1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps
area, 442d Inf, in 34th Div sector, establishes outpost
line along Highway 67 SE of Pisa. 91st Div zone is
expanded westward to include part of that previously
held by 34th Div and eastward into 88th Div sector.
On right flank of IV Corps, TF Ramey, moving forward
with 88th Div, gains heights along Orlo R,
6 miles E of Palaia, where it halts during relief of
FEC by British. In FEC area, 4th Mtn Div gains
line S. Stefano–Castelfiorentino–Certaldo on left
flank of corps.
In Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps commander
changes plan of attack. Since corps is soon to extend
W to relieve FEC and since region between the
Chianti hills and Route 2 is lightly defended by
enemy, main effort is to be made on left flank,
where NZ 2d and Ind 8th Divs are to attack up
Route 2. S African 6th Armd Div takes M. S.
Michele and M. Querciabella, permitting 4th Div
and Br 6th Armd Div in Arno Valley to move
forward again.
NEW GUINEA—On Biak, TF HURRICANE completes
reduction of enemy positions in East Caves.
Bombardment of the Ibdi Pocket continues. In
Aitape area, 43d Div begins arriving. 1st and 2d
Bns of 127th Inf, now at patrol base site on East
Branch, Koronal Creek, where they are supplied
chiefly by air, are ordered to prepare to move SE
toward Afua.
MARIANAS—Volume of aerial attacks on Guam
by carrier-based planes reaches peak. The island
continues to be pounded by naval gunfire as well.
Tinian is also under preinvasion air and naval
bombardment, but on a smaller scale.
21 July
USSR-POLAND—Ostrov falls to troops of Third
Baltic Front. Upon crossing the Bug W of Kowel,
some elements of First White Russian Front drive
toward Brest Litovsk while others advance toward
Lublin.
ITALY—AAI: U.S. Fifth Army issues orders for
next phase, drive to the Gothic Line. While Br
Eighth Army is clearing heights N and NW of
Florence, Fifth Army is to cross the Arno in vicinity
of Montelupo, tentatively between 5 and 10 August,
and take M. Albano, Pistoia, and Lucca. II Corps
is to take over entire Fifth Army front while preparations
are being made for attack. 34th Div, upon
reaching the Arno, is to be detached from IV Corps
and pass to army control. In IV Corps area, 91st Div
begins clearing enemy from S bank of the Arno
without meeting serious opposition. TF Ramey releases
1st Armd Div elements under its command.
Relief of FEC in current positions is begun by
British, night 21–22.
[ 21–22 JULY 1944 ]
In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, elements of
NZ 2d and Ind 8th Divs move forward to relieve
FEC. S African 6th Armd Div battles enemy on
heights near Greve. 10 Corps finishes regrouping.
After nightfall enemy begins withdrawing salient at
Citta di Castello.
BURMA—In NCAC area, withdrawal of exhausted
Morris Force of Ind 3d Div from Myitkyrna
area is authorized.
N EW GUINEA—In Aitape area, Gen Hall
strengthens line along the Driniumor. 2d Bn of
169th Inf, 43d Div, moves forward to Anamo. 2d
Bn of 124th, released from reserve, advances to
Palauru village. Tr A, 112th Cav, is replaced by
Tr C. Renewing attacks in Afua area, Japanese isolate
Tr C from rest of South Force in battle that
continues through night 21–22. Platoon of Co I,
127th Inf, succeeds in reaching the isolated unit.
T INIAN—Preinvasion bombardment is intensified.
GUAM—After preparatory bombardment by
naval vessels and carrier aircraft, U.S. marines of
III Amphib Corps (Southern Landing Force land
on W coast of Guam about 0830. 3d Mar Div, with
3 regts abreast, goes ashore at Asan; 1st Prov Mar
Brig, with 22d Marines on left and 4th on right,
lands to S at Agat. Against moderate opposition,
marines push inland and by nightfall hold 2 beachheads
near the ends of final beachhead line, each of
them extending about a mile inland on a 2-mile
front. RCT 305, 77th Inf Div, lands on S beaches
to help hold the beachhead.
22 July
FRANCE—21 Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s
VIII Corps area, 90th Div elements move to area of
St Germain-sur-Sèves but are later forced to withdraw.
In Br Second Army’s 12 Corps area, 43d Div, in
limited attack, takes Maltot.
FRANTIC—Renewing shuttle bombing after
lapse of about a month, 76 P–38’s and 58 P–51’s of
U.S. Fifteenth Air Force attack airfields in Rumania,
claiming destruction of 56 enemy planes,
and land at Soviet bases. At the same time, heavy
bombers of same air force attack Ploesti oil targets
in force.
USSR-FINLAND—Russians on Finnish front are
now at 1940 Soviet-Finnish border.
POLAND—Soviet forces driving on Lublin overwhelm
Chelm.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps
area, 34th Div begins clearing region below the
Arno on left flank of corps at 2200. 91st Div finishes
cleaning out its zone below the Arno.