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

HASSEKYE CA?.TAIGN
F~;RH,t~~RV 19, 1943 " CT moves from Ousseltia Valley, having turned sector over
to French Forces for defense . CT moved to new location at 6253, Sheet 13, to
open . Kassarine "hase, beginning movement at 1350 hours, 19 February 19¢3 and
arriving in bivouac area at 0550 hours 20 February 1943 "
_F-BRi1 Rv 20, 1943 ; CT in bivouac in Kasserine sector . Preparation made and orders
issued for movement into lines .
FEBRUELRY 21, .`196-3:
lst Platoon Company A, 1st Engineers Battalion relieved from
attached to CT16 and reverts to control of Commanding General, lst U .,:s . Infantry
Division . The 2nd Battalion is moved forward into the lines and the remainder of .
the CT is alerted for movement . However, no movement is made . At 2200 -'.hours .1st .
and 3rd Battalion with attachments from Special- Units are moved forward,bdt-are,
not committed .
FEBRUARY 22, 19x3 ; Regimental CP moved forward to 6967, sheet 13 . Orders receiv=
ed from Commanding General, Combat Command B that CT `16 will hav,: neission of protecting
7th ., and 33rd Field Artillery Battalions . At 1045 hours K am .M Companies'-
16th Infantry come in contact with enemy . 1st Battalion is sent ort mission to -
protect flanks . Corrunanding Officer issues'plan to make local attacks in cooord- .
ination with Combat Co :+mand g, At 3443 orders issued for 2nd and 3rd-Battalions
to make their local attacks as planned at 1500 hours ., preceded by small' .artillery
barrage . Battalions jump off on ti :;e . Company C, lst Ranger . BattbLlion 'attached
to CT at 16113 hours . Local attacks made by battalions . were successful in~that,
dominating ground was taken and some field artillery guns captured by enemy were
retaken . The Commanding usneral, II Corps and . the Commanding General- lst U.S .
Infantry Division, each sent the following message to"the Commanding . Officer
CT 16 ; Miany thanks for the splendid work of your .CT today. .
FEBRUARY 233 1943 : Orders received from Commanding "Ueneral, lst U . S . ;'Infantry .
Division that very active patrolling must keep up as .it ' i.b believed -that., en
is making a general withdrawal . Orders passed to Battalions.wriich are out of
contact following attacks of yesterday . 39th Infantry takes over sector . occupied-'
by 3rd Battalion, 16th Infantry . 3rd Battalion moves to new ,defensive positia %
FEBRUARY 24, 1943 ;
Extensive plans made to move forward thru pass .- Plans ::made
in detail and although no resistance is expected, every detail is-planned' to-take-care
of it . C? moved to 8477 after meeting of all unit commanders .
F_EBRUARY25, 191,-3 : At 0700 all battalions move forward as - _planned . _. At _O$?0 hours
the lst Battalion had reached the base of the hill which is its first_ objective ;.
without resistance . At 1000 hours the 1st :Battalion had a,dsed ts"first objec= r;
tive and reached its 2nd one . The 3rd Battalion moved fortyard without reslstanc
and took objective on schedule . Kasserine pass wascleared of enemy,,
to be mined and booby trapped extremely . All units moved forward without'Rrdsis
tance to Thelpte and Feriana . There, lines were stopped,' and°defensive posn*SL
_
organized .
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FEB~jJJARY 26, 1943 : Defensive postions organized and a period of reorganization'.
Not in contact with enemy . At 1155 hours new Cp opened at 390742, 1/50;000 .
lst ?reconnaissance Troops attached to CT to reinforce motorized reconnaissance .
for a short >>eriod . '