06/02 Tue. Two carrier task forces (Rear Adm. F. J. Fletcher and Rear Adm. R. A. Spruance) rendezvous about 350 miles northeast of Midway Island. [Composition of United States naval forces at the Battle of Midway was as follows: Rear Adm. F. J. Fletcher (Task Force 17) - carrier YORKTOWN (CV-5), heavy cruiser PORTLAND (CA-33) and ASTORIA (CA-34), and destroyers HUGHES (DD-410), ANDERSON (DD-411), HAMMANN (DD-412), RUSSELL (DD- 414), MORRIS (DD-417), and GWIN (DD-433); Rear Adm. R. A. Spruance (Task Force 16) - carriers ENTERPRISE (CV-6) and HORNET (CV-8), heavy cruiser PENSACOLA (CA-24), NORTHAMPTON (CA-26), NEW ORLEANS (CA-32), MINNEAPOLIS (CA-36), and VINCENNES (CA-44), light cruiser ATLANTA (CL-51), destroyers DEWEY (DD-349), WORDEN (DD-352), MONAGHAN (DD-354), AYLWIN (DD-355), PHELPS (DD-360) BALCH (DD-363), CONYNGHAM (DD-371), BENHAM (DD-397), ELLET (DD-398), MAURY (DD-401), and MONSSEN (DD-436), oilers CIMARRON (AO-22), and PLATTE (AO-24); and submarines on patrol and scouting duty NARWHAL (SS-167), NAUTILUS (SS-168), DOLPHIN (SS-169), CACHALOT (SS-170), CUTTLEFISH (SS-171), PIKE (SS-173), TARPON (SS-175), PLUNGER (SS-179), TAMBOR (SS-198), TROUT (SS-202), GRAYLING (SS-209), GRENADIER (SS-210), GUDGEON (SS-211), GATO (SS-212), GROUPER (SS-214), GROWLER (SS-215), FLYING FISH (SS-229), FINBACK (SS-230), and TRIGGER (SS-237).] 06/03 Wed. Midway-based aircraft locate and attack transports of Japanese Combined Fleet (Admiral Yamamoto) about 600 miles west of Midway Island. Japanese carrier-based aircraft bomb Dutch Harbor, Alaska. United States naval vessel sunk: Coastal Minesweeper BUNTING (AMc-7), by collision, San Francisco Bay. 06/04 Thu. Battle of Midway (4-6 June) opens as aircraft from four Japanese carriers strike Midway Island installations, which are defended by Marine and Army aircraft. Carrier task forces (Rear Adm. F. J. Fletcher and Rear Adm. R. A. Spruance) launch aircraft from carriers ENTERPRISE (CV-6) , HORNET (CV-6), and YORKTOWN (CV-5) which hit four Japanese carriers. YORKTOWN is disabled by Japanese carrier aircraft. Admiral Yamamoto abandons Midway plans and retires westward. United States naval vessel damaged: Carrier YORKTOWN (CV-5), by carrier-based aircraft, Battle of Midway, 33 d. 51' N., 177 d. 01' W. Japanese naval vessels sunk: Carrier KAGA, by carrier-based aircraft, Battle of Midway, 30 d. 23' N., 177 d. 01' W. Carrier SORYU, by carrier-based aircraft and submarine NAUTILUS (SS-168), Battle of Midway, 30 d. 42' N., 179 d. 37' W. 06/05 Fri. Carrier task force (Rear Adm. R. A. Spruance) pursues Japanese fleet westward (Battle of Midway, 4-6 June). Japanese naval vessels sunk: Carrier AKAGI, damaged by carrier-based aircraft, Battle of Midway, sunk by own forces, 30 d. 30' N., 179 d. 40' W. Carrier HIRYU, damaged by carrier-based aircraft, Battle of Midway, sunk by own forces, 31 d. 28 N., 179 d. 24' E. 06/06 Sat. Aircraft from carriers ENTERPRISE (CV-6) and HORNET (CV-8) attack Japanese force retiring from Midway. After recovering aircraft, United States force changes course eastward to refuel and breaks contact with the enemy (Battle of Midway, 4-6 June). [Battle of Midway was one of the most decisive battles in naval history. It was the turning point of the Pacific War. In addition to the crippling loss of four aircraft carriers, the Japanese suffered the loss of a large percentage of their most highly trained and battle- experienced carrier pilots. (See 2 to 6 June 1942).] United States naval vessel sunk: Destroyer HAMMANN (DD-412), by submarine torpedo, Battle of Midway, 30 d. 36' N., 176 d. 34' w. Japanese naval vessel sunk: Heavy cruiser MIKUMA, by naval carrier-based aircraft and Marine land-based aircraft, Battle of Midway, 30 d. 00' N., 173 d. 00' E. 06/07 Sun. Command of naval forces is reallocated: Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, Sea Frontiers, and Special Task Forces are place directly under Commander in Chief United States 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. Japanese occupy Kiska and Attu, Aleutian Islands, Alaska. United States naval vessels sunk: Carrier YORKTOWN (CV-5), by Japanese submarine torpedo, as she retires, damaged, after Battle of Midway, 30 d. 36' N., 176 d. 34' W. Seaplane tender (small) GANNET (AVP-8), by submarine torpedo, off Bermuda. 06/09 Tue. Naval Operating Base, Kodiak, Alaska, is established. 06/11 Thu. German submarines lay mines off Boston and Delaware Bay. 06/12 Fri. German submarines lay mines off Cape Henry, Va. 06/13 Sat. Four German agents are put ashore from submarine at Amagansett, Long Island, N. Y.; landings is detected by Coast Guard beach patrolman and agents are captured by Federal Bureau of Investigation. German submarine sunk: U-157, by Coast Guard cutter, THETIS (PC-115), north of Cuba, 24 d. 13' N., 82 d. 03' W. 06/14 Sun. First echelon of 1st Marine Division (Maj. Gen. A. A. Vandegrift) arrives at Wellington, New Zealand. 06/17 Wed. Four German agents land from submarine on Ponte Vedra Beach, south of Jacksonville, Fla.; landing is discovered by fishermen and agents are captured by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 06/18 Thu. United States Naval Air Facility, La Fe, Cuba, is established. 06/19 Fri. Vice Adm. R. L. Ghormley assumes command of South Pacific Area and South Pacific Force with headquarters at Auckland, New Zealand. United States naval vessel lost: Submarine S-27, by grounding, Amchitka, Aleutian Islands; abandoned. 06/20 Sat. Japanese submarine shells Estevan Point, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. 06/21 Sun. Japanese submarine shells Fort Stevens, Oreg. 06/25 Thu. United States Army establishes European Theater of Operations under Maj. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. President and British Prime Minister conclude conference in Washington; decision is reached for combined United States- British research and development of the atomic bomb. Japanese naval vessel sunk: Destroyer YAMAKAZE, by submarine NAUTILUS (SS-168), off Honshu, Japan. 06/26 Fri. United States Naval Auxiliary Air Station (Lighter-than-Air), San Julian, Cuba, is established. Germany announces unrestricted submarine warfare off United States Atlantic Coast. 06/30 Tue. Naval vessels on hand (all types)....5,612 Personnel: Navy....................640,570 Marine Corps............143,528 Coast Guard..............58,998 Total personnel.........843,096 United States naval vessel sunk: Coast minesweeper HORNBILL (AMc-13), by collision, San Francisco Bay, Calif. German submarine sunk: U-158, by Naval land-based aircraft (VP-74), western Atlantic area, 32 d. 50' N., 67 d. 28' W.