1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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another limited attack in Saarlautern bridgehead.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV
Corps area, 63d Div, renewing limited attack northward,
completes reduction of Welferding salient with
capture of Buebingen and Bliesransbach and heights
between.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army’s
IV Corps area, 10th Mtn Div reaches summit of M.
Torraccia during morning and Brazilian 1st Div clears
La Serra. 92d Div, which has been reinf by attachment
of separate 473d Inf, extends its zone to include
that formerly held by TF 45, taking responsibility
for W half of corps from the coast to boundary
of 10th Mtn Div’s zone.
BURMA—In Br Fourteenth Army’s 33 Corps
area, Br 2d Div starts crossing the Irrawaddy at
Ngazun, W of Mandalay, bringing swift enemy reaction.
In 4 Corps area, Ind 17th Div, continuing
toward Meiktila, takes Taungtha, Japanese supply
base.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s XIV Corps area,
37th Div overcomes organized resistance in
Intramuros. Fire is placed on last 3 strongpoints in
Manila: the Legislative, Finance, and Agriculture
buildings. Against increasing resistance, 2d Cav Brig,
1st Cav Div, drives toward Antipolo, reaching positions
less than 2 miles from that objective. 6th Div
attacks with 2 regts: 63d takes Montalban and San
Isidro; 20th reaches heights S of Mataba. In I Corps
area, while 35th Inf of 25th Div patrols, 1st Bn of
27th Inf continues to clear Highway 5. 2d Bn of
127th Inf, 32d Div, passes through 3d Bn in Villa
Verde Trail sector. In XI Corps area, Rock Force dears
all of Corregidor except 3,000 yards at E end of the
island. 40th Div continues action against enemy
positions in Zambales Mtns of Luzon, committing
160th Inf in assault on Sacobia Ridge.
S PHILIPPINES—U.S. Eighth Army Area Command,
under Maj Gen Frederick A. Irving, relieves
X Corps of responsibility for closing phase of mop
up on Leyte, Samar, and the Camotes. Americal Div,
under control of the new command, continues operations
against enemy in Villaba on Leyte and attacks
to clear San Bernardino Strait. Verde I. attack
force lands without opposition on NE corner of
Verde I. shortly after midnight, 24–25.
IWO JIMA—After preparatory bombardment,
VAC attacks toward limited objective line O–A, extending
across island 800 yards N of Airfield 2 in
region between lines O–1 and O–2. Both flanks
reach O–A line and enemy re-entrant in center is
eliminated. RCT 28, 5th Mar Div, continues to mop
up on Mt Suribachi. Corps CG establishes CP
ashore. 3d Mar Div, less RCT’s 21 and 3, lands and
is assigned zone in center of corps; div CP is established
ashore. Seaplane base is established.
[ 25 FEBRUARY 1945 ]
25 February
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Cdn First
Army’s Br 30 Corps area, 53d Div, about a mile
from Weeze, halts drive upon order. 15th Div, after
relief by 3d Div, is withdrawn from line; its sector
on left flank of corps is taken over by 3d Div and
Gds Armd Div.
In U.S. Ninth Army’s XVI Corps area, 35th Div
begins crossing the Roer at Linnich to join in offensive.
XIII Corps presses northward toward Erkelenz.
84th Div’s 335th Inf, reinf, takes Houverath; 334th
clears Hetzerath and Granterath. 405th Inf, 102d
Div, after 3d Bn dears Ralshoven, drops back to protect
div’s right flank and is replaced by 406th; 407th
Inf takes Loevenich; 406th dears Katzem and a number
of villages. CCB, 5th Armd Div, crosses the Roer
and assembles S of Hottorf. In XIX Corps’ 29th Div
zone, RCT 330 captures Pattern, Mersch, and
Muentz; 116th secures Welldorf and from there continues
to Guesten, sending elements N that seize
Serrest; 175th Inf is pinched out. 30th Div’s 119th
Inf takes Hollen and Rodingen; 117th clears
Steinstrass and opens assault on Lich.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, VII
Corps completes capture of Dueren and reaches
bridgehead line. On 104th Div left, 415th Inf battles
during night 24–25 for Ellen and rest of Arnoldsweiler,
taking both. 413th secures heights NE of Arnoldsweiler
and at 2100 begins drive toward Morschenich
from bridgehead line. 414th, com-mitted
on div right, attacks at 0300 toward Merz-enich,
which is clear by noon, and at 2100 begins drive on
Golzheim. With corps bridgehead thus
established, 4th Cav Gp is committed on N flank
and 3d Armd Div prepares to enter line. Elements
of 4th Cav Gp relieve 415th Inf in Oberzier and
Ellen and make contact with Ninth Army. 13th
Inf, 8th Div, mops up final resistance in S Dueren
and takes barracks; passing through 13th Inf, 121st
captures Binsfeld and part of Girbelsrath; 28th
dears most of Stockheim and takes Rommelsheim.
III Corps opens assault across the Roer with 1st Div.
2d and 3d Bns, 16th Inf, cross over bridges in VII
Corps zone and drive S from Niederau to secure
crossing sites Within div zone; 2d Bn takes Kreuzau
and Drove; 3d is stopped by enemy at Stockheim.
Using newly constructed bridge in div zone, 1st Bn
of 16th Inf crosses in afternoon and drives S from
Kreuzau. 26th Inf begins crossing later in afternoon,
2d Bn closing in Kreuzau and 3d Bn in Niederau.
In U. S. Third Army’s VIII Corps area, CCA of
11th Armd Div moves to Manderfeld area and, during
night 25–26, begins relief of 247th Inf on left
flank of 87th Div. 87th Div prepares for attack to
clear remaining West Wall defenses on N flank of
corps. 6th Armd Div takes over new zone W of the