1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 400 ]
is formed under Brig Gen L. H. Slocum, Americal
Div CG. GHQ SWPA establishes boundary between
U.S. Sixth and Eighth Armies. Sixth Army
is responsible for Luzon and Eighth for all islands to
S—about two thirds of land area of the Philippines.
LUZON—33d Div arrives from Morotai. In U.S.
Sixth Army’s XIV Corps area, opposition in S
Manila is so stubborn and losses to 37th Div are
so great that it is decided to increase volume of arty
bombardment. 129th and 148th Regts, 37th Div,
reach line Estero de Tonque–Estero de Paco. 1st
Cav Div regroups, committing 112th Cav RCT
along line of communications to permit 12th Cav to
move into Rosario Heights. Div expands positions
S of the Pasig and makes patrol contact with 37th
Div near Paco Station. In center of 40th Div zone,
160th Inf finds that Japanese have abandoned Mc-
Sevney Pt and pushes on toward final objective,
Object Hill, gaining positions on Snake Hill West
and Scattered Trees Ridge. In I Corps area, 3d Bn
of 127th Inf, 32d Div, relieves 2d Bn on Villa Verde
Trail. In U.S. Eighth Army area, as 11th A/B Div
continues to clear enemy positions around Nichols
Field it is transferred to command of XIV Corps,
Sixth Army, and directed to maintain pressure on
the airfield and determine location of enemy positions
near the field and at Cavite.
LEYTE—X Corps takes command of tactical
operations on Leyte and Samar. 92d Div (PA) is
attached to Americal Div to help mop up. XXIV
Corps closes in staging areas on E coast of Leyte.
11 February
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS—U.S., Great Brittain,
and USSR issue Yalta Declaration outlining
conclusions reached at ARGONAUT Conference.
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Cdn
First Army area, Br 30 Corps continues to advance
despite increasingly strong resistance and flooded
terrain. 3d Cdn Div reaches Cleve–Rhine Canal;
15th Div completes capture of Cleve; 43 Div maintains
positions SW of Cleve and takes Materborn
and Hau; 53d Div continues to clear the Reichswald;
51st Div takes important road centers of
Hekkens and Gennep.
12th Army Group: U.S. First Army begins period
of regrouping in accordance with letter of instructions
of this date outlining plans for assault
across the Roer. In V Corps area, TF A is detached
from corps and reverts to 82d A/B Div. 69th Div
begins relief of 99th Div in line. Upon relief, 99th
moves to vicinity of Waimes (Belgium). In III
Corps area, advance detachment of corps starts
toward First Army zone.
In U.S. Third Army area, VIII Corps goes on
[ 11 FEBRUARY 1945 ]
the defensive and shifts boundaries. Units now under
corps command, from N to S, are 87th, 4th, 90th,
11th Armd, and 6th Armd Divs and 6th Cav Gp.
4th Div readjusts positions before defending Pruem
R line from Olzheim to Watzerath, relieving elements
of 345th Inf, 87th Div, to N and elements of
358th Inf, 90th Div, to S. 8th Inf in bridgehead E
of the Pruem and elements of 12th Inf on W bank
of river opposite Nieder Pruem are withdrawn. 3d
Bn of 22d Inf enters Pruem and starts systematic
search for enemy within the town. 90th Div begins
limited objective attacks long before dawn: 3d Bn
of 357th Inf advances to line N of Masthorn; 358th
Inf, after futile predawn efforts by Co I to take
Watzerath, attacks with three bns and captures
Watzerath and Weinsfeld. At conclusion of attacks,
90th Div regroups: 357th Inf relieves 11th
Armd Div elements to S during night. 6th Armd
Div takes command of 17th A/B Div zone. CCB
maintains bridgehead E of the Our. Upon relief,
17th A/B Div starts to Châlons-sur-Marne area
(France), where it is to be under SHAEF control;
bridgehead N of Dasburg is abandoned. In XII
Corps area, 319th Inf ( — 3d Bn) of 80th Div continues
reduction of West Wall fortifications within
Wallendorf bridgehead; 318th clears high ground
overlooking Bollendorf and mops up in Dillingen
area; 2d Bn of 317th Inf crosses river, night 11–12,
in zone of 318th Inf, to which it is attached. 5th Div
finishes clearing high ground along the Sauer within
its zone and on the N opens attack on Bollendorf;
417th Inf is detached but, complying with orders
for 76th Div to secure S portion of corps bridgehead,
continues action in current zone and captures
Echternacherbruck. Boundary between 5th and 76th
Divs is adjusted. In XX Corps area, 10th Armd Div
completes assembly in Metz area. 376th Inf, 94th
Div, completes relief of 301st and latter is withdrawn
to reserve. 104th Inf, 26th Div, improves
positions in Saarlautern bridgehead area despite
strong resistance.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV
Corps area, 101st Cav Gp completes relief of 106th
Cav Gp and assumes command of its sector; 106th
is withdrawn as reserve. 12th Armd Div is attached
to corps and takes over screening mission
formerly held by CCB, 10th Armd Div. In VI Corps
area, RCT 142 of 36th Div continues to fight in
Oberhoffen.
In Fr 1st Army’s U.S. XXI Corps area, 75th Div
is detached from corps and reverts to control of
army.
EASTERN EUROPE—Moscow confirms German
reports of fighting NW of Breslau in German
Silesia with announcement of 4-day-old offensive in
that region during which troops of First Ukrainian
Front have crossed the Oder NW of Breslau and