World War II Database

• Home
• » Events
• » WW2 Timeline
• » 15 Jun 1944

• Yamato was sighted and reported by USS Seahorse east of Mindanao, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Yamato | CPC]
• USS Cassin Young provided support for the Mariana Islands invasion. ww2dbase [Cassin Young | CPC]
• Soviet forces battered the Finnish secondary defense lines on the Karelian Isthmus. ww2dbase [TH]
• American B-29 bombers based in China conducted a raid on Japan. ww2dbase [Bombing of Tokyo and Other Cities | CPC]
• American troops invaded Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | CPC]
• US Thirteenth Air Force established its headquarters at Momote Airfield, Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands. ww2dbase [CPC]
• USS Tunny sighted Luzon, Philippine Islands. ww2dbase [Tunny | CPC]
• The Japanese Navy formed the 2nd Air Fleet with 141st, 345th, and 762nd Air Groups with Vice Admiral Shigeru Fukudome in overall command and Rear Admiral Ushie Sugimoto as the chief of staff. ww2dbase [Shigeru Fukudome | CPC]
• Light carrier Ryuho departed Guimaras, Philippine Islands to join what would become the Battle of the Philippine Sea. ww2dbase [Ryuho | CPC]
• USS Flying Fish detected a Japanese carrier force and reported the information to fellow submarines; this would lead to the sinking of carrier Shokaku by USS Cavalla several days later. ww2dbase [Flying Fish | CPC]
• Destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Hopewell, USS O'Bannon, and USS Taylor arrived at Blanche Harbor, Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Nicholas | DS]

• In the Atlantic Ocean at 1922 hours, U-860 (Fregattenkapitän Paul Büchel) was located by an Avenger aircraft from USS Solomons. Three waves of attacks were launched. The first wave was consisted of two Avenger aircraft (Lieutenant Commander H. M. Avery and Ensign M. J. Spear) and two Wildcat aircraft (Ensign T. J. Wadsworth and Ensign R. E. McMahon); Wadsworth had to return to the carrier due to flak damage to a drop tank; the first wave made one rocket hit. The second wave was consisted of one Avenger aircraft (Lieutenant (jg) D. E. Weigle) and one Wildcat aircraft (Ensign R. E. McMahon); the second wave made one rocket hit. The third wave was consisted of one Avenger aircraft (Lieutenant (jg) W. F. Chamberlain) and one Wildcat aircraft (Lieutenant Commander H. M. Avery); the Avenger was damaged and its pilot ditched in the water. Depth charge damage caused during the third attack caused U-860 to sink, leaving 30-40 survivors in the water. Went down with the submarine were 100 tons of mercury and 100 tons of lead for Japan, as well as a wide array of equipment for German submarines operating in the east. Cannon-class destroyers USS Straub and USS Herzog arrived during the night and picked up 20 German survivors, including Büchel, but no trace of the Avenger crew was found. ww2dbase [U-860 | HM]

• Before dawn, 325 Lancaster bombers of RAF Bomber Command attacked Le Havre, France sinking the torpedo boats Falke, Jaguar, and Möwe of the German 5th Torpedo Boat Flotilla and 14 other smaller schnellboots of the 5th and 9th Flotillas, plus many auxiliary naval craft and harbour vessels. During the day, US VIII Corps (Major General Troy Middleton) became operational with the 90th Infantry Division and both US Airborne Divisions under its command, and was tasked with protecting the rear of the imminent attack to capture Cherbourg. ww2dbase [Normandy Campaign, Phase 1 | Le Havre, Haute-Normandie | TH, AC]
• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid on bridges behind German lines at Normandy, France. ww2dbase [RAF Thurleigh | Normandy Campaign, Phase 1 | Normandy | DS]

• US Navy 142nd Construction Battalion relieved the 39th Construction Battalion in the construction of the Naval Air Station Kahului in US Territory of Hawaii. ww2dbase [Kahului Naval Air Station | Kahului, Maui | CPC]
• Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Parts of Air Group 20 on board. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]

• Landing ship No. 105 was completed. ww2dbase [No. 101/103-class | CPC]
• Landing ship No. 134 was launched. ww2dbase [No. 101/103-class | CPC]
• Landing ship No. 153 was completed. ww2dbase [No. 101/103-class | CPC]

• USS New Mexico bombarded Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | New Mexico | Saipan | CPC]
• Transports being escorted by USS Shaw and USS Bailey made landings on Saipan in the Mariana Islands ww2dbase [Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | Bailey | Shaw | Saipan | DS]
• USS Corregidor began operations off Saipan, Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Corregidor | Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | Saipan | CPC]
• USS St. Louis bombarded Saipan, Mariana Islands. The formation was attacked by 16 Japanese dive bombers without damage. ww2dbase [Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | St. Louis | Saipan | DS]

• The first of the German summer convoys from Kirkenes, Norway set out on route to Petsamo, Finland with a strong escort and under a heavy smoke screen; it arrived at Petsamo without loss despite attacks from Soviet cutters and aircraft. On the same day, another convoy of ten ships was sighted by Soviet aircraft near Hammerfest, Norway under escort by the 5th MS Flotilla commanded by Commander Erich Klünder. The escorts drove off the Soviet submarines but in attacks by Il-2 aircraft of Ground Attack Regiment 46, the 7,418-ton freighter Florianopolis was hit. Il-4 torpedo aircraft sank 1,160-ton Dixie with parachute torpedoes. The mines laid by the Soviets on the convoy's route off Kirkenes, Norway were cleared by German minesweepers but Soviet bombers hit and damaged the 1,112–ton Marga Cords outside the port. ww2dbase [Kirkenes, Finnmark | HM]

• USS Bluefish attacked a Japanese transport in the Celebes Sea; all 5 torpedoes missed., ww2dbase [Bluefish | Celebes Sea | CPC]

• Shokaku departed Guimaras, Philippine Islands with Mobile Fleet to counter the American invasion of the Mariana Islands. ww2dbase [Shokaku | CPC]
• Patrol Boat No. 102 arrived at Jolo, Jolo island, Philippines at 0304 hours. ww2dbase [Stewart | Jolo | CPC]

• USS Segundo arrived at New London, Connecticut, United States. ww2dbase [Segundo | New London, Connecticut | CPC]
• USS Wake Island departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States. ww2dbase [Wake Island | Norfolk, Virginia | CPC]

15 Jun 1944 Interactive Map