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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 [Bombing of Cities in France and Low Countries | V-Weapons Campaign | La Coupole | Vergeltungswaffe 2 | 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 [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | RAF Thurleigh | 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]
• In the early morning darkness and again in the evening darkness, destroyer USS Saufley fired many star shells over Japanese positions on Saipan, Mariana Islands as directed by fire control parties ashore. ww2dbase [Saufley | Saipan | 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 [V-Weapons Campaign | Vergeltungswaffe 1 | 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 [V-Weapons Campaign | Winston Churchill | 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 [Electric Boat Company | Chub | Groton, Connecticut | CPC]

18 Jun 1944 Interactive Map