1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 1 MARCH 1945 ]
secure concentration area on E bank. 2d Div organizes
TF S, based on 38th Inf, in preparation for
crossing the Roer to S. 69th Div, continuing limited
attacks for high ground E of Prether R with elements
of 271st and 273d Regts, seizes Hescheld and
heights near Schnorrenberg.
In U.S. Third Army area, VIII Corps, disposed
astride the Pruem, continues E against strong resistance,
particularly on the N. 87th Div, its left
flank protected by attached CCA of 11th Armd
Div, battles fortified positions on N flank of corps
with elements of 3 regts, reducing strongly defended
pillboxes and clearing Ormont. 4th Div
makes limited progress in bridgehead E. of Pruem
R and crosses 12th Inf into it. 6th Armd Div expands
Pruem R bridgehead, CCB clearing Matzerath
and CCA improving positions to S by patrolling
extensively. Bailey bridge is completed at
Lunebach. On corps S flank, 6th Cav Gp finishes
its crossing of Pruem over newly completed Bailey
bridge at Waxweiler: 6th Sq takes Lascheid; 28th
secures Lambertsberg, Gremelsheid, and Hargarten
and attacks unsuccessfully toward Pluetscheid.
Gp establishes contact with 6th Armd Div on N and
XII Corps on S. In XII Corps area, continuing N
between Pruem and Nims Rivers, 80th Div’s
317th Inf overruns Oberweiler and Schleid; 318th
moves S to 76th Div zone. Between the Nims and
Kyll, CCB of 4th Armd Div, with close air and arty
support, takes Sefferweich and Malbergweich. 5th
Div maintains positions along W bank of Kyll R.
76th Div clears generally southward toward Trier and
line of Kyll and Moselle Rivers: 417th Inf
secures Mohn and Newel and reaches the Kyll near
Kordel; 304th takes Olk and is passed through at
Olk by 385th, which continues S. In XX Corps
area, 10th Armd Div, reinf by RCT 376 of 94th
Div, enters Trier, important communications center,
in afternoon and begins to clear it; Moselle
bridge is taken intact, night 1–2. CCB overtakes
CCA and joins it in fight for Trier. RCT 376 overruns
some 30 pillboxes E of the Saar and clears Wiltingen.
94th Div, reinf by 3d Cav Gp (TF
Polk) and 5th Ranger Bn, expands Saarburg
bridgehead, protecting 10th Armd Div’s right flank
and blocking enemy’s escape from Trier: on left,
302d Inf expands positions NE to Hentern, Schomerich,
Paschel, Lampaden, and Obersehr; firm opposition
to right prevents 301st from making much
headway. 26th Div continues aggressive defense of
Saarlautern bridgehead sector. 65th Div is attached
to corps.
6th Army Group: Detachment d’Armee des Alpes
(DA ALPS) is established under 6th Army Group
with responsibility for Alpine sector along Franco-
Italian border from junction of France, Switzerland,
and Italy to the Mediterranean. French General
[ 419 ]
Doyen heads the command, which consists of Fr
and U.S. forces. Fr 27th Alpine Inf Div holds left
flank as far S as Mt Thabor; two Fr regts, 66th and
141st Alpine Inf Regts, are disposed in central sector;
U.S. 44th AAA Brig holds right flank. Detachment
d’Armee de l’Atlantique (DA ATL) is new designation
for forces previously known as “French
Forces of the West” or “Western French Forces.”
U.S. Seventh Army, with XXI, XV, and VI Corps
abreast, holds defensive line generally along the
Saar, Rothbach, and Moder Rivers between Emmersweiler
(Germany) and Oberhoffen (France).
Fr 1st Army remains on the defensive along the
Rhine, protecting right flank of U.S. Seventh Army
and of 6th Army Group.
ITALY—15th Army Group: In U.S. Fifth Army
area, IV Corps postpones limited offensive on right
flank scheduled for this time because of weather
conditions.
In Br Eighth Army’s 13 Corps area, Folgore Gp
begins relief of 6th Armd Div.
M IDDLE EAST—USAFIME takes over NW
Africa from MTOUSA and is redesignated Africa-
Middle East Theater (AMET).
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s XIV Corps area,
5th Cav clears Agriculture building, leaving a single
strongpoint in Manila—the Finance building. RCT
145, including 1st Bn, which is garrisoning Intramuros,
passes from control of 37th Div and Sixth
Army to Provost Marshal General, USA FFE. In
region E of Manila, 6th Div regroups for further
action against enemy’s Shimbu line, extending N
from Antipolo to Mt Oro, while 1st Cav Div to S
continues to probe to develop this line. In I Corps
area, 33d Div continues to probe toward Baguio
from S while Philippine Guerrilla Forces, North
Luzon, under Lt Col Russell W. Volckmann, are
exerting pressure toward the summer capital from
the N. 32d and 25th Divs continue limited actions
along Villa Verde Trail and Highway 5, respectively,
toward Cagayan Valley and ultimately Balete Pass.
2d Bn of 127th Inf, 32d Div, encounters strongpoint
in outer perimeter defenses of Salacsac Pass on Villa
Verde Trail at Cabalisian R and is delayed by pillbox
opposition. Other elements of 32d Div are working
forward along Arboredo and Ambayabang Valleys.
On Highway 5, 25th Div columns are converging
on Puncan and Digdig.
S PHILIPPINES—In U.S. Eighth Army area, aircraft
begin preinvasion bombardment of Zamboanga
area of Mindanao and of islands of Panay
and Negros. After naval and aerial bombardment,
1st Bn of 21st Inf, reinf, lands on Lubang I., at W
end of Verde I. Passage, and clears Tilic. Most of the
island, the largest in the Lubang Group, is cleared
with ease within the next few days. Elements of
Co E, 21st Inf, move to Verde I. from Mindoro. On