By Mark Olivares
Sunday, September 24, 1944
Elements of British 30th Corps reaches the south bank of the Rhine to the west of Arnhem in the Netherlands. The British 1st Airborne Division continued to resist on the north bank despite shortages of food and ammunition.
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 a final attempt to reinforce the perimeter and secure a crossing site the 4th Dorsets cross the Rhine at night. Their main objective is to secure the Westerbouwing Heights so that future reinforcements can be brought in without being under constant German fire.
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.
Colonel Graeme Warrack, the 1st Airborne Division’s senior medical officer, obtained permission to arrange a truce with the Germans. This is approved by the German commander and as many of the wounded as possible are evacuated into German care, where, although becoming prisoners, they will at least be given appropriate medical attention. German vehicles enter the Perimeter during the truce and remove approximately two hundred and fifty stretcher-bound men, whilst a further two hundred walking wounded were marched to a hospital in Arnhem.
In the evening the corridor is again blocked by the Germans from Kampfgruppe Junwirth, this time south of Veghel at Koevering. Their attempts to take Eerde and push through to the bridges at Veghel are thwarted by the 501st PIR who then drive the Germans out of the Sand Dunes in Eerde. (Read full article here). They then bypass the Eerde and slip through an undefended stretch of road between Sint Oedenrode and Eerde.
The 502nd at Sint Oedenrode spots them in time but cannot prevent the Germans from reaching the road. The first counter attacks are stopped and during the evening and night more and more German reinforcements arrive. It is estimated that over 700 Germans, 3 Jagdpanthers, one or two 88mm antitank guns and other armored vehicles manage to reach Koevering and setup a strong defense in the woods astride the corridor.
Tanks from the Coldstream Guards are once again forced to drive south from Nijmegen to Veghel to help the 101st Airborne division unblock the corridor.
This is seen as the death stroke of the operation and that day order is given to evacuate the forces north of the Rhine, which will take place on the evening of September 25th.
In the Canadian First Army’s British I Corps area of Belgium, the Canadian 2d Division establishes a bridgehead across the Antwerp-Turnhout Canal south of St Leonard. Elements of the 49th Division reach Turnhout.
In the U.S. Third Army area of France, General George S Patton, in accordance with an order from General Dwight D Eisenhower, halts offensive operations for an aggressive defense, 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.
RAF personnel arrive at Araxos, Greece 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.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-565 is scuttled by three depth charges in Salamis. U-565 had been badly damaged on 19 September 1944 in the Mediterranean near Skaramanga, at position 37.57N, 23.40E, by US bombs. 5 dead.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) Type VIIC U-boat U-596 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 September 1944 (?).
In the U.S. Fifth Army area of Italy, 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.
The Red Army penetrates 20 miles over the Polish border into Czechoslovakia.
The Kriegsmarine (German Navy) U-boat U-739, commanded by Oberleutnant zur See Ernst Mangold, sank Soviet minesweeper T-120 (ex-USS Assail) northwest of the Skott-Hansen Island in the Kara Sea in the Arctic Ocean.
In the Northern Combat Area Command area of Burma, 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.
USAAF Fourteenth Air Force B-25s knock out the Dara bridge in Thailand.
Twenty-Six US Fourteenth Air Force B-25s in China 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.
Sixteen USAAF Seventh Air Force P-47s strafe AA positions on Rota Island in the Marianas.
Eighteen USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24s from Saipan hit harbor facilities in the Bonin Islands, mostly at Chichi Jima Island.
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.
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 IJA pocket throughout rest of day and ensuing night.
The U.S. Navy motor minesweeper USS YMS-19 was sunk by a mine off southeast coast of Angaur, Palaus.
Two USAAF Seventh Air Force B-24s on an armed reconnaissance mission bomb Marcus Island.
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.
USAAF Far East Air Forces fighter-bombers attack Babo, Urarom, and Manokwari Airfields while B-25s bomb Sorong, New Guinea.
For the third day, U.S. Navy 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 the Visayas, the Philippine Islands. As Japanese shipping shifted south from Luzon in the wake of the heavy attacks there over the previous days, U.S. Navy Task Force 38 followed, its planes hitting targets ranging from the Calamian group to the Visayas. Aircraft from three task groups (TG 38.1, TG 38.2, and TG 38.3) from TF 38, under command of Vice Admiral Marc A. Mitscher, participated in the action. Off Calamian Island in Coron Bay, TF 38 planes sank the flying boat support ship HIJMS Akitsushima, cargo ship Kyokusan Maru and army cargo ship Taiei Maru, and damaged the ammunition ship Kogyo Maru, army cargo ship Olympia Maru, cargo ships Ekkai Maru and Kasagisan Maru, supply ship HIJMS Irako, oiler HIJMS Kamoi and small cargo ship No.11 Shonan Maru. South of Mindoro, other other carrier aircraft sank the torpedo boat HIJMS Hayabusa, minelayer HIJMS Yaeyama, and submarine chaser HIJMS Ch 32. Off Masbate, other carrier aircraft sank the auxiliary submarine chaser HIJMS Cha 39 and auxiliary minesweeper HIJMS Wa 7, merchant cargo ship Shinyo Maru, and cargo ships No.17 Fukuei Maru and No.2 Koshu Maru, and transport Siberia Maru. In Visayan Sea, other carrier aircraft sank the army cargo ship Chuka Maru and tanker Kenwa Maru. In the South China Sea, other carrier aircraft sank the tanker Okigawa Maru. The three task groups will retire tonight to several anchorages for replenishment.
The U.S. Navy submarine USS Barbero (SS-317), commanded by Lt. Commander Irvin S. Hartman, bombarded Japanese radar installation on Batag Island off north coast of Samar.
The hospital ship USS Samaritan (AH-10) was damaged by grounding on Tauu Island Reef to the northeast of Bougainville.
Eight 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.
Washington, D.C.: The U.S. 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.
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