1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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dashed by enemy opposition on E flank. 119th Inf,
following Wurm R valley southward, gets 1 1 /2
miles beyond Herzogenrath; 120th Inf, whose relief
at Kerkrade has been completed by 29th Div, is
committed between 119th and 117th and takes 2
hamlets; 117th Inf, upon reaching railroad W of
Mariadorf, is counterattacked strongly by fresh enemy
forces from Mariadorf, part of whom push to
Alsdorf, where they are halted. Both sides suffer
heavy losses and 117th Inf pulls back to edge of Alsdorf;
bn of 120th Inf moves up to reinforce
117th Inf. CCA, 2d Armd Div, seizes Oidtweiler,
NE of Alsdorf. In VII Corps area, 1st Div begins
attack to encircle Aachen in conjunction with XIX
Corps: while 18th Inf pushes northward through
Verlautenheide, 26th is getting into position to drive
through heart of the city from E; 16th Inf holds defensive
line near Eilendorf. Tanks and TD’s arrive
by nightfall to help assault regts of 9th Div break
out of Huertgen Forest toward Schmidt. In V Corps
area, 28th Div encounters outlying positions of
enemy’s West Wall defenses.
In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 2d Bn of
357th Inf, 90th Div, fights from house to house
within Maizières-lès-Metz for some time to come
without clearing rest of the town. Confused and
bitter fighting continues at Fort Driant without
much change in positions. In XII Corps area, after
an hour of preparatory bombardment, corps begins
concerted drive toward Seille R at 0615. 6th Armd
Div, making main effort, takes Moivron, where it is
relieved by 80th Div; in conjunction with 80th Div
envelops and takes Jeandelincourt, clears Bois de
Chenicourt, though enemy retains town of Chenicourt,
and seizes Arraye-et-Han. To left, 80th Div’s
318th Inf takes Manoncourt; 319th seizes Lixières,
Mt Toulon, and Sivry; 317th clears Mt St Jean. 35th
Div closes up the Seille on its left flank, taking Ajoncourt
and Fossieux. P–47’s assist with attacks on
heights between Moivron and Jeandelincourt.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s VI
Corps area, 7th Inf of 3d Div moves from Vagney
NE to Sapois.
In Fr 1st Army’s 2d Corps area, the 3d Algerian
Div gains crest of Longegoutte heights after several
days of bitter fighting.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s IV Corps
area, TF 92 reaches slopes of M. Cauala but is
forced back by enemy fire. In II Corps area, CCA
of 1st Armd Div is attached to 34th Div. 34th Div
continues attack on Monterumici hill mass, 135th
Inf working slowly forward from S and 133d from
W. 362d Inf, 91st Div, gets elements to crest of M.
Castellari, night 8–9; 361st makes substantial progress
to E, clearing villages E of M. Castellari, cutting
Highway 65 at La Fortuna, and pushing to
edge of Livergnano escarpment, a feature strongly
[ 9 OCTOBER 1944 ]
favored by nature for defense. 338th Inf, 85th Div,
forces enemy back to M. delle Formiche; 337th is
still unable to progress appreciably from Hill 566.
349th Inf, 88th Div, upon reaching crest of Hill
587, finds it undefended; elements seize Il Falchetto
Hill. In Br 13 Corps area, 3d Brig of 1st Div gains
summit of M. Ceco, but enemy retains heights
nearby. On right flank of corps, 6th Armd Div
thrusts along Highway 67 to edge of Portico but
cannot force an entrance; elements probe toward
Tredozio.
In Br Eighth Army’s 10 Corps area, hq, 1st
Armd Div, arrives and takes command of corps
forces. In 5 Corps area, since 20th Brig of Ind 10th
Div is still held up on M. Farneto, 10th Brig is
committed to outflank enemy, some elements pressing
toward Montecodruzzo on left and others taking
S. Paola on right. Ind 25th Brig takes S. Lorenzo
and drives toward Roncofreddo. 46th Div is working
toward Longiano.
GREECE—Br forces from Araxos have reconnoitered
along N coast of the Peloponnesus to
Corinth, which is free of enemy; elements of 9th
Commandos are in Nauplia, on Gulf of Nauplia S
of Corinth.
9 October
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Cdn
First Army area, 2 Corps continues clearing Breskens
Pocket. Amphibious assault force of Cdn 3d Div
lands at E end of the pocket, taking enemy by
surprise and establishing bridgehead; other elements
of div expand holdings N of Leopold Canal in
Maldegem area. 4th Armd Div exerts pressure on
enemy positions at E end of the canal. Germans continue
vigorous defense of Zuid Beveland causeway,
holding 2d Div to slight gains in Woensdrecht area.
In Br Second Army area, 1 A/B Corps returns to
United Kingdom.
12th Army Group: Gen Bradley decides to shift
Ninth Army hq to N flank of army group, where
it is to take command of XIX Corps of First Army
in place; leave VIII Corps in current positions and
attach it to First Army. These changes are to become
effective on 22 October. 12th Army Group takes
direct control of 94th Div from Ninth Army.
In U.S. First Army’s XIX Corps area, 119th Inf
of 30th Div drives through Bardenberg to N Wuerselen;
120th is kept from Euchen and Beek, villages
astride road to Bardenberg, by enemy force crossing
its front en route to Bardenberg; 117th
clears Schaufenberg and tries unsuccessfully to
reach Mariadorf, then is authorized to go on the
defensive in Alsdorf–Schaufenberg region. At night,
enemy force reaches Bardenberg and routs small
holding force of 119th Inf, isolating main body of
that regiment in N Wuerselen; 119th Inf reserves