1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 23–24 JULY 1944 ]
In Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps extends
westward to take over sector previously held by
FEC, including Highway 2. Ind 8th Div now holds
positions, on extreme left with NZ 2d Div to its
right. In 10 Corps area, Ind 10th Div takes Citta di
Castello and continues N.
CBI—Gen Stilwell, in radio message to Gen
Hearn, his chief of staff, establishes CBI policy on
support of Chinese forces in E China. Stilwell says
that Gen Chennault should admit his failure to
stop Japanese by air alone to Chiang Kai-shek, who
could then decide what revision should be made in
allocation of Hump tonnage.
NEW GUINEA—In Aitape area, 2d Bn of 169th
Inf, 43d Div, moves to right of 124th Inf, North
Force, along the Driniumor. Japanese make unsuccessful
attacks against North Force in effort to
regain crossing of the Driniumor. Enemy continues
active in Afua area. Efforts to relieve isolated Tr
C, 112th Cav, are futile, and South Force is
obliged to refuse its right flank, leaving Afua to
enemy and Tr C isolated. On Biak, after air and arty
preparation, 2 cos of 163d Inf attack Ibdi Pocket
and clear it without serious opposition.
TINIAN—Softening up of island continues.
GUAM—Marines repel counterattacks on both
beachheads and then expand them toward final
beachhead line. 3d Mar Div thrusts salient 1,000
yards inland toward Mt. Chachao and seizes Piti
Navy Yard; in shore-to-shore operation, elements
begin clearing Cabras I. 1st Prov Mar Brig, reinf
by RCT 305, gains Mt. Alifan and final beachhead
line on S flank of corps. Gen Geiger orders 1st Prov
Mar Brig to clear Orote Peninsula upon relief by
77th Div. Advance party of 306th Inf, which is to
accomplish the relief, arrives to prepare for landing
of rest of the regt.
23 July
FRANCE—21 Army Group: Cdn First Army
(Gen Henry D. G. Crerar) takes control of Br 1
Corps on extreme E flank.
USSR—Pskov, last prewar Soviet city held by
Germans, falls to forces of Third Baltic Front.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps
area, 34th Div finishes clearing to the Arno with
little difficulty; 363d Inf takes Marina di Pisa by
0330 and reaches S Pisa below the Arno by 1330.
All bridges over the Arno have been destroyed.
Enemy is placing heavy fire on S Pisa and on port
of Leghorn. 88th Div begins clearing right flank of
IV Corps below the Arno and is briskly engaged at
some points.
In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, Tavernelle
falls to NZ troops. S African 6th Armd Div makes
progress on heights near Greve, taking crests of
M. Domini and M. Fili. 4th Div reaches S. Giovanni.
[ 235 ]
CBI—Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, in message
to President Roosevelt, reaffirms his willingness
to place Gen Stilwell in command of Ch forces but
specifies 3 conditions that must be met: (1) Chinese
communists, before coming under authority of Gen
Stilwell, must agree to obey orders of Chinese Government;
(2) Stilwell’s role must be clearly defined;
(3) Chinese must have full authority for lend-lease
distribution.
Adm Mountbatten outlines 2 plans of attack:
CAPITAL, an attack across the Chindwin; and
DRACULA, an attack on Rangoon area by seaborne
and airborne forces.
On Salween front, Ch 8th Army, renewing attack
on Sung Shan with 3 regts supported by direct fire
of howitzers, makes substantial progress.
SWPA—Gen MacArthur radios his proposed
schedule of operations to Washington: invasion of
Morotai on 15 September, Talauds on 15 October,
and Mindanao on 15 November.
NEW GUINEA—In Aitape area, Trs A and B of
112th Cav, upon relief by 1st Bn of 127th Inf N of
Afua, attack W toward isolated Tr C while 2d Bn,
127th Inf, moves in from SE. Cavalrymen recapture
Afua with little difficulty; 2d Bn reaches perimeter
of Tr C. North Force frustrates further enemy
efforts to secure crossing of the Driniumor, night
23–24. On Biak, final mop up of Ibdi Pocket is begun.
On Noemfoor, patrols of 503d Para Inf regain
contact with enemy about 4 miles NW of Inasi
village, on E coast.
TINIAN–Surface vessels, arty, and aircraft successfully
execute final preinvasion bombardment.
GUAM—3d Mar Div fights stubbornly to expand
N beachhead; completes occupation of Cabras
I., where guns are emplaced to support future operations.
306th Inf, 77th Div, lands at Agat and begins
relief of 1st Prov Mar Brig in S beachhead.
24 July
FRANCE—U.S. 28th Div arrives on Continent.
21 Army Group: Air preparation for Operation
COBRA is begun, but weather conditions are so unfavorable
that the attack is postponed. Minor alteration
of interarmy boundary becomes effective as
Br 30 Corps extends W to take command of part of
U.S. 5th Div zone on left flank of U.S. V Corps.
15th Scottish Div makes the relief.
POLAND—Troops of First White Russian Front
overrun Lublin. Right flank elements of First
Ukrainian Front cross San R NW of Lwow.
ITALY—AAI: U.S. Fifth Army begins regrouping
along the Arno. Army sets new boundary between
IV and II Corps, IV on W, but II Corps
troops within current IV Corps zone are to remain
under operational control of IV Corps until new