Sunday, 7 June 1942

US NAVY

GENERAL—Command of naval forces is reallocated: Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, Sea Frontiers, and Special Task Forces are placed directly under Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations; Naval Local Defense Forces, Naval Transportation Service, Special Duty Ships, and Naval District Craft are made responsible to Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

PACIFIC—Submarine tender Fulton (AS-11), sent out from Pearl Harbor for the purpose, takes on board 2,015 Yorktown (CV-5) survivors at sea; light minelayer Breese (DM-18) embarks 84; destroyer Allen (DD-66) 94.

            Carrier Yorktown (CV-5) sinks as the result of heavy damage incurred on 4 and 6 June, 30°36'N, 176°34'W.

            Submarine Grouper (SS-214) is bombed (but not damaged) by USAAF B-17s.

            Japanese Kiska Occupation Force (Captain Ono Takeji) occupies Kiska, Aleutians, without opposition.

            U.S. freighter Coast Trader is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-26 about 35 miles southwest of Cape Flattery, Washington, 48°19'N, 125°40'W. Coast Guard plane (V-206) guides Canadian corvette HMCS Edmundston to the scene; Edmundston and fishing boat Virginia I rescue survivors, who include the 37 man crew and 19 man Armed Guard. One crewman dies of exposure before the survivors can be picked up.

            Damaged U.S. freighter George Cylmer, torpedoed the day before, is reboarded by her crew (see 8 June).  

ATLANTIC—Small seaplane tender Gannet (AVP-8) is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-652 off Bermuda, 35°50'N,65°38'W.

            U.S. tanker Esso Montpelier rescues the six survivors from freighter Illinois, torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-172 on 1 June.

CARIBBEAN—Unarmed U.S. freighter Edith is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-159, 14°33'N, 74°35'W. Two crewmen perish in the attack, the remainder (29 men) gather on board one lifeboat and two rafts. U-159 conducts a brief interrogation of the survivors, provide them with directions to the nearest land, and gather floating supplies before departing. Within a week's time, Edith's survivors reach Black River, Jamaica.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter Suwied is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-107 southeast of the Yucatan Channel,20°00'N, 84°48'W; 26 of the 32 man crew, and the ship's one passenger, survive the sinking (see 8 June).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

SEVENTH AF—General Tinker, CG, is lost during 6/7 Jun while leading flight of LB-30’s from Midway for predawn attack on Wake Island.

ELEVENTH AF—Japanese troops invade Attu. More troops are put ashore on Kiska. An enemy airplane is sighted over Cold Bay but cannot be intercepted.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—Brigadier General Howard C. Davison replaces Maj General Clarence L. Tinker, who was lost in Battle of Midway, as commander of Seventh Air Force.

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS—Japanese invade western Aleutians, landing some 1,800 men on Attu and Kiska.

CHINA—Continuing drive in Chekiang Province, Japanese seize Chuhsien airfield and attack city itself.

USSR—After 5 days of heavy air and artillery preparation, German Army Group South renews ground assault to clear the Crimea in preparation for main offensive on the rich Caucasus, moving against Sevastopol fortress. Local actions to improve positions in other sectors continue.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Saturday, 6 June 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Battle of Midway concludes as planes from carriers Enterprise (CV-6) and Hornet (CV-8) attack retiring Japanese force. SBDs bomb and sink heavy cruiser Mikuma (30°00'N, 173°00'E); near-misses damage destroyers Asashio and Arashio. At Admiral Spruance's expressed orders (because of the destruction of three torpedo squadrons on 4 June), TBDs (VT 6) that accompany the strike do not attack because of the antiaircraft fire from the Japanese ships. After recovering planes, TF 16 changes course to eastward to refuel and breaks contact with the enemy.

            Meanwhile, Japanese submarine I-168 interrupts salvage operations on Yorktown (CV-5), which is under tow of the tug (ex-minesweeper) Vireo (AT-144) and screened by destroyers, torpedoing Yorktown and torpedoing and sinking destroyer Hammann (DD-412) while she lies alongside the carrier (30°36'N, 176°34'W). Screening destroyers depth-charge I-168, but the Japanese boat, although damaged, escapes destruction.

            The Battle of Midway, one of the most decisive battles in naval history, marks the turning point of the Pacific War. In the wake of the battle, efforts to locate downed aviators persist over the ensuing days.

            U.S. freighter George Cylmer, disabled by a broken main shaft and drifting, is torpedoed by German motor torpedo boat Esan, launched from auxiliary cruiser Michel (Schiffe 28) at 14°28'S, 18°37'W; one crewman perishes below. George Cylmer is abandoned (see 7 and 8 June).

INDIAN OCEAN—U.S. freighter Melvin H. Baker is torpedoed by Japanese submarine I-10 approximately 45 miles off the coast of Mozambique, 21°44'S, 36°38'W; all hands abandon ship. British steamship Twickenham rescues the 48 men: 34merchant seamen, 6 man Armed Guard, and the eight passengers (six of whom had been survivors of U.S. freighter Bienville, sunk on 6 April).

ATLANTIC—Panamanian tanker Stanvac Calcutta battles German auxiliary cruiser Stier (Schiffe 23) about 500 miles off the coast of Brazil. Two of the nine man Armed Guard are wounded by shrapnel during the action; Stier rescues the survivors, ultimately transferring 26 merchant seamen and 9 Armed Guard sailors to Japanese custody. One man is sent to prison camp in Germany.

CARIBBEAN—British motor vessel Ardenvour rescues 17 survivors (13 merchant seamen and four Armed Guard sailors) from U.S. freighter Velma Lykes, sunk by German submarine U-158 on 4 June (see 10 June).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

SEVENTH AF—B‑17’s maintain search out of Midway. 6 of the Heavy Bombers mistakenly attack US submarine, which later reports no damage. More B‑17’s arrive on Midway from Oahu.

ELEVENTH AF—Various bomber search-attack missions are flown in an attempt to contact the fleet reported near Seguam Island. No contact is made due to weather. 8 P‑38’s en route from Cold Bay to Umnak mistakenly attack a USSR freighter. Japanese begin to land on Kiska.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Aircraft and pilots of 1st Pursuit Group at Morris Field return to Dow Field, following defeat of Japanese fleet in Battle of Midway.

US ARMY

MIDWAY—USS Yorktown, still under tow, is hit by torpedoes from Japanese submarine as is USS Hammann (DD), which is alongside; both vessels sink. Despite these U.S. losses, Battle of Midway is a severe setback to the Japanese and costs them the initiative.

LIBYA—Heavy, indecisive fighting occurs as enemy begins concentrating armor in Knightsbridge area, threatening Tobruk, and at the same time intensifies action against the Bir Hacheim strongpoint.

US MARINE CORPS

Japanese are decisively defeated in main Battle of Midway.

Thursday, 4 June 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—Battle of Midway opens as PBYs attack Occupation Force northwest of Midway; one PBY (VP 24) torpedoes fleet tanker Akebono Maru.

            Carrier bombers and attack planes, supported by fighters, from Japanese carriers Akagi, Kaga, Soryu, and Hiryu bomb Midway Island installations. Although defending USMC F2As and F4Fs (VMF 221) suffer disastrous losses, damage to facilities on Midway is comparatively slight. Motor torpedo boat PT-25 is damaged by strafing, Midway lagoon.

            Japanese carrier fighters and antiaircraft fire annihilates the USMC SBDs and SB2Us (VMSB 241), Navy TBFs (VT 8 detachment), and USAAF torpedo-carrying B-26s sent out to attack the Japanese carriers. USAAF B-17s likewise bomb the Japanese carrier force without success.

            TBDs (VT 8, VT 6, VT 3) from American carrier striking force (Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher, officer in tactical command) from Hornet (CV-8), Enterprise (CV-6), and Yorktown (CV-5) attack the enemy carriers. Although mauled by the defending combat air patrol (only VT 3 has fighter cover) and antiaircraft fire, they draw off the former and leave the skies open for SBDs from Enterprise and Yorktown. SBDs from Enterprise (VB 6, VS 6) bomb and sink carrier Kaga (30°20'N, 179°17'W) and bomb Akagi (Vice Admiral Nagumo's flagship); SBDs from Yorktown (VB 3) bomb and sink carrier Soryu (30°38'N, 179°13'W). Submarine Nautilus (SS-168) torpedoes carrier Kaga but her "fish” do not explode. The one carrier that escapes destruction that morning, Hiryu, launches dive bombers that bomb and temporarily disable Yorktown, forcing Rear Admiral Fletcher to transfer his flag to heavy cruiser Astoria (CA-34) and turn over tactical command to Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance. Before SBDs from Enterprise (VS 6, joined by VB 3 which is unable to operate from the immobilized Yorktown) can inflict mortal damage upon Hiryu, though, the Japanese carrier launches torpedo planes that stop Yorktown a second time and force her abandonment. Ultimately, destruction of his carrier force compels Admiral Yamamoto to abandon Midway invasion plans, and the Japanese Fleet retires westward. Japanese destroyers rescue U.S. naval aviators: Arashi picks up a TBD pilot (VT 3); Makigumo picks up an SBD crew (VS 6). After interrogation, all three Americans are subsequently murdered. One TBD pilot (VT 8), however, escapes detection and recovery by the enemy. He is rescued subsequently by a PBY.

            British submarine HMS Trusty sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Toyohashi Maru in Strait of Malacca, 07°14'N,98°06'E.

ATLANTIC—Swiss steamship Saentis rescues 18 survivors from U.S. freighter West Notus, attacked by German submarine U-404on 1 June.

            Destroyer Tarbell (DD-142) rescues 30 survivors of U.S. tanker M.F. Elliott, sunk by German submarine U-502 on 3June (see 8 June).

CARIBBEAN—U.S. freighter Velma Lykes is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-158 south of the Yucatan Channel,21°21'N, 86°36'W; the rapidity with which the ship sinks prevents lifeboats from being launched. Of the ship's 28 man merchant complement, 15 perish; the four man Armed Guard survives intact (see 6 and 10 June).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

ARMY AIR FORCES—Schedule, with tables of composition and strength, indicating total of 3,649 airplanes, is set up for AAF-in UK.

TENTH AF—2 Heavy Bombers bomb Rangoon, but are attacked by 10 fighters. 1 Heavy Bomber is shot down and the other badly damaged. This raid ends 2 months of harassing strikes against Rangoon; soon all Heavy Bombers are grounded by monsoon.

SEVENTH AF—Battle of Midway. 4 B‑26’s, in conjunction with Navy torpedo bombers, attack carrier; 2 of the Medium Bombers are shot down. In further morning action 14 B‑17’s attack a TF approaching Midway at a distance of 145 mi; they claim several hits on carriers and 2 Zeros shot down. In late afternoon 2 B‑17’s attack carrier force at 31-40N 179-10W, claiming hits on a battleship and a carrier and 3 airplanes shot down. 4 other B‑17’s claim a hit on heavy cruiser 185 mi from Midway. 6 B‑17’s, en route to Midway from Hawaii, bomb ships 170 miles from Midway, claiming hits on a burning carrier, the Hiryu, hit earlier in the battle, and a destroyer, which is claimed sunk.

ELEVENTH AF—A carrier-borne force strikes again as 11 bombers, 10 fighters, and 8 torpedo bombers attack Dutch Harbor in several waves. 2 P‑40’s intercept 4 bombers just before noon over Umnak Pass and shoot down 3. During the afternoon P‑40’s intercept 9 fighters. A dogfight claims one enemy aircraft and one P‑40, the Eleventh’s first combat casualty. AA fire claims another Japanese bomber. During the afternoon 2 B‑17’s and 5 B‑26’s attack the carrier force, and 3 more B‑26’s strike the cruiser Takao. No hits are scored. 1 B‑24 and 1 B‑25 fail to return.

US ARMY

ALEUTIAN ISLANDS—Japanese planes from carriers again attack Dutch Harbor, Unalaska Island., damaging fuel installations and a station ship. Attempts of PBY’s, B–17’s, and B–26’s to locate and attack the carriers are largely ineffective because of poor visibility, and Japanese retire southward with light losses confined to aircraft. Subsequent efforts to find the enemy TF are futile.

MIDWAY—Japanese are decisively defeated in main Battle of Midway. Enemy carrier planes (about 80 bombers and 50 fighters) strike in force, damaging installations but leaving runways intact. Midway-based planes oppose the attack and take heavy toll of enemy planes, then, together with aircraft from the 3 U.S. carriers in the vicinity, attack enemy shipping. Japanese carriers Kaga, Akagi, and Soryu are hit. Kaga sinks at once; the damaged Soryu later; Japanese scuttle the Akagi. Japanese carrier Hiryu scores damaging hits on USS Yorktown, which is abandoned and taken under tow. The Hiryu is in turn badly damaged by planes from Enterprise and Hornet and is scuttled at dawn of 5th. Plane losses are heavy on both sides.

LIBYA—British Eighth Army opens counterattack with infantry after nightfall in effort to reduce enemy salient in center of line.

US MARINE CORPS

Japanese are decisively defeated in main Battle of Midway.

Wednesday, 3 June 1942

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.

 

Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society Convention 2026

At the annual society convention, I presented “What’s it take to move a Division”.  In that presentation, I said that copies of the slides and several references would be posted on my blog.  

Here are the links.

A link to a PDF version of the slides is here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UP-19H9G7_zTnDAnU2gTetkNzBn0hqrh/view?usp=sharing

 

An Excell spread sheet with the details of the 86^th Infantry Division move from Camp Livingston, LA to Camp Cook, CA in September 1944 is here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1g8V_vGiJ41DS51yzjNGCjdDvyidZtobn/view?usp=drive_link

 

A PDF copy of the original movement memo from the National Archives is here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wy0SBlWHBP7yZsYHh3AAJWHJGqqZ17zH/view?usp=drive_link

 

The Santa Fe 1944 Railroad Map can be downloaded here (Large file 84.7 MB JPG):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zMyedt4-_J16O8d3iwzbtjeZAmyM2s5g/view?usp=drive_link

 

Technical Manual 55-205, Transportation in the Zone of the Interior, 1944 edition is available in PDF form as a free download from the Internet Archive at:

https://archive.org/details/TM55-205

 

I hope that you learned a bit about how the gears fitted together during WWII to move Army troops around the United States in cooperation with the railroads.  

 

John Barry

Phoenix, AZ

6 June 2026

Friday, 5 June 1942

US NAVY

EUROPE—U.S. declares war on Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania.

PACIFIC—Battle of Midway continues as TF 16 (Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance) pursues Japanese fleet, now without its central core of carriers, westward, while efforts proceed to try and salvage the crippled carrier Yorktown (CV-5). Motor torpedo boats from Midway fail to locate "burning Japanese carrier" located by Midway-based planes.

            Japanese carrier Akagi, damaged on 4 June, is scuttled by destroyers Nowaki, Arashi, and Hagikaze, 30°30'N,179°08'W; carrier Hiryu, likewise damaged on 4 June, is scuttled by destroyers Kazegumo and Yugumo, 31°38'N,178°51'W. Heavy cruisers Mogami and Mikuma are damaged in collision while turning to avoid shadowing submarine Tambor (SS-198), while retiring from Midway (see 6 June).

            Planes from Japanese carriers Ryujo and Junyo reprise their attack on installations at Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

            Japanese Attu Occupation Force (Rear Admiral Omori Sentaro) occupies Attu, Aleutians, without opposition.

CARIBBEAN—U.S. tanker L.J. Drake is sunk with all hands (35 merchant seamen and a six man Armed Guard) by German submarine U-68 at 17°30'N, 68°20'W, one day's steaming from Aruba, N.W.I.   

ATLANTIC—Unarmed U.S. freighter Delfina is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-172 at 22°22'N, 67°08'W; four crewmen perish. Submarine chaser PC-67 rescues 12 survivors from two rafts; the remainder (15 men in a lifeboat) reach the port of Montecristi, Dominican Republic.

            Eight survivors from U.S. fishing boat Ben and Josephine and six from Aeolus, their craft sunk by German submarineU-432 on 3 June, reach Mt. Desert Coast Guard Light Station.

EUROPE—Operation HARPOON, the resupply of Malta, commences as convoy WS 19Z (Force X) sails from the Clyde; two of the five freighters, U.S. motorship Chant and Dutch Tanimbar, have Navy Armed Guard crews on board (see 12 June).

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—VIII AF Bomber Command, activated in US on 28 Jan 42, is redesignated VIII AFSC. Col Harold A McGinnis assumes command.

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s hit wharves, warehouse, and coal jetty at Rabaul.

SEVENTH AF—Battle of Midway continues with Japanese fleet retiring westward. In the morning 8 B‑17’s hit force 130 mi from Midway, claiming hits on 2 large warships. During afternoon 6 B‑17’s claim hits on heavy cruiser 300 mi from Midway. The last strike by Seventh AF aircraft in the Battle of Midway is by 5 B‑ 17’s which bomb a heavy cruiser 425 miles from Midway. 1 B‑17 is shot down and another lost due to fuel shortage. The battle ends with Midway’s installations heavily damaged by bombs but still in US hands and with landing strips still intact. During the fighting (3-5 Jun) Seventh AF aircraft carried out 16 B‑17 attacks (55 sorties) and 1 torpedo attack by 4 B‑26’s, claiming 22 hits on ships and 10 fighters shot down. 2 B‑17’s and 2 B‑26’s were lost. One of the decisive battles of naval history, Midway will cost Japan the initiative and will be a turning point in the Pacific war.

ELEVENTH AF—18 B‑26’s, 10 B‑17’s and 2 LB-30’s search and attack sorties are flown against the carrier force, the B‑ 26’s splitting into 3 missions, the B‑17’s into 2. No contact is made. The B‑17’s using radar bomb targets which look like ships, but later turn out to be the Pribilof Islands. The 54th Fighter Squadron begins moving into Umnak.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Aircraft and pilots of 1st Pursuit Squadron, then at Dow Field for movement to UK, fly to Morris Field, en route to W coast for defense against attack.

US ARMY

UNITED STATES—Declares war on Bulgaria, Hungary, and Rumania.

MIDWAY—Despite poor visibility, U.S. planes pursue enemy force retreating from Midway and score damaging hits.

LIBYA—British Eighth Army counterattack ends in failure. 13 Corps’ 69th Brigade (50th Division), supported by 32d Army Tank Brigade, attacks enemy salient from N while 30 Corps, employing 9th and 10th Brigades (Indian 5th Division) and 22d Armored Brigade 1st Armored Division), makes main effort from E toward Sidi Muftah but is halted short of objective. British lose 2 brigades of infantry and 4 regiments of artillery.

US MARINE CORPS

—

Tuesday, 2 June 1942

US NAVY

PACIFIC—TF 17 (Rear Admiral Frank Jack Fletcher) and TF 16 (Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance) rendezvous about 350 miles northeast of Midway; Rear Admiral Fletcher is officer in tactical command of a force that consists of three carriers, seven heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, 16 destroyers, and two oilers. After fueling, the task force will detach the oilers and prepare for battle. As part of the pre-battle disposition, 25 fleet submarines (Rear Admiral Robert H. English) are deployed around Midway.

INDIAN OCEAN—Japanese merchant cargo ship Kofuku Maru is sunk by mine off Rangoon, Burma.

ATLANTIC—German submarine U-404 sinks U.S. freighter West Notus (which she had shelled the day before) with explosive charge off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina (see 3 and 4 June).

            U.S. freighter Domino is machine-gunned by unidentified submarine off Nuevitas, Cuba; the ship suffers no casualties.

            Unarmed U.S. freighter City of Alma is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-159 about 400 miles northeast of San Juan, Puerto Rico, 23°00'N, 62°30'W; district patrol craft YP-67 rescues the 10 survivors from the 36 man merchant complement.

CARIBBEAN—U.S. merchantman Thomas Nelson rescues nine survivors from U.S. freighter Alcoa Pilgrim, sunk by German submarine U-502 on 27 May.

US ARMY AIR FORCE

FIFTH AF—B‑17’s bomb dock and military camp area at Rabaul.

SEVENTH AF—6 of 16 B‑17’s that have been on detached service at Midway return to Oahu.

ZONE OF THE INTERIOR—Aircraft and crews of 97th Bomb Group, then in New England for movement to UK, are ordered to W coast as defensive measure again attack on US.

US ARMY

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA—Naval TF’s of Adms Fletcher and Spruance rendezvous 350 miles NE of Midway. The combined force (3 carriers, 7 CA’s, 1 CL, 13 DD’s, and 25 submarines), under command of Admiral Fletcher, moves to point about 200 miles N of Midway. Reconnoitering from the Aleutians, PBY discovers 2 enemy carriers about 400 miles S of Kiska.

USSR—German 11th Army of Army Group South begins 5-day artillery preparation for assault on Sevastopol in the Crimea.

US MARINE CORPS

—