BELGIUM:
In the Canadian First Army's British I Corps area, the Canadian 2d Division
establishes a bridgehead across the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal south of St
Leonard. Elements of the 49th Division reach Turnhout.
NETHERLANDS: The British XXX Corps reaches the south bank of the Rhine west of Arnhem.
Other XXX Corps units enter Germany southwest of Nijmegen. The paratroopers that have held
out are still hanging on. They have suffered severe casualties, shortages of food and
ammunition, and resisted fierce
German attacks. The inadequate and misinterpreted intelligence has required these
paratroops to hold out much longer than planned.
In the British Second Army's I
Airborne Corps area, 2 companies of the 43d Division cross the Neder Rijn
in assault boats during the night of 24/25 September but are unable to reach
the British-held perimeter at Hartestein. Polish forces on the south bank
lack assault boats for crossing. Lieutenant General B. G. Horrocks,
Commanding General 30 Corps, issues and within a few hours revokes an order
for the 43d Division to prepare to cross at Renkum. In the 30 Corps area,
other elements of the 43d Division continue to fight for Elst and Bemmel.
Continuing attacks toward Veghel, the Germans cut the highway northeast of
the village of Koevering, between St Oedenrode and Veghel. In the 8 Corps
area, Deurne falls to the 11th Armoured Division.
FRANCE:
In the U.S. Third Army area, General George S Patton, in accordance with an
order from General Dwight D Eisenhower, halts offensive operations for an
aggressive defence, calling for limited actions, as supplies permit, to improve
defensive positions. In the XX Corps area, 5th Infantry Division begins the
relief of the 7th Armored Infantry in line. In the XII Corps area, the 80th
Infantry Division prepares to attack to the Seille River line on 26 September.
Combat Command B, 4th Armored Division, holds its perimeter between Chateau-Salins
and Fresnes-en-Saulnois against determined tank-infantry attacks that P-47s help
repulse. Heavy enemy fire continues from Foret de Chateau-Salins, however. The
Germans lose about 300 dead and 11 tanks in this action.
In the U.S. Seventh Army's VI Corps area, the 45th Infantry
Division, seizes Girmont; the 180th Infantry continues clearing Epinal. The 36th
Infantry Division is pushing northeast toward St Die; the 141st Infantry takes
St Ame, east of Remiremont. The 3d Infantry Division clears Rupt of snipers and
expands its bridgehead to include La Roche and Maxonchamp.
In the air, 47 USAAF Eighth Air B-24s fly a TRUCKIN' mission delivering
fuel to France.
Weather grounds USAAF Ninth Air Force bombers. The XIX Tactical Air Command
supports the 7th Armored Division of the US Third Army in eastern France and
flies armed reconnaissance over eastern France and western Germany. The IX Air
defence Command flies night patrols from Paris to Aachen, Germany.
During the day, RAF Bomber Command sends 188 aircraft, 101 Lancasters, 62 Halifaxes and 25 Mosquitos, to bomb German tactical positions at Calais; 127 bomb the target. The German positions are completely covered by cloud at 2,000 feet (610 meters) and most of the 127 bombed Oboe-aimed skymarkers, but some aircraft came below cloud to bomb visually. Seven Lancasters and a Halifax are shot down by light flak, which is very accurate at such a height.
GREECE: RAF personnel arrive at Araxos by sea and
together with the Special Boat Squadron move on to Patras. Commander of Land
Forces, Adriatic, controls this operation.
In the air, 362 USAAF Fifteenth Air Force B-24s, with fighter escort, bomb
Eleusis, Kalamaki, and Tatoi Airfields, the marshalling yard at Salonika, and
harbor at Skaramanga.
U-565 (Type VIIC) is scuttled by three depth charges in Salamis. U-565 had been badly damaged on 19 Sept, 1944 in the Mediterranean near Skaramanga, at position 37.57N, 23.40E, by US bombs. 5 dead.
U-596 (Type VIIC) is scuttled in the Mediterranean in Skaramanga Bay, near Salamis at position 37.59N, 23.34E, after being damaged by US bombs. 1 dead. Wreck blown up 30 Sept 1944 (?). (Alex Gordon)
ITALY: In
the U.S. Fifth Army area, the IV Corps releases additional elements of the U.S.
1st Armored Division for use on the II Corps front, retaining only Combat
Command B. The South African 6th Armoured Division, protecting the left flank of
the II Corps, replaces the armoured brigade in line with the 12th Motorized
Brigade; the 11lth Armored Brigade then pushes north along Highway 6620 to St
Ippolito while the rest of the division pursues the enemy up Highways 64 and 66.
In the II Corps area, the U.S. 34th Infantry Division, driving toward Mt
Bastione with the 168th and 135th Infantry, gains the crest of Mt Coroncina and
holds it against counterattack; and overruns Roncobilaccio. The U.S. 91st
Infantry Division, attacking with the 362d and 361st Infantry toward Mt Oggioli,
reaches a line from Covigliano westward; during the night 24/25 September, the
363d Infantry replaces the 362d Infantry in the line. While the 337th Infantry,
85th Infantry Division, consolidates positions on Mt la Fine and patrols, the
338th Infantry, to the left, continues slowly toward Mt Canda and gets into
position for an assault on it. The U.S. 88th Infantry Division runs into strong
resistance at Mt Acuto and undergoes vigorous counterattacks as it continues
toward Imola. In the British 13 Corps area, the 1st Division takes Palazzuolo
and Marradi, but the enemy is holding out on Mt Gamberaldi. The Indian 8th
Division reaches the Marradi-St Benedetto Road. The 6th Armoured Division
advances to St Benedetto in Alpe, on Highway 67.
In the British Eighth Army area, 5 Corps secures the heights north of the
Marecchia River from Montebello to Poggio Berni to St Arcangelo, and the 46th
Division, in the center, establishes a bridgehead across the Uso River, taking
Camerano on the far bank.
In the air, weather cancels USAAF Twelfth Air Force medium bomber and A-20
operations; fighter-bombers support ground forces, bombing and strafing
strongpoints, troop concentrations, and frontline communications targets.
CZECHOSLOVAKIA: The Red Army penetrates 20 miles over the Polish border.
GERMANY:
U-3521 laid down.
U-1110 commissioned.
U.S.S.R.: U-739 sank Soviet minesweeper T-120 (ex USS Assail).
BURMA: In
the Northern Combat Area Command area, the British 36th Division encounters the
enemy in strength while probing southward from Namma and they suspend forward
movement until mid-October.
In the air, USAAF Tenth Air Force P-47s fly 20 attack sorties against
targets in the Mawhun area, including Pinlon; other P-47s fly 13 sorties against
targets in the Bhamo area, demolishing a bridge at Manyut and hitting enemy
positions at Chayuhkwang.
THAILAND: USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25s knock out the Dara bridge.
CHINA: 26 US Fourteenth Air Force B-25s bomb Mangshih, Taohsien, and Kuanyang, attack White Cloud Airfield at Canton, and knock out the Dara bridge; 3 others hit targets of opportunity near Changtuikuan and along the Lingling-Siangtan road; 70+ P-51s and P-40s on armed reconnaissance over southwestern and southeastern China pound numerous targets of opportunity, especially the town areas and river shipping at Takhing and Sinshih.
Eleven USAAF Tenth Air Force B-24 Liberators haul fuel from India to Liuchow.
MARIANA ISLANDS: 16 USAAF Seventh Air Force P-47s strafe AA positions on Rota Island.
BONIN
ISLANDS: 18 USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24s from
Saipan hit harbor facilities in the Bonin Islands, mostly at Chichi Jima
Island.
CAROLINE ISLANDS:
Regimental Combat Team 323, 81st Infantry Division, secures the rest of Ulithi
Atoll without opposition. The atoll will become an excellent base for the USN’s
Pacific Fleet during operations against the Philippines.
In the air, 26 USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24s from Kwajalein Atoll bomb Truk
Island while 11 B-25s, based in the Gilbert Islands, hit Ponape Island.
PALAU ISLANDS:
On Peleliu, the 321st Infantry attacks after air, naval, and artillery
bombardment, driving through Garekoru to the fourth phase line on the left.
Company E, on the right, starts along east-west trail, soon called 321st
Infantry Trail, through the central ridge system running from West Road south of
Garekoru to the East Road in an effort to pocket strong enemy forces in the
Umurbrogol Mountains, the southern part of the ridge system. A Japanese
counterattack at the fourth phase line causes 321st Infantry to fall back a
little, but positions are largely restored. A gap develops between the infantry
and the 7th Marines, since the latter, to the right rear, has to clear ground
that 321st Infantry should have taken.
On Angaur, when appeal to enemy to surrender produces only 2 prisoners,
artillery fire is placed on the pocket throughout rest of day and ensuing
night.
NORTH PACIFIC: Two USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24s on an armed reconnaissance mission bomb Marcus Island.
NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES:
USAAF Far East Air Forces B-24s and B-25s bomb Amahai Airfield and Boela on
Ceram Island, Namlea Airfield on Buru Island, and Haroekoe Airfield on Haroekoe
Island and B-24s hit Lautem on Timor Island.
NEW GUINEA: USAAF Far East Air Forces fighter-bombers attack Babo, Urarom,
and Manokwari Airfields while B-25s bomb Sorong.
PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: For the third day, USN carrier-based aircraft from the 12 aircraft carriers of Task Groups 38.1, 38.2 and 38.3 continue their attacks on Japanese shipping in Visayas. The toll for today is 15 ships sunk and 7 damaged. The three task groups will retire tonight to several anchorages for replenishment.
JAPAN: 8 US Eleventh Air Force B-24s striking Kurabu Cape Airfield on Paramushiru Island are challenged by 12 Japanese fighters and 1 of 2 damaged B-24s force lands in the USSR; one fighter is downed; and 4 B-25s fly a negative shipping search.
U.S.A.: Washington: The US treasury plan for post-war Germany (the "Morgenthau Plan") is published; it proposes a Germany stripped of its industry and converted to a wholly agricultural economy.