RAF Bomber Command: 4 Group (Whitley). Bombing - road/rail communications in France.
10 Sqn. Five aircraft. One returned early, four bombed.
51 Sqn. Five aircraft, all bombed.
58 Sqn. Six aircraft to Laon. All bombed.
77 Sqn. Eight aircraft, all bombed.
102 Sqn. Ten aircraft to Charleville/Dormans. Nine bombed.

Corvette HMS Burdock laid down.

FRANCE: Paris: 7 pm. "The German Army are inside the gates of Paris!" These were the dramatic words with which the US ambassador to France, William Bullitt, announced to another US diplomat in Tours that the French capital was on the verge of falling to Hitler’s armies.

All day the Germans have been closing in on the great city. To the west spearheads of motorised and Panzer columns have crossed the Seine at various points between Paris and Rouen. North of the capital, at least 12 divisions have begun a fierce attack along the river Oise. To the east, Panzer divisions have crossed the Marne and are in Meaux.

By the evening von Kleist’s Panzers have reached Romilly on the Seine and Guderian has reached Saint-Dizier on the Marne.

French forces retreat to the River Loire. The British decide to evacuate their remaining troops from France.

On June 2nd Brooke had been ordered to return to France and form another B.E.F. He began reforming his corps headquarters On June 11th he was summoned to Buckingham Palace by the King and awarded the K.C.B. for his services in France. Today Brooke lands at Cherbourg. Chaos reigned and things went from bad to worse - much worse. He leaves for Le Mans, met with the senior British officers there, and learned that there were 100,000 men from the original B.E.F. Lines of Communications troops along with much equipment and supplies in western France. He instructed their commander to keep evacuating these soldiers to Britain. He also learned the situation with respect to 51st and 52nd Divisions. He then left for Weygand's headquarters, another 170 miles over refugee crowded roads. He arrived at 8 :00 PM and was told that it was too late to see Weygand, that he would have to wait until the morning. In his diary that evening he wrote that he could see no hope of the French holding out any longer than a few days. (Jay Stone)

NORWEGIAN CAMPAIGN: (Mark Horan): 

"Black" Thursday - The attack on Trondheim:
At precisely 0002, but still in bright daylight at position 64.58N, 04.38E, the first Skua of 803 rolled down the flight deck and lumbered into the air. Rapidly forming into their sections, they orbited the carrier briefly looking for the promised Blenheim escort (six aircraft), then took their departure towards Trondheim, climbing slowly but steadily towards 11,000 feet.

The Force was still in sight when the expected fighters, somewhat amazingly, arrived over Ark Royal. The Blenheim crews sighted the departing aircraft but, unfamiliar with carrier operations, were unsure if, in fact, those were the aircraft they were supposed to escort.

Unable to converse by radio with the Fleet Air Arm aircraft Ark she carried (different radios and frequencies you know), they finally set out for Trondheim on their own, well behind the strike planes, for all intents out of the battle.

Meanwhile, the seven Beauforts of 22 Squadron's diversionary bombing force intending to hit Vaernes airfield at the same time the Skuas attacked, at 0200, ran into the same rough weather Ark had been fighting hours earlier, which broke up the formation and caused three to abort. The remaining four hit the airfield at 0150, strung up a hornet's nest of angry enemy fighters that were unable to catch the fleet Beauforts, but were no circling over the field wondering what might be up. This was, of course, exactly the opposite of the intended goal of the Coastal Command effort, and would have tragic consequences for the lumbering Skuas, now only minutes away.

At 0123 the striking force made landfall at the North of Halten light at 11,000 feet. Continuing inland for 10 minutes, the force then turned South, circling around to attack from the Southeast. As they approached they descended to 10,000 feet, then the two formations strung out into line ahead formation and began the high-speed run into the target area. Flak was intense throughout, but the real problems were the Luftwaffe fighters which hastened over from the Vaenes area and hit them several miles from the push over point. Several of the Skuas never reached the push over point. Those that did did so in a rush, pursued by Bf-109s, Bf-110s, Ju88 C-2s and angry flak bursts. On pull out, the scattered Skuas had a hard choice to make. Stay low and hope to remain hidden in the backdrop of the Norwegian landscape, but without any altitude to fight or, if worst came to worst, to jump, or to climb for altitude, giving themselves some fighting altitude, and hope to join up with the others.

With only a single exception, those that chose the later option did not return. Highlighted against the light sky, the Luftwaffe fighters picked them off one at a time. In the end, only seven of the Skuas, five from 803 and two from 800 made it back to the ship. While the strike group was out, the ship flew two further fighter patrols. With the eight missing Skuas were sixteen experienced aviators:

803 Squadron losses: [1 KiA, 1 DoW, 6 PoW]

7A:L???? Lieutenant-Commander John Casson, RN, Lieutenant Peter Evelyn Fanshawe, RN [PoWs]

7F:L2963 Lieutenant Cecil Howard Filmer MiD, RN, Midshipman(A) Thomas Anthony McKee DSC, RN [PoWs]

7L:L2992 Sub-Lieutenant(A) John Anthony Harris, RNVR [KiA], Naval Airman first class Stuart Rex Douglas Stevenson, RN [DoW as PoW]

7Q:L2955 Acting Sub-Lieutenant Richard Edward Bartlett, RN, Naval Airman L. G. Richards, RN [PoWs]

800 Squadron losses: [4 KiA, 4 PoW]

6A:L2995 Acting Major Richard Thomas Partridge DSO, MiD, RM [PoW], Lieutenant(A) Robert Southey Bostock MiD, RN [KiA]

6F:L3000 Lieutenant George Edward Desmond Finch-Noyes, RN, Petty Officer Airman Howard Gresley Cunningham DSM, MiD, RN [PoWs]

6G:L3028 Midshipman(A) Leonard Henry Gallagher, RN, Petty Officer Airman Wallace Crawford, RN [KiAs]

6H:L3047 Midshipman(A) Derek Thomas Revington Martin, RN [PoW], Leading Airman William James Tremeer, RN [KiA]

 The effect on the ship, particularly the Air Staff that had planned the misson, was staggering, the more so as all recalled Casson's prediction to the Admiral. While ten of those lost on the mission ultimately survived as prisoners of war, the total losses amounted to an entire squadron, effectively reducing the Fleet Air Arm's two premiere squadrons to cadre status pending future reorganization.

Throughout the morning the ship maintained an active fighter patrol with the stay at homes until the ship re-entered the weather front, at which point she elected to just keep Swordfish up ahead of the force to prevent another Glorious disaster. On exiting the front, an extensive search flown at 1930 clearing the forward 140 degree arc to 110 miles.

Thereafter, until the ship entered Scapa at 1600 on the 14th, air operations were limited to Air defence Area patrols.

Operation "Alphabet", and the subsequent attack on Trondheim, had seen Ark Royal's five squadrons (including the visiting 701 Squadron Walrus amphibians) fly 375 sorties, including 193 by the two Skua Squadrons. While actual combats had been limited, the group had executed its prime mission, covering the withdrawing troop transports, flawlessly. The ship would have little time to to dwell on the losses of the 13th however. Three days prior, the Italians had declared war on the Allies (soon to be just Britain). Within three days HMS Ark Royal, her squadrons refreshed, would leave Scapa Flow for the far away Mediterranean and a very different war.

While the last Royal Navy carrier had now called it quits as far as Norway was concerned, those tantalizing Germans battleships had not played their last card in the duel with the Fleet Air Arm.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: RN: HMS Odin (submarine) in the Gulf of Taranto is lost to the guns and torpedoes of Italian destroyer 'Strale'

Submarine HMS Grampus laid a minefield off Augusta, Sicily. She had left Malta on the 10th and sunk on the 16th.

ADEN: The first air-to-air kill of the East Africa campaign occurs when an Italian SM-81 is shot down by a Gladiator of 94 Squadron during an attack.

KENYA: In the early morning three CA-133s attack the airfield at Wajir. Braving heavy anti-aircraft fire, the Italians pressed their attack and according to British records damaged two Hawker Audaxes and destroyed 5,000 gallons of fuel. (Mike Yared)(284)

U.S.A.: Washington: Congress votes to give $1,800 million to the army and signs a 1.3 Billion Naval construction bill.
The first shipment of arms, requested in the Churchill-Roosevelt telegrams, leaves the US on SS Eastern Princess. These have been sold to a steel company and then to the British.

Rear Admiral William F. Halsey, Jr. becomes Commander Aircraft Battle Force and is given the temporary rank of Vice Admiral.

The motion picture "Our Town" is released in the U.S. Based on Thornton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, this drama, directed by Sam Wood, stars William Holden, Martha Scott (her film debut), Fay Bainter, Beulah Bondi, Thomas Mitchell, Guy Kibbee and Stu Erwin. The plot involves various family in a New Hampshire town in the early 20th Century. The film was nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actress (Scott).

Battleship USS North Carolina launched.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: The armed merchant cruiser HMS Scotstoun is en route from the Clyde to her Northern Patrol area between Ireland and Iceland when she is torpedoed and sunk at 57 00N, 09 57W by U-25. (Alex Gordon)(108)

NORTH SEA: The German pocket battleship Lutzow is attacked by an RAF Beaufort off the Norwegian coast at Lindesnes. She is hit by one torpedo and only just makes it back to Germany.

VICHY FRANCE: The excuse that 12,000 Jews were involved with an "anti German/French coup plot" is used by the Vichy government to justify authorizing various Anti-Semitic laws. These laws now restrict Jews in Vichy France as they have in Hitler controlled countries.

U.S.S.R.: Moscow: The official news agency TASS says "rumours of a German intention to attack the USSR are without foundation."

SYRIA: Damascus: The Free French and British have invaded Vichy Syria. So stretched are General Wavell's men and materials that some of the invading army are riding to war on horseback.

German penetration of Syria has been going on for months. The German consul, von Hentig, is Germany's finest Orientalist, and organised anti-British riots in the Middle East in the 1914-18 War. Lately a steady stream of Luftwaffe aircraft have used Syrian aerodromes as staging posts while flying supplies to Rashid Ali in Iraq.

Bowing to political pressure from Churchill and de Gaulle, Britain's long-suffering commander in the Middle East scraped together what he could spare from the pressures of Libya, Crete, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt and East Africa. As well as two Free French brigades under General Legentilhomme, there are 7th Australian Division (less one brigade), a corps troop from 1 Australian Corps and extra divisional cavalry regiment for a total of two mechanised, the 5th Indian Brigade from the 4th Indian Division under Brigadier Lloyd and one brigade from the 1st Cavalry Division, some dragoons, a commando from Cyprus, Glubb Pasha's Arab Legion, and several thousand Druze tribesmen under the gay and flamboyant Colonel Gerald de Guary - one of the Lawrence generation. In all 18,000 Australians, 9,000 British, 5,000 Free French and 2,000 Indians.

On 8 June, while the 21st Australian Brigade crossed the Litani on the coast road heading for Beirut, two columns advanced from Jordan, aiming for Damascus.

All three columns encountered bitter resistance, with the Free French fighting what resembles a civil war between Frenchmen with every olive grove being fought over.

Against them - and inflicting heavy casualties on them - are the men under General Dentz, the majority colonial troops and Foreign Legionaires, unlikely to listen to appeals from loud-speaker vans to "wash out the shame of Vichy's capitulation."

Dentz has 35,000 French colonial troops - mainly Senegalese, Algerian and Moroccan, but including 3,000 Foreign Legionaires of 6th Regiment FFL. There are French, German, Spanish, Russian and Irish.

Dentz also has 25,000 Syrans, Circassians and White Russians. He has 90 tanks, generally of better quality than the British and Australian light armour. Wavell has 70 aircraft against 100 French. There are evenly matched. Hurricanes and Tomahawks against Dewoitine 520s with Gladiators against Potez 63s.

Australian troops attack around Sidan.

Armoured cars and lorried infantry of 1st Spahis (Vichy) probe Kuneitra.

CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Noranda launched Levis, Province of Quebec.

L. W. Murray heads new Canadian convoy escort force based on Newfoundland; NW Atlantic Canada's responsibility.

GERMANY: Peenemunde: A prototype rocket-propelled bomb, the A4, is fired for the first time; it is a failure.

U-304, U-449 are launched.

U.S.S.R.: Submarine "Sch-405" of the Baltic Fleet, Ladoga and Onega Flotillas - is sunk by a Soviet mine, East of Seskar Is. (Sergey Anisimov)(69)

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: In the Aleutian Islands, the sighting of the seaplane tender, destroyer USS Gillis (AVD--12) at Atka Island by a Japanese seaplane yesterday, causes the US Navy to withdraw the ship and the Consolidated PBY Catalinas that have been attacking Kiska Island. The 11th Air Force continues the bombardment of Kiska by sending five Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses and three Consolidated B-24 Liberators to bomb the island however, two of the aircraft had to turn back.

German submarine U-159 sinks an armed U.S. merchant freighter in the Caribbean east of the Panama Canal.

The test culminated with the first LORAN homing from a distance 50 to 75 miles (81 to 121 km) offshore during which the LORAN operator gave instructions to the airship's commanding officer which brought them over the shoreline near Lakehurst on a course that caused the commanding officer to remark, "We weren't [just] headed for the hangar. We were headed for the middle of the hangar." The success of these tests lead to immediate action to obtain operational LORAN equipment.

The German submarine U-584 puts four agents ashore at Amagansett, Long Island, New York during the night. But they are seen by a young U.S. Coastguardsman who reports the incident which alerts U.S. officials.

UNITED KINGDOM: German raiders drop "butterfly" anti-personnel bombs for the first time, killing 74 people and injuring 130.

The USAAF's VIII Bomber Command in England flies Mission Number 63 attacking two targets in Germany. The heaviest fighter attacks to date against the Eighth Air Force accounts for 26 B-17s, most in the force attacking Kiel.

151 B-17s are dispatched against the U-boat yards at Bremen; 122 hit the target claiming 2-2-1 Luftwaffe aircraft; four B-17s are lost. 76 B-17s are dispatched against the U-boat yards at Kiel; 60 hit the target and claim 39-5-14 Luftwaffe aircraft; 22 B-17s are lost.

Patrol vessel HMS Kilchernan launched. , Province of Quebec.

There is a stiff air battle over Kiel today. (Glenn Steinberg) Luftwaffe defenders shoot down 22 out of 60 US bombers attempting to bomb Kiel.

MEDITERRANEAN SEA: The Italian island of Linosa surrenders to the British.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: In the Aleutians, the destroyer USS Frazier (DD-607) sinks the IJN submarine HIJMS I-9 engaged in the KE GO Operation, the evacuation of personnel from Kiska Island.

CANADA: Corvette HMCS Dundas arrived Montreal, Province of Quebec. for refit.

 , Province of Quebec.

Bad weather cancels large-scale bombing of high priority targets in Germany by the USAAF's Eighth Air Force based in England; overcast bombing against tactical targets in northwestern France is undertaken:

Mission 409: In the first mission of the day, cloud cover is less than anticipated and visual runs are made by 129 B-17s against Evreux/Fauville Airfield (37 bomb), Dreux Airfield (52 bomb) and St Andre de L'Eure (40 bomb); escort is provided by 101 P-51 Mustangs; they claim 4-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft.

Mission 410: In the second mission, 112 B-17s and 260 B-24s are dispatched: 

1. 97 B-17s attack Beaumont-sur-Oise Airfield (41 bomb) and Beauvais/Nivelliers Airfield (56 bomb).

2. 148 B-24s attack Dinard/Pleurtuit Airfield (ten bomb), Ploermel Bridge (26 bomb), Vannes Bride (19 bomb), Vicomte-sur-Rance Bridge (24 bomb), Montfort-sur-Meu Bridge (21 bomb), Porcaro Bridge (12 bomb) and 3 others hit targets of opportunity; two B-24s are lost.

Escort for Mission 410 is provided by 12 P-38 Lightnings, 47 P-47 Thunderbolts and 174 P-51s; one P-51 is lost. 

Other fighter sorties during the day are:

1. 97 P-38s are dispatched on fighter-bomber missions; two P-38s are lost.

2. 199 P-47s are dispatched to La Port Boulet (90 attack), Montlouis (24 attack), transport targets (33 attack) and Chinon (31 attack); they claim 2-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; one P-47 is lost.

3. 35 P-51s fly escort for fighter bombers.

4. 12 P-38s and 35 P-47s escort Ninth Air Force bombers.

5. 62 of 64 P-38s fly patrol over the English Channel.

Mission 411: eight B-17s drop leaflets on France during the night.

Six B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions over France.

The USAAF's Ninth Air Force in England dispatches 397 B-26 Marauders and A-20 Havocs to bomb rail and road junctions, marshalling yards and fuel dumps in the assault areas of France; aircraft of nine fighter groups escort the bombers and attack bridges, marshalling yards, troop areas, rail and road traffic, gun emplacements, ammunition dumps and other targets.

U-715 (Type VIIC) is sunk at 0930hrs northeast of the Faroes, in position 62.55N, 02.59W, by depth charges from a Canadian Canso aircraft (RCAF-Sqdn. 162/T). 35 dead, 15 survivors taken into captivity. U-715 was on her first patrol at the time of her loss and had not sunk or damaged any ships. U-715 was sighted while she was at periscope depth, a very significant feat of aerial observation. After being attacked she was forced to surface, whereupon the boat was abandoned. The patrol a/c then incautiously overflew the submarine before it was completely abandoned and was shot down. Three of her crewmembers died of exposure before air-sea rescue launches arrived to rescue the Canadian and German survivors.

While escorting a westbound Channel convoy, destroyer HMS Boadicea is attacked by Ju.88 aircraft and struck by two torpedoes which caused her magazine to explode, and the ship to sink rapidly. There are 175 casualties, but 12 survivors. Location - English Channel 12 miles SW of Portland Bill at 50 26N 02 34W. (Alex Gordon)

FRANCE: The British 7th Armoured Div attacks toward Villers Bocage, it is stopped and held by defending Germans.

Villers-Bocage: Montgomery's attempt to outflank Caen by seizing Villers Bocage has collapsed in confusion with heavy losses. He sent in two of his most experienced formations from the Eighth Army, the 51st Highland and 7th Armoured Divisions.

The 7th, after a brush with the enemy at Livry, pushed on to Villers-Bocage without opposition. Lt-Col Lord Cranley sent A Troop of his 4th County of London Yeomanry, together with a motor company of the 1st Battalion, the Rifle Brigade, up to Point 213, high ground east of the town. There was no sign of the enemy.

Meanwhile following a drive from Beauvais under repeated air attack, Lieutenant Michael Wittman led the six Tigers of the 2nd Kompanie of sSSPzAbt 101 Heavy Tank Battalion out of the woods and along a sunken road into the village. His orders were to stop the advance of the 22nd Armoured Brigade of the British 7th Armoured Division from advancing through the township, outflanking the German line and gaining the road to Caen. Wittman's company, hidden behind a hedgerow, spotted the British column, which passes him at a distance of 200 metres. At about 8.00am, Wittman attcks the column on the main road, while the rest of his company (4 Tigers as one broke down) attacked the British forces around Hill 213. Soon after, Wittmann destroys a Sherman Firefly and Cromwell IV and heads south to attack the rest of the enemy transport column. After knocking out 8 half-tracks, 4 Bren Carriers and two 6 pounder anti-tank guns, Wittmann reaches the crossroad with the road to Tilly-sur-Seulles. At the crossroad, he destroys three Stuart tanks from a recon unit and reaches the outskirts of the town of Villers-Bocage. At the end of Rue Pasteur, Wittmann's Tiger was hit by a Sherman Firefly from B Squadron and he decides to turn back, Wittmann's Tiger was attacked by another Cromwell IV, which he destroyed as well. Back at the Tilly crossroad, British soldiers from 1st Rifle Brigade opened fire at Wittmann with their 6 pdr anti-tank gun, immobilizing his Tiger. Wittmann and his crew managed to escape on foot towards the Panzer Lehr positions 7km away near Orbois. The rest of his company at the Hill 213, destroyed the rest of A Squadron of the 4th County of London Yeomanry Regiment ("Sharpshooters") including 5 Cromwell IV and a Sherman Firefly, while capturing 30 men. During this short engagement, Wittmann's company destroyed 4 Sherman Firefly, 20 Cromwell, 3 Stuart, 3 M4 Sherman OP, 14 half-tracks, 16 Bren Carriers and 2 6 pdr anti-tank guns. Wittmann's attack was followed by another one by Tigers of Hauptsturmführer Rolf Moebius' 1st Kompanie of sSSPzAbt 101 and Panzerkampfwagen IV tanks from Panzer Lehr but was repulsed by anti-tank guns from 22nd Armoured Brigade. (Russell Folsom)(200)

With German reinforcements continuing to arrive, the surviving British forces were pulled out, covered by an artillery bombardment. Another attempt, supported by fighter-bombers, failed to dislodge the Germans. The defeat is being blamed on the excessive caution exercised by the 7th Armoured Division exhausted after continuous fighting since 1940.

From: Rapport and Northwood, Rendezvous with Destiny:

FRANCE: There had been plenty of rumours, but few believed them. Now there is no longer any doubt: the Allied have landed, and one week after D-Day the euphoric Resistance is stepping up its attacks on the occupying army and its French supporters such as the Milice. News of the invasion has come as a terrible shock for collaborators. Speaking on Radio Paris, the announcer, Jean-Herold Paquis, said: "IF France is to live, England, like Carthage, must be destroyed."

Radio Vichy has broadcast a message from Marshal Petain in which he urges the French people to obey his government and not get involved in combat. But almost four years to the day that Paris fell, most Frenchmen see the hour of liberation at hand and plans are being laid for campaigns of disruption and strikes as well as military action by the Resistance.

An attack by elements of the 17th SS Panzer Division and elements of the 6th Parachute Regiment [37th and 38th SS Panzergrenadier Regiments and the 17 SS Tank Battalion], at Carentan is held by defending troops. These troops were the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division, two armor companies [Combat Command A, 2nd Armored Division] and a battalion of armored infantry. (Jay Stone)(93)

Yorkshire Evening Post

            Mr. and Mrs. J. Gaines, of Fifteenth Avenue, Tong Road, Leeds have received a letter from their son, Private Harry Gaines, who was wounded in the invasion and is in Worcester Royal Infirmary on this, his 19th birthday. He has wounds in both legs and the right arm.

He tells of the kindness of a German prisoner in a Red Cross hospital in Normandy in succouring him when he fell wounded:
"He carried me for 70 yards to the beach, then looked down at me, smiled, put a cigarette in my mouth, lit it, and put his lighter in my pocket. Then he took off his white shirt, tore it into shreds and dressed my wounds. Having done this, he kissed me, with tears in his eyes, and then walked away to attend to other wounded."

Corvette HMCS Baddeck, attached to Western Approaches Command in Apr 1944, and engaged in escorting resupply shipping, in the English Channel, to the landing zone when attacked, off Portsmouth, by E Boats, in a night action. After a wild engagement, the action was broken off. There is no record of casualties on either side as a result of this incident/

GERMANY: Pilot Officer Andrew Charles Mynarski of 419 (Moose) Squadron, 6 (RCAF) Group wins 6 Group's only Victoria Cross. His Lancaster X is shot down by a Luftwaffe night fighter. As the bomber plunges earthwards, Mynarski, his flying clothing ablaze, tries in vain to free his trapped rear gunner from the jammed rear turret. Miraculously, the gunner lives to relate the story of Mynarski's bravery. Unfortunately, Mynarski dies from severe burns. To get into the rear gunner position it was necessary to remove your parachute. To jump you had to rotate the turret, retrieve your parachute, put it on, and then jump. (Dave Hornford)

U-2508 laid down.

ITALY: The USAAF's Fifteenth Air Force in Italy dispatches 560+ B-17s and B-24s, most with fighter escort, to attack targets in Germany and Italy; B-17s attack aircraft component plants at Munich/Allach; B-24s marshalling yards at Innsbruck and Munich, Germany and the industrial area at Porto Marghera, Italy; they claim 30+ Luftwaffe aircraft shot down; ten bombers are lost and several others are missing.

U.S.S.R.: Moscow: Stalin praises the D-Day landings extravagantly, saying: "In the whole history of war there has never been such an undertaking."

SWEDEN: An experimental A-4 [V-2] rocket crashes and the wreckage is recovered for study by the Swedish military.

KURILE ISLANDS: The light cruisers USS Concord (CL-10) and USS Detroit (CL-10) and escorts, which includes six Eleventh Air Force B-24s, bombards Matsuwa Island from 13,000 yards (11.9 km) for 29 minutes. A total of 854 rounds are fired. Because of fog, results cannot be determined.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 47, Supplementing Pacific Ocean Areas communiqué Number 46, the following information is now available concerning operations of Pacific Fleet Forces against enemy installations at Guam, Saipan, Tinian, and Rota Islands in the Marianas. These objectives were attacked by carrier aircraft on June 10 and 11 (West Longitude Dates).

On June 10 our fighter planes swept the objectives in force and destroyed 124 enemy aircraft. A large majority of these were destroyed in the sir. Our losses were 11 Hellcat fighters and eight pilots.

On June 11 our attacks were continued, resulting in the destruction of 16 enemy aircraft, two small cargo ships at Saipan, and a small oiler north-west of Saipan.

A formation of enemy ships apparently attempting to escape from Saipan was brought under attack on June 11. One large oiler, one destroyer, three corvettes, one large cargo ship, one medium cargo ship, and three small cargo ships were sunk; five medium cargo ships and five escort vessels were damaged.

A second formation of enemy ships several hundred miles away was attacked and heavily damaged by our aircraft on June 12. These were:

three destroyers, one destroyer escort, and two cargo ships.

In the operations on June 11 our losses were four aircraft and seven flight personnel.

On the night of June 10 several enemy planes approached our force, but failed to drive home an attack, and one of them was shot down by antiaircraft fire.

CINCPAC PRESS RELEASE NO. 442, Truk Atoll was bombed by Liberators of the Seventh Army Air Force be-fore dawn on June 12 (West Longitude Date). Thirty-eight tons of bombs were dropped on airfields and the seaplane base. Three enemy fighters Intercepted our force, and damaged one Liberator. Antiaircraft fire was meagre.

All of our planes returned.

Ventura search planes of Group One, Fleet Air Wing Two, bombed Nauru and Ocean Islands on June 11. Gun positions and barracks were attacked. Moderate antiaircraft fire was encountered.

Ponape Island was bombed by Seventh Army Air Force Mitchells on June 11, meeting light antiaircraft fire.

In the Marshalls Navy and Marine fighters and dive bombers attacked Maloelap and Wotje Atolls on June 11. (Denis Peck)

BORNEO: Borneo Town falls to US and Australian forces.