US NAVY
PACIFIC—Destroyer Case (DD-370) and submarine Sealion
(SS-315) rendezvous some 700 miles west of Saipan to transfer medical
officer and medical supplies to treat POWs rescued by the submarine on 15 September.
Submarine Flasher
(SS-249) sinks Japanese auxiliary gunboat Saigon Maru off Manila
Bay, 14°20'N, 120°05'E.
Submarine Pipefish
(SS-388) damages Japanese army transport Rokko Maru off coast of
Honshu, 32°49'N, 154°22'E.
Submarine Thresher
(SS-200) sinks Japanese army cargo ship Gyoku Maru in Yellow Sea,
35°02'N, 124°24'E.
British
submarine HMS Tradewind sinks Japanese army cargo ship Junyo Maru off
Sumatra, 02°53'S, 101°11'E.
USAAF
B-25s damage Japanese auxiliary minesweeper Wa.5, salvage tug Futagami,
and coastal/harbor minesweeper Ma 3 at Enderby Island, Carolines.
MEDITERRANEAN—Destroyer Benson (DD-421) is assigned
jammer duties at Toulon; destroyer Livermore (SS-429) is assigned the
same task at Marseilles.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—12 fighter groups escort airplanes of First
Allied Airborne Army as second troop echelon is dropped in the Netherlands to
participate in heavy fighting in Arnhem area. Fighters bomb and strafe flak
positions and other ground targets and encounter heavy flak and over 100 enemy fighters
which claim 7 US fighters. US claims include 29 fighters and 33 flak positions
destroyed. Almost 250 B-24’s, supported by nearly 200 fighters, drop supplies
to First Allied Airborne Army in the Netherlands. Intense flak downs 16 B-24’s
and 21 fighters. 2 of the fighter groups strafe rail and highway traffic and
over 50 fighters bomb flak positions. In last Eighth AF shuttle- bombing
mission, 18-22 Sep, UK-USSR-Italy-UK, 110 B-17’s and 150 P-51’s (64 P-51’s to
continue to USSR) drop supplies to Polish forces at Warsaw. 3 B-17’s abort and
2 are lost. After completing supply drop, 105 B-17’s and the 64 P-51’s proceed
to USSR.
NINTH AF—First 9th Bomb Division HQ on European continent
opens at Chartres. Weather cancels all bomber activity. Less than 100 fighters
support US VII Corps in W Germany and fly cover in area of Brest where
organized resistance comes to an end.
TWELFTH AF—B-25’s continue to hit troop concentrations and
gun positions in support of British Eighth Army forces which opens assault on
defenses in Rimini area. Despite bad weather B-26’s and P-47’s maintain attacks
on bridges, rail lines, and transportation in Po Valley.
FIFTEENTH AF—463 B-17’s and B-24’s, some with fighter
escort, hit Subotica and Szeged marshalling yards and railroad bridges at Novi
Sad, Belgrade, Szob, and Budapest (2). Fighters maintain cover over Budapest
area.
TENTH AF—9 P-47’s pound Japanese positions in Myothit area.
8 B-25’s hit supply dumps and installations at Chefang. 18 B-24’s fly fuel to
Liuchow. 200-plus other sorties by troop carrier aircraft deliver men and
supplies to several points in CBI.
FOURTEENTH AF—30 B-25’s attack town areas and fuel dumps at
Lingling, Taohsien, and Chuanhsien and damage the approaches to Lingling ferry crossing.
4 B-24’s over Formosa Strait claim 1 freighter sunk. About 115 P-40’s and
P-51’s on armed reconnaissance attack troops, trucks, tanks, shipping, town
areas, and other targets of opportunity throughout Hunan province S of Tungting
Lake to Luichow Peninsula and Chikhom Bay.
FEAF—B-24’s blast several targets in Davao area, including
oil storage at Sasa. B-25’s hit Langoan airfield and lake area. Others hit
Samate airfield. Bad weather forces B-24’s over Ceram-Amboina area to
individually attack targets which include 4 airfields. Fighter bombers hit airfield
and town of Manokwari and AA guns at Moemi.
SEVENTH AF—2 B-24’s on armed reconnaissance from Saipan
bomb Marcus. 28 Eniwetok-based B-24’s bomb Truk. Gilberts based B-25’s pound
Ponape.
US ARMY
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In British Second Army’s 1 Airborne
Corps area, in Holland, First Allied Airborne Army drops second echelon of troops
and supplies. Heavy fighting occurs in Arnhem area, where Allied reinforcements
are late in arriving and Germans are counterattacking vigorously. Efforts to
relieve the small force at N end of Arnhem bridge fail. U.S. 82d Airborne Division
takes bridge over Maas–Waal Canal near Honinghutie, on main Grave–Nijmegen
highway, but is unable to reach Nijmegen highway bridge and withdraws from the town,
except for small besieged force. No attempt has been made to take Nijmegen RR
bridge, although it is still lightly held. German counterattack is thrown back
as landing zones between Groesbeek and the Reichswald are being cleared. U.S. 101st
Airborne Division, working S, clears Eindhoven and makes contact with Guards
Armored Division moving N; attempts by elements of the Division to take bridge
over Wilhelmina Canal SE of Best fail, and Germans blow the bridge. Division is
attached to British 30 Corps. In 30 Corps area, Guards Armored Division,
driving on through Eindhoven, reaches Wilhelmina Canal near Son; elements are
clearing flanks. 12 Corps strengthens bridgeheads across Meuse–Escaut Canal
near Gheel and Lommel. In 8 Corps area, 3d Division secures small bridgehead
near Lille St Hubert, night 18–19.
12th Army
Group: In U.S. Ninth Army’s VIII Corps area, organized resistance in Brest
comes to an end, but the German fortress commander escapes to Crozon Peninsula.
In U.S.
First Army’s XIX Corps area, Gen Corlett orders corps to prepare to attack West
Wall. 2d Armored Division breaks through to Sittard. 30th Division, committing
117th Infantry on left flank, makes steady progress; 119th Infantry reaches
positions commanding Wurm R. VII Corps, for rest of month, makes only limited
attacks since its positions are insecure. 3d Armored Division fights hard for
heights along the Vicht near Stolberg; Combat Command A is endeavoring to clear
high ground around Muensterbusch, W of Stolberg; Combat Command B continues
efforts to gain Weissenberg Hill. On N flank of 9th Division, 47th Infantry is
repelling light enemy jabs toward Schevenhuette; 39th Infantry attempts to expand
its positions in Lammersdorf corridor, spending rest of month in efforts to
take Hill 554, SE of Lammersdorf, and a plateau between Lammersdorf and
Rollesbroich; 60th Infantry completes capture of Hoefen–Alzen ridge SE of
Monschau. V Corps passes to command of Maj Gen Edward H. Brooks, former
commander of 2d Armored Division. Gen Gerow is recalled to Washington
temporarily. Corps is conducting local operations and virtual stalemate exists.
In U.S.
Third Army’s XX Corps area, 5th Infantry and 7th Armored Divisions drive toward
Seille R. On left, 5th Division’s 10th Infantry reaches positions just short of
Pournoy-la-Chétive, while its 2d Infantry pushes almost to Coin-sur-Seille.
Combat Command R, 7th Armored Division, drives to edge of Sillegny against
intense fire; Combat Command B, directed toward Longueville-lès-Cheminot, is
stopped by fire from Hill 223, but patrols occupy Bouxières-sous- Froidmont
without opposition. In XII Corps area, 80th Division struggles to improve and
expand its Dieulouard bridgehead, meeting stiff resistance in center and on
right. TF Sebree, clearing region NE of Nancy, takes Pain de Sucre. 4th Armored
Division is ordered to attack on 19th, Combat Command B toward Saarbruecken and
Combat Command A toward Sarreguemines; Combat Command B reaches Fresnes-en-Saulnois
area, W of Château-Salins. On S flank of corps, Germans launch long-planned counteroffensive
against Third Army, attacking toward Lunéville. 2d Cavalry Group outposts fall
back through the city, but Combat Command R of 4th Armored Division, assisted by
TF from Combat Command A, stems the onslaughts and forces enemy southward;
Germans withdraw to Parroy after nightfall, and as a result of this action,
Combat Command B of 6th Armored Division is ordered to Lunéville to relieve Combat
Command R; Combat Command A, 4th Armored Division, is directed to remain in
place until situation stabilizes. XV Corps is ordered to cross the Moselle at
once and drive NE to Mortagne R. Crossings are begun in force during afternoon.
79th Division crosses unopposed: 314th Infantry drives to Moriviller, 313th
moves by truck to Ein-vaux, and 315th, in reserve, follows 313th across, night
18–19. Combat Command D, French 2d Armored Division, crosses at Châtel and
clears that town; Combat Command V protects bridgehead; Combat Command L
provides flank protection W of the Moselle.
6th Army
Group: In U.S. Seventh Army area, VI Corps suspends offensive operations more
than 15 miles from the Moselle while regrouping is in progress. 1st Division, French
2d Corps, is relieving 45th Division.
POLAND—U.S. Eighth Air Force, having gained Soviet
approval, flies supplies to Warsaw in response to numerous appeals. Only a
small portion reaches Polish hands. This is the only U.S. mission of its kind,
since Stalin refuses later requests for another.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, TF 45 is
approaching Pietrasanta in coastal sector. Regimental Combat Team 6, BEF,
reaches Camaiore. Combat Command B, 1st Armored Division, gains its objectives,
Castelvecchio and M. Liguana; Combat Command A is delayed in Ponte a Moriano
area by strong opposition. S African 6th Armored Division continues to meet
determined opposition above Pistoia on right flank of corps, and gap is
developing between it and II Corps. II Corps, having decisively defeated enemy
at Il Giogo Pass, widens breach in Gothic Line to 7 miles on either side of the
pass and pushes on toward Santerno R valley. 91st Division finishes clearing M.
Monticelli and reduces W defenses of Il Giogo Pass; in Futa Pass area, 362d Infantry
breaks enemy hold on M. Calvi but is stubbornly opposed in Marcoiano region.
Enemy continues effective defense of Torricella Hill and positions N of M.
Frassino in 34th Division sector. In British 13 Corps area, Indian 8th Division
takes Femmina Morta feature. 6th Armored Division, still engaged with enemy on
M. Peschiena, releases 1st Guards Brigade to British 10 Corps.
British Eighth
Army opens assault on main positions of Rimini Line (S. Marino–La
Torraccia–Ceriano— S. Fortunato), initially employing infantry and holding
armor back for pursuit. Enemy counters strongly at all points. In 5 Corps area,
Indian 4th Division pushes slowly from Faetano toward S. Marino. 46th Division,
directed toward the Ausa at Serravalle, is clearing heights S of the Ausa.
Assault force of 56th Division crosses the Ausa and begins attack on Ceriano
ridge, making such slow progress that 1st Armored Division is ordered to cross
the Ausa in force to right of 56th Division as soon as armor of 56th has
crossed. In Canadian 1 corps area, British 4th Division establishes bridgehead
across the Ausa on left flank of corps. 1st Division begins assault on S.
Fortunato feature.
CBI—Gen Stilwell presents plan to Chiang Kaishek for making
the best use of Ch troops defending E China.
MOROTAI—Site for bomber field is chosen at Gotalalamo
village, on S coast E of Gila Peninsula, since Pitoe airfield is found to be
suitable only for fighters.
PALAUS—On Peleliu, 7th Marines finishes clearing S
promontories and joins with 1st Marines in assault to clear ridges of W arm.
Japanese resist strongly from cluster of peaks in central ridge system and
little progress is made. On Angaur, Maj Gen Paul J. Mueller, 81st Division CG,
takes command ashore. Some elements of 322d Infantry, 81st Division, drive salient
W to phosphate plant near W coast at center of island, although mistakenly
bombed by friendly planes. Others, probing along N coast between second and
third phase lines, are partially isolated. 321st Infantry makes slow progress
inland along Southern RR and tries in vain to gain Green Beach on left, about 600
yards below Rocky Point.
US MARINE CORPS
No comments:
Post a Comment