Air Operations, Aleutians

11th Air Force B-24 Liberators attack Kiska, damaging a Japanese destroyer.

Air Operations, CBI

1st AVG Fighter Squadron P-40s shoot down 4 Ki-27 'Nate' fighters and 5 unidentified twin-engine aircraft over Kweilin, China. The unidentified aircraft are possibly the first Ki-45 'Nick' fighters to be seen in combat.

Air Operations, Europe

• The Ploesti oilfields and Constanta in Rumania are bombed by American Liberator bombers from bases in Egypt. On their way home several of the B-24s have to make emergency landings in Turkey, and their crews are interned.

  American B-24s That Participated in the Ploesti Raid

• A single RAF Beaufighter drops a tricolor over the Arc de Triomphe and strafes Gestapo Headquarters in Paris.
• 4 Wellingtons are sent to bomb Essen. 2 drop their bombs. There are no losses.

HM King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Meet Training Crews at Waterbeach Who Took Part in 1,000-Bomber Raids

Air Operations, New Guinea

5th Air Force B-17s, based in the Bismarcks, attack the Rabaul/Lakunai and Rabaul/Vunakunau airfields.

Battle of the Atlantic

U-373 proceeds to the waters off the Chesapeake capes and plants 15 mines. 3 ships are sunk soon thereafter severely disrupting coastal traffic.

Caribbean

The US steamship Sixaola is torpedoed and sunk by U-159 off the coast of Panama losing 29 of her crew in the attack. The 58 surviving crew members, the 6-man armed guard unit and the 108 passengers move into 5 lifeboats and 6 rafts. The are rescued by the motor torpeod boat Niagara (PG-52), the Army tug Shasta ant the US steamship Carolinian.

China

Chinese forces abandon Kiangshan.

Eastern Front

Having checked the Russian offensive in the Kharkov area, the Germans go over to the counteroffensive. In the course of the next 3 days 3 Russian armies are crushed.

Gulf of Mexico

The US tanker Cities Service Toledo (8192t), bound for Portland, Maine with a cargo of crude oil, is torpedoed by U-158 20 miles east of Trinity Shoals Gas Buoy and explodes losing 11 of those on board. 30 survivors are rescued by the Norwegian tanker Belinda, the US tanker Gulf King and the steamship San Antonio.

Mediterranean

U-77 sinks the British destroyer Grove north of Sollum with the loss of 110 of her crew. There are 60 survivors.

North Africa

The Guards Brigade in the area of El Adem and Knightsbridge comes under particularly heavy pressure and British counterattacks are badly directed. The British lose 100 tanks, leaving only 70 operational, half the number Rommel has. The battle is now decided. A further advantage for Rommel is that, since the Germans have taken the ground on which the battle has been fought, they are able to recover and repair many damaged tanks. This is another area where the Germans have usually been superior in the desert.[MORE]

On 12 June 1942, Anne Frank receives a diary for her 13th birthday, which lays behind her on the sidewalk. Anne is pictured here with her friend (standing) at the place she used to live before she had to go underground.

Anne Frank on her 13th Birthday

Pacific

The US submarine Swordfish (SS-193) sinks the Japanese merchant cargo ship Burma Maru (4585t) northwest of Pulo Wai, in the Gulf of Siam.

United States, Planning

Gen Marshall meets with Adm King to discuss options for a Pacific offensive. Marshall is inclined to support MacArthur's plan, presented on June 8, noting that the 1st Marine Division could be available in Australia in early July. The Australian and US divisions available could be used as follow-on forces to clear the objectives once a beachhead is established. Nearly 150 heavy and light bombers will be available, as well as 371 fighter aircraft to provide air support. Lae and Salamaua in New Guinea are within range of these land-based aircraft, but attack Rabaul with the land-based bombers would require aircraft carriers to provide the long-range support.