Air Operations, Aleutians

Guided for the first time by radar-equipped Patrol Wing 4 PVs, 8 28th Composite Bomb Group B-25s, 18 343rd Fighter Group P-38s, and 20 P-40s attack Kiska through heavy weather. The attack is so successful that guidance of USAAF bombers by the radar-equipped PVs will become routine.

Air Operations, CBI

20 23Rd Fighter Group P-40 dive-bombers attack rail facilities and warehouses at Changanyi.

Air Operations, Europe

• 23 Wellingtons and 10 Stirlings lay mines in the Frisians, off Texel and off the Biscay ports.
• There are no losses.
• (when?)The RAF raid the Zeppelin factories at Friedrichshafen where German radar equipment is manufactured.

Air Operations, Mediterranean

The round-the-clock Allied air offensive against Pantelleria continues.

Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-24s attack the airfield and town at Lae. B-25s attack Bogadjim.

Battle of the Atlantic

Surfaced U-boats begin crossing the Bay of Biscay in groups of 2-5 and attempt to fight off attacking planes with concentrated flak.

Eastern Front

In the Kuban, major air battles are taking place.

The Red Air Force attacks German rear communications and airfields at Smolensk, Orel and Bryansk.

As June begins the fighting in the air intensifies, both air forces struggling to gain supremacy. The Luftwaffe launches heavy raids upon Kursk while the Soviets continue their efforts in the Kuban and long the main line.

Churchill addressing British troops in the old Roman amphitheatre, Carthage, Tunisia, 1 June 1943

Churchill Addressing the Troops

Secret War

Ju-88C long-range fighters shoot down a Dutch airliner over the Bay of Biscay following a false report from agents in Lisbon that Churchill is aboard. There are no survivors. Among the 17 dead is film actor Leslie Howard, aged 50.

United States, Home Front

More than 500,000 coal miners go on strike after protracted wage negotiations break down. Most return to work by June 7 when talks resume. A further strike begins on June 21 but most of the men have returned to work by early July.

United States, Planning

New forces are assembled and begin training in California to join the forces now on Attu in an operation to seize Kiska Island, also occupied by the Japanese.