1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 6–10 NOVEMBER 1943 ]
Hill; 30th Inf, upon passing through 45th Div’s
zone, night 5–6, presses W toward M. Rotondo.
In Br Eighth Army area, 5 Corps pursues enemy
northward, 78th Div, on coast, pushing through
Vasto. Ind 8th Div takes Tufillo.
6 November
U.S.—CCS accede to request of Gen Eisenhower
for retention of landing craft. 12 U.S. and
56 Br LST’s due to depart from Mediterranean are
to remain until 15 December. A further extension,
until 15 January 1944, is subsequently granted.
ELLICE IS.—Advance Hq, Seventh Air Force,
opens at Funafuti.
Solomon Is.—1st Bn, 21st Marines, arrives on
Bougainville to reinforce 3d Mar Div’s beachhead.
INDIA—Government of India accepts offer of
U.S. troops to help operate Bengal and Assam RR.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s
Br 10 Corps area, 56th Div continues attack toward
M. Camino, elements taking Calabritto. In VI Corps’
3d Div sector, 7th Inf is still fighting for M. la Difensa;
efforts of 15th Inf to take Hill 253, SE nose
of M. Lungo, are unsuccessful, as are those of 30th Inf
to take M. Rotondo. To E, 45th and 34th Divs batter
at hills and mountains with little success.
USSR—Germans withdraw from Kiev to avoid
envelopment.
7 November
POA—Southern Attack Force (TF 53) begins
rehearsal for GALVANIC at Efate, New Hebrides.
A Fifth Fleet carrier force, under command of Rear
Adm Alfred I. Montgomery, reaches S Pacific.
BOUGAINVILLE—Beachhead undergoes its first
major counterattack. Japanese DD’s from Rabaul
land 475 troops between Laruma and Koromokina
Rivers early in morning. The troops attack at once
in vicinity of Koromokina lagoon and are held off
by 3d Marines, although small outpost is cut off
and must be rescued by sea.
CBI—SEAC adopts TARZAN, India–based portion
of general offensive in Burma, now called
CHAMPION. TARZAN calls for limited offensive on
Arakan coast for Akyab; drive from Imphal to
Chindwin. R.; establishment of a div on RR to
Myitkyina; amphibious operation against the
Andamans.
11 Army Group: In Br Fourteenth Army’s 4
Corps area, Japanese are becoming aggressive in
Chin Hills and occupy Falam.
ITALY—15th Army Group: U.S. Fifth Army
continues to battle enemy in mountains of Winter
Line but makes little headway. In VI Corps sector,
34th Div organizes TF A under Brig Gen Benjamin
[ 145 ]
F. Caffey, consisting of 135th Inf and supporting
units, for drive on Montaquila.
USSR—Exploiting German withdrawal from
Kiev, Soviet forces push on to Fastov, rail junction
to SW, where they are halted by strong opposition.
8 November
BOUGAINVILLE—Gen Vandegrift (CG I MAC,
pending arrival of Maj Gen Roy S. Geiger) reaches
Bougainville and takes command of operations there
and on the Treasuries. Advance elements of 37th
Div, RCT 148, also arrive to take over left flank of
beachhead and are attached to 3d Mar Div. Battle
of Koromokina Lagoon ends as 1st Bn of 21st Marines,
after extremely effective preparatory fire, attacks
and eliminates subdued remnants of the
counterlanding force.
CBI—Gen Stilwell directs Col Thomas S.
Arms, of Y–Force Infantry Training Center, to activate
ZEBRA Force Infantry Training Center at
Kweilin.
ITALY—15th Army Group: Gen Alexander
orders Fifth Army to plan for amphibious operation
on W coast.
In U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 10 Corps area, 56th Div
withstands strong counterattacks at Calabritto and
seizes hill to NE. In VI Corps area, 7th Inf of 3d
Div is still unable to scale M. la Difensa, but 3d Bn
of 15th Inf takes Hill 253 and 3d Bn of 30th reaches
top of M. Rotondo—45th Div continues to fight for
mountains north of Venafro and Pozzilli. 3d Bn,
179th Inf, opens assault on hills between Pozzilli
and Filignano. 34th Div’s TF A takes Montaquila.
In Br Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, 78th Div gains
heights overlooking the Sangro from its mouth to
Paglieta.
9 November
BOUGAINVILLE—Gen Geiger arrives on Bougainville
by air: Allied dive bombers raid Koromokina
Lagoon-Laruma R area.
10 November
POA—Main body of Northern Attack Force
for GALVANIC leaves Pearl Harbor.
Solomon Is.—Gen Geiger takes command of
Allied forces on Bougainville and Treasury Is.
NEW BRITAIN—Gen MacArthur cancels projected
offensive against Gasmata. Fifth Air Force
strongly attacks Rabaul.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s VI Corps area, elements of 45th Div take
hills between Pozzilli and Filignano without opposition.
1st Ranger Bn relieves other elements of 45th
Div on M. Corno.