1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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area. On Negros, 185th Inf, 40th Div, reaches Lantawan
Plateau and starts to clear it. 160th continues
futile efforts to take Hill 3155.
RYUKYU Is.—On Ie Shima, main effort of 77th
Div shifts from S to N, where 306th Inf succeeds in
enveloping the Pinnacle (Iegusugu Mountain).
307th and 305th Regts continue attack on the S,
getting upon Bloody Ridge.
In U.S. Tenth Army area on Okinawa, XXIV
Corps inches forward in some sectors against furious
opposition. 165th Inf, 27th Div, committed on right
flank, is stalled for the next week by enemy position
called “Item Pocket,” N of Gusukuma. 106th and
105th Regts battle for Urasoe-Mura Escarpment
against bitter opposition from West and East Pinnacles,
key features near Iso Village. 2d Bn, 105th,
bypasses East Pinnacle and reaches the escarpment
but is surrounded there by Japanese. 1st Bn, 105th,
is given task of eliminating bypassed resistance in
Kakazu area and progresses well during day, but
Japanese reoccupy the area in strength, night 20–21.
96th Div clears rest of Tombstone Ridge and continues
attack for Nishibaru Ridge. 7th Div is unable
to advance in Rocky Crags area but gains weak hold
on Ouki Hill, between Hill 178 and Skyline Ridge.
In III Amphib Corps area, 6th Mar Div finishes
clearing Motobu Peninsula. Except for small enemy
groups, corps zone on N Okinawa is now clear.
Mopping up and rcn of small islands off shore
continue.
21 April
U.S.—JCS approve BETA, projected operation to
take Canton-Hong Kong area and thus secure
coastal port. This plan is subsequently revised and
known by code names RASHNESS and CARBONADO.
WESTERN EUROPE—12th Army Group: In U.S.
Ninth Army’s XIII Corps area, 29th Div, driving
NE against light resistance, reaches general line
Guelden–Dalldorf–Salkau–Gielau–Erpensen. 5th
Armd Div attacks to right from line’ Daehre–Salzwedel.
CCA, on left, reaches Gaddau area against
opposition so firm that it delays jump-off of CCR
until 1500; one CCR column clears woods near Bombeck
while another advances along Salzwedel–Luechow
road to Saasse. 84th Div attacks to clear
Wahrenberg–Pretzetze sector along the Elbe, employing
two bns of 335th Inf and one of 333d;
reaches line Gorleben–Gartow–Kapern. 11th Cav
Gp and 175th Inf of 29th Div eliminate enemy in
Forst Kloetze. In XIX Corps area, 83d Div relieves
RCT 320 in Elbe bridgehead with 330th Inf. RCT
320 reverts to 35th Div. 8th Armd Div completes
mop up of Harz Mts, reaching army boundary at
Michaelstein and Cattenstedt. 2d Armd Div elements
begin search of Forst Konigslutter.
In U.S. First Army area, XVIII Corps (A/B) is
ordered to assemble in Uelzen–Lueneburg–Celle
[ 21 APRIL 1945 ]
area by 30 April to protect Br Second Army E flank;
be prepared to secure Elbe bridge site; and to participate
in further operations on army order. Corps will
command Br 6th A/B Div and U.S. 7th Armd, 8th
Inf, and 82d A/B Divs. 13th Armd and 97th Inf
Divs pass to Third Army control. In VII Corps area,
3d Armd Div, with maximum arty support, begins
assault on Dessau, employing elements of three combat
commands; clears SW part of city in house-tohouse
battle. While two CCA TF’s push NE through
Alten into Dessau, CCR column mops up Klein and
Gross Kuehnau, just W of the city, and CCB TF
drives N to Dessau, where it is pinched out by CCA.
Other elements of 3d Armd Div continue to clear
along the Mulde on right flank of div. 104th Div
finishes clearing its sector to Mulde R line, taking
rest of Bitterfeld and Delitzsch. 1st and 9th Divs
mop up in Harz Mts; 9th Div prepares to move E
to relieve 3d Armd Div elements along the Mulde.
In V Corps area, 2d and 69th Divs complete relief
of 9th Armd Div along the Mulde. 9th Armd Div
moves to Borna–Taucha region as reserve. 1st Bn of
271st Inf, 69th Div, begins assault on Eilenburg.
Mopping up is conducted throughout corps zone.
In U.S. Third Army’s VIII Corps area, 28th Sq
of 6th Cav Gp finishes clearing right flank of corps
to Czechoslovakian border and crosses to reach Rossbach
and Gottmannsgruen. In XII Corps area, 11th
Armd Div continues combing Grafenwohr area and
prepares for drive on Weiden and Chain. Arty
pounds Weiden throughout night 21–22. 26th Div
attacks with 104th Inf on left and 328th on right,
101st being pinched out, and reaches line Parkstein–
Schwarzenbach–Kaltenbrunn–Gressenwohr, overtaking
11th Armd Div, which it begins relieving of
guard duty at Grafenwohr. 90th Div thrusts quickly
SE with 358th and 357th Regts abreast, 358th driving
through Mitterteich to Falkenberg and 357th
taking Windischeschenbach and positions near
Wildenreuth; blocking along left flank, 90th Rcn Tr
overruns Tirschenreuth while 359th Inf clears
Schirnding and Waldsassen. XX Corps establishes
restraining line Hahnbach–Lauterhofen–Neumarkt
since III Corps has not yet closed along its right
flank. 71st Div reduces stubborn enemy pockets on
its flanks and cuts Sulzbach–Nuremberg highway
and rail line. 65th Div clears many villages en route
to limiting line and gains about half of Neumarkt.
3d Cav Gp gets into position to attack through 71st
and 65th Divs. 80th Div starts to Nuremberg to relieve
3d Div, Seventh Army. In III Corps area, 14th
Cav Gp assembles in Fuerth area and prepares to
take over assigned sector on left flank of corps as it is
uncovered by 14th Armd Div (XV Corps), which
is pushing S across corps front. 394th Inf, 99th Div,
relieves 42d Div (XV Corps) of responsibility for