US NAVY
PACIFIC—As Japanese shipping shifts south from Luzon in the
wake of the heavy attacks there over the previous days, TF 38 follows, its
planes hitting targets ranging from the Calamian group to the Visayas. Aircraft
from three task groups (TG38.1, TG 38.2, and TG 38.3) from TF 38 (Vice Admiral
Marc A. Mitscher) participate. Off Calamian Island in Coron Bay, TF 38 planes
sink flying boat support ship Akitsushima, cargo ship Kyokusan Maru and
army cargo ship Taiei Maru, and damage ammunition ship Kogyo Maru, army
cargo ship Olympia Maru, cargo ships Ekkai Maru and Kasagisan
Maru, supply ship Irako, oiler Kamoi and small cargo ship No.11
Shonan Maru, 11°59'N, 120°02'E. South of Mindoro, other Navy carrier
aircraft sink torpedo boat Hayabusa, 13°00'N, 122°00'E; minelayer Yaeyama
and submarine chaser Ch 32, 12°15'N, 121°00'E. Off Masbate, they
sink auxiliary submarine chaser Cha 39 and auxiliary minesweeper Wa
7, 12°18'N, 122°46'E, merchant cargo ship Shinyo Maru, 12°21'N,
123°00'E, and cargo ships No.17Fukuei Maru and No.2 Koshu Maru, and
transport Siberia Maru, 11°54'N, 123°10'E. In Visayan Sea, they sink
army cargo ship Chuka Maru and tanker Kenwa Maru, 11°13'N,
123°11'E. In the South China Sea, they sink tanker Okigawa Maru, 14°00'N,
119°00'E. TF 38 planes also damage supply ship Irako and oiler Kamoi,
Coron Bay.
Aircraft
also sink Japanese army cargo ship Chuka Maru, 11°11'N, 123°11'E; army
cargo ship Olympia Maru,11°58'N, 120°03'E; and merchant cargo ship Shinyo
Maru, Manila; cargo ship No.2 Koshu Maru is damaged by aircraft,
11°56'N, 123°08'E;
Hospital
ship Samaritan (AH-10) is damaged by grounding on Tauu Island Reef to
the northeast of Bougainville.
Submarine Barbero
(SS-317) bombards Japanese radar installation on Batag Island off north
coast of Samar.
Mine sinks
motor minesweeper YMS-19 off southeast coast of Angaur, Palaus, 06°53'N,
134°10'E;
US ARMY AIR FORCE
EIGHTH AF—Nearly 50 B-24’s transport fuel to France.
NINTH AF—No bomber operations are flown. XIX TAC supports
7th Armored Division of US Third Army in E France and flies armed reconnaissance
over E France and W Germany. IX ADC flies night patrols from Paris to Aachen.
TWELFTH AF—Weather cancels medium bomber and light bomber
operations. Fighter bombers support ground forces, bombing and strafing
strongpoints, troop concentrations, and frontline communications targets as US
Fifth Army pushes through N Apennines.
FIFTEENTH AF—362 B-24’s, with fighter escort, bomb Eleusis,
Kalamaki, and Tatoi airfields, marshalling yard at Salonika, and harbor at Skaramanga.
P-51’s escort B-24’s transporting personnel from Bari to Marcianise.
TENTH AF—P-47’s fly 20 attack sorties against targets in
Mawhun area, including Pinlon. Other P-47’s fly 13 sorties against targets in
Bhamo area, demolishing bridge at Manyut and hitting enemy positions at Chayuhkwang.
11 B-24’s haul fuel to Liuchow. 240-plus other transport sorties are flown to various
points in the CBI.
FOURTEENTH AF—26 B-26’s bomb Mangshih, Taohsien, and
Kuanyang, attack White Cloud airfield, and knock out Dara bridge. 3 others hit targets
of opportunity near Changtuikuan and along Ling-ling-Siangtan road 70-plus
P-51’s and P- 40’s on armed reconnaissance over SW and SE China pound numerous targets
of opportunity, especially town areas and river shipping at Takhing and
Sinshih.
FEAF—B-24’s and B-25’s bomb Amahai, Namlea, and Haroekoe airfields
and Boela. Heavy bombers hit Lautem. Fighter bombers attack Babo, Urarom, and
Manokwari airfields while B-25’s bomb Sorong.
SEVENTH AF—18 B-24’s from Saipan hit shipping and harbor
facilities in the Bonins, mostly at Chichi Jima. 2 others on armed reconnaissance
mission bomb Marcus. 16 fighters strafe AA positions on Rota. 26 B-24’s from
Kwajalein bomb Truk while 11 B-25’s, based in the Gilberts, hit Ponape.
ELEVENTH AF—8 B-24’s striking Kurabu Cape airfield are
challenged by 12 fighters. 1 of 2 damaged B-24’s forcelands in USSR. One fighter
is downed. 4 B-25’s fly negative shipping search.
US ARMY
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Canadian First Army’s British
1 Corps area, Canadian 2d Division establishes bridgehead across
Antwerp–Turnhout Canal S of St Leonard. Elements of 49th Division reach Turnhout.
In British
Second Army’s 1 A/B Corps area, 2 cos of 43d Division cross the Neder Rijn in
assault boats during night 24–25 but are unable to reach British-held perimeter
at Hartestein. Polish forces on S bank lack assault boats for crossing. Lt Gen
B. G. Horrocks, CG 30 Corps, issues and within a few hours revokes order for
43d Division to prepare to cross at Renkum. In 30 Corps area, other elements of
43d Division continue to fight for Elst and Bemmel. Continuing attacks toward
Veghel, Germans cut highway NE of village of Koevering, between St Oedenrode
and Veghel. In 8 Corps area, Deurne falls to 11th Armored Division.
12th Army
Group: In U.S. Third Army area, Gen Patton, in accordance with order from Gen Eisenhower,
halts offensive operations for aggressive defense, calling for limited actions,
as supplies permit, to improve defensive positions. In XX Corps area, 5th Division
begins relief of 7th Armored Division in line. In XII Corps area, 80th Division
prepares to attack to Seille R line on 26th. Combat Command B, 4th Armored
Division, holds its perimeter between Château-Salins and Fresnes-en- Saulnois
against determined tank-infantry attacks that P–47’s help repulse. Heavy enemy
fire continues from Fort de Château-Salins, however. Germans lose about 300
dead and 11 tanks in this action.
6th Army
Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, 157th Infantry of 45th Division seizes
Girmont; 180th continues clearing Epinal. 36th Division is pushing NE toward St
Die; 141st Infantry takes St Amé, E of Remiremont. 3d Division clears Rupt of
snipers and expands bridgehead to include La Roche and Maxonchamp.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, IV Corps releases
additional elements of 1st Armored Division for use on II Corps front,
retaining only Combat Command B. S African 6th Armored Division, protecting
left flank of II Corps, replaces 11th Armored Brigade in line with 12th Motorized
Brig; 11th Armored Brigade then pushes N along Highway 6620 to S. Ippolito
while rest of Division pursues enemy up Highways 64 and 66. In II Corps area,
34th Division, driving toward M. Bastione with 168th and 135th Regts, gains crest
of M. Coroncina and holds it against counterattack; overruns Roncobilaccio. 91st
Division, attacking with 362d and 361st Regts toward M. Oggioli, reaches line
from Covigliano westward; during night 24–25, 363d Infantry replaces 362d in
line. While 337th Infantry, 85th Division, consolidates positions on M. la Fine
and patrols, 338th, to left, continues slowly toward M. Canda and gets into
position for assault on it. 88th Division runs into strong resistance at M.
Acuto and undergoes vigorous counterattacks as it continues toward Imola. In British
13 Corps area, 1st Division takes Palazzuolo and Marradi, but enemy is holding
out on M. Gamberaldi. Indian 8th Division reaches Marradi–S. Benedetto road.
6th Armored Division advances to S. Benedetto in Alpe, on Highway 67.
In British
Eighth Army area, 5 Corps secures heights N of the Marecchia from Montebello to
Poggio Berni to S. Arcangelo, and 46th Division, in center, establishes bridgehead
across the Uso, taking Camerano on far bank.
GREECE—RAF personnel arrive at Araxos by sea and together
with Special Boat Squadron move on to Patras. Commander of Land Forces,
Adriatic, controls this operation.
BURMA—In NCAC area, British 36th Division encounters enemy
in strength while probing southward from Namma and suspends forward movement until
mid-October.
PALAUS—On Peleliu, 321st Infantry attacks after air, naval,
and artillery bombardment, driving through Garekoru to fourth phase line on
left. Co E, on right, starts along east–west trail, soon called 321st Infantry Trail,
through central ridge system running from West Road S of Garekoru to East Road
in effort to pocket strong enemy forces in Umurbrogol Mts, S part of the ridge
system. Japanese counterattack at fourth phase line causes 321st Infantry to
fall back a little, but positions are largely restored. Gap develops between
infantry and 7th Marines, since latter, to right rear, has to clear ground that
321st Infantry should have taken. On Angaur, when appeal to enemy to surrender
produces only 2 prisoners, artillery fire is placed on the pocket throughout
rest of day and ensuing night.
ULITHI—Regimental Combat Team 323, 81st Division, secures
rest of Ulithi without opposition. The atoll becomes an excellent base for
Pacific Fleet during operations against the Philippines.
US MARINE CORPS
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