Italy 1943-45

This picture shows our first aid station on the beaches of the Mediterranean that we enjoyed prior to leaving for the invasion of Italy.

During this delightful intermission (July, 1943) General Patton's Army invaded Sicily, and the US 5th Army invaded the Italian mainland at Salemo. The British landed in the Taranto area in September 1943. Finally, our battalion was attached to the invasion force that entered Italy at Torre Annunziata, south of Naples.

Italy immediately declared an armistice and arrested Mussolini. The Italians never really had their heart in this war. Mussolini was later helped to escape from prison by the Germans. But, eventually he met his fate by an Italian lynching mob in April 1945, and was last seen hanging by his feet from a lamppost, like salami. This was depicted in the Stars & Stripes Army weekly newspaper.

About 52 miles north of Naples, the 5th Army (to whom we were attached) had targeted Rome as its next conquest. However, we were brought to a halt at the German Gustav line at the center of which was Monte Cassino. It was an ancient Benedictine Monastery built in 529 AD, on the top of a 1,700-foot mountain. It was a strategic military position for the Germans. The town of Cassino, below, had already been leveled by Allied artillery and air strikes.

Our battalion with guns and equipment were waiting to go forward. We were dug in deep about two or three miles south on the main road. My aid station was situated adjacent to the road with a couple of other battalion “medics” just out of range of the enemy artillery. Mindfully, we stayed low during daylight hours. I do not recall how long we were pinned down there, but it seemed like forever. At night, the Allied forces would send up patrols, which would freeze in position when the sky was illuminated with German flares. These forces were truly multinational and multi-racial. To the left of our position was the American black division, and on our immediate right was the Brazilian division. Adjacent to them were the Australians, Indians, Israelis, Poles, and New Zealanders. Because of all these varied participants, with their distinct national uniforms, it was hard to tell friend from foe. I heard stories of one of our Allied patrols coming back at night with confused Brazilian prisoners. Luckily, we did not kill each other.

Unfortunately, General Dwight Eisenhower used very poor judgment in placing the value of the Monastery above the lives of his Allied troops. The daily loss of life was considerable and unnecessary, arousing considerable anger and lack of respect for him.

How many Allied lives was it worth? A fruitless attempt to bypass the destruction of the Monastery was made by invading Italy at Anzio, north of Cassino, in January 1944. That turned out to be a disaster with more loss of life because General Lucas failed to push through into Italy after taking the beachhead. At that beach, the Germans used their giant railroad gun “Anzio Annie” which lobbed 28 cm. (11.5 inch) shells at the Allies.

Eventually, in January 1944, the monastery was blown to bits by the 96th Bomb Group from Foggia airfield. The Germans continued to fight; bringing replacements up the mountain from the north side, they used large sections of rubble for defensive positions. Eventually, a Polish contingent went up the mountain and cleaned out what was left of the enemy. Completely exhausted, the Germans capitulated in May 1944. Rome was captured in June 1944, and was declared an “Open City.”

Information obtained from a WWII encyclopedia stated that 20,000 men died at Monte Cassino. Was the decision to destroy the Monastery that difficult?

At the end of the war, Eisenhower was welcomed home with a tickertape parade in New York

Arrow points to approximate area our battalion was dug in. Aid station was not too far from highway.

Approaching Monte Cassino after bombing.

Monte Cassino after bombing by the 96th Air Group from Foggia

Abbey of Monte Cassino after bombing.

Town of Cassino completely destroyed.

Families living in caves after evacuating Cassino.