Chronology of World War II

June 1943

Monday, June 7


Air Operations, Europe

USAAF
PANTELLERIA:

NASAF and NATAF bombers and fighters and IX Bomber Command B-25s attack the entire island through the afternoon. P-40s of the 57th and 79th Fighter Groups down 2 Bf-109s and 2 Mc-202s in two separate afternoon fighter actions.

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Air Operations, New Guinea

V Bomber Command B-17s and B-24s attack the airfields and towns at Lae, Madang, Kesup, and Wewak.

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Air Operations, Pacific

  • In a major air action around the Russell Islands, US fighter aircraft shoot down 19 Japanese fighters out of a total of 40 attackers.
  • The Japanese attack Guadalcanal and lose 23 aircraft for only 9 US aircraft destroyed.
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The crew of the 'Memphis Belle' after completing 25 missions over enemy territory on June 7, 1943.

Crew of the 'Memphis Belle'


crew of the 'Memphis Belle'

Air Operations, Solomons

  • A VF-11 F4F shoots down an A6M Zero near New Georgia at about 1030 hours.
  • Russell Islands-based fighters intercept a formation of 10 B5N 'Kate' bombers and 102 A6M Zeros on its way to attack Allied facilities and shipping at Guadalcanal. In a general engagement that draws in AirSols fighters (including RNZAF Kittyhawks) from Guadalcanal, 18th Fighter Group P-40s and 347th Fighter Group P-38s down 11 Zeros, VMF-112 F4Us down 8 A6Ms, a VF-11 F4F downs 1 Zero, and 15 RNZAF Squadron Kittyhawks down 4 Zeros, all over the Russell Islands between 1115 and noon. 4 F4Us and 1 P-38 are also downed, and 2 more are lost in operational accidents, but only one USAAF pilot is lost.
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Air Operations, Tunisia

2 52nd Fighter Group Spitfires down 1 Bf-109 near Cap Bon.

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Battle of the Atlantic

8 U-boats simulate a much larger 'wolf-pack' by transmitting frequent radio messages. U-334 and U-388 are sunk.

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QF 25-pounder field gun of 153rd Field Regiment (Leicestershire Yeomanry) during a practice shoot in the mountains near Tripoli in the Lebanon, 7 June 1943.

Field Artillery Practice


Field Artillery Practice

Solomons

Japanese aircraft begin a series of heavy raids on Guadalcanal, the assembly and communications center of the American troops preparing for the offensive. Allied fighters intercept and destroy 23 aircraft, losing 9 of their own.

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154th (LY) Mountain Warfare training in the Lebanon, 7 June 1943.

Mountain Warfare Training


Field Artillery Training

[June 6th - June 8th]