USN
Pacific
Battle of the Philippine Sea opens
as the Japanese Fleet (Vice Admiral Ozawa Jisaburo) contests the landings on
Saipan. Japanese carrier-based aircraft attack Fifth Fleet (Admiral Raymond A.
Spruance) covering Saipan operation. Despite the combat air patrol and heavy
antiaircraft fire, battleship South Dakota (BB-57) is damaged by dive
bomber,14°10'N, 143°15'E; battleship Indiana (BB-58) is damaged by
suicide plane, 14°04'N, 143°23'E; carriers Bunker Hill (CV-17) 14°46'N,
143°02'E and Wasp (CV-18), 14°19'N, 143°48'E are near-missed by dive
bombers; heavy cruiser Minneapolis (CA-36) is near-missed by horizontal
bomber, 14°11'N, 143°09'E; friendly fire damages destroyer Hudson (DD-475),
14°11'N, 143°09'E. Commander David McCampbell, Commander Air Group 15, flying
from carrier Essex (CV-9), distinguishes himself in aerial combat,
splashing at least seven Japanese planes in defense of TF 58 (see 24 October). The
Japanese lose at least 300 aircraft in what U.S. Navy pilots call the
"Marianas Turkey Shoot."
Submarine Albacore (SS-244)
sinks Japanese carrier Taiho, 180 nautical miles north-northwest of Yap,
12°22'N, 137°04'E; submarine Cavalla (SS-244) sinks Japanese carrier Shokaku,
140 nautical miles north of Yap Island, 11°50'N,137°57'E. Both boats
survive counterattacks by escorts: Albacore counts 75 depth charges, Cavalla
106.
Motor minesweeper YMS-323 is
damaged by shore battery, as she carries out survey operations off Tanapag
Harbor, Saipan, 15°10'N, 145°58'E.
Aircraft (VT 60) from escort
carrier Suwannee (CVE-27) sink Japanese submarine I-184, 20 miles
south of Guam,13°01'N, 149°53'E.
USAAF A-20s raid Manokwari,
sinking small Japanese cargo vessels No.5 Masutuko Maru and No.43
Taigyo Maru.
Atlantic
Artificial harbor off Normandy
installed on 7 June isseverely damaged by storm. Elsewhere off the invasion
beaches, Landing Ship Tank LST-523 is sunk by mine, 49°30'N, 01°10'W;
rescue tug ATR-15 is damaged by grounding, 49°22'N,00°26'W.
AAF
Eighth AF
During the morning 259 B-17’s
bomb airfields at Cazaux, Bordeaux/Merignac and Landes de Bussac, and landing
strip at Corme-Ecluse. Bad weather causes nearly 200 aborts among the Heavy
Bombers and prevents nearly 200 fighters from effecting rendezvous and
providing escort for the bombers. 217 P-38’s and P- 51’s manage to complete
escort missions. On another morning mission, 201 Heavy Bombers bomb 17 V-weapon
sites in Pas de Calais area. None of the Heavy Bombers or the 95 escorting
P-38’s are lost. In the afternoon, 270 Heavy Bombers bomb 18 V-weapon sites,
including most of those bombed in the morning mission. A P-38 group, after
completing escort duty, dive-bombs and strafes transportation targets in NE
France, destroying a locomotive and 3 barges. Losses during the day amount to 7
Heavy Bombers and 16 fighters.
Ninth AF
airfield at Cardonville, the
first US field in France, becomes operational. Around 200 fighters carry out uneventful
armed recon and patrols in the morning, and dive-bomb 6 NOBALL targets in the
afternoon.
Twelfth AF
Weather again grounds Light
Bombers and Medium Bombers. Fighter Bombers of 87th Fighter Wg support French
forces which complete occupation of island of Elba during afternoon. Fighter
Bombers of the 87th and other units of XII TAC hit railroads, gun emplacements,
factory, and shipping in and N of battle area at scattered points in
countryside and in and near towns of Pontedera, Leghorn, Sestri Levante, and
Viareggio.
Tenth AF
30 B-25’s complete ammo run to
Imphal. 33 A-36’s, P-51’s, and P-40’s strike Myitkyina, Mogaung, and Pinbaw.
Fourteenth AF
About 150 Fighter Bombers and
8 B-25’s again pound a variety of targets throughout Tungting Lake area. Targets
include much shipping from Siangyin to Chuchou, and at various points along
Siang-Chiang R, villages and compounds between Yiyang and Changsha, and boats
and river area at Anking. 18 P-40’s damage 2 bridges and destroy about 20 fuel
trucks at Yuncheng. On Salween front 15 P-40’s hit trucks and military installations.
4 B-25’s bomb Kengluang bridge.
FEAF
Over 100 A-20’s and Fighter
Bombers maintain strikes along coast around Wewak, hitting supply and bivouac areas,
roads, personnel, and a coastal gun position. A-20’s hit airfields at
Manokwari, Noemfoor I, and Moemi. B-25’s hit forces in Cape Orford region. Heavy
Bombers bomb Dublon and Eten.
Seventh AF
B-24’s, staging through
Eniwetok, strike Truk. B-24’s from Kwajalein and B-25’s out of Makin pound Ponape.
Eleventh AF
2 B-24’s fly armed photo recon
over Paramushiru and bomb Suribachi area with unobserved results.
USA
FRANCE—21 Army Group: Gen
Montgomery schedules offensive for Br Second Army for 22–23 June. Violent
storm, lasting through 22d, seriously handicaps build-up of troops and
supplies.
In U.S. First Army area, VII Corps
begins final drive on Cherbourg with 3 divs abreast. On left, 9th Div,
attacking with 60th and 39th Regts, advances quickly northward to Helleville,
St Christophe- du-Foc, and Couville; 4th Cav Sq of 4th Cav Group, which is
attached to div to screen right flank, reaches St Martin-le-Gréard; bn of 359th
Inf, 90th Div, is also committed on div right flank, to hold Rocheville area.
In center, 79th Div’s 313th and 315th Regts attack from line
Golleville–Urville, which 60th Div has previously secured; 313th reaches its objective,
Bois de la Brique, but 315th, directed to bypass Valognes and cut Cherbourg
highway NW of there, is halted SW of Valognes and left in position to contain
town from W; 314th moves forward during night to take over div left, and 313th
shifts to right flank of div. 4th Div, on VII Corps right, encounters firm
opposition from forces deployed for defense of Cherbourg. 8th and 12th Regts
attack on either side of Montebourg, which 3d Bn of 22d Inf finds clear of
enemy, well before dawn, 8th reaching positions just SE of Valognes and 12th abreast
it to right. 24th Cav Sq, 4th Cav Group, screens right flank of 4th Div. In
VIII Corps area, 82d A/B and 90th Divs are transferred to VIII Corps from VII
Corps. Starting night 18–19, 82d A/B establishes bridgehead S of the Douve at
Pont l’Abbé.
ELBA—French complete
occupation of island.
CBI—On Salween front, Ku-tung
falls to elements of Ch 2d Reserve Div pushing S toward Teng-chung. Ch 53d Army
is preparing to attack Chiangtso.
NEW GUINEA—On Biak, TF
HURRICANE opens co-ordinated assault for airfields after preparatory arty fire.
186th Inf, making main effort in region N and W of West Caves, reaches ridges W
of Hill 320, cutting road leading S to West Caves and enveloping rear of West
Caves position. Enemy opposition is scattered. New orders call for 162d Inf to
reduce West Caves while 186th continues to clear region to NW and 34th seizes
Borokoe and Sorido airdromes.
SAIPAN—New phase opens as
marines pivot N, 4th Mar Div moving around 2d Mar Div, to clear N part of
island. 27th Div is to clear Nafutan Pt and S coast, a task presumed to be
merely a mop-up mission. 165th Inf reaches S coast of Magicienne Bay without
opposition. In 105th Inf sector, 3d Bn is virtually unopposed as it moves
forward over rugged terrain; 1st Bn, after frontal assault on the first of a
series of ridges of enemy’s Nafutan position fails, moves to outflank enemy.
Late in day, 1st Bn of 165th Inf is sent back to airfield to plug gap that has
developed in line of 105th.
BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE
SEA—Over the Marianas, carrier planes of TF 58 engage huge force of planes from
enemy carriers and inflict crippling losses. Japanese lose over 400 aircraft;
there is only superficial damage to a few vessels of TF 58 and only 17 U.S.
planes are destroyed. Efforts are made to locate Japanese fleet.
USMC
4th Mar Div begins clearing
northern part of Saipan. 27th Inf Div troops to clear Nafutan Point and south
coast of Saipan.
Battle of the Philippine Sea.
Carrier aircraft of TF 58 engage planes from enemy carriers and inflict
crippling losses.
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