The First USAAF crew to attack a target in Occupied Europe
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German troops reach the River Don
German aircraft attack convoy PQ-17. The Naval escort is ordered away and the convoy scatters
Six crews from the 15th Bombardment Squadron take part in the first USAAF attack on occupied Europe, attacking German airfields in Holland, operating alongside No.226 Squadron of the RAF. Two of the six borrowed Boston aircraft are lost. Major Charles Kegelman and crew become the first American servicemen to be decorated for bravery in the European theatre.
Allied aerial reconnaissance reveals that the Japanese are building an airbase on Guadalcanal. The discovery effectively forces the Americans to attack the island to prevent the Japanese threatening Australia.