1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 8–9 AUGUST 1944 ]
awaiting arrival of TED Force at the Driniumor.
Japanese appear to be in full flight.
GUAM—III Amphib Corps, with air and naval
gunfire support, attacks in greatest strength yet employed
on Guam to clear N third of the island.
77th Div makes main effort toward Yigo and Mt.
Santa Rosa on right flank of corps. After destructive
preparatory bombardment, 77th Div attacks at noon
with 306th Inf on left, 307th in center, and 305th on
right. 307th, assisted by 306th, overcomes opposition
along Finegayan–Yigo road and seizes Yigo. 305th
advances slowly through jungle in coastal sector toward
Mt. Santa Rosa. Enemy tanks are again active
after nightfall, but U.S. lines hold firm. 3d Mar Div
in center of corps front and 1st Prov Mar Brig on
left flank drive northward.
8 August
FRANCE—Gen Montgomery orders U.S. forces
to drive almost due N on Alençon as quickly as possible
in order to make a short envelopment of enemy
in Falaise–Mortain area while the broad envelopment
toward the Seine is in progress.
21 Army Group: In Br Second Army area, 30
Corps makes limited progress toward Condé-sur-
Noireau. 12 Corps continues to hold bridgehead E
of the Orne, but efforts to thrust S along E bank
toward Thury-Harcourt in conjunction with drive
down W bank fail because of determined enemy
counterattacks.
In Cdn First Army’s 2 Corps area, Cdn 2d Div
seizes Fontenay-le-Marmion and Requancourt. 51st
Div overruns Garcelles-Secqueville. At 1355, following
air preparation, Cdn 4th Armd and Pol 1st
Armd Divs pass through infantry, former on right,
to exploit southward toward Falaise, but soon meet
strong opposition from enemy’s MLR. Air support
of the Cdn offensive during night 7–8 and on this
date is the second heaviest of Normandy, exceeded
only by support of British on 18 July. U.S. Eighth
Air Force and RAF BC drop more than 5,200 tons
of bombs.
12th Army Group: In U.S. Third Army’s VIII
Corps area, ultimatum calling for surrender of Brest
is ignored. 6th Armd Div prepares for all-out assault
on the city on 9th until enemy threat to rear forces a
change in plans. Enemy div is found to be moving
toward Brest via Plouvien. 1st Bn of 28th Inf, 8th
Div, is attached to 6th Armd Div but does not join it
until later. Bitter fighting continues in outskirts of
St Malo. RCT 121, attached to 83d Div, meets strong
opposition as it advances on Dinard. XV Corps envelops
and overruns Le Mans and crosses Sarthe R
in that area. 79th Div enters Le Mans. 2d Fr Armd
Div is attached to corps to help it secure line Sées–
Carrouges, both inclusive. 80th Div of XX Corps is
[ 245 ]
to take over Le Mans bridgehead. In XX Corps area,
5th Div invests Angers and Nantes.
In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps area, enemy continues
efforts to deepen penetration of U.S. lines
without avail. 30th Div elements are still isolated
near Mortain. 35th Div, released to VII Corps by
XX Corps, and elements of 2d Armd Div are attacking
eastward near Mortain. XIX Corps makes small
gains in Gathemo–Vire region.
FRANTIC—U.S. Eighth Air Force planes, returning
from Eastern Command bases in USSR to England
via Italy, attack airfields in Rumania.
CHINA—Japanese complete capture of Hengyang.
This has far-reaching effects on Chinese
politics.
NEW GUINEA—In Aitape area, most of TED
Force reaches the Driniumor near Afua.
GUAM—Effective enemy resistance comes to an
end. 77th Div clears Mt. Santa Rosa and virtually
all of its sector.
9 August
FRANCE—21 Army Group: In Cdn First Army
area, 2 Corps continues S astride Caen–Falaise road.
Cdn 4th Armd Div overruns Bretteville-le-Rabet
while Pol 1st Armd Div seizes Cauvicourt and St
Sylvain in costly fighting. Infantry units are clearing
flanks.
12th Army Group: In U.S. Third Army’s VIII
Corps area, 6th Armd Div, leaving small force to
contain Brest, moves N to meet threat to its rear
and virtually destroys enemy div in Plouvien area;
makes contact with TF A near Brest. 83d Div continues
assault on St Malo, where resistance is now
confined largely to the Citadel. 4th Armd Div is
still containing Lorient and sends elements toward
Nantes. XV Corps mops up Le Mans and swings
N toward Alençon, 5th Armd Div on right and
Fr 2d Armd Div on left, followed by infantry. 80th
Div, temporarily attached to corps, is mopping up
near Le Mans. In XX Corps area, 5th Div closes in
on Angers.
U.S. First Army orders a turn NE toward Argentan
to meet British working southward toward Falaise
to trap enemy in Vire–Mortain–Domfront–Ger
region. In VII Corps area, enemy counteroffensive
toward Avranches loses its momentum but
heavy fighting continues. 39th Inf, 9th Div, is detached
from 4th Div. In XIX Corps area, 28th Div
is unable to advance in Gathemo region, but 29th
moves slowly forward below Vire. V Corps orders
2d Div, whose mission is still primarily defensive,
to move one reinf regt SE. 102d Cav Gp is attached
to 2d Div, which relieves additional elements
of 29th Div (XIX Corps) on hills near Vire.