1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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gains Alto Hill and M. Pozzo del Bagno. In II Corps
area, 338th Inf of 85th Div reaches positions near
crest of M. Altuzzo, night 16–17, where it is delayed
by friendly shelling; 339th Inf is committed on extreme
right, passing through elements of Br 13
Corps on slopes of M. Pratone. 91st Div’s 363d and
361st Regts are unable to break through enemy defenses
on Monticelli, W of Il Giogo Pass; 362d Inf
continues costly efforts to reach Futa Pass, elements
reaching AT ditch below S. Lucia. 34th Div advances
N from M. Frassino on right but is still held
up on left in vicinity of Torricella Hill.
Br Eighth Army issues instructions for pursuit
beyond Rimini Line, 5 Corps along Highway 9 toward
Bologna and Cdn 1 Corps along Highway 16
toward Ravenna and Ferrara. Forward progress
is sharply checked as 5 Corps and Cdn 1 Corps
reach enemy’s Rimini Line. In 5 Corps area, 46th
Div is unable to advance from Montescudo. 56th
Div joins 1st Armd Div in battle for Mulazzano–
La Tomba ridge N of the Marano. During night
16–17, Br 4th Div of Cdn 1 Corps crosses into corps
zone and by artificial moonlight provided by searchlights
clears Cerasolo ridge. In Cdn 1 Corps area,
Cdn. 1st Div attempts in vain to drive enemy from
S. Martino on M. (Abate; on right flank, attached
Greek 3d Mtn Brig begins struggle to clear Rimini
airfield.
CBI—At conference between Gens Hurley, Sultan,
and Stilwell and T. V. Soong, role of a field
commander is discussed. Gen Stilwell finds that his
conception is greatly different from that Soong believes
Chiang Kai-shek holds. President Roosevelt,
in message to Chiang Kai-shek, protests the proposed
withdrawal of Y–Force across the Salween.
Gen Stilwell reports to JCS and others that Japanese
successes against U.S. Fourteenth Air Force bases in
China might prevent air support from China of
operations against Formosa and the Philippines.
This influences planners in favor of occupation of
Luzon rather than Formosa.
MOROTAI—31st Div expands perimeter of
beachhead around Pitoe Drome to distance of over
7,000 yards, E to W, and about 5,000 yards N to S.
Gen Hall establishes CP ashore. RCT 125 of 32d
Div, reserve force, lands and relieves elements of
124th Inf still on Gila Peninsula. Enemy begins
series of small and largely ineffective air raids.
PALAUS—5th Marines, assisted by 1st Marines to
left, takes most of Peleliu airfield against heavy fire
from heights to N, while 7th Marines clears S tip of
island except for 2 small promontories. Perimeter is
extended to over 3,000 yards in length, N to S, and
to maximum depth of about 2,000 yards. Gen Rupertus,
1st Mar Div CG, takes command ashore. Orders
are issued to land on Angaur on 17 September.
[ 17 SEPTEMBER 1944 ]
17 September
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Cdn
First Army’s 2 Corps area, Cdn 3d Div, with strong
air and arty support, begins 6-day battle for
Boulogne, making slow progress against strong fortifications.
Br I Corps, taking over in Antwerp sector
from Br Second Army, immediately starts to
clear the Schelde Estuary in order to open port of
Antwerp. Cdn 2d Div, upon relief at Dunkerque by
4th Special Service Brig, moves to Antwerp where
it relieves 12 Corps of task of clearing dock area N
of the city. 49th Div is disposed on right flank of
corps. 51st Div has been left behind at Le Havre so
that its transport may be used by other units.
In Br Second Army’s Br 1 A/B Corps area, First
Allied Airborne Army drops 1 A/B Corps, consisting
of Br 1st A/B Div (with Pol Para Brig) and
U.S. 82d and 101st A/B Divs, in Holland to secure
axis of advance toward Zuider Zee for Br Second
Army. The airborne operation (MARKET), undertaken
in daylight, H Hour being 1300, with strong
air support and cover, achieves tactical surprise and
at first evokes little opposition. This is the largest
Allied airborne operation to be mounted thus far.
Approximately 20,000 troops land from aircraft and
gliders. Losses in transport planes and gliders are
only 2.8%. Br 1st A/B Div, with task of seizing 3
bridges over the Neder Rijn (Lower Rhine) at Arnhem,
drops as planned some 8 miles from the
bridges, giving enemy valuable time, however, to
move forward panzer troops already assembled near
Arnhem. Small force of less than a bn from the
A/B div succeeds in taking N end of highway
bridge and is then isolated; Germans destroy the
other 2 bridges. U.S. 82d A/B Div, charged with
seizing bridges and commanding ground in Nijmegen-Grave
region, takes Maas bridge at Grave
and Maas-Waal Canal bridge at Heumen, as well
as commanding ground of Nijmegen–Groesbeek
ridge; thrusts into Nijmegen, narrowly missing
chance to take the highway bridge there before
Germans reinforcements arrive. To U.S. 101st A/B
Div is assigned task of capturing bridges at Veghel
and Son, N of Eindhoven. Veghel bridges are taken
with little difficulty but enemy blows that at Son
just as paratroops are approaching it. Footbridge is
improvised at Son over which paratroops cross to
drive toward Eindhoven. 30 Corps, spearheading
assault northward by ground forces (GARDEN), attacks
from Meuse–Escaut Canal bridgehead toward
Eindhoven with Cads Armd Div in the lead during
afternoon; despite narrow zone of attack, which is
confined almost to the highway by terrain, reaches
Valkenswaard. On flanks of corps, 8 and 12 Corps
prepare for further crossings of Meuse–Escaut
Canal, 12 Corps starting across near Lommel, night
17–18.