1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 12–13 AUGUST 1944 ]
Armd and Fr 5th Armd Divs continue steadily
northward followed by infantry, meeting increasingly
strong rear-guard opposition. Corps is directed
by Gen Patton to push beyond Falaise although U.S.
boundary is S of there. XX Corps is directed by
army to attack NE to line Carrouges–Sées after assembling
on line Mayenne–Le Mans; one RCT of
80th Div is to maintain bridgehead at Le Mans;
7th Armd Div is to move to rear of line of departure
from its assembly area.
In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps area, 9th Div
makes further gains NW of Sourdeval. 30th Div, in
the course of hard fighting, forces enemy back to
Mortain. Below Mortain, 35th Div advances slowly,
and 2d Armd Div withstands further counterattacks
NW of Barenton. In XIX Corps area, 29th Div
and CCA of 2d Armd Div attack heights around
St Sauveur-de-Chaulieu, while 28th Div continues
SE from Gathemo. V Corps improves defensive
positions at and near Vire.
USSR—Troops of Third Baltic Front break
through enemy defenses below Lake Peipus on
42-mile front and press northward.
ITALY—Assault force begins movement from
Naples area toward target in southern France.
AAI: In Br Eighth Army area, Pol 2 Corps has
cleared Adriatic coastal sector as far as Cesano R.
CBI—On Salween front, Chinese begin tunneling
and mining under enemy positions remaining
in Sung Shan hill mass, since other methods of
attack have not resulted in taking the position.
NEW GUINEA—In Aitape area, 103d Inf of 43d
Div begins relief of PERSECUTION Covering Force
units remaining along the Driniumor.
U.S.—CCS confirm orders for DRAGOON to proceed
as planned.
12 August
FRANCE—21 Army Group: In Br Second Army
area, 8 Corps is heavily engaged 3 miles SE of Vire.
In 30 Corps area, forward elements of 50th Div
are within about 3 miles of Cond. 12 Corps is clearing
opposition in vicinity of Thury-Harcourt.
In Cdn First Army area, 2 Corps is still held up
astride road to Falaise but succeeds in linking up
with Br 12 Corps to right at Barbery.
12th Army Group: In U.S. Third Army’s VIII
Corps area, 83d Div continues to inch forward
against St Malo Citadel and Dinard. CCA, 6th
Armd Div, attacks toward limited objectives at
Brest but makes little headway. Late in day, div
mission is changed: CCA is to contain Brest while
rest of div relieves 4th Armd Div at Lorient and
Vannes. VIII Corps is to relieve 5th Div units (XX
Corps) at Angers. Patrols of CCA, 4th Armd Div,
enter Nantes. XV Corps drives beyond Alençon and
Sées toward Argentan. 2d Fr Armd Div thrusts
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to Carrouges. 5th Armd Div takes Sées. Infantrymen
continue to follow armor closely. XX Corps is ordered
to make contact with XV Corps in Alençon
area and then await new orders. 5th Div moves to
St Calais area, leaving containing force behind at
Angers.
U.S. First Army has completely defeated enemy
efforts to break through to Avranches. VII Corps
recovers ground lost to enemy and relieves isolated
elements of 30th Div. 3d Armd Div assembles for
new mission; CCA is detached from 1st Div and
CCB from 30th Div. XIX Corps releases 29th Div
(less 116th Inf, which relieves 2d Div at Vire) to V
Corps in current position. 28th Div, against moderate
opposition, drives rapidly southward to Sourdeval
on right and positions near St Sauveur-de-
Chaulieu on left. CCA, 2d Armd Div, improves
positions in St Sauveur-de-Chaulieu area. V Corps,
employing 29th Div on right and 2d Div on left,
attacks SE, 29th reaching positions overlooking St
Sauveur-de-Chaulieu-Tinchebray road and 2d overrunning
Truttemer-le-Grand.
ITALY—AAI: In Br Eighth Army area, 13 Corps
zone is extended eastward to include sector held by
6th Armd Div. 13 Corps thus has 4 divs: NZ 2d, Br
1st, Ind 8th, and Br 6th Armd. 10 Corps now has
but one div, Ind 10th.
CHINA—Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek agrees
to accept Gen Hurley and Mr. Nelson as Presidential
representatives.
NEW GUINEA—On Biak, Sorido airdrome, now
consisting of a 4,000-foot strip, is being used by
transport planes, but the field is later abandoned.
13 August
FRANCE—12th Army Group: In U.S. Third
Army’s VIII Corps area, 83d Div continues to make
slow progress against strongpoints at St Malo and
Dinard. CCA, 6th Armd Div, batters at outer defenses
of Brest without avail. Rest of 6th Armd Div
moves forward to relieve 4th Armd Div at Vannes
and Lorient. 4th Armd Div, finding Nantes free of
enemy, moves toward St Calais. 8th Div ( — )
advances to Dinan from Rennes. XV Corps reaches
Argentan area and is halted there by order of Gen
Bradley. During next few days Germans succeed
in withdrawing thousands from Falaise–Argentan
trap before it can be closed. XX Corps, with Chartres
as its next objective, moves forward in preparation
for attack. 80th Div is pinched out by XV Corps
near Alençon. XII Corps (Maj Gen Gilbert R.
Cook), which is given command of 4th Armd Div
(VIII Corps) and 35th Div (VII Corps), receives
its first offensive mission—to drive E on Orléans
and protect S flank of army. Assault forces are
assembling SE of Le Mans.