1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 26 FEBRUARY 1945 ]
Pruem and relieves elements of 90th Div (359th
and 357th Regts) within it. 6th Cav Gp relieves elements
of 6th Armd Div in Neuerburg and routs
enemy in fire fight at Scheuren. In XII Corps area,
80th Div clears Mettendorf and mops up to rear of
4th Armd Div, to which CCB reverts. 4th Armd Div
regroups while continuing attack. CCB (51st Armd
Inf Bn, 37th Tank Bn, and supporting units) drives
E against disorganized resistance, crossing the
Pruem at Hermesdorf and establishing bridgehead
across the Nims at Rittersdorf. CCA (10th Armd
Inf Bn, 8th Tank Bn, and supporting units) moves
from Brimingen to the Pruem and starts across at
Oberweis, night 25–26. Contact is made with 80th
Div forces clearing Oberweis. 5th Div crosses 2 bns
of RCT 2 (1st and 3d) and 3 of RCT 10 over the
Pruem near Peffingen and drives NE toward Bitburg.
RCT 2, on left, takes Wettlingen and high
ground to NE; W of the Pruem, 2d Bn clears Olsdorf
and Bettingen. On right, RCT 10 seizes Peffingen
and reaches positions W of the Nims, overrunning
Ingendorf. Bn of RCT 11 also crosses the Pruem
and relieves elements of 2d Inf, to which it is temporarily
attached. 2 bns of RCT 304, 76th Div,
cross the Pruem at 5th Div crossing site early in
morning and clear Holsthum; by midnight 1st Bn,
385th Inf, is across the river and 3d Bn of 304th is
crossing. In XX Corps area, since enemy continues
to prevent bridging in 10th Armd Div zone, CCB
crosses the Saar in Taben area of 94th Div zone,
driving through Irsch toward Zerf; CCA and CCR
prepare to cross; RCT 376 slowly improves and expands
Ockfen bridgehead. 94th Div’s 301st and
302d Regts expand Serrig–Taben bridgehead against
heavy fire; isolated 5th Ranger Bn withstands strong
pressure with aid of arty and improves positions S
of Irsch–Zerf road. Treadway bridge is put in at
Serrig.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army area, XV
Corps organizes and defends current positions. In
VI Corps area, 36th Div completes relief of 101st
A/B Div and takes command of new sector.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth
Army’s IV Corps area, first phase of limited offensive
W of Highway 64 ends as organized resistance
on M. Torraccia and in La Serra area collapses.
In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, first elements
of Folgore Gp arrive in corps zone. In 5 Corps area,
Cdn participation in the Italian campaign ends. Cdn
1st Div turns its sector over to Ind 8th Div. By
mid-March Cdn I Corps will be in action in ETO.
BURMA—In Br Fourteenth Army’s 4 Corps
area, Ind 17th Div takes Mahlaing.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army area, XIV Corps
continues preparations for assault on last 3 strongpoints
in Manila. 2d Cav Brig, 1st Cav Div, is
checked for some days by stubborn enemy in Anti-
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polo area. 6th Div is also strongly opposed. 63d Inf
mops up and patrols toward Mt Pacawagan. 20th
gets to within about a mile of Mt Mataba peak. 1st
Inf, less 2d Bn, is committed in center and directed
toward Wawa and Wawa Dam; advances through
San Mateo. In I Corps area, 2d Bn of 35th Inf, 25th
Div, reaches vicinity of Carranglan with ease; repels
counterattack, night 25-26. 1st Bn closes in Pantabangan.
27th Inf continues to clear hill commanding
Lumboy and Highway 5. 161st Inf completes capture
of Bryant Hill NW of Puncan. In XI Corps area,
2d Bn of 151st Inf, 38th Div, replaces 3d Bn of
34th Inf, 24th Div, on Corregidor, where 1,000
yards are gained along E end of island. On Luzon,
185th Inf of 40th Div completes its mission with
capture of Hill 1700. 160th clears most of its sector.
IWO JIMA—VAC, with 3 divs abreast, continues
attack toward O–2 line, making main effort in
center where, by end of day, E–W strip and two
thirds of N–S strip of Airfield 2 are secured. 3d Mar
Div, resuming command of RCT 21 and passing
RCT 9 through it, begins attack in center for rest
of Airfield 2 and gains several hundred yards under
heavy fire from heights commanding both runways.
On right flank of corps, 4th Mar Div employs RCT
24 on right and RCT 23, which is released from
corps reserve, on left; secures portion of E–W runway
of Airfield 2 within its sector. On left flank,
RCT 26 of 5th Mar Div remains in place waiting
for 3d Mar Div to come abreast. RCT 28 continues
to mop up on Mt Suribachi. Airfield 1 is ready for
emergency use.
JAPAN—Major effort of XXI BC B–29’s against
Tokyo with incendiary bombs demonstrates clearly
the effectiveness of this weapon, which is still being
used experimentally; leads to change in XXI BC
tactics from daylight precision attacks on industrial
targets, which have proved none too successful, to
night fire attacks on Japanese urban areas. TF 58
begins 2-day strike on targets in Tokyo area.
26 February
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Cdn
First Army area, Cdn 2 Corps begins Operation
BLOCKBUSTER—to take Calcar and Udem and exploit
between them to Xanten. As regrouped, corps
now consists of Cdn 4th Armd Div, Br 11th Armd
Div, Cdn 2d Armd Brig, Cdn 2d and 3d Inf Divs,
and Br 43d Div. Cdn infantry leads off at 0430 and
the 2 armd divs join in attack, which continues
during night 26-27. First day’s advance gains escarpment
S of Calcar, Keppeln, and positions near
Udem.
In U.S. Ninth Army’s XVI Corps area, 137th Inf
of 35th Div, attacking NE from Doveren, drives
through Bruck toward Hueckelhoven; 134th, seizing