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

Report of 02!ati 1 II CwrpsZ 2 Nor 1943 (Contlnuoa , .
indioated that tho .en=W had broken throudi thoao positions . Tho artillery
of 9th Division, however, by marching continuously for four days and nights
in the last stages of thoir march from CASLBL'd4M, arrived in the THaLA area
and had ease into supporting positions of the 26th Anaored Brigade by_daylight.
Orders from Brigadier Nichoison wore received to hold the positions
of thO 26th . Arraorod Brigade at all costs .
11..'-To relieve the situation confronting CC"B" and the 26th lmored
'Brigade, the 16th Infantry launched a counterattack in the vicinity of BOU
DRIBS and eloarod BOU_ DRIES of the onemy . This counterattack and the sudden
incrciaso in artillery fire caused by the arrival. of the 9th Division Artillery,
can0ud the ar10W to pull back bofofo his line of rotruat through the pass was
cut behind him, At 1915 hours on the 22nd, the unomy began a gonoral withdraual'tcwards
the pass . artillary concentrations harassed his movement
through the pass by" interdiction fire throughout the night,
l2 . CC"An moved from BOU CI3EBKI, to MIIDR.1 during the night 22-23 . From
the 23rd of February to the 25th -of February, the unumy continued his withdrawal
from tho L1SSBRIHE bowlp leaving many mines and booby traps . Patrols
wore pushod out to maintain contact . By daylight on the 24th howovar, CC"B"
had' lost contact with the uncmy. Fires wuru obsurvod in K;.SSMINE and FMIM1
during ths night 24-25 February . By the 25th, CC"B" and the 26th :.rawred
Brigade had regained control of the high ground north and south of the pass
and by 13u8 hours the Roconnaiasanco Comparw of the 13th Armored Regiment
entorod the pass. The advance of the forward ularwnts ryas greatly hanged
by rAnes .
13 . During the period 26 February to 16 11areh in complianeu with First
IMI Operations Instruction Number 19, dated 24 Fub:uary 1943, II Corps roorgan-
-izod and consolidated its positions alonf the 1t1MTCRIl DOM.LE with the 34th
Infantry Division on the north, the 9th nfantry Division on the south, and
the let Lrmorod Division in a position of readiness on the south flank . The
1st Infantry Division began its concentration in the BOU CHM A area .
SECTION V - iLD1'ZMISTR'.TIVE
1. Status of 'strength - .lppundix »:." .
2, Casualties and prisonara - :appendix "B"
3 .
Ruplacemunts - :.ppcmdix "C" .
4. Lvacuation - ;,ppundix "D" .
For the Corauanding duneral: