US NAVY
PACIFIC—TG 33.19 (Rear Admiral William H.P. Blandy) lands
323d Army Regimental Combat Team (81st Division on undefended Ulithi Atoll,
Carolines. Ulithi will supplant Eniwetok as the Pacific Fleet's foremost
advanced base in the Pacific theater.
Battleship
West Virginia (BB-48) reaches Pearl Harbor and rejoins the Pacific
Fleet, marking the completion of the program of salvage and reconstruction of
the ships damaged at Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.
Submarine Apogon
(SS-308) sinks Japanese guard boat No.6 Choyo Maru east of Honshu,
34°57'N, 154°44'E.
Submarine Escolar
(SS-294) departs Midway for first war patrol.
British
submarine HMS Trenchant sinks German submarine U-859 off Penang, Malaya,
05°46'N, 100°04'E.
Navy
land-based aircraft sink Japanese auxiliary vessel Toshu Maru off
Wowoni, Celebes, 04°23'S, 122°43'E.
PBY sinks
cargo ship Heiho Maru in Celebes Sea, 03°40'N, 122°25'E.
Mines laid
by submarine Bowfin on 29January damage Japanese gunboat Nankai and
transport Hokkai off Balikpapan, Borneo, 03°37'S, 116°25'E.
Aircraft
damage Japanese army cargo ship Kurogane Maru, Manila.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—14 fighter groups bomb and strafe flak positions
and other ground targets in 2 landing zones in Nijmegen area, immediately
preceding the arrival of the remainder of US 82d and 101st Airborne Divisions
and Polish 1st Brig, and engage over 160 fighters. US fighters claim 27
destroyed. Over 150 B-24’s fly gasoline to France.
NINTH AF—Medium bombers and light bombers sent against targets
in W Germany are recalled due to weather. Fighters support US First Army in W
Germany, US Third Army in Chateau-Salins area, escort bombers (recalled), and
fly armed reconnaissance over wide areas of W Germany.
TWELFTH AF—Although several missions are aborted because of
bad weather, medium bombers attack several railroad bridges in Po R Valley. Fighter
bombers hit guns and rail and road targets in battle area as US Fifth Army
pushes on through Gothic Line defenses.
FIFTEENTH AF—147 B-17’s, escorted by 290 P-38’s and P-51’s
bomb Brux synthetic oil refinery and Wels marshalling yard. 229 B- 24’s attack
communications targets in Italy, including viaduct at Venzone and road and
railroad bridges at Casarsa della Delizia, Pinzano al Tagliamento, Ponte di
Piave, Latisana, San Dona di Piave, and Susegana.
TENTH AF—19 P-47’s attack bridges along a line
Wanling-Bhamo-Myitkyina destroying 1 bridge. 6 B-25’s hit bridges S of Meza,
destroying 1 and extensively damaging several others. 19 B-24’s fly fuel to Liuchow
while 2 deliver fuel to Kunming.
FOURTEENTH AF—15 B-24’s pound Burma Road in Chefang area.
36 B-25’s hit Chuanhsien and targets of opportunity in surrounding areas. 6
B-25’s bomb Kuanyang, 5 hit Yungming, 6 damage Dara bridge, 12 bomb Lungling,
and 2 knock out bridge near Jinyang. 2 B-24’s bomb docks at Amoy. Again more
than 90 P-40’s and P-51’s hit numerous targets of opportunity throughout SE
China concentrating on Japanese troops in Chuanhsien area and various targets
around Jungyun, Yuankiang, Yungming, Lingling, and Hsuchang.
FEAF—During night and day raids B-24’s and B-25’s
concentrate on Sidate and Mapanget airfields. P-47’s pound Kaoe airfield.
P-47’s and P-40’s bomb AA guns at Manokwari, Moemi, and Ransiki airfields.
THIRTEENTH AF—Thirteenth AF moves from Hollandia to
Noemfoor I.
SEVENTH AF—15 B-24’s from Saipan bomb Chichi Jima, Haha
Jima, and Ani Jima. 2 B-24’s on armed reconnaissance bomb Marcus while 1 on
training mission hits Pagan. On 23/24 September a B-24 from Kwajalein bombs
Wake.
US ARMY
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In British Second Army area,
clearing weather conditions permit last serials of U.S. 101st and 82d A/B
Divisions and rest of Polish 1st Brigade to be brought into Holland. Polish forces
are landed at Grave as reserve for 82d A/B Division. Gen Dempsey orders that
fly-in of British 52d Division be held up.
In 1 A/B
Corps area, aircraft and artillery of 30 Corps help 1st A/B Division maintain bridgehead
at Hartestein, near Arnhem. During night 23–24, about 250 Polish paratroopers
cross with supplies for 1st A/B Division. In 30 Corps area, 43d Division continues
efforts to break through to Driel and succeeds in getting additional elements
there; one brigade drives into outskirts of Elst. With arrival of Polish forces at
Grave, U.S. 82d A/B Division releases Coldstream Guards Group, which has been
assisting it, to Guards Armored Division. 506th Parachute Infantry, U.S. 101st
A/B Division, reopens Veghel–Uden highway and makes contact with British armor
moving SW from Uden. Enemy continues attacks toward Veghel, although seriously threatened
by advance of 8 Corps toward Helmond.
12th Army
Group: In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 7th Armored Division drops plans for
crossing the Seille upon receiving orders to join XIX Corps of First Army. 1st Battalion
of 10th Infantry, 5th Division, relieves the weakened 2d Battalion at
Pournoy-la-Chétive, night 23– 24. Combat Command R, 6th Armored Division, is
attached to corps as mobile reserve and moves to Jarny area on 24th. In XII
Corps area, 80th Division extends eastward in center and on right as Germans
withdraw, but enemy retains hill mass E of Serrières. 35th Division clears Bois
de Faulx of enemy rear guards, capturing many. 4th Armored Division rests after
its lively tank battles. In XV Corps area, 79th Division clears Fort de Mondon,
3d Battalion of 314th Infantry suffering heavy casualties during frontal
assaults. French patrol crosses La Vezouse R and takes Domjevin but Germans
restore positions along the river. After nightfall, final enemy remnants fall back
across river to organize new defense line.
6th Army
Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, 157th Infantry of 45th Division is
unable to expand bridgehead toward Girmont; 179th takes Mossoux and cuts road leading
NW from there; 180th clears that part of Epinal W of the Moselle and crosses at
3 points near there. 36th Division’s 142d Infantry finishes clearing Remiremont
and begins crossing the Moselle; other elements of Division are pushing
northward. 7th Infantry, 3d Division, reaches the Moselle across from Rupt and
about midnight begins crossing over bridge, which is found to be intact.
In French 1st
Army area, Gen de Lattre revises his plan of attack as result of Gen Truscott’s
decision to make main effort with U.S. Seventh Army while French forces provide
flank protection. He calls for offensive limited in strength to one combat
command of French 1st Armored Division and one Regimental Combat Team of French
1st Infantry Division. The armor is to attack on axis Mélisey– Le Thillot;
infantry is to conduct diversionary attacks.
ESTONIA—Red Army troops reach Gulf of Riga at Paernu.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s II Corps area, 34th Division,
with capture of Montepiano by 133d Infantry, is through Gothic Line. 91st Division
rests in preparation for its next task—clearing M. Oggioli, W of Radicosa Pass.
338th Infantry, 85th Division, pushes slowly northward from M. Coloreta; 337th,
replacing 338th in line, takes W part of M. la Fine. 88th Division, committing
351st Infantry between 349th and 350th, reaches line. M. la Fine–M. della
Croce. In British 13 Corps area, 1st Division occupies Poggio Cavalmagra and
pushes on toward Palazzuolo on left and Marradi on R. Indian 8th Division occupies
M. Villanova.
In British
Eighth Army area, 5 Corps is vigorously engaged with enemy N of the Marecchia
on delaying line S. Arcangelo–Poggio Berni–Montebello. Canadian 1 Corps
continues to pursue enemy toward Uso R. 5th Armored Division takes
responsibility for left flank of corps, releasing British 4th Division for
reserve.
GREECE—British Special Boat Squadron, Mediterranean, is
dropped on Araxos, on NW coast of the Peloponnesus, to seize airfield from
which retreating enemy can be harassed and to occupy Patras.
CBI—Gen Hurley sends report to President Roosevelt on
situation and tells him of the Generalissimo’s reaction to his (Roosevelt’s)
message.
On Salween
front, Japanese send rescue column to extricate garrison of Pingka.
MOROTAI—Work is begun on another airfield, called Pitoe
Drome, about 1,200 yards N of Wama Drome.
PALAUS—On Peleliu, Regimental Combat Team 321 of 81st Division
arrives from Angaur and is attached to 1st Marine Division. After relieving 1st
Marines on left flank just N of third phase line, N of village of Ngarekeukl, Regimental
Combat Team 321 reconnoiters along coast to Garekoru, near fourth phase line,
without difficulty. Efforts to make general advance northward, however, fail
because of intense fire from center ridges. 7th Marines has task of supporting
drive of infantry. On Angaur, 322d Infantry again drives into Lake Salome bowl
from S but pulls back again when forward positions become untenable.
US MARINE CORPS
U. S. Army troops seize Ulithi as advance naval base.
No comments:
Post a Comment