1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 21 APRIL 1945 ]
Fuerth. 86th Div concentrates in vicinity of Ansbach.
20th Armd Div closes in Oberzenn area.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army area,
XV Corps regroups for drive on Munich and probes
southward. 3d Div, under army control, is responsible
for security of Nuremberg. In XXI Corps
area, CCA of 12th Armd Div speeds S from Dinkelsbuehl,
toward the Danube, reaching Elchingen and
Bopfingen. CCB starts S from Feuchtwangen toward
the Danube. 4th Div continues S, gaining 6–8 miles
along entire front. 8th Inf, heading for Ellwangen,
gets advance elements to Stocken. TF Rodwell (12th
Inf (motorized), 4th Rcn Tr, and supporting units)
is formed for attack on Aalen and drives S through
22d Inf to vicinity of Jagstzell, between Crailsheim
and Ellwangen. 22d Inf clears Crailsheim with little
difficulty. 63d Div makes substantial gains on right
flank of corps against light resistance; 255th Inf
sends motorized TF’s forward to block exits from
Gaildorf and Schwaebisch Gmuend. In VI Corps
area, CCA of 10th Armd Div consolidates in Kirchheim
until relieved by 103d Div; CCB drives SE to
Westernheim and Donnstetten; CCR advances to
Gosbach. 44th Div follows on heels of armor with
71st Inf on right and 324th on left; 114th Inf continues
to block Schwaebisch Gmuend–Gaildorf sector.
103d Div closes in corps zone and advances S
behind armor, passing through elements of 44th and
100th Divs. 410th Inf relieves 10th Armd Div forces
at Kirchheim; 411th, after taking Schorndorf and
Rems crossings, gets elements beyond Hegenlohe;
409th follows 411th. On W flank of corps, 100th Div
seizes bridges across the Rems and drives to within
2 miles of Stuttgart; 398th Inf assembles at Winnenden
upon relief by 410th Inf of 103d Div.
Seventh Army sets corps W boundary along the
Neckar from Stuttgart E to junction with the Fils
and thence S to Rottweil; revokes provision of field
order directing corps to advance S beyond line Rottweil–Sigmaringen.
In Fr 1st Army’s 2d Corps area, 5th Armed Div
enters Stuttgart from the S and quickly occupies the
city. In 1st Corps area, 1st Armd Div speeds SE to
the Danube on left flank of corps: left column
reaches Sigmaringen; right column crosses the Danube
in Tuttlingen area and drives to Stockach, within
a few kilometers of Lake Constance. Groupement
Le Bel reaches Swiss frontier at Schaffhausen. Elements
of Groupement Valluy overrun Emmendingen
and Frieburg. Other Fr forces cross the Rhine
and seize Vieux Brisach.
EASTERN EUROPE—Red Army is developing
pincers movement against Berlin. Forces of First
White Russian Front, constituting right prong, continue
broad frontal assault on the city from the E,
penetrating into suburbs. Elements of First Ukrainian
Front that form left prong wheel northward
[ 509 ]
toward the German capital while others of the
front continue W toward Dresden and Leipzig.
ITALY—15th Army Group: U.S. Fifth Army
drives into Bologna, its objective for many months,
and races toward the Po across open ground containing
excellent road network. In IV Corps area,
TF Duff (Brig Gen Robinson E. Duff), consisting
of tanks, TD’s, engineers, and infantry, spearheads
pursuit by 10th Mtn Div, reaching Panaro R at
Bomporto and taking bridge intact. 1st Armd Div
and 85th Div advance on flanks of 10th Mtn Div.
In II Corps area, 3d Bn of 133d Inf, 34th Div,
mounted on tanks, drives into Bologna during
morning, shortly after the city has been entered by
Pol forces, and is joined there later in day by rest
of 133d Inf, Legnano Gp, and right flank elements
of 91st Div. 34th Div is placed under army command
to garrison Bologna. Legnano Gp goes into
corps reserve. To left, 91st Div takes M. Sabbiuno,
S of Bologna. S African 6th Armd Div moves forward
to exploit, heading for S. Giovanni road center,
NW of Bologna. 88th Div passes through S
African 6th Armd Div near this objective and takes
S. Giovanni, night 21–22.
In Br Eighth Army area, 10 Corps is pinched out
upon fall of Bologna and reverts to army reserve.
In Pol 2 Corps area, 9th Bn of 3d Brig, 3d Carpathian
Div, reaches center of Bologna by 0600.
Army then orders corps into reserve. In 5 Corps
area, 6th Armd Div reaches Poggio Renatico. Ind
8th Div is withdrawn from reserve to drive on
Ferrara so that 6th Armd Div can push W.
BURMA—In Br Fourteenth Army’s 33 Corps
area, Ind 7th Div surrounds Yenangyaung, where
enemy delaying force is prepared to make firm stand
to cover withdrawal to Allanmyo. In 4 Corps area,
Ind 5th Div continues rapidly S toward Toungoo,
leaving 9th Brig to assist Ind 17th Div in clearing
Pyinmana.
CHINA—Air movement of Ch 22d Div to Chihchiang
(Operation ROOSTER) is begun. Ch 14th Div
follows some days later, transported on trucks
manned by U.S. 475th Inf. Japanese are progressing
westward toward Chihchiang, making main effort
along road from Pao-ching. Their spearheads are
being engaged in Keosha Tungkow area. On flanks,
enemy forces are threatening Wukang, NW of
Hsinning, and hold positions on mountain called
Paima Shan.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s I Corps area,
battle of Irisan R bridge site ends as 148th Inf, 37th
Div, takes last of the ridges; upon completion of
temporary bridge, crosses to continue drive on
Baguio. 130th Inf, 33d Div, begins attack on Asin
tunnel positions from N. 35th Inf, 25th Div, finally
captures Kapintalan, opening Highway 5 as far N as
Kapintalan Ridge. Elements of 27th Inf on Mt.