Friday, December 1,1944 European Theater 8th Air Force Mission 733 – During the night, seven B-17s and seven B-24s drop leaflet in the Netherlands, France and Germany. During the night, the RAF dispatches 71 Mosquitos to Karlsruhe, six to Hallendorf and four to Duisburg, while 24 other aircraft fly radio countermeasures sorties, and 22 Mosquitos fly patrols. European Theater, Western Europe The 9th Air Force sends a force of 134 B-26s and A-20s to attack defended areas at Fraulautern, Ensdorf, and Saarlautern. Fighters fly sweeps, armed reconnaissance, and bombing missions over western Germany and support US VII Corps elements at Inden and the Hurtgen Forest, and the 8th Infantry Division at Tiefenbach Creek and the Brandenberger Forest. In the US Ninth Army’s XIII Corps area, Linnich falls to the 406th Infantry, of the 102nd Division. The 405th Infantry gains their objective, the heights along the Lindern–Linnich highway, by double envelopment. In the XIX Corps area, the 116th Infantry, of the 29th Division, begins an attack to reduce the two enemy positions west of the Roer River, opposite Juelich. One is a group of buildings called Hasenfeld Gut and the other is the Juelich sportplatz, an athletic field. Both are protected by enemy fire from commanding ground east of the Roer River and accessible only through open terrain. Assault forces are soon pinned down by enemy fire. In the US First Army’s VII Corps area, the 104th Division gains some ground in the southern part of Inden. The 8th Infantry, of the 4th Division, still trying in vain to get out of the Huertgen Forest, has gained less than 1,000 yards during three days of hard fighting. The 22nd Infantry, committing its reserves, finally emerges to establish a thin line along woods overlooking Gey. General Collins orders the attack halted. Since November 16, the 4th Division has a made maximum gain of a little more than three miles, at an exceedingly high cost. The 47th Infantry reverts to the 9th Division, from its attachment to the 1st Division. In the V Corps area, elements of the 28th and 121st Regiments, of the 8th Division, have cleared a portion of Tiefen Creek bottom land, on the right flank, and of Brandenberger Wald, on the left flank. This provides a measure of safety for an armored drive along the Kleinhau– Brandenberg highway, which follows ridge line. In the US Third Army area, XX Corps continues to clear enemy positions west of the Sarre River, in preparation for an assault across the river. The 10th Armored Division is overcoming relatively weak opposition in the Merzig sector. The 90th Division is rapidly cleaning out its sector south of Merzig. Air preparation precedes the 95th Division’s attempt to reach and cross the SarreRiver. Medium bombers attack Saarlautern, Ensdorf, and Fraulautern, while fighter-bombers interdict movement east of the river. Resistance continues to be stiff, however, as the 95th Division attacks, making the main effort with the fresh 379th Infantry. The 377th Infantry takes Felsberg and begins clearing Sainte Barbara. The 378th Infantry gains the hill near Berus but is unable to reach Bisten. The 379th Infantry attacks through the 377th, toward Saarlautern. Task Force Fickett, under the command of Colonel E. Monte Fickett, consisting of the 6th Cavalry Group and the 5th Ranger Battalion, assembles near St. Avold, to screen the southern flank of XX Corps. Task Force Fickett relieves Task Force Bell, the components of which revert to the 5th Division. The 5th Division, still containing the forts in the Metz area, is assigned a narrow front to the right of the 95th Division, in preparation for a drive to the Sarre River, across the Warndt salient. The 6th Cavalry Task Force is to protect the right of the 5th Division. In the XII Corps area, Combat Command B, of the 4th Armored Division, and the 101st Infantry, of the 26th Division, open a coordinated drive on Sarre–Union, against lively opposition. The 3rd Battalion, of the 101st clears, Sarre–Union, but since it cannot take the hill north of the town, pulls back for the night. The 1st Battalion clears the Bannholtz woods. Combat Command B secures Hill 318, north of Mackwiller. The 80th Division, the 35th Division, and the 6th Armored Division are ordered to make a limited attack on December 4, to straighten the left and center of the XII Corps line. In the US Seventh Army’s XV Corps area, the 44th Division is meeting strong resistance in vicinity of Tieffenbach. The 45th Division is likewise opposed in the Zinswiller–Meitesheim area. The 79th Division, reinforced by the 94th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, of the 14th Armored Division, clears Schweighausen. In the VI Corps area, the French 2nd Armored Division continues southward along the Rhine River. The 103rd Division and the 36th Division are converging on Sélestat. Combat Command A, of the 14th Armored Division, is withdrawn to VI Corps reserve. Eastern Europe In eastern Czechoslovakia, Soviet troops cross to west bank of the Ondava River in the vicinity of Humenne and Trebisov. The Germans are containing the attacks by troops of the Second Ukrainian Front, in the vicinity of Miskolc, northeast of Budapest, in Hungary. But the Third Ukrainian forces, southwest of Budapest, gain ground northeast and north of Pecs. Mediterranean Theater, Italian Campaign 12th Air Force B-25s attack four railroad bridges in the western Po River Valley, damaging the bridges at Voghera and Torre Beretti. The XXII Tactical Air Command hits motor transport and train cars at several points in northern Italy, and hits rail lines over a widespread area north of the Apennines Mountains, including the Brenner Pass, where lines are cut at three points. In the US Fifth Army area, British XIII Corps alters their plan of attack because of enemy withdrawals. The First phase calls for the capture of Monte Penzola, by the 6th Armoured Division. The British Eighth Army continues its preparation for an offensive on December 3. In the V Corps area, the Indian 10th Division secures the Casa Bettini bridge over the Montone River and is relieved on the right flank by Canadian I Corps troops. Canadian I Corps moves assault forces across the Montone River, via the bridge at Casa Bettini. During the night, 12th Air Force A-20s hit the Ghedi Airfield and targets of opportunity in the north central Po Valley and trains on the Brenner line China Theater The 14th Air Force dispatches six B-24s to attack targets of opportunity in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, eight B-25s destroy three storage buildings and damage six others at Wanling, Burma, while nine fighter-bombers pound troop positions in the area and destroy or damage several trucks. Several other fighter-bombers hit trucks, locomotives, and villages in the Chefang area, in China, between Lashio and Hsenwi, Burma, and from Linfen to Taiyuan, and at Kunlong, China. General Wedemeyer directs General Chennault to make the main effort of the 14th Air Force in defense of the air line to China and Service of Supply. In addition to providing logistical support of US military activities, he asks that they also support certain Chinese forces in the China Theater. On the Salween front, Chinese forces take Che-fang. India – Burma Theater (Burma) In Burma, over 30 P-47s, from the 10th Air Force, continue support of ground forces in the Bhamo area, while town areas, troops, warehouses, and supply dumps at Myitson, Mingon, Alezeik, Lenaung, and Old Lashioare are pounded by over 30 moreP-47s. 17 others hit bridges in northern Burma, and eight strafe the Hsenwi landing ground. 290 transport sorties are flown to forward areas. General Stratemeyer issues a general order, effective December 4, reorganizing the Eastern Air Command. On the Northern Combat Area Command front, the Chinese 30th Division, with the 90th Regiment in the lead, is moving southward, from the Bhamo area, toward Namhkam, over rough terrain. The 10th Air Force send a detachment of the 436th Bomb Squadron (Heavy), of the 7th Bomb Group (Heavy), from their base in India, to Luliang, China, to ferry gasoline to Suichwan, China. Southwest Pacific Area Major Far East Air Force (FEAF) strikes in the Philippine Islands include B-24 raids on the Bacolod and Fabrica airfields, on Negros Island, a B-25 attack, with P-47 support, on the Lahug Airfield, on Cebu Island; and B-25s attack the Cagayan Airfield, on Mindanao Island. B-25s and fighter-bombers also hit several airfields and numerous targets of opportunity on Halmahera Island, in the Moluccas Islands, during a series of raids. Meanwhile, other aircraft maintain armed reconnaissance and sweeps over a wide area of the Netherland East Indies and Philippine Islands. In New Guinea, Australian forces take over from US troops at Aitape. On Leyte, the Japanese food supply is exhausted, by this time. In the X Corps area, after preparatory fire, Company E, of the 128th Infantry (32nd Division), attacks through Company C, of the 34th Infantry (24th Division), to clear the knolls on the southeast end of Kilay Ridge. The 1st Battalion, of the 34th Infantry, is ordered to withdraw from the ridge but is unable to do so for several days. The 112th Cavalry attempts in vain to clear the ridge southeast of Limon. In the XXIV Corps area, a warning order for an assault on Ormoc is issued. Central Pacific Area The 7th Air Force sends 26 B-24s, based on Guam Island, to pound the airfield on Iwo Jima Island. During the night, a 7th Air Force B-24 bombs Iwo Jima, while on a snooper mission. In the Palaus Islands, elements of the 81st Division complete the occupation of Kayangel Atoll.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 13:07:14 +0000
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