1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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28 August
N FRANCE—21 Army Group: In Cdn First
Army area, 2 Corps expands bridgehead toward
Rouen.
In Br Second Army area, 12 Corps expands its
bridgehead across the Seine. In 30 Corps area, entire
43d Div is across the Seine; bridgehead extends
about 4 miles in width and 3 miles in depth.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, XV
Corps continues to improve positions in Mantes-Gassicourt
bridgehead. 2d Armd Div is attached to corps
to pass through 79th Div and spearhead breakout. In
V Corps area, Gen Gerow, in letter to Gen Pierre Joseph
Koenig, Military Governor of Paris, turns over
the city to the French. Fr 2d Armd Div and 4th Div
continue attacks NE of Paris. 5th Armd and 28th Inf
Divs are attached to corps. In VII Corps area, 3d Armd
Div pursues disorganized enemy to Soissons.
In U.S. Third Army area, VIII Corps continues
to batter Brest. 29th Div takes direct command of
TF Sugar from 175th Inf; 116th Inf is pushing E
along Le Conquet–Recouvrance highway. CCB, 6
Armd Div, leaves Lorient for Third Army zone. XX
Corps is speedily closing in on Reims. In XII Corps
area, CCA columns, followed by 80th Div, continue
rapidly toward the Marne at Châlons-sur-Marne and
Vitry-le-François.
S FRANCE—U.S. Seventh Army directs that another
trap be set for retreating enemy before he
reaches the Belfort Gap. While 2d Corps of Fr
Army B drives N along W bank of the Rhône, VI
Corps is to move N via Lyon, Beaune, and Dijon
to make contact with OVERLORD forces and block
off enemy from the Rhine. FFI and TF Bibo troops
are driven from Briançon by enemy. In VI Corps
area, 3d Div clears rear-guard opposition from
Montélimar, enabling 36th Div to seize hill masses
to N and NE. Corps’ attention shifts to Drôme R
line, where final phase of Montélimar battle is
being fought. 142d Regt, 36th Div, surrounds Livron,
blocking Highway 7 N of the Drôme, but
most of German Nineteenth Army has escaped
northward through the Montélimar trap. TF Butler
and 143d Inf isolate Loriol, S of Livron. Withdrawing
enemy traffic remains a lucrative target for aircraft
and arty. 45th Div’s 180th Inf moves to Grenoble;
179th continues northward toward Lyon. In
Fr Army B’s 2d Corps area, all resistance in Toulon
area comes to an end with surrender of San Mandrier
Peninsula to 9th Colonial Div. Germans also
surrender Marseille. 80th German garrison commanders
are captured. During the battle for these
important ports, in which FFI forces have given
valuable assistance, 2 German divs have been eliminated.
9th Colonial Div is given temporary mission
of guarding Toulon–Marseille area. Other elements
[ 28–29 AUGUST 1944 ]
of 2d Corps continue to cross the Rhône in Avignon–Arles
area.
EASTERN EUROPE—Troops of Second Ukrainian
Front drive into Transylvania through Oituz Pass
in the Carpathian Mts.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 13 Corps
area, 17th Brig of 8th Ind Div, attacking night 28–
29, takes Tigliano, N of Pontassieve. 6th Armd
Div, securing right flank of corps, gets column
beyond Rufina, on Highway 67.
Br Eighth Army continues to gain ground toward
Gothic Line, Pol 2 Corps, on right, reaching
Arzilla R.
29 August
N FRANCE—Gen Eisenhower directs that main
effort be made in N.
21 Army Group: In Br Second Army’s 12 Corps
area, 15th Div has completed crossing of the Seine
and holds loop of river W of Les Andelys. In 30
Corps area, 11th Armd Div, reinf by 8th Armd
Brig, takes the lead, heading toward the Somme at
Amiens and reaching Mainneville area.
12th Army Group: Issues instructions for operations
beyond the Seine. Gasoline shortage is acute
and Third Army is given priority on supply by air.
In U.S. First Army area, XIX Corps takes over
zone of XV Corps at noon and assumes command
of 2d Armd and 30th and 79th Inf Divs. 2d Armd
Div drives through 79th Div to Magny en Vexin.
30th Div, to right, reaches line Wy-dit-Joli-Village–
Saillancourt. XV Corps reverts to Third Army
control and is held in reserve. V Corps, leaving Fr
2d Armd Div behind in Paris, drives NE with 4th
Div to Mitry Mory–Le Plessis area. 28th Div parades
NE through Paris to its assigned attack position W
of 4th Div. In VII Corps area, 3d Armd Div, spearheading
drive on Laon, crosses Aisne R east of Soissons.
U.S. Third Army orders advance continued to
the Meuse. In VIII Corps area, 2d Rangers of TF
Sugar, 29th Div, take Pointe de Corsen as assault
on Brest continues against unabated resistance. XX
Corps speeds NE to Reims, which 5th Div captures.
In XII Corps area, CCA of 4th Armd Div overruns
Châlons-sur-Marne and Vitry-le-François.
S FRANCE—In U.S. Seventh Army area, 1st
ABTF, on Mediterranean coast, begins crossing Var
R. Plans are made at commanders’ conference at
Seventh Army hq for junction of OVERLORD and
DRAGOON forces. In VI Corps’ Rhône Valley sector,
organized resistance at Loriol and Livron, on Highway
7, comes to an end. 36th and 3d Divs are
mopping up enemy rear guards. 3d Div is to assemble
at Voiron, NW of Grenoble, upon relief by
French; 36th is to continue N toward Lyon. To