Japanese Air Facilities & Coast Defenses In Marianas "Worked Over"; HMS Stoic Sinks A Ship

MON 12 JUN 1944
Pacific
Planes from 15 carriers (CV-and CVL) of TF 58 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) work over Japanese air facilities and coast defenses on Saipan, Tinian, Guam, Rota, and Pagan Islands, Marianas. Carrier strikes are repeated on 13 and 14 June in preparation for the landings on Saipan. Aircraft from carrier Essex (CV-9) and small carriers Langley (CVL-27) and Cowpens(CVL-25) (TG 58.4) smash Japanese convoy (which had sailed from Tanapag harbor for Japan the previous day) northwest of Saipan, sinking torpedo boat Otori, 17°32'N, 144°00'E, auxiliary netlayer Kokku Maru, 17°32'N, 144°01'E, transports Batavia Maru, 17°32'N, 143°17'E, Hinko Maru, 17°28'N, 144°19'E, Kamishima Maru and Imizu Maru, 17°32'N, 144°10'E, Nitcho Maru, 17°32'N, 143°10'E, Reikai Maru, 17°30'N, 144°00'E, and Tenryugawa Maru, 17°32'N, 144°01'E, cargo ship Bokuyo Maru, army cargo ships Fukoku Maru and Moji Maru, ;and merchant vessel Tsushima Maru; and damaging transport Tatsutakawa Maru (see 15 June 1944), Coast Defense Vessel No.4, 17°20'N, 144°10'E, submarine chaser Ch 50, 17°32'N, 144°10', and submarine chasers Ch 33 and Ch 51, auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 20 and auxiliary minesweeper Wa 6.15. Japanese minelayer Nichiyu Maru [torpedoed by submarine Halibut (SS-232) on 3 March 1943] is further damaged by carrier planes in Apra Harbor.

Destroyer Kalk (DD-611) is damaged by horizontal bomber off western New Guinea, 01°19'S, 136°19'E.

British submarine HMS Stoic attacks Japanese convoy, and sinks transport Kainan Maru off Phuket, Siam, 07°54'N, 98°27'E.