1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

[ 27 APRIL 1945 ]
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s I Corps area,
Mt Mirador falls to 129th Inf, 37th Div. In 33d Div
sector, 1st Bn of 130th Inf and 1st Bn of 123d Inf
find Dominican hill virtually deserted by enemy. 2d
Bn of 161st Inf, 25th Div, secures approach to
Kembu Plateau and for the next few days mops up
and patrols.
S PHILIPPINES—In U.S. Eighth Army area, 34th
Inf of 24th Div continues toward Digos on Mindanao,
hampered by demolitions and delaying obstacles
left behind by Japanese. 124th Inf, 31st Div, gets
into position for drive up Sayre Highway. 2d Bn,
which is to lead, arrives at Pikit by water. On Negros,
RCT 164 (less 3d Bn) of Americal Div makes
unopposed landing on SE coast of Negros Oriental in
vicinity of Looc, N of Dumaguete. 1st Bn lands
first and takes Dumaguete airfield and city without
incident. 2d Bn follows 1st Bn ashore and moves
inland to San Antonio, thence S to Ocoy R, where
small enemy group is encountered. Contact is made
during day with 40th Div Rcn Tr, which has driven
down from the N, and with Filipino guerrillas. In
Negros Occidental, fighting continues on slopes of
Hill 3155, where enemy continues to hold out against
40th Div forces. 185th Inf finishes clearing Lantawan
Plateau and releases 2d Bn to 160th Inf in order
to strengthen assault on Hill 3155.
RYUKYU Is.—On Ie Shima, 77th Div, having
completed mop up of island, turns over command
to ISCOM Ie Shima.
U.S. Tenth Army learns that projected invasion
of Miyako, in Sakishima Group, is postponed indefinitely.
III Amphib Corps, tentatively earmarked
to undertake the Miyako operation instead of V
Amphib Corps as planned originally, is thus free
for commitment in S Okinawa. On Okinawa, XXIV
Corps begins assault on next Shuri defense line
after extensive preparatory fire. 165th Inf, 27th Div,
continues reduction of Item Pocket while 105th Inf
pushes forward to Nakama and organizes defensive
positions. 96th Div, with 381st Inf on right
and 383d on left, attacks for Maeda Escarpment,
also called Big Escarpment, the E part of Urasoe-
Mura Escarpment. Maeda Escarpment has at its
E tip a lofty rock formation designated Needle Rock.
Elements of div reach crest of the escarpment, where
they meet furious opposition from enemy on reverse
slopes. Supporting armor, however, pushes
into village of Maeda, on reverse slope. 17th Inf, 7th
Div, tries in vain to advance around W and E sides
of Kochi Ridge though it gains weak hold on E
side with platoon of Co G.
27 April
WESTERN EUROPE—21 Army Group: In Br Second
Army area, U.S. XVIII Corps (A/B) opens
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CP at Uelzen and its troops are concentrating in this
area. 82d A/B Div is directed to relieve Br 5th Div
along the Elbe by 30 April; be prepared to seize limited
bridgehead in Bleckede area.
12th Army Group: U.S. Ninth and First Armies
maintain and adjust defensive positions. 1st Div,
transferred from VII to VIII Corps, prepares to extend
VIII Corps zone southward into Czechoslovakia
by relieving 97th Div of XII Corps.
In U.S. Third Army’s XII Corps area, patrol of
CCA, 11th Armd Div, reaches Czechoslovakian
border N of Bischofsreuth without opposition. 26th
Div drives across Regen–Deggendorf road and clears
Deggendorf. 90th Div organizes defensive positions,
mops up, and patrols along Czechoslovakian border,
finding enemy disposed N and NE of Furth. 2d
Cav Gp improves positions in Czechoslovakia. 97th
Div mops up in Cheb. XX Corps expands Danube
bridgehead, passes armor through it, and receives
surrender of Regensburg. Regensburg, though an
objective of 65th Div, surrenders to 71st Div without
a fight. 71st Div thrusts SE through Traubling and
Moosham to Sengkofen and is passed through by
elements of 13th Armd Div. 65th Div expands
Danube bridgehead to Traubling on left and Teugn
on right, overrunning Abbach and Peising in center
and making firm junction between the two assault
regts; moves 260th Inf into Regensburg. 13th Armd
Div begins drive to secure Isar R crossing and ultimately
effect junction with Soviet forces. CCB halts
for night in Pfatter–Moosham–Geisling area. CCA,
ordered to cross 65th Div bridge SW of Regensburg,
and CCR, which is to follow CCB, are held up in
Deuerling area by mired approaches to the bridge.
In III Corps area, 14th Armd Div regroups and
mops up along the Danube; CCR relieves 86th Div
troops in Ingolstadt. 99th Div establishes bridgehead
across the Danube: 393d Inf, passing through 394th,
crosses in assault boats in vicinity of Eining, SW of
Kelheim, and captures Eining and Straubing; 395th
attempts to cross in Neustadt area but is so firmly
opposed that it turns N and follows 393d across at
Eining. 342d Inf, 86th Div, completes its crossing
of the Danube at Ingolstadt early in morning, rear
elements using newly completed footbridge, and is
passed through by 343d Inf, which thrusts quickly
S toward the Isar; 341st reaches the Danube and
starts crossing.
6th Army Group: In U.S. Seventh Army’s XV
Corps area, 45th and 42d Divs continue southward,
42d Div passing 222d Inf through 242d. 20th Armd
Div prepares to attack through infantry toward Munich.
In XXI Corps area, CCA of 12th Armd
Div drives SE to the Lech at Landsberg. CCB moves
forward to Langerringen. CCR drives SE through
Markt Wald to W bank of the Wertach in Kirchsiebnach–Ettringen
area. 3d Div closes in on Augs-