1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 436 ]
an Old Spanish Trail. 43d Div, less RCT 169, is
transferred to XI Corps from XIV Corps.
S PHILIPPINES—In U.S. Eighth Army area,
163d Inf of first Div secures airfield and Zamboanga
City on Mindanao and pushes toward Pasananca.
162d extends positions toward Caldera Pt.
East entrance of Visayan Passage is now secure
and Filipino guerrillas take over occupation of
Burias and Ticao Islands, releasing 1st Bn of 132d
Inf, which returns to Leyte. Co C, reinf, 19th Inf,
makes unopposed landing on Romblon shortly
after midnight 11–12.
IWO JIMA—4th Mar Div, VAC, overcomes organized
resistance within its zone on right flank of
corps except for stubborn pocket on div right. In
center of corps, 3d Mar Div’s RCT 21 mops up
and protects right flank of 5th Mar Div while RCT
9 develops enemy pocket on div right. Withdrawing
RCT 26 from line, 5th Mar Div continues
attack on left flank of corps with RCT 27 on right
and RCT 28 on left. Terrain, as well as enemy, makes
progress slow despite close arty support.
12 March
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In U.S.
Ninth Army’s XVI Corps area, 75th Div takes over
defense of corps sector along the Rhine and with its
290th Inf relieves 35th Div. 35th Div prepares to
move to rear for rest and rehabilitation.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s III Corps
area, in N part of Remagen bridgehead, 78th Div
withstands counterattacks against Honnef, where
isolated pockets of enemy remain, and with 39th
Inf drives E toward Kalenborn; 1st Bn of 310th Inf
reverts to div from attachment of 9th Armd Div and
is attached to 311th Inf. In center, 9th Div is strongly
opposed in Kalenborn and Hargarten areas, but
enters Hargarten late in day. CCB, 9th Armd Div, is
detached from 9th Div and passes to corps reserve.
99th Div, in S part of bridgehead, gains initial objectives
in region between Hargarten and Hoenningen.
V Corps, out of contact with enemy, begins period
of consolidation of positions W of the Rhine and
preparations for crossing.
In U.S. Third Army area, VIII Corps completes
organized mop-up W of the Rhine. CCB, 11th Armd
Div, withdraws S of 05 horizontal grid line, the
new V-VIII Corps boundary. XII Corps continues
to mop up and prepares for attack across the Moselle.
89th Div enters combat for the first time, driving
through 5th and 6th Divs, with 353d Inf on left
and 355th on right, toward Cochem–Alf sector of
the Moselle. 76th Div continues to clear toward the
Moselle to right of 89th Div, employing 385th Inf
on left and 304th on right, and reaches river line in
zone of 304th at Kesten and Piesport; 2d Cav Gp
[ 12 MARCH 1945 ]
screens Piesport–Sweich sector with 2d Sq and withdraws
42d Sq to Gladbach as reserve. 90th Div, directed
to attack with 5th Div across the Moselle,
moves assault regts to Moselle R line. XX Corps
completes preparations for offensive. Clearing
Bausendorf with dismounted inf and taking bridge
near Olkenbach, CCA of 10th Armd Div drives from
Alf R to the Moselle; on commanding ground opposite
Bullay it is relieved by 76th Div of XII Corps. 1st
Bn of 417th Inf, after regaining hill near Mertesdorf
in surprise attack before dawn, is relieved by 3d Cav
Gp, which improves positions SE of Mertesdorf
under heavy enemy fire.
6th Army Group: U.S. Seventh Army is regrouping
extensively for assault on West Wall. 3d and 45th
Divs are attached to XV Corps.
EASTERN EUROPE—First White Russian Front
forces capture Kuestrin, enemy stronghold astride
the Oder on E approach to Berlin, after prolonged
fighting; continue reduction of German bridgehead
E of Stettin. Troops of Second White Russian Front
close in on Danzig and Gdynia, thrusting to Gulf of
Danzig N of Gdynia.
BURMA—In Br Fourteenth Army’s 33 Corps area,
Ind 20th Div is rapidly clearing region SW of Mandalay
and takes communications center of Myotha.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s XIV Corps area,
6th Div commits 20th Inf to attack against Shimbu
line, repels further small-scale enemy counterattacks.
20th Inf, driving E on left flank of div, gains its
objective. 1st Cav Div is withdrawn from line for
well-earned rest. 43d Div holds positions to S of 6th
Div, previously zone of 1st Cav Div. Patrol of 103d
Inf finds Antipolo undefended and in ruins. In 11th
A/B Div sector of S Luzon, 3d Bn of 158th Inf
drives on Mabini, at neck of Calumpan Peninsula,
until stopped N of Mainaga by Japanese. Strong
Japanese positions on Mt Bijang are being neutralized
by aircraft and arty. In I Corps area, 2d Bn of
128th Inf, 32d Div, on Villa Verde Trail, is attached
to 127th Inf in order to increase pressure toward
Salacsac Pass No. 2. 3d Bn of 35th Inf, 25th Div,
holds roadblock on Old Spanish Trail a little N of
Salazar, but efforts to continue along this axis are
abandoned as impracticable.
S PHILIPPINES—In U.S. Eighth Army area,
162d Inf reaches Recodo on Caldera Pt, Mindanao,
and finds abandoned enemy positions. Co C drives
to Masilay, NW of San Roque. Elements of 3d Bn
reach village 1,500 yards NE of San Roque, which
Japanese are defending stoutly. Co B of 19th Inf
lands on Simara without opposition at dawn after
naval bombardment and diversionary air attack on
another part of island. On Romblon, Co C of 19th
Inf takes Romblon town with ease and begins clearing
scattered opposition elsewhere on the island.