July 1944

Western Front

The US 1st Army halts its offensive west of the Taute River while regrouping extensively in preparation for COBRA. The 4th Armored Division is temporarily held in reserve.

The VIII Corps, now holding its initial objectives along the Ay River except for the town of Lessay, maintains its current positions while regrouping to include the 8th, 79th, 90th, 4th and 83rd Divisions.

The VII Corps continues the offensive with the 9th Division while regrouping on the rest of the front to include the 30th and 1st Infantry Divisions and the 2nd and 3rd Armored Divisions. Its zone is extended eastward to the Vire River when the 30th Division is transferred to corps in place at 2400. The 9th Division secures the crossroads at Les Champs-de-Losque.

In the XIX Corps area, the 30th Division, before its transfer to the VII Corps, attacks with the 117th Infantry to the outskirts of Le Mesnil-Durand, forcing a salient into enemy positions. The 35th and 29th Divisions, with close air and artillery support, continue the battle for St Lô. The 134th Infantry on the left flank of the 35th Division, gains the northern slopes of Hill 122, where it is within 2,000 yards of St Lô, but the rest of the division is held up well to the rear in Le Carillon-Pont Hébert area. The 29th Division makes its main effort on the left flankk of the XIX Corps with the 116th Infantry along the Martinville Ridge. The 2nd Battalion of the 116th Infantry succeeds in breaking through to the Bayeux-St Lô highway near La Madeleine but is isolated there. The 175th Infantry holds its positions on the left flank of the division. The 115th, on the right flank, makes slow progress southwestward from La Luzerne.

The V Corps, upon regrouping, contains the 2nd and 5th Divisions on the inactive left flank of the army.

In the British 2nd Army area, the XII Corps begins an attack toward the line Bougy-Evrecy-Maizet, between the Odon and the Orne during the night of the 15th, with the 15th Division moving forward with illumination from searchlights.