19 June 1942

Minesweeper HMS Latrobe launched.

Minesweeping trawler HMS Campobello launched.

Escort carrier HMS Chaser launched.

Submarine HMS P-554 commissioned.

Destroyer HMS Onslaught commissioned.

ASW trawler HMS Inkpen commissioned.

GERMANY: Peenemunde: German rocket scientists are ordered to concentrate on developing the flying bomb, which is cheap to produce but must be launched by ramp.

U.S.S.R.: Black Sea Fleet and Azov Flotilla: Submarine "Sch-214" is sunk by Italian torpedo boat MAS-571, close to Cape Ai-Todor while performing transport duties to Sebastopol. 38 men lost, 2 survived. (Sergey Anisimov)(69)

A German light aircraft containing Field Marshal von Bock's plans for the summer offensive crashes in the Soviet-held Ukraine.

NORTH AFRICA: There appears to be no stopping Rommel now. With the collapse of the Free French garrison at Bir Hakeim - with most of the defenders vanishing into the desert night - his reinforced Panzers are roaring non-stop across the desert with the British in flight again. The British commander, Lieutenant-General Neil Ritchie, has ordered the main body of his army to retreat to a line on the Egyptian frontier - ignoring an order by General Auchinleck to defend the port of Tobruk at all costs. Tobruk is isolated, a fat prize for Rommel.

NEW ZEALAND: Vice Admiral Robert L. Ghormley, USN, assumes command of the South Pacific Area with headquarters at Auckland.

PACIFIC OCEAN: The seaplane tender (destroyer) USS Ballard (AVD-10) rescues 35 Japanese survivors of the aircraft carrier HIJMS Hiryu that had been scuttled on 5 June during the Battle of Midway; one of the survivors dies shortly after being rescued. The 35 were members of the engineering department who were presumed dead when the ship was scuttled; they had been sighted in the water by a PBY Catalina.

SS Fort Camosun damaged by torpedoes fired by the Japanese submarine I-25 Meiji Tagami CO, off the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Saved by timber cargo keeping her afloat and IJN rule about expending only one torpedo on merchant ships. I-25 was a Japanese Scouting submarine B-1 type. Built by Mitsubishi, Kobi Launched 08 Jun 40 Commissioned 06 Nov 41. 2,198 tons (mean) - 2,584 surfaced; 3654 submerged. LOA 356'6", Beam 30/6", Draft 16'9". Propulsion - 2 diesels 12,400 HP; Elec motors 2,000 HP Speed - 23.5 kts surface; 8 kts submerged. Range - 14,000 NM @ 16 knots surfaced and 96 NM @ 3 knots submerged. Depth 330'. Crew 94. Armament 1-5.5" 140 mm, 2-25 mm (2 x I), 6-21" T.T., 17 Torpedoes. E14Y GLEN Yokosuka recon a/c-1. Commanded by Meiji Tagami. Japanese fleet doctrine for the employment of submarines has been severely criticized for lacking an anti-shipping focus, as did the German plans. However, there was never any question of the German navy fighting a set-piece fleet engagement against any of the enemy naval forces arrayed against her. On the other hand, Japanese naval strategy definitely envisioned a fleet engagement against the USN, but only after the American numerical superiority had been substantially reduced to relative parity. Then, by use of superior tactics, weaponry, training, operational concepts, and surprise, if possible, they would win a decisive victory. The role of the fleet submarine was to cause attrition to the enemy battle fleet to help redress their numerical inferiority. They accomplished this quite well and on occasion, scored some spectacular successes that had major implications for the conduct of the war.

B-24 Liberators of the USAAF's 11th Air Force taking off to bomb Kiska Island abort due to fog. One of them and two of its crew are lost when forced to land in the water. A B-17 Flying Fortress is dispatched to attack a reported submarine but makes no contact.

U.S.A.: Beginning of conferences in Washington between Prime Minister Churchill and President Roosevelt.

CARIBBEAN SEA: German submarine U-161 shells a U.S. schooner 8 miles (12.9 km) southeast of Puerto Rico. A U.S. patrol plane flies over and the sub submerges but the vessel sinks.

ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-701 sinks USN district patrol vessel YP-389 off a Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, mine area.

U-107 sank SS Cheerio.

U-159 sank Ante Matkovic.