June 18th, 1943 (FRIDAY)
UNITED KINGDOM: HMCS Athabaskan, a Tribal-class destroyer, Capt. George "Gus" Ralph Miles, OBE, RCN, CO, was damaged in a collision with boom defense vessel HMS Bargate at Scapa Flow. This resulted in the destroyer being under repairs at Devonport for a month. Athabaskan was dubbed "The Unlucky Lady" as the result of her many unfortunate escapades. In Apr 43, she was heavily damaged by weather and had to undergo major repairs. After her collision in June, she was hit by a German radio-controlled glider bomb on 27 Aug 43, which also required a lengthy period in a repair yard. Athabaskan was sunk in action on 29 Apr 44 with heavy loss of life.
Minesweeper HMS Pelorus launched.
Boom defense vessel HMS Barbette launched.
Minesweeper HMS Rinaldo commissioned.
ITALY: There is a heavy Allied bombardment of Sicily. (Glenn Steinberg)
Northwest African Air Force B-17s strike the Messina, Italy ferry slip and railroad yards while P-38 Lightnings bomb the airfield at Milo, Sicily. B-26 Marauders and B-25 Mitchells, with P-38 escort, hit docks and shipping at Olbia, Sardinia and shipping at Golfo Aranci, Italy. Northwest African Air Force (NAAF) aircraft claim over 40 aircraft destroyed.
INDIA: General Auchinleck becomes Commander in Chief and General Wavell is the next Viceroy of India. These "promotions" are designed to move them to positions where Churchill feels they can be best used.The other side of the appointments: Churchill had these fellows appointed less to "feel safe" than to use their talents where they could, in his estimation, be best used. Churchill failed to appreciate Wavell's many qualities as an operational commander and had written the Great Auk off as an administratively capable but operationally incapable commander. In Churchill's view, both generals were also smeared with a propensity for ill-luck. (Marc Small)
AUSTRALIA: Australian Prime Minister John Curtin announces that Australia is no longer in danger of invasion. (Glenn Steinberg)
CANADA: Tug
HMCS Glendower commissioned.
U.S.A.: Submarine USS Burrfish launched Portsmouth,
NSY.
Destroyer escort USS Smartt commissioned.
Destroyer escorts USS Lovering and Sanders launched.