Anzio (CG 68) - Naval Cruise Book

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Ulian .and were xl of. kit Above: American war corespondent Ernie Pyle (sitting on front bumper of tank), is talk- ing to crew members of the 191st Tank Battalion on their M4A1 Sherman tank near the Anzio Beachhead. War corespondents brought the story back to the homefront, and also help raise the morale of the troops by showing that the people back home were watching. I $j $ Left: Members of an infantry squad pose for a group photo around their bunker in early March. Bun- kers like these would be home for the next 3 months as the fighting contin- ued along the beachhead till June. 61

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The Battle At Anzio 22 January to 4 June 1 944 The battle at Anzio was one of the most important battles in the Italian Campaign of World War II. While being the driving thrust to R ome, and diverting German troops and material destined for Normandy, there were also actions of bravery and self sacrifice both recognized and unheard of. There were more Congressional Medals of Honor awarded for Anzio than any other battle in World War II. A total of 22 men were recognized with this honor for their heroism during some of the bloodiest fighting of the war. The heart and dedication of all the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who fought at Anzio have given the USS ANZIO her motto, Stand and Fight . All of us were in (he same boat. We were to stay or die... I have never seen anything like if in two World Wars of my expirience. There was at Anzio a confidence in unity, an unselfish willingness among troops to help one another, that I never saw again. Maj. General Ernest N. Harmon Combat Commander at Anzio Below: Three DUKWs head for the beach during sporadic shelling of the harbor basin. Amphibious trucks like this brought supplies in from Liberty ships off the coast. I 60

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OPERATION: SHINGLE In late 1943, the allied campaign to liberate Italy from the hands of the Germans was at a standoff at Cassino and along the Gustav Line , a natu- ral stronghold of mountainous terrain stretching across the country north of Maples. General Mark Clark, com- manding general of the American Fifth Army ordered Operation Shin- gle; amphibious assaults on the beachheads at Anzio and Metunno, north of the Gustav Line, to bypass the main German force and clear the road to Rome. 40,000 Allied troops of the American Fifth Army, VI Corps and the British 1st Infantry Division landed on the beaches of Anzio and Metunno at 0200 on 22 January 1944. After encountering little resistance at the landing sites and a 26 mile thrust toward Rome, the Allies were driven back and pinned on the 11 mile beachhead by a greatly superior Ger- man force. Hitler made a decision to keep his hold in Italy, what ever the cost. Germany eventually committed 80,000 additional troops to the Anzio front to Push the Allies back into the sea . Through sheer bravery and hero- ism the Allies held the beachhead. During the all out offensive waged against them by German forces on February 18-22, they fought off four frontal and three flank assaults is some of the bloodiest fighting of the war, while with standing Lufwaffe strikes and howitzer barrages. U.S. Navy Destroyers and Gunboats were grounded to bring their guns within range of the beachhead front lines. The Germans realized they would be 62 unable to drive the smaller force from the beachhead, and thus reorganized their forces to hold the Allies in place, cutoff their supplies, and break their will to fight. German air and howitzer strikes continuously bombarded the b each- head and sea basin. Some of the larg- est artillery used in the war was brought to bear against the Allies at Anzio. Guns like Anzio Annie , a 280mm railroad mounted cannon, shelled Anzio harbor and the sur- rounding defenses on a regular basis. A steady stream of propaganda was broadcast over radio waves and dropped pamphlets from the sky. The Allies fought the elements also. Thousands suffered from frost bite, pneumonia, and dysentery. Despite heroic efforts, medical personnel were unable to treat the illnesses without proper facilities or supplies. Allied will never broke and finally, with long awaited reinforcements, the Allies broke out in late May and ulti- mately paraded in a victory march through Rome in June 1944. The strategic importance of the landings at Anzio in the liberation of Italy is well documented. The cam- paign ' s contribution to the overall Al- lied effort in Europe however, is often underscored. The two German Corps and tons of munitions and supplies occupied on the Anzio front were des- tined for riormandy. The successful allied landings on the beaches of Mor- Left: A LCI (Landing Craft, Infan- try) brings troops ashore dur- ing the ini- tial landings at Anzio. Troops were initially brought in this way un- til the docks at Anzio could be se- cured to un- load the LSlsand LSTs (Land- ing Ship, In- fantry Tank). mandy in June 1944 are due largely to the bravery and determination of the Anzio forces. The 22 Congressio- nal Medals of Honor pictured through out these pages represent each of the citations for actions and bravery above and beyond the call of duty awarded at Anzio. , ' %3 ' Mediterranean Sea