June 11, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

THURSDAY, 11 JUNE 1942

U.S. and Great Britain make simultaneous announcements of a mutual-aid agreement with Soviet Union. The agreement permits the Soviet Union to repay lend-lease debts in kind rather than in cash.

China: Advance Section 3, under SOS, is activated in China.

ALASKA (11th Air Force): Upon discovering enemy on Kiska, Allied aircraft begin series of long-range, small-scale attacks on Kiska, striking as often as weather conditions permit, in an effort to weaken enemy by attrition. Attu is beyond range of aircraft. For the first time, bombers strike Kiska. Five B-24s/LB-30s and five B-17s took off from Cold Bay and fly to Umnak to load bombs then bomb Kiska Harbor installations and shipping targets. Low-altitude runs by B-17s and B-24s score near misses on two cruisers and damage destroyer Hibiki. Lost is B-24D 41-1088 pilot Captain Jack F. Todd (KIA) shot down by anti-aircraft fire. The other B-24s are pursued by four fighters back to Umnak where US fighters drive them away. Air echelon of 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 30th Bombardment Group (Heavy) begins operating from Umnak with B-24s.

USN: PBY Catalinas operating from the seaplane tender USS Gillis in Nazan Bay off Atka hit ships and enemy positions on Kiska in an intense 48-hour attack which exhausted the gasoline and bomb supply aboard the Gillis but was not successful in driving the Japanese off Kiska.