1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 142 ] [ 23–29 OCTOBER 1943 ]
POA—I MAC directs 2d Para Bn of 1st Mar
Para Regt, FMF, to land at Voza (Choiseul I),
night of 27 October, to conduct diversionary raid
and, if feasible, establish permanent base there.
MEDITERRANEAN—Gen Eisenhower is notified
that the Fifteenth Air Force will be established under
his command, effective 1 November.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s VI Corps area, 133d Inf of 34th Div takes
road junction S of S. Angelo d’Alife, from which
enemy rear guards have withdrawn, and prepares
to attack the town.
In preparation for general advance on Rome (line
Pescara–Avezzano–Rome), 78th Div of Br Eighth
Army’s 5 Corps crosses bn over the Trigno, night
22–23.
23 October
POA—27th Div issues field order for invasion
of the Gilberts.
CBI—Gen Stilwell, Acting Deputy Supreme
Allied Commander, SEAC, has by now decided that
he can do little more toward improving the Chinese
Army, his basic mission.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s VI Corps area, 133d Inf of 34th Div opens
assault on S. Angelo d’Alife but is unable to take it.
USSR—Hard fighting for Melitopol ends in
victory for Soviet forces.
U.K.—Prime Minister Churchill issues directive
outlining mission of Adm Mountbatten as Supreme
Allied Commander, Southeast Asia.
24 October
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s VI Corps area, 133d Inf of 34th Div takes
S. Angelo and commanding ground beyond without
opposition.
25 October
POA—Adm Spruance issues operation plan,
which is subsequently modified somewhat, outlining
organization and tasks of Operation GALVANIC,
invasion of the Gilberts.
NEW GUINEA—Japanese begin withdrawing toward
Sattelberg in coastal sector N of Finschhafen,
suspending attacks on Aus 9th Div.
ITALY—15th Army Group: Allied commanders
decide that the initiative must be retained in Italy
in order to pin down enemy forces there and prevent
them from massing for counteroffensive before
spring 1944.
U.S. Fifth Army, with positions N of the Volturno
firmly established, is ready for drive against
German delaying positions in mountains from M.
Massico on W coast to Matese mountains on right
boundary. In VI Corps area, 135th Inf of 34th Div
moves forward to take up pursuit toward Ailano,
passing through 133d Inf.
USSR—On the Dnieper bend, Red Army
forces overrun Dniepropetrovsk and Dnieprodzerzhinsk.
26 October
POA—Treasury Is. assault force (Rear Adm
George H. Fort’s Southern Force of Adm Wilkinson’s
TF 31) sails for target.
27 October
POA—In preparation for invasion of Bougainville,
8th Brig Gp of NZ 3d Div, under Brig R. A.
Row, lands on 2 islands of Treasury group, Stirling
and Mono. The small Japanese force on Mono is
quickly put to flight and must be rounded up. Stirling
is undefended. New Georgia-based planes support
the operation. Japanese planes attack shipping
with little success. 2d Mar Para Bn (Lt Col Victor
H. Krulak) begins diversionary raid on Choiseul I,
Solomons, landing night 27–28, and subsequently
patrols actively to feign strength that is not present.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s
VI Corps area, 168th Inf of 34th Div is ordered to
attack on 28th since elements of 135th Inf are being
held up by enemy rear guards on hill S of Ailano.
In Br Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, 78th Div makes
futile attempt to expand bridgehead across Trigno
R. Failure is largely due to heavy rainfall.
USSR—Soviet forces break through enemy defenses
beyond Melitopol, but by this time Germans
have succeeded in stabilizing positions before Nikopol
and at Krivoi Rog.
28 October
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s Br 10 Corps area, 46th Inf and 7th Armd
Divs begin attack on M. Massico and M. S. Croce.
In VI Corps area, 168th Inf of 34th Div finds that
enemy has abandoned the hill S of Ailano.
In Br Eighth Army area, heavy rainfall forces Gen
Montgomery to postpone planned attack by 13 Corps
along axis Vinchiaturo–Isernia. 5 Corps continues
unsuccessful efforts to expand Trigno bridgehead
in coastal sector.
29 October
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s VI Corps area, 34th Div continues to pursue
enemy northward, 135th Inf taking Pratella and