1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 20 FEBRUARY 1945 ]
Two RCT’s each of 4th and 5th Mar Divs land
abreast against initial light resistance. As attack
progresses inland, enemy fire becomes increasingly
heavy, particularly on right, and marines incur
heavy casualties and loss of equipment. On right
flank of corps 4th Mar Div, with RCT 25 on right
and RCT 23 on left, lands on Beaches Blue 1 and
Yellow 2 and 1, from right to left; right flank elements
turn right to secure Beach Blue 2, while rest
of div attacks frontally across heights commanding
beaches to E edge of Airfield I. On corps left, 5th
Mar Div, with RCT’s 27 and 28, lands on Beaches
Red 2 and 1 and Green 1, from right to left, and
drives across island to heights overlooking W coast;
left flank elements turn S toward Mt Suribachi,
highest point of the island and located on S tip,
while those to right start N. Tanks and arty, as soon
as landed on fireraked beaches, go into action.
20 February
WESTERN EUROPE—SHAEF opens forward
headquarters at Reims. 20th Armd Div arrives on
Continent.
21 Army Group: In Cdn First Army’s Br 30 Corps
area, Bailey bridge over the Meuse at Gennep is
opened to traffic. Enemy continues to resist strongly
in S part of Goch. 43d Div makes contact with Cdn
3d Div, a Corps; upon relief by 15th Div, which is
pushing toward Udem, returns to Cleve for rest.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s VII Corps
area, 99th Div ( — 394th Inf) is attached to corps
and moves to Aubel and Clermont areas. In V Corps
area, 28th Div is attached to corps to relieve 2d Div
in line.
In U.S. Third Army’s VIII Corps area, main opposition
to corps centers in Lichtenborn, in 90th
Div sector, from which enemy fire is direct and intense
as Germans attempt to protect withdrawal.
359th Inf, 90th Div, breaks through woods E of
Ober and Nieder Uttfeld; 2d Bn, 357th, takes Houf
and hill to N but TF Gassman and Co A are unable
to clear Binscheid; 358th is held in reserve. CCR,
11th Armd Div, clears Sengerich and heights around
the town against decreasing opposition. Along the
Our, 6th Armd Div renews offensive: making main
effort on N, CCB overruns West Wall fortifications
within its zone, N of Dahnen, gaining about 2 miles,
while CCA provides diversionary fire and smoke,
largely in Dasburg area. 6th Cav Gp expands and
strengthens Our R bridgeheads. In XII Corps area,
318th Inf of 80th Div reaches favorable position for
assault on heights S of Mettendorf; 317th dears high
ground N of Nusbaum, crosses Enz R, and captures
Enzen; 319th continues reduction of West Wall
positions within its sector. 5th Div mops up along
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W bank of the Pruem; elements of 2d Inf take Halsdorf.
358th Inf, 76th Div, continues to consolidate
bridgehead positions and destroy pillboxes. East of
the Moselle, contact is made between 2d Cav Gp
and 10th Armd Div, XX Corps, at Wincheringen.
In XX Corps area, 10th Armd Div, reinf by RCT
376 of 94th Div, enters offensive to clear Saar–
Moselle triangle. On left, RCT 376 clears Kreuzweiler
and Thorn and CCR overruns Palzem, Dilmar,
Sudlingen, Wehr, Helfant, and Rommelfangen.
On right, CCA takes Kirf, Meurich, Kelsen,
Dittlingen, Korrig, and Fisch. Pressing E toward
the Saar, 301st Inf of 94th Div clears Kollesleuken
and Freudenberg while 302d takes Weiten and
Orscholz.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV
Corps area, 276th Inf, 10th Div, continues street
fighting in Forbach; 275th takes Alsting, Zinzing, and
Hesseling villages.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s
IV Corps area, 10th Mtn Div after gaining crest of
M. Belvedere and M. Gorgolesco during early
morning hours, drives toward saddle of ridge leading
to M. Torraccia.
LUZON—In U .S. Sixth Army area, XIV Corps
continues preparations for assault on Intramuros in
Manila. 6th Div completes relief of 2d Cav Brig,
1st Cav Div, in Novaliches–Balera area. 7th Cav,
2d Cav Brig, seizes crossings of Mariquina R in
Ugong–Rosario area. In I Corps area, 1st Bn of 161st
Inf, 25th Div, gains control of 3 of the 4 enemy
positions under attack NW of Lumboy. In XI Corps
area, 1st Inf, renewing westward drive on Bataan
Peninsula, reaches W coast at Bagac.
S PHILIPPINES—In U.S. Eighth Army’s X Corps
area, Americal Div’s Prov TF sends land and amphibious
patrols from Allen, on Samar, along NW
coast to Lavezares. Elements make uncontested
landing on Macarite I. and cross channel to establish
beachhead on Biri I., at E entrance to San
Bernardino Strait.
IWO JIMA—VAC enlarges beachhead against
stubborn opposition. 4th Mar Div, reinforcing each
of its assault RCT’s with a BLT of RCT 24—div
reserve—overruns Airfield 1. After repelling predawn
counterattack, 5th Mar Div continues drives
to N and S. With tanks spearheading, RCT 27, reinf
by bn of div reserve—RCT 26—drives slowly N on
left flank of corps while RCT 28, assisted by flamethrowing
tanks and close naval gunfire support,
works S toward Mt Suribachi—from which enemy
is pouring a heavy volume of fire—systematically
reducing the numerous emplacements in its path.
Maximum gain, 1,000 yards, is made in center of
corps. Casualties to men and equipment continue to
be high; tank casualties, after 2 days of bitter fighting,
are estimated as 20% to 30%