1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 15 FEBRUARY 1945 ]
CHINA—During meeting at Gen Wedemeyer’s hq,
Plan BETA, to open coastal port, is presented to
Chiang Kai-shek, who approves it.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army area, XIV Corps
continues to battle strongpoints in Manila. In I
Corps area, 33d Div relieves 43d Div and patrols
actively. 25th Div, less 161st Inf, is redeploying for
drive on Balete Pass. 6th Div, less 1st Inf, assembles
in preparation for movement S of Pampanga R. In
XI Corps area, while 38th Div is concluding action
against the. Zigzag, where firm contact is made
between 149th and 152d Regts, corps begins operations
to clear Bataan Peninsula, the first of a series
of operations to reopen Manila Bay. East Force
(RCT 1 of 6th Div, reinf) begins drive S along
E coast of the peninsula from Orani, reaching
Pilar. South Force (RCT 151, 38th Div), after loading
at Subic and Olongapo, sails from Subic Bay
for Mariveles.
LEYTE—In U.S. Eighth Army area, X Corps
forms provisional TF (1st Philippine Inf (less 1st
and 2d Bns) and 1st Bn of 182d Inf, reinf) to clear
NW coast of Samar and islands in San Bernardino
Strait.
POA—Gunfire and Covering Force (TF 54,
under Rear Adm B. J. Rodgers) and Support Carrier
Group of Amphibious Support Force (TF 52, commanded
by Rear Adm W. H. B. Blandy) leave Saipan
for Iwo Jima for pre-D-day operations.
15 February
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: Cdn First
Army commits another corps, Cdn 2, in Operation
VERITABLE. Cdn 2 Corps becomes responsible for left
sector of Br 30 Corps front from line Grave–
Groesbeek–Cleve–Emmerich northward. Cdn 3d
Div is attached to corps in place; takes Huisberden,
E of Cleve, and relieves Br 15th Div of positions S
and W of Moyland. During period 15 through 25
February, corps conducts limited attacks with Cdn
3d and 2d Divs in general direction of Calcar, immediate
objective, and regroups in preparation for
concerted assault. In Br 30 Corps area, main effort
is directed against obstacles before Goch, next big
objective. 15th Div, except for a brig temporarily
attached to Cdn 3d Div, is withdrawn to rest in
preparation for drive through 43d Div on Goch.
43d Div fights hard for hill features E of Cleve
Forest. 53d Div continues toward Asperberg. 51st Div
pushes toward Asperden.
12th Army Group: In U.S. Third Army’s XII
Corps area, 80th Div continues consolidation of N
part of corps bridgehead. Elements of 5th Div continue
N toward Schankweiler and patrol to Pruem
R; 2d Inf relieves 10th of its portion of bridgehead.
[ 403 ]
417th Inf, 76th Div, reduces additional pillboxes
and clears high ground N of Minden; 2d Bn is
relieved in line by 2d Bn, 385th Inf, night 15–16.
In XX Corps area, 2d Bn of 302d Inf, 94th Div,
takes several pillboxes and shelters E of Campholz
woods but loses them in strong night counterattack.
26th Div slightly improves positions in Saarlautern
bridgehead in limited attack by 328th Inf.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army area,
XV Corps opens limited offensive to straighten and
shorten front line by eliminating enemy salients at
Gros Réderching in 44th Div sector and at Wilferding
in 63d Div zone. 44th Div, leading off, attacks
with 324th Inf through Buschenbusch woods against
light resistance; in center, 71st Inf thrusts NE,
capturing Rimling and reaching objective; on left,
114th Inf, despite enemy fire in vicinity of Bellevue
Farm, attains regimental objective on other side of
Bois de Blies Brucken. 63d Div, to advance its
right flank and tie in with 44th Div’s left, attacks
with 255th Inf to clear Bois de Blies Brucken. To
left of 44th Div, 100th Div conducts strong diversionary
raids.
In Fr 1st Army area, U.S. 3d Div is detached
from U.S. XXI Corps and attached to Fr 2d Corps.
EASTERN EUROPE—While troops of Second
White Russian Front improve positions N of Bromberg
in NW Poland, forces of First Ukrainian Front
seize Gruenberg, in N Silesia, and enter Brandenburg.
BURMA—In Br Fourteenth Army’s 33 Corps
area, Ind 20th Div is beginning to meet strong
opposition as it is expanding and consolidating its
Irrawaddy bridgehead. In 4 Corps area, Ind 7th
Div expands Irrawaddy bridgehead to Pagan and
elements still W of the river take Pakokku.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s XIV Corps area,
bitter fighting continues within Manila. 40th Div,
to right rear, continues to clear enemy from hills in
its zone. 185th Inf gains its final objective—Hill
1500. 108th is attempting to regain Hill 7 and 160th
to clear objectives in div center. I Corps assumes
responsibility for portion of XIV Corps zone lying
generally N of E–W line through Tarlac. RCT 158
assembles in vicinity of Tarlac, passing to army reserve.
126th Inf, 32d Div, occupies San Manuel–
Asingan–San Nicolas triangle, releasing entire 127th
Inf for drive up Villa Verde Trail. In XI Corps area,
38th Div completes mop-up of enemy’s Zigzag position.
After preparatory bombardment, South Force
lands on Mariveles coast at 1000. Gen Chase takes
command ashore, relieving Adm Struble, CTG 78.3.
No opposition is met, but Japanese counterattack,
night 15–16—the last organized enemy effort on E
coast—is repulsed.