1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 23–27 SEPTEMBER 1943 ]
provides air support and intercepts enemy aircraft
making ineffective attacks on the convoy.
ITALY—15th Army Group: U.S. Fifth Army
directs Br 10 Corps to seize Naples and VI Corps to
secure line Avellino–Teora. VI Corps is to be prepared
to continue to Benevento. In VI Corps area,
3d and 45th Divs overcome opposition barring their
advance: 3d occupies Acerno and 45th Oliveto.
In Br Eighth Army area, Ind 8th Div arrives
from Africa. In 5 Corps area, special force (elements
of 8th Div and of 4th Armd Brig), under 78th
Div command, lands at Bari, night 22–23, to drive
to Foggia.
USSR—Germans announce evacuation of Poltava,
which is untenable. This is the last strongpoint
E of the middle Dnieper. In Kuban area, Soviet
forces take Anapa.
23 September
NEW GUINEA—Continuing S toward Finschhafen,
Aus 20th Brig takes airfield and reaches
Bumi R, where Japanese are firmly established.
ITALY—15th Army Group: U.S. Fifth Army
begins general advance. Br 10 Corps, making main
effort, attacks toward Nocera–Pagani Pass on left
with 46th Div; 56th drives northward on Salerno–
S. Severino road. Firm enemy opposition makes
progress slow. In VI Corps area, 3d and 45th Divs
continue northward, hampered more by extensive
demolitions than by enemy. Engineers are playing
important role in keeping routes of advance open.
Br Eighth Army drives enemy from Altamura.
USSR—Red Army troops push through Poltava
toward Kremenchug.
24 September
POA—Vice Adm Raymond A. Spruance recommends
to Adm Nimitz that an amphibious
operation against Makin be substituted for projected
invasion of Nauru. This plan is subsequently
accepted.
Solomon Is.—First Allied plane lands at Vella
Lavella airfield.
NEW GUINEA—20th Brig, Aus 9th Div, forces
Bumi R, N of Finschhafen. Enemy planes again
attack shipping.
NEW BRITAIN—ALAMO Scouts begin rcn of Cape
Gloucester area in preparation for invasion.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In Br Eighth Army’s
5 Corps area, 78th Div patrols reach Ofanto R.
USSR—Heavy fighting is in progress in vicinity
of Smolensk and Roslavl.
GERMANY—Berlin announces evacuation of
Smolensk and Roslavl.
25 September
[ 137 ]
NEW GUINEA—162d Inf of U.S. 41st Div, having
successfully completed its mission, begins return
trip to Australia. 20th Brig, Aus 9th Div, continues
battle for Finschhafen.
ITALY—15th Army Group: Gen Montgomery
begins regrouping Br Eighth Army to strengthen
E flank. 5 Corps, which is to include 5th, 1st A/B,
and Ind 8th Divs, is initially to remain in Taranto
area while 13 Corps, with 78th Div on right and
Cdn 1st Div on left, continues advance. 5 Corps is
later to move forward behind 13 Corps and secure
its left flank.
USSR—Soviet forces take Smolensk and
Roslavl on central front; to S, hold E bank of the
Dnieper from Kremenchug to Dniepropetrovsk.
German 4th Army falls back to positions W of
Smolensk and holds.
26 September
NEW GUINEA—Japanese try in vain to destroy
Aus beachhead in Finschhafen area.
CORFU—Surrenders to German force that has
recently landed there.
ITALY—15th Army Group: Is directed by Gen
Eisenhower to secure air bases in Rome area.
U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 10 Corps continues efforts
to break out into Neapolitan plain; enemy positions
are beginning to weaken under its blows. To reinforce
W flank, U.S. 82d A/B Div is transferred to
Maiori by sea and, under 10 Corps control, takes
command of Rangers. VI Corps is handicapped by
autumn rains as well as demolitions, but 45th Div
takes Teora and junction of Highways 7 and 91.
In Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps patrols reach
Canosa.
27 September
Solomon Is.—I MAC issues letter of instructions
to 3d Mar Div for N Solomons offensive.
ITALY—Marshal Badoglio receives terms of
complete instrument of surrender.
15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s VI Corps
area, 3d Div reaches Highway 7 and is threatening
Avellino.
In Br Eighth Army area, enemy abandons Foggia
and its airfields, major objective of Eighth Army.
USSR—Soviet troops reduce enemy’s bridgehead
to narrow strip on Taman Peninsula when they
capture Temryuk and occupy N bank of Kuban R.
GERMANY—U.S. Eighth Air Force attacks Emden
port area through overcast, using H2Sequipped
aircraft as Pathfinders for the first time.
Of 305 bombers dispatched, 244 attack target or
targets of opportunity. P–47’s, with belly tanks, es-