1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 30 SEPTEMBER 1944 ]
consolidating and patrolling. Troops of 350th Inf,
88th Div, are still hard pressed on M. Battaglia,
where enemy counterattacks continue; entire 350th
Regt is ordered to this position and turns over defense
of right flank to CCA, 1st Armd Div. In Br
13 Corps area, enemy withdraws from M. di Castelnuovo.
Engineers are opening Marradi–S. Benedetto
road, which by now is secure. Corps issues instructions
for regrouping in order to take over zone E
of Firenzuola–Imola road. 1st Div replaces 66th and
2d Brigs in line with 3d Brig.
Br Eighth Army is hampered all along line by
heavy rains and flooding. 5 Corps advances its right
flank, night 29–30, taking Savignano and Castelvecchio
ridge without opposition, as Germans make
limited withdrawal. Patrols cross the Fiumicino.
CBI—Strong Ch labor force begins work on
trail between Myitkyina and Kunming via Tengchung
and is assisted by small group of U.S.
engineers.
PALAUS—Adm Fort’s Western Attack Force
(TF 32) takes command in W Carolines from Adm
Wilkinson’s Joint Expeditionary Force (TF 31),
releasing Adm Wilkinson for action against the
Philippines. On Peleliu, 7th Marines takes responsibility
for completing reduction of Umurbrogol
Pocket, releasing 3d Bn of 321st Inf, which then
starts N along route previously taken by 1st Bn,
clearing bypassed resistance as it moves. Other elements
of 321st Inf relieve 5th Marines on Ngesebus
and Kongauru Islands. 5th Marines continues to
clear Amiangal Mt. On Angaur, 322d Inf clears floor
of Lake Salome bowl and forces enemy to NW rim
and NW tip of island.
MOROTAI—Pitoe Crash Strip, the original airstrip
on Morotai, is ready for use by fighters. This field is
subsequently abandoned.
30 September
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Cdn
First Army’s 2 Corps area, 3d Div resumes attack
on Calais after armistice ends at noon. Organized
resistance ceases by evening and mopping up is
begun. In Br 1 Corps area, Pol 1st Armd Div takes
Merxplas, NW of Turnhout.
In Br Second Army area, 8 Corps is on general
line Weert–Meijel–Deurne–Boxmeer and thence
along the Maas in Cuijk area.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s XIX
Corps area, 7th Armd Div, from positions near
Oploo, attacks S in corridor W of the Maas during
afternoon, pushing toward Vortum and Overloon
and soon running into determined resistance; attacks
to clear the corridor from S continue to make
little headway. 115th Inf, 29th Div, relieves 2d
Armd Div in Gangelt–Teveren area.
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In U.S. Third Army’s XII Corps area, 4th Armd
Div, after a successful sweep S of Xanrey, goes on
the defensive in a quiet sector. In a desperate attempt
to recover Forêt de Grémecey, Germans make strong
attack against both flanks of 35th Div’s perimeter,
breaching lines of 134th and 137th Regts within
the forest. So grave is the situation that the corps
commander, about 1420, orders 35th Div to fall
back behind the Seille after dark, but Gen Patton
directs counterattack by 6th Armd Div to restore
situation. 35th Div, committing its last reserves,
manages to hang on and enemy begins planned
withdrawal.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV
Corps area, 79th Div continues to meet strong opposition
in Forêt de Parroy. Elements of Fr 2d
Armd Div assist 45th Div of VI Corps in attack
on Rambervillers.
RUMANIA-YUGOSLAVIA—Troops of Third Ukrainian
Front, having secured the Iron Gate—Turnu-
Severin–Orsova area, where the Danube passes
through the Transylvanian Alps—cross the Danube
in force and push toward Belgrade.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps
area, RCT 6 of BEF advances its right flank to
Fornoli, at junction of Serchio R and Lima Creek.
TF 92 thrusts to La Lima, at junction of Highways
66 and 12. S African 6th Armd Div, upon reaching
upper slopes of M. Catarelto, is abreast II Corps. In
II Corps area, 351st Inf of 88th Div seizes M.
Cappello after hard fighting. 88th Div troops on M.
Battaglia are almost driven off by further enemy
attacks. Corps is now ready for drive on Po Valley
and Bologna, although wearied by recent fighting
and hampered by heavy rains. In Br 13 Corps area,
1st Div’s 3d Brig remains on M. Toncone while
Marradi–Palazzuolo road is being repaired. 17th
Brig, Ind 8th Div, reaches S. Adriano, on road to
Faenza.
In Br Eighth Army’s 5 Corps area, Ind 4th Div
clears enemy from Tribola. 46th Div takes Montalbano
and patrols as far as the Fiumicino. Corps begins
general attack, night 30–1. Ind 4th Div takes
M. Reggiano and Borghi before dawn, but 46th
Div in center and 56th on right are unable to force
the Fiumicino.
MOROTAI—Wama Drôme is ready for emergency
use.
PALAUS—Adm Fort, Commander of Western
Attack Force, declares Peleliu, Angaur, Ngesebus,
and Kongauru occupied. On Peleliu, 1st Bn of 321st
Inf relieves 5th Marines on Amiangal Mt, which is
not yet completely clear of organized resistance although
marines report over 1,170 Japanese killed
or captured there, far more than the 500 recently
estimated to be on the mountain. 7th Marines begins