1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 27 FEBRUARY 1945 ]
Mtns sector when 108th Inf captures Hill 12. Rock
Force concludes operations on Corregidor, except
for mopping up, by 1600.
S PHILIPPINES—U.S. Eighth Army is directed
to plan for operations against Panay and N Negros.
As VICTOR III Attack Group (TG 78.2 under Adm
Fechteler) and Close Covering Group (TG 74.2
under Rear Adm R. S. Riggs) sail from Mindoro
for Palawan covered by Fifth and Thirteenth Air
Forces, intensive aerial bombardment of Puerto
Princesa area of Palawan begins. Americal Div
completes encirclement of enemy forces in NW
coastal sector of Leyte. Div’s Prov TF finishes clearing
S part of San Bernardino Strait from NW Samar
through Balicuatro I. and W to Capul and Naranjo
Is.
IWO JIMA—Although still closely supported by
air, naval, and arty bombardment, VAC progress
toward O–2 line is measured in hundreds of yards
as enemy resistance continues strong. RCT 9, 3d Mar
Div, again making main effort in center of corps, is
supported by massed arty fire on heights commanding
Airfield 2 as it inches forward. On right flank
of corps, 4th Mar Div withdraws RCT 24 to reserve
and continues attack with RCT 25 on right and
RCT 23 on left; latter gains up to 300 yards, reaching
SW slopes of Hill 382, where enemy is firmly
entrenched. RCT 26, 5th Mar Div, pushes N on left
flank of corps, center elements ahead of those on
flanks, which are echeloned on left rear to commanding
ground overlooking W coast and on right rear
to conform with advance of 3d Mar Div. Observation
planes land on Airfield 1 and start spotting for
arty. AAA begins neutralization of Kangoku and
Kama Rocks, off W coast.
27 February
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Cdn
First Army’s Cdn a Corps area, Br 43d Div overruns
Calcar and Grieth, latter on the Rhine. Cdn
2d Inf and Cdn 4th Armd Divs enter Hochwald
Forest, E of Udem, and gain positions between there
and Balberger Forest to S. Cdn 3d Div clears Udem
and Br 11th Armd Div drives from Udem toward
Kervenheim. In Br 30 Corps area, Cdn offensive
eases pressure on corps. 52d Div moves E from
Afferden area and takes over 51st Div sector. 3d
Div cuts Udem–Weeze road.
In U.S. Ninth Army’s XVI Corps area, 35th Div
advances rapidly E of the Roer against moderate
resistance: 137th Inf clears Altmyhl, Myhl, Gerderath,
and Gerderhahn; 134th takes Millich,
Schauffenberg, Ratheim, Luchtenberg, Orsbeck,
Wassenberg, and 2 other towns. 15th Cav Gp is detached
from 35th Div and, under corps control, relieves
8th Armd Div of positions S of Roermond be-
[ 415 ]
tween the Roer and Meuse. CCA, 8th Armd Div,
crosses the Roer at Hilfarth and heads for Wegberg.
In XIII Corps area, 84th Div organizes motorized
task force (TF Church, based on 334th Inf) for
breakthrough attack since enemy appears to be thoroughly
disorganized. Spearheaded by Co B, 771st
Tank Bn, the TF drives about 10 miles N from Matzerath
to road junction SE of Waldniel, where opposition
is met. Beeck, Wegberg, Rickelrath, and many
villages are cleared. 11th Cav Gp is attached to 84th
Div for screening duty. On right flank of corps, CCB
of 5th Armd Div, though handicapped by extremely
muddy terrain, gets elements to Guenhoven and S
edge of Rheindahlen before bogging down. 102d
Div’s 406th Inf attacks through the halted armor,
clearing Rheindahlen and continuing N; 405th Inf,
to right, reaches E–W railway line between Wegberg
and Rheydt. In XIX Corps area, 29th Div advances
to E–W road between Erkelenz and Garzweiler
against token resistance: 175th Inf takes Holzweiler,
Kuckum, Keyenberg, and Borschemich; 116th
clears Immerath, Pesch, and Otzenrath; 115th seizes
Opherten and Jackerath. RCT 330 reverts to 83d Div
from attachment to 29th. 30th Div advances N to
line Garzweiler–Koenigshoven: Garzweiler
falls to 120th Inf and Koenigshoven to 119th. 2d
Armd Div ( — CCB) assembles across the Roer for
offensive to the Rhine and is reinf by 331st Inf of
83d Div.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army area, VII
Corps advances steadily across Cologne Plain despite
enemy’s stubborn defense of approaches to Cologne.
4th Cav Gp takes Tollhausen and Esch. CCR, 3d
Armd Div, gains two bridgeheads across the Erft,
TF Hogan crossing bridge at Glesch and TF Richardson
wading across at Paffendorf. 83d Armd Rcn
Bn clears Grouven and Zieverich but finds Erft
bridge out. CCB task forces take Elsdorf, Wuellenrath,
Berrendorf, and Giesendorf. CCA’s TF Kane
takes Heppendorf and Sindorf while TF Doan, in
conjunction with 8th Div, clears Bergerhausen and
part of Kerpen. 104th and 8th Divs follow 3d Armd
Div closely, mopping up and occupying captured
towns. RCT 395, 99th Div, assembles near Stolberg.
In III Corps area, 16th Inf of 1st Div clears Frangenheim
and Vettweiss; attacking toward Neffel R at
1900, 18th Inf reaches Kelz and Irresheim. 9th Div’s
39th Inf, reinf, attacks S through 1st Div bridgehead
and takes Thum and Nideggen; begins drive on
Berg. 90th Inf ( — ) crosses the Roer and assembles
near Rath. 14th Cav Gp, with mission of protecting
S flank of corps, crosses the Roer and closes in Drove
area. In V Corps area, 69th Div begins limited
attacks for ridge E of Prether R to insure safety
of Hellenthal-Hollerath highway as MSR, 271st
Inf taking Dickerscheid and 273d, Giescheid.