1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 88 ] [ 24–27 JANUARY 1942 ]
air forces in CBI and mount ANAKIM In fall of 1943,
diverting U.S. landing craft and naval forces from
the Pacific to assist; and to terminate hostilities only
upon “unconditional surrender” of enemy.
GUADALCANAL—XIV Corps makes substantial
progress, overrunning Kokumbona and pocketing
enemy remaining E of the Poha in ravine E of Hill
99, between CAM and 25th Divs. Continuing W
in coastal sector, CAM Div reaches Hill 91 on S
and to N takes Hill 92. In 25th Div zone, 27th Inf’s
3d Bn drives N to coast, taking Hills 98 and 99;
1st Bn seizes Kokumbona in 2-pronged attack; 2d
Bn, on S flank, pushes NW to Hill 100. 2d Bn,
35th Inf, meets only slight resistance as it finishes
clearing the Gifu, ending all Japanese resistance on
Mt Austen.
LIBYA—Br Eighth Army columns drive into Tripoli
from E and S and secure the port.
TUNISIA—Fr 19th Corps, helped by Br and U.S.
units, stabilizes positions on general line Bou Arada–
Djebel Bargou–Djebel Bou Dabouss. Enemy breaks
off attack and consolidates newly won positions.
Elements of U.S. 1st Div join CCB, U.S. 1st Armd
Div, and are temporarily attached to CCB in preparation
for attack on 24th to recover Kairouan Pass.
Isolated Fr forces in hills E of Ousseltia Valley withdraw
to positions S of Ousseltia covered by CCB,
U.S. 1st Armd Div. U.S. II Corps constitutes CCC,
U.S. 1st Armd Div, and gives it task of raiding Sened
Station.
USSR—Red Army troops penetrate into
Voronezh and begin clearing the town. Armavir, on
Baku–Rostov RR, falls to other Soviet forces.
24 January
ALEUTIAN IS.—Enemy begins series of minor air
raids on Amchitka.
GUADALCANAL—Continuing W in coastal sector,
CAM Div reaches Hills 98 and 99 and gains contact
with 25th Div. 25th Div, upon being resupplied,
begins drive toward the Poha. 2d Bn, 27th Inf, attacks
W from Kokumbona at 1300 and reaches Hill
102 on right and 103 on left.
TUNISIA—Implementing order of 21st for Gen
K. A. N. Anderson to co-ordinate efforts of the 3
Allied nations, U.S. II Corps is attached to Br First
Army. Gen Juin agrees to place Fr 19th Corps under
Br First Army upon approval by Gen Giraud.
Gen K. A. N. Anderson subsequently directs U.S.
II Corps to take command of all ground troops S
of line Morsott–Thala–Sbiba (all exclusive) –Djebel
Trozza–Fondouk–Sidi Amor el Kenani (all inclusive),
and N of line from the salt marshes (chotts)
to Gabés. Full-scale Allied assault northward in Ousseltia
Valley is canceled. Germans order attack on
Faïd Pass as soon as possible. CCC of U.S. 1st Armd
Div, U.S. II Corps, moving forward from Gafsa,
conducts successful raid on Sened Station and retires
to Gafsa as planned.
25 January
GUADALCANAL—XIV Corps, in FO 2, directs
CAM Div to pass through 25th Div at Poha R and
pursue enemy, now in full retreat. 25th Div, continuing
advance with 2d and 3d Bns of 27th Inf,
upon relief of 3d by 6th Marines on Hills 98 and
99, reaches the Poha on right and secures Hills 105
and 106 on left. 161st Inf protects corps S flank.
NEW GUINEA—Maj Gen Horace H. Fuller, CG
first Div, takes operational control of all Allied
troops in Oro Bay-Gona area. Aus 7th Div and U.S.
32d Div troops are relieved gradually during January
and flown to Port Moresby; from there they are
moved to Australia by sea.
LIBYA—Br Eighth Army, employing 7th Armd
Div in pursuit of enemy to Tunisia, reaches Zavia.
TUNISIA—Gen K. A. N. Anderson, CG Br First
Army, becomes responsible for all Allied forces in
Tunisia as Gen Giraud agrees to place Fr 19th
Corps under his command. Benito Mussolini designates
Gen Giovanni Messe to succeed Field Marshal
Rommel, commander of German-Italian Panzer
Army, who is to be withdrawn because of protracted
service and ill health, but the shift does not take
place for some time. In Fr 19th Corps sector, CCB
of U.S. 1st Armd Div and elements of U.S. 1st Inf
Div, under command of Col Stark, CO RCT 26,
begin clearing rear-guard resistance from Ousseltia
Valley.
USSR—Red Army completes capture of
Voronezh.
26 January
GUADALCANAL—25th Div, after 2d and 3d Bns
of 27th Inf establish contact and are passed through
at Poha R line by CAM Div, is withdrawn to guard
airfields since there are indications of an enemy attempt
to recover Lunga perimeter. 161st Inf, its mission
unchanged, passes to control of XIV Corps.
CAM Div, with 6th Marines and 182d Inf abreast,
former on right, pushes forward from the Poha about
1,000 yards against light resistance.
TUNISIA—Fr 19th Corps attacks to regain
Kairouan Pass in Ousseltia Valley.
USSR—Russians report substantial gains against
German pocket at Stalingrad, where defenses have
been penetrated.
27 January
GUADALCANAL—CAM Div, in 2,000-yard advance,
reaches Nueha R.