August 1943

Sicily

The British 78th Division reaches Maletto, only 4 miles north of Bronte, with the British advance guard constantly clearing a path through extensive and systematic minefields and pushing along the German rear guard.

In US 7th Army's II Corps area, the 3rd Division continues its pursuit of the enemy in the coastal sector. The 1st Battalion of the 30th Infantry Regiment links up with its sister battalion on Monte Cipolla at 7:30am. The 2nd Battalion losses are 99 men killed or missing, 78 wounded. Also lost are 5 tanks, and 8 guns. German losses about the same except they lose fewer heavy weapons. The 9th Division's 60th Infantry reaches Floresta, north of Randazzo while the 39th continues eastward along Highway 120, gaining favorable position for assault on Randazzo, but the enemy withdraws during the night.

The evacuation ferries operate at irregular intervals during the day carrying equipment. At night troop evacuation resumes, but soldiers moving back at night over unfamiliar terrain are frequently late. During the first two nights, according to the LXXVI Panzer Corps records, 615 officers, 19,924 men, 34 tanks, 34 self-propelled guns, 15 heavy anti-tank weapons, 2185 vehicles, 21 artillery pieces and 11 anti-aircraft guns are evacuated.

Hube orders German units in all sectors to pull back to the Phase Line 1. Rodt's 15th Panzer Grenadier Division is pulled out of line and sent to assembly areas for evacuation.