JUNE 1945
          The war is over in Europe; men and material are being redeployed to the Pacific. B-29's bomb Japan daily, escorted by fighters from Iwo Jima. Fighting continues on Okinawa 400 miles from Japan, within range of Kamikazes attacking the U.S. fleet. The government of Japan must decide how to defend from the coming invasion as troops start withdrawal from China.
    June 1. 458 B-29's attack city of Osaka.
      148 P-51's escorts encounter severe weather , many of the fighters collide; 27 are lost
      Mines sown by B-29's sink 6 and damage 6 ships.
    June 2.Carrier TF 38 bombs airfields in southern Kyushu,1 Japan.
      Mines sown by B-29's sink or damage 12 more ships.
    June 3. Carrier TF 38 bombs airfields in southern Kyushu, Japan.
      Mines sown by B-29's sink or damage 7 ships.
      Marines land on Iheya Jima, Ryukyus
    June 4. Subs, mines and aircraft sink 10 ships, damage 7.
    June 5. 473 B-29's pound city of Kobe with incendiaries.
      Typhoon off Okinawa damages 36 ships.
      Kamikazes damage Mississippi (BB-41) and Louisville (CA-28).
    June 6. Submarines continue daily sinking of shipping and escorts.
      Japanese government begins 3-day conference with Emperor to discuss the war.
    June 7. 409 B-29's, escorted by P-51's, drop incendiary and high explosive bombs on Osaka.
      TG 74.3 of 4 light cruisers and 7 DD covers minesweepers and underwater demolition teams off Brunei Bay, N. Borneo.
    June 8. FarEast AirForce makes daily raids on Formosa, Hong Kong, and Borneo
      Submarine HMS Trenchant sinks Japanese heavy cruiser Ashigara (CA) N. of Borneo.
      TF 38 planes attack Kanoya Airfield, Kyushu, Japan.
      Imperial Conference with Emperor : "the nation will fight to the bitter end."
    June 9. Navy surface and air forces attacking in the Kurils2 supported by 6 B-24's and 8 B-25's. B-25 shot down by Soviet AA.
      Marines on Aguni Jima, Ryukyus.
      Keeper of Privy Seal, Kido, begins search for "peace with honor" within civil government.
    Jun 10. Australians invade Borneo, seize oil fields.
      PB4Y Privateers from Okinawa, commence mining waters off Korea.
      Six submarines sink 8 Japanese ships.
    Jun 11 .Cruisers and DDs bombard installations on Matsuwa, Kurils.
      Six US subs sink 6 ships.
    Jun 12. Four US subs sink 7 ships.
    Jun 13. 750 aircraft are stationed on Okinawa.
      Most of Third Fleet arrived Leyte after 3-months of continuous operations and kamakaze attack.
    Jun 14. British task group make air and surface attacks on Truk.
      Marshall gives King a study on use of poison gas to decrease cost in American lives and shorten the war.
      Jun 15. Court of Inquiry about ship losses in typhoon.
      Jun 16. P-61's arrive on Ie Shima to take on night heckler missions against Kyushu.
      Jun 17. Breach final defenses on Okinawa.
      Jun 18. Having burned out major cities, B-29's begin on smaller ones.
        President Truman authorized invasion of Kyushu.
      Jun 19. Alaskan B-24 flies longest mission, a 2,700-mi roundtrip lasting 15-1/2 hrs in N.Pacific.
        British troops enter Thailand.
      Jun 20. PB4Y-2s from Okinawa daily sow mines in waters of Korean archipelago.
      Jun 21. 10th Army reachs south end of Okinawa. Conquest completed.
        Kamikazes continue.
      Jun 22. Gen Ushijima suicide. Mopping up continues
        UN Conference ends.
      Jun 23. US casualties for Okinawa : 79,849
        Troops : 7,613 killed ; 31,807 wounded ; 26,000 non-combat.
        Sailors : 4,900 killed ; 4,824 wounded .
        191 ships sunk or irrepairably damaged, 250 ships damaged, mostly by kamikaze.
      Jun 24. Japan asks Soviets to extend Neutrality Pact.
        Australian forces capture Sarawak, N.W. part of Borneo.
      Jun 25. Japanese continue pullback in China.
      Jun 26. UN established in San Francisco
        Four DD sink 4 subchasers in Kurils.
        Marines land on Kume Jima.
        B-29's hit oil refineries
      Jun 27. Luzon declared captured - 5-1/2 months.
      Jun 28. Japanese submarine I 36 carries out unsuccessful kaiten attack on Antares (AKS-3)
      Jun 29. Japan offers Soviets fishing concessions for oil.
      Jun 30. Luzon declared secure [altho fighting continued until the end.]
        Midyear count : USN vessels on hand, all types -- 67,952 .
        Personnel : Navy-- 3,383,196 ; Marine Corps-- 476,709 ; Coast Guard-- 171,192. Total-- 4,031,097.
        _____
        1 . Kyushu is the south-most of the 4 islands that are Japan, target for invasion 1Nov'45.
        2 . Kurils are an island chain continuing north of Japan, much as Okinawa is part of an island chain south.
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