US NAVY
PACIFIC—Submarine Guardfish (SS-217) sinks Japanese
merchant cargo ship Shirakami Maru north of Chichi Jima,
29°48'E,140°20'E.
Submarine Finback
(SS-230), while lifeguarding for Chichi Jima strike, rescues Lieutenant
(jg) George H.W. Bush, A-V(N), USNR, of VT 51; Bush will eventually become the
41st President of the United States.
British submarine HMS Sirdar sinks Japanese guard boat No.5 Kaiyo Maru off northwestern Sumatra, 03°55'N,096°20'E; and submarine HMS Strongbow sinks Japanese army cargo ship No.1 Toso Maru off west coast of Siam,07°57'N, 98°49'E.
Aircraft flying from TG 38.4’s carrier Enterprise (CV6) further damage Japanese landing ship T.4 previously damaged by aircraft off Chichi Jima.
Aircraft
sink Japanese auxiliary submarine chaser No.2 Misago Maru north of
Mindanao.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—A P-47 group strafes gun positions and road and
rail trafflc in Bruges-Ghent-Courtrai-Roulers area.
NINTH AF—IX TAC, moving with US First Army, transfers HQ to
Versailles. On 11 September HQ follows the ground forces to Jamioulx. Weather
grounds bombers. Fighters fly armed reconnaissance and area support to ground
forces in Belgium and NW, NE, and E France.
TWELFTH AF—B-25’s bomb 3 bridges in Po Valley, following
raid during 1/2 September by A-20’s which hit pontoon bridge and targets of
opportunity in the Valley. Fighter bombers blast roads, bridges and gun
emplacements in Po Valley, docks at Savona, and shipping off shore.
France-based fighter bombers, hampered by poor weather, hit barracks and rail lines
in Lyon area.
FIFTEENTH AF—XV FC (Prov) is activated and given control of
the 306th Fighter Wing (Prov) and 306th Fighter Wing (Prov)— shortly to be
organized—and their 7 fighter groups. 380-plus heavy bombers hit Kraljevo
railroad bridge and marshalling yard, railroad bridge at Mitrovica, road bridge
at Supovac, and 3 marshalling yards at Nish. 27 P-38’s dive-bomb Cuprija road bridge
while 57 P-38’s and 112 P-51’s strafe road and railways in Nish and Belgrade
areas. Other P- 51’s escort Nish and Supovac bombing missions.
TENTH AF—8 B-25’s hit targets along Burma Road S of
Wanling, including the road itself and bridges at Kawnghka and Namhpakka.
Another B-25 hits alternate target, an area in Indaw. 24 B-24’s haul fuel to
Kunming.
FOURTEENTH AF—2 B-25’s bomb runway at Hengyang airfield. 30
P-40’s attack gun positions, troop concentrations, and sampans in Hengyang and
Changning areas. 20 P-40’s hit similar targets S of Changsha, W of Pengtse, and
in Siangtan area. 12 P-51’s damage bridge at Yangtien.
FEAF—B-24’s operating in strength bomb warehouses at
Lasang, shipyards and personnel areas at Bunawan, and airfield at Likanan.
B-25’s hit warehouses and shipyards along Lembeh Strait, while other B-26’s hit
position near Pitoe airfield on S Morotai I. B-24’s bomb Koror. Fighter bombers
hit Sorong area and forces at Cape Pus and Boikin.
SEVENTH AF—2 Saipan-based B-24’s hit Yap and Pagan. P-47’s
hit AA positions on Pagan with rocket and strafing attacks. Marshalls-based
B-25’s bomb Ponape and Nauru.
US ARMY
N FRANCE-BELGIUM—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army’s British
1 Corps area, 49th Division continues along Le Havre Peninsula toward the port,
reaching enemy outposts. 51st Division takes St Valery-en-Caux. In 2 Corps
area, Canadian 4th Armored Division reaches the Somme E of Abbeville and Polish
1st Armored Division is rapidly approaching the river W of Abbeville.
In British
Second Army’s 12 Corps area, 7th Armored Division drives NE from the Somme to
positions beyond St Pol. 30 Corps continues northward so rapidly that planned
drop of airborne forces in Tournai area is not necessary. Guards Armored Division
reaches Tournai. 11th Armored Division drives to Lille area.
12th Army
Group: Gen Eisenhower, at a commanders’ conference, outlines plans for Third
Army and V Corps of First Army to drive to West Wall (Siegfried Line) after
supply situation improves.
In U.S.
First Army area, XIX Corps gets advance elements into Belgium and drives toward
Tournai. V Corps releases French 2d Armored Division, in Paris area, to First
Army reserve. Corps continues steadily NE, overrunning Noyon and St Quentin,
until ordered to halt on general line Landrecies–Le Cateau–Cambrai. VII Corps
pursues enemy into Belgium, crossing border near Maubeuge and Hirson. 3d Armored
Division drives to vicinity of Mons. 9th Division, to right, swings NE to
positions near Charleroi. 1st Division moves forward to left rear of armor.
U.S. Third
Army is immobilized for lack of fuel. VIII Corps continues to batter outer
defenses of Brest. 2d Division takes Hill 105, dominating E approach to the
city. 8th Division is battling for Hill 80 and 29th Division for Hill 103.
Elements of 83d Division invade Ile de Cézembre, which surrenders. In XX Corps
area, while 3d Cavalry Group reconnoiters to the Moselle, 7th Armored Division feints
to N from Verdun to confuse enemy, halting short of Sedan when fuel runs out. In
XII Corps area, 80th Division ( — ) relieves Combat Command A of 4th Armored Division
in Commercy bridgehead; 319th Infantry crosses the Meuse to N at St Mihiel. 2d
Cavalry Group patrols to the Moselle. Combat Command B, 6th Armored Division,
relieves 35th Division of task of protecting S flank between Orléans and
Auxerre.
S FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army area, 1st ABTF regains
contact with enemy and clears strongpoint at La Turbia. Provisional Flank
Protection Force (TF Bibo) is relieved by 2d Morrocan Division in Briançon area.
French are to protect right flank of U.S. Seventh Army and maintain contact
with 1st ABTF to S. In VI Corps area, 36th Division halts just E and SE of Lyon
to permit French 2d Corps to take the city, which patrol reports largely clear.
179th Infantry, 45th Division, restores positions at Meximieux. In French Army B
area, Lt Gen Aim de Goislard de Monsabert takes command of 2d Corps, consisting
of 1st Armored and 1st Infantry Divisions.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, TF 45, whose
100th (Nisei) Battalion patrols to the Serchio I, crosses additional elements
over the Arno and clears N part of Pisa. Combat Command A, 1st Armored Division,
clears most of M. Pisano. Elements of S African 6th Armored Division gain
slopes of M. Albano. In II Corps area, patrols of Regimental Combat Team 442,
88th Division, make contact with elements of British 1st Division, 13 Corps, at
Sesto. Later, 88th Division relieves 442d Infantry for shipment to France with
349th Infantry and is reinforced by attachment of 91st Cavalry Reconnaissance
Squadron, reinforced. British 13 Corps meets firm opposition N of Florence on
hills Morello, Senario, Calvana, and Giovi.
In British
Eighth Army area, enemy withdrawal in front of 46th Division of 5 Corps,
Canadian 1 Corps, and Polish 2 Corps permits these units to advance rapidly.
Canadian 1 Corps, with Canadian 1st Division directed along Route 16 and
Canadian 5th Armored Division on an inland route, speeds toward Rimini, forward
elements reaching Conca I and establishing bridgehead. Polish 2 Corps finds
Pesaro undefended and extends positions in coastal sector to Castel di Mezzo.
Corps is now pinched out by rapid advance of Canadians.
MEDITERRANEAN—Gen Wilson, Supreme Allied Commander,
Mediterranean, names Lt Gen R. M. Scobie Commander of Land Forces, Greece. His
hq, the reconstituted British 3 Corps hq in Middle East, is designated Force
140 and contains 2d Parachute Brigade from Italy, 23d Armored Brigade from
Egypt, and certain Greek forces, such as local police. Eventually Force 140 is
augmented by Greek Sacred Regiment and Greek Mountain Brigade, latter coming
from Italy. Naval and air forces are allotted to Force 140, former commanded by
Rear Adm J. M. Mansfield and later by Air Commodore G. Harcourt-Smith. Gen
Scobie is to secure Athens area and maintain law and order in preparation for
return of Greek Government. Brig Gen Percy L. Sadler, USA, will act as deputy
commander of combined hq of AMLG (Allied Military Liaison Headquarters, Greece)
to handle relief and rehabilitation matters.
NEW GUINEA—In Wakde-Sarmi area, Gen Krueger declares
operation terminated. Brig Gen Donald J. Myers relieves Gen Persons as
commander of TF TORNADO. On Noemfoor, a second 7,000- foot runway is completed
at Kornasoren airdrome. In Vogelkop area, first plane, a C–47, lands at Mar
airdrome.
US MARINE CORPS