KASSERINE PASS BATTLES Readings - US Army Center Of Military ...

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in throwing the enemy back end k in inflicting heavy losses to the British armored unit which had coarse forward to support the Americans in a countera attack . In a rpid follow up thrust Panzer and Panzergrenadiers drive into Thala toward 1900 hours, roll up a battalion and capture it (About 700 men) However the enemy holds the heights on both sides of the town with strong forces, so that the division has to withdraw a few kilometers to the south at dusk because of a threat to its flanks and rear . About 5 kin south of Thala the division passes to the defensive . (A nnex 1145) . The combat group of D.A .K., after good initial progress in the attack can only ms.ke slow headway in the &fternoon on account of extremely strong partly flanking defensi:vdix fire . The attack comes finally to a stand still on the plain opposite the energy occupying overhanging mountain positions. At dusk the combat group has its adxvanced elements 8 Ion east of Dj .el Hamra and has organized for defense there ., Its losses are considerable . (Annex 1146) Opposite the 21 .Pz .Div . the enemy during the day gets reinforcements especially of artillery (a total of 11 energy batteries are now ascertained) . At 1?00 hours tho enemy supported by n'vcercus tanks launches a counter- //X-X"a attack which can be brought to a stand still after 6 enemy tanks are- shot down . (Annex 11147) - 130 - A renewed attempt of Div. Centauro to open the Dernaia pass north of Thelepte fails because of extremely violent and well placed enemy artillery defensive fire . ( Annex 1148) Gruope Buhse has been unable to throw-the enemy out of his hill positions wext of Ousseltia and therefore attempts to continue the thrust on Maktar driving from the north and the south. (Situation map and reports see Annex 11491 Air situation: Limited air activity on both sides on account of bad weather .
- 131 - Estimate o£ the situation and intentions : a. First_ Italian <strong>Army</strong> : Today's air reconnaissance discloses that enemy forces in the area between Medenine and Ben Gardane are not as strong as was to be xxxxmmd assumed on the basis of yesterday's air reconnaissance . Today there were only 1200 motor vehicles ascertained in that area . As a result of his ai= ground reconnaissance of today the enemy must have observed that he has come against a well developed position . It must then 11 E it be assumed that enemy, according to his former custom, will make thorough and lengthy preparations for attack . The arc army therefore does not expect that he will advance on the Mareth position in the next few days . The plans of the First Ital .<strong>Army</strong> are unchanged. b . Front of the attack group north: After the loss of the doming ass position northwest of Kasserine the enemy attempted today to hold the ridge line el Hamrt (11+ km southeast of Thala) - Dj .el Hamra. For the purpose he k-nrk brought forward additional American forces out cf the area around and southeast of Tabessa and also e.ddi- tional elements of the 6,British Fz .Div . The army expects that on 22 Feb . the enemy in a counterattack will attempt to regain the line of resistance he has lost in parts and that he will oppose stubborn resistance to a conti- nuation of our attacks . (Annex 11_50) The army intends therefore to continue the attack for a limited obat first jective/with D.A.K. and l0.Pz.Div . and to hold the former positions with the 21 .Pz.Div . and Div . Cen*auro . To that effect the following orders are issued : aa . The 21 .Pz .Div . will assume the defensive in the former main line of re- sistanoe . If the enemy withdraws through Sbiba, the division will follow up with some elements, the main body being held in readiness for a new
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KASSERINE PASS BATTLES Readings Vol
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18 1 st Armored Division, Report of
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auard -a Via 0"ifivin no!" :_ __aid
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OPERATIONAL INSTRUCTION ) s NUMBER
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81 Rcn Bn will shift its main force
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Field Order : Dictated . by General
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19 Combat Command B, 1 st Armored D
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S-7088 and S-7384 . These passes we
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: ._i-lc west cf the KASS y1?~ Pass
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I P; " k4If !?- Qr
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~, 14:- KV-5-J-slr\0 0001GO-z/ % :E
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6 . Lessons learned from the ORAN O
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The 1st Ranger Battalion (a special
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at the time of the German break-thr
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The organization of this defensive
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During the night of 19-20 Feb . , t
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ugh, yMs,iW~. puapa~uai~o ~~ua~s -4
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Regimental Combat Team (of the 1st
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21 1 st Infantry Division, Summary
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On January 10, CT,26, less third ca
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These counter--attacks apparently c
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R E S T R I C T E D HEADQUARTERS 1s
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MEMORANDUM) z All units in the lst
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22 16th Infantry, I st Infantry Div
Page 50 and 51: 23 10th Panzer Division, War Diary
Page 52 and 53: :wae,ratr"ting through . Sidi bou Z
Page 54 and 55: doetroyed followas '9 tanks, 30 arm
Page 56 and 57: fx .A.Q.X.Afrioaj, under whose co :
Page 58 and 59: At'.0832, hr-.the.:,~! in attacking
Page 60 and 61: " 10 ." extent . During the night o
Page 62 and 63: Kriegstagebuoh 21 Panzer Division A
Page 64 and 65: , ,the, enemy group at 7221 . At 13
Page 66 and 67: .accompanied-by the 44 go to the ad
Page 68 and 69: the conference at-7212 Gen .Ziegler
Page 70 and 71: -9- . ,. . . with ~_ I,,q;thdrawing
Page 72 and 73: The night passed. . .quietly. The d
Page 74 and 75: even today perhaps tkxkxkkx regimen
Page 76 and 77: to 5367 to-a-Qize the ene4 in Bbiba
Page 78 and 79: - 17 - strong Toward 1730 h . knxzy
Page 80 and 81: "!""the pass positions at 7760,-774
Page 82 and 83: 25 Fifth Panzer Army, War Diary (Ex
Page 84 and 85: a reaches remains - 114 - control T
Page 86 and 87: In a telephone conversation of the
Page 88 and 89: - 118 - units (extracts given out c
Page 90 and 91: - 120 - the attack comes to a stand
Page 92 and 93: The army intends to continue the at
Page 94 and 95: position and the defense of the Mar
Page 96 and 97: - 126 - Strong dust clouds and sand
Page 98 and 99: - 128- defense in the conquered pas
Page 102 and 103: % assignment . The O.B . combat ech
Page 104 and 105: 134 on thc+ surrounding heights exc
Page 106 and 107: drawal to the position in the pass
Page 108 and 109: A.A.580 is army reserve in region w
Page 110 and 111: aa . 1140 Recommendations for an at
Page 112 and 113: DNU=AMM t A13T*X 'IR.2a12s3 0.0c8 v
Page 114 and 115: pace . end, West fo., movi th the b
Page 116 and 117: ind'advenoo to' tha northnvoct, in
Page 118 and 119: .. 7 - XU the noun }rpurS the 5th B
Page 120 and 121: iT7" Ixt the pass position the nigh
Page 122 and 123: of constant flanking threat. For a
Page 124 and 125: 13 .. reoeive the order that the en
Page 126 and 127: at ,14* Au1ad DIC :in tire; : the C
Page 128 and 129: of the . let $try., *Oth Arty rdll
Page 130 and 131: Gruppe Roanrol announces that F.ILR
Page 132 and 133: 4 1 SUBJECTS Report of Opo rati ~~
Page 134 and 135: SLCR--T Report of Operationsi Uq. I
Page 136 and 137: eport of Operations, Hc- _A Corps,
Page 138 and 139: Report of Operations,'-_.i . II Cor
Page 140 and 141: of OMationa,,I&S2Ms~x~.1943 , Cout~
Page 142 and 143: Report of 02!ati 1 II CwrpsZ 2 Nor
Page 144 and 145: 20A ; ig . Depot . Co .- _ ~' Repo
Page 146 and 147: Appendix "All to RopQrt on Operatio
Page 148 and 149: APPEN= "C" TO REPORT ON OPFUTIORI3
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as Panzer Armee Afrika (Rommel), Wa
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To Comando Suppemio to PE .A.O.B.5
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CONFERENCE on 19 Feb, 191.3 - at 09
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Operations Seotion Geruml Italian P
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4o Howitzer Stzy, 2d Bn.,A.A.2 1 an
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.: Souroct Aseording to stataents o
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Radio lbasage from Garman-Italian P
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Operations Section German Italina P
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destroyed. Souroes 845 prisoners (m
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. At Thala 26th Pz.Brigade of the 6
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