June 7, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

SUNDAY, 7 JUNE 1942

IJA: The Japanese Army 301st Independent Infantry Battalion lands 1,200 soldiers lands without opposition at Chichagof Harbor on Attu. They captured 45 native Aleut people and two American civilians Charles Foster Jones and his wife. The Japanese invasion of Attu and Kiska was to draw U.S. warships away from the Midway area, but failed in that respect.

AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS ALASKA (11th Air Force): An enemy airplane is sighted over Cold Bay but cannot be intercepted.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, 7th Air Force) Four LB-30 Liberators: LB-30 AL589, LB-30 AL611, LB-30 AL617, LB-30 AL626 took ooff from from Midway on a predawn attack against the retreating Japanese fleet off Wake. Lost is LB-30 AL589 (MIA) piloted by Major General Clarence L. Tinker, Commanding Officer (C. O.) 7th Air Force. Afterwards, Brig Gen Howard C. Davison becomes commander of Seventh Air Force.

MIDWAY: The Battle of Midway ends. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) losses include 3,500 men, four carriers, a cruiser, 332 aircraft, and many of their bravest, most experienced pilots. American losses include 150 aircraft, 307 men.

5th AF: Ditched is P-40E 41-5543 pilot 2nd Lt. Harvey Martin (survived).

U.S. Navy: Command of naval forces is reallocated: Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, Sea Frontiers, and Special Task Forces are placed directly under Commander in Chief U.S. Fleet and Chief of Naval Operations; Naval Local Defense Forces, Naval Transportation Service, Special Duty Ships, and Naval District Craft are made responsible to Vice Chief of Naval Operations.

At 5:30am USS Yorktown (CV-5) sinks as the result of heavy damage sustained on June 4, 1942 and June 6, 1942 during the Battle of Midway at roughly Lat 30°36'N Long 176°34'W.

Submarine tender USS Fulton (AS-11), sent out from Pearl Harbor for the purpose, rescues 2,015 from USS Yorktown (CV-5) at sea; light minelayer USS Breese (DM-18) rescues 84; destroyer USS Allen (DD-66) rescues 94.

U.S. freighter Coast Trader is torpedoed and sunk by Japanese submarine I-26 about 35 miles southwest of Cape Flattery, Washington, 48°19'N, 125°40'W. Coast Guard plane (V-206) guides Canadian corvette HMCS Edmundston to the scene; Edmundston and fishing boat Virginia I rescue survivors, who include the 37-man crew and 19-man Armed Guard. One crewman dies of exposure before the survivors can be picked up.

Damaged U.S. freighter George Cylmer, torpedoed the day before, is reboarded by her crew (see 8 June).

Submarine Grouper (SS-214) is bombed (but not damaged) by USAAF B-17s.

IJN: Japanese Kiska Occupation Force under Captain Ono Takeji) land on Kiska without opposition.