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

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APO 251-- II: S . .Army
OPERATIONS -REPORT
BAHIBET FOUSSANA Q=TY
In the "Field
1 March 19.43
20 February 1943 to 25 February 1943
A kJ3S0
1 . 20 .Februa 19431 At about 1030 hre the Commanding General received
from the 1st Armored Division orders that he was to move his command without"delay
to TEALA by way of TEBESSA - HAIDRA, where he could assume commandlof
all troops defending the KASSERINE Pass. At this time many officers of all
units and of the C/C "B" staff were reconnoitering terrain to be traversed
case the command were to act in -accordance .with plans issued by the -CG,' ;l
The command moved at 1300, proceeded by the CG party .
At about 1600 hrs the CG met Gen Fredend11 about 4 miles south of THAIA
on the TIE-AU - KASSERIIE road . $e was there informed that the enemy had broken
through the KASSERI-n Pass and was pushing. t o the north on TFxLIA, west toward
TEi?ESSA . Our forces were in retreat up both avenues . CA B ws}s ordered to -
move southeast from HAIDRA, secure the passes of Dj al HAINRA, assume eomme~ndof
all U .S . troops southwest of OUED EL FATAB in the FOUSWTA Valley, stop -=advance
of the enemy into that sector,
our position in the EASSEREM pass .
drive him out of the valley and restore
That part of the command -which had passed EAIDRA counter-marched and went
into assembly areas about l .mile southeast ` of HAIDRA . Unit C .O.'s were called .r
to the Cp which had been established at 1725 hrs just south of HAIDR4, advised
of the new situation and ordered into assembly positions shown on overlay&l .
unit . closed in those areas by 2400'k -r-0 _ . 1 heavy section of the 601st TD 'A"
was attached to the 27th FA "Bn. The Reconnaissance Co, and the remaining ;heavy
guns of the 601st TD Bn were attached to the 2nd Bn, 13th AR . p
The C .O ., 601st TD Bn, was charged with establishing a straggler line along\
the norlhh - south road just east of Dj al HAINRA Arid all available staff officers
of the command were ordered out to contact, assemble and help reorganise
units 'retreating from the KASSERINE Pass .
At .2300 hrs, CG and S-3 left the CP to meet Brig Nicholson, British 6th
..
h All. d Div under whose couJnand C IC B was: tq operate .
2 . 21 February 1943 . The CG and the S-3 mat Brig 1~cNabb, the BGS . of 1st
Army, and the CG, 26th Armd Brip in the THALA Post Office at 0200 hrs . In the
absence of the coirur~ander, Brig icholson, it was agreed bga arties to the conference
that 26th.Armd Brig, moving south .from TBAIA and C/ B, moving southeast
from vicinity . Dj al HAINRA, would advance toward the KASSERINE Pass if
possible with infantry elements, but would not commit the armor in either sector .
Brig '..-bNabb stated that II Corps would be informed that it must coordinate the
action . The conference was concluded and the CG departed for the CP just south
of HAIDRA .
By 0600 hrs, the 601st TD Bn, less detachments, had commenced feeding regrouped
stragglers just west of the Pass at S-7088 . Units which were being -
reassembled at. this time included the 3rd Bn, 39th Inf, the .1st Bn, 26 CT, the
894t)i . TD Bn (almost entirely intact), very small groups of the 19th Engrs"Bn,
and the 33rd FA Bn . Personnel 9~~5th TD Bn, supposedly in the area,
were never contacted .
At 1500 hrs, the C .O . eI94th , with the 3rd Bn, 39th Inf, Co ' /f.
D 16th Engrs attached, ar ' d se of the passes at S-6784,
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