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21 Jun 1944
  • Soviet forces began another offensive against the Finns between Lake Ladoga and Lake Onega in northern Russia. ww2dbase [TH]
  • Mussolini transformed the Partito Fascista Repubblicano into a military organization. ww2dbase [Benito Mussolini | CPC]
  • USS Guitarro departed Darwin, Australia. ww2dbase [Guitarro | CPC]
  • USS Puffer arrived at Fremantle, Australia, ending her fourth war patrol. ww2dbase [Puffer | CPC]
  • Karl Burk was made the commanding officer of SS Volunteer Sturmbrigade Wallonien. ww2dbase [Karl Burk | CPC]
Australia China Finland Germany
  • More than 1,300 US 8th Air Force bombers, including the 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh, took off from airfields in Britain to attack Berlin, Lüne-Merseburg, and the hydrogenation plant at Ruhland in the Gau of Mark Brandenburg. The 163 that attacked Ruhland went on to Ukraine instead of returning to Britain, and this was noticed by the German Luftwaffe, which had plans to counter such an attempt for a shuttle bombing operation. He 111 bombers from various units of KG 4 (pathfinders), KG 53, and KG 55 took off for Poltava and Mirgorod (Myrhorod) Airfields in Ukraine. ww2dbase [Bombing of Hamburg, Dresden, and Other Cities | RAF Thurleigh | TH, CPC]
  • 145 B-17s began an Operation Frantic shuttle bombing mission between the United Kingdom and bases in Ukraine. 72 P-38s, 38 P-47s and 57 P-51s escorted the bombers to the target, the synthetic oil plant at Ruhland, Germany. 123 B-17s bombed the primary target while the rest bombed secondary targets. The fighter escort returned to England while fighters based at Pyriatyn, Ukraine relieved them. 1 B-17 was lost to unknown causes and 144 B-17s landed in the USSR, 73 at Poltava and the rest at Myrhorod. During the night, the 73 B-17s at Poltava were attacked for 2 hours by an estimated 75 German bombers led by aircraft dropping flares. 47 B-17s were destroyed and most of the rest were severely damaged. Heavy damage was also suffered by the stores of fuel, ammunition, and ordinance. ww2dbase [Operation Frantic | P-51 Mustang | B-17 Flying Fortress | Ruhland | DS]
Italy Japan Pacific Ocean
  • USS Bluefish sank the Japanese transport she had been pursuing for several hours in the Makassar Strait, hitting her with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Bluefish | Makassar Strait | CPC]
  • USS Wasp was attached to Willis Lee's battleship group, which was sent in pursuit of the retreating Japanese ships after the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The group would fail to find any targets. ww2dbase [Wasp (Essex-class) | CPC]
  • USS Yorktown (Essex-class) and Task Force 58 chased the enemy but made no contact with the Japanese fleet. ww2dbase [Mariana Islands Campaign and the Great Turkey Shoot | Yorktown (Essex-class) | DS]
United Kingdom
  • The southern boroughs of London, England, United Kingdom suffered multiple V-1 flying bomb strikes during the day. The bombs started to arrive at 0525 hours when one exploded in Bexley close to the river Thames; it killed four people and wrecked 7 houses. Bombs followed in Addington Road, West Wickham where 65 houses were damaged and Queens Road in Beckenham where 3 were killed. Pilot Officer N. P. Gibbs of 41 Squadron at RAF West Malling shot down his second in two days over Beachy Head on the Channel coast. ww2dbase [V-Weapons Campaign | London, England | HM]
United States
  • The keel of submarine Menhaden was laid down by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, United States. ww2dbase [Menhaden | Manitowoc, Wisconsin | CPC]
  • Casablanca-class escort carrier USS Steamer Bay shifted from San Diego, California to the US Naval Drydocks at Terminal Island, San Pedro, California. ww2dbase [Steamer Bay | San Pedro, California | DS]
US Pacific Islands Photo(s) dated 21 Jun 1944
US Marine finding a family of five hiding in a cave during the fighting on Saipan, Mariana Islands, 21 Jun 1944Aerial reconnaissance photograph of Cherbourg city and harbor, taken on 21 June 1944Wrecked American and British landing craft after a storm, Omaha Beach, Normandy, 21 Jun 1944Broached landing craft during the Normandy storm, probably at Omaha Beach, 21 Jun 1944; note LST-543 in background
See all photos dated 21 Jun 1944

21 Jun 1944 Interactive Map

Timeline Section Founder: Thomas Houlihan
Contributors: Alan Chanter, C. Peter Chen, Thomas Houlihan, Hugh Martyr, David Stubblebine
Special Thanks: Rory Curtis




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Famous WW2 Quote
"The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years."

James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy, 23 Feb 1945


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