June 1943 Today in World War II Pacific History Day by day chronology TUESDAY, 1 JUNE 1943 AMERICAN THEATER OF OPERATIONS (Eleventh Air Force) In the Aleutian Islands, 2 P-40's, 1 B-24, and 1 F-5A fly weather reconnaissance and photo runs and 8 B-25's, 18 P-38's, and 20 P-40's, fly 7 attack missions to Kiska.
AACTA Awards: Mel Gibson wins Best Direction for Hacksaw Ridge. Mel Gibson has won best direction for his World War II drama Hacksaw Ridge, which swept the big prizes at the AACTA Awards. The night's big winners. In an emotional speech, Gibson said he needed to thank Australia for making Hacksaw Ridge, shot in New South Wales, which also picked up best film, best screenplay and two actor awards. All the way up and down it's a homegrown film, Gibson told the audience at the ceremony in Sydney.
The battlefield, located on top of a sheer 400-foot cliff, was fortified with a deadly network of Japanese machine gun nests and booby traps. The escarpment, nicknamed Hacksaw Ridge for the treacherously steep cliff, was key to winning the battle of Okinawa. The mission was thought to be near-impossible, and when Dossâs battalion was ordered to retreat, the medic refused to leave his fallen comrades behind.