World War II – Battle of Midway
June 4, 1942
The Battle of Midway begins. It would be Japan’s first major defeat of the war. The United States scored a major defeat against the attacking Japanese fleet near Midway Atoll, inflicting severe damage to the Japanese. All four of Japan’s large aircraft carriers and a heavy cruiser were sunk, while the U.S. lost only the carrier USS Yorktown and a destroyer. This is considered a major turning point in the war.
Robert F. Kennedy Shot
June 5, 1968
24-year-old Palestinian Sirhan Bishara Sirhan shoots Robert F. Kennedy three times. Kennedy died the following day. Five other people were wounded. Kennedy had just won the California primary. After addressing his supporters at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, California, he was leaving the hotel kitchen when Sirhan approached and began firing. He had been advised by his bodyguard to avoid the kitchen.
D-Day
June 6, 1944
Allied troops invade Europe at Normandy, during World War II. Over 4,000 allied troops were killed on the first day of the invasion, with the Germans losing about 1,000. Also, known as the Normandy landings, this was the largest seaborne invasion in history, with 875,000 men disembarking by the end of June.