June 3, 1942
Today in World War II Pacific History
Day by day chronology

WEDNESDAY, 3 JUNE 1942

AVG: A flight of six B-25s of the 11th BS (Medium), 7th BG (Heavy) took off from Dinjan, India bound for Kunming in China. They bombed Lashio, Burma en route to Kunming, but afterward three crashed into an overcast hidden mountain at 10,000' and another was abandoned when it run out of fuel near Chan-i, China. The remaining two B-25s reached Kunming, China, one with its radio operator killed by a fighter.

ALASKA (11th Air Force): In an attempt to divert forces from the Midway area, a Japanese carrier-based bombers and fighters bomb and strafe Fort Mears and Dutch Harbor in several waves inflicting little damage but killing fifty-two US personnel. P-40s from Cold Bay trying to intercept them arrive ten minutes after the last attack wave departs. Other P-40s from Umnak are notified too late due to communication failure. Nine P-40s and six B-26s fly a patrol but cannot find the fleet 180 miles south of Dutch Harbor but two of the P-40s engage four carrier-based aircraft, shoot down one and damage another.

CHINA-BURMA-INDIA (CBI) THEATER OF OPERATIONS (10th Air Force): A flight of B-25s of the 11th Bombardment Squadron (Heavy), 7th Bombardment Group (Heavy), earmarked for China, take off from Dinjan enroute bombing Lashio then onto Kunming, nine crash into an overcast-hidden mountain at 10,000' and another is abandoned when it runs out of fuel near Chan-i, China. Only two B-25's reach Kunming, one with the radio operator killed by a fighter.

PACIFIC OCEAN AREA (POA, 7th Air Force): Preliminary action begin for the Battle of Midway. 9 B-17s, flying out of Midway , attack 5 large warships 570 miles (912 km) off Midway, claiming 5 hits and several near misses. 7 other B-17s leave Oahu, Territory of Hawaii and fly to Midway.

SOUTHWEST PACIFIC AREA (5th Air Force): B-17s bomb the wharf, warehouse area, and military camp at Rabaul.

IJN: As part of the overall Midway plan, Japanese Second Strike Force under Rear Admiral Kakuta Kikuji of carrier planes from Ryujo and Junyo strike Dutch Harbor and Fort Mears on Unalaska Island. Lost returning is A6M2 Zero 4593 pilot P.O. Tadayoshi Koga (KIA) force landed on Akutan Island.

Ahead of the Battle of Midway a strong Japanese Naval force under the command of Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, Commander in Chief Combined Fleet, aboard Battleship Yamato is steaming towards Midway, led by a four aircraft carriers of the Mobile Force, supported by heavy units of the Main Body (First Fleet).

U.S. Navy: Ahead of the Battle of Midway land based planes from Midway locate and attack Japanese transports in the Second Fleet Escort Force about 600 miles west of Midway Island. USAAF B-17s inflict no damage. Four PBYs set out to attack the approaching Occupation Force.

Lost is PBY Catalina pilot Lt(jg) Jean C. Cusick (KIA, POW) shot down by Zeros from Junyo 200 miles southwest of Dutch Harbor.

Coastal minesweeper Bunting (AMc-7) is sunk in collision with submarine chaser PC-569 in San Francisco Bay.