1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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target for peak air effort. 9th Div pushes E in 2
columns, one from M. Pelato, 8 miles N of Troina,
and the other along Highway 120.
8 August
NEW GEORGIA—RCT 161, 25th Div, starts
northward behind 1st Bn of 27th Inf to clear region
W of Bairoko Harbor in conjunction with Liversedge
Force, which is to clear area E of the harbor.
SICILY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh
Army’s II Corps area, enemy is forced to fall back
on N coast road and 3d Div takes S. Agata. 9th Div’s
47th Inf reaches Cesaro, on road to Randazzo; 60th
Inf captures M. Camolato, 6 miles NW of Cesaro.
In Br Eighth Army’s 30 Corps area, Bronte falls
to 78th Div.
9 August
NEW GEORGIA—25th Div column (1st Bn of
27th Inf) makes contact with Liversedge Force.
35th Inf is ordered to prepare to land on Vella
Lavella.
MEDITERRANEAN—Gen Alexander directs Gen
Montgomery to seize bridgehead on Calabrian coast
of Italy with current resources.
SICILY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh
Army area, II Corps advances steadily eastward
against rear-guard opposition. In coastal sector, forward
elements of 3d Div reach Torrenuovo; enemy
falls back to Zappulla R. 9th Div’s 47th Inf advances
along Cesaro–Randazzo highway, and 60th advances
in difficult terrain to N. Enemy pulls back to
Simeto R line, between Cesaro and Randazzo.
Since enemy is delaying advance on Messing via
Randazzo in Br Eighth Army’s 30 Corps sector, Gen
Montgomery decides to make a greater effort along
E coast with 13 Corps and commits 5th Div there
to drive N in region E of M. Etna in conjunction
with 50th Div.
10 August
NEW GEORGIA—1st Bn of 27th Inf, 25th Div, is
attached to Liversedge Force to assist in clearing
region between Bairoko Harbor and Enogai Inlet.
3d Bn of 148th Inf, 37th Div, is detached from Liversedge
Force and attached to 27th Inf of 25th Div
with mission of intercepting northward withdrawal
of enemy from Munda.
SICILY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh
Army area, II Corps continues to pursue enemy eastward.
In coastal sector, enemy retires to heights W
of Naso and is followed by 3d Div. During night
10–11, 3d Div makes another highly successful landing
on coast, outflanking enemy in Capo d’Orlando
region. The amphibious force (2d Bn of 30th Inf,
reinf by arty and tanks), with close air and naval
[ 8–12 AUGUST 1943 ]
gunfire support, lands 2 miles E of Capo d’Orlando
and establishes positions astride main highway and
RR. 9th Div elements driving along Highway 120
toward Randazzo reach road junction N of Bronte.
11 August
POA—Lt Gen Robert C. Richardson, Jr., organizes
small TF (804th Aviation Engr Bn, prov
AAA bn, prov air service support sq, fighter sq, and
service units) to develop Baker I. as a base from
which to support coming offensive in Central
Pacific.
SOLOMON Is.—Adm Halsey issues orders for
further operations in central Solomons. Northern
Force (TF 30 under Rear Adm Theodore S. Wilkinson
is to land troops (RCT 35, 25th Div, and
supporting units) under Brig Gen Robert B. Mc-
Clure on Vella Lavella to seize air and naval bases.
Strong Japanese forces at Vila on Kolombangara
will thus be bypassed. New Georgia Occupation
Force is to extend its positions to Arundel and shell
enemy on Kolombangara. 43d Div amphibious
patrol finds evidence that Japanese are holding
Baanga I.
N EW GUINEA—Fifth Air Force completes
movement of Second Task Force to Tsili Tsili field.
SICILY—Allied aircraft supporting the 15th
Army Group are concentrating on enemy movements
and evacuation points with good effect as
enemy withdraws at a rapid rate from Sicily to
Italian mainland.
15th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s II
Corps area, as a result of the successful amphibious
operation on coast, night 10–11, 3d Div overruns
Naso with little difficulty and enemy retires eastward
beyond Patti. 9th Div presses closer to Randazzo,
passing 39th Inf through 4th on Highway
120; 60th Inf continues toward Floresta on 9th Div
N flank.
In Br Eighth Army area, Gen Montgomery, anxious
to prepare for imminent invasion of Italy, orders
91st Div to relieve 5th Div and 30 Corps hq to take
over duties of 13 Corps hq on 13 August.
USSR—Closing in on Kharkov, some Red
Army units reach Akhtyrka and others cut Kharkov–
Poltava RR.
12 August
ALEUTIAN IS.—In a final preinvasion naval
bombardment of Kiska, 5 cruisers and 5 DD’s expend
60 tons of shells.
Solomon Is.—Advance landing party from
Rendova goes ashore at Barakoma on Vella Lavella,
night 12–13, to pave way for main landing on 15th
and finds only stragglers. Co L of 169th Inf, 43d Div,
begins landing on Baanga to establish beachhead but