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HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE 1915T TANK BATTALION (M)

NOVEMBER 1, .1943 - NOVEMBER 30, 1943

MAP REFERENCES: ITALY - 1/50,000, SHEET 172 I, CAJAZZO ITALY - 1/50,000, SHEET 1.1 II, PIEDMONTE D1ALIFE ITALY - 1/50,000, SHEET 1.1 III, VENAFRO ITALY - 1/50,000, SHEET 1.1 IV, CASTEL S. VINCENZO

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HISTORICAL RECORD OF THE 19l5T TANK BATTALION (1I) FOR THE MON4H OF NO~~" ~~~ ; .

November found the 191st in the shelter of an olive orchard soutn '& d.H() litO s. Angelo D'Alife (230050, Sheet J.72 I). Though the weather was cold, we were . " satisfied to have a brief respite from an extended period of rain. "B" Company was not bivouaced with the battalion, having remained, after· its action as Hill 235, in the vicinity of Baviscanina. We were occupying the time perforining maintenance duties, and holding clases in gunnery, radio, tactics, etc.

Three officers from Headquarters, Second Tank Group - CoL CRONK, Lt. CoL LISLE and Capt. DUNKLAU - acquaintances of long standing, joined us on November 1st as observers.

Lt. CoL PERKINS was called to the 34th Infantry Division Headquarters on November 2nd to receive instructions concerning the battalion's mission in an attack across the Volturno (Sheets 1.1 III and 1.1 IV), an operation which history will probably record as the beginning of a new phase in the Italian ci.mpaign. Major General RYDER outlined the plan as follows: An artillery barrage would commence at 2330 hours, November 3rd, lifting 100 yards every six minutes. The 34th Division would attack at 3400 hours and push across the river with two regiments abreast and one in reserve. Under cover of darkness the 191st Tank Battalion would move to positions just south of the Volturno near the town of Capriati (122183, Sheet 1.1 III). It would be prepared to support either or both of the assault regiments upon request of the regimental commanders. At 0900 (November 2), company and platoon commanders joined Lt. Col. PERKINS and Capt. HOLLIS ina reconnaissance of the river crossing area.

On November 3rd, liaison officers reported to each of the assault regi­ments - Capt. HaWS to the 1.8th Infantry Regiment and Lt. HAYNES to the 133rd Infantry Regiment.

At 1400 all vehicles other than tanks were moved to the new positions (at 140150). As always, movement on the crowded roads was IUfficult. The Italian roads are narrow and poorly surfaced. During the frequent periods of rain, the roads will not shed water; they are deep with mud, and shoul­ders beccme broken down. Streams and bridges are numerous, and the GerJl8Jl demolition crews all notoriously thorough. Generally there is only one nar­row artery to serve an entire division and its attached units.

Tanks, assault guns and recovery vehicles moved after dark (1.00). They assembled at 145158, just east of the wheeled vehicle area. The 34th Division wire section gave us telephone communication with Division immediately our own command post was established.

The Battalion combat elements moved into an assault position just beyond Capriati (114189) at 0130, November 4th. Our position had a co.mmanding view of the Volturno valley from three miles below Venafro on the south, almost to S. :Maria Oliveto on the north. We were in position by 0400. IIA" and "C" Companies were forward; behind, assault and mortar platoons were with head­quarters tanks; "B" Company was in support. Enemy artillery fire began to fall near us shortly after 0415. The road from Captiati to the river was

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. l,"r tunder direct enemy observation. After dawn, any movement on the road woUld

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The infantry crossed the river successfully and reached their initial abjective before noon "November 4th". Tanks were not required in the opera­tion. The infantry suffered heavily from demolitions. It seemed as though the cr chards and fields across the river had been "fertilized 'l with mines and booby traps.

The drone of planes sounded over us at 1080. They came out of the sun ­eight enemy dive-bombers - and whined down, one after another, to plant eight bombs :in our headquarters area. T/5 Sivits of the mortar platoon was killed instantly. T/5 Iiichelotti was seriously wounded. The planes also bombed near "C" Company area, S/Sgt Meschket was wounded but returned to duty a!ter being treated a.t the battalion aid station. Our observers from 2nd Tank Group de­parted at noon, enrouted to the 751st Tank Battalion.

We remained in position on November 5th but made reconnaissance for a river crossing. Enemy artillery fell around our areas during the day. German bombers worked over the entire valley in front of us. Poz?ili anel Venafro re­ceived the heaviest punish.ment.

Major WATSON led the reconnaissance platoon on a thorough reconnai8sa~ce of the Voltunno valley area. The group was forced to take cover from a thirty minute enenw artillery- barrage on the pontoon bridge. None of our personnel was injured. As quickly as our Engineers would repair pontoon bridges, the enemy would bomb or shell them out.

Task Force HA" was formed by General RYDER on November 7th. It consj_sted of the 135th Infantry Regiment, the 19lst Tank Battalion, the 109th Engineer Battalion and the 7'76th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Brigadier General CAFFEY of the 34th Division was in command. The mission of the task force was to e1I­ecute a flanking movement on the right of the division, take the town of Montaquila "096292 11 , and be prepared to advance on Colli "085326". The 191st would move into concealed positions on the north side of the river and be pre­pared to give support when needed.

We moved out of bivouac :into a very dark and rainy night at 1930 "November 7th" • We were assisted by the 109th Engineers who prepared the pontoon bridge for t anks. We crossed the river at approximately 094205 IlSheet 161 III", traveled through an olive orchard "sq. 0920" to a small road "212082", then proceeded north to highway 85. We moved northwest on highway 85 to the vicin­ity of Hocearavindola. IIAH al1d "C" Companies went into position near the intersection of highway 85 and the railroad 11108247", "B" Company in reserve, assembled at 095a34.

The 776th Tank Destroyer Battalion "at 109254" fired on Ivlontaquia from 0500 to 0900. When the barrage was completed the enemy ansvTered with severely accurate mortar and artillery fire. Some of the projectiles landed :in "A" Company area. Capt. Pb'TERSON and Private Cundiff were seriously injured by shell fragments, Private Cundiff died before reaching the aid station Hat

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(04223). Capt. PETERSON responded to two blood transfusions and was evae­uated to the rear in critical condition. The tanks were not called into any of the action. "c" Company had taken up position and prepared firing data for indirect fire on Montaquila, but was unable to use it.

We remained in the same area for the two succeeding days. We took up defensive positions, reconnoitered the surrounding area and endured inter­mittent enEmlY artillery fire. Lt. l,'JILSON, Headquarters Company Commander, took command of lIA" Company. Lt. HAYNES, of no" Company, took over Head- ' quarters Company.

On November 9th, Battalion Headquarters and Headquarters Company took shelter from the continuing rain in buildings near Roccaravindola railroad station (202242): The following day Service Company moved to the vicinity of Capriati (125176).

In the days that follow~d, our primary difficulty was with the rain. Operations were hampered to an extent of the ,infantry's adqpting a defensive attitude and remaining at Montaquila. On November 13th it was necessary to move some of "All and nc II Companies' vehicles to higher ground. On the 15th . all bridges across the Volturno were washed out. Delivery of supplies from Service Company entailed a trip of fifty miles back (south) to Dragoni; west to the Capua- Venafro highway, then north to Venafro.

Four sorely needed officer replacements arrived during the month of November: 2nd Lts. NOVACO, CUNNINGHAM, MALCHIODI, and GANGWISH.

Sunshine returned on the 19th. The following day Service Company moved from its Capriati area and went into bivouac 2 miles northeast of Venafro (056214). Enemy artillery fell into and around the Service Company area for six consecutive days, but no dmnage resulted.

Up to the very end of the month intermittent enemy artillery fire fell in the Volturno valley. It was random firing and appeared to be done vdth­out benefit of observation.

A group of three enemy pianes attacked in our sector at 1500 on November 27th. Three bombs were dropped and landed southwest of our area.

The battalion' was placed on Corps Reserve on Novemb.er 28th. We immedi­ately began advance planning for reorganization under 1/017-25.

Early in the month we inaugurated a system of telephone communication between the companies. We have found the telephone to be inm.spensible. It is, of course, impractical to use radio for routine administrative communi­cation. The telephone - though they created a vdre maintenance problem where no wire maintenance personnel are organically authorized - have proved to be entirely satisfactory.

PERCY H. PERKINS, Jr. Lt. Col., 191st T~ Bn (M)

Commanding

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