1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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Army general staff arrives from N Africa by air to
prepare for arrival of French Expeditionary Corps
(FEC) under Gen Juin.
USSR—Attacking in Propoisk area, N of
Gomel, Soviet forces achieve breakthrough on
broad front and cut highway between Gomel and
Mogilev, greatly increasing peril to Germans in
Gomel.
ETO—Air Chief Marshal Leigh-Mallory,
heading Allied Expeditionary Air Force (AEAF),
activates his headquarters. Second Tactical Air
Force, RAF, and later Gen Brereton’s U.S. Ninth
Air Force come under AEAF.
26 November
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES—First part of
SEXTANT ends at Cairo after inconclusive discussions
concerning OVERLORD and possible expansion of
operations in the Mediterranean. After considering
CHAMPION—plan for offensive in Burma—the conferees
have agreed that an amphibious operation
will be undertaken and have received Chiang Kaishek’s
promise to commit Yunnan force. Upper
Burma is to be cleared in spring of 1944 to open land
route to China. Also approved is TWILIGHT—plan to
base B–29’s in CBI. Br and U.S. conferees leave for
Tehran, Iran, for further discussions.
TARAWA ATOLL—2d Bn of 6th Marines reaches
Buariki, last relatively large island of atoll, and
prepares to attack enemy forces believed to be there.
APAMAMA ATOLL—VAC scouts are recalled as
Apamama landing force arrives and begins organizing
defenses of the atoll.
BOUGAINVILLE—I MAC continues to expand
perimeter of beachhead. 3d Div is now at S shore
of Lake Kathleen.
CBI—Brig Gen Haydon I. Boatner, Chief of
Staff and Deputy Commander, CAI, reports to Maj
Gen Thomas G. Hearn, Chief of Staff, U.S. Forces
CBI, that situation of Ch 38th Div is “critical.”
USSR—Germans abandon Gomel, key position
of central front.
GERMANY—U.S. VIII BC surpasses its 3 November
record for aircraft dispatched, sending out
633 bombers, Bremen their primary target. Results
are largely obscured by overcast.
27 November
TARAWA ATOLL—2d Bn, 6th Marines, clears
enemy from Buariki. Small islet of Naa, at N tip,
remains to be explored.
CBI—At meeting of SEAC delegation to Cairo
Conference, Gen Stilwell reveals that the Generalissimo
is unwilling to fulfill commitments agreed
to at Cairo and wants Stilwell to hold out for air-
[ 26–30 NOVEMBER 1943 ]
borne assault on Mandalay (TOREADOR) and 10,000
tons a month over the Hump.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In Br Eighth Army
area, 5 Corps prepares to attack in Adriatic coastal
sector, weather conditions at last permitting close air
support. Tanks of 4th Armd Brig and transport
are brought across the Sangro.
28 November
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES—President Roosevelt,
Prime Minister Churchill, and Marshal Stalin
begin conference, coded EUREKA, at Tehran, Iran.
TARAWA ATOLL—Atoll is completely secured.
No Japanese are found on Naa. Marine casualties
on Tarawa total 3,301. Japanese losses are estimated
to be 4,690 killed, 17 captured, and 129 Koreans
taken prisoner.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In Br Eighth Army
area, 5 Corps begins battle of the Sangro at 2130,
Ind 8th Div, in the lead, takes Mozzagrogna, night
28–29. New Zealanders follow across the Sangro.
USSR—Germans report encirclement and destruction
of Soviet forces in Korosten area.
29 November
BOUGAINVILLE—Work is begun on an airstrip,
called Piva Uncle, near Piva R.
NEW GUINEA—Pursuing enemy northward
along Huon Peninsula coast, Australians seize
Bonga, former enemy supply base, and Gusika;
press toward Wareo.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army
area, VI Corps begins limited operations on right
flank of army to divert enemy from the coming
main assault against M. Camino. 45th Div begins
clearing region N of Filignano–S. Elia road in effort
to open the road: 1st Bn of 178th Inf leads off against
La Bandita (Hill 855) but cannot take it; 157th Inf,
making diversionary thrusts, secures Hill 460.
34th Div, to right of 45th, begins operations to
clear heights overlooking Colli–Atina road: 1st Bn
of 168th Inf moves against M. Pantano, taking the
first of 4 knobs; 133d Inf moves against hills between
Castelnuovo and Cerasuolo.
In Br Eighth Army area, 5 Corps breaches Winter
Line in its sector. Driving through Mozzagrogna,
4th Armd Brig, with excellent air support, begins
to clear Sangro ridge.
30 November
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES—EUREKA Conference
at Tehran ends. Acceding to Soviet desires
to make OVERLORD the main effort, OVERLORD and
ANVIL (southern France) have been given priority