US NAVY
PACIFIC—In the preliminaries for the Battle of Midway,
Midway-based aircraft locate and attack Japanese transports in the Second Fleet
Escort Force about 600 miles west of Midway Island. USAAF B-17s inflict no
damage. Four PBYs set out to attack the approaching Occupation Force. Japanese
forces bearing down on Midway are under the personal direction of Admiral
Yamamoto Isoroku, Commander in Chief Combined Fleet, who wears his flag in
battleship Yamato.
As part of
the overall Midway plan, Japanese Second Strike Force (Rear Admiral Kakuta
Kikuji) bombs Dutch Harbor, Alaska; planes from carriers Ryujo and Junyo
carry out the attack. In an event whose importance only becomes clear
later, one Mitsubishi A6M2 Type 0 carrier fighter from Ryujo's air
group, most likely damaged by antiaircraft fire over Dutch Harbor, makes an
emergency landing on Akutan Island. The pilot, however, is fooled by the flat
surface upon which he is landing; it turns out to be a bog and the Zero flips
over, killing the pilot (see 10 July).
Coastal
minesweeper Bunting (AMc-7) is sunk in collision with submarine chaser PC-569,
San Francisco Bay, California.
ATLANTIC—U.S. tanker M.F. Elliott is torpedoed and
sunk by German submarine U-502 off the Florida Keys, 11°58'N, 63°33'W;13
of the 38 man civilian complement perish. Navy PBY keeps in contact with the
survivors (25 merchant seamen and the 7 man Armed Guard) into the following day
(see 4 June). U-502 takes two survivors on board for interrogation
before a Navy patrol plane compels the submarine to submerge in a hurry with
the Americans still on board. The Germans release the U.S. sailors soon
thereafter, providing them with a life raft and provisions (see 8 June).
Unarmed
U.S. fishing boats Ben and Josephine and Aeolus, en route
from Gloucester, Massachusetts to Sea Island, Nova Scotia, are abandoned and
shelled and sunk by German submarine U-432 at 43°07'N, 66°51'W (see 5
June).
Greek
steamship Constantinos H rescues 18 survivors from U.S. freighter West
Notus, attacked by German submarineU-404 on 1 June 1942 (see 4
June).
CARIBBEAN—Survivors of U.S. freighter Knoxville City, torpedoed
and sunk by German submarine U-158 on 1 June, reach La Calina, Cuba,
aided by Cuban gunboat Donativo.
ARCTIC—U.S. freighter Steel Worker is mined at Kola
Inlet, Murmansk; there are no casualties among the 36 merchant seamen or two
Navy signalmen.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
TENTH AF—A flight of 6 B‑25’s of 11th Bomb Squadron
earmarked for CATF, take off from Dinjan for China. They bomb Lashio en route
to Kunming, but afterward 3 crash into an overcast-hidden mountain at 10,000 ft
and another is abandoned when it runs out of fuel near Chan-i. The remaining 2 B‑25’s
reach Kunming, 1 with its radio operator killed by a fighter.
FIFTH AF—B‑17’s hit wharf, warehouse area, and military
camp at Rabaul.
SEVENTH AF—Preliminary action begins in Battle of Midway. 9
B‑17’s, flying out of Midway, attack 5 large warships 570 mi off Midway,
claiming 5 hits and several near misses. 7 other B‑17’s leave Oahu and fly to Midway.
ELEVENTH AF—Japanese carrierbased bombers and fighters bomb
and strafe Ft Mears and Dutch Harbor in several waves inflicting little damage
and killing 52 US personnel. P‑40’s from Cold Bay trying to intercept them arrive
10 min after the last attack wave departs. Other P‑40’s at Umnak are notified
too late due to communication failure. 9 P‑40’s and 6 B‑26’s fly patrol but
cannot find the fleet—180 mi S of Dutch Harbor—but 2 of the P‑40’s engage 4
carrier-based aircraft, shoot down one and damage another.
US ARMY
ALEUTIAN ISLANDS—Japanese
carrier-based aircraft bomb and strafe Fort Mears and Dutch Harbor, Unalaska
Island., in several waves.
MIDWAY—Battle of Midway opens when planes based there
locate and attack elements of Japanese invasion force as it approaches.
MIDDLE EAST—22d Infantry Brigade Group of British East
Africa Command sails for Madagascar to relieve British forces.
US MARINE CORPS
Japanese bomb Dutch Harbor; land on Kiska and Attu, Western
Aleutians.
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