US NAVY
PACIFIC—TF 38 planes sink Japanese auxiliary submarine
chaser Cha 15 west of Tabals, P.I., 12°55'N, 121°35'E.
Navy
carrier-based planes (TF 77°) sink Japanese motor sailships No.3 Akebono
Maru and No.5 Taihei Maru
Submarine Darter
(SS‑227) detects a group of Japanese warships northwest of Borneo, 07°31'N,
115°22'E, and trails them (see 23 October 1944).
Submarine Sea
Dog (SS‑401) sinks Japanese supply ship Muroto south-southwest of
Kagoshima, 29°19'N, 129°44'E, and gunboat Tomitsu Maru south of Akuseki
Jima, 29°18'N, 129°44'E.
British
submarine HMS Tantivy sinks Japanese Communication Ship No.137 in
Makassar Strait.
U.S.
freighter Augustus Thomas is strafed in San Pedro Bay, Leyte; one man of
the 27-man Armed Guard is wounded.
MEDITERRANEAN—Destroyer Jouett (DD‑396) conducts two
bombardment missions on German positions in the Franco-Italian border region
while destroyer Madison (DD‑425) supports minesweeping operations in the
vicinity.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—492d Bomb group (CARPETBAGGER group under control
of VIII Fighter Command) is transferred to 1st Bomb division to operate as
night bombing group, one squadron remaining on CARPETBAGGER duty. This
reduction of supply dropping to forces results from recapture of major portions
of France. The remaining squadron will supply underground forces in
Scandinavia, the Low Countries, and Germany until V‑E Day. More than 1,000
heavy bombers attack 2 military vehicle plants at Brunswick and Hannover, 2
marshalling yards at Hamm and Munster, and 11 targets of opportunity. 15
fighter groups fly support.
NINTH AF—Advance HQ XXIX Tactical Air Command (Provisional)
moves from Arlon to Maastricht to maintain close association with Ninth Army.
Weather forbids bomber operations. Fighter sweeps and armed reconnaissance
support US Third and Seventh Army elements in eastern France and western Germany.
TWELFTH AF—Bad weather grounds all medium bombers and light
bombers. Fighters and fighter bombers, flying less than 20 sorties, hit rail
lines and trains in northern Italy.
FIFTEENTH AF—Bad weather limits operations to
reconnaissance flights.
TENTH AF—40‑plus P‑47’s hit a variety of targets including
bridges at Panghkam, and at 2 other points along northern Burma rail corridor,
towns of Manna and Kyaungle, bivouac in Indaw area, and various targets of
opportunity.
FOURTEENTH AF—2 B‑25’s knock out 2 railroad bridges at
Pingnam while 8 P‑51’s pound town area. 54 P‑40’s and P‑51’s on armed
reconnaissance attack town areas and general targets of opportunity at Nampang,
Wanling, Kuanyang, Shekpo, Pingnam, Kweiping, and near Menghsu.
FEAF—B‑25’s and P‑38’s attack shipping in Sulu Archipelago
and Jolo and Zamboanga harbors while B‑24’s hit Opon and Lahug airfields. B‑25’s
hit Ternate and B‑24’s pound Matina airfield, Cagayan, and Likanan. B‑25’s hit
Piroe Bay supply dumps and gun positions and fighter bombers hit Kairatoe and
Amahai airfields and targets of opportunity in Binnen Bay. A‑20’s blast
pillboxes and occupied areas in Metimedan‑Sawar Rivers sector.
SEVENTH AF—Guam‑based B‑24’s hit Yap with harassment raids
during the day, operating singly or in groups of 2 or 3. Makin‑based B‑25’s
bomb Nauru.
US ARMY
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army’s 2
Corps area, Breskens falls to Canadian 3d Division. Breskens Pocket is now less
than half its original size. In British I Corps area Canadian 4th Armored
Division reaches Esschen.
In British
Second Army area, 12 Corps begins westward offensive to clear region west of
the Maas. 15th Division heads for Tilburg and 7th Armored and 53d Infantry
Divisions, followed by 51st Infantry Division, towards Hertogenbosch.
12th Army Group:
Major regrouping is begun in preparation for offensive toward the Rhine. Ninth
Army hq moves from positions in Luxembourg between First and Third Armies to
left flank of First Army, where it takes command of zone and troops of XIX
Corps. north boundary of VII Corps thus becomes north boundary of First Army.
First Army takes control of zone and troops of VIII Corps, placing new south
boundary of First Army along previous boundary between Ninth and Third Armies.
In U.S.
Third Army’s XII Corps area, 26th Division, untried in combat as a unit, makes
limited attack to gain experience and to improve positions east of Arracourt,
securing ground west of Moncourt with support of troops from 704th Tank
Destroyer Battalion.
6th Army Group:
In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV Corps area, 79th Division finishes clearing high
ground east of Forêt de Parroy. In VI Corps area, 3d Division advances steadily
northeast along Mortagne River toward St Dié. 179th Infantry, 45th Division,
completes mop up of Brouvelieures; 180th forces the Mortagne east of
Fremifontaine but falls back under enemy fire.
FINLAND—From Petsamo, troops of Soviet Karelian Front drive
on to Norwegian frontier.
EAST PRUSSIA—Soviet forces, after penetrating outer defense
lines along northeast frontier of East Prussia, are brought to a halt short of
Insterburg. Activity in this area soon subsides and positions remain about the
same until January 1945
YUGOSLAVIA—With the fall of Sombor, southwest of Subotica,
Allied forces control most of east bank of the Danube as far north as Hungarian
town of Baja.
MEDITERRANEAN—Lt Gen Joseph T. McNarney replaces Gen Devers
as head of NATOUSA.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, South African 6th
Armored Division continues toward crest of Mont Salvaro in drenching rain. II
Corps receives verbal orders to continue offensive on right flank to line
Ribano Hill–Mont Castelazzo, then to Highway 9. Accordingly, 88th and 85th
Divisions jump off, night 22–23, and get about a mile beyond Mont Grande by
dawn, taking Hill 568, Mont Castellaro, and Hill 459. Rest of corps regroups to
provide reserve force. 91st Division is reinforced by 135th Infantry of 34th Division;
362d and 363d Regiments are withdrawn from line and Division zone is narrowed.
34th Division is gradually to extend its front, under cover of darkness, to
include part of that formerly held by 91st Division. British 13 Corps is
ordered to take Mont Spadura and continue northward between Imola and Castel
San Pietro roads. 78th Division places fire on Mont Spadura. Enemy withdrawal
to east permits other units of corps to advance. 21st Brigade, Indian 8th
Division, takes Mont Romano without opposition.
In British
Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, Indian 10th Division expands its Savio bridgeheads
westward, 20th Brigade pushing almost to crest of Mont Cavallo. 4th Division is
unable to progress from its bridgehead until heavy equipment can be crossed to
it. In Canadian 1 Corps area, Canadian 1st Division is handicapped by the
swollen Savio and is unable to cross supporting weapons into bridgehead. Canadian
5th Armored Division relieves New Zealand 2d Division in line and resumes
command of 5th Armored Brigade, previously known as Cumberland Force; elements
moving up coast take Cervia and Pisignano.
LEYTE—U.S. Sixth Army: In X Corps area, 7th Cavalry of 2d
Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, mops up Tacloban and takes rest of hill to southwest.
8th Cavalry is placed under control of 2d Brigade and takes up positions west
of 7th Cavalry, except for Troop C, which moves to Anibong Pt. 5th Cavalry of
1st Brigade, after laborious effort to advance over difficult terrain west of
Caibaan, is ordered to halt and maintain current positions. 34th Infantry, 24th
Division, assisted by artillery fire and naval aircraft, secures Pawing area
with capture of hill to west. 19th Infantry repels counterattacks against Palo,
killing 91 Japanese, and mops up. In XXIV Corps area, after nightlong shelling
of Labiranan Head, 1st Battalion of 383d Infantry, 96th Division, recaptures it
while other elements of regiment seize San Roque on Highway 1. 382d Infantry
takes Tigbao and Canmangui and sets up 3 night perimeters: one at Mati, one 800
yards east of Bolongtohan, and one 500 yards southeast of Tigbao. 32d Infantry,
7th Division, gets about halfway to Burauen against sporadic resistance. 184th,
assisted by aircraft of Seventh Fleet, advances more rapidly, gaining 2,800
yards before being ordered to halt until 32d Infantry can come abreast. 17th
Infantry, less 3d Battalion, assembles in Dulag airfield area.
US MARINE CORPS
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