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was some opposition from naval and coast-defense guns, which conï؟¾tinued to fire until silenced by Allied naval and air units, but for the
most part the landings were unopposed.
As had the other two forces, the Eastern Task Force arrived off
its objective on schedule during the night of 7-8 November, and landï؟¾ings proceeded at three beaches. West of Algiers the 168th Regiï؟¾mental Combat Team made the initial landing at Cape Ferruch.
Friendly French officers, who were prepared to cooperate with the
American forces, surrendered Fort Sidi Ferruch at 0300 hours withï؟¾out firing a shot. Armored cars and tanks were landed, and the
advance eastward toward Algiers commenced. Three miles from
the city some opposition from Vichy sympathizers was encountered,
but by early afternoon the Americans were able to continue their
movement toward the city.
Meanwhile a landing was made near Castiglione by British Comï؟¾mando troops, who advanced southward and quickly occupied the
airfield at Blida. Soon fighters from the British naval air force
arrived and began to use the airfield. The Commandos then moved
eastward to cut off the city of Algiers from land communication to
the southwest.
While the landings west of Algiers were being accomplished, the
American 39th Regimental Combat Team, reinforced by a battalion
of British Commandos, landed on beaches near Ain Taya, fifteen
miles east of the city. One column immediately headed for the chief
objective, the big Maison Blanche airdrome, while another moved
on Algiers. The airdrome was taken at 0830 hours, after some slight
resistance was overcome at Fort de l’Eau and after a brush with
French tanks near the airfield. A little later a squadron of Hurriï؟¾canes, which had left Gibraltar at dawn, landed safely.
In the meantime, as at Oran, a direct attack on the harbor to gain
control of harbor equipment and prevent sabotage met with violent
opposition. Two British destroyers and two American coastal loadï؟¾ers were severly damaged, and although a few Commandos were put
ashore, the attempt to take Algiers by frontal assault failed.
By the afternoon of the 8th the converging American columns had
completed the encirclement of Algiers and the rail, highway, and air
communications were in Allied hands. During the day the task force
commander, Major General Charles W. Ryder, went ashore to confer
with a representative of Admiral Darlan. They reached an agreeï؟¾ment that all resistance should cease and that our forces should
occupy the city at 1900 hours, 8 November.
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