1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 12 FEBRUARY 1945 ]
broken through German defenses along W bank to
seize Steinhau, Lueben, Haynau, Liegnitz, Neumarkt,
and Kanth, thus, in conjunction with assault
of forces SE of Breslau, threatening the Silesian
capital with encirclement and menacing less imminently
the city of Dresden (Germany), 80-odd miles
to W. In NE Germany, Soviet forces overrun Deutsch
Krone. Other Red Army troops are eliminating enemy
garrisons of Schneidemuehl and Posen; claim
capture of 45 city blocks in Budapest.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s IV Corps area, 92d Div breaks off limited
attacks, both in coastal sector, where bridgehead
across the Cinquale Canal is withdrawn, and in
Serchio Valley. Little change in positions has resulted.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s XIV Corps area,
11th A/B Div presses northward toward Manila
against decreasing resistance, reaching Pasay, a suburb,
and clearing part of Nichols Field; makes patrol
contact with 8th Cav outpost. To N, 37th Div and
1st Cav Div continue to clear Manila. In I Corps
area, 161st Inf of 25th Div is ordered to advance
from San Isidro area toward Puncan. 1st Bn is
to move to Balaho and establish observation posts
commanding Highway 5. 3d Bn of 127th Inf, 32d
Div, begins drive up Villa Verde Trail but is forced
back to starting point. For next few days, action in
that region is confined to probing by both sides. XI
Corps has advanced sufficiently against the Zigzag
for 151st Inf to be released.
POA—Joint Expeditionary Force begins final rehearsals
for Iwo Jima operation, off W coast of Tinian
in the Marianas.
12 February
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Cdn First
Army’s Br 30 Corps area, 3d Cdn Div takes Kellen
and Warbeyen and relieves Br 15th Div of responsibility
for Cleve. 15th Div is stubbornly opposed as it
attempts to push toward Calcar. 43d Div seizes
Bedburg, a necessary action before continuing drive
on Goch, but is unable to make any headway along
Hau-Goch road. 53d Div continues to clear the
Reichswald and withstands strong pressure from E
edge. 51st Div advances in S part of the Reichswald
and to right takes Heien, S of Gennep.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, Advance
Hq of III Corps moves to Zweifall (Germany)
to take over zone of XVIII Corps (A/B). XVIII Corps
(A/B) becomes responsible for sector now held by
82d A/B Div. In V Corps area, 78th Div relieves elements
of 9th Div and is transferred in place to XVIII
Corps (A/B); 309th Inf and 1st Bn of 311th revert
to 78th Div from attachment to 9th Div. 9th Div
takes over sector of 2d Div.
[ 401 ]
In U.S. Third Army’s VIII Corps area, 4th Div
completes capture of Pruem. Zone of 11th Armd Div
is extended southward as CCB relieves 86th Cav Rcn
Sq of positions on N flank of 6th Armd Div. 41st
Cav Rcn Sq, detached from 11th Armd Div and attached
to 6th Armd, closes at Knaphoscheid. 6th Cav
Gp captures that part of Vianden (Luxembourg) W
of the Our. In XII Corps area, contact is made at
Bollendorf between 80th and 5th Div bridgeheads
and, within 80th Div zone, between those of 319th
and 318th Regts at E edge of Wallendorf. 319th Inf
finishes its crossing of the Our and continues reduction
of stubbornly defended pillboxes on N flank of
corps bridgehead; 318th improves positions S of
Cruchten. Tanks and TD’s cross into 5th Div bridgehead,
where 10th Inf completes capture of Bollendorf
and continues N. In 76th Div zone, 3d Bn of
385th Inf relieves 1st Bn of 417th in place and is
attached to 417th, which continues slowly E along N
bank of the Sauer. XX Corps maintains defensive
positions. In 26th Div zone, 328th Inf begins relief
of 104th on MLR.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV
Corps area, Fr 2d Armd Div is attached to corps.
In VI Corps’ 36th Div sector, RR station and factory
in NW Oberhoffen, last points of resistance, are
set on fire.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In Br Eighth Army’s
13 Corps area, Ind 10th Div takes command of sector
previously held by 78th Div.
BURMA—In Br Fourteenth Army’s 33 Corps area,
Ind 20th Div begins crossing the Irrawaddy
in Myinmu-Allagappa sector W of Mandalay, night
12–13, against little opposition.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s XIV Corps area,
Japanese remaining in Manila are isolated as 5th Cav
and 12th Cav, latter replacing 8th Cav, drive W to
shores of Manila Bay, overrunning Neilson Field. In
co-ordinated assault by 188th Regt and part of 187th,
11th A/B Div, Nichols Field is largely cleared of enemy.
40th Div advances its flanks, 108th Inf taking
Hill 6 and 185th taking Snake Hill North, but is stubbornly
opposed in center, where progress is slow. In
I Corps area, 33d Div comes under corps control to
relieve 43d Div and RCT 158. Corps is regrouping
for drive N into Caraballo Mts. 27th Inf, 25th Div,
relieves 1st Inf, 6th Div, at San Jose and improves
positions along Highway 5 35th Inf moves to Rizal
and probes northward with patrols toward
Pantangan. 6th Div occupies positions along E coast,
bisecting enemy forces on the island. In XI Corps
area, RCT I of 6th Div starts S from Dinalupihan
for operation to clear Bataan.
VISAYAN PASSAGE—Gen Eichelberger issues
basic plan for Eighth Army’s part in clearing Visayan
Passage.