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• Carrier Shokaku sailed in company with flagship Taiho and sister ship Zuikaku for the Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Shokaku | CPC]
• US First Army isolated Cherbourg, France. ww2dbase [Normandy Campaign, Phase 1 | TH]
• US 83rd Infantry Division arrived in Normandy, France. ww2dbase [CPC]
• USS Mingo departed Manus, Admiralty Islands for her fourth war patrol. ww2dbase [Mingo | CPC]
• Gurkha troops of the Chindits made contact with Chinese troops at the village of Lakum in northern Burma. ww2dbase [Operation Thursday | CPC]

• In China, the strategic city of Changsha, 200 miles south of Hankou, fell to the Japanese, having successfully defied them three times before. ww2dbase [Operation Ichigo | Changsha, Hunan | CPC, AC]

• British No. 617 Squadron attacked the 20-foot thick concrete dome containing V-2 rockets at Wizernes, France without success. They would return to this target on multiple occasions in the following month. ww2dbase [Vergeltungswaffe 2 | Bombing of Cities in France and Low Countries | V-Weapons Campaign | La Coupole | Wizernes, Nord-Pas-de-Calais | AC]

• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against Hamburg, Germany but diverted to targets of opportunity due to thick clouds over the target area. ww2dbase [RAF Thurleigh | Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | Hamburg | DS]

• Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Part of Air Group 11 arrived on board. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]

• British troops captured Assisi, Italy. ww2dbase [Advance to the Gothic Line | Assissi, Umbria | TH]

• The keel of landing ship No. 138 was laid down by Kawanami Kogyo. ww2dbase [No. 101/103-class | CPC]

• USS Yorktown (Essex-class) rejoined Task Force 58 in the Mariana Islands and waited for the approaching Japanese Fleet. ww2dbase [Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | Yorktown (Essex-class) | DS]

• USS Nashville arrived at Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides. ww2dbase [Nashville | Espiritu Santo | CPC]

• USS New Mexico escorted transports out of the Mariana Islands area. ww2dbase [New Mexico | CPC]
• Submarine USS Tinosa sank a 400-ton sailing vessel in the Tsushima Strait by tossing fuel oil and hand grenades onto the deck. ww2dbase [Tinosa | Tsushima Strait | DS]

• A V-1 flying bomb struck the Guards Chapel across from Buckingham Palace in London, England, United Kingdom during worship services, killing 119. ww2dbase [Vergeltungswaffe 1 | V-Weapons Campaign | London, England | TH]
• Winston Churchill impressed on Dwight Eisenhower that there must be no change of plans as a result of the V-1 attacks; London and the South-east would endure the bombardment as long as was necessary. ww2dbase [Winston Churchill | V-Weapons Campaign | AC]
• Glenn Miller arrived in England, United Kingdom. ww2dbase [Glenn Miller | England | AC]

• Submarine Chub was launched at Groton, Connecticut, United States, sponsored by Mrs. T. A. Risch. ww2dbase [Chub | Electric Boat Company | Groton, Connecticut | CPC]

18 Jun 1944 Interactive Map