World War II
With the attack on Pearl Harbor still fresh in their minds the 30th Infantry Regiment geared up for a move. By May of 1942 the 30th Infantry had moved back and forth from the Presidio to Fort Lewis, Washington several times. However, this time it was for good. In May 1942, the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment moved to Fort Ord, California for manuvers. After a short stay at Fort Ord, in mid-September 1942 the 30th Infantry boarded a Southern Pacific train for the east coast. The U.S. 3rd Infantry Division would be placed as the lead element for the Invasion of French occupied North Africa. The 30th Infantry was sure they'd be going to the Pacific, however they needed the best for the most important invasion in the war. Operation Torch would start the long road back toward freedom for Europe, freedom from German tyranny and push the Germans back their captial of Berlin. The U.S. 30th Infantry would be stationed at Camp Pickett, Virginia for further manuvers. On October 23rd, 1942, the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment and the rest of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division embarked heavy-laden troop transports for North Africa. During the trip across the 30th Infantry and a small detachment of Marines trained the other infantry divisions on how to conduct proper amphibious tactics and procedures.
Operation Torch: The Invasion of French North Africa
On the morning of November 8th, 1942 the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division in the Western Forces under Gen. George S. Patton, Jr., invaded the French North African beaches at Fedela. The U.S. 30th Infantry came on shore quickly secured the left flank of the division on November 8th and silencing Fort Blondin in the process which had been firing on the naval forces lying off the Moroccan coast. By November 11th the 30th Infantry and the 3rd Infantry Division had secured Casablanca.
As the rest of the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division moved off to the West following the contingency of the U.S. II Corps. and the U.S. 7th Army under Patton. The 3rd Battalion, U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment stayed behind as the personal guard detail for English Prime Minister Winston S. Churchill and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt during what was to become the Casablanca Conference in January 1943. The remainder of the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment would guard the Spanish-Moroccan border against German attacks. The U.S. 30th Infantry also established motor, rail and air patrols over the area while "D" and "I" companies of the 30th Infantry were sent off to the U.S. 5th Army Invasion Training Center and the Mountain Training Center School as instructors from January-March 1943. However, as the reserve for the U.S. II Corps. under Gen. Patton the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division would gain a new commander Maj. Gen. Lucian K. Truscott.
Under Truscott the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division would receive a new doctorine which to conduct their operations under, called the "Truscott Trot." Only the best and finest soldiers would be chosen for Truscott's U.S. 3rd Infantry Division. Should any man not meet up to Trusott's doctorine he would be replaced with a better man from another division. By the end of the North African campaign the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment would have a new commander, be part of the new VI Corps. with the 2nd Armored Division and, have lost some of its best trained soldiers to reinforce some of the other units in theatre that we suffering due to losses in experienced soldiers. Only Able Co., of the 1st Battalion, and Item Co., of the 3rd Battalion would be left as they had started the war.
However, shortly, after the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division arrived in Bizerte, Tunisia the 30th Infantry Regiment caught up and, they began retraining the U.S. 7th and 15th Infantry Regiments in the art of amphibious tactics. The 30th Infantry Regiment would have less than four months to train up the other regiments and battalions of the division before their invasion into Sicily.
Operation Husky: The Invasion of Sicily
On July 10th, 1943 as a part of the "Joss" Force invading Sicily during "Operation Husky," the U.S. 30th Infantry would land on "Blue" beach between the Sicilian cities of Licata and Gela. Within three hours of landing the 30th Infantry and the contingency of the "Joss" Force had captured all of their D+3 objectives. Agrigento was taken quickly within those three hours with a small 1st Ranger Battalion force in support. After which Task Force Fargo which was an armored force captured Gela, 553 prisoners, destroyed three 75mm artillery implacements and contacted Gen. George S. Patton. Shortly, after Agrigento and Gela fell the 30th Infantry moved off at the quick step toward Palermo. After Racalmuto, the 3rd Battalion, U.S. 30th Infantry made the all time record breaking march(still held today) of 54 miles in 33 hours.
Ten days later on July 20, 1943, the U.S. 30th Infantry captured San Stefano Quisquina in its first major action in Sicily, capturing with it 750 prisoners. On the 22nd of July 1943 Palermo would fall to the "Joss" Force under Gen. George S. Patton and the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division. The regiment would reassemble at Trabia south-southeast of Palermo on the "Coast Road" to Messina. As they assembled the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division would leave the U.S. 2nd Armored Division to mop up those forces cut off in western Sicily. The U.S. 30th Infantry would take the lead and, begin its march toward Messina. On July 30th, the U.S. 30th Infantry was to relieved the U.S. 45th Inf. Division at Caronia. However, at the time the U.S. 157th Infantry had run into stubborn German resistance. Early in the morning of the 31st all three battalions of the U.S. 30th Infantry were to concentrate on and around the city limits of Caronia. The 3rd Battalion was to move to the right of the 2nd Battalion that was to shoulder the city from the west in its advance the 1st Battalion was to be on the extreme right flank and to advance opposite the city and cut off the road lead out of Caronia. In the first part of the advance contact with the U.S. 179th Infantry of the U.S. 45th Inf. Division was achieved.
Due to poor terrain the 2nd Battalion hadn't made it as far as the 3rd Battalion, the 2nd Battalion was suppose to be the main frontal attacking force. However, the 3rd Battalion had achieved in their advance nineteen miles and, the task was turned over to 3rd Battalion. With Co. K in the advance guard position the 3rd Battalion made their attack. As the advance eements neared the city they were greeted with heavy artillery, mortar, machine-gun, and small arms fire. Eight men were killed instantly when the Germans initally opened up on the advanced guard element. Co. L advanced around Co. K through a high density minefield and entered the City of Caronia at midday. The 1st Battalion after four hours of steady marching finally made contact with elements of the 2nd Battalion and, in the process had captured three prisoners. With orders dropped by Cub-Scout plane the 1st Battalion was ordered by Gen. Truscott to continue their advance to the east toward Highway 113 where Co. L was later contacted. In their advance to the east the 1st Battalion had captured 39 more prisoners.
WIth the 1st Battalion to the east of Caronia the 1st Battalion received its first rations in 56 hours, twelve boxes of K Rations. The exhausted 1st Battalion was 15 minutes later relieved by the 15th Infantry and the 1st Battalion was sent back to the Caronia area. On August 8th, 1943 the 2nd Battalion attempted to conduct an amphibious landing behind the German 29th Panzer Grenadier Div.at San Agata. The 1st and 3rd Battalions were to advance, help cut off and capture the majority of the 29th Pz. Gren. Div. however, due to the poor terrain the 2nd Battalion could not stop the entire contingency of the division. Three days later on the 11th of August the 2nd Battalion attempted again to conduct another "end run" to cut off the remnants of the 29th Panzer Grenadier Div. however, terrain proved to be problem once again and, by 0130 on the 12th of August, Brolo was declared secure. While many prisoners were taken by the 2nd Battalion and a few by the 1st and 3rd Battalions the larger contingency of the 29 Pz. Gren. Div. would fall back to the City of Messina and, be evacuated to the Italian mainland shortly thereafter. On the morning of August 17th, the U.S. 7th Infantry now carrying the load of the advance for the U.S. 3rd Infantry Division captured the City of Messina. The U.S. 30th Infantry was placed in to bivouac on the northeastern most tip of Sicily. During later preliminary mop efforts in the 1st and 3rd Battalion sectors they found oil and fuel dumps and, captured another 130 prisoners and, outside the City of Castena the 1st Battalion found an underground ammunition dump. Sicily had fallen to the allies and, during the U.S. 30th Infantry's advance on the island had fought over 210 miles of some of the roughest terrain in the Mediterranean Theatre of Operations. Now the U.S. 30th Infantry would have their newest and biggest challenge yet, the Invasion of Italy.
The casualties sustained by the U.S. 30th Infantry Regiment during Operation Husky: The Invasion of Sicily are as follows:
Casualties: 406
Killed: 115 (including 7 Officers)
Wounded: 251 Enlisted, 16 Officers
Missing In Action: 24 Enlisted