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Page 1: WordPress.com · Four . boat .~roups. moved .to .. new ,s~ging a~ea.. at . t~~: ~,IiI,:t.~~~

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Page 2: WordPress.com · Four . boat .~roups. moved .to .. new ,s~ging a~ea.. at . t~~: ~,IiI,:t.~~~

- . . Four boat .~roups moved .to .. new ,s~ging a~ea.. at t~~: ~,IiI,:t.~~~<~reu;o.d:s in N.~ples

(N 2l~ti25) on' Jauua.ry'.· 21, a f.itth ~'!Janu"ry 2$.. We i"e~irie~ m the GraUt'lds rOI' the three suo.ae-e~1ng c;1ays. .

In the baXtalion s.rohive~~ January 28th. must be r~m.E!mber..d a.s the d~y on . whioh tih-e' 191st b$OWl& OOlJ,,'od,ous 0f the rea.li'-ti;e-$ of rote>tiOli •. : 'Executive offi.oer Major WATSON attained the ·distinoob:1on. Gapt, mUJJi was ,;oa.st ~ a dual role of Exeoutive (lffl~er and S-3•

. All boat g:r.oups wi tbcme.xoeption ·embarked dlU'mg' the period January 29 to February 1. The. exoeption, consisting ot l'of;fioer, approximately on-e hundred men end 'twenty ,sorely n.~ed~dvehiC)les remains, at ih$ date of thil writing, in "he Palace Gr<)l~dsl! .

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The spl~'sh of' German high Telo.oiily roo£:et shells greet-ed us in Anzio harbor. Capt. ~IDILE'm I S boat gro1;p .- "ell' Company end two platQ-ODS or -n- Company.. (ane platoon of. 11~ Gompa.ny made. the voyage with fue81st ReQ(l)tm.al.eanoe Battalion) ­d6bar]ced at O~Q ho\U's·.1m January, 3l.st.,· <~ey b~wue;oed initially in the' n,oX'th. e&st comer of ilia ""irst Almored J)ivis:i.on Woods" (S16254, Sheet lSS' IV)~ then moved later in the day to ~632~. Ba.ttaliOll Readquarte·l"s with MAlI and Headquarters COll1pfilnies arriwd fit IS&> ho~r$' the same' dQ.Y anill occupied an 'area adjaoent to tiC" CC!lmpany. ,1DU1"mg the.n$,ght a ntttn,'Ge.r of shells :~th an ,¢lmmo'U;sly -sho1l':Q whistle landecl 1.n 'o.'llI' area. . .

Ai; Q800 hours the m.or:td.n& of Fe<bruary lS"b,' we -qre atta>e1ae4 to the. Third rnrantx;r D!vi~iQ11. We moved baok. tl\r9ugn, An-zf()J t1;li~oe 'h0J!* tnto theCi~11Elma

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" , ~ ., ' ':" \, . '" ., . . In 'only:a, v;ex.y'.few: seotiqns -$,f' 'the b(:t~obhe,ad. ~A th~ terr.a.in permi~ ~ove­

men.t of' tan'k;.s cff the' roads. ' A.' goo-d many -vehiol&'s 'bo~d' dl)W11,' during qGll'iba't and h~d to 'be' a.bo:n.d0n~d.. Frequ.EQ1t,...ra~,tu, did lit~J.e- t9 al~~viate ''the d,:ttfi~~"tyll' ,

. Cover and .o.on~a1m&nt were a:t e:·-minim'W1l.' ~uch 6£ ,thS' .lano; 'WS.$ 'Perfe-etly\t:J,a.t~ lleluses;- ~aysta.c:ks,j $.'ri.d an: qOQllsional fold: ,~~ n;ully ~e -the' onJ:Y,me~6' 'PI' oan.... oe4l!--ment.. . , -', , ., ..' '. .

. At 1$~, ~ur'~' (-ll'ebr~rY: 3rd)' ~he:A.~s4:U:t,t, Gua, °l~Jdtari :1!'Omp,ted'''~' :POSi-bi.on. j;ust-. ,nor~. 01' ;t.Eil FeJ'r,i~r.~, W?-th ':the:~~d . .ot, a~ ~h~~~hi:¢!l ,pl~~, th.~y' 1WJ1'e :reg­

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One '1i~t .ap.do~ _diuxq. ~lr;:plato.n ,".re ~9.,u~t~4 ';by'tA~ -1h~rd.~.t~.;tn­Division- o~de'r tor Il: dea.o~J'!I.~~6p,. ~d ~ _~ t-n...~ tbe., d*,¥!s!1m P'. p., on Fe~uary ~d. The· purpose ~t1he,·deiD.QI).8tx'~tl=••.to ..·s~~ .th.;·~pa.bU. ~i.es ot a. ooordinate. eJJi.P3.oym,ent. of 'W~~Y,f.-111__~ }1~~ :t~'B ~':i*.,~, -,amY. atr6lig pqin't!i m ·build1n.g-....·: '-!'b.e·m.,.di_ -.ls;. -U1~ ~ve. -0&. r~~, ind; fJre .in~Q the bui).cUags,lIhile ·<the.light. ~ks ap,d, ~'tq m~~,:~~toa~ ~O'Ull~ __'Go' Oo.o~ and mop up., ,the.exper~en.~:'~,·Ul'.l:~~PQ..lSS.t)l~#, tor;,'~B -li.tli~ Unks: pro~d more ' vulnerahle to -boggy' terrain thAn did th'eI!l&'4;t~s... ·· t' -

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.lh)t1£ic.Q;ti:.pn :ot'.ap. 6X1elI\V,Q.S:~ul~ a~:in~t, ~ev ;:nd',~~~a.:t~on, 1'bh,b(!.tea:i:!rw" '~~gim($t, r.ea!3hriufJ ~. l;8~O, b.~ur'8.. "0- O~m.p.any ...' $,:terte~ to aulaet m. .-stQ1?ping the atta.ck. No ~ef'_iQu$ fir,e' t!g;h,t develop.ed 'hO~-ri ' '" ' ".

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~n~.~~~en~:Ia.r:t~l~'r;t$~r8 ~e:t-l, l);$~,.(1;h'>',bQ;~~~.,a,~~,f-during ~l\~, ,~1~~•. , ': , ,', "', ; , 'I'! ,., ~ " ' ...., .8 '. • ' ; , ' .' ~ • , , :, ,

,~ a..ar:ent1x .frlt~t11Y pian. fP-40) .sbr.afl'-ed ·,fi)'Ur·,bivG,u~Q ...t.a at 0730 hours ..; the mo~mg Qf ih~' 3rd.. :., Corp~:ta.l Jl~Gart~r ofthellortar Pla-t~on ft.. injUred and.

on. or :bh.~ mo~· ba.l:f-tr~ok, lr.eo8f''Ve'd .. p~lllet're:t!.OJa,Jl . , ~ , '-..

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Employ.m..eni'i ·of 'the b$.ttalj.aa ,ltaS unQG'l'ta.,in. at tllis' time..., $EJve~e.l Pl.a1ls- )Vere under dis..oU8sic;l~' On~ cono$m.ed·-an olilel'ation with t.h.e First Armored, Division to seize Cisterna" .Another _So to a.-tt-ack the 'Car~cee-to IlifFaoteryw area. -A th.i~d: was to utUise the tanke solely '&.s :'e.'r;·ti~k. det'$'iise. An:o:ther -" to euw~rt, . the. 'l'hird :tnfantry Division :~ ou1iMnglIighway IP'~"" '.

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...Th~ 5O'"e.l"be.r~_chinegtIIU·· O~. 'bhe}lort~ Pl~t(,)~, 'brough-to d.~~; .•~e ~$~ .f~g.~ter plane at lO 00' heu!fs~.Fe:~ :6iih,~ ~6.1:her· '_~ dbage' ~d:'p~i!)a;6q ~d'rOea"':Ci_,.

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" ,!he t~rfeperS'is~ed.~'. ltsnightlya:ttacks..Antl,~~er,sl\)nne]l;-buttert'lie:in

ftre b.q.~g ti,spe:e!alJ\:;y., ' " . . ', , . . . ~ . - .

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. ~. Em~ 1$~·@;e4 ~h'&$:VY' iJ;l.f~try ,bd a:n"n.\Ul at-Gaoki th~J m,om~g Qt 'Feb.~uarY' 1:6tt.. <lilA'" tW,mp.Qy·f.~. fi~SrP .~!at0.~rt'l under L~lIL~]}$KY.,t acl~.~~ t~69 2328,~ .en­

. eG~wFeu:; !o~ e1ll:enw' t~4$ ·@d. set· o~~ 'EU"tre. _ ~.q ·-.tti~lery' bal"r.age· t'arced :O~ tanJc.s ..to take. "OQV,$:tt :Jij$n~.,:ho,",se$:' ., ~e .g~ " ~s,.' ~~t;•.dl _glt;{n and dUr

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The ~~ ).84, jqo~ 1uok mO~g oro,ss oOua:in,~~',' ~e ,A~..mt Gun ~latCi) ClItl

knooked. out~ iti~.e llar.k 'VI tanks 'Which wet'S bQggeGt, d_.., "ff~*- Compliny aooounted tOF at lel+s't ltWo. ' " , '"

'.. oUr a~1" teroe, C8llnEl ''t'b.r'~~'' wi~n', ~ ,b.elp~g han~ 'at 1W3E>, h,?'Urs~ . A flight of

,A,..'56 t • di:ve""bombe( in the f'a.cwry area and"~eu~a.'i!zed'en dD,$my battery of six " ;. i . . ' I

~8 ,mt,~ns1ty 'ot'1Jhe attaok ~d not ~im.m'!Sh Wj:til l~t~ ati;;ernbOn. The en~.e~~eQ btrt:h !nt,&;lt~ ~a ~kslavish1Y.He, repe~~dly ..~teInpted, to ~ak8.p.e~..t~~JJb~ thr~~t!l1g ~is, t~kl' clem. ~~ugh ~he network of roads an~' OUl".'~k8 ~oIithl!1$d' tQ :e~ga:g~ .th..m. ,,'.lhe .b~~ttal,i'Ol!i. tank ,"OON for the day (as of l~OO houi".$), is imprenivell T~s, of, un~dentif1~d type, seveIl,'Ji4:8:z.k IV's .. f:h'8j ilark vi I If,' three~ e. tQtal of tift•• ~"e~' ~s pO$ltlvelY'd88treyed. ln, add'i:bi~~ &ree mac~e g1llDi:' pOlliti~n~ Were w::tp:~d out end at least one anti ­i:;ank gun. ,A oon,s6rvati-ve ~$t,~te of ,en,eJD¥ int~try destroyed is two hundred fifty,. Our Q~~ tank lo~seB -;~e ••ven. " ,,'

, ,~te~,' ~k, (~eb~a:~ 'let-W ·tn.,re. eta:hka from ',:do· compe.nYl" ~der Lt." coaB, mo".d,'norlh on the main Anzio-C8.rro-eeto read., ~en east to ap-proximately 870314. "IDhr~y".,",r~ ±n. ~pporl, ot SolllP~Y: ~·'1 lS7-tn !n.fcl;t:ry ~eg:Lment,~ A .trong en:emy

,,'~f~,trV:_d ,tank ;a'tr-.e}£"-,s"M:ti .g~jne1i'tI1.eit.. ~emu :ixU'8i1try almolfb' coxnp:tete­iy surl'OURded -them ahd. 'the tank. tirea th-roughon 'the night., About 15,000 ro~di! of ~1 arms',~i.tion ~re expendea.. ~ 'l'om.my- guns and oar'Q1nes ware,:fir'tl, trto,lJl 't19,~ ,~J"~t '?~r1?"','Ul1S1U,e~tlng ~~~ ~k;t!f 81Pfro.aohed to With. ~ ,50 y.a~s ot, th.~ p.~dtioo.." ' Tw', of; ,~hem, "were, Qck'ed ou~ CIne 'of. 'Our, ~ks

, bogged dov.n~~rew a traok and was des'treyed,by en~' fire, ,8, few m'Omem.tlt a.t:ter being ,ab~doned" Th~ ,t~ ~~~1ng ta:ak~~ picked '~P 'the' ~e~ 'from. 'the abandoned

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, :, '!!he: tol1~W'5J?g mornhtg, ~he' 187t"1'l&nd 1'l9th, Infantry .Reg:i.n$lt:iJ IDd .uni~8 of the li'ire-t Arlnored l;)iv18:i~ -4-~ em atit~eIc 'to re~s1;a.bl1.' eu!' 'Unes. At

,G,S1>O h01U'.,~,on-e ,pla'b~0n 'of".~O· Oqmpany, ~PP.Q~gth'@ ',$rd. ,~~al;"0n'; .l's.1"t'b., l,niq~",~g~.en:bi' &+tr M~th. ..of the ~aii1to.8.d'.,Qw;r-l?~·s:S·(~5~S91,~fl"!1'~a.k~d ,th,~r~ lm,fl$..;r fire, Qilti'.mg the entfrI;J cla,~. -8,-, Cl~'tqT' tOok up P9',sit1on. $ nt)&.r'

, ''tile, :r.~.d "'_~:r~i<m'a.t g.~528,4. ',~;t> QS&) 'hpur,,' our' £"~d O'! P. ;po 61 tiQn '882284.) ~81fth~.a1j~~~,e.na all,pe~\8~~l,l'4~~utar..m~~ei t~~,wo~:t~1i!.<m'.,;re .ordered. . I

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,During ~he .mom$.ng, capt•.1~L~{'AfA~ Comp~hQn'b(h:J;~ 'pla1;oQ11'$ 9:1t.rn~tely' up,tb.e~1d,h\g ,alle~ ;r~a.4, to ft~oot ~llI"any enenw'~ ..sight~, ~,th1.s mannerj , it.!._ Q.omJUY' tanks' destroye4 f'J.". llI&~hin, ~n~,Bs, a.:''8e)'f:<prop~lled g'On;, ~,

. :Mark IV" ~f e.nd an ,~knO\'1l1 n~b$~, OfW8n~~... '.,.. " ~ • ,'" • • • ~ I ~;" ~ J'i " I' : ~ .. ~. . " , " ( , . .. ", .".... '.' .

": A:b l2!J) ',b::O-Ul;I.. ~~,. C~~y;/~k~('"t ~15284. 1'ien din-bombed. Caj~~ WILOON :wa,s. ~!11ed ~n.e 1n, the ~:rr,et;;f!" 1"robab3:y by eQnctisaion•. ,' ,

I· I. '~'. ',,';I,1 ··' ,'\ ,,"'\:.-' ('!>'~', .. 'I .. ,.,l,~.;..'::"':·',\ ~.,l·, f: i,' 'i.'i ,I, .~~":j';t\. i, . t'l" '. ~ r\k ','T.wa;o<l'the' 'cm.d'~t ,tb:~t,~tl9~'Q~)');livi.~;t9l1 'orde~d tha,1;' aljl' e~pan.ies :re~. ,

-.1& i:n,pOoBitton". ('fto..A1 '~mpany: :n,or, ....oQ~l-ing a.llef" r9&4 ~ jUa.·~ti~. ... B'" Oompany ;l>ear F:adigl~CII!L'~' ftO-'C'OlDp.-ny, neap. :th.'l,01J8r'~<ie11pa~) .,nth. the )D.1§'ficn to glla.t'd 'against $'Xl_" inrj,ltl1lo~i,rh~;,'.ffA~ Oompeny ,"-8 reli&~d. by First' Apnoreli"Dlvisian. ~1t1 at ,(.) ~ ~ours,,; .

, At O,3~ :hours (J'eb!l!'uM'Y:U~'th). tae, enemy 1~~, a. heavy: u'tUl.ery ba,r-~e in ~e, 'Vio~~i,t' of ,();~ ,~9~rd, C'~. :P~'. and ,to~lo~d i:~::m;t'h,~ miltitry ,at~l'k{ .All taaks ~tt.oli ~e~fn~d hi :the VJ.~~J,ty (f'i:v:e in, a',tl~) fi'.l"!!HiUliti'l d~_.("~p'b~ , .

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