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• To the dismay of Roosevelt and Churchill, de Gaulle proclaimed the Free French movement to be the "Provisional Government of the French Republic"; de Gaulle received recognition from most Allied governments, but this caused him to be left out of the planning for Operation Overlord. ww2dbase [Charles de Gaulle | TH]
• Adolf Hitler delivered a speech at Der Platterhof hotel in Obersalzberg, Germany, justifying the continuation of the war. ww2dbase [Adolf Hitler | CPC]
• USS Cabrilla attacked a Japanese convoy in the Dutch East Indies with six torpedoes; four of them struck and sank a transport. ww2dbase [Cabrilla | CPC]
• Destroyers USS Nicholas, USS Hopewell, USS O'Bannon, and USS Taylor arrived at Tulagi, Solomon Islands, picked up mail, and departed for Blanche Harbor, Treasury Islands, Solomon Islands. ww2dbase [Nicholas | DS]

• The first Australian-built Beaufighter Mk.21 aircraft (A8) made its maiden flight. 364 aircraft would be built by the Mascot and Fishermen's Bend factories by the end of 1945. ww2dbase [Beaufighter | AC]
• USS Harder departed Fremantle, Australia for her fifth war patrol. ww2dbase [Harder | Fremantle, Western Australia | CPC]

• The strength of 3rd Battalion of US 5307th Composite Unit (Provisional) dropped to only about 50 to 60 men as most of the battalion who survived the four months long campaign in the Burmese jungle had been evacuated to India due to wounds or disease. ww2dbase [Battle of Myitkyina | CPC]

• Barbers Point Naval Air Station: Housing for gunairstructors, 3 quonset huts, turned over to station. ww2dbase [Barbers Point Naval Air Station | Ewa, Oahu | DS]

• After US 1st Armored Division had already been ordered north toward Rome, Italy, Mark Clark belatedly reported to Harold Alexander such a change in orders; he left only 1 division to attack the remaining German forces at Valmontone. In the area, US troops captured Cori. ww2dbase [Battle of Anzio | Lazio | TH, CPC]

• USS Permit claimed the sinking of a Japanese submarine off Truk, Carolin Islands, hitting her with 1 of 6 torpedoes fired. ww2dbase [Permit | CPC]

26 May 1944 Interactive Map