1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, VI
Corps races northward, CCB of 1st Armd Div reaching
positions about 25 miles from Rome where it is
passed through at 2200 by 168th Inf, 34th Div.
In Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps progresses
rapidly W of the Tiber; S African 6th Armd Div
reaches Civita Castellana. Stronger opposition E of
the river makes going slower, but Br 6th Armd Div
reaches Monterotondo. In 10 Corps area, Ind 8th Div
pursues enemy to Subiaco.
CBI—Because of Japanese offensive in China,
Gen Stilwell increases Hump allocation to Fourteenth
Air Force to 8,325 tons. 1,500 more tons from
B–29 allocation bring total tonnage for Fourteenth
Air Force to the 10,000 Gen Chennault requested.
NEW GUINEA—On Biak, upon orders from Gen
Fuller to clear Mokmer airfield at once and drive
on to coast S of there, 186th Inf of TF HURRICANE
prepares to drive on the airfield instead of clearing
heights commanding it as planned. Attack is postponed
until 7th in order to amass sufficient supplies.
After receiving supply of water, 3d Bn, followed by
1st, moves down W slope of ridge in preparation
for attack on airfield. 162d Inf continues to meet
lively opposition in coastal sector.
POA—TF 58 sails from the Marshalls for the
Marianas.
U.S.—JWPC issues study, “Operations Against
Japan, Subsequent to Formosa,” in which the following
schedule for 1945 is suggested for planning purposes:
Phase 1—take Bonins and Ryukyus and attack
China coast (1 April–30 June); Phase 2—consolidate
and exploit (30 June–30 September); Phase 3—invade
Japanese home islands, Kyushu on 1 October
and Honshu on 31 December.
7 June
FRANCE—21 Army Group: U.S. First Army
continues attack toward D Day objectives. Gen
Eisenhower, visiting the front, orders VII and V
Corps to make speedy junction through Isigny and
Carentan. VII Corps gives 101st A/B Div task of
clearing Carentan. V Corps makes 29th Div responsible
for seizing Isigny. In VII Corps area, 4th Div,
with 22d Inf on right and 12th on left, drives northward
toward line Quinéville–Montebourg until
halted by strong opposition from permanent fortifications
at Crisbecq and Azeville; 8th Inf columns
converge on Ste Mère-Eglise, where they assist elements
of 82d A/B Div in throwing back major
enemy counterattack from N. Tanks of 10th and
746th Tank Bns also give valuable assistance. Other
elements of 82d A/B Div clear E bank of the Merderet
but are violently opposed at La Fire bridge
across it and are unable to relieve isolated elements
W of the river. 82d A/B Div is strengthened by
[ 7 JUNE 1944 ]
arrival of 325th Gli Inf Regt in gliders and by sea.
Seaborne elements (1st Bn) move forward with
8th Inf of 4th Div; the other bns are committed at
La Fière and N of Ste Mère-Eglise. To S, 101st
A/B Div units on N bank of the Douve temporarily
suspend efforts to establish bridgeheads but receive
surrender of enemy detachments from Le Port and
La Barquette; 506th Para Inf ( — 3d Bn) moves S
from Culoville to reconnoiter in force toward the
Douve but is stopped near St Côme-du-Mont. V
Corps continues toward initial objectives with 29th
Div on right and 1st on left. 116th Inf of 29th Div
and Rangers are clearing bluffs on V Corps right
flank; relief force pushing toward Rangers on
Pointe du Hoe reaches St Pierre-du-Mont area. 175th
Inf of 29th Div, upon landing, is given task of taking
Isigny; moving between 116th and 115th Regts,
advances quickly along Longueville–Isigny road,
taking La Cambe before dawn of 8th; 115th Inf
clears St Laurent region and pushes SW toward Louviéres
and Montigny. Elements of 26th Inf, 1st Div,
on right flank of div, make futile attempt to reach
Formigny; 18th Inf, in center, thrusts to En-granville,
Mandeville, and Mosles; 16th, on left,
takes Huppain. Enemy retains narrow corridor
between U.S. and Br bridgeheads along Drome R to
its junction with Aure R. 2d Div begins landing
in evening.
In Br Second Army’s 30 Corps area, 50th Div
overruns Bayeux and gets 2 regts S of Bayeux–Caen
highway. 47th Royal Mar Cdo begins battle for
Port-en-Bessin in afternoon. In 1 Corps area, Cdn
3d Div brig pushes S of Bayeux–Caen highway.
ITALY—AAI: Gen Alexander issues new orders
for pursuit of enemy. U.S. Fifth Army is to advance
to general area Pisa–Lucca–Pistoia, while Eighth
Army is to push toward line Florence–Bibbiena–
Arezzo as rapidly as possible. 5 Corps is to remain
on the defensive in Adriatic coastal sector. 2 Pol
Corps will be committed only if enemy cannot be
cleared from Ancona.
In U.S. Fifth Army’s VI Corps area, 168th Inf of
34th Div, advancing through night 6–7, seizes Civitavecchia
and its port, 40 miles NW of Rome. This
port, although damaged, soon becomes valuable in
supplying assault forces.
In Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps shifts axis of
advance from N to NW. S African 6th Armd Div,
followed by 78th Div, turns toward Orvieto, important
road center, on Viterbo–Bagnoregio road.
E of the Tiber, Br 6th Armd Div swings toward
Terni instead of Rieti.
CBI—In NCAC area, Chinese commanders
call Gen Boatner’s attention to the dangerously reduced
strength of Chinese forces in Myitkyina area.
Limited operations are continued there while preparations
are being made for offensive on 10th.