Air Operations, Europe

• 194 aircraft including 112 Wellingtons, 37 Halifaxes, 25 Stirlings, 11 Hampdens and 9 Lancasters are sent to bomb Emden. 131 crews claim they bomb Emden, but photographic evidence show that part of the flare force started a raid on Osnabrück, 80 miles from Emden. 29 other aircraft join in that raid. Emded reports only 5 high-explosive bombs and between 200-300 incendiaries hit with no damage or casualties. 9 planes are lost including 6 Wellingtons, 2 Stirlings and 1 Halifax are lost.
• In minor operations, 6 Blenheim Intruders are in action and 5 planes make leaflet flights over France.

Air Operations, New Guinea

5th Air Force B-17s from the Bismarcks attack the Rabaul/Vunakanau airfield and shipping in the Rabaul harbor.

Battle of the Atlantic

The district patrol craft YP-389 (170t) is sunk by U-701 about 6 miles northeast of Buoy No. 4, Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.

Caribbean

The US schooner Cheerio (35t) is shelled by U-161 about 8 miles southeast of Mona Islana, Puerto Rico. The attack is interrupted by a patrol plane, but the damages is such that the crew abandon ship. They are rescued by Coast Guart cutter CG-459.

Eastern Front

Plans for the German offensive into the Caucasus, codenamed BLUE, are captured by the Soviets when an aircraft carrying a staff officer of the 23rd Panzer Div, Maj Reichel, is forced down. Reichel has in his possession a complete set of plans for the part XL Panzer Corps will play in Operation BLUE. The plans are forwarded to the Stavka in Moscow, but Stalin comes to the conclusion that they are phoney and a German ploy: the Nazis want the Soviets to find them in order to throw them off the trail of the impending Moscow attack. This is truly a stroke of luck for Hitler.

North Africa

The British withdraw beyond Bardia, on the Libyan-Egyptian frontier.

Rommel begins to prepare for the assault on Tobruk. The 90th Light Div which captured Bardia and the Littorio Armored Div are left to hold off any British threat from the frontier. The Italian infantry divisions are ordered to make diversionary moves against the western perimiter. The Afrika Korps, with the Ariete and Trieste Divs on its left are to push forward opposite the positions held by the 11th Indian Brigade.

Occupied Czechoslovakia

Gen Alois Elias, former Prime Minister of the 'puppet' régime in Bohemia-Moravia Protectorate, is executed by firing squad. He had been arrested by Heydrich in September 1941 and sentenced to death in October. He was 52.

Japanese prisoners of war under guard on Midway, following their rescue from an open lifeboat by USS Ballard, on June 19, 1942. They were survivors of the sunken aircraft carrier Hiryu. After being held for a few days on Midway, they were sent on to Pearl Harbor on June 23, aboard USS Sirius. (U.S. Navy)

Japanese Prisoners of War

United States, Command

• Vice-Adm Robert L. Ghormley takes command of the South Pacific Area and the South Pacifi Force, with headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand.
• Headquarters, US Army Forces in the Middle East (USAFIME) is established in Cairo, Egypt. Gen Russel L. Maxwell assumes command.