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• George Patton launched Operation Cowboy in Hostau, Czechoslovakia, rescuing 1,200 horses, including 375 of the Lipizzan breed, from potential Soviet slaughter. ww2dbase [George Patton | CPC]
• German troops on Crete, Greece surrendered. ww2dbase [Germany's Surrender | TH]
• General Andrey Vlasov was turned over to the Red Army after being captured by the Americans. ww2dbase [TH]
• British troops landed at St Hélier in Jersey, Channel Islands. ww2dbase [CPC]
• US Army troops landed on Torishima, Ryukyu Islands, Japan. ww2dbase [Okinawa Campaign | CPC]
• Australian Corporal John Mackey destroyed three machine gun nests at Tarakan, Borneo, that had been holding up his comrades. Many Japanese were killed or forced to retreat, but Corporal Mackey would pay the ultimate price for his bravery. Posthumously he was awarded the Victoria Cross. ww2dbase [AC]
• Alfred Ernest Snow was name the British Military Administrator of the Channel Islands. ww2dbase [CPC]
• USS Bailey arrived at Morotai, refueled, and departed the same day as a convoy escort returning to Tarakan Roads, Borneo, Dutch East Indies. ww2dbase [Bailey | DS]

• Japanese hospital ship Hikawa Maru departed Kure, Japan. ww2dbase [Hikawa Maru | Kure, Hiroshima | CPC]
• Japanese special attack aircraft damaged USS New Mexico off Okinawa, Japan; 54 were killed, 119 were wounded. ww2dbase [New Mexico | Okinawa Campaign | Okinawa | CPC]
• USS Wichita was damaged by friendly fire off Okinawa, Japan. ww2dbase [Okinawa Campaign | Okinawa | CPC]

• Allied convoy JW-67 departed Clyde, Scotland, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Arctic Convoys | Clyde, Scotland | CPC]
• Air Vice Marshal John Whitley succeeded Donald Bennett as Air Officer Commanding of No. 8 (Pathfinder) Group of RAF Bomber Command. ww2dbase [AC]
• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh sent 25 aircraft on observation flights to Western Germany. These tours were organized in order to show ground personnel throughout the United Kingdom some of the bomb damage done to the Reich. All flights were completed without incident. ww2dbase [RAF Thurleigh | Thurleigh, England | DS]

• Joseph Rochefort reported to Admiral Ernest King's office on the situation of Japanese war materials, noting, among other things, that Japan had nearly depleted its supply of coal while aluminum and oil stockpiles were running low. ww2dbase [Joseph Rochefort | Washington | CPC]

12 May 1945 Interactive Map