August 1944

Western Front

In the British 2nd Army's XII Corps area, the 15th Division gets into position to cross the Seine at Louviers. In the XXX Corps area, the 43rd Division establishes a bridgehead across the Seine at Vernon under cover of artillery fire.

In the US 1st Army area, the XIX Corps overruns Elbeuf, its objective, then makes contact with British forces to the north. In the V Corps area, the French 2nd Armored Division, bypassing resistance in the Versailles area, gets forward elements into Paris from the southwest at 0700. The 4th Division enters from the south soon afterward, following Troop A, 38th Cavalry, which enters at 0730. FFI forces and jubilant French civilians assist in the methodical clearing of scattered strongpoints within the city. The German commander in Paris, Lt-Gen Dietrich von Choltitz, surrenders formally to Brig-Gen Jacques-Philippe Leclerc of the French 2nd Armored Division at 1515. The 22nd Infantry, 4th Division, establishes a bridgehead across the Seine south of Paris. The V Corps releases the 80th and 90th Division to the 3rd Army, which assigns them respectively to the XII and XX Corps. In the VII Corps area, CCB of the 3rd Armored Division crosses the Seine below Paris at Tilly. The 1st and 9th Divisions are assembling south of Paris.

In the US 3rd Army area, the VIII Corps launches a strong attack on Brest at 1300 after an hour-long preparatory bombardment. The 2nd, 8th, and 29th Divisions on the east, north, and west, respectively, batter at the strong outer defenses of the city, making little progress. The 29th Division employs TF Sugar (a special 175th Infantry force that consists of 2 companies of the 2nd Ranger Battalion and elements of the 86th Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron as well as 175th Infantry units and is commmanded by Lt-Col Arthur T. Sheppe of the 175th Infantry) on the extreme right to clear the Le Conquet Peninsula, where the formidable Batterie Graf Spee is located. TF B continues clearing peninsulas south of Brest. The XX Corps defends the Seine bridgeheads at Melun and Montereau. The 5th Division crosses the Yonne River at Missy. In the XII Corps area, CCA of the 4th Armored Division overcomes strong opposition in Troyes.