Völkischer Beobachter (January 18, 1945)
US-Panzerlandungen auf Luzon
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Führer HQ (January 18, 1945)
Kommuniqué des Oberkommandos der Wehrmacht
In Ungarn scheiterten örtlich begrenzte Angriffe der Bolschewisten am Nordrand des Vértesgebirges und im Pilisgebirge. Die Verteidiger von Budapest erwehrten sich In erbitterten Häuser- und Straßenkämpfen erneuter heftiger Angriffe des Gegners. An den bisherigen Brennpunkten im ungarisch-slowakischen Grenzgebiet blieben wiederholte feindliche Angriffe erfolglos. Zwischen der Slowakei und dem Oberlauf der Weichsel setzten sich unsere Truppen nach Westen ab, dabei entwickelten sich Kämpfe mit dem auf Neu-Sandez nachdrängenden Feind.
Die Schlacht im großen Welehielbogen dauert mit unverminderter Helligkeit an. Herangeführte Reserven fingen die feindliche Angriffsspitze zwischen Krakau und Tschenstochau auf. Tschenstochau und Tomaschow fielen nach Straßenkämpfen in Feindeshand. Panzerspitzen des Feindes drangen bis in den Raum zwischen Litzmannstadt und Weichsel vor. Auch zwischen Kielce und der unteren Pilica stehen unsere Verbände in schwerem Kampf mit starken feindlichen Kräften. Eine niedersächsische Panzerdivision schoss dort an einem Tag 85 sowjetische Panzer ab. Im großen Welchselbogen wurde Warschau geräumt.
Nördlich der Weichsel konnten die Bolschewisten nach Zuführung weiterer Verbände ihre Einbrüche trotz der hartnäckigen Gegenwehr unserer Truppen nach Westen und Norden erweitern. Zichenau ging nach schweren Kämpfen verloren.
Am fünften Tage der Abwehrschlacht im ostpreußischen Grenzgebiet errangen unsere Verbände gegen den Ansturm von 35 sowjetischen Schützendivisionen und zahlreichen Panzerbrigaden erneut einen Abwehrerfolg.
In der Doppelschlacht nördlich Warschaus und im ostpreußischen Grenzgebiet wurden gestern 201 feindliche Panzer vernichtet. Damit hat sich die Zahl der in diesen beiden Großkampfräumen
innerhalb von fünf Tagen abgeschossenen Panzerkampfwagen auf 903 erhöht.
Im Westen entwickelten sich in dem bei Maaseyck nach Westen vorspringenden Frontbogen aus örtlichen Angriffen nach Einsatz starker englischer Verbände lebhafte Kämpfe, östlich und nordwestlich Bastogne wird erbittert um einzelne Ortschaften gekämpft.
Gebirgsjäger der Waffen-SS haben in den Unteren Vogesen eine amerikanische Kampfgruppe im Angriff eingeschlossen und alle Ausbruchs- und Entsatzversuche vereitelt. Der auch gestern Im Kampfraum von Hatten hartnäckig angreifende Feind erlitt wiederum hohe Menschen- und Panzerverluste. In den erweiterten Brückenköpfen nördlich Straßburg wurden östlich von Hagenau eine Reihe von Orten erstürmt, ein Oberst und mehrere hundert Amerikaner gefangengenommen. Der Feind, der Herrlisheim heftig angriff und auch in den Ort eindringen konnte, verlor dabei die Masse seiner angreifenden Panzer. Im Ganzen sind gestern im Elsass 57 feindliche Panzer abgeschossen worden.
In Mittelitalien bat die Kampftätigkeit zugenommen, örtliche britische Angriffe zwischen den etruskischen Bergen und dem Comacchiosee blieben erfolglos.
In den Säuberungskämpfen Im Raum Tuplice-Seifenberg unter Führung des Höheren SS- und Polizeiführers „Alpenland“ erlitten die Banditen erneut schwere Verluste. Über 2.300 feindliche Tote wurden gezählt, 1.500 Gefangene und umfangreiche Beute eingebracht.
Die Angriffe der nordamerikanischen Terrorbomber auf Nord- und Nordwestdeutschland trafen vor allem die Wohnviertel von Paderborn. In der Nacht führten die Briten Störflüge über West- und Mitteldeutschland durch.
Luftverteidigungsstreitkräfte der Kriegsmarine schossen über Holland und der Deutschen Bucht elf feindliche Bomber ab.
Groß-London liegt weiter unter unserem Fernbeschuss.
Im Küstengebiet um England und auf dem nach Frankreich laufenden anglo-amerikanischen Nachschubverkehr versenkten unsere Unterseeboote trotz schwierigster Angriffsbedingungen neun Schiffe mit zusammen 54.000 BRT, darunter einen großen Tanker. Außerdem wurden zwei Sicherungsfahrzeuge versenkt und drei weitere torpediert.
Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Force (January 18, 1945)
FROM
(A) SHAEF MAIN
ORIGINATOR
PRD, Communique Section
DATE-TIME OF ORIGIN
181100A January
TO FOR ACTION
(1) AGWAR
(2) NAVY DEPARTMENT
TO (W) FOR INFORMATION (INFO)
(3) TAC HQ 12 ARMY GP
(4) MAIN 12 ARMY GP
(5) SHAEF AIR STAFF
(6) ANCXF
(7) EXFOR MAIN
(8) EXFOR REAR
(9) DEFENSOR, OTTAWA
(10) CANADIAN C/S, OTTAWA
(11) WAR OFFICE
(12) ADMIRALTY
(13) AIR MINISTRY
(14) UNITED KINGDOM BASE
(15) SACSEA
(16) CMHQ (Pass to RCAF & RCN)
(17) COM ZONE
(18) SHAEF REAR
(19) NEWS DIV. MINIFORM, LONDON
(REF NO.)
NONE
(CLASSIFICATION)
IN THE CLEAR
Communiqué No. 285
In Holland, in the area north of Sittard, the village of Dieteren has been captured and Allied forces made limited progress against heavy enemy opposition and in poor visibility.
During the night, light bombers operating from dusk to dawn in the Sittard battle area bombed fortified buildings in Heinsberg, Wegberg and Erkelenz in Germany and attacked enemy movement.
In the Ardennes, heavy fighting continues south of Faymonville and Ondenval. Thirimont is now firmly in our hands, and enemy counter-attacks in the area have been repulsed. In the Salm River sector, we have occupied Vielsalm, and the high ground to the east against lighter resistance. South of Bovigny and Cherain, heavy fighting continues.
East of Bastogne, our forces have taken Bourcy and cut the Bourcy-Longvilly road about one mile north of Longvilly. Strong enemy counterattacks were repulsed north of Oberwampach which is just southeast of Longvilly.
Southeast of Remich near the Luxembourg-German border, our units are clearing up an enemy force cut off just south of Nennig.
In the Bitche Salient, we made limited gains near Reipertswiller, but our progress was halted by counterattacks.
The enemy put reinforcements into the battle in the Hatten area in a renewed attempt to break through our Maginot Line positions. Our troops stood firm and inflicted severe losses including more than 200 dead. A hostile thrust in the forest south of Hatten was checked.
In tank-supported attacks the enemy fought aggressively to enlarge his Rhine bridgehead. Our forces lost the villages of Stattmatten and Dengolsheim, and during a seesaw engagement Sessenheim which we now control, changed hands several times. There was heavy street fighting at Herrlisheim.
Weather over the battle areas yesterday was bad. Fighter-bomber missions were flown against enemy positions and a fortified village in northern Holland. Other fighter-bombers attacked enemy transport from Utrecht to Hengelo.
Seven hundred escorted heavy bombers attacked a large oil refinery at Harburg, oil refineries and submarine building yards at Hamburg, and transportation targets in northwest Germany including marshalling yards and railway repair facilities at Paderborn. Some of the escorting fighters strafed railway targets.
COORDINATED WITH: G-2, G-3 to C/S
THIS MESSAGE MAY BE SENT IN CLEAR BY ANY MEANS
/s/
Precedence
“OP” - AGWAR
“P” - Others
ORIGINATING DIVISION
PRD, Communique Section
NAME AND RANK TYPED. TEL. NO.
D. R. JORDAN, Lt Col FA2409
AUTHENTICATING SIGNATURE
/s/U.S. Navy Department (January 18, 1945)
Communiqué No. 568
Pacific and Far East.
U.S. submarines have reported the sinking of twenty‑four enemy vessels, including four combatant vessels – a destroyer and three escort craft – as a result of operations against the enemy in these waters. The vessels sunk were:
- 1 destroyer
- 3 escort vessels
- 1 large cargo transport
- 2 large tankers
- 1 medium cargo transport
- 8 medium cargo vessels
- 2 medium tankers
- 1 medium transport
- 4 small cargo vessels
- 1 small tanker
These actions have not been announced in any previous Navy Department communiqué.
CINCPAC Communiqué No. 236
Seventh Army Air Force Liberators and Lightning fighters operating under the Strategic Air Force, Pacific Ocean Areas, attacked airstrip installations on Iwo Jima in the Volcanos on January 15 (West Longitude Date).
Assurance has been received that no Frenchmen were lost in the sinking of the French light cruiser LAMOTTE-PICQUET, Communiqué 234.
Enemy facilities on Rota in the Marianas were strafed and bombed by Marine aircraft on the same date.
Fourth Marine Aircraft Wing fighters attacked installations on Babelthuap in the Palaus on January 15 and 16.
On January 16, Marine torpedo planes and fighters struck at harbor facilities on Yap in the Western Carolines.
The Pittsburgh Press (January 18, 1945)
PATTON LAUNCHES NEW ATTACK
Entire bulge pounded by Yank columns
British enter Reich at new point
By Boyd D. Lewis, United Press staff writer
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Stimson: U.S. ground forces lose 332,912 men in west since D-Day
Casualties in December, including part of Ardennes battle, 74,788
Washington (UP) –
Secretary of War Henry L. Stimson announced today that U.S. ground forces alone suffered 332,912 casualties on the Western Front from D-Day June 6 to Jan. 1.
This total, which includes losses during the most severe period of fighting in the Germans’ Ardennes offensive, represents 54,562 killed, 232,672 wounded and 45,678 missing, Mr. Stimson told a news conference.
Secretary Stimson said the Germans have suffered great losses in the past week as the U.S. First and Third Armies and British troops pressed them back in the Ardennes bulge.
The Allied pincers have cut off large numbers of Germans, swelling the prisoners of war taken in this battle, he said. Allied artillery hammering the roads have destroyed whole columns of enemy troops while Allied planes which operated when weather permitted took a heavy toll.
U.S. ground force losses for the month of December on the Western Front, Mr. Stimson said, were 74,788. These included 10,419 killed, 43,554 wounded and 20,815 missing. He added that most of the missing probably had been captured.
But German casualties in December were one-third heavier than American, totaling 110,000 to 130,000, including 50,000 captured, Mr. Stimson estimated.
Mr. Stimson had no new estimate of American losses confined strictly to the period of the German offensive. Monday. However, he estimated U.S. losses in the Ardennes area from Dec. 15 to Jan. 7 at 40,000, including 18,000 missing.
Today he reported that one American division, the 106th, suffered casualties equal to more than half its entire strength in a “gallant stand” against the Germans in the Ardennes.
This division suffered 8,663 casualties, including 416 killed, 1,246 wounded and 7,001 missing.
Mr. Stimson also announced total Army combat casualties in all theaters as compiled by the War Department here through Jan. 7. This compilation, however, reflected casualties actually suffered only up to the early days of December.
This overall figure was 580,495, bringing the total number of casualties announced here for all branches of the service – but not counting the 40,000 for the Ardennes breakthrough – to 663,859, an aggregate 17,479 greater than that disclosed one week ago.
Counting the 40,000, the grand overall total would be 703,859, as compared with a grand total of 259,735 for all of World War I.
The total of announced casualties for the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, released last night, is 83,364. The Army and Navy totals divide up as follows:
| Army | Navy | |
|---|---|---|
| Killed | 111,306 | 31,802 |
| Wounded | 343,250 | 37,630 |
| Prisoners | 57,462 | 9,454 |
| Missing | 68,477 | 4,478 |
Japs evacuating Manila personnel
Americans mass for lunge on capital
By William B. Dickinson, United Press staff writer
…
House leader backs military training plan
Navy Reserve Corps bill approved
By Daniel M. Kidney, Scripps-Howard staff writer
…