US NAVY
PACIFIC—TF 38 (Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher) begins
strikes on Japanese shipping in Manila and Subic Bays, Clark and Nichols Fields
near Manila, and the Cavite Navy Yard. At Manila, planes from TG 38.1, TG 38.2,
and TG 38.3 sink destroyer Satsuki, fleet tanker Kyokuto Maru, oilers
Sunosaki and Okikawa Maru, tanker No.2 Horai Maru, army
cargo ships Norway Maru, Yozan Maru, China Maru and Tsukubusan Maru, merchant
tanker Niyo Maru, cargo ships Hioki Maru, Risshun Maru, and Rozan
Maru, 14°35'N, 120°55'E; army cargo ships Nansei Maru and Yamabuki
Maru,14°45'N, 120°12'E; army cargo ships Toyofuko Maru, Wakashiro Maru,
Eikyu Maru, and Fukuei Maru, cargo ships Amahi Maru, Soerabaja
Maru and Yamakaze Maru. Navy carrier-based aircraft also sink Coast
Defense Vessel No.5, passenger-cargo ship Hofuku Maru, tanker No.1
Ogura Maru, army cargo ships Surakaruta Maru and Yuki Maru, merchant
tanker Shichiyo Maru and cargo vessel Nansei Maru north of
Masinloc, 15°25'N, 119°50'E; destroyer Hibikiis damaged by strafing and
by collision while attempting to save No.1 Ogura Maru. Planes also
damage army cargo vessels Yuki Maru, Tsukubasan Maru, and tankers Horai
Maru and No.1 Ogura Maru.
Aircraft sink
Japanese army cargo ships Nansei Maru, 15°06'N, 119°05'E, and Soerakarta
Maru, 15°23'N, 119°50'E.
Submarine Haddo
(SS-255), while lifeguarding for TF 38, sinks Japanese surveying ship Katsuriki
80 miles southwest of Manila, 13°35'N, 119°06'E.
Off north
coast of Luzon, Picuda (SS-382) sinks Japanese transport Awaji Maru, 18°43'N,
120°53'E; and Redfish (SS-395) sinks transport Mizuho Maru, 18°37'N,
120°43'E.
Submarine Searaven
(SS-196) sinks Kurils-bound Japanese army transport Rizan Maru, 49°13'N,
145°30'E.
Submarine Shad
(SS-235) sinks Japanese auxiliary minesweeper No.2 Fumi Maru east of
Shinto, 34°45'N, 139°40'E.
TU 33.13.1
(Captain Robley W. Clark), consisting initially of light minelayers Montgomery
(DM-17) (flagship) and Preble (DM-20), four minesweepers and seven
motor minesweepers (YMS), begins minesweeping operations in Ulithi lagoon.
These operations will continue daily until 13 October, after which operations
will be conducted on the17th, 27th and 28th.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—Nearly 450 heavy bombers escorted by 3 P-51 groups
attack synthetic oil plant at Ludwigshafen/Opau, marshalling yards at Koblenz
and Mainz, and targets of opportunity in Rhineland. 3 fighter groups support
First Allied Airborne Army airplanes dropping supplies and paratroops of Polish
1st Brigade near Driel. Bad weather forces recall of 1 group near Dutch coast.
Other groups encounter about 50 fighters, claiming 20 destroyed against 4
aerial combat losses. Over 80 B-24’s carry gasoline to France.
NINTH AF—79 medium bombers and light bombers bomb marshalling
yards at Gerolstein, Pronsfeld, and Ehrang. Fighters escort bombers, fly armed reconnaissance
over Bonn, Koblenz, Karlsruhe, Cologne, and Strasbourg area, and support US
First and Third Armies in W Germany and E France. IX TAC is exceptionally
effective in aiding V Corps withdrawal from Wallendorf bridgehead. During the
evening IX ADC fighters patrol Luxembourg-Chaumont area.
TWELFTH AF—Bad weather and unserviceable landing grounds
cancel all operations.
FIFTEENTH AF—345 heavy bombers attack marshalling yards at
Debreczen, Bekescsaba, and Brod, railroad and highway bridges at Baja, in Kiskore
area, and at Tiszafured, plus Novi Sad railroad bridge. 42 P-38’s dive-bomb
Osijek marshalling yard. Other fighters escort heavy bombers. 2 C-47’s (1 from
Balkan AF), with 8 P-51’s escorting, evacuate Fifteenth AF personnel from
Yugoslavia to Italy.
TENTH AF—7 B-25’s hit Man Mawn. 1 other bombs Indaw. 21
B-24’s haul fuel to Liuchow. 170-plus other transport sorties are flown to
various terminal points in CBI.
FOURTEENTH AF—27 B-25’s pound Kiyang, Yungming, Lingling
and areas to the N, and area W of Chuanhsien. 100-plus P-40’s and P-51’s attack
buildings, river shipping, troops, horses, and supplies at numerous points especially
around Sinshih, Kiyang, Wuchou, and Isuho.
FEAF—B-24’s attack Laha and Kairatoe airfield and shipping
in Piroe Bay. P-38’s and B-25’s hit Menado, Tomohon, Kakas rest camp, small
craft near Belang I, Kairatoe, and Namlea airfield, and barge off Kaoe Pt. Fighter
bombers hit Windissi and Ransiki targets of opportunity and strafe targets of
opportunity near Orai R. During 21/22 September fighter bombers hit Geelvink Bay-Bentoni
Bay area.
SEVENTH AF—5 B-24’s on armed reconnaissance and training
missions from Saipan bomb Marcus and Pagan. B-25’s, based in the Gilberts,
strike Ponape.
US ARMY
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In British Second Army’s 1
A/B Corps area, slightly improving weather conditions permit elements (750 men)
of Polish 1st Brigade to drop near Driel, S terminus of Heaveadorp Ferry in
Arnhem area, but by this time Germans have recovered N end of the ferry,
confined British to small perimeter at Hartestein, near Oosterbeek, and destroyed
the small force at N end of Arnhem bridge as it attempted to escape in small groups.
In 30 Corps area, Guards Armored Division, pushing toward Arnhem from Nijmegen,
is brought to a halt less than 3 miles from starting point. U.S. 101st A/B Division
finds highway between St Oedenrode and Veghel free of enemy, clears
infiltrators from glider landing zone, and reconnoiters along secondary highway
to Schijndel, which it occupies, night 21–22.
12th Army
Group: In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, West Wall offensive is again
postponed because of weather conditions. In VII Corps area, Combat Command A of
3d Armored Division completes mop up of Muensterbusch area; in CCB’s sector, TF
Mills, leaving defense of Donnerberg to TF Lovelady, drives into town of
Donnerberg, a suburb of Stolberg, gaining precarious foothold. On S flank of
corps, 60th Infantry, 9th Division, tries in vain to push into village of
Huertgen and makes very slow progress toward Germeter. V Corps authorizes
withdrawal of Wallendorf bridgehead. This is accomplished before dawn of 22d,
using ford since Germans have destroyed Wallendorf bridges. IX TAC gives
unusually effective air support.
In U.S.
Third Army’s XX Corps area, 83d Division is attached to corps. 7th Armored
Division continues to meet intense fire from Seille R line; two cos of Armored
Infantry of Combat Command B ford the river S and E of Longueville after dark
but withdraw at daylight of 22d to await coordinated attack. 5th Division remains
in place because of ammunition shortage; 2d Battalion, 10th Infantry, suffers
heavily under continuous enemy fire and repeated counterattacks against
Pournoy-la-Chétive. In XII Corps area, 80th Division continues battle for Bois
de la Rumont, where 2 battalions are isolated and must be supplied by tanks.
134th Infantry, 35th Division, recovers Agincourt in bitter fighting; 137th is
still held up in Forêt de Champenoux. Combat Command B, 6th Armored Division,
is attached to 35th Division to assist in attack on the Amance position. Moving
N from Lunéville between 35th Infantry and 4th Armored Divisions, Combat
Command B assembles in Forêt de Grémecey. Combat Command A, 4th Armored
Division, continues sweeping its zone, taking Bures and Coincourt with ease and
reaching canal to S. Corps prepares for concerted assault by 80th and 35th
Divisions and Combat Command B of 6th Armored in order to bring XII Corps’
center and left abreast 4th Armored Division’s salient on right flank. In XV
Corps area, 313th Infantry of 79th Division, leaving Battalion at Lunéville
where fighting continues in streets, drives SE along the Meurthe, clearing
Moncel and halting under fire at edge of Fort de Mondon; 315th ( — ) moves into
Lunéville and takes up defensive positions. Against heavy fire, 3d Battalion of
314th crosses the Meurthe near St Clement but is unable to advance across open
ground leading to Forêt de Mondon and withdraws after dark.
6th Army
Group: In U.S. Seventh Army area, VI Corps begins crossing the Moselle. On left
flank, 157th Infantry ( — ) of 45th Division, having shuttled to Epinal area,
begins crossing XV Corps’ bridge at Châtel, night 21–22, and moves to
Vaxoncourt; 3dBattalion, with task of clearing Thaon before crossing, gets patrols
into the town and wades the river near Igney. 179th Infantry of 45th Division moves
up to the river in Arches area; 180th, ordered to clear Epinal, works forward
to heights overlooking the town. 36th Division, in center of corps, is first to
secure crossing: 1st and 3d Battalions, 141st Infantry, ford the river at
Eloyes while 2d Battalion clears Eloyes as far as the river bank; 143d follows 141st
across to clear rest of Eloyes and exploit bridgehead, taking Hill 783
overlooking the town; 142d is moving on Remiremont against firm opposition and
penetrates into W part of town. Enemy is delaying advance of 3d Division toward
the Moselle. In French 1st Army area, the 2d Corps, which has been reinforced for
coming offensive, is moving forward to gain contact with enemy.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, TF 45
extends positions along coast to Forte dei Marmi. Regimental Combat Team 6,
BEF, tries unsuccessfully to take M. Prano. Reorganized Combat Command A, 1st Armored
Division, starts to II Corps zone. Left flank elements of S African 6th Armored
Division reach Serra. In II Corps area, 338th Infantry of 85th Division seizes
Firenzuola; 339th takes M. Frena and M. Coloreta; 337th is withdrawn to reserve.
91st Division, to W, gets advance elements of 361st and 363d Regts to the
Santerno; 362d, against rear-guard opposition, clears S. Lucia and M. Gazzaro and
enters Futa Pass, but enemy retains hill dominating it to W. On left flank of
corps, 133d Infantry of 34th Division at last clears Torricella Hill; 168th is withdrawn
from reserve and enters line between 133d and 135th Regts. On right flank of
corps, 88th Division is committed through right flank of 85th Division and,
with 349th Infantry on left and 350th on right, starts quickly down Santerno
valley toward Imola.
In British
13 Corps area, 1st Division is half way between Crespino and Marradi. 6th Armored
Division takes M. Peschiena. British Eighth Army pursues retreating enemy
toward the Marecchia. 5 Corps finds Ceriano ridge abandoned and gets patrols to
the river before dawn of 22d. Strength of 1st Armored Division and 56th Division
is so badly depleted that the Divisions must be reorganized. 56th Division is
ordered to withdraw from line on 22d. In Canadian 1 Corps area, British 4th Division
gets patrols across the Marecchia, night 21–22. Canadian 1st Division mops up the
S. Fortunato position and establishes bridgehead across the Marecchia W of
Rimini; attached Greek 3d Mountain Brigade, having cleared airfield S of Rimini,
enters the coastal city, from which enemy has withdrawn.
SWPA—Gen MacArthur radios U.S. Chiefs of Staff that he can
mount a major assault on Luzon about 20 December as result of acceleration of
the Leyte invasion; suggests that the Formosa operation may be unnecessary if
Luzon is occupied.
MOROTAI—Radar is established on Raoe I., off W coast.
PALAUS—On Peleliu, progress of 1st Marine Division against
central ridges is still negligible. On Angaur, elements of 322d Infantry break
into Lake Salome bowl on NW Angaur but pull back for night since their positions
are untenable. Attack is preceded by heavy volume of artillery fire and
bombardment of the position by naval planes. 321st Infantry is alerted for
movement to Peleliu so that 1st Marines can be withdrawn from there. 322d Infantry
thus becomes responsible for S Angaur as well as the stubborn pocket on NE end.
Regimental Combat Team 323, III Amphibious Corps reserve, leaves the Palaus for
Ulithi.
US MARINE CORPS
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