1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 20–22 MAY 1944 ]
islands. In Aitape sector, 32d Rcn Tr replaces Cos
C and D, 127th Inf, at Nyaparake. Brig Gen Clarence
A. Martin, 32d Div ADC, takes command of
East Sector, replacing Col Howe.
CBI—In NCAC area, at Myitkyina, 1st Bn of
Marauders turns over Pamati ferry to Chinese and
takes up position on Namkwi R, S of the town.
K Force, approaching from N, takes Charpate without
difficulty. M Force reaches Namkwi. Japanese
garrison of Myitkyina is thus partially encircled.
Ch 22d Div commits 65th Regt to line. Ch 38th
Div, upon receiving permission from Chiang Kaishek
to push toward Kamaing, decides to send 112th
Regt around E flank of enemy to block Kamaing
Road S of Seton and move 114th down Kumon
Range toward Mogaung.
Br Fourteenth Army commander recommends
that Gen Stilwell be given command of all operations
to open land route to China.
ITALY—AAI: U.S. Fifth Army orders 509th
Para Inf Bn dropped in Galla di M. Orso area N of
M. Romano to speed advance of II Corps. In II
Corps area, 338th Inf of 85th Div finds Gaeta
abandoned by enemy. Elements of 339th move toward
Itri to assist 88th Div while others clear hills S
of Highway 7. 351st Inf, 88th Div, captures M.
Grande with ease; patrol clears stragglers from Itri,
where 349th Inf soon arrives. 350th Inf takes up
positions E of Itri. Germans order withdrawal of
troops S of the Liri and E of Pico to line Pico–Pontecorvo.
In FEC area, Mtn Corps column takes Campodimele
and cuts Highway 82 near M. Vele.
In Br Eighth Army area, Cdn 1 Corps and Br 13
Corps attempt unsuccessfully to breach Hitler Line
before its defenses can be organized, former in Pontecorvo
area and latter at Aquino.
20 May
MARCUS I.—Carrier planes of Fifth Fleet TF
begin 2-day assault on island.
NEW GUINEA—After mopping up NE tip of
Insoemoar I., TF TORNADO assault force returns to
mainland, turning over control of island to AAF.
Japanese casualties on Insoemoar total 759 killed and
4 captured. At least 50 more have been killed on the
mainland. Total U.S. casualties during the Wakde
operation is 43 killed and 139 wounded; of these,
Army losses were 40 killed and 107 wounded. On
the mainland, Japanese efforts to recover Tor R
crossing site fail. ALAMO Force warns PERSECUTION
TF to expect major Japanese effort against Toem–
Arare beachhead.
CBI—In NCAC area, Gen Stilwell reminds
Adm Mountbatten that his (Stilwell’s) forces will
be released upon reaching Kamaing according to
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Cairo agreement. 112th Regt, Ch 38th Div, takes
Warong.
On Salween front, Ch engineers complete landing
strip begun on 12th.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s II Corps
area, elements of 349th Inf, 88th Div, clear Fondi
and drive on to M. Passignano. FEC closes in on
Pico.
In Br Eighth Army area, Pol 2 Corps begins battle
for Piedimonte and reaches outskirts, where indecisive
fighting continues for next few days.
21 May
MARCUS I.—Fifth Fleet carrier planes conclude
damaging attacks on the island.
NEW GUINEA—Wakde airstrip becomes operational.
RCT 158, ALAMO Force reserve, arrives at
Toem.
BURMA—In NCAC area, 3d Marauder Bn, moving
S from Charpate, is halted near Radhapur and
repels enemy attacks down Mogaung road.
ITALY—AAI: In II Corps sector of U.S. Fifth
Army area, 85th Div, whose next objective is Terracina,
lands 1st Bn, 338th Inf, at Sperlonga without
opposition. 337th Inf drives overland toward Terracina,
reaching positions near the town and overrunning
M. S. Biagio. 88th Div takes M. Calvo and
Cima del Monte. 351st Inf relieves 349th Inf forces
on M. Passignano. FEC undergoes determined
enemy attacks at various points. On left, one Mtn
Corps gp attacks across Itri–Pico road toward Lenola.
1st Motorized Div reaches positions between
M. Leucio and M. Morrone. 3d Algerian Div gains
foothold in Pico but withdraws after nightfall to
avoid encirclement.
FRANCE-GERMANY—AEAF fighters begin operations,
called CHATTANOOGA CHOO-CHOO, against
enemy train movements.
22 May
NEW GUINEA—Gen Krueger enlarges mission
of TF TORNADO, whose task of securing Wakde
airdrome and adjacent strip of mainland is completed.
Drive is to continue W toward Sarmi, 16
miles W of the Tor. Since enemy stragglers are
interfering with work on Wakde airdrome, Co L
of 163d Inf moves to Insoemoar I., to mop up. In
Aitape sector, Nyaparake Force, now consisting of
32d Rcn Tr and Co A, 127th Inf, continues active
patrolling against increasing enemy resistance,
which forces it back along beach to Parakovio.
BURMA—In NCAC area, 3d Marauder Bn withdraws
to Charpate.
ITALY—AAI is preparing for major effort: Br
Eighth Army against Hitler Line, and U.S. Fifth