June 5th, 1943 (SATURDAY)
FRANCE: Pierre Laval issues an eloquent radio broadcast on his vision for a new Europe. (Glenn Steinburg)
U.S.S.R.: Moscow: The Luftwaffe has launched a series of heavy raids on Kursk, the pivotal point of the Russian salient which bulges dangerously into the German lines between Orel, in the north and Kharkov in the south.
Despite the withdrawal of fighter squadrons to face the growing threat of Allied bombers in the west, and the need to reinforce the Mediterranean, the Germans have been able to rebuild Field Marshal von Richtohofen's Luftlotte 4 into a powerful striking force. His Stukas and Me109s have been joined by Henschel 129 tankbusters and Focke-Wulf FW190 fighters.
However, the Luftwaffe, like the Wehrmacht, is devoting a significant part of its strength to containing the threat posed by the Russian partisans who now have their own airstrips behind the German lines. These are used to deliver supplies and evacuate wounded partisans and peasants. A report today on the current anti-partisan Operation Cottbus says that these airstrips take twin-engined aircraft.
MEDITERRANEAN SEA: British ships keep up the heavy shelling of Pantelleria.
During the night of 4/5 June, Northwest African Air Force Wellingtons hit docks and the town area of Pantelleria Island in the Mediterranean. During the day, B-25s and P-38 Lightnings extend the attack on the island, hitting mainly gun positions.
JAPAN: Tokyo: Admiral Yamamoto is given a state funeral.
COMMONWEALTH OF THE PHILIPPINES: The submarine USS Nautilus (SS-168) lands 90 tons of supplies on Mindanao Island, Philippine Islands and an officer tasked with establishing a communications network.
TERRITORY OF ALASKA: On Kiska Island in the Aleutian Islands, seven B-24 Liberators, six B-25 Mitchells, and six P-40s of the USAAF's Eleventh Air Force, guided by a radar-equipped USN PV-1 Ventura, fly weather reconnaissance and attack Japanese radar installations. Meanwhile, the Japanese submarine HIJMS I-175 lands a ton of weapons and ammunition and 15 tons of food and then evacuates 56 sailors and four Japanese civilians.
CANADA: Minesweeper HMCS Cranbrook launched at New Westminster British Columbia.
Awarded CBE: RAdm George Clarence "Jetty" JONES RCN
Awarded OBE: Cdr Victor Percy ALLEYNE; Capt Eric Sydney BRAND; Cdr George Humphry GRIFFITS; Cdr Arthur Roddy "Bully" PRESSEY; all RCN;
b. LCdr Gerald Ormsby BAUGH; Lt Ronald James HERMAN; Lt Reginald Ray KENNEY; LCdr Robert Aubury Stewart MacNEIL; all RCNR. c. Surg/Capt Archie McCALLUM RCNVR
Awarded OBE (Civil): Capt John Bisset SMITH, CP 'SS EMPRESS OF ASIA'.
Awarded MBE: Cd/Shpt William Douglas LEACH; Wt/MAA. Wilfred PEMBER;
Wt(S) John James SHAW; all RCN William James THOMAS (FR); Ch/Skr James Watson WAGNER; both RCNR.
Awarded MBE (Civil): Capt Wiliam James BALCOM, Halifax; Capt L.C. BARRY, CP 'SS PRINCESS KATHLEEN'; Capt John Henry HUBLEY, Capt Duncan McLEOD, Capt Duncan McLEOD; all Montreal; Ch/Officer Walter OLIVER CN 'SS GATINEAU PARK'; Ch(E) H.J. OWEN Vancouver; Capt Frederick Steed SLOCOMBE Dept of Transport; Capt George William WALCH CN Steamship Co
Awarded DSC: A/LCdr(WHA) Desmond "Debbie" Williams PIERS RCN and LCdr Ronald Fraser HARRIS RCNR Awarded Associate Royal Red Cross: a. Matron Marjorie Gordon RUSSELL; Matron Evelyn Isabel STIBBARD; both RCN.
Awarded BEM: CPO/Sup Frederick Charles BINGHAM; AB Ernest Eric Walter BINNIE; PO Allen BRADBURY; Tele John Driver CAMPBELL; MAA Samuel James KENNARD; A/CPO John William PELHAM; CPO Horace George WOOD; all RCN, PO Victor BILLARD; A/LS Cyrene Milton CHAPMAN; CPO Walter Lemuel HARDING; A/CPO/ERA James PATERSON; L/Stwd Fred William PETERSON; PO Norman Clement Carl ROBERTS; CPO James Alfred TAYLOR; all RCNR. c. Stk/PO Douglas Carl FISHER; PO/Sup Alfred Ernest "Buck" TAYLOR; SPO
James Arthur WILSON; all RCNVR
Mention in Disptaches: ERA 3 James Patrick McGUIRE RCNVR, LS Frederick BIRD; A/PO George Edward COLES; PO/Tel William Edwin ELLIS; CPO/Stk Delamark Steven LOWE; PO/Tel Donald McGEE; PO/Stk Edward Alan PAVER; AB Francis ST. PIERRE; A/CPO Gaston Marcel THOMASSET; all RCN. b. A/LCdr Colin James ANGUS; PO Richard John COOK; ERA 4 Donald Allen FEAVER; A/LCdr Leslie Lewendon FOXALL; PO Michael Percy FURLONG; Skr/Lt Lester Anton HICKEY; Lt John James HODGKINSON; Lt Henry Ernest LADE; CPO/ERA Albert Joseph LALONDE; CPO/ERA Edward McALPINE; LCdr Alexander McAllister McLARNON; Stk 1 Harold Joseph McMAHON; Lt Arthur MOOREHOUSE; Lt Edward Middlemas MORE; Lt Roy Milton MOSHER; Lt John Buxton RAINE; Mate Robert Gordon ROBSON; CPO/ERA Charles Albert ROSS; LCdr George Hay STEPHEN; A/L/Stk Walter Edward Weir TITUS; all RCNR.
c. A/CPO Henry Edward AUSTEN; L/Stwd George CLARKE; L/Ck Charles Tupper CONRAD; Sidney Roy CORNS; A/CPO Wilfred Roy FRANKLIN; A/LCdr Thomas Maitland GOLBY; Lt Gerald Maurice GREENWOOD; A/LS Horace Bruce HABART; LS Francis David Weston HARTE; S/Lt James Mac Murray HAY; L/Tel Robert Graham HICKS; A/LS Basil Herbert HOLLINGWORTH; A/PO Wilfred Joseph MAHAR; A/LCdr Jordan Hamilton MARSHALL; OS John George MUIR; OS Richard Arthur REDDON; AB Leslie Alfred STANNARD; ERA 4 William Morris WRIGHT; all RCNVR.
ARGENTINA: Buenos Aires: An almost bloodless coup has overthrown the government of Argentina and replaced Dr. Ramon Castillo with General Arturo Rawson, who is known to be an Allied sympathizer.
The Castillo government was committed to what it called the "Policy of prudence", in reality dictated by fear of the powerful pro-Italian and pro-German forces in Argentine politics.
President Castillo fled from the presidential palace yesterday and sheltered on board the minesweeper DRUMMOND as General Rawson's men seized power.
ATLANTIC OCEAN: U-217 (Type VIID) Sunk in the mid-Atlantic, at position 30.18N, 42.50W by depth charges from Avenger aircraft of the US escort carrier USS Bogue. 50 dead (all hands lost).