1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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15th Army Group: Axis troops are withdrawing
to Messing peninsula, at base of which lofty M.
Etna commands entire island. Gen Alexander issues
directive calling for Br Eighth Army to drive enemy
NE along 3 routes into Messing peninsula while
U.S. Seventh Army, protecting rear of Br Eighth
Army, seizes road net at Enna and cuts E–W road
at Petralia.
In U.S. Seventh Army’s Prov Corps area, 3d Div
begins assault on Agrigento while 3d Ranger Bn
takes its port, Porto Empedocle. In II Corps area,
1st Div seizes Barrafranca. 45th Div begins movement
to left flank of corps.
In Br Eighth Army’s 30 Corps area, Cdn 1st Div
pushes northward from Caltagirone, taking Piazza
Armerina, night 16–17. To ease pressure on 13 Corps
to right, 91st Div is ordered to drive on Paterno, NW
of Catania. 13 Corps establishes small bridgehead
across the Simeto before dawn.
ITALY—Prime Minister Churchill and President
Roosevelt make joint appeal to Italian people to
“decide whether Italians shall die for Mussolini and
Hitler—or live for Italy and for civilization.”
USSR—Axis forces go on the defensive, having
lost heavily in futile attempts to reduce Kursk salient
and being under strong pressure in Orel area. Red
Army is mounting secondary attacks on southern
front against enemy’s Kuban bridgehead. Main
Soviet offensive against Orel salient is gaining
ground.
17 July
NEW GEORGIA—43d Div withstands the only organized
offensive attempted by Japanese during
Munda operation, beginning night 17–18. The
counterattacks at various points are generally unsuccessful.
NEW GUINEA—From Nassau Bay, Coane Force
(2d and 3d Bns of 162d Inf, U.S. 41st Div, and supporting
units) moves out to join Aus 3d Div in drive
toward Salamaua. The attack on Salamaua, under
Aus command, is a secondary effort designed to
divert enemy from next main effort, which is to
secure Markham Valley and Huon Peninsula and
thus gain control of Vitiaz and Dampier Straits.
MEDITERRANEAN—CCS accept Gen Eisenhower’s
recommendations of 29 June. At a meeting
between Gen Eisenhower and his commanders at
Carthage to consider post–HUSKY operations, it is
decided that the dual mission of knocking Italy out
of the war and drawing off maximum German
forces from other areas can best be accomplished by
invasion of Italian mainland.
SICILY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh
Army’s Prov Corps area, 3d Div, assisted by naval
gunfire, completes reduction of Agrigento. 82d A/B
Div is being moved forward to W flank by motor.
Going into action on W flank of II Corps, 45th takes
Pietraperzia and secures crossings of Salso R, S of
Caltanissetta, while 1st Div seizes crossings 6 miles
E of Caltanissetta.
In Br Eighth Army’s 30 Corps area, 51st Div
drives to within to miles of Paterno, crossing
Simeto R. 13 Corps expands bridgehead over the
Simeto in coastal sector and during night 17–18
begins northward drive on Catania with 2 brigs of
50th Div.
USSR—While continuing reduction of Orel
salient, Red Army begins local attacks in region S
of Izyum and SW of Voroshilovgrad. Moscow announces
that positions in Orel sector held before
German offensive of 5 July have been recovered.
18 July
NEW GEORGIA—XIV Corps, while preparing
for final push on Munda, repels Japanese counterattacks
at several points. 1st and 2d Bns of 148th
Inf, 37th Div, which have landed at Zanana, try unsuccessfully
to reach and relieve 169th Inf, 43d
Div.
TROBRIAND Is.—Airfield on Kiriwina I. becomes
operational.
NEW GUINEA—Coane Force secures S headland
of Tambu Bay for supply base.
SICILY—15th Army Group: U.S. Seventh Army
is directed to cut N coastal road after capture of
Petralia; upon gaining line across island from
Campofelice on N to Agrigento on S, is to mop up
W part of island. Army advances rapidly all along
line as enemy continues withdrawal to NE part of
island. Prov Corps pushes NW toward Palermo, 3d
Div, in the lead, reaching line Raffadali–S. Cataldo.
82d A/B Div, reinf by RCT 39 of 9th Div, begins
operations on W flank of corps; attacking through
3d Div near Agrigento, seizes crossings of Fiume
delle Canno, about 8 miles W of Porto Empedocle.
II Corps drives NW to attack Palermo from E.
45th Div takes Caltanissetta and pushes on through
S Catering. 1st Div reaches M. Capadarso area, NE
of Caltanissetta.
In Br Eighth Army’s 30 Corps area, 51st Div
continues toward Paterno while Cdn 1st Div thrusts
toward Leonforte and Adrano. In 13 Corps area,
5th Div drives toward Misterbianco, W of Catania,
while 50th, on coast, continues efforts to reach
Catania.
19 July
[ 17–19 JULY 1943 ]
ALEUTIAN IS.—Adm Kinkaid approves plans for
invasion of Kiska.
ITALY—Rome undergoes damaging air attack.
More than 500 bombers of USAAF attack military
objectives—Lorenzo and Littoria marshaling yards