1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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back to more tenable positions in outskirts. 306th
Inf makes substantial progress against lighter opposition
in region N of Iegusugu, pushing eastward
to line from NE base of Iegusugu to NE coast.
Disabled B–29 lands on Okinawa. U.S. Tenth Army
CP opens ashore on Okinawa. In III Amphib Corps
area, marines pursue enemy northward across
Itomi–Manna road; subsequently patrol extensively
and reduce bypassed pockets in N Okinawa. In
XXIV Corps area, Co G of 106th Inf, 27th Div,
in preparation for main attack of corps on 19th,
crosses Machinato Inlet secretly, starting at 1630,
and secures Machinato village to enable engineers
to bridge the inlet. A footbridge is completed by
midnight and 106th Inf troops start across it without
arousing enemy.
19 April
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Br Second
Army area, 30 Corps, reinf by 52d Div, begins
assault on Bremen. While 3d Div attacks the portion
W of the Weser frontally, 52d Div, with elements
of 43d Div under command, begins crossing the
Weser to strike at the city from the SE. In 12 Corps
area, 7th Armd Div, driving rapidly N, cuts
Bremen–Hamburg Autobahn. In 8 Corps area, 11th
Armd Div reaches the Elbe in Lauenburg area.
12th Army Group: In U.S. Ninth Army’s XIII
Corps area, 5th Armd Div is assisted by arty and
aircraft in destroying enemy troops attempting to
escape through its zone. 44th Sq, 11th Cav Gp,
moves out to contain and determine strength of
enemy seeking to move through Forst Kloetze toward
Harz Mts. XIX Corps maintains and improves
defensive positions along the Elbe. 113th Cav Gp
closes along the Elbe on right flank of corps from
Breitenhagen southward, relieving RCT 320 of 83d
Div, which in turn relieves CCR of 2d Armd Div
on N flank of 83d Div bridgehead. 83d Div continues
to improve positions E of the Elbe and comb
Harz Mts to right rear. 8th Armd Div passes to
corps control and CCA and CCB revert to it; prepares
to clear Blankenburg area, at E edge of Harz
Mts. XVI Corps begins period of regrouping, occupation,
and military government. Its zone includes
all Ninth Army territory W of the Weser and is
held by: XVI Corps Arty, with 15th Cav Gp attached;
95th Div; 79th Div, with 18th AAA Gp
attached; and 17th A/B Div.
In U.S. First Army’s XVIII Corps (A/B) area,
8th Div extends W to the Rhine, relieving 13th
Armd Div. 13th Armd and 97th Inf Divs prepare to
join Third Army. 78th Div is placed under direct
control of First Army. In VII Corps area, CCR of
3d Armd Div endeavors to oust enemy from Bobbau-Steinfurth
and Wolfen, on right flank of div,
partially clearing both towns; CCA and CCB col-
[ 19 APRIL 1945 ]
umns gain ground near Torten; other elements of
CCA seize a number of towns generally N of Koethen.
TF Kelleher, 100th Div, completes capture
of Halle by 1055 and then clears Radewell and
Dieskau. 413th Inf attacks through 415th toward
Delitzsch and reaches Zschernitz. 415th improves
positions near Bitterfeld and clears Petersroda, just
E of Roitzsch. Against crumbling resistance, 1st
Div moves forward in Harz Mts: 26th Inf begins
attack on hill that commands div sector; 16th takes
Elbingrode and Huettenrode; 18th clears S part of
Thale. Organized resistance in 9th Div zone ends
as div reaches N boundary of corps and makes
contact with adjacent friendly units. Enemy pocket
continues to hold out SE of Ballenstedt. TF X is dissolved.
In V Corps area, 2d and 69th Divs complete
capture of Leipzig.
In U.S. Third Army area, VIII Corps consolidates
along restraining line and patrols eastward. Boundary
on right is altered to extend along N boundary
of Bavaria to Czechoslovakian border. 6th Cav Gp
continues patrolling toward Czechoslovakia. 4th
Armd Div assembles as reserve. XII Corps attacks
SE, air and arty softening resistance to front with
very good effect. 11th Armd Div, with CCA on
left and CCB on right, converges on Grafenwohr
and clears it; is ordered to halt there. 26th Div,
with 3 regts abreast, drives almost due S to general
line Trostau-Birk. 90th Div advances SE on left
flank of corps: 358th Inf, on left, takes Rehau and
pushes toward Selb; 357th, on right, gets forward
elements to Wunsiedel. XX Corps issues order for
final drive into Austria, designating 71st Div (temporarily
under XV Corps) and 65th Div as initial
assault forces and 80th Inf and 13th Armd Divs
(13th under XVIII Corps) as reserve; 3d Cav Gp
will protect flanks of corps. 71st Div continues SE
toward Amberg. 80th Div closes in assembly area
and conducts training and rehabilitation. III Corps
continues movement to Bavaria and takes control
of 20th Armd Div from First Army.
In U.S. Fifteenth Army area, XXIII Corps relieves
elements of 10th Div in Koblenz and Pfalz
areas.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army area,
XV Corps continues assault on Nuremberg, breaking
into the inner walled city. 42d Div, transferred
to corps from XXI Corps, clears Fuerth, a western
suburb of Nuremberg, and pushes into Nuremberg.
14th Armd Div, with mission of protecting left
flank and rear of 45th Div, relieves 106th Cav Gp
of this task. XXI Corps takes command of 63d Div,
previously on left flank of VI Corps, in place. CCR
and CCB, 12th Armd Div, complete capture of Ansbach,
relieving elements of 4th Div there, and push
quickly toward Feuchtwangen. Moving E to block
enemy escape from Nuremberg, CCA estab-