August 1944

Western Front

In the US 3rd Army's VIII Corps area, the 83rd Division continues to make slow progress against the strongpoints at St Malo and Dinard. CCA, 6th Armored Division, batters at the outer defenses of Brest without avail. The rest of the 6th Armored Division moves forward to relieve the 4th Armored Division at Vannes and Lorient. The 4th Armored Division, finding Nantes free of Germans, moves toward St Calais. The 8th Division advances to Dinan from Rennes. The XV Corps reaches the Argentan area and is halted there by order of Gen Bradley. During the next few days the Germans succeed in withdrawing thousands from the Falaise-Argentan trap before it can be closed. The XX Corps, with Chartres as its next objective, moves forward in preparation for the attack. The 80th Division is pinched out by the XV Corps near Alençon. The XII Corps (Maj-Gen Gilbert R. Cook), which is given command of the 4th Armored Division (VIII Corps) and the 35th Division (VII Corps), receives its first offensive mission--to drive eastward on Orléans and protect the southern flank of the army. Assault forces are assembling in an area southeast of Le Mans.

In the US 1st Army's VII Corps area, the 3rd Armored and 1st Divisions swing to the northeast around Domfront, driving rapidly toward the Vire-Argentan road to constrict the pocketed enemy forces. The 3rd Armored Division, on the corps right, moves through Javron toward Ranes, making contact with the French 2nd Armored Division (XV Corps). The 1st Division cuts the Domfront-Alençon road in the Couterne-La Chapelle Moche area. The 4th and 9th Divisions await a new mission. The 30th Division passes to the control of the XIX Corps. The XIX Corps probes eastward, 2nd Armored Division units threatening Domfront and Ger as the 28th Division moves toward St Sauveur-de-Chaulieu through Sourdeval. In the V Corps area, the 29th Division pushes southward in the direction of Ger on the right flank of the corps, with forward elements reaching La Françaisere, east of Sourdeval. The 2nd Division heads for Tinchebray, overrunning Truttemer-le-Petit.