1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 434 ]
which will undertake security mission W of the
Rhine.
In U.S. Third Army area, VIII Corps units mop
up within prescribed zones. 6th Cav Gp, to left rear
of 11th Armd Div, patrols actively along S bank of
Ahr R to locate stragglers and maintain contact with
First Army. 11th Armd Div holds Rhine R line and
methodically clears sector W of the Rhine, overrunning
a number of towns: CCB establishes contact
with V Corps, completing encirclement of large
body of enemy remaining W of the Rhine between
First and Third Armies; CCA, to right, mops up in
Andernach; CCR mops up to SW of CCA. 90th Div
finishes mopping up within its zone. 4th Div is detached
from corps and attached to Seventh Army.
In XII Corps area, 4th Armd Div continues to mop
up W of the Rhine from Andernach to Koblenz and
N of the Moselle from Koblenz to Cochem. Driving
SE from Darscheid, 5th Div’s TF Graham reaches
the Moselle at Cochem; 1st Bn of 2d Inf drives SE
from Puetzborn to take Udler, Gillenfeld, Strohn,
Nieder and Ober Winkel, Immerath, and Strotzbusch;
3d Bn, 2d Inf, is relieved by 10th Inf. 76th
Div’s 385th and 304th Regts reach positions astride
line of Klein Kyll–Lieser Rivers from Karl to Wittlich;
on right flank, 42d Cav Sq, after clearing Dreis
and Bergweiler, moves elements through 10th Armd
Div (XX Corps) at Wittlich to Dorf and Flussbach.
80th Div is transferred to XX Corps. XX Corps prepares
for concerted breakout from Saarburg bridgehead
on 13 March and is reinf by 80th Div. 10th
“Armd Div gains final objectives in Wittlich area and
begins clearing toward the Moselle: CCA easily takes
Wittlich and Bombogen and high ground between;
CCB establishes bridgehead across the Salm in Sehlem
area, where bridge is put in, and clears Esch,
Karmes, and Clausen; CCR cleans out Lorsch–
Polich-Ensch bend of the Moselle; expanding Ruwer
bridgehead, RCT 417 ( — ) clears Kirsch, Longuich,
and heights near Mertesdorf. 3d Cav Gp occupies
Kasel and Riol and begins relief of RCT 417 in
Ruwer bridgehead; 3d Sq, relieved by elements of
43d Sq and 94th Div, assembles in Konz Karthaus
area.
6th Army Group: Fr 1st Army is directed to
continue defense of current zone along the Rhine on
right flank of 6th Army Group; probe enemy positions
E of the Rhine; effective 13 March, turn over 3d
Algerian Inf Div, reinf, now on left flank of 2d
Corps, to U.S. VI Corps.
I TALY—15th Army Group: In Br Eighth
Army’s 13 Corps area, Ind 10th Div begins relief of
U.S. 85th Div on M. Grande.
BURMA—In NCAC area, Br 36th Div columns
converge on Mongmit and take it.
INDOCHINA—Japanese, fearing a U.S. amphibious
operation against French Indochina in which Fr
troops might participate, begin expulsion of Fr garrisons
from key positions.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s XIV Corps area,
1st Inf of 6th Div gains about 300 yards, taking small
ridge N of Bench Mark B. Intense air and arty
bombardment of Shimbu line on 10 and 11 March
takes heavy toll of Japanese forces forming for major
effort against 6th Div. Advance elements of 1st
Cav Div reach crest of Bench Mark 9. 11th A/B Div
is directed to clear Batangas and drive to second
phase line. 3d Bn, 158th Inf, gets into position to
attack toward Calumpan Peninsula. Assisted by air
strike, 1st Bn of 187th Inf clears most of Hill 660.
511th Inf columns start S along Route 1 for Santa
Anastasia and E along S shore of Laguna de Bay
virtually unopposed. In I Corps area, 25th Div
columns converge in Putlan sector of Highway 5.
27th Inf relieves 1st Bn of 35th at bridge site N of
Putlan with 3d Bn and joins with 161st Inf forces S
of Putlan to clear opposition from there S to Digdig.
35th Inf turns its full attention to reconnoitering
up Old Spanish Trail. In XI Corps area, 43d
Div turns over its sector to 38th Div and releases
RCT 169 to that div. By this time, 43d Div has
penetrated final enemy positions.
S PHILIPPINES—In U.S. Eighth Army area, Romblon
and Simara attack forces sail from Min-doro.
On Mindanao, following air and naval gunfire preparation,
41st Div ( — RCT 186) lands on Zam-boanga
Peninsula virtually unopposed; secures
Wolfe airfield and village of San Roque and advances
on Mindanao City. Gen Doe takes command
ashore and Gen Eichelberger lands to inspect beachhead.
Guerrillas, helped by the 2 COS of 21st Inf,
24th Div, gain firm control of Dipolog and its airfield.
IWO JIMA—On right flank of VAC, 4th Mar
Div continues SE toward coast against decreasing
resistance, RCT 23 on left and RCT 25 on right,
each bolstered by a bn from RCT 24. RCT 23,
pushing through Higashi, gets forward elements to
within 400 yards of beach and patrols to coastline
at Tachiiwi Pt. RCT 25 eliminates enemy re-entrant
on div right but is unable to keep pace with RCT
23. 3d Mar Div’s RCT 21 clears right half of its
sector; RCT 9 makes little headway against troublesome
pocket on extreme right of div zone. 5th Mar
Div is practically halted on left flank of corps by
rugged and well defended terrain, but RCT 28,
on left flank, inches forward to S rim of rocky gorge
about 200 yards wide and 700 yards long.
11 March
[ 11 MARCH 1945 ]
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In U.S.
Ninth Army’s XVI Corps area, patrols of 134th Inf,
35th Div, take Fort Blucher, concluding div’s drive