USN
Pacific
Bombardment groups, TG 52.17 (Rear Admiral Jesse B.
Oldendorf) and TG 52.18 (Rear Admiral Walden L. Ainsworth), shell Japanese
installations on Saipan and Tinian. Enemy shore battery fire damages battleship
California (BB-44) off Saipan, 15°12'N, 145°42'E, and destroyer Braine
(DD-630) off Tinian, 15°12'N, 145°42'E; near-misses from shells damage
battleship Tennessee (BB-43), heavy cruiser Indianapolis (CA-35),
light cruiser Birmingham (CL-62), and destroyer Remey (DD-688).
Destroyer Wadleigh (DD-689) covers withdrawal of Underwater Demolition
Team (UDT) 7 after its beach reconnaissance mission.
Submarine Golet (SS-361) is probably sunk by Japanese
guard boat Miya Maru, auxiliary submarine chaser Bunzan Maru, and
naval aircraft off northern Honshu, 41°04'N, 141°31'E.16
Submarine Rasher (SS-269), in attack on Japanese
convoy in the Celebes Sea, sinks army cargo ship Koan Maru about 130
miles south of Mindanao, 04°33'N, 122°23'E.
Atlantic
Tank landing ship LST-280 is torpedoed by German
submarine U-621 off Normandy, 49°55'N, 00°30'W.
AAF
Eighth AF
Bad weather again covers all strategic targets in Germany
except one in the extreme NW. Major effort is against tac objectives, mainly in
France. 1,314 Heavy Bombers attack targets, including oil refinery at Emmerich,
an airfield and a bridge in Germany, 16 airfields in France and 1 in Belgium,
14 bridges, CROSSBOW supply sites, and scattered Targets of opportunity in
France. Heavy Bomber losses total 14. VIII FC fighters escort the Heavy Bombers
and engage in heavy aerial combat as fighters intercept the Heavy Bomber forces.
VIII FC loses 4 aircraft while destroying 4 of the enemy. P-47’s bomb and
strafe 3 airfields, 2 marshalling yards, an ammo dump, and several other Targets
of opportunity.
Ninth AF
Over 500 B-26’s and A-20’s attack rail comm SW of Paris and
highway comm centers S of beachhead area. Junctions, bridges, marshalling yards,
gun emplacements, and various defensive strongpoints are included. Over 15 fighter
groups fly escort and attack numerous ground targets, including rail lines
running from SW of Paris to Rennes area, and highway traffic in Cherbourg
Peninsula and S of beachhead area to the Loire R.
Twelfth AF
MBs bomb several bridges and viaducts in NC Italy, with
especially good results on viaduct and railway bridge N of Arezzo. Ships in
Leghorn harbor also are hit. Light Bombers pound ammo supplies. Fighter Bombers
continue to attack roads and bridges in and just N of battle area (only small
number of vehicles are seen) as US Fifth Army forces take Magliano and Orvieto
falls to elements of British Eighth Army.
Fifteenth AF
More than 550 B-17’s and B-24’s attack oil refineries and
other targets in Hungary and Yugoslavia, including Budapest, Petfurdo, Komarom,
Osijek, and Sisak. P-38’s, P-47’s, and P-51’s escort Heavy Bombers and P-38’s
strafe and dive-bomb airfield at Kecskemet.
Tenth AF
21 B-25’s continue ammo supply to Imphal vicinity. A few
P-40’s hit Mogaung area.
Fourteenth AF
43 P-40’s attack river shipping, troops, and villages in
Tungting Lake area, at or near Lanchi, Changsha, Chulianchiao, and Linyang.
Fifth AF
A-20’s, B-25’s, and P-39’s hit Wewak area. B-24’s bomb
Kamiri airfield. A-20’s hit airfield at Babo, Orai R bridge, and fuel dumps,
and other targets near the river’s mouth. Halong seaplane base is hit by
B-24’s.
Thirteenth AF
80-plus B-25’s, P-38’s, P-39’s, and Navy aircraft hit supply
areas and underground storages along N shore of Gazelle Peninsula from Vulcan
Crater to Wunapope. Ralum, Keravia Bay, and Wunapope stores are the hardest
hit. P-39’s fly 27 sorties along E shoreline of Bougainville from Bonis to
Kieta, hitting Monoitu, Bonis, and pier at Kieta Mission.
Eleventh AF
4 B-24’s fly extensive photo recon over the C and N Kurils.
They are attacked by some 20 fighters of which 3 are damaged.
USA
FRANCE—21 Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps area,
enemy’s MLR on N crumbles under attacks of 4th Div: 39th Inf (attached)
overcomes strong opposition in Quinéville and finishes clearing coastal region
to S with capture of Fort St Marcouf; 22d Inf clears heights W of Quinéville. 90th
Div is relieved of task of driving W to the Douve by 9th Inf and 82d A/B Divs
and starts pivoting northward to protect left flank of 9th Div: 357th Inf
begins fighting in Gourbesville; 359th starts swing to N; 358th, after pushing
about 1,000 yards W of Pont l’Abbé, is relieved by 82d A/B Div. 60th Inf, 9th
Div, attacks toward Ste Colombe on narrow front as 90th Div turns N, reaching Valognes–Pont
l’Abbé highway. 82d A/B Div thrusts W astride Pont l’Abbé–St Sauveur-le- Vicomte
road with 507th Para and 325th Gli Regts abreast and gains about a mile. 79th
Div arrives at UTAH Beach. XIX Corps becomes operational and has under its
command 29th Div, transferred from V Corps, and 30th Div, which is
concentrating between the Vire and Taute.
In Br Second Army’s 30 Corps area, additional enemy pressure
from S forces 7th Armd Div to withdraw farther northward to Parfouru-l’Eclin
area. U.S. V Corps arty assists in repelling enemy attacks.
ITALY—AAI: Gen Alexander learns that VI Corps hq will be
withdrawn for ANVIL at once, 3d Div on 17 June and 36th on 27 June; 2 Fr divs
are to be withdrawn to Naples area, one on 24th and the other in early July.
AAI is still committed to task of clearing Italy S of line Pisa–Rimini.
Advanced Hq opens at Frascati.
In U.S. Fifth Army area, Liberty ships are now able to use
Civitavecchia port. IV Corps continues to push N and NW, elements taking
Magliano. FEC boundary is moved W and TF under Gen Guillaume (1st Group of
Tabors and 1st Moroccan Inf) assumes responsibility for left flank.
In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, Orvieto falls to S
African 6th Armd Div without a struggle. 78th Div, to E, overtakes enemy rear
guard and inflicts heavy losses in vehicles and guns.
CBI—In NCAC area, battle for Myitkyina continues, with
Allied forces making slight progress against stiff resistance. Gaps in Allied
positions around Myitkyina are being used by enemy to isolate small units. Gen
Boatner orders Morris Force (Ind 3d Div TF), on E bank of the Irrawaddy
opposite Myitkyina, to attack at once and is informed by its leader, Brig G. R.
Morris, that Japanese command routes of approach, terrain is flooded, and men are
exhausted. In Mogaung Valley, Chinese are tightening ring about Kamaing.
On Salween front, Japanese are reinforcing positions within
and near Lung-ling and begin vigorous counterattacks. Of 21 bns of Ch XI Group
Army in Lung-ling area, only 9 are participating in action for this city.
Chinese are forced from Manio Bridge, which Japanese at once put into use. Continuing
offensive in China, Japanese take Liu-yang, increasing threat to Changsha.
NEW GUINEA—Gen Krueger orders Gen Eichelberger, CG of U.S. I
Corps and of TF RECKLESS, to Biak to replace Gen Fuller as CG TF HURRICANE. 1st
Bns of 162d and 186th Regts circle northward around 3d Bn of 162d Inf to
positions above low ridge that is barring forward movement and then push W
abreast, 1st Bn of 162d on left coming up against perimeter of Japanese West
Caves strongroupoint. Japanese efforts to oust 1st Bns, night 14–15, fail. In
Wakde-Sarmi area, rest of 6th Div arrives at Toem; 20th Inf relieves 158th Inf
at the Tirfoam. 158th takes up positions on W bank of Tementoe Creek and
patrols S and E.
MARIANAS—As Adm Hill’s Western Landing Group, with 2d and
4th Mar Divs embarked, approaches Saipan, 2 bombardment groups under Rear Adm
Jesse B. Oldendorf open fire. These, consisting of 7 old BB’s, 11 cruisers, 26
DD’s, a few APD’s, and mine sweepers, get within closer range and achieve
better results than did ships of TF 58. Underwater demolition and mine sweeping
operations are conducted along coast.
USMC
V AC assault troops approach Saipan. Underwater demolition
and minesweeping operations conducted along coast.
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