1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 27 MAY–1 JUNE 1942 ]
NEW GUINEA—Aus Kanga Force is strengthened
by arrival of Aus 5th Independent Co by air.
LIBYA—Rommel prepares to resume offensive,
moving armored forces around S flank of Br Eighth
Army to positions SE of Bir Hacheim under cover
of darkness. Br Eighth Army is now disposed with
13 Corps (50th Div; S African 1st and 2d Divs; 1st
Army Tank Brig; 9th Brig of Ind 5th Div) on N and
30 Corps (1st and 7th Armd Divs; 201st Gds Brig;
Ind 3d Motor Brig Gp; 29th Brig of Ind 5th Div; FF
1st Brig Gp) on S.
U.K.—Anglo-American air conference opens in
London to consider allocation policy. Among those
attending are Gen Arnold, Rear Adm John H. Towers,
and British Chief of Air Staff Sir Charles Portal.
20-year Anglo-Soviet mutual aid agreement is
signed in London.
27 May
HAWAII—Adm Fletcher’s naval force, based on
carrier Yorktown, arrives at Pearl Harbor from S
Pacific.
MIDWAY—Japanese Vice Adm Chuichi Nagumo’s
Carrier Striking Force leaves Japan for Midway. Enemy
transports depart from Saipan and covering
cruisers and DD’s from Guam for same objective.
NEW CALEDONIA—Americal Div, its name a contraction
of words “America” and “New Caledonia,”
is activated under Gen Patch.
INDIA—USAFCBI SOS Base Section I is activated
at Karachi; Base Section 2 (Calcutta) is authorized.
LIBYA—Axis forces open offensive against Gazala-
Bir Hacheim line of Br Eighth Army at dawn, making
main effort on S and staging demonstration on
N. In 30 Corps sector, FF 1st Brig Gp holds detached
strongpoint at Bir Hacheim against attack. German
armored columns disposed SE of this village sweep
northward toward El Adem and Acroma and are
opposed by Ind 3d Motor Brig, a few miles E of Bir
Hacheim, and 7th and 1st Armd Divs to N.
28 May
POA—Main body of Japanese naval force under
command of Adm Isoroko Yamamoto leaves Japan
for Midway. From Pearl Harbor, Adm Spruance’s
naval force also heads for Midway. U.S. troop detachment
(500 from the Efate garrison) arrives at
Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, where bomber strip
is to be built to support invasion of the Solomons.
CHINA—Chinese withdraw from Kinhwa,
Chekiang Province, under pressure.
BURMA—Japanese seize Kengtung.
[ 39 ]
LIBYA—Br Eighth Army defeats enemy efforts
to break out to coast in rear of Gazala positions in
order to gain supply line to forces NE of Bir
Hacheim.
USSR—Battle of Kharkov ends as Germans
complete reduction of Red Army salient W of the
Donets in Kharkov area.
29 May
LIBYA—Upon breaching mine fields in center of
Br Eighth Army’s position, enemy starts passing vehicles
through gaps despite Br fire. Rommel’s main
armored forces, temporarily on the defensive until a
supply route can be opened to them, fall back southward
under attack by armor of 30 Corps.
30 May
POA—Adm Fletcher’s Yorktown force sails for
Midway from Pearl Harbor. Japanese TF (2 transports,
2 carriers, 2 CA’s, 3 DD’s) leaves Japan for
Aleutians, where it is to create a diversion for the
invasion of Midway and land small forces on W Aleutians.
Initial detachment of U.S. troops arrives at
New Zealand.
INDIA—Ch 113th Regt, rear guard covering withdrawal
of 38th Div and 5th Army from Burma,
crosses the Chindwin.
LIBYA—Axis forces, in effort to consolidate
bridgehead at gaps in mine fields, move W under
attack by Br Eighth Army and RAF. Gen Ritchie
decides to counterattack on night of 31st, but accedes
to request of corps commander to postpone
attack 24 hours. 1st Armd Brig, which has recently
arrived in Libya, is used to bring other units up to
strength.
Germany—RAF opens air offensive against Germany
with attack of unprecedented scale against
Cologne, night 30–31. Over 1,000 planes participate;
more than 2,000 tons of bombs are dropped.
31 May
LIBYA—Axis forces begin assault on Sidi Muftah,
detached strongpoint of 13 Corps, Br Eighth Army,
and are engaged by 150th Brig of 50th Div, to whom
armored assistance is rushed. Later, 13 Corps begins
preliminary phase of general counterattack but
makes little headway.
1 June
AUSTRALIA—Japanese midget submarines enter
Sydney harbor and sink an Aus boat.
LIBYA—Continuing attack on Sidi Muftah, enemy
wipes out 150th Brig of 50th Div and much of
1st Army Tank Brig assisting it. Lull ensues as