1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 13 APRIL 1945 ]
Bohol, where main Japanese forces are reported to
be disposed.
NEI—93d Div, U.S. Eighth Army, assumes
tactical control of Morotai, relieving 31st Div.
RYUKYU Is.—Enemy air effort shifts from TF
58 to ships anchored at Okinawa and the picket line,
with suiciders still playing a major role. Two Allied
ships are sunk, one of them the DD M. L. Abele,
and a number of other vessels are hit. Ground reconnaissance
of Minna I., S of Ie Shima, by Amphib
Rcn Bn of FMF Pac, during night 12–13, discloses
no enemy troops.
In U.S. Tenth Army’s XXIV Corps area, action
on Okinawa is confined to patrolling and mopping
up bypassed pockets, except for further abortive
efforts by elements of 96th Div to take Kakazu
Ridge. After intense preparatory bombardment,
Japanese begin a series of counterattacks in evening,
mainly against 96th Div. American lines hold, but
some enemy succeed in infiltrating.
U.S.—President Franklin Delano Roosevelt dies
suddenly in Warm Springs, Georgia.
13 April
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Cdn
First Army area, Cdn I Corps continues battle for
Arnhem. Cdn 1st Div, driving toward Apeldoorn,
is transferred to I Corps from 2 Corps.
In Br Second Army area, 30 Corps, continuing
toward Bremen, reaches Cloppenburg–Goldenstedt
area. 3d Div returns to corps to assist in drive on
Bremen. 12 Corps expands Rethem bridgehead toward
Soltau. 8 Corps continues toward Uelzen.
12th Army Group: In U.S. Ninth Army area, 8th
Armd Div, upon relief in XVI Corps zone by 95th
Div, moves to Wolfenbuettel area, where it is held
in army reserve. CCB ( — ) proceeds to Halberstadt
to defend right flank of XIX Corps. In XIII Corps
area, 5th Armd Div, mopping up along the Elbe,
clears a number of towns, among them Tangermuende.
84th and 102d Divs continue eastward toward
the Elbe. In XIX Corps area, CCB of 2d
Armd Div, unable to expand Elbe bridgehead,
moves S at night to new site in Elbenau–Gruenwalde
area. CCA and CCR contain Magdeburg and probe
into its outskirts. 30th Div forces reach the Elbe
on left flank of corps. 83d Div establishes bridgehead
across the Elbe at Barby with elements of 329th and
331st Regts. RCT 330 passes to corps control and
continues clearing Harz Mts in conjunction with
VII Corps, First Army. In XVI Corps area, 75th
Div clears all of its sector N of the Ruhr from Witten
to Westhofen except for town of Herdecke. 79th
Div begins occupation of new sector, relieving elements
of 75th and 35th Divs. 35th Div, less 134th
Inf, which is temporarily attached to 79th Div,
[ 491 ]
passes to operational control of XIX Corps. 17th
A/B Div performs military government duties on
W flank of corps and is joined by 194th Gli Inf.
In TF Twaddle sector, 95th Div’s 378th Inf, reinf
by bn of 377th, completes capture of Dortmund,
which Allied planes have left in ruins. 379th Inf
completes drive S to the Ruhr; as regimental zone
is extended to Westhofen, moves 3d Bn westward
toward this final objective. TF Faith is dissolved
at noon when 15th Cav Gp takes over its Ruhr
sector. At 2400, TF Twaddle is dissolved, but 95th
Div retains control of 15th Cav Gp.
In U.S. First Army area, XVIII Corps (A/B)
pursues rapidly withdrawing enemy. After regrouping,
CCB of 13th Armd Div, followed by CCR,
thrusts northward from Dunnwald area; CCA
drives to positions near Bensburg. 97th Div pushes
northward behind armor, mopping up. 78th Div
reaches line extending from Wipperfuerth southwestward;
on right flank takes Wipperfuerth and
Hueckeswagen, final objectives of 13th Armd Div,
without a fight. 8th Div, replacing 121st Inf on
right with 13th, races NW toward stop line SW of
Hagen, 28th Inf heading for Schwelm and 13th Inf
reaching Milspe–Vorde area. On right flank of
corps, 86th Div’s 341st Inf, motorized, dashes from
Hilchenbach to stop line in Hagen area; 342d Inf
seizes Luedenscheid and heads for Hohenlimburg;
343d clears Herscheid, Huinghausen, and Plettenberg.
In III Corps area, RCT’s 10 and 2 of 5th Div
drive NW between Ruhr and Honne Rivers to line
Herdringen–Holzen–Boeingsen. CCA, 7th Armd
Div, assisted by left flank elements of 5th Div,
moves NW toward Hemer. 99th Div, with 394th
Inf on right, 395th in center, and 3934 on left, advances
quickly on left flank of corps, clearing resistance
bypassed by 7th Armd Div m region S and
SW of Sorpe Staubecken Lake. 14th Cav Gp takes
over zone of 9th Div. 9th Div ( — RCT’s 47 and
60) is attached to VII Corps. In VII Corps area, 3d
Armd Div drives E to Saale R at Alsleben, Nelben,
and Friedeburg and crosses dismounted elements;
constructs bridges, night 13–14. 1st Div and attached
4th Cav Gp begin systematic clearing of Harz Mts.
100th Div continues to block along S perimeter of
Harz Mts on left rear and drives E on right; organizes
TF Kelleher (414th Inf ( — ) and Div Rcn
Tr, strongly reinf) to spearhead drive to the Saale
and Halle. 9th Div ( — ) assembles in Nordhausen
area and regains control of RCT 47. RCT 39 begins
relief of 414th Inf, 104th Div, near Nordhausen. In
V Corps area, CCA of 9th Armd Div drives E
through Naumberg to the Weisse-Elster in vicinity
of Pegau and then goes on the defensive. CCB
awaits bridge construction at Weissenfels. CCR,
upon securing bridge NE of Zeitz, abandons attack
on Zeitz and crosses to reach positions S of Leipzig.