1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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in conjunction with 26th Div on 8th. 26th Div
continues rapidly toward the Sarre. 4th Armd Div
gains foothold in Singling and overruns Bining before
being halted to await relief by 12th Armd Div
of XV Corps.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV
Corps area, 44th Div takes Montbronn while 100th
clears Meisenthal and surrounds Mouterhouse. In
VI Corps area, enemy counterattack recovers N part
of Mertzwiller from 45th Div forces.
In Fr 1st Army’s 2d Corps area, U.S. 36th Div
is strongly opposed at Ostheim and Guemar but
takes latter.
EASTERN EUROPE—Red Army broadens and intensifies
offensive toward Budapest, Berlin announces,
attacking in force on either side of the
Hungarian capital and crossing elements from
Csepel I., to W bank of the Danube S of the city.
Rumanian troops are helping Soviet forces clear NE
Hungary. Moscow reports substantial gains by Third
Ukrainian Front forces all along front. Soviet and
Yugoslav forces clearing region between the Danube
and Sava in N Yugoslavia take rail and road center
of Sid.
ITALY—AAI: In U.S. Fifth Army’s Br 13 Corps
area, 19th Brig of Ind 8th Div, completes movement
to W flank of corps to operate under 1st Div.
In Br Eighth Army area, 10 Corps moves to Macerata
from Perugia.
BURMA—In NCAC area, U.S. 475th Regt is
ordered to relieve Ch 22d Div in Mo-hlaing area,
about a mile N of Tonk-wa. About this time, Japanese
TF starts across the Shweli toward Tonk-wa.
LEYTE—U.S. Sixth Army: In X Corps area,
repeated efforts of 112th Cav to eliminate enemy on
ridge SE of Limon fail. In XXIV Corps area, 7th
Div continues northward drive on Ormoc, taking
Balogo, Hill 918, and Kang Dagit; some elements
are on the Palanas R and others are on a ridge of Hill
380. 77th Div loads for landing in Ormoc Bay at
Deposito and sails with DD and Fifth Air Force
protection for target area. About 150 Japanese attack
Buri strip, surprising defense force and entering
woods N of the strip.
7 December
W ESTERN EUROPE—12th Army Group: In
U.S. Ninth Army’s XIX Corps area, commander of
116th Inf, 29th Div, reports that continued efforts
to take the Juelich strong-points will be fruitless;
during the past 6 days the regt has suffered heavy
casualties and is unfit to continue the action; 115th
Inf replaces 116th and prepares to continue the assault.
In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps area, 9th Div
completes relief of 1st Div and takes responsibility
[ 7 DECEMBER 1944 ]
for Luchem–Langerwehe–Juengersdorf–Merode region.
1st Div, except for 16th Inf, which is attached
to V Corps, moves to rest areas. 83d Div, less 329th
inf, takes over zone of 4th Div on S flank of corps,
with 8th Inf of 4th Div under its command. 4th
Div ( — 8th Inf) passes to VIII Corps control. V
Corps virtually finishes clearing its sector to the
Roer. 2d Ranger Bn pushes to crest of Castle Hill,
where it is under heavy fire and repels 2 counterattacks.
When a platoon advances to reinforce the
rangers, enemy withdraws hastily. CCR of 5th
Armd Div pulls back from Bergstein during night
but by this time 28th Inf of 8th Div has advanced
almost to the village from the S.
In U.S. Third Army’s XX Corps area, 90th Div
attempts to improve and consolidate bridgehead in
Pachten–Dillingen area with little success: 357th
Inf establishes thin perimeter on N flank and holds
it against major counterattack but is separated from
358th Inf in Dillingen–Pachten area by fortified
West Wall belt; enemy fire continues to prevent
construction of vehicular bridge, but footbridge is
improvised and the bridgehead resupplied during
night 7–8. 95th Div continues to battle West Wall
positions in its Saarlautern bridgehead: 379th Inf
makes limited progress in Saarlautern–Roden; 377th
takes over fight for Fraulautern; 378th is virtually
at a standstill in Ensdorf area and its 2d Bn is still
W of the Sarre. 10th Inf, 5th Div finishes clearing
its sector and ties in with 95th Div; in Metz area,
Fort Plappeville surrenders to 2d Inf. XII Corps
regroups for assault on West Wall between Saarbruecken
and Zweibruecken by 35th and 26th Divs.
80th Div withdraws to rear upon relief by 6th Armd
Div and 2d Cav Gp. 35th Div is still engaged at Sarreguemines.
4th Armd Div is being relieved by XV
Corps. 26th Div reaches positions within sight of
Maginot Line forts at Wittring and Achen.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV
Corps area, 44th Div is approaching Enchenberg
against lively opposition. 100th Div seizes Mouterhouse.
12th Armd Div begins relief of 4th Armd
Div (XII Corps). In VI Corps area, 94th Cav Rcn
Sq and elements of 19th Armd Inf Bn attached to
79th Div begin attack on Gambsheim. 103d Div is
committed between 45th and 79th Divs.
Fr 1st Army opens attack on Colmar Pocket
in 1st Corps zone while 2d Corps is containing determined
counterattacks in Ostheim, Guemar, and
Mittelwihr areas. 1st Corps drives on Cernay and
Thann, 2d Moroccan Div taking Bischwiller and
establishing bridgehead at Pont d’Aspach.
EASTERN EUROPE—Right wing elements of
Third Ukrainian Front clearing region between the
Danube and Lake Balaton seize Adony, about 25
miles S of Budapest, and Enying, less than 20 miles
from Szekesfehervar; center elements report S bank