1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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mander. Commander Forward Area takes responsibility
for defense and development of Iwo Jima.
5th Mar Div turns over its zone to 3d Mar Div and
continues to re-embark. RCT 9 of 3d Mar Div and
RCT 147 (AUS) are now jointly responsible for
defense of Iwo Jima. RCT 21, 3d Mar Div, re-embarks
for return to Guam. Japanese suffer and exact
heavy casualties during their losing battle; for the
first and last time, inflict about as many casualties
on U.S. forces as they suffer. The enemy force of almost
23,000 defending the island is practically annihilated.
U.S. casualties exceed 20,000, about one
third of the total assault force strength of some
60,000; more than 5,500 are killed in action. The
Iwo victory gives the U.S. an air base for operations
against the Japanese Empire, affords protection for
previously captured Pacific bases, and tightens sea
and air blockade of Japan.
RYUKYU Is.—Invasion stage of Operation ICEBERG
starts with preliminary landings by 77th Div, reinf,
on Kerama Is. to secure seaplane base and fleet
anchorages in preparation for main invasion of Okinawa.
After naval and aerial bombardment, 4 BLT’s
of 77th Div land on as many islands of the Kerama
group almost simultaneously: BLT 3, RCT 305, lands
first, at 0804, on Aka I. and with little difficulty secures
town of Aka and clears two thirds of the island;
BLT 1, RCT 306, seizes Geruma I., where howitzers
are unloaded to support future
operations; BLT 2, RCT 306, takes Hokaji I. without
opposition; BLT 1, RCT 305, secures about a
third of Zamami I. and holds firm against counterattacks.
So successful are scheduled landings that a
reserve force (BLT 2, RCT 307) lands on Yakabi I.
in afternoon and clears it with ease. Patrols of Fleet
Marine Force Amphib Rcn Bn, attached to 77th
Div, land on Keise I., within arty range of most of
southern Okinawa, and find it free of enemy. Warships
and planes from fast and escort carriers of
Fifth Fleet support ground operations. Enemy air
reaction to the invasion is light, consisting largely
of uncoordinated attacks on shipping by suicide
planes. Air and long-range naval, gunfire bombardment
of Okinawa continues. British carrier task
force (TF 57) begins neutralization of Sakishima Is.
27 March
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Br Second
Army’s 30 Corps area, 51st Div reaches the
Issel at Isselburg and is relieved by Br 3d Div. 43d
Div reaches Mechelen. In 12 Corps area, Raesfeld
falls to 7th Armd Div. XVIII Corps (A/B) advances
rapidly through Wesel Forest and gains up to 9,000
yards. Br 6th A/B Div reaches Phase Line PARIS
by daybreak; upon order to exploit gains, continues
E to Erle. U.S. 17th A/B Div’s 194th Gli Inf takes
[ 27 MARCH 1945 ]
positions near Erle–Schermbeck road. 6th Gds Armd
Brig, reinf by 513th Para Inf ( — ) of U.S. 17th A/B
Div, attacks toward Dorsten through elements of
U.S. 17th A/B Div, night 27–28.
In U.S. Ninth Army’s XVI Corps area, 119th Inf
of 30th Div completes capture of Gahlen and continues
E; 117th, turning N, clears Besten; 120th
takes commanding ground near Kirchhellen. 35th
Div, with 134th Inf on left and 137th on right, attacks
between 30th and 79th Divs from positions
near Kirchhellen and gains several hundred yards
before encountering stiff resistance. 79th Div
presses slowly southward toward the Ruhr, clearing
Schmachtendorf, Wehofen, and Sterkrade Holten;
some elements cross Emser Canal E of Orsoy and
others halt at line of canal. 8th Armd Div closes in
assembly areas E of the Rhine. 290th Inf, 75th Div,
is detached from 30th Div and attached to 8th Armd
Div.
12th Army Group: In U.S. First Army’s VII
Corps area, 3d Armd Div’s CC Hickey makes spectacular
dash to Dill R at Herborn and Burg and
secures crossings; continuing E throughout night
26–27 and on 27th, CC Howze reaches Loehnfeld
and positions near Heisterberg. 1st and 104th Divs
continue to follow armor, former clearing resistance
to Breitscheidt and latter advancing unopposed to
within 3 miles of Dill R. 78th Div consolidates on
wide front along the Sieg. 4th Cav Gp ( — ) assembles
E of the Rhine to relieve 1st Div progressively of
Stromberg–Roth sector. 86th Div closes in assembly
areas W of the Rhine. In III Corps area, 7th Armd
Div drives NE to Dill R between Herborn and Wetzlar
against scattered resistance. CCR gains
crossings at Sinn, Edingen, and Katzenfurt; CCA
crosses at Asslar and Hermannstein. 9th and 99th
Divs follow armor closely. 9th reaches Dill R line
and relieves CCR of responsibility for crossings in
Sinn–Katzenfurt region; is reinf by 32d Sq, 14th
Cav Gp. 99th Div drives to Sainscheid–Wilsenroth–
Friekhofen–Niederzeuzheim region, S of Westerburg.
In V Corps area, 2d Div finishes clearing its
zone and mops up stragglers. Diez surrenders to
CCA, 9th Armd Div, which crosses dismounted infantry
over the Lahn on improvised footbridge;
some CCB elements take Lahn bridge at Aumenau
intact, while others take up positions at Hadamar
and on W bank of the Lahn at Weilburg; CCR displaces
to Offheim area, near Limburg, crosses the
Lahn, and drives SE along Cologne–Frankfurt Autobahn
toward Niedernhausen in effort to make contact
with U.S. Third Army. 69th Div crosses additional
elements over the Rhine and attacks E of the
river with RCT 272, clearing region across from
Koblenz, where Luftwaffe citadel at Ehrenbreitstein
is captured, and taking Lahn R towns of Bad Ems
and Nassau. 106th Cav Rcn Sq clears high ground