Air Operations, Europe

In minor operations, 43 aircraft are involved in laying mines and 3 on leaflet flights over France. There are no losses.

Aleutians

The Japanese successfully take Attu.

Battle of Midway

Yorktown is sunk by a Japanese submarine.

US Carrier Yorktown (CV-5) Sinking

Rescuing Yorktown's Survivors

Battle of the Atlantic

The small seaplane tender Gannet (AVP-8) is torpedoed and sunk by U-652 off Bermuda.

Caribbean

• The unarmed US freighter Edith (3382t) is torpedoed and sunk by U-159 with the loss of two of her crew. Her 29 survivors in one lifeboat and two rafts eventually reach Black River, Jamaica.
• The unarmed US freighter Suwied (3249t) is torpedoed and sunk by U-107 southeast of the Yucatan Channel. 27 or the 33 on board survive the attack.

China

Continuing their offensive in Chekiang province beginning 4 days of fierce fighting, the Japanese take the airfield at Chuhsien.

Diplomatic Relations

The US State Department warns Helsinki the US will break relations with Finland if it continues a policy of collaboration with Germany.

Eastern Front

The final assault on Sevastopol begins by von Manstein's 11th Army of German and Rumanian troops. Little progress is made initially. The threat from Sevastopol has to be eliminated before they can go on to capture the Caucasus. The Soviet Black Sea Fleet is heavily involved in bringing supplies to the town. The Russian garrison consists of 7 infantry divisions and 3 marine brigades, all badly understrength. The Germans have 9 divisions, 2 of which are Rumanian.

Activity in the other sectors is limited to minor readjusting of the lines.

After 5 days of intense artillery fire, the 11th Army begins its offensive against Sevastopol. At 0350 hours the 4 infantry divisions of the LIV Corps (22nd, 24th, 50th and 132nd Infantry Divs) attack the strongly defended Belbek Valley and heavily fortified Mackenzie Heights, while the XXX Corps launches preliminary attacks aimed at gaining ground on the main road into Sevastopol from the south. In the center the Romanians pin down the Soviets and cover the German flanks.

The Germans meet ferocious resistance from the well dug in Soviets, suffering heavy casualties. The ground units call upon Luftwaffe support as they are pinned down by accurate Soviet counter-fire. By the end of the day, the LIV Corps has managed to advance a short distance but suffers considerable casualties.

North Africa

The Free French 1st Brigade continues to hold out at Bir Hacheim.

The Desert Air Force provides support for Bir Hacheim engaging the enemy on the ground as well as dropping supplies to the fighting Frenchmen.

The South Africans attempt a diversion by attacking the Italian infantry positions fronting the Gazala Line, costing 280 casualties for very little in exchange.

Pacific

• Japanese submarines shell the naval base at Sydney.
• The US submarine tender Fulton (AS-11) is sent out from Pearl Harbor for the purpose of rescuing survivors at sea from the Midway Battle. She picks up 2015 men from Yorktown; the light minelayer Breese (DM-18) embarks 84, and the destroyer Allen (DD-66) 94.
• The US freighter Coast Trader (3545t) is torpedoed and sunk by the Japanese submarine I-26 about 35 miles south of Cape Flattery, Washington. Survivors are picked up by the Canadian corvette RMCS Edmundston and the fishing boat Virginia.