1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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bridge at Hilfarth, crosses the Roer and gains
bridgehead almost a mile deep. In XIII Corps area,
84th Div cuts Erkelenz–Gerderath road and assists
102d Div with TD fire on Erkelenz. Golkrath falls
to 335th Inf and Matzerath to 334th. Continuing
N with 407th Inf on W and 406th on E, 102d Div
clears Tenholt, Kueckhoven, Bellinghoven, and
Wockerath, then launches concerted assault on
Erkelenz, which falls after moderate resistance.
Advancing N on right flank of corps, CCB of 5th
Armd Div clears Terheeg, Hauthausen, and Mennekrath.
In XIX Corps area, 29th Div attack gains
momentum: Hasselsweiler and Gevelsdorf fall to
330th Inf; 116th, after completing capture of Guesten
early in day, is replaced on right flank by 115th,
which takes Speil, Ameln, and Titz. 30th Div’s
120th Inf captures Kalrath; 117th clears Oberembt,
Kirch, and Troisdorf. 113th Cav Gp and CCB of
2d Armd Div take up defensive positions on 30th
Div right flank.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, on
VII Corps’ N flank 24th Sq of 4th Gp moves through
Hambach Forest, making contact with enemy at
NE edge; Tr B of 4th Sq reconnoiters toward Esch,
passing through Steinstrass. 3d Armd Div, after
crossing into bridgehead and being reinf by 13th
Inf of 8th Div, spearheads attack NE. On div left,
CCB, employing TF’s Welborn and Lovelady, drives
through woods to outskirts of Elsdorf, Wuellenrath,
and Berrendorf; CCA, blocking on the S with TF’s
Kane and Doan, takes Buir and Blatzheim; reinf
83d Armd Rcn Bn, advancing between CCB and
CCA, attempts to secure bridgehead across Erft
Canal near Bergheim but halts at Manheim, which
it takes with assistance of TF Kane. Morschenich
falls to 413th Inf, 104th Div, and Golzheim to 414th
before dawn; 415th Inf, passed through by 4th Cav
Gp, is held in reserve. In 8th Div zone, 121st Inf
completes capture of Girbelsrath and takes Eschweiler,
then continues NE without making contact
with enemy; 28th clears rest of Stockheim and captures
Frauwullesheim and villages near Rommelsheim.
Elements of 104th and 8th Divs follow in
wake of 3d Armd Div, occupying captured towns.
In III Corps area, 1st Div expands bridgehead to E
and SE against moderate resistance: 16th Inf clears
Soller; 26th takes Udingen, Leversbach, Rath, and
Boich; 18th relieves 8th Div (VII Corps) of responsibility
for Stockheim and takes Jakobwuellesheim.
9th Div’s 39th Inf, reinf by 1st Bn of 60th,
crosses the Roer in 1st Div zone and assembles near
Boich.
In U.S. Third Army’s VIII Corps area, CCA of
11th Armd Div completes relief of left flank elements
of 87th Div and engages in defensive patrolling.
At 1500, 87th Div, with elements of 345th
and 346th Regts in line, attacks N toward Hall-
[ 26 FEBRUARY 1945 ]
schlag and Ormont; strong resistance and obstacles
of all types are met as attack continues through the
night. 6th Armd Div maintains defensive positions
along the Pruem and searches for crossing sites. 6th
Cav Gp takes up defensive positions along the
Pruem from Waxweiler southward and relieves
358th Inf of 90th Div, which passes to SHAEF
reserve. In XII Corps area, 80th Div finishes clearing
region W of the Pruem on corps N flank; 319th
Inf takes Phillipsweiler and Mauel. CCB, 4th Armd
Div, seizes high ground N of Bitburg but is unable
to clear Erdorf, on Kyll R; CCA closes in Rittersdorf
area. 5th Div’s RCT 2, 3d Bn of which crosses
the Pruem and joins in advance, pushes NE to
Nims R, taking Stahl and Birdingen; RCT 10 clears
Messerich and Dockendorf on W bank of the Nims
and crosses to take Ober and Nieder Stedem; RCT
II crosses the Pruem and begins attacking through
10th Inf. 76th Div regroups in preparation for drive
to the Moselle at Trier and attacks E and S from
Holsthum bridgehead: elements of 304th Inf secure
bridgehead across the Nims in vicinity of Wolsfeld;
1st Bn of 385th pushes S from Holsthum toward Irrel;
417th (—) closes in Holsthum area and prepares
to attack from Wolsfeld bridgehead. 2d Cav
Gp continues to defend S flank and moves elements
into Wasserbillig. In XX Corps area, 10th Armd
Div and 94th Div expand and join Ockfen and Serrig
bridgeheads; jointly clear Beurig area, permitting
heavy ponton bridge to be put in at Saarburg.
CCB, 10th Armd Div, driving along Irsch–Zerf
road, relieves pressure on 5th Ranger Bn (attached
to 94th Div) S of the road and reaches Zerf; CCA
crosses the Saar in 94th Div zone and moves to
Irsch; CCR starts from Nittel toward Beurig. 94th
Div prepares to attack toward high ground from
Hamm to Geizenberg to protect drive of 10th
Armd Div on Trier. 101st Inf, 26th Div, takes command
of Saarlautern bridgehead, relieving 328th
Inf.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army area,
101st A/B Div is detached from VI Corps.
BURMA—In Br Fourteenth Army’s 33 Corps
area, Ind 19th Div begins strong southward push
toward Mandalay. In 4 Corps area, Ind 17th Div,
continuing toward Meiktila, seizes airstrip at
Thabutkon.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army area, XIV Corps
begins assault on last 3 strongpoints in Manila. Elements
of 63d Inf, 6th Div, reach crest of Mt Pacawagan
but are forced back after nightfall by heavy
fire. Japanese defeat efforts of 1st Inf to take Mt
Mataba. 20th Inf troops advance up southernmost
slopes of the mountain. In I Corps area, 2d Bn of
35th Inf, 25th Div, reaches Carranglan, but Japanese
cut regimental supply line. In XI Corps area, 40th
Div completes its immediate mission in Zambales