USN
PACIFIC–USAAF B-25s sink auxiliary submarine
chaser Cha 77 at south entrance of Paramushiro straits, Kurils,
50°31'N,150°12.7'E.
ARABIAN SEA–U.S. freighter John Barry, en
route from Aden to the Persian Gulf (see 19 & 24 July and 20 & 26
August), is torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-859 at 15°10'N,
55°18'E. Two members of the merchant crew are lost during the abandonment, but
39 of the 41- man merchant complement and the entire 27-man Armed Guard survive
(see 29 August).
MEDITERRANEAN–German garrisons at Marseilles,
including outlying islands and St. Mandrier battery (the sole remaining enemy
pocket in Toulon), surrender at 1100.
AAF
EIGHTH AF–Weather prevents Heavy
Bomber operations. 8 P-51 groups fly strafing sweeps against rail and road
trafflc in areas in or around Brussels, Antwerp, Namur, Mezieres, Metz,
Strasbourg, Trier, and Bad Kreuznach. Claims include 8 aircraft and nearly 150
locomotive destroyed. 16 P-51’s are lost. Fighter Bombers fly 2 strafing and
bombing operations. The first is flown by 6 groups against rail and road
traffic in and around Strasbourg, Saarbrucken, Sarrebourg, Metz, and Trier. In
the second, 5 groups attack rail and road traffic in NW France, Belgium, and
the Netherlands including bombing 13 marshalling yards.
NINTH AF–B-26’s and A-20’s of IX BC
bomb fuel dumps at Doullens, Barisis-aux-Bois, ammo dump at Querrieu, ammo and
fuel dump at Compiegne/Foret de Laigue, and alcohol distillery and fuel storage
depot at Hamm. fighters escort BC and about 400 transports on supply and
evacuation runs, attack Airfields at Bourges and Peronne, support ground
forces, and fly armed recon from Amiens to E of Dijon.
TWELFTH AF–B-25’s bomb railroad
bridges in Lyon area. B-26’s destroy several airplanes at Villafranca di Verona
Airfield and bridge at Parma. A-20’s hit motor transport and other Targets of
opportunity during 27/28 Aug, fly armed recon over Po Valley and blast command
post SE of Genoa. Fighter Bombers hit vehicles in Rhone Valley, bomb and strafe
roads and bridges in battle area N of Arno R and hit shipping in Imperia and
Savona harbors.
FIFTEENTH AF–560-plus Heavy Bombers
escorted by P-38’s and P-51’s strike Moosbierbaum oil refinery and adjacent
chemical works, oil refinery at Szony, railroad bridges and viaducts at
Szolnok, Zambana, Avisio, and Ora, and marshalling yards at Miskolc.
TENTH AF–4 P-47’s bomb tank pool at
Momauk, while 5 others hit Myintha. 2 P-47’s support ground forces in Pinbaw
area.
FOURTEENTH AF–8 B-25’s bomb Tien Ho,
White Cloud, Hankow, and Pailochi Airfields. 8 more attack river and road
traffic from Chiuchiang to Hankow and from Hengyang to Puchi. 32 P-40’s pound
Targets of opportunity at Hengyang and Pailochi. 23 P-40’s attack Taying
storage buildings and 10 P-40’s and P-51’s hit Anjen and nearby Targets of
opportunity.
FEAF–B-24’s hit Koror, Airfield on
Peleliu, and seaplane base on Arakabesan. Fighter Bombers hit Kokas, vessels
off Point Karakra, barracks at Nabire, storage facilities at Moemi and
Manokwari and Boram fuel dumps. A-20’s and Fighter Bombers attack small vessels
along E coast of Ceram.
TWENTIETH AF–Gen Hansell assumes
command of XXI BC. Gen Norstad succeeds Hansell as CoS of Twentieth AF.
SEVENTH AF–Saipan-based B-24’s pound
Iwo Jima by day and night. P-47’s hit Pagan and Maug Is. A B-24 on armed recon
bombs Yap. Gilberts-based B-25’s strike Ponape; Marshalls-based B-24’s hit
Truk.
USA
N FRANCE—21 Army Group: In Cdn First Army area, 2 Corps
expands bridgehead toward Rouen.
In Br
Second Army area, 12 Corps expands its bridgehead across the Seine. In 30 Corps
area, entire 43d Div is across the Seine; bridgehead extends about 4 miles in
width and 3 miles in depth.
12th Army
Group:
In U.S.
First Army area, XV Corps continues to improve positions in Mantes-Gassicourt
bridgehead. 2d Armd Div is attached to corps to pass through 79th Div and
spearhead breakout. In V Corps area, Gen Gerow, in letter to Gen Pierre Joseph
Koenig, Military Governor of Paris, turns over the city to the French. Fr 2d
Armd Div and 4th Div continue attacks NE of Paris. 5th Armd and 28th Inf Divs
are attached to corps. In VII Corps area, 3d Armd Div pursues disorganized
enemy to Soissons.
In U.S.
Third Army area, VIII Corps continues to batter Brest. 29th Div takes direct
command of TF Sugar from 175th Inf; 116th Inf is pushing E along Le
Conquet–Recouvrance highway. CCB, 6 Armd Div, leaves Lorient for Third Army
zone. XX Corps is speedily closing in on Reims. In XII Corps area, CCA columns,
followed by 80th Div, continue rapidly toward the Marne at Châlons-sur-Marne
and Vitry-le-François.
S FRANCE—U.S. Seventh Army directs that another trap be set
for retreating enemy before he reaches the Belfort Gap. While 2d Corps of Fr
Army B drives N along W bank of the Rhône, VI Corps is to move N via Lyon,
Beaune, and Dijon to make contact with OVERLORD forces and block off enemy from
the Rhine. FFI and TF Bibo troops are driven from Briançon by enemy. In VI
Corps area, 3d Div clears rear-guard opposition from Montélimar, enabling 36th
Div to seize hill masses to N and NE. Corps’ attention shifts to Drôme R line,
where final phase of Montélimar battle is being fought. 142d Regt, 36th Div,
surrounds Livron, blocking Highway 7 N of the Drôme, but most of German Nineteenth
Army has escaped northward through the Montélimar trap. TF Butler and 143d
Inf isolate Loriol, S of Livron. Withdrawing enemy traffic remains a lucrative
target for aircraft and arty. 45th Div’s 180th Inf moves to Grenoble; 179th
continues northward toward Lyon.
In Fr Army
B’s 2d Corps area, all resistance in Toulon area comes to an end with surrender
of San Mandrier Peninsula to 9th Colonial Div. Germans also surrender
Marseille. 80th German garrison commanders are captured. During the battle for
these important ports, in which FFI forces have given valuable assistance, 2
German divs have been eliminated. 9th Colonial Div is given temporary mission
of guarding Toulon–Marseille area. Other elements of 2d Corps continue to cross
the Rhône in Avignon– Arles area.
EASTERN EUROPE—Troops of Second Ukrainian Front drive into
Transylvania through Oituz Pass in the Carpathian Mts.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 13 Corps area, 17th Brig
of 8th Ind Div, attacking night 28– 29, takes Tigliano, N of Pontassieve. 6th
Armd Div, securing right flank of corps, gets column beyond Rufina, on Highway
67. Br Eighth Army continues to gain ground toward Gothic Line, Pol 2 Corps, on
right, reaching Arzilla R.
USMC