US NAVY
PACIFIC—Destroyer escort McCoy Reynolds (DE-440)
sinks Japanese submarine I‑175 northeast of Palaus, 09°14'N, 136°40'E.
Submarine Pargo
(SS‑264) sinks Japanese minelayer Aotaka off Borneo, 07°00'N,
116°00'E.
Submarine Thresher
(SS‑200) sinks Japanese merchant cargo ship Koetsu Maru in Yellow
Sea, 37°13'N, 123°48'E.
Mines
damage U.S. freighter Elihu Thompson off Noumea, New Caledonia,
22°22'10"S, 166°34'E; fleet tug Apache (ATF‑67) rescues survivors,
and later beaches the ship to facilitate salvage. Of the 211 troops embarked as
passengers, 32 perish in the explosions; there are no casualties among the
42-man merchant complement or the 33-man Armed Guard.
Mine
damages Japanese river gunboat Saga, Hong Kong.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—400 B‑17’s bomb 2 marshalling yards, 2 aircraft
plants, a steel works, and 2 airfields at Osnabruck, Hamm, Bremen, Rheine, and
Hesepe, plus 3 targets of opportunity in NW Germany. 9 P‑51 groups fly escort.
8 fighter groups, including 2 attached from Ninth AF, support First Allied
Airborne Army, claiming 32 fighters destroyed in combat. Over 160 B‑24’s fly
fuel to France.
NINTH AF—No bomber missions are flown. IX Tactical Air
Command supports US First Army in Bonn area and cuts rail lines W of Rhine. XIX
Tactical Air Command hits fortifications near Metz.
TWELFTH AF—During 25/26 September A‑20’s bomb targets of
opportunity in Po Valley. Throughout the day B‑25’s and B‑26’s pound rail and
road bridges in E and NW parts of the Valley while fighter bombers and fighters
of XII Fighter Command attack road nets, rails, motor transport, and supply
points at many locations in the valley.
TENTH AF—2 P‑47 flights hit targets in Bhamo-Myothit area,
including Sinkin, Momauk, and Nanhlaing. 3 other flights hit targets in
Pinwe-Mawlu area, including town of Nyaungbintha. 20-plus P‑47’s in 2 flights
hit Tingka, fuel storage at Chefang, and repair shops at Wanting. 9 B‑25’s
blast troop concentrations and stores in Hinlong. 19 B‑24’s haul fuel to
Liuchow, Yangtong, and Yungning.
FOURTEENTH AF—12 B‑25’s bomb Lungfukwan and Mangshih while
several P‑40’s hit targets of opportunity in same areas. 6 B‑25’s and 4 P‑38’s
attack and slightly damage Dara bridge and destroy road machinery nearby. About
50 P‑40’s and P‑51’s continue armed reconnaissance over vast inland areas of S
China, attacking troops, buildings, and other targets of opportunity.
FEAF—B‑25’s bomb Maumere Bay. B‑25’s and B‑24’s bomb Liang
and Kendari airfields. P‑40’s hit Kokas.
TWENTIETH AF—83 B‑29’s, staging from Chengtu, bomb Anshan
most of them striking Showa Steel Works with poor results. 15 others bomb
Dairen, Sinsiang, and various targets of opportunity. During 26/27 Sep,
Japanese aircraft bomb Chengtu area, damaging 5 B‑29’s. This attack along with
the one on 8 September set pattern for Japanese raids which usually follow B‑29
missions and continue until 19 Dec but are of light nature and annoying rather
than seriously damaging.
SEVENTH AF—2 B‑24’s from Saipan on armed reconnaissance bomb
Marcus. During 26/27 September another B‑24 snooper hits Iwo Jima. B‑25’s from
the Gilberts bomb Nauru. B‑24’s from the Marshalls hit Wake during 26/27 September.
ELEVENTH AF—A B‑24 flies weather recon. Later 4 B‑24’s
radar bomb Suribachi airfield.
US ARMY
12th Army Group: In U.S. Ninth Army
area, VIII Corps, now consisting of 2d and 8th Divisions and corps troops,
starts by rail and motor to concentration areas in rear of V Corps, First Army.
In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps area,
to ease pressure on the weak Battalion of 60th Infantry, 9th Division, in Huertgen
Forest, 60th Infantry commander moves 2 Battalions—attached Battalion of 39th Infantry
and his reserve Battalion— southward from the contested ridge to cut
Lammersdorf– Huertgen highway at its junction with road leading NW to Zweifall.
In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area,
Gen Walker orders limited attack on Fort Driant to begin on 27th, regardless of
weather. XIX Tactical Air Command begins daily attacks on Metz forts. 3d Battalion
of 359th Infantry, 90th Division, makes limited attack to clear road between
Gravelotte and St Hubert’s Farm in preparation for largescale attack. In XII
Corps area, 4th Armored Division slightly reduces its MLR on right flank of
corps in order to improve defensive positions, and enemy quickly moves into
Juvelize and Coincourt without opposition. 80th Division makes vain effort to
close up to Seille R line in limited attack against well-dug-in enemy: elements
of 318th Infantry attempt unsuccessfully to take Mt. St Jean while 317th Infantry
force makes futile effort to push into Moivron. 35th Division completes relief
of 6th Armored Division in Forêt de Grémecey area, 6th Armored Division becoming
corps reserve, although Combat Command B is still linking 80th and 35th
Divisions in Leyr corridor. Enemy begins series of attacks to regain Forêt de
Grémecey in evening, driving in 35th Division’s outposts.
ITALY—AAI:
In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, TF 92 begins advance along Serchio valley N
of Pescia. Continuing along Highway 6620 on right flank, elements of S African
6th Armored Division reach slopes of M. Gatta. Division halts advance of 24th
Guards Brigade up Highway 66 NW of Pistoia but continues up Highway 64 with
12th Motorized Brigade. In II Corps area, 34th Division meets strong opposition
in Bruscoli-Gambellate Creek area. 91st Division, with capture of M. Freddi, is
ready to attack M. Oggioli. 85th Division again attacks unsuccessfully toward
Torre Poggiolli, employing 1st Battalions of 338th and 339th Regts; 2d Battalion
of 338th tries in vain to take Sambuco; 3d Battalion, 339th, seizes Montarello.
88th Division takes M. Pratolungo on left, pushes toward Castel del Rio in
center, and on right takes M. del Puntale. 1st Armored Division, less Combat
Command B, is gradually being committed to protect exposed right flank of
corps. In British 13 Corps area, 1st Division continues futile frontal assault
on M. Gamberaldi and at night begins moving elements toward M. Toncone in
effort to outflank enemy. Indian 8th Division suspends attack on M. di Castelnuovo.
On right flank of corps, 6th Armored Division’s 61st Brigade drives along Route
67 to Bucconi without opposition.
In British Eighth Army’s 5 Corps
area, Indian 4th Division establishes bridgehead across the Uso in vicinity of Cornacchiara
but meets firm resistance from heights beyond when trying to expand bridgehead.
46th Division crosses additional elements over the Uso and secures Canonica.
56th Division advances along Highway 9 from S. Arcangelo to positions about
halfway to Savignano. In Canadian 1 Corps area, Canadian 5th Armored Division enlarges
bridgehead across the Uso. Brigade of NZ 2d Division reaches the Uso in coastal
sector. Greek 3d Mountain Brigade Group is attached to NZ 2d Division and takes
up positions on right flank. During meeting at Gen Wilson’s headquarters at
Caserta, Italy, final arrangements are made for orderly reoccupation of Greece.
Gen Scobie is to control all guerrilla forces operating within Greece. Security
battalions—political police formed to eliminate ELAS bands—are outlawed.
PALAUS—On
Peleliu, 321st Infantry and 5th Marines each cut across W arm of Peleliu,
forming 2 pockets of enemy. 2d Battalion, 321st, completes clearing 321st Infantry
trail, cutting off enemy to S in Umurbrogol Mts. 3d Battalion, 5th Marines,
pushes across the peninsula to N, isolating enemy on Amiangal Mt, at N tip.
Other elements of 5th Marines drive N along W coast almost to tip of island. On
Angaur, 322d Infantry gains foothold in N part of Lake Salome bowl and clears positions
along SE rim.
US MARINE CORPS
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