Eighty years ago the Pacific war turns decisively against Japan with the invasion of Saipan and the associated naval action

The Americans launched the invasion of Saipan in the Mariana Islands with an assault by two divisions, one Army one US Marines. This was roughly the same size as the defending forces, also two divisions although US intelligence underestimated this badly. The garrison's land based air support was wiped out before the landings took place and the US Navy could bombard Japanese defence almost at will. The Japanese fought on fanatically. Apart from the destruction of Japanese forces, the operation  would secure Saipan as a base from which B-29 bombers could attack the Japanese home islands.

The  invasion drew the remaining strength of the Imperial Japanese Navy into a battle, the Battle of the Philippine Sea. The USN had a huge material superiority: 7 fleet carriers and  8  light carriers compared to the IJN' s 3 fleet and 6 light carriers. With 900 aircraft the Americans had double the number of carrier borne aircraft as the Japanese. The outcome was calamatious for the IJN: two fleet and one light carriers were sunk; perhaps more important they lost around 600 aircraft in what came to be called "the great Marianas turkey shoot." The Japanese had no means of replacing these losses whilst the US loss of 109 aircraft was not merely far lower, but could easily be made good.

A gale of between Force 6 and 8 struck the Channel, the worst for some 40 years. It damaged the Mulberry artificial harbour off Omaha Beach so severely that it was deemed beyond repair and no further use was made of it. 21 of 28 caissons that made up the main structure had been destroyed. It was still possible to supply the US Army directly across the beaches. The other Mulberry at Arromanches also suffered but it was better sheltered and could continue in operation.

A V-1 struck the Guards' Chapel near Buckingham Palace while a Sunday morning service was in progress. 121 people were killed and 141 seriously injured , mostly service personnel. It was the worst strike by a V-1 on London. The Chapel was almost entirely destroyed.