1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 27–30 DECEMBER 1943 ]
Target Hill, and is passed through by 1st Marines.
Gen Rupertus establishes CP ashore. Successful
secondary landings are made by reinf 2d Bn, 1st
Marines, at Tauali, SW of the airdrome, and by
elements of 2d Engr Special Brig on Long I. Night
counterattacks are repulsed. Japanese aircraft attack
the landing force, sinking 1 DD and damaging
other vessels. Japanese force reaches positions NW
of Arawe MLR.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s II Corps area, some elements of 36th Div
clear Morello Hill; others take responsibility for
Hill 730. Sammucro hills are now completely cleared
of enemy. In VI Corps area, 8th Rifle Regt of 2d
Moroccan Div attacks Mainarde ridge, N of Atina
road, unsuccessfully.
27 December
NEW BRITAIN—1st Mar Div expands Cape Gloucester
beachhead despite torrential monsoon rainfall
and difficult terrain. 1st Marines drives 3 miles W
toward airfield without enemy interference.
Co G of 158th Inf arrives at Arawe, where
Japanese are becoming aggressive, in response to
Gen Cunningham’s request for reinforcements.
BURMA—Brig Gen Lewis A. Pick opens military
road to Shingbwiyang, in Hukawng Valley.
Commander of 3d Bn, 112th Inf, Ch 38th Div, is
killed and the bn is later withdrawn to main body.
65th Regt of Ch 22d Div, reinf, is given mission,
previously held by 3d Bn of 112th, of clearing Taro
Plain plus task of pushing back into Hukawng
Valley to threaten enemy’s flank.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s VI Corps area, Fr troops gain positions on
slopes of Mainarde ridge.
USSR—In Vitebsk sector, Soviet forces cut
Polotsk–Vitebsk RR.
28 December
BOUGAINVILLE—Americal Div takes command
of E sector of beachhead, relieving 3d Mar Div.
NEW BRITAIN—Gen Krueger releases reserve—
5th Marines, reinf—to Gen Rupertus. 1st Marines
reduces prepared enemy trail block about 1,000
yards E of the airfield. Japanese attack on Arawe
beachhead is repulsed.
BURMA—Ch 38th Div, attacking with 1st and
2d Bns of 114th Regt and 1st Bn of 112th, clears
several enemy strongpoints along Tarung R.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s VI Corps area, French continue attack on
Mainarde ridge and overrun Hill 1190.
In Br Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, Germans are
finally cleared from Ortona.
[ 157 ]
USSR—Soviet forces take Korostyshev, important
position E of Zhitomir.
29 December
NEW BRITAIN—1st Marines secures main objective,
the airfield, at Cape Gloucester with singular
ease. 5th Marines arrives to reinforce beachhead
and make wide sweep inland toward airfield to
block enemy withdrawal. Enemy makes another
unsuccessful counterattack on Arawe beachhead.
NEW GUINEA—TF MICHAELMAS issues formal
orders for invasion of Saidor. D Day is tentatively
set for 2 January.
BURMA—Continuing attack to clear Tarung R
line, Ch 38th Div eliminates another Japanese
strongpoint and forces enemy to break into small
groups.
NORTH AFRICA—AFHQ informs U.S. Seventh
Army planners of general objectives of ANVIL, projected
invasion of S France.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s
Br 10 Corps area, 9th Commando makes seaborne
raid just N of Garigliano R mouth to secure information
for future operations. In II Corps area,
combat patrols of 36th Div enter S. Vittore but are
forced out. In VI Corps sector S of Atina road, Fr
forces seize 3 hills on E end of M. Monna Casale and
dig in.
USSR—Soviet forces overwhelm enemy at
Korosten and, to S, gain control of long stretch of
RR to point below Chernyakhov. Red Army troops
drive W along RR toward Sarny.
30 December
BOUGAINVILLE—First Piva airstrip is completed.
Fiji patrol, having advanced along Numa Numa
trail, establishes outposts near coast at Ibu village,
where it can observe enemy movements. Airstrip
for use of Piper Cubs is cleared there.
NEW BRITAIN—Cape Gloucester airdrome is declared
secure; has been taken by Marines at very
light cost.
NEW GUINEA—Gen Martin learns officially that
D Day for invasion of Saidor will be 2 January.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s
II Corps area, 34th Div relieves battle-worn 36th
Div. RCT 142 is attached to 34th Div to garrison
positions on M. Sammucro. In VI Corps area, 180th
Inf of 45th Div attempts to clear hills astride S. Elia
road in region E of Acquafondata and succeeds in
getting elements on one, M. Rotondo.
USSR—Kazatin is overwhelmed by Soviet
forces.