1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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speeds toward Rimini, forward elements reaching
Conca I and establishing bridgehead. Pol 2 Corps
finds Pesaro undefended and extends positions in
coastal sector to Castel di Mezzo. Corps is now
pinched out by rapid advance of Canadians.
MEDITERRANEAN—Gen Wilson, Supreme Allied
Commander, Mediterranean, names Lt Gen R. M.
Scobie Commander of Land Forces, Greece. His hq,
the reconstituted Br 3 Corps hq in Middle East, is
designated Force 140 and contains 2d Para Brig
from Italy, 23d Armd Brig from Egypt, and certain
Greek forces, such as local police. Eventually Force
140 is augmented by Greek Sacred Regt and Greek
Mtn Brig, latter coming from Italy. Naval and air
forces are allotted to Force 140, former commanded
by Rear Adm J. M. Mansfield and latter by Air
Commodore G. Harcourt-Smith. Gen Scobie is to
secure Athens area and maintain law and order in
preparation for return of Greek Government. Brig
Gen Percy L. Sadler, USA, will act as deputy commander
of combined hq of AMLG (Allied Military
Liaison Headquarters, Greece) to handle relief and
rehabilitation matters.
NEW GUINEA—In Wakde-Sarmi area, Gen
Krueger declares operation terminated. Brig Gen
Donald J. Myers relieves Gen Persons as commander
of TF TORNADO. On Noemfoor, a second 7,000foot
runway is completed at Kornasoren airdrome.
In Vogelkop area, first plane, a C–47, lands at
Mar airdome.
3 September
N FRANCE-BELGIUM—21 Army Group: Gen
Montgomery orders Br Second Army to drive
speedily to the Rhine and secure crossing; Cdn First
Army to continue to clear coastal region.
In Cdn First Army area, Br 1 Corps closely invests
Le Havre, moving 51st Div from St Valery to
positions on right of 49th Div. Preparations are
begun for all-out assault on the elaborate fortifications
of the city and port. In 2 Corps area, 4th Armd
Div establishes bridgehead across the Somme in
Pont Remy area, E of Abbeville, and halts there
temporarily. Pol 1st Armd Div, coming up on left,
crosses the river W of Abbeville.
In Br Second Army’s 12 Corps area, 7th Armd
Div, directed on Ghent, continues NE to Lillers, on
Bethune–Aire road. 30 Corps, pressing quickly NE,
crosses French-Belgian border. On left, 11th Armd
Div, advancing on Antwerp, reaches positions E of
Alost despite opposition in Lille–Tournai area. Gds
Armd Div drives into Brussels and blocks exits from
the city.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, XIX
Corps remains generally S of Tournai, containing
pocket SW of Mons on W. V Corps is ordered to
new zone on right flank of First Army, where it is
[ 3–4 SEPTEMBER 1944 ]
to face E and advance as quickly as possible to the
Meuse. In VII Corps area, Mons (Belgium) falls
to 3d Armd Div. 1st Div exerts pressure against
large body of disorganized enemy pocketed in
Mons–Bavai–Forêt de Mormal area.
In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 7th Armd
Div columns feinting toward Sedan are recalled, returning
on 4th after getting enough gasoline to do
so. Airfield near Reims is sufficiently repaired by this
time to receive cargo planes.
S FRANCE—U.S. Seventh Army, with capture
of Lyon by Fr forces, completes original mission.
Permission is granted for VI Corps to continue pursuit
to Belfort Gap via Lons–Le Saunier–Besançon
route. 2d Corps of Fr Army B is to advance up NW
bank of the Saône on axis Dijon–Epinal. In VI
Corps area, 36th Div continues northward toward
Macon. 117th Cav Rcn Sq, spearheading advance to
right, reaches Bourg-en-Bresse and Montrevel but
is strongly attacked by Germans fleeing from Meximieux
and suffers and inflicts heavy losses. 3d Div
is moving forward in center of corps. In Fr Army
B area, 2d Corps, driving NW on left flank of army
to make contact with OVERLORD forces, seizes Villefranche,
N of Lyon.
ITALY—AAI: In Br Eighth Army’s 5 Corps
area, 46th Div secures small bridgehead across
Conca R in Morciano region. Cdn 1 Corps continues
to pursue enemy northward, 5th Armd Div
clearing Misano.
NEW GUINEA—Plans for invasion of Morotai I.
are now ready. In Vogelkop area, Mar airdrome
for bombers is completed on schedule.
4 September
WESTERN EUROPE—Gen Eisenhower directs 21
Army Group and U.S. First Army toward the Ruhr
and U.S. Third Army toward the Saar. Hitler reinstates
Rundstedt as Commander in Chief West
(OB West).
21 Army Group: In Cdn First Army’s 2 Corps
area, while 4th Armd Div maintains positions astride
the Somme in Pont Remy sector, Pol 1st Armd
Div continues NE toward St Omer. 3d Div, moving
up from vicinity of Rouen, joins in advance
along Pas de Calais coast.
In Br Second Army’s 12 Corps area, 7th Armd
Div, swinging E to bypass enemy in Bethune–Lille
region, continues toward Ghent, leaving 53d Div
and 4th Armd Brig to mop up. In 30 Corps area,
11th Armd Div drives into Antwerp and clears
city except for N suburbs and dock area.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, XIX
Corps continues elimination of Mons pocket in conjunction
with 1st Div of VII Corps; releases 79th
Div to Third Army. In VII Corps area, 3d Armd