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

S-7088 and S-7384 . These passes were completely organised for defense`='by :
hrs, except that the northern-most pass had not been mined due to a .shortage of
mines and wire, then on order.
At 1530, the 2nd Bn, 13th AR (plus detachments) which had then picked .' -
up the remainder of "I" Company, 13th AR, was attacked by approximately 4-0 .
enemy tanks, followed by lorried infantry . This attack was repulsed with s
loss to the enemy of 10 tanks and 10 other vehicles and an unknown number--of
infantry . We had no losses . The 27th FA " Bn, which wqs supporting the stank
battalion, was dive-bombed at 1630 hrs by 10 Stukaa and suffered .4 casualties ;
1 u/T destroyed . The enemy retired at. about 1800 hrs .
At about 1600 hrs 68th Armd FA arrived in the area just west of the pass
at S-7088 to operate under this command .
sometime during the afternoon, the CG was informed by II Corpshrat the lend
Bn of the 16th Inf, then in the area S-7274, was under his command. It was
then learned that the 33rd and the 7th FA Bns were near that Bn and in support
of it, but it was never clear under whose Bommand these FA Bns would operate .
At about 1400 hrs, the 2nd Bn, 6th Inf, was ordered to work its way south
along the eastern slopes of Dj al ?-:Albs& to the vicinity of the pass at S-7475
with the view to later covering the right flank of the 2nd Bn, 13th AR ~in subsequent
advances down the valley . At 1800 hrs the '2nd Bn, 16th Inf was, ordered
to displace to the SE to cover the passes at S-7473 and a-8070 and to patrol .
to the east toward the pass . At 2400 hrs the comli;and was disposed as shown
on overlay #2 . Co G, 13th AR, joined the co:ncand late in the afternoon.
3 . 22 February 1943 . 2-nd Bn 13th AR reported anemy burning vehicles and
apparantly planning to withdraw 0050 hrs . Th5 2nd Bn, 6th Inf and 2nd Bn, 16th
i n-f " -rmre ordered to patrol actively to their front . No contact was gained with
enemy. 0655
" " attacked bNr supported
: / . " " " i . of tanks and 1
attacked by fire only . 1 Etry of the 33rd FA Bn was captured, penetration was
Vh3n the CG sent Co "G", 13th AR, to support the .:
" employed
" 1200 en .(, seemed " e slowed down
arably and by 1400 hrs it had been so stopped that the 2nd Bn, 6th Inf, was able
of the 33rd FA Dn .
Coi.ri-nc ing at 0700 hr-11.,
.
the 2nd Bn, l3th AR, was taken under fire by -a oon-
" " " " . " : . " capture eno my
infantry which ivere driven toward its position . Over 200 prisoners were taken .
" day, although " " " " " 2nd
6th IrLf . fired ov5r 2000 rounds on targets of opportunity vhilch presented themdue
to the
" " . " f the enemy ivas in great part
accuracy and quan'-.~.-gogg~ - ine 'delivered b- the 27th FA .
At about 0930 hrs mes s
" " I T:
unit was ta:fling charge
that its CP was moving
?e- a4bn
SEC AR~t
OROER
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C R E T
7- 1
a~"~Wt S possible . Its right boundary was
n
m