US NAVY
PACIFIC—USAAF B-24 aircraft attack Japanese shipping off
Formosa, damaging cargo vessels Asaka Maru, Gokoku Maru, and Shinsho
Maru.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—Over 600 fighters support First Allied Airborne
Army in Arnhem and Nijmegen areas, strafing and bombing ground targets. Intense
light flak claims 5 fighters. Air attacks aid ground troops in taking valuable
bridges in the area and in adv toward Arnhem.
NINTH AF—The Ninth’s adv HQ follows US 12th Army Group to
Verdun. About 40 medium bombers hit Trier marshalling yard and defensive positions
at Herbach to complicate rail transportation and aid in Allied ground attack on
Aachen. Fighters fly air cover for US V and VII Corps in W Germany near Dutch
boundary and US XV and XX Corps in Nancy area, and fly armed reconnaissance over
Bonn, Mannheim, Hamburg, Koblenz, and Ruhr Valley areas.
TWELFTH AF—27th and 79th Fighter Groups are added to XII FC
which on this day begins operations in support of US Fifth Army. Weather again
grounds medium bombers and severely restricts fighters which fly uneventful reconnaissance
missions.
FIFTEENTH AF—500 B-17’s and B-24’s escorted by P-38’s and
P-51’s attack 3 railroad bridges at Budapest, 2 marshalling yards at Hatvan and
1 at Gyor and bomb Malacky airfield and Bratislava oil district.
TENTH AF—P-47’s hit Kadu rail siding, Nyaungbintha, Indaw,
and troops at Hkaungtung. 3 B-25’s weathered out of Bhamo area hit alternates
at Indaw. Troop carrier aircraft continue large-scale operations to several
points in CBI.
FOURTEENTH AF—27 B-25’s bomb Lingling, Chuanhsien, and
Kiyang and hit targets of opportunity throughout Chuanhsien area. More than 100
P-51’s and P-40’s on armed reconnaissance over wide areas of SE China attack
troops, horses, trucks, shipping, and other targets of opportunity,
particularly concentrating on areas around Chuanhsien, Lingling, Kiyang, Changsha,
and Yiyang.
FEAF—Despite poor weather over Celebes, Menado area is
again attacked. B-24’s hit Mapanget and Sidate airfields and supply dumps and
other targets of opportunity. B-24’s hit Djailolo and A-20’s and P-47’s during
19/20 September strike Kaoe airfields. B-24’s, B-25’s, and fighter bombers,
striking during 19/20 September and during day, pound airfields at Amahai,
Namlea, Liang and Laha, town of Lautem, and several targets of opportunity. Fighter
bombers hit AA guns and targets of opportunity at Moemi and Ransiki airfields
and hit supply dump further E along Orai R. During 20/ 21 September a few
B-24’s again hit Menado and Sidate areas.
SEVENTH AF—P-47’s from Saipan bomb and strafe gun positions
on Pagan. A lone B-24 on armed reconnaissance bombs Marcus. B-24’s in the
Marshalls hit Jaluit while Makin-based B-25’s pound Nauru.
US ARMY
In British Second Army’s 1 A/B Corps
area, situation of British 1st A/B Division at Arnhem is critical. The small
force holding N end of bridge is forced to surrender 300 wounded to Germans,
reducing its strength to about 140; other elements of the Division still hold
perimeter near Oosterbeek, W of Arnhem, and N of Heaveadorp Ferry at the Neder
Rijn SW of Oosterbeek, but enemy is steadily gaining ground. Weather conditions
continue to prevent airlift of Polish 1st Brigade. British and U.S. troops take
both bridges at Nijmegen in daring and costly maneuver. While elements of
Guards Armored Division (30 Corps) and U.S. 82d Airborne Division push through
Nijmegen to S approaches, 2 battalions of 504th Parachute Infantry, 82d Airborne
Division, cross the wide, swift Waal in British assault boats downstream after
air and artillery bombardment of N shore and ineffective efforts to put down
smoke screen. Paratroops seize N end of RR bridge and push toward highway
bridge. Meanwhile, resistance at S end of the rail bridge collapses and British
tanks from Guards Armored Division storm across the highway bridge, where they
are joined by U.S. paratroopers. With capture of these vital bridges, advance
is continued toward Arnhem. German counterattacks on N and S edges of
Nijmegen–Groesbeek ridge are unsuccessful except where U.S. outposts at Wyler
are forced back. In 30 Corps area, U.S. 101st A/B Division undergoes another
counterattack at Son but with help of British tanks forces enemy back. Division
then begins series of limited actions designed to throw enemy off balance. 12
Corps presses slowly toward Best and Oirschot. 8 Corps, driving toward Helmond,
takes Someren.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First
Army’s XIX Corps area, assault on West Wall is postponed because of unfavorable
flying conditions. Other deterring factors are the very short supply of
artillery ammunition and exposed left flank of corps. In VII Corps area, enemy
decides to go on the defensive instead of counterattacking as planned. Combat
Command A, 3d Armored Division, is methodically clearing Muensterbusch area; TF
Hogan, moving forward stealthily, takes enemy on Weissenberg Hill by surprise
and gains crest of this much fought over prize; TF Mills, Combat Command B, secures
positions on the Donnerberg, heights commanding Stolberg from E, under smoke
screen but is hit hard by enemy when smoke disappears. 1st Battalion of 39th
Infantry, 9th Division, attached to 60th Infantry, drives E from Zweifall to
Weisser Weh Creek, near village of Huertgen. Battalion of 60th, to right,
attempts to drive SE from Zweifall in order to cut Lammersdorf– Huertgen
highway at Germeter but makes little headway. In V Corps area, IX TAC again assists
corps in maintaining positions.
In U.S. Third Army area, boundary
between XII and XV Corps is adjusted to give Forêt de Vitrimont, Lunéville, and
Forêt de Parroy to XV Corps. In XX Corps area, 10th and 2d Regts, 5th Division,
renew efforts to take Pournoy-la-Chétive and Coin-sur- Seille despite weather
conditions unfavorable for air support and diminishing supply of artillery ammunition;
2d Battalion of 10th, reinf, seizes Pournoy-la-Chétive but is greatly
disorganized in the process; 1st Battalion of 2d Infantry, against fire from
Sillegny, overruns Coinsur- Seille. Combat Command A, 7th Armored Division,
replaces badly mauled Combat Command R in front of Sillegny and, together with
Combat Command B, attacks toward the Seille; bypassing Sillegny, Combat Command
A reaches the river, where it comes under heavy fire; Combat Command B also
reaches the river but falls back under fire. In XII Corps area, 80th Division elements
push into Bois de la Rumont. Germans counterattack 134th Infantry troops of
35th Division and recover Agincourt; 137th Infantry attempts in vain to drive
through Forêt de Champenoux to Amance plateau; artillery ammunition supply runs
out. Combat Command A, 4th Armored Division, begins attack NE toward
Sarreguemines but, upon reaching Hampont on left and Dieuze area on right,
returns to Arracourt region because of another enemy tank attack, this time by
only 8 tanks, all of which are knocked out. The area will be systematically mopped
up before the offensive is continued. Small tank duels occur as Combat Command
A sweeps through Ley and Moncourt. Combat Command B continues efforts to
advance in Château-Salins area, where secondary routes are impassable. In XV
Corps area, 313th Infantry of 79th Division drives through Lunéville and turns
SE in effort to outflank enemy’s Meurthe R line; 314th reaches the Meurthe SE
of Lunéville, where it comes under heavy fire. French 2d Armored Division patrols
from current positions; CCL moves E to rejoin main body as 45th Division of
Seventh Army draws up to the Moselle.
6th Army Group: Completes
regrouping.
In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps
area, Gen Truscott orders corps to cross the Moselle and seize communications
centers in the Vosges to open way to Alsatian Plain and the Rhine. 45th Division,
upon crossing the Moselle at Epinal, is to seize Rambervillers and Baccarat and
force the Saverne Gap. 36th Division is to cross the Moselle in Eloyes area and
take St Die near Saales Pass. 3d Division is to cross the Moselle in Rupt area
and seize Gerardmer near Schlucht Pass. 36th Division begins reconnaissance in
force of proposed Moselle crossing site near Remiremont. Site near Eloyes is
reported to be suitable, and 141st Infantry moves forward to it, night 20–21.
To left, 45th Division moves up to the Moselle in Remiremont area. On corps
right flank, 3d Division is advancing toward the river. French 1st Army now
holds sector to the right of U.S. Seventh Army, 2d Corps taking up positions in
new sector to left of 1st Corps.
ITALY—AAI:
In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, Regimental Combat Team 6 of BEF gains
positions on M. Prano but cannot reach crest. 1st Armored Division regroups in order
to release Combat Command A to II Corps: 370th Infantry, whose 1st Battalion relieves
14th Armored InfantryBattalion, takes command of Combat Command A zone. S
African 6th Armored Division extends its left flank to road NE of Pescia;
reinforces right flank in M. Moscoso area. In II Corps area, 91st and 85th
Divisions continue to pursue enemy toward the Santerno. 337th Infantry, 85th Division,
crosses it E of Firenzuola at S. Pellegrino. 362d Infantry, 91st Division, gets
into position for assault on Futa Pass, 3d Battalion pushing across anti-tank
ditch near S. Lucia. Corps’ reserve Division, 88th, is ordered to attack
through right flank of 85th Division down Santerno valley toward Imola on 21st.
In British 13 Corps area, enemy withdrawal from Casaglia Pass permits 1st Division
to push rapidly eastward toward Indian 8th Division.
In British Eighth Army area, battle
for Rimini Line ends as Germans withdraw, night 20–21, behind Marecchia R under
cover of drenching rain. In 5 Corps area, S. Marino, in small independent
Republic of San Marino, falls to Indian 4th Division. 46th Division holds La
Torraccia against counterattacks. 1st Armored Division joins 56th Division in
fight for Ceriano ridge, where enemy continues to resist tenaciously throughout
day before withdrawing. In Canadian 1 Corps area, Canadian 1st Division battles
encircled enemy at S. Fortunato, frustrating German efforts to break out.
CBI—Gen
Stilwell learns that his plan for defense of Kweilin has been accepted by
Chiang Kaishek and issues orders accordingly.
MOROTAI—Beachhead
perimeter has been expanded to provide space for additional airfield construction,
extending about 1,000 yards N of original site and some 10,000 yards E along
shore to Sabatai R.
PALAUS—On
Peleliu, firm enemy defense of central ridge system on W arm virtually halts
forward movement of 1st and 7th Marines. 1st Marines is so depleted in strength
that 7th Marines relieves all its troops but those along West Road. 5th Marines
is mopping up E arm. On Angaur, Gen Mueller declares organized resistance at an
end as 321st Infantry drives to S end of island and begins mopping up scattered
Japanese. Japanese remaining on Angaur are concentrated in NW part of island
and are prepared for prolonged defense of a broad, deep, bowl-shaped depression
in Lake Salome area. 322d Infantry tries to reach the bowl from different
directions, but makes little headway. Airdrome construction is begun in S part
of island.
US MARINE CORPS
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