Italian Memorials

[Walt's Daughter]

11th

[colinhotham]

My research on the island of Sicily in May this year was to locate and photograph the four private memorials to the involvement of US forces in Operation Husky. This was the campaign to capture Sicily from the Axis (The return to Europe in WW2)

 

This I succeeded to do with the help of Enzo a Sicillian taxi driver who I hired for a day and some Euros.

 

I am indebted to two other people:

Firstly Carole V Simpson, the office manager in the American Battle Monuments Commission Rome office.

Secondly the manager and staff of the Eremo della Giubiliana near Ragusa for helping me locate the C47 memorial.

 

If anyone is interested in the above photos please leave me a PM or email me.

 

Colin.

 

[Walt's Daughter]

Colin:

 

Thank you for taking the time to share these with us. It's always wonderful hearing from you and seeing your latest photos and hearing your stories behind your travels to Sicily.

 

Since many and most of us cannot go there (at least at present for me), it's so nice being able to view the memorials to our great vets who served in the Sicilian campaign.

[Dogdaddy]

I would just add my thanks to M's, and to say that looking at these memorials means so much more to me now than it did when I was younger... I read every single name that I can make out and think about the men they belonged to... that were never able to know the love of a grandchild, or even a child in most cases. All of them having hopes and dreams like everyone else. We can never truly honor their sacrifice enough. God Bless them All...

 

 

Jim

[roque_riojas]

These pictures of memorials are very nice and iit sure diid bring back some

memories. This is a little info from one that was there.

The 34th I.D. hit Italy Sept. 22 1943 and didn't stop till April 29, 1945 when

we arrived in Brescia, Italy. There we awaited the surrender of the German

5th Mountain Divn. and the German 34th. I.D. There a German Field Marshall

showed up and surrendered his troops.

That day we,(135th Inf.Reg.) called it the, ( TWILIGHT OF HELL), FOR THE

NEXT DAY WAS THE DAWNING OF PEACE. I don,t think there is a memoral

there. A total of 20 months combat in Italy. Roque Riojas. 1st. Bn. 135th nf. Regt.

[j3rdinf]

Roque: Although I was not in Italy with the 3rd I.D., having joined them in France as

a replacement it seems like the 34th was left with the battle after the 3rd, 45th and 36th

I.D.'s left Italy. Also some other outfits I believe also left. Must have been quite a lonely feeling. Just curious what other I.D.'s were left with you guys ?

[Walt's Daughter]

Here's a list from Steve's site regarding all the units that participated in the Italian campaign. Hope this helps.

 

http://members.aol.com/Custermen85/Units/AlliesOrg.htm

[Walt's Daughter]

Here's another listing:

 

http://www.milhist.net/ordbat/mtounits.html

[Custermen]

Here's a list from Steve's site regarding all the units that participated in the Italian campaign.

Marion gave you the link to my page on AOL. I've been moving everything over to custermen.com and updating the pages. This may have more info.

 

http://www.custermen.com/ItalyWW2/ArmyOrg/...g/AlliesOrg.htm

 

Before the veteran infantry divisions began to leave, more troops began to arrive just before the May Offensive and then after the fall of Rome. The 88th Infantry Division arrived around March 1944, followed by the 85th Infantry Division soon afterwards---both were the first all-draftee divisions.

Elements of the 91st Infantry Division arrived just before the fall of Rome in June 1944 and the remainder later.

The black 92nd Infantry Division was moved into the line in early fall and were hit by a German counter-offensive in December 1944. The Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team returned from a short tour in Southern France with the VI Corps and was assigned to boost up the 92nd Division. An anti-aircraft unit was re-organized into the 473rd Regimental Combat Team and also assigned to the 92nd Division.

By later winter and early spring 1945, more international troops arrived to join both the US 5th Army and British 8th Army; 6th South African Armoured Division & 1st Brazilian Division. In February, the US 10th Mountain Division arrived and participated in some raids during the winter. Just prior to the April Offensive, the Canadian Division was pulled out of Italy and sent to France/Germany (even though this is not what happens in "The English Patient").

 

Here is a graph I made to show the pull out of US troops in July/August 1944.

 

Steve

 

In 2 months, 9 complete division and the equivalent of 1 more were reassigned.

 

Source: Operations in Sicily and Italy - West Point Academy, 1947

[roque_riojas]

Here's a list from Steve's site regarding all the units that participated in the Italian campaign.

Marion gave you the link to my page on AOL. I've been moving everything over to custermen.com and updating the pages. This may have more info.

 

http://www.custermen.com/ItalyWW2/ArmyOrg/...g/AlliesOrg.htm

 

Here is a graph I made to show the pull out of US troops in July/August 1944.

 

Steve

 

In 2 months, 9 complete division and the equivalent of 1 more were reassigned.

 

Source: Operations in Sicily and Italy - West Point Academy, 1947

What happend to the troops from August 1944 to May 1945. I know that

the Polish troops and I believe the Indian (Kurkha's ) were there. Anyone

see a KURKHA fighter? They were tall and with the turban headwear they

had made them taller.. Beside the rifles they carried they had a kniife

bigger than a Bowie knife and it was curved. If they drew it it had to have

blood on it even if it was their own, before they put it in the sash around

their waist. The 88th I. D. relieved the 34th AFTER the war ended and

took up the occupation. In Nov. 1945 the 34th RED BULL Divn.. was

sent home and NOONE was there to greet it. I was greeted by one man

I ran into just 3 blocks from home. That was my wellcoming commitee.

Roque