UNITED KINGDOM: Churchill again sends a telegram to Roosevelt">Roosevelt asking for destroyers, calling the matter one "of life and death."

ÉIRE: U.S. passenger liner SS Washington sails from Galway, with 1,872 U.S. citizens escaping Europe. She will arrive in New York City unmolested.

FRANCE: RN begins operation 'Aerial' the evacuation of BEF and Allied troops from Cherbourg and continues for the next 10 days moving right down to the Franco-Spanish border. Over the next three days 30,630 British and Canadian soldiers will be evacuated.

Germany captures Strasbourg and Verdun.

12 million people - fleeing soldiers and terrified civilian refugees - are crowding roads out of every city in the north as Panzers race across France and panic grips the country. In Nancy, students working in bomb-proof cellars at the university are being snatched from their end of term exams by worried parents to join the chaotic stream heading west and south - in any direction away from the Germans. The town council has ordered the evacuation of the city, unaware that the enemy is relying on confusion and blocked roads to prevent the French army from re-grouping.

Panzergruppe Guderian reaches the Saone River from here they will turn east.

GERMANY:

U-137 commissioned.

U-105 launched.

U-572, U-574 laid down.

LITHUANIA: Kaunas: The Red Army marched into Lithuania today. There was no resistance as the Soviet troops crossed the frontier in great strength and President Smetona fled by plane from the capital with his family and other leading Lithuanians.

200 Soviet tanks led the occupation of Kaunas. Russian soldiers have taken up positions at all the public buildings. Planeloads of Soviet officials, including NKVD agents, are pouring into the airport. One of the first acts of the secret policemen was to arrest General Skucas, the Minister of the Interior, and Mr. Povilaitus, the chief of the state police. Martial law has been declared and there is a night long curfew.

The Lithuanians, realising that there is nothing they can do to resist the Russians, are resigned to the occupation of their country, but there is considerable excitement among the local German population, which besieged its legation today demanding to go home.

The occupation is seen here as another move by Stalin to build a barrier of occupied countries between the Soviet Union and Germany. He has part of eastern Poland, he has forced Finland to give up strategic territory now he has Lithuania, and the other Baltic states tremble.

U.S.A.: President Roosevelt">Roosevelt signs a Congressional Act authorizing the USN to have a strength of not more than 10,000 aircraft and 16,000 air crew, which overrides the bill signed yesterday authorizing a strength of 4,500 aircraft. The act also specifies 850 aircraft for the Naval Reserve and not more than 48 useful airships.

The U.S. refuses to recognize the annexation of Lithuania by the Soviet Union nor the annexation of Estonia and Latvia which the Soviets occupy on 17 June.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: HMS Andania (Armed merchant cruiser) is lost to U-A (an ex-Turkish boat) while on Northern Patrol between Ireland and Iceland.

SS Erik Boye (2,238,GRT) ex-Danish mercantile, Canadian manned, was torpedoed and sunk off Land's End, UK, in position 50.37 N, 008.44W, by U-38, KptLt. Heinrich LIEBE, Knights Cross and Knights Cross with Oak Leaves, CO. There were no casualties in this incident. ERIK BOYE was part of convoy HX-47, a 57-ship convoy from Halifax to Liverpool. She was loaded with 3,568 tons of wheat. U-38 had sunk the Norwegian 10,000-ton tanker ITALIA a day earlier. The convoy arrived in the UK on 17 June 1940 having lost two of its ships to U-38. U-38 was a long-range Type IX U-boat built by AG Weser at Bremen. Commissioned 24 October 1938. U-38 conducted 11 patrols and compiled an impressive record of 35 ships sunk for a total of 187,077 tons and 1 ship damaged for a further 3,670 tons. U-38 survived the war and was scuttled on 05 May 1945 at Wesermünde. She was later salvaged and was broken up for scrap in 1948. Heinrich LIEBE was born in 1908, at Gotha. He joined the navy in 1927. In 1931 he served on battleship SCHLESWIG- HOLSTEIN. In Sep 35 he transferred to the newly-formed U-boat force. He commanded U-2 and U-10 before he commissioned U-38. Due to the very small size of the pre-war U-boat force, LIEBE was one of only a very few experienced commanders. His professional competence quickly showed during his command of U-38, in which he made nine operational patrols. On his last patrol he sank eight ships for a total of 47,279 tons in the waters off Freetown, Africa. During this patrol he received the Oak Leaves cluster to the Knight's Cross. In total, LIEBE became the fifth highest U-boat ace. In Jul 41 he left U-38 and spent the next three years as a staff officer in German Navy High Command. From Aug 44 to the end of the war he served on the staff of the U-boat HQ. On 01 Oct 44 he was promoted to Fregattenkapitän (senior Commander). There is no record of his having been detained at the end of the war, as most U-boat officers were.

GERMANY: Berlin: German warships are ordered to annihilate Soviet submarines.

Croatia signed Axis protocol respecting its interests.

MALTA: Valetta:

43 Hurricane fighters were delivered to the beleaguered island of Malta yesterday, greatly strengthening the RAF's air defences in what has become a key battle in the struggle for control of the Mediterranean, and, indirectly, the battlefields of North Africa.

Both Britain and the Axis powers recognize the prime startegic importance of Malta. On the day of Italy's entry into the war it made eight air attacks on the island, and since the Luftwaffe moved into Sicily and southern Italy last January these attacks have shown a marked increase. The Royal Navy has devoted much effort to keeping Malta supplied so that Malta-based forces can continue to operate against Axis targets.

Malta sits astride the main Axis supply route to North Africa, especially to the Libyan port of Tripoli. If the overall Axis aim of securing the Suez Canal is to be achieved, this supply route must be made secure. On the other hand, in order to prevent an Axis build-up in North Africa the British must hang on to the island.

LIBYA: British forces suffer setbacks during Operation Battleaxe, launched yesterday to relieve Tobruk.

The dawn attack by the right-hand column on the Halfaya Pass, made along the top of the escarpment was stopped when "C" Squadron, 4 RTR, supporting the 2nd Cameron Highlanders, ran against the entrenched 88mms which were in stone-built sangars, with only their muzzles visible.

The "C" Squadron commander, Major Miles, was last heard on the radio reporting, "They are tearing my tanks apart."

The fight at Halfaya went on until about 1000 hrs when "C" Squadron was down to one Matilda and one light tank, and the Camerons were then forced to withdraw by infantry counter-attacks covered by machine-gun fire, and retreated down the pass with great loss. Other squadrons of 4 RTR engaged the enemy along the wire to keep the enemy busy while, further south, advancing along the escarpment, the centre column, led by 7th Royal Tanks, captured Fort Capuzzo, losing five tanks in the process.

Meanwhile the main force of 7th Armoured Division was preparing to hook round the German southern flank, led by 7th Armoured Brigade, which hd been re-equipped with the new Crusaders. To keep these tanks a surprise, the column was led 2nd RTR in A9 and A10 cruisers. The first phase of this advance, to capture the Hafid Ridge, went well, but prior reconnaissance had failed to reveal that the Hafid Ridge was actually three ridges. One Squadron moving forward was decimated with only two tanks surviving an encounter with a line of anti-tank guns concealed behind dummy vehicles.

The Germans counter-attacked with about 35 tanks coming up from the south-east. The British with only 20 tanks left that were fit for action were ordered to hold this force, but they were outgunned and by nightfall five tanks were lost.

LEBANON: Allied troops capture Sidon.

In the early hours HMS JERVIS and HMS KIMBERLEY had a short engagement with Vichy French destroyers GUEPARD and VALMY with the latter again using their superior speed to retire after having straddled HMS JERVIS several times. (Peter Beeston)

SYRIA: Eastern axis: Lloyd’s 5 Indian Brigade capture Kiswe, breaking 5-day deadlock. French counter-attack begins. French mobile column captures Ezraa, cutting Lloyd’s communications with Transjordan. Another column threaten Kuneitra and remaining communications with Palestine. Lloyd detaches Free French infantry and British artillery to the rear to hold Sheikh Meskine.

Central Axis: French infantry regiment with tanks and artillery attack Australian holding force at Merdjayoun (2/33 Battalion, 2/2 Pioneers, battery 2/5 Field Arty, Scots Greys and part of 6 Aust Cav). Australians are forced out of Merdjayoun, however many French tanks are knocked out by 25-pdrs and French cannot advance further.

On coastal axis 21 Aust Brigade enters Sidon. French forces counter-attack at Jezzine but are stopped by divisional artillery. Six Gladiators of X Flight are patrolling over Kissoue at 8,000ft when they are bounced by Dewotine D520's. Fl-Off J N Craigie is shot down and killed in the first pass. Another Gladiator is badly damaged. One Dewoitine crashes in British territory. The pilot is captured. The other, flown by French ace Sous-Lt Le Gloan, crash-lands at Rayak airfield and is written off. (Michael Alexander)

FRENCH INDOCHINA: Saigon:

CANADA: Submarine HM S/M Talisman departed Halifax as escort for convoy to St. John's Newfoundland.

Two gate vessels ordered for RCN from Marine Industries Sorel, Province of Quebec.

Floating dock ordered for RCN from EA Chappelle Summerside, Prince Edward Island.

TERRITORY OF ALASKA: Naval Air Station Kodiak on Kodiak Island, Aleutian Islands is established.

U-860, U-925, U-971, U-972 laid down.

U-198 launched.

Light cruiser USS Cleveland commissioned.

Escort carrier USS Copahee commissioned.

Corvette USS Brisk (ex-HMS Flax) launched.

Destroyer USS Boyle launched.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Probe commissioned.

Destroyer escorts USS Menges and Sederstrom launched.

Destroyer escort USS Gary laid down.

Destroyer USS Hale commissioned.

U-1023 commissioned.

U-2502 launched.

FINLAND: This evening the Finnish GHQ decides to abandon the attempts to recapture the lost positions on the VT-line. HQ of the Isthmus Troops is instructed to start preparations of withdrawal to the third line of defence, VKT-line. The VKT-line runs from Viipuri in west through Kuparsaari to Taipale on the southern shore of Lake Ladoga. Its eastern half after Kuparsaari runs along the river Vuoksi, and had been fortified to certain extent already before the Winter War, but its western half from Viipuri to Kuparsaari is in practice only a line on map.

Battlegroup Puroma's battle at Kuuterselkä goes on until this morning, when the IV Corps orders it to abandon its attempts to regain the VT-line. During the early morning hours the Battlegroup received reinforcements (the 2nd and 3rd companies of the Assault Gun Battalion), but these were insufficient to counter the growing Soviet strength. Losses were mounting, and at 10 am. Battlegroup Puroma withdrew from battle. It had gained valuable time and caused serious losses to the enemy, but suffered grievously in the process.

The three battalions of the Jäger Brigade present at the battle lost 627 men, 161 of them KIA or MIA. The Assault Gun Battalion lost five of its StuG IIIg's (more than half of its total losses of eight StuG IIIg's during the whole war) and 24 men, five of them killed (among the dead was Capt. Werner von Troil, CO of the 2nd Assault Gun Company). Russian sources admit the loss of 40 tanks at Kuuterselkä.

Finnish armour officer and historian Lt. Col. Pekka Kantakoski has commented, that while the individual assault guns fought bravely, the Battle of Kuuterselkä is a testimony of the sad state of Finnish armoured tactics at the time. Assault guns were fed to battle in ones and twos to support the infantry, and their speed wasn't exploited. The Finnish offensive advanced as fast as the infantry walked.

At Siiranmäki Lt. Col. Adolf Ehrnrooth's Battle Group Ehrnooth, a motley force with its core coming from Infantry Regiment 7 faces this morning yet another Soviet attack. Red Army penetrates the Finnish positions, and by afternoon threatens to overrun the regimental command post. However, bold attacks on enemy flanks drives the Soviets back to their starting positions by tomorrow morning. Battle Group Ehrnrooth has withstood the attacks of at least eight Red Army regiments, which came from 178th and 381st divisions of the 97th Corps and the 177th and 281st divisions of the 98th Corps. By repelling the Soviet attacks, IR 7 saved the Finnish units south of it, along the coast, being isolated by a Red Army thrust, thus preventing a truly fateful disaster.

Today is given the general order for the civilian population to evacuate the whole Karelian Isthmus. For the second and final time people are forced to leave their homes and become refugees. Karelians left their homes for the first time during and immediately after the Winter War, but many returned after the lost territories were re-conquered in summer and autumn of 1941. Many had left on their own initiative as soon as the seriousness of the military situation dawned to them, and the roads and trains were filled with people on their way to west, trying to take with them as much of their belongings as possible. But the evacuation proceeds relatively smoothly, largely thanks to the ability of the Army to delay the advancing enemy.

U.S.S.R.: Black Sea Fleet: MS "T-411 "Zaschitnik"" - by U-boat, in Sukhumi area.  (Sergey Anisimov)(69)

JAPAN: During the night of 15-16 June, 47 of 65 Boeing B-29 Superfortresses of the 58th Bombardment Wing (Very Heavy), Twentieth Air Force, staged through Chengtu, China to drop 221 tons of bombs on a steel plant in Yawata, Kyushu, Japan. The B-29s were based in India. This was the first B-29 mission against Japan. Claims in the US Congress that the raiders hit targets in Tokyo and other cities were quickly denied by Tokyo radio, however. It is saying that little damage was done and six US planes were shot down.

SAIPAN : The 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions under General HM Smith land on this island in Operation Forager. Admiral RK Turner is in a familiar command of landing vessels and support ships, which include the carrier USS Midway.

The defending Japanese are commanded by General Saito and the 43rd Division and Admiral Nagumo.

The underwater remains of the battle can be seen here.
 

BONIN ISLANDS: Parts of US TF 58 raid the Islands, taking a break from operations against the Marianas Islands. Carrier-based aircraft of the USN's Task Groups 58.1 and 58.4 attack Iwo Jima in the Volcano Islands and Chichi Jima and Haha Jima in the Bonin Islands during the afternoon. The attacks are an attempt to block the only viable route for the Japanese to reinforce the Mariana islands with land-based aircraft. The main targets are airfields, fuel supplies and barracks. U.S. losses are two TBM Avengers, two SB2C Helldivers and three F6F Hellcats; all of the crews of the seven aircraft are lost.  

TRUK ATOLL: British Task Group 111.2, RADM E.J.P. Brind, consisting of aircraft carrier IMPLACABLE, escort carrier RULER, light cruiser SWIFTSURE, NEWFOUNDLAND, HMCS UGANDA and HMNZS ACHILLES, and destroyers TERMAGENT, TROUBRIDGE, TENACIOUS, TERPSICHORE and TEASER, commences air strikes on Truk just after 1100. Prior to that, the four light cruisers and destroyers TEASER, TENACIOUS and TROUBRIDGE shell Truk. They continues attacks against Truk Atoll in the Caroline Islands begun yesterday. (Jack McKillop and Tim Lanzendörfer)

NEW GUINEA: A Japanese counterattack on Biak Island fails.

AUSTRALIA: The Far East Air Force (FEAF) is formed with jurisdiction over the USAAF's Fifth and Thirteenth Air Forces in the Southwest Pacific Area (SWPA). Lieutenant General George C Kenney becomes Commanding General FEAF, with headquarters in Brisbane, Australia; Headquarters, Fifth Air Force moves from Brisbane to Nadzab, New Guinea and Lieutenant General Ennis C Whitehead becomes Commanding General Fifth Air Force.

CANADA: Submarine HM S/M L 23 arrived Digby Nova Scotia for ASW training.

Submarines HM S/M L 26 and L 27 arrived Bermuda for ASW training.

Corvette HMCS Huntsville commissioned.

Minesweeper HMS Marmion launched Port Arthur Ontario.

Corvette HMCS Strathroy launched Midland Ontario.

U.S.A.: The "Hart Inquiry" by Admiral Thomas C. Hart, USN (Retired) concludes. The inquiry began on 12 February 1944 in an attempt to determine who was responsible for the Pearl Harbor debacle. The Hart Report is 565 printed pages.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 49, Operations for the seizure of Saipan Island in the Mariana Group have been initiated by strong Pacific Ocean Areas forces.

Assault troops have effected landings on Saipan Island, following intensive preparatory bombardment of Saipan, Tinian Pagan,Guam and Rota Islands by carrier-based aircraft and by a portion of the battleships, cruisers and destroyers of the Pacific Fleet.

Landings are being continued against strong opposition under cover of supporting bombardment by our air and surface forces.

Initial reports indicate that our casualties are moderate.

CINCPAC COMMUNIQUÉ NO. 50, Assault troops have secured beachheads on Saipan Island and are advancing inland against artillery, mortar, and machine gun fire. Virtually all heavy coastal and antiaircraft batteries on the island were knocked out by Naval gunfire and bombing. Our troops have captured Agingan Point. In the town of Charan Kanoa, brisk fighting is continuing.

The enemy has attempted several counterattacks with tanks. These attacks have been broken up by our troops with the support of ships and aircraft.

In general, fighting is heavy but good progress is being made against well organized defences. (Denis Peck)

Escort carrier USS Rendova laid down.

Destroyer escort USS Peiffer commissioned.

Minesweeper USS Density commissioned.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-860 sunk in the South Atlantic south of St Helena, in position 25.27S, 05.30W, by depth charges and rockets from 7 Avenger and Wildcat aircraft (Task Group 22.10) of the US escort carrier USS Solomons. 42 dead and 20 survivors. Two Avengers were shot down in this battle.

UNITED KINGDOM: London: King George VI officially dissolves a parliament that has lasted for nine and a half years.

Destroyer HMS Armada adopted by the town of Brentwood, Essex.

Frigate HMS St Brides Bay commissioned.

GERMANY: Hamburg: British troops capture the former foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop">Ribbentrop.

Mission 204: During the night of 15/16 June, 30 B-29s mine Shimonoseki Strait and waters around Fukuoka, Karatsu, and Fushiki, Japan.

FORMOSA: Two B-32s dropped sixteen 2,000 pound (907 kg) bombs on a sugar mill at Taito, Formosa.

BORNEO: The Australian 9th Division met no opposition when it landed at Brunei Bay and on Labuan and Muara islands, after a heavy air and naval bombardment, five days ago.

Brunei Bay is the best harbour on the north-west coast of Borneo, and the US chiefs of staff proposed it as an advance base for the British Pacific Fleet. The British argued that it was too far from the main theatre of operations and was in any case unlikely to be ready in time. Developing the naval base would be a waste of construction effort, they said, especially as it could not be made ready until the end of the year - and by then Singapore might have been recaptured. The operation has gone ahead nonetheless, using Australian troops supported by the US Seventh Fleet and the Royal Australian First Tactical Air Force.

CANADA: Corvettes HMCS Buctouche and Cobourg paid off Sorel, Province of Quebec.

803 (Fighter) Sqn reformed with 25 Supermarine Seafire LIII, aircraft, at RNAS Arbroth for HMCS WARRIOR(31).

U.S.A.: The US Navy establishes Experimental Development Squadron Two Hundred (XVF-200) and Experimental Utility Squadron Twenty Five (XVJ-25) at Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine, to provide, under the direct operational control of Commander-In-Chief (COMINCH, flight facilities for evaluating and testing tactics, procedure, and equipment for use in special defence tasks particularly those concerned with defence against the Kamikaze.

Submarine USS Volador laid down.