under repair in Malta, was loaned to the Polish Navy, which commissioned the destroyer on the same date. ww2dbase [Garland | CPC]
United Kingdom
  • British and French troops evacuated from Ã…ndalsnes, Norway arrived safely at Scapa Flow, Scotland. The French troops were transferred onto French passenger ships bound for Brest. ww2dbase [Scapa Flow | Scapa Flow, Scotland | CPC]
United States
  • Karl Bendetson was recalled to active duty in the US regular army at the rank of captain. ww2dbase [Karl Bendetsen | CPC]
Photo(s) dated 3 May 1940
Aerial view of Hickam Field looking toward Honolulu, Hawaii, 3 May 1940. The Pearl Harbor entrance channel is along the bottom of the photo and the Submarine Base can be seen at the upper left.Aerial view of Ford Island and Pearl Harbor’s East Loch anchorage, 3 May 1940. Note 8 battleships along Battleship Row and 2 more across the channel at the 1010 Dock. Note also carrier Yorktown (Yorktown-class).

3 May 1940 Interactive Map

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




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Famous WW2 Quote
"I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God, our forces stand again on Philippine soil."

General Douglas MacArthur at Leyte, 17 Oct 1944


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