US NAVY
PACIFIC—Leyte landings continue. Off invasion beaches,
transport Warhawk (AP‑168) is damaged in collision with battleship
Tennessee (BB-43), 10°57'N, 125°02'E, while Japanese mortar fire damages
tank landing ships LST‑269, LST‑483, andLST‑704, 10°50'N,
125°25'E.
TG 38.2
(Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan) attacks Japanese shipping and installations near
Panay, Cebu, Negros, and Masbate, Navy carrier-based planes sinking auxiliary
minesweeper Wa.8, 11°30'N, 123°20'E; auxiliary submarine chaser Cha
15, 12°55'N, 121°35'E; and army tanker Doko Maru, 12°35'N, 122°16'E.
British
submarine HMS Tantivy sinks Japanese merchant cargo ships No.2 Chokyu
Maru, No.3 Takasago Maru, and Otori Maru in Makassar Strait.
MEDITERRANEAN—Destroyer Eberle (DD‑430) bombards
targets near San Remo, Italy.
US ARMY AIR FORCE
NINTH AF—Bad weather grounds bombers. Fighters fly armed
reconnaissance and attack railroads in western Germany and support elements of
US Third and Seventh Armies in eastern France and western Germany.
TWELFTH AF—B‑26’s, in the day’s only medium bomber mission,
attack Nervesa della Battaglia railroad bridge and causeway. Fighters and
fighter bombers operate in close support of US Fifth Army forces south of
Bologna and fighter bombers also hit communications in northern Italy as far north as Verona and as far west as Turin. During
20/21 Oct light bombers bomb targets of opportunity during intruder missions
north of battle area.
FIFTEENTH AF—104 B‑24’s with fighter escort attack
marshalling yards at Gyor and Szombathely. Almost 100 P‑38’s and P‑51’s strafe
Szombathely and Seregelyes airfields and rail lines between Sajoszentpeter to
Ipolyszog.
TENTH AF—15 P‑47’s damage at least 3 bridges throughout the
railroad corridor in northern Burma. 15
other P‑47’s support ground forces in Mohnyin area, hitting gun positions and
defensive works at Ywathit. 12 others attack positions and occupied areas
around Bhamo and Muse, 6 knock out Paungni River bridge, and 4 attack town of
Mawhun. About 270 sorties are flown by Tenth AF transports in CBI.
FOURTEENTH AF—3 B‑25’s and 130‑plus P‑40’s and P‑51’s
attack shipping, gun positions, troop areas, bridges, town areas, road traffic,
and other targets of opportunity around Yuma, Takhing, Dosing, Konghow, Shawan,
Kuanyang, Kweiping, Tungpingchi, Tingka, Muse, Wan Lai‑Kam, Shekpo, Menghsu,
and Amoy.
FEAF—B‑24’s bomb Cagayan and Parepare. B‑25’s and fighter
bombers hit Misamis and blast truck convoy near Kibawe. Other fighter bombers
hit Kaoe Bay supply areas. Fighter bombers hit Boela airfield and Amboina town
area. Mongosah and Sagan airfields are also bombed.
SEVENTH AF—28 B‑24’s from Saipan bomb Iwo Jima. 2 B‑24’s,
in first US air strike from Guam, hit Yap.
US ARMY
WESTERN EUROPE—12th Army Group: Gen Bradley orders Ninth,
First, and Third Armies to prepare for drive to the Rhine, 5 November target
date for Ninth and First and 10 November for Third.
In U.S.
First Army’s VII Corps area, German commander of Aachen garrison surrenders at
1205, concluding struggle that has cost enemy heavily in badly needed reserve
strength.
6th Army Group:
In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV Corps area, 9th Division launches full scale assault
on heights east of Forêt de Parroy, with 313th Infantry on left, 315th in
center, and 314th on right. Some progress is made against strong opposition. In
VI Corps area, 179th Infantry of 45th Division enters Brouvelieures after main
body of enemy has withdrawn and begins to clear rear-guard opposition. As 7th
Infantry continues toward St Dié, clearing Domfaing, 3d Division commits 15th
Infantry to left; 15th Infantry pressure south of Brouvelieures aids 45th
Division. 36th Division is improving positions east of Bruyères.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, South African 6th
Armored Division commits fresh troops on Mont Salvaro and completes capture of
Mont Alcino. II Corps positions remain virtually the same. In British 13 Corps
area, 38th Brigade of 78th Division makes another unsuccessful attempt to take
Mont Spadura. 21st Brigade, Indian 8th Division, pushes almost to summit of
Mont Romano.
In British
Eighth Army’s Polish 2 Corps area, 5th Kresowa Division, pressing northwest
toward Route 67, which leads to Forlì, takes Strada San Zeno in Rabbi River
valley and summit of Mont Grosso. 5 Corps expands its 3 bridgeheads across the
Savio despite heavy rainfall and rapidly rising water. Indian 10th Division’s
20th Brigade pushes toward Mont Cavallo on left flank of corps while 25th
Brigade attacks to expand bridgehead from San Carlo. 4th Division completes
capture of Cesena and crosses additional forces over the Savio there, although
handicapped by lack of permanent bridge.
In
Canadian 1 Corps area, Canadian 1st Division at 2000 begins attack across the
Savio with 2d Brigade, supported by diversionary fire of 3d Brigade, and
secures bridgehead.
HUNGARY—Elements of Second Ukrainian Front pushing west
from Szeged reach the Danube at Baja, south of Budapest.
LEYTE—Japanese decide to make a strong effort to defeat
Americans instead of fighting delaying action as planned.
U.S. Sixth
Army: Generals Krueger, Sibert, and Hodge take command ashore of Sixth Army, X
Corps, and XXIV Corps, respectively. In X Corps area, 2d Brigade (7th Cavalry) of
1st Cavalry Division seizes Tacloban and south half of hill to southwest; 1st
Brigade (12th Cavalry on right and 5th on left) drives west, taking Utap and
Caibaan. 34th Infantry, on north flank of 24th Division, undergoes determined
enemy counterattack, beginning at 0100, in Pawing area. Artillery and Seventh
Fleet aircraft assist after daylight in routing enemy, more than 600 of whom
are killed. 2d Battalion then attacks ridge to west but cannot take it. 19th
Infantry clears far slope of Hill 522 and, with strong fire support, takes
Palo. In XXIV Corps area, 96th Division’s 383d Infantry begins working around
Catmon Hill, which is actually a series of hill positions. 1st Battalion secures
Labiranan Head but, since Japanese remain in this area, pulls back to Labiranan
River. 2d Battalion gains positions 300 yards north of Tigbao and 3d Battalion,
positions 1,110 yards northeast of the barrio. 382d Infantry drives an Tigbao
but is slowed by pillboxes as well as swampy terrain. 7th Division attacks
toward Dulag and Burauen airfields with 32d and 184th Regiments. 32d, against
considerable opposition, gets forward elements (2d and 3d Battalions) to
regimental beachhead line. 184th Infantry easily takes Dulag airstrip by 0900
and continues west to positions about 1,000 yards beyond beachhead line, but
gap exists between it and 32d Regiment.
PALAUS—On Angaur, opposition, except from stragglers, is
overcome by this time. Airfield is ready for bombers. About 1,300 Japanese have
been killed and 45 captured on Angaur to date. Total U.S. casualties through
this date are 264 killed and 1,355 wounded or injured.
US MARINE CORPS
Marine Carrier Groups, Aircraft, Fleet Marine Force,
Pacific, established at Santa Barbara, California, under Colonel Albert D.
Cooley. Marine 5th and 11th 155mm
Artillery Battalions as part of XXIV Corps Artillery in general support of the
U. S. Army 7th Infantry Division on Leyte.
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