1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 17 MARCH 1945 ]
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XXI
Corps area, 63d Div continues attack to develop
West Wall positions on right flank of corps. In XV
Corps area, while 45th and 3d Divs continue attacks
against outer defenses of West Wall, tooth Div finishes
clearing Bitche and environs. In VI Corps
area, 42d Div penterates enemy positions near Baerenthal.
103d clears Zinswiller and Oberbronn and
reaches outskirts of Reichshoffen. After massed arty
fire, 142d Inf of 36th Div crosses Zintzel R
and captures Mertzwiller; 141st continues drive in
Haguenau Forest; motorized column of 143d (1st
Bn, reinf) speeds toward Soultz until stopped by
enemy below Eberbach. German withdrawal on
right flank of corps permits 3d Algerian Div to move
forward rapidly.
EASTERN EUROPE—From Szekesfehervar region
of Hungary, Soviet forces open drive on Vienna.
BURMA—In NCAC area, CAI troops reach
Hsipaw, NE of Kyaukme. Joint Chiefs of Staff
suggest that U.S. TF MARS and Ch 38th, 50th, and
30th Divs be flown to China in transports of NCAC
as well as those of China Theater and ATC.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s I Corps area,
35th Inf of 25th Div, leaving 3d Bn to maintain
roadblock on Old Spanish Trail in Salazar area,
starts forward to relieve 1st Bn, 27th Inf. In XI
Corps area, 6th Div prepares to renew eastward
drive against Shimbu line. 172d Inf, 43d Div, is still
unable to progress in Sugar Loaf Hill area; 103d
seizes Bench Mark 20, 1 1/2 miles N of Teresa, and
drives to crest of Bench Mark 7, last enemy strongpoint
W of Morong R Valley. In XIV Corps area,
3d Bn of 158th Inf reaches Mabini. This completes
capture of Calumpan Peninsula.
S PHILIPPINES—In U.S. Eighth Army area, in
preparation for assault landing by 40th Div on
Panay, arty cub planes are flown in to guerrilla-built
airstrip in N part of island. On Mindanao, Co F
of 162d Inf, 41st Div, reinf, moves by water from
Zamboanga to Basilan I. and lands without opposition
after 30-minute naval gunfire bombardment by
a DD.
IWO JIMA—Iwo Jima is declared secure at 1800,
though enemy continues to hold out on northern
tip. RCT 25 eliminates pocket on 4th Mar Div
right flank; RCT 23 is relieved by RCT 24 and
re-embarks. 3d Mar Div, whose left boundary is
changed, relieves left flank elements of 5th Mar
Div with RCT 21, which, after arty preparation,
drives N to coast at Kitano Pt against scattered
resistance; RCT 9 overcomes organized resistance
on div right flank. 5th Mar Div’s RCT 26 inches
forward 200 yards while RCT 28 continues clearing
along gorge across its front and supports RCT 26
with fire; RCT 27, upon relief by 3d Mar Div,
assembles as reserve. Center Airfield is operational.
17 March
[ 441 ]
WESTERN EUROPE—12th Army Group: In U.S.
First Army’s VII Corps area, 1st Div begins attack
E of the Rhine toward Sieg R: 18th Inf, on left,
passes through 309th Inf, on 78th Div right, and
takes limited objectives in Grafenhohn–Huscheid
region; 26th takes crossroads E of Himberg and
drives on Hill 363, S of Wullscheid. Elements of
16th Inf assemble E of the Rhine. 78th Div regroups
and provides fire support for 1st Div. 3d
Armd Div, held in reserve, releases 13th Inf to 8th
Div and recovers CC Howze from attachment to
1st Div. In III Corps area, Maj Gen James A. Van
Fleet takes command of corps, relieving Gen Milliken.
Ludendorff RR bridge collapses while under
repair but other bridges have been constructed.
Ground opposition continues to slacken. 9th Div
cuts autobahn near Windhagen, overruns Vettelschoss,
and partly clears high ground along the
Wied E of Strodt. 99th Div gains initial objectives.
While 394th Inf overcomes strong opposition in
Honningen, 393d clears Hausen and Solscheid and
395th consolidates along the Wied and searches for
crossing sites. 18th Sq, 14th Cav Gp, is attached to
99th Div.
In U.S. Third Army’s VIII Corps area, 345th Inf
of 87th Div crosses 2d Bn over the Moselle near
Guels after 3d Bn clears Moselweiss, then attacks E
through Koblenz with 2d and 3d Bns while 1st
remains in S outskirts; about a third of the city is
cleared in house-to-house fighting. 347th Inf presses
SE toward the Rhine, overrunning Waldesch, entering
Rhens, and reaching positions near river
bend NW of Osterpai. Bridges are completed at
Winningen and Kobern. 28th Div is assembling in
Nieder Mendig sector. In XII Corps area, 357th Inf
of 80th Div seizes Boppard against light resistance;
elements of 358th clear St Goarer Stadtwald; TF
Spiess finishes clearing along the Rhine from Boppard
to St Goar and receives surrender of latter.
2d Cav Gp, attached to 80th Div since that unit is
to extend right boundary along the Rhine to Bingen,
relieves 80th Div of Boppard–St Goar–Oberwesel
sector and makes contact with VIII Corps. On 4th
Armd Div right, CCB enlarges Nahe bridgehead
and in evening begins assault on Bad Kreuznach.
CCA fords the Nahe and thrusts toward Sprendlingen,
overrunning Ippesheim, Biebelsheim, and
Zotzenheim. TF Breckenridge, 5th Div, gets advance
elements to Waldboeckelheim but rest of
column and 2d Inf halt near Tiefenbach; 11th Inf
reaches Riesweiler, Argenthal, and Ellern. 89th Div
expands and consolidates Bullay bridgehead and is
passed through by 11th Armd Div. 11th Armd Div
begins drive toward the Rhine at Worms at noon:
CCB moves through Atlay and Lauzenhausen to