June 6 in history — What Happened Today in History

Hughes Airwest Flight 706 collides with a McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II of the United States Marine Corps over the San Gabriel Mountains, killing 50.

March Against Fear: African-American civil rights activist James Meredith is wounded in an ambush by white sniper James Aubrey Norvell. Meredith and Norvell are photographed by Jack R. Thornell, whose photo will receive the 1967 Pulitzer Prize in Photography, the last one to be awarded in the category.

World War II: Commencement of Operation Overlord: The Allied invasion of Normandy begins with the execution of Operation Neptune—commonly referred to as D-Day—the largest seaborne invasion in history. Nearly 160,000 Allied troops cross the English Channel with about 5,000 landing and assault craft, 289 escort vessels, and 277 minesweepers participating. By the end of the day, the Allies have landed on five invasion beaches and are pushing inland.

World War II: Capture of the Caen canal and Orne river bridges by British paratroopers, also known as Operation Coup de Main (incorrectly referred to as Operation Deadstick.)

World War II: The United States Navy's victory over the Imperial Japanese Navy at the Battle of Midway is a major turning point in the Pacific Theater. All four Japanese fleet carriers taking part—Akagi, Kaga, Sōryū and Hiryū—are sunk, as is the heavy cruiser Mikuma. The American carrier Yorktown and the destroyer Hammann are also sunk.

New Deal: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 into law, establishing the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The first drive-in theater opens in Camden, New Jersey.

The original Chrysler Corporation is founded by Walter Chrysler from the remains of the Maxwell Motor Company.

World War I: U.S. Marine Corps suffers its worst single day's casualties during the Battle of Belleau Wood while attempting to recapture the wood at Château-Thierry (the losses are exceeded at the Battle of Tarawa in November 1943).

The eruption of Novarupta in Alaska begins. It is the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.

Governor Davis H. Waite orders the Colorado state militia to protect and support the miners engaged in the Cripple Creek miners' strike.

The Chicago "L" elevated rail system begins operation.

The Great Seattle Fire destroys all of downtown Seattle.

The Shewan forces of Menelik II of Ethiopia defeat the Gojjame army in the Battle of Embabo. The Shewans capture Negus Tekle Haymanot of Gojjam, and their victory leads to a Shewan hegemony over the territories south of the Abay River.

American Civil War: The First Battle of Memphis, a naval engagement fought on the Mississippi River, results in the capture of Memphis, Tennessee by Union forces from the Confederates.

Queensland is established as a separate colony from New South Wales. The date is still celebrated as Queensland Day.

The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) is founded in London.

The June Rebellion in Paris is put down by the National Guard.

Alexis St Martin is accidentally shot in the stomach, leading to William Beaumont's studies on digestion.

War of 1812: In the Battle of Stoney Creek, considered a critical turning point in the war, a British force of 700 under John Vincent defeats an American force twice its size under William Winder and John Chandler.

Seven Years' War: British forces begin the Siege of Havana and temporarily capture the city.

Shivaji is crowned as the first Chhatrapati of the Maratha Empire at Raigad Fort.

Swedish Queen Christina abdicates her throne in favour of her cousin Charles Gustav and converts to Catholicism.

Swedish regent Gustav Vasa is elected King of Sweden and, marking a symbolic end to the Kalmar Union, 6 June is designated the country's national day.

War of the League of Cambrai: In the Battle of Novara, Swiss troops defeat the French under Louis II de la Trémoille, forcing them to abandon Milan; Duke Massimiliano Sforza is restored.

The M8.2–8.8 Lo Mustang earthquake affects Tibet and Nepal, causing severe damage in Kathmandu and parts of the Indo-Gangetic plain.

Anthony Pilkington, Irish footballer

Gin Wigmore, New Zealand singer and songwriter

Sebastian Larsson, Swedish footballer

Drew McIntyre, Scottish professional wrestler

Becky Sauerbrunn, American footballer; twice a winner of the FIFA Women's World Cup, also an Olympic gold medallist

Michael Krohn-Dehli, Danish footballer

Pete Hegseth, American author, political commentator and 29th United States Secretary of Defense

Roberto De Zerbi, Italian football manager

Mirko Šarić, Argentine footballer (died 2000)

David Connolly, Irish footballer

Uncle Kracker, American musician

Sonya Walger, British-American actress

Jackie Arklöv, Swedish mercenary and convicted murderer

Mark McManus, Scottish actor (born 1935)

Barry Sullivan, American film actor (born 1912)

Stan Getz, American saxophonist and jazz innovator (born 1927)

Hans Leip, German author, poet, and playwright who wrote the lyrics of Lili Marleen (born 1893)

Kenneth Rexroth, American poet and academic (born 1905)

Jack Haley, American actor (born 1897)

J. Paul Getty, American businessman, founded the Getty Oil Company (born 1892)

Robert F. Kennedy, American soldier, lawyer, and politician, 64th United States Attorney General (assassinated) (born 1925)

William Baziotes, American painter and academic (born 1912)

Yves Klein, French painter (born 1928)

Tom Phillis, Australian motorcycle racer (born 1934)

Carl Gustav Jung, Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist (born 1875)

Max Meldrum, Scottish-Australian painter and educator (born 1875)