80 Years Ago, Saturday, 16 September 1944

US NAVY

INTERNATIONAL—Second Quebec Conference (OCTAGON) attended by President Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Churchill ends. Combined Chiefs of Staff approve Admiral Halsey's recommendation to advance the invasion of Leyte from 20December to 20 October.

PACIFIC—Marine Air Wings, Pacific is redesignated Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (Major General Francis P. Mulcahy USMC) with headquarters at Ewa, Oahu.

            Motor torpedo boat operations begin from Morotai, N.E.I., to maintain patrols, break up the movement of Japanese troops in barges, and prevent seaborne counterattacks from Halmahera. Two Morotai-based boats, PT-489 and PT-363 transit 60 miles of mined waters and then run an 11-mile gauntlet of coast defense batteries to rescue Ensing Harold A. Thompson, a downed F6Fpilot from escort carrier Santee (CVE-29), in Wasilla Bay, Halmahera; under fire for two and a half hours, both boats receive superficial shrapnel damage in the successful operation that snatches the aviator out of danger. Lieutenant Arthur M. Preston (Commander, MTBRon 33), commanding the operation, will receive the Medal of Honor.

            Mine damages destroyer Wadleigh (DD-689) off eastern entrance to Kossol Passage, Palau, 07°51'N, 134°39'E.

            U.S. submarines operate against Japanese shipping south of Formosa: Picuda (SS-382) sinks army cargo ship Tokushima Maru in Bashi Channel, 21°27'N, 121°35'E; Redfish (SS-395) sinks fleet tanker No.2 Ogura Maru,21°24'N, 121°14'E.

            Submarine Sea Devil (SS-400) sinks Japanese submarine I-364 off Yokosuka, Japan, 34°30'N, 145°23'E.

            Submarine Shad (SS-235) unsuccessfully attacks Japanese cargo ship Hakozaki Maru, 34°30'N, 138°25'E.

            Aircraft sink army cargo ship Imaharu Maru, 05°08'N, 121°14'E; and mine sinks cargo vessel Imaji Maru, 05°08'N, 115°05'E.

MEDITERRANEAN—U.S. motor torpedo boats engage German explosive control boat and four drones off Cap Martin.

ATLANTIC—Salvage vessel Escape (ARS-6) brings damaged U.S. freighter George Ade into Hampton Roads; the ship is repaired and returns to active service.

 

US ARMY AIR FORCE

EIGHTH AF—7 fighter groups, 4 carrying bombs, strafe Hannover-Bremen-Osnabruck areas and bomb Ahlhorn airfield and Mannheim-Kaiserslautern area.

NINTH AF—HQ Ninth AF begins reorganization of IX Bomber Command as 9th Bomb Division, implementing the redesignation of 30 Aug. 150-plus medium bombers and light bombers attack Bath dike and Arnemuiden road and rail embankment. Fighters escort bombers, fly sweeps, and armed reconnaissance over Rastatt and Haguenau, and support US Third Army’s XII and XV Corps in repelling counterattacks in NE France.

TWELFTH AF—Medium bombers attack fuel and supply dumps and defensive positions in Bologna and Rimini areas while fighter bombers and fighters bomb and strafe rail and road targets N of battle areas in the N Apennine Mts as US Fifth Army forces struggle to break through strong enemy defenses in hills N of Prato, along main Monte Altuzzo ridge, on Monte Veruca, Monte Monticelli, and other mountain positions.

FIFTEENTH AF—Bad weather cancels bombing operations. 2 P-38’s fly weather reconnaissance and 54 B-24’s fly supplies to S France.

TENTH AF—19 B-24’s haul fuel to Liuchow. In spite of bad weather, 4 P-47’s sweep Lungling-Wanling-Loiwing road and 5 damage bridge approach at Manyut.

FOURTEENTH AF—20 B-24’s bomb Hengyang. 12 B-25’s bomb Kutkai. 28 B-25’s hit targets in China, including Yuangshaho ferry, Pakmushih, Chuanhsien, and Lengshuitang. 130-plus P-40’s and P-51’s on armed reconnaissance hit targets of opportunity in Mangshih and Lungling area and from N of Tangyang and along the Yangtze R southward including areas around Changsha, Kiyang, Samshui, Chuanhsien, Lingling, and Kwongning.

FEAF—B-24’s bomb Kendari air depot and Ambesia airfield while B-25’s attack large warehouse at Gorontalo. B- 25’s and B-24’s pound Namlea, Liang, Haroekoe, Kairatoe, Laha, and Kamarian. Fighter bombers hit Manokwari, Sagan, Moemi, and Waren airstrips.

SEVENTH AF—17 Saipan-based B-24’s bomb Iwo Jima. 3 others on training and armed reconnaissance missions bomb Pagan and Marcus. P-47’s pound enemy positions on Pagan. B-24’s in the Marshalls bomb Emidj.

ELEVENTH AF—3 B-24’s bomb Kataoka naval base. 4 B-25’s abort a shipping sweep due to weather and mechanical difficulties.

 

US ARMY

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES—Second Quebec Conference (OCTAGON) ends, British and American conferees having approved, for planning purposes, timing and direction of war to defeat Japan and considered the matter of occupying Germany upon its defeat. The Pacific war is to culminate in 1945 with invasion of Japan—Kyushu in October and Tokyo Plain (Honshu) in December.

WESTERN EUROPE—Hitler presents plan for Ardennes counteroffensive to his commanders.

            21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army’s 2 Corps area, Canadian 4th Armored Division works eastward toward Ghent–Terneuzen Canal from Balgerhoek bridgehead. Polish 1st Armored Division, on right flank of corps, makes limited progress northward toward Hulst.

            In British Second Army’s 12 Corps area, 7th Armored Division relieves 53d Division at Antwerp. In 30 Corps area, 50th Division relieves Guards Armored Division at Escaut bridgehead. 43d Division concentrates NE of Diest.

            12th Army Group: In U.S. Ninth Army area, 83d Division, screening former Third Army sector along the Loire, accepts surrender of German Group Elster, about 20,000 strong, which has been cut off by junction of Third and Seventh Armies. In VIII Corps area, 6th Armored Division ( — Combat Command B) is transferred to Third Army, 94th Division completing its relief and taking over its sector. Fort Montbarey falls to 29th Division, opening way to Brest proper from W: while 116th Infantry advances toward Recouvrance, 175th drives into Brest via tunnel beneath stone wall, and 115th advances toward submarine pens. 2d Division continues to press in from N.

            In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, TF Stokes (Lt Col William M. Stokes, Jr.), consisting of 99th Infantry Battalion, tank Battalion of 2d Armored Division, and supporting units, starts N across 9-mile gap that has developed between British and American forces because of diverging drives, crossing Willems Vaart Canal N of Maastricht. Meerssen bridgehead of Combat Command B, 2d Armored Division, is under heavy fire; Combat Command A crosses into 30th Division’s bridgehead at Valkenburg, also under fire. 30th Division renews attack toward West Wall N of Aachen from De Geul bridgeheads with 119th Infantry on left and 120th on right, elements of 120th reaching positions within 3 miles of German border. In VII Corps area, stubborn defense of Stolberg corridor nullifies corps’ attacks. Combat Command B, 3d Armored Division, tries in vain to clear Weissenberg Hill; Combat Command A is unable to advance on N suburbs of Stolberg. To bridge 4-mile gap between the two combat commands, TF Hogan (Lt Col Samuel Hogan commanding small tank force and attached 1st Battalion, 26th Inf) is formed and overruns Buesbach. 47th Infantry, 9th Division, takes Vicht and Schevenhuette, the latter 10 miles inside Germany and the deepest penetration so far; 39th Infantry continues to batter at West Wall near Lammersdorf and reduces strongpoint that has been delaying it for 3 days; 60th Infantry, assisted by tanks, clears Hoefen on Hoefen–Alzen ridge. In V Corps area, 12th Infantry of 4th Division makes fruitless and costly efforts to push NE for the next few days; 8th Infantry enters center of line and drives down E slopes of the Schnee Eifel hampered more by terrain than enemy; 22d Infantry is still unable to take Brandscheid but gains hill on outskirts, and elements of regt take important hill on Bleialf– Pruem highway about midway between Meisert and Sellerich. In 28th Division sector, 1st Battalion of 110th Infantry makes narrow penetration into West Wall, seizing lofty Losenseifen Hill as well as Spielmannsholz Hill, within a few thousand yards of objective, Uttfeld. 5th Armored Division ( — ), awaiting arrival of arty, remains in place on S flank of corps; 1st Battalion of 112 Infantry, moving through Stockem, secures small bridgehead across the Pruem at Wettlingen and holds it against strong counterattack; Combat Command B crosses into Wallendorf bridgehead to expand it but can make little headway. At 2040, Gen Gerow, CG V Corps, halts offensive, since operations are too costly to pursue at this time.

            In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, limited objective attacks of 90th Division W of Metz are costly and almost fruitless. Combat Command R, 7th Armored Division, begins attack to break out of Arnaville bridgehead along Lorry–Sillegny road but is soon stopped; Combat Command B crosses into the bridgehead early in morning and joins in attack at 1400, pushing toward Marieulles. 5th Division regroups within the bridgehead: 2d Infantry relieves Combat Command B on right flank and Combat Command B moves to Vittonville; 11th Infantry crosses another Battalion into bridgehead and defends N f lank; 10th Infantry, in center, patrols toward Fey. Hitler, revoking a previous order, calls for reinforcement of Metz salient in order to prevent encirclement of Metz. In XII Corps area, 80th Division, assisted by air and arty, decisively defeats another major counterattack against Dieulouard bridgehead; 1st Battalion, 318th Infantry, returning to bridgehead from E, surprises enemy and captures Ste Geneviève; 319th Infantry moves into bridgehead, and its 1st Battalion recovers Atton and reaches isolated troops on Mousson Hill. Retreating Germans are pursued as far as Lesménils. After this action, 80th Division mops up and reorganizes for drive to E. In Nancy sector, 35th Division’s 134th Infantry pushes NE of Nancy to heights N of Essey-lès-Nancy; 137th forces Meurthe R and Rhine–Marne Canal and drives to within 2 miles of Nancy; 320th, to which 2d Battalion reverts from attachment to Combat Command B of 4th Armored Division, takes Buissoncourt. Germans withdraw from Lunéville as Combat Command R, 4th Armored Division, moves into NW part of the city and 42d Squadron of 2d Cavalry Group enters from SE. In XV Corps area, additional elements of 106th Cavalry Group cross the Moselle and begin to reconnoiter eastward toward Mortagne R. French 2d Armored Division’s Combat Command V Moselle bridgehead at Châtel undergoes determined counterattack by strong armored force; enemy is checked after reinforcements are moved up to the French. In order to avoid a major engagement, French withdraw the bridgehead.

            6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, 36th Division takes Luxeuil and 3d Division takes Lure against light opposition.

ESTONIA-LATVIA—Soviet forces of Leningrad and Baltic Fronts open offensive about this time toward Baltic Sea, pressing toward Tallinn, Valga, and Riga.

BULGARIA—Soviet forces of Third Ukrainian Front, pushing W to block enemy withdrawal from Yugoslavia, enter Sofia, capital of Bulgaria.

GREECE—British 9th Commandos lands without opposition on Kithira I., off S coast of Peloponnesus, to reconnoiter in preparation for landing of Force 140. Advance Coastal Forces Base is established on Kithira.

ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps area, while TF 45 regroups, Regimental Combat Team 6 of BEF seizes Massarosa, N of Lake Massaciuccioli, and takes over that portion of 1st Armored Division front previously held by 2d Battalion, 370th Inf. 1st Armored Division is ordered to begin reconnaissance in force to block enemy withdrawal. Enemy continues to put up strong apposition on right flank of corps, but S African 6th Armored Division gains Alto Hill and M. Pozzo del Bagno. In II Corps area, 338th Infantry of 85th Division reaches positions near crest of M. Altuzzo, night 16–17, where it is delayed by friendly shelling; 339th Infantry is committed on extreme right, passing through elements of British 13 Corps on slopes of M. Pratone. 91st Division’s 363d and 361st Regiments are unable to break through enemy defenses on Monticelli, W of Il Giogo Pass; 362d Infantry continues costly efforts to reach Futa Pass, elements reaching anti-tank ditch below S. Lucia. 34th Division advances N from M. Frassino on right but is still held up on left in vicinity of Torricella Hill. British Eighth Army issues instructions for pursuit beyond Rimini Line, 5 Corps along Highway 9 toward Bologna and Canadian 1 Corps along Highway 16 toward Ravenna and Ferrara. Forward progress is sharply checked as 5 Corps and Canadian 1 Corps reach enemy’s Rimini Line. In 5 Corps area, 46th Division is unable to advance from Montescudo. 56th Division joins 1st Armored Division in battle for Mulazzano– La Tomba ridge N of the Marano. During night 16–17, British 4th Division of Canadian 1 Corps crosses into corps zone and by artificial moonlight provided by searchlights clears Cerasolo ridge. In Canadian 1 Corps area, Cdn. 1st Division attempts in vain to drive enemy from S. Martino on M. (Abate; on right flank, attached Greek 3d Mountain Brigade begins struggle to clear Rimini airfield.

CBI—At conference between Gens Hurley, Sultan, and Stilwell and T. V. Soong, role of a field commander is discussed. Gen Stilwell finds that his conception is greatly different from that Soong believes Chiang Kai-shek holds. President Roosevelt, in message to Chiang Kai-shek, protests the proposed withdrawal of Y–Force across the Salween. Gen Stilwell reports to JCS and others that Japanese successes against U.S. Fourteenth Air Force bases in China might prevent air support from China of operations against Formosa and the Philippines. This influences planners in favor of occupation of Luzon rather than Formosa.

MOROTAI—31st Division expands perimeter of beachhead around Pitoe Drome to distance of over 7,000 yards, E to W, and about 5,000 yards N to S. Gen Hall establishes CP ashore. Regimental Combat Team 125 of 32d Division, reserve force, lands and relieves elements of 124th Infantry still on Gila Peninsula. Enemy begins series of small and largely ineffective air raids.

PALAUS—5th Marines, assisted by 1st Marines to left, takes most of Peleliu airfield against heavy fire from heights to N, while 7th Marines clears S tip of island except for 2 small promontories. Perimeter is extended to over 3,000 yards in length, N to S, and to maximum depth of about 2,000 yards. Gen Rupertus, 1st Marine Division CG, takes command ashore. Orders are issued to land on Angaur on 17 September.

 

US MARINE CORPS

At OCTAGON Conference in Quebec, CCS establish a new schedule of Pacific operations. Kyushu to be invaded in October and Honshu in December 1945.