Fifth Army at the winter line, 15 November 1943 - 15 January 1944

128 Pages·1945·14.57 MB·English

by  Center of Military History

FIFTH ARMY
AT THE
WINTER LINE
15 November 1943 -15 January 1944
CENTER OF MILITARY HISTORY
UNITED STATES ARMY
WASHINGTON, D.C., 1990
First printed by the Historical Division, War Department,
for the American Forces in Action series, 1945
CMH Pub 100-9
For sale by the Superintemknt of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402
Foreword to CMH Edition
Fifth Army at the Winter Line {15 November 1943-15 Janu·
ary 1944} is one of a series of fourteen studies of World War II
operations originally published by the War Department's Histor·
ical Division and now returned to print as part of the Army's
commemoration of the fiftieth anniversary of that momentous
clash of arms. These volumes, prepared by professional historians
shortly after the events described, provide a concise summary of
some of the major campaigns and battles fought by American
soldiers. The skillful combination of combat interviews with
primary sources, many of which are now lost, gives these
unassuming narratives a special importance to military historians.
The careful analysis of key operations provides numerous lessons
for today's military students.
I am pleased that this entire group of studies will once again
be available. I urge all military students and teachers to use them
to enhance our collective awareness of the skill, leadership, daring,
and professionalism exhibited by our military forebears.
Washington, nc HAROLD W NELSON
15 September 1989 Colonel, FA
Chief of Military History
111

Foreword
In the thick of battle, the soldier is busy doing his iob. He has the
knowledge and confidellce that his iob is part of a u1/ified plan to
defeat the enemy, but he does not have time to survey a campaign
from a fox hole. If he should be wounded and removed behind the
lines, he may have eVell less opportu1/ity to learn what place he and
his utlit had itl the larger fight.
AMERICAN FORCES IN ACTION is a series prepared by the
War Departmetlt especially for the informatiotl of wOlltlded metl.
It will show these soldiers, who have served their coul1try so wel/,
the part they al1d their comrades played il1 achievemellts which do
h0110r to the record of the Ul1ited States Army.
G. C. MARSHALL
Chief of Staff
v
WAR DEPARTMENT
Military Intelligence Division
Washington 25, D. C.
14 June 1945
Fifth Army at the Winter Line is a sequel to From the Volturno
to the Winter Line. The actions of the United States II and VI Corps
are told here in detail. They were aided by other Allied units under
Fifth Army: British 10 Corps on the left flank, and the French
Expeditionary Corps, for the last two weeks of the period, on the
right flank. The actions of these units and of the British Eighth Army
on the Adriatic coast are summarized briefly.
This study is the sixth of a series called AMERICAN FORCES
IN ACTION, designed exclusively for military personnel. No part
of this narrative may be republished without the consent of the A. C.
of S., G-2, War Department, Washington 25, D. C.
The Winter Line is based on the best military records now available.
The manuscript was prepared in the field by the Fifth Army Historical
Section. The oblique terrain photographs (pp. 10, 11, 13, 19, 20, 39,
46,47, 74, 80, 95, 99, 111,) are by the Joint Intelligence Collecting
Agency; all others are by the U. S. Army Signal Corps. Readers are
urged to send directly to the Historical Branch, G-2, War Department,
Washington 25, D. c., comments, criticisms, and additional informa
tion which may be of value in the preparation of a complete and
definitive history of this operation.
VI
Contents
PGge
PREPARATIONS FOR THE AITACK 1
Allied Decisions ... ................... ..•... .....•....•.... 1
The Drive to the Winter Line ..... .. ............. ...... ..... 1
AI Ihe Winter Line ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . • . . . . • . . . . . . • . • . • .. 4
Fifth Army's Problem .......... .... .................... .. . 7
PHASE I: OPERATION RAINCOAT .. ....... .. .... .......... · 15
Plalls for the AI/ack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .. .. . . .. .. .. . . .... 17
Preparations for Operation RAincoat . . . .. . .. . .. .. . . . . . . .. . . . . .. 19
Capture of the Main Camino Peaks .............. ....... .. ... . 23
Mount Maggiore ... .. ... ............... ... ................ 25
PHASE I: THE RIGHT FLANK (29 November-9 December) ....... 29
Hill 769 ........................... ... .. ................. 31
Moum Pantano ...................................... , . . . .. 36
PHASE II: THE BAITLES FOR SAN PIETRO .................. 45
Italian Attack on M 0ll11t Lungo ....... .. ........... .......... 48
Gaining a Foo/hoJd on Mount Sammflcro .. ..................... 48
The 143d Infantry Bailers at San Pietro .... ...... .... ......... 52
PIaIlS for Further AI/ack ...................... ..•.....•..... 54
Fighting West From Mount Sammucro ........ ................ 54
The Second Bailie for Sail Pietro ....... .. ..•....• .•.•.... ... 56
Capture of Mount Lrmgo ..................• .... ..•......... 62
The Germalls Pull Out of San Pietro ........•.........•. ..... 64
AITACK BY VI CORPS (15-21 December) .. .... ........... ... . 69
Advance in the Lagone Area .. ............. .. ....... ..... ... 71
The 157th Applies PreHure .. .. ................. ............ 73
The Enemy Withdraws to New Positioll! ......... •.... ' ...... . 76
END OF PHASE II .......... ................................. 79
II Corps Tries for San Villore ...............•.•...... ' •.•. ... 79
Probillg Along the VI Corps Front ... ... ....•.•.. .... ...•.. .. 83
"Mlld, MII/es, and MOlmlainrJ 87
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ••
Regrouping ...................... .. .... .•.• .•......... .... 90
vii
P"",
DRIVE UP TO THE GUSTAV LINE .... .. ....•.•. ..... •.•... ... 93
Plans for the Opening Allaek ......... ... .....•.•.•.... ..... 94
Capture of the Mount Majo Hills .... ..... ....•.•.. ... ... ... 96
The 168th Outtlallks Moullt la Chiaia ...... ..•.. ....•..... .... 100
San Viltore and MOllnl Ja Chiaia ....... ....... .... .. ...... ... 103
Mount Porchia and Cedro Hill ....................... ' ....... 104
The Final Advance: Cervaro and Mount Trocchio .......... ... . 107
CONCLUSION ....... ......... ... ............ ... ...•.•.. ... .. 113
III
ustrations
Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark ..... .... ...•....• .•.•....•.•.••. , . . •• .. 3
Engineers Spread Rock ................•.........•........ ..•... 4
To Prevent Scenes Like This .. .. .. ....•.•......•.•..... .••... ... 5
Mignano Gap ..... ... .. ...... .. .. ..•.•.•.... ..•......•. ,...... 10
The Mountains Facing VI Corps .. ... .. ..•. .• , •.•....• ,....... .. . 11
"Express Highway" ....... ... .....•... ...•.•.. .. ..•. ....•.• , ... 12
The Upper Volturoo Valley ....... .•. .. .• .•.• ........•...•. •. ... 13
Camino Peaks ... ,.. ....... .. .......... ... ........... ....... .. 19
II Corps Objectives in Phase I .......•...... ............ ...•.... 20
A Camouflaged 8·Inch Howitzer .... , ................ . ,. , .... , .. . 22
Mountains on Fifth Army's Right ..........•..... ...•.•....... ... 32
Lagone .... ..... ... .... ... .... .... ... , .... ..•....• . , . , ••. , ... . 32
Hill 769 .. ... ... ... ...... ...... .. .... ... ... . , .... .... ". .... . 34
On Mount Pantano ...... . ........... , . , .... ..•. , .• , . . • . • . . .. 39
Peaks and Slopes of Mount Sammucro ...•.... , .•.•... . ,........ .. 46
The Mignano Corridor ................ ...•. .... .•......... .... . 47
A Pressure Type S·Mine ..... ... , ... .. ,. .. ..... ................ 58
On the Road to San Pietro. . . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . • . . . . • . . . . . . . . .. 59
Stone Pillboxes .. ...... ......... ... .. , .•.•..•...•.• , •..... ,... . 63
American Infantry Enter San Pietro ............ .... .... .... ... .. . 65
The Road to Rome .... ... ...... ... ... .... .. ... ...... ...... .... 66
High Angle Fire .. ........ .... ..... ... .... .... ..•....•..... ... 70
Litter Bearers of a Moroccan Rifle Regiment .. .... .. .............. 72
Along the Filignaoo---Sant' Elia Road .......... .... .....•.... ... . 74
North of Highway 6 .. ...................... ... ... ......... .... 80
Junction of Highway 6 and the Road to San Pietro ......•.......... 81
A Bailey Bridge in Highway 6 .................. .....•... ..• .... 86
flood Waters of the Volturoo River .... .. ...........•. .•. ....... . 86
Mules ....... ... ... ... ... ............ ...•.•.• .... •.•......... 89
From the Ruins of San Pietro ..................... ............ ... 95
VIII
POOl
The 1st Special Service Force ...... .........•. ............. ,.. .. 98
Ridges Rise Steeply Toward Mount Majo .... ... .. .......•....... 99
Smoke Laid by A-36's ....... .............. ....... ... .... . , .... 102
A Patrol Enters Cervaro .................... , ..... .. ............ III
The Ground Won by II Corps ........... ........... ...... .. .. .. III
Insignia ......... ...... ... ..........•... ..........•....•.. .. .. 114
Maps
N •.
I Allied Advance in Italy, 3 September-I~ November 1943. .. . . . . . .. x
2 Winter Line Terrain ...................... .. ... ............ 6
3 Area of the Fifth Army Offensive .......... ............... ... 9
4 "Corps Prepares to Attack ____ .... _. . _. ...... ... . __ ... .. , . .. 16
~ Plans for Operation Raincoat __ . _. ....... _. ..... _. .. _. .. . , .. _. 18
6 Action Around Mount la Difensa, 3-9 December 1943 ....... , . .. 24
7 Attack on Mount Maggiore ... _. ... ......... ... ..... _. . 2~
8 End of Phase I: " Corps .... .. ........ __ ................ __ 27
9 VI Corps Prepares for Action, 29 November 1943 . _____ . _. .. _. 30
10 Capture of Hill 769 .. .... _ ... _ ... _. .. _________ . ____ . . . . . . .. 33
11 Attack of the 34th Division, 29 November-3 December 1943 ...... _ 3~
12 Attack by the 168th Infantry, 29 November-I December 1943 .... 37
13 The Fight for Knob 2, 2 December 1943 ___ . ___ . _. ... .... .. .... 40
14 Action on Mount Pantano, 3 December 1943 ... __ . ____ ........ _ 41
D Opening the Corridor: Attack Plans, 8 December 1943 ...... .... 44
16 First Battles in the Sammucro-Luogo Area, 8-1l Decemb" 1943 .. 49
17 Opening the Corridor: Attack Plaos, I~ December 1943 ..... ... .. ~3
18 Attack on the Right Flank, 14-16 December 1943 ... _. ....... _. ~~
19 Tank-Infantry Attack on San Pietro, I~ December 1943 __ ....... ~7
20 Mount Lungn and Death Valley, 16 December 1943 ... _ . " ..... _ 61
21 Advance by VI Corps, 1~-21 December 1943 .. ................. 68
22 Attack on San Vittore, 19-29 December 1943 .. _. . _. ....... _. ... 78
23 Action Along the VI Corps Front, 21-31 Decemb" 1943 ..... _. . . 83
24 Plans for Attack .......... _______ . __ ..... _. .. _. . _. ...... _ _ 92
2~ II Corps Right Flank, 4-10 January 1944 _. . _ .. __ .......... _ . _. 95
26 La Chiaia, ~-7 January 1944 .. ___ ........ _, .......... __ . _ . _1 00
27 Mount Porchia, 4-8 January 1944 ........... _. . .. ........ ___ I O~
28 Cervaro, 10-13 January 1944 ............................... 107
ix