AH2: Anzio

In this entry, Larry joins the Third Division in their invasion of Italy.  This strategy was pushed by Winston Churchill, who insisted the Allies attack southern Europe before landing at Normandy.  Though the Allies eventually win the battle at Anzio, it is remembered for being a failure of leadership, as the troops were trapped on the beaches for months before advancing to Rome.  In your response this week, consider why Larry's entries become less frequent and, perhaps, less personal.

January 22, 1944

The American Sixth Corp (British 1^s and American 3^rd Division) landed at Anzio/Nettuno, 35 miles south of Rome.  This was to be the trump.  Drawing the Germans from the Cassino front.

36,000 Allied troops stormed the beaches.  We headed full speed ahead for shore at 04:00.  We hit a sand bar, the ramps were lowered, and disembarked into the cold Mediterranean water.  Our location was almost 4 miles south of Anzio.  We were lucky the Navy got us that close, the water was only about chest high.

The beachhead was eight miles deep and 15 miles wide.  Several small villages in the area Ponte Rotto, Isola Bella, and Campo Morto.  This was a strange place with drainage ditches criss-crossing the area and in the distance large mountains.

  

We were pinned down by a vastly superior German force of 80,000 to push us into the sea but we held.

February 20, 1944

After numerous attacks the Allies had lost another five thousand men to add to the 14,000 casualties already suffered before the German attacks.  I was really busy with all the casualties.

We had to go into no man’s land and retrieve the wounded casualties at night.  A very scary situation.  Very hard at times to locate and remove them.  Germans would set off flares that would light up the area.  You had to stop and not move for fear of being detected.

February 28, 1944

German shelling has increased with low clouds and rain.  Our air force is grounded and can’t help take out these targets.

The German armies are starting their counter attacks to push us off the beachhead and into the sea, it’s raining.  The attacks were by the Herman Goering Division and SS troopers.

Troops at Monte Cassino are having their problems trying to advance.  It was the intent that the invasion at Anzio (behind enemy lines) would cause the German line to fold and that the two fronts would be able to meet.  Didn’t happen.

The German fighter planes would approach the beachhead from the east (out of the mountains) coming low.  Often they would pass overhead so close you could see the pilot and read the numbers.  One pilot even waved to us on his way to the port.

March 2, 1944

We had a formation of B-24 Liberators (about two dozen) came in low.  They were giving us close ground support.  They came under intense enemy fire.  We liked the support but it seems costly for the Air Force.

Propaganda leaflets were fired at us in artillery shells that scattered them over the forward areas.  We had to wait until dark to gather them for souvenirs.  We found them amusing, they were inviting us to surrender.

March 15, 1944

The 3^rd Battalion, L-Company had high casualties.  We could only evacuate them after darkness fell.  Made it very difficult.  We couldn’t give our position away. 

Doc Sampson was born on the Anzio beachhead (a brown/white dog) of medium size.  He became our mascot and remained with the unit.

May 23, 1944

I was awarded the Bronze Star for carrying a wounded comrade on my back, under fire, to safety while crawling on my hands and knees.

June 4-5, 1944

We entered the city of Rome triumphantly.  Both sides had suffered heavy losses.  The Italian citizens welcomed us as we entered in battle lines. 

June 6, 1944

We received the flash announcement that the Allies stated the invasion across the English Channel to Normandy, France, and we are no longer front page news.  Rome is divided into zones, allotted to Regiments to establish guard and police duty.