1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI Corps area, Gen Truscott
orders corps to cross the Moselle and seize
communications centers in the Vosges to open way
to Alsatian Plain and the Rhine. 45th Div, upon
crossing the Moselle at Epinal, is to seize Rambervillers
and Baccarat and force the Saverne Gap. 36th
Div is to cross the Moselle in Eloyes area and take
St Die near Saales Pass. 3d Div is to cross the
Moselle in Rupt area and seize Gerardmer near
Schlucht Pass. 36th Div begins rcn in force of proposed
Moselle crossing site near Remiremont. Site
near Eloyes is reported to be suitable, and 141st
Inf moves forward to it, night 20–21. To left, 45th
Div moves up to the Moselle in Remiremont area.
On corps right flank, 3d Div is advancing toward
the river.
Fr 1st Army now holds sector to the right of U.S.
Seventh Army, 2d Corps taking up positions in
new sector to left of 1st Corps.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps
area, RCT 6 of BEF gains positions on M. Prano
but cannot reach crest. 1st Armd Div regroups in
order to release CCA to II Corps: 370th Inf, whose
1st Bn relieves 14th Armd Inf Bn, takes command
of CCA zone. S African 6th Armd Div extends its
left flank to road NE of Pescia; reinforces right
flank in M. Moscoso area. In II Corps area, 91st
and 85th Divs continue to pursue enemy toward the
Santerno. 337th Inf, 85th Div, crosses it E of
Firenzuola at S. Pellegrino. 362d Inf, 91st Div, gets
into position for assault on Futa Pass, 3d Bn pushing
across AT ditch near S. Lucia. Corps’ reserve div,
88th, is ordered to attack through right flank of
85th Div down Santerno valley toward Imola on
21st. In Br 13 Corps area, enemy withdrawal from
Casaglia Pass permits 1st Div to push rapidly eastward
toward Ind 8th Div.
In Br Eighth Army area, battle for Rimini Line
ends as Germans withdraw, night 20–21, behind
Marecchia R under cover of drenching rain. In 5
Corps area, S. Marino, in small independent Republic
of San Marino, falls to Ind 4th Div. 46th
Div holds La Torraccia against counterattacks. 1st
Armd Div joins 56th Div in fight for Ceriano ridge,
where enemy continues to resist tenaciously throughout
day before withdrawing. In Cdn 1 Corps area,
Cdn 1st Div battles encircled enemy at S. Fortunato,
frustrating German efforts to break out.
CBI—Gen Stilwell learns that his plan for defense
of Kweilin has been accepted by Chiang Kaishek
and issues orders accordingly.
MOROTAI—Beachhead perimeter has been expanded
to provide space for additional airfield
construction, extending about 1,000 yards N of original
site and some 10,000 yards E along shore to
Sabatai R.
[ 21 SEPTEMBER 1944 ]
PALAUS—On Peleliu, firm enemy defense of
central ridge system on W arm virtually halts forward
movement of 1st and 7th Marines. 1st Marines
is so depleted in strength that 7th Marines relieves
all its troops but those along West Road. 5th Marines
is mopping up E arm. On Angaur, Gen Mueller
declares organized resistance at an end as 321st
Inf drives to S end of island and begins mopping
up scattered Japanese. Japanese remaining on
Angaur are concentrated in NW part of island and
are prepared for prolonged defense of a broad, deep,
bowl-shaped depression in Lake Salome area. 322d
Inf tries to reach the bowl from different directions,
but makes little headway. Airdrome construction is
begun in S part of island.
21 September
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Br
Second Army’s 1 A/B Corps area, slightly improving
weather conditions permit elements (750 men)
of Pol 1st Brig to drop near Driel, S terminus of
Heaveadorp Ferry in Arnhem area, but by this time
Germans have recovered N end of the ferry, confined
British to small perimeter at Hartestein, near
Oosterbeek, and destroyed the small force at N end
of Arnhem bridge as it attempted to escape in small
groups. In 30 Corps area, Gds Armd Div, pushing
toward Arnhem from Nijmegen, is brought to a
halt less than 3 miles from starting point. U.S. 101st
A/B Div finds highway between St Oedenrode and
Veghel free of enemy, clears infiltrators from glider
landing zone, and reconnoiters along secondary
highway to Schijndel, which it occupies, night 21–22.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s XIX
Corps area, West Wall offensive is again postponed
because of weather conditions. In VII Corps area,
CCA of 3d Armd Div completes mop up of Muensterbusch
area; in CCB’s sector, TF Mills, leaving
defense of Donnerberg to TF Lovelady, drives into
town of Donnerberg, a suburb of Stolberg, gaining
precarious foothold. On S flank of corps, 60th Inf,
9th Div, tries in vain to push into village of Huertgen
and makes very slow progress toward Germeter.
V Corps authorizes withdrawal of Wallendorf
bridgehead. This is accomplished before dawn of
22d, using ford since Germans have destroyed Wallendorf
bridges. IX TAC gives unusually effective air
support.
In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 83d Div
is attached to corps. 7th Armd Div continues to meet
intense fire from Seille R line; two cos of armd inf
of CCB ford the river S and E of Longueville after
dark but withdraw at daylight of 22d to await coordinated
attack. 5th Div remains in place because
of ammunition shortage; 2d Bn, 10th Inf, suffers
heavily under continuous enemy fire and repeated