Operation Torch was the Allied invasion of French North Africa between 8 and 16 November 1942 during World War II. It was intended to distract the Axis forces from the Eastern front and thereby relieve the Soviet Union of the pressure it was facing to fight them. The invasion led to Oran's surrender on 10 November and France's agreement to an armistice with the Allies. Involved were British and American forces, organized into the Western, Central and Eastern task forces, which landed on beaches near Casablanca, Oran, and Algiers, respectively.
Overview
Western Task Force – Morocco
Vice Admiral H. Kent Hewitt, USN
Task Group 34.1 covering force Battleship USS Massachusetts (Capt. Whiting) Heavy cruisers USS Wichita (Capt. Low) and USS Tuscaloosa (Capt. Gillette) Destroyers USS Wainwright, USS Mayrant, USS Rhind and USS Jenkins Tanker USS Chemung Task Group 34.2 Carrier group Aircraft carrier USS Ranger (Capt. Durgin) Escort carrier USS Suwannee (Capt. Clark) Light cruiser USS Cleveland (Capt. Burrough) Destroyers USS Ellyson, USS Forrest, USS Fitch, USS Corry and USS Hobson Tanker USS Winooski Task Group 34.8 Northern task force Battleship USS Texas (Capt. Pfaff) Escort carriers USS Sangamon (Capt. Wieber) and USS Chenango (Capt. Wyatt) Light cruiser USS Savannah (Capt. Fiske) Destroyers USS Roe, USS Livermore, USS Kearny, USS Ericsson, USS Parker, USS Hambleton, USS Macomb, USS Dallas and USS Eberle Submarine USS Shad Submarine tender USS Barnegat Minesweepers USS Raven and USS Osprey Tanker USS Kennebec 8 transport ships Task Group 34.9 Center task force Heavy cruiser USS Augusta (Capt. Hutchins) Light cruiser USS Brooklyn (Capt. Denebrink) Destroyers USS Wilkes, USS Swanson, USS Ludlow, USS Murphy, USS Bristol, USS Woolsey, USS Edison, USS Tillman, USS Doyle and USS Rowan Submarines USS Gunnel and USS Herring 15 transport ships 6 mine hunting vessels Task Group 34.10 Southern task force Battleship USS New York (Capt. Umsted) Escort carrier USS Santee (Capt. Sample) Light cruiser USS Philadelphia (Capt. Hendren) Destroyers USS Mervine, USS Knight, USS Beatty, USS Cowie, USS Quick, USS Doran, USS Cole, USS Bernadou, USS Rodman and USS Emmons Submarine USS Barb Tankers USS Housatonic and USS Merrimack 3 mine hunting ships 6 transport ships US I Armored Corps
Major General George S. Patton, USA
Northern Attack Group (Mehedia) Brig. Gen. Lucian K. Truscott (9,099 officers and enlisted) 60th Infantry Regiment (Reinforced) of 9th Infantry Division 1st Battalion of 66th Armored Regiment of 2nd Armored Division 1st Battalion of 540th Engineers
Centre Attack Group (Fedhala) Maj. Gen. J. W. Anderson (18,783 officers and enlisted) 3rd Infantry Division 7th Infantry Regiment (Reinforced) 15th Infantry Regiment (Reinforced) 30th Infantry Regiment (Reinforced)
Southern Attack Group (Safi) Maj. Gen. Ernest N. Harmon (6,423 officers and enlisted) 47th Regimental Combat Team of 9th Infantry Division 3rd and elements of 2nd Battalion of 67th Armored Regiment of 2nd Armored Division
French forces in Morocco Général de division Georges Lascroux +DivisionRegiments and others Général de division Émile BéthouartInfantry: 1st Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment
Colonial Infantry Regiment of Morocco III/
Cavalry:
Artillery:
Guard:
I/9th Guard Regiment Général de brigade Maurice-Marie SalbertInfantry:
III/3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment I/
Cavalry:
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment
Artillery:
Guard:
IV/9th Guard Regiment Général de division Henry MartinInfantry: 2nd Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment II/
Cavalry:
Artillery:
Guard:
II/9th Guard Regiment Général de division Infantry: 7th Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment
3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
Cavalry:
Artillery:
Guard:
III/9th Guard Regiment
Covering Task Force - Force H - Mediterranean ViceAdmiral Edward Neville Syfret, RN Aircraft carriers , and Battleships , and Battle cruiser light cruisers , and 17 Destroyers Central Task Force – Oran
Commodore Thomas Hope Troubridge, RN
Escort carriers and Light cruisers and Anti-aircraft cruiser Headquarters ship 1 anti-aircraft ship 13 Destroyers 4 sloops 6 Corvettes 8 mine hunters 8 Trawlers 2 Submarines 19 Landing ships 28 Transport ships US II Corps
Major General Lloyd R. Fredendall, USA
Approx. 39,000 officers and enlisted
1st Infantry "Big Red One" Division (Maj. Gen. Terry Allen) 16th Infantry Regiment 18th Infantry Regiment 26th Infantry Regiment 1st Armored Division (Maj. Gen. Orlando Ward) Combat Command B 6th Armored Infantry Regiment 1st Ranger Battalion 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Eastern Task Force – Algiers
Rear Admiral Sir Harold Burrough, RN
Aircraft carrier Escort carrier Light cruisers , and Headquarters ship Monitor 3 anti-aircraft ships 13 Destroyers 3 Sloops 6 Corvettes 7 Mine hunters 8 Trawlers 3 Submarines 17 Landing ships 16 Transport ships
Allied Landing Forces
Major General Charles W. Ryder, USA
Approx. 33,000 officers and enlisted
British (approx. 23,000) 78th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Vyvyan Evelegh) 11th Infantry Brigade 36th Infantry Brigade No. 1 Commando No. 6 Commando 5 squadrons of RAF Regiment United States (approx. 10,000) 9th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Manton S. Eddy) 39th Infantry Regiment 34th Infantry Division (Maj. Gen. Charles W. Ryder) 135th Infantry Regiment 168th Infantry Regiment
19th Army Corps (French Army in Algeria)
DivisionRegiments and others Général de division Charles MastInfantry:
Cavalry:
1st Algerian Spahi Regiment
Artillery:
II/411th Artillery Regiment of Africa
Guard:
III/7th Guard Regiment
Others:
1st Annamite Sappers Général de division Infantry: 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment
Cavalry:
Artillery:
Guard:
7th Guard RegimentOran Division Général de division Robert BoissauInfantry:
Cavalry:
Artillery:
411th Artillery Regiment of Africa
Notes
Citations
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