1942 - US Army Center Of Military History

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11 May
EASTERN EUROPE—Soviet forces finish clearing
Czechoslovakia and Austria and begin to mop up
isolated remnants. Contact is made with U.S. forces
in vicinity of Chemnitz (Saxony), Pilsen (Czechoslovakia),
and Linz (Austria).
CHINA—Gen Wedemeyer writes Gen Marshall
that he (Wedemeyer) is reviewing plans for increasing
air strength in China and opening a seacoast
port because of reduced ATC tonnage offered
on 25 April and because of drain on Hump tonnage
during Japanese drive on Chihchiang. Gen Ho’s
ALPHA forces have halted Japanese drive on Chihchiang
by outflanking maneuvers and are forcing
enemy back. Ch 18th and 100th Armies have blunted
enemy’s N spearheads in Paima Shan area; 18th
recovers Shanmen. On main axis of Japanese advance,
Pao-ching–Chihchiang road, Japanese set
fire to Kaosha village. Ch 94th Army has successfully
turned enemy’s S flank and is now just 8 miles S of
Paoching–Chihchiang road, well E of Tungkow.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s I Corps area 1st
Bn of 35th Inf, 25th Div, and 3d Bn of 27th Inf
establish contact on Kapintalan Ridge, where over
200 caves have been sealed and almost a thousand
Japanese dead counted. 25th Div is directed to continue
N with 161st Inf advancing W of Highway 5,
35th astride it, and 27th E of it toward Villa Verde
Trail, Santa Fe, and heights E of Santa Fe. In XI
Corps area, 43d Div troops driving on Ipo reach
slopes of Hill 815, about a mile below objective.
S PHILIPPINES—In U.S. Eighth Army’s X Corps
area on Mindanao, RCT 108, pushing steadily down
Sayre Highway, reaches positions commanding Del
Monte Airfield. Filipino guerrillas seize Cagayan.
21st Inf, 24th Div, reinf by 1st Bn of 34th, is directed
to clear region NE of Talomo R in vicinity of
Mintal. 2d Bn, 19th Inf, makes little headway
against enemy on Hill 550 despite ground fire and
air support. On Samal, Co K, 19th Inf, searches for
enemy guns that continue to fire on Davao, Mindanao.
On Negros, 185th Inf, reinf by 3d Bn of
503d Para Inf, opens southward drive along Terukini
and Kasagi Ridges toward Hill 4055 in Negros
Occidental, progressing very slowly during rest of
month. Bombardment of Dolan Hill by arty and aircraft
is intensified for next few days as 160th Inf
prepares to renew ground assault.
NEW GUINEA—6th Aus Div seizes Wewak.
OKINAWA—U.S. Tenth Army, after 30-minute
arty preparation to neutralize enemy guns and
strongpoints, launches co-ordinated attack with III
Amphib Corps on right and XXIV Corps on left.
On III Amphib Corp’s W flank, 22d Marines of
6th Mar Div expands positions S of the Asa, some
elements on coast reaching positions at N outskirts
of Amike, which command the capital city of Naha,
[ 11–12 MAY 1945 ]
and others taking hill 800 yards S of Asa. 7th Marines,
1st Mar Div, gains foothold on Dakeshi Ridge
despite intense fire from Wana Ridge to S, but 1st
Marines is still virtually halted by fire from Shuri
Heights. 5th Marines encircles enemy forces in region
S of Awacha. In XXIV Corps area, columns
of 306th Inf, 77th Div, begin attacks toward Chocolate
Drop Hill (Hill 130), NE of Ishimmi, and
Flattop Hill to SE, which dominates Dick hill mass
in 96th Div zone, but meet intense fire and make
little headway. 382d Inf, 96th Div, consolidates on
Zebra and tries unsuccessfully to push forward to
Dick hill mass; 383d begins attack for Conical Hill,
gaining positions on hills at NW approaches.
12 May
SEAC—Preparations for Operation ZIPPER—
invasion of Malaya—are in progress. Part of the
assault forces—Force W (amphibious), 15 Corps,
224th Gp (air), and newly formed 34 Corps, all
under Lt Gen O. L. Roberts—are now assembled
in India for reorganization, rest, and training. Other
assault forces that can be spared are concentrated in
Rangoon area, from which the ZIPPER forces from
Burma will be mounted.
LUZON—In U.S. Sixth Army’s XI Corps area,
43d Div columns are converging on Ipo; Japanese
are driven from Hill 815.
S PHILIPPINES—In U.S. Eighth Army’s X Corps
area on Mindanao, some elements of RCT 108 take
Del Monte Airfield while others advance to positions
SW of Tankulan. 155th Inf is directed to
continue 31st Div’s northward drive along Sayre
Highway toward RCT 108. 124th Inf renews attack
on Colgan Woods strongpoint and overcomes resistance
there. 21st Inf, 24th Div, supported by
massed arty fire, attacks NW along Talomo R with
1st Bn on .left and attached 1st Bn of 34th Inf on
right. 2d Bn, 19th Inf, assisted by air strikes, makes
limited progress on Hill 550. 3d Bn, 34th Inf, asks
and receives permission to remain in Guma area
until its relief can be physically accomplished by
162d Inf rather than return to Digos at once. On
Samal, aircraft and arty bombard suspected enemy
gun positions.
OKINAWA—In U.S. Tenth Army’s III Amphib
Corps area, while 3d Bn of 22d Marines, 6th Mar
Div, remains on W coast above Naha, Co G, to E,
pushes forward to Sugar Loaf Hill, key point in
Shuri defenses SE of Amike, but is forced back with
heavy casualties. 7th Marines, 1st Mar Div, gains
most of Dakeshi Ridge. 1st Marines, veering westward
in order to advance, must be supplied by air.
In XXIV Corps area, 305th Inf of 77th Div continues
extremely slow advance generally along Route
5 toward Shuri. 306th temporarily suspends action