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• Eisenhower addressed French Resistance groups via a broadcast in preparation for the planned cross-Channel invasion. On the same day, 5,000 Allied bombers conducted coordinated strikes against many rail targets and 9 airfields in France and Belgium. ww2dbase [Normandy Campaign, Phase 1 | TH]
• USS Gar began her twelfth war patrol. ww2dbase [Gar | CPC]
• Destroyer USS Taussig (DD-746) was commissioned with Commander Joseph A. Robbins in command. ww2dbase [AC]
• USS Baya was commissioned into service with Commander A. H. Holtz in command. ww2dbase [Baya | CPC]

• Food and ammunition arrived at the Myitkyina Airfield in Burma for the first time. Meanwhile, three battalions of Chinese 150th Regiment attacked the city of Myitkyina in the afternoon; strong Japanese defenses led to high casualties, and battlefield confusion led to a series of fatal friendly fire incidents. ww2dbase [Battle of Myitkyina | Myitkyina | CPC]

• The USAAF 306th Bomb Group flying from RAF Thurleigh launched a bombing raid against aircraft facilities at Orly, France. ww2dbase [RAF Thurleigh | Bombing of Cities in France and Low Countries | Orly | DS]

• Off Apra Harbor, Guam, Gato-class submarine USS Silversides torpedoed and sank Japanese gunboat Shosei Maru. ww2dbase [Silversides | DS]

• Iceland began a four-day plebiscite on whether to terminate the personal union with the King of Denmark and establish a republic. ww2dbase [CPC]

• Japanese troops evacuated the forward-most positions near Imphal, India. Meanwhile, a bloody clash took place between Japanese and Anglo-Indian troops at Torbung. ww2dbase [Battle of Imphal-Kohima | Imphal, Manipur | CPC]

• US Fifth Army captured Gaeta, Italy. ww2dbase [Battle of Anzio | Gaeta, Lazio | TH]

• USS Wasp's aircraft attacked Japanese positions in support of the upcoming Mariana Islands invasion. ww2dbase [Wasp (Essex-class) | CPC]

• Patrol Boat No. 102 completed repairs of her No. 2 boiler while at sea. At 2105 hours, she arrived at Manila, Philippines with the rest of the convoy. ww2dbase [Stewart | Manila | CPC]

• Members of the Polish underground captured a top secret V2 rocket intact. Since the Germans set up a test site at Bliza, Poland, the underground had operated a chain of small units responsible for bearing the Germans to the sites of crashed test rockets and salvaging whatever they could before the soldiers arrived. One V2 landed in a marsh close to the banks of the River Bug 80 miles east of Warsaw. The resistance got there first and found it sticking out of the mud. They pushed it deeper into the water to hide it and later dismantled the missile and flew vital parts to England, United Kingdom via an RAF Dakota aircraft. ww2dbase [AC]

• USS Pintado arrived at Midway Atoll. ww2dbase [Pintado | Midway Bases | Midway | CPC]

20 May 1944 Interactive Map