1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 17 SEPTEMBER 1944 ]
12th Army Group: In U.S. Ninth Army’s VIII
Corps area, continuing battle for Brest, 29th Div
clears eastward to Penfeld R while 2d Div, to right,
gets elements across old city wall. 8th Div, clearing
Crozon Peninsula, reaches town of Crozon.
In U.S. First Arms XIX Corps area, 2d Armd
Div expands bridgeheads at Meerssen and Valkenburg,
forcing enemy back toward Sittard. 30th Div
takes Heerlen on left and crosses German border E
of Simpelveld on R. In VII Corps area, Germans,
having moved up a fresh div, make determined
counterattacks against corps. 76th Inf of 1st Div
and CCA of 3d Armd Div, forewarned by heavy
arty barrage, turn enemy back and inflict heavy
losses. CCB of 3d Armd Div takes Weissenberg
Hill before being counterattacked so strongly that
it falls back a little; TF Hogan is sent to its aid.
Patrol of 47th Inf, 9th Div, spots Germans forming
for attack in Gressenich and takes them under fire
when they emerge into the open with devastating
results to enemy. Corps activity after this subsides
to limited actions, largely on S flank in zone of 9th
Div. In V Corps area, 4th Div, after further costly
efforts to get to E edge of the Schnee Eifel forest
and to take Brandscheid, almost succeeding in each
case, calls off offensive and passes to aggressive defense.
28th Div brings sharp reaction from enemy
while attempting to advance its almost static line.
5th Armd Div withdraws its Pruem bridgehead at
Wettlingen; CCR holds against determined tankinfantry
counterattack aimed at eliminating its Wallendorf
salient.
In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, Gen
Walker issues tentative plan for air-ground offensive
in Metz area, Operation THUNDERBOLT. 90th
Div continues limited attacks W of Metz against increasingly
strong resistance. Since the price is exceedingly
high and gains minute, it is decided to
halt attacks in this sector. Germans counterattack
between 10th and 11th Regts of 5th Div in Arnaville
bridgehead but are driven off; Hill 245, E of
Marieulles, falls to 2d Inf. CCA, 7th Armd Div, assisted
by elements of CCB, takes Marieulles; upon
relief there by 5th Div is withdrawn to reserve;
CCR and CCB are ordered to continue attack
toward Seille R. XII Corps forms TF under Gen
Sebree of 35th Div, consisting of CCB, 6th Armd
Div—which has not yet arrived in corps zone—and
734th Inf, to clear Bois de Faulx and Bois de la Rumont
in conjunction with 80th Div. TF Sebree, without
awaiting CCB, begins attack to clear enemy from
plateau NE of Nancy late in day. 80th Div
is laboriously clearing bridgehead area and preparing
for future offensive. 4th Armd Div is to regroup
for attack NE toward Rhine R and Darmstadt, this
city replacing Mannheim as corps objective. CCB
of 4th Armd Div, attacking toward Nomeny to
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assist 80th Div in breaking out of bridgehead, makes
such slow progress that it is ordered to halt. On S
flank of corps, enemy is infiltrating into Lunéville,
which, however, remains in American hands. In
XV Corps area, cavalry of Fr 2d Armd Div makes
contact with Fr 2d Corps of Seventh Army while
patrolling near Bains-les-Bains, SW of Epinal. With
arrival of CCB, 6th Armd Div, which relieves CCD
in Chaumont area, XV Corps’ flank protection mission
is limited to region between the Meuse and the
Moselle. Fr 2d Armd Div, less CCL and cavalry,
closes along W bank of the Moselle to S of 79th
Div.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI
Corps area, 36th and 3d Divs are pushing northward
toward the Moselle at Remiremont against
delaying opposition. 45th Div awaits relief by French
on right flank of corps.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army area, IV
Corps begins general advance on W flank of army.
TF 45 drives along coast against light opposition.
RCT 6, BEF, tries to keep pace with TF 45. 1st
Armd Div pushes northward, CCA astride the
Serchio N of Lucca and CCB toward M. Liguana
from positions N of Pescia. S African 6th Armd Div
is still held to small gains on right flank of corps.
II Corps succeeds in breaking through Gothic Line
at II Giogo Pass. 338th Inf, 85th Div, at last takes
M. Altuzzo, 339th finishes clearing M. Veruca, and
337th takes M. Pratone. W of Il Giogo Pass, 91st
Div drives to crest of M. Monticelli. Germans begin
withdrawal from Gothic Line under cover of darkness,
17–18. 362d Inf, 91st Div, retains positions on
M. Calvi and near S. Lucia and attacks with 1st
Bn to outskirts of Marcoiano. 34th Div, on left flank
of corps, is still stalemated in Torricella Hill area,
but gains a little N of M. Frassino. In Br 13 Corps
area, 1st Div finds M. Giuvigiana free of enemy.
6th Armd Div continues to battle stubborn enemy
on M. Peschiena.
In Br Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, 46th Div begins
attack across the Marano W of Vallecchia,
enemy having withdrawn from positions near Montescudo.
56th Div gains ground W of Cerasolo but
is held up all day in M. Oliva area to SW. On Cdn 1
Corps’ left flank, Br 4th Div presses toward S. Fortunato
feature, target for powerful Allied air attacks,
but Cdn 1st Div is still unable to clear S. Martino
in M. l’Abate.
BURMA—11 Army Group: In Br Fourteenth
Army’s 33 Corps area, Tuitum falls to Ind 5th Div.
MOROTAI—Action of TF TRADEWIND subsides to
patrolling in order to locate small Japanese parties.
Islands off SW and W coast are being outposted by
126th Inf.
PALAUS—Against strong resistance, 1st Marines
on Peleliu begins clearing S end of central ridge sys-