SALERNO
American Operations From
the Beaches to the Volturno
9 September - 6 October 1943
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, 1944
CMH Pub 100-7
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402
Foreword to CMH Edition
Salerno: American Operations From the Beaches to the Volturno (9 September-6 October 1943) is one of a series of fourteen studies of World War II operations originally published by the War Department's Historical 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, D.C.
15 September 1989
HAROLD W. NELSON
Colonel, FA
Chief of Military History
Foreword
In the thick of battle, the soldier is busy doing his job. He has the knowledge and confidence that his job is part of a unified 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 even less opportunity to learn what place he and his unit had in the larger fight.
AMERICAN FORCES IN ACTION is a series prepared by the War Department especially for the information of wounded men. It will show these soldiers, who have served their country so well, the part they and their comrades played in achievements which do honor to the record of the United States Army.
v
WAR DEPARTMENT
Military Intelligence Division
Washington 25, D. C.
26 August 1944
Under the command of Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark, the Fifth Army, a great Allied force composed of the British 10 Corps and the United States VI Corps, carried out the first large scale invasion of the European mainland and secured a firm base for future operations in Italy. Salerno: The American Operations from the Beaches to the Volturno is an account of the American forces who landed on the beaches in the Gulf of Salerno. The actions of our British allies have been duly recorded by their command.
This study is the third of a series called AMERICAN FORCES IN ACTION, designed exclusively for military personnel and primarily for wounded soldiers in hospitals to tell them the military story of the campaigns and battles in which they served. 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.
Salerno is based on the best military records available. The manuscript, paintings, and sketches were prepared in the field by the Fifth Army Historical Section. The panoramic sketch of the Salerno battleground is by Col. W. P. Burn, C.W.S. Photographs 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, criticism, and additional information which may be of value in the preparation of a complete and definitive history of the action at Salerno.
vi
Page
|
|
PREPARATIONS FOR INVASION |
1
|
From Africa to Italy |
1
|
Plans for the Invasion of Italy |
2
|
Fifth Army Plans |
7
|
Preparing for D Day |
9
|
On the Convoys |
12
|
Enemy Opposition |
14
|
D DAY |
17
|
The First Hours on the Beaches |
17
|
German Tank Attack |
27
|
Progress of the Combat Teams |
30
|
At the End of D Day |
35
|
EXPANSION OF THE BEACHHEAD (10-11 SEPTEMBER) |
37
|
The Advance of the 10th |
38
|
High Tide at Altavilla |
40
|
The 179th Drives into the Sele-Calore Corridor |
41
|
First Battle of the Tobacco Factory |
45
|
The General Situation, Evening of 11 September |
49
|
THE GERMAN COUNTERATTACK (12-14 SEPTEMBER) |
53
|
Uncertainty at Altavilla |
54
|
The Second Battle of the Tobacco Factory, 12 September |
56
|
Our Troops Change Positions |
58
|
Attack and Counterattack at Altavilla, 13 September |
60
|
Sparring on the Left Flank |
62
|
The Storm Breaks at the Tobacco Factory |
63
|
II Corps Goes on the Defensive |
66
|
Holding the Line, 14 September |
68
|
Fifth Army Position, 14 September |
72
|
vii
Page
|
|
PURSUING THE ENEMY (15 SEPTEMBER-6 OCTOBER) |
75
|
Our Right Flank Advances, 15-19 September |
77
|
German Delaying Tactics |
80
|
The 3d Division Takes Acerno, 20-27 September |
82
|
The Advance of VI Corps, 20-27 September |
86
|
Avellino, Naples. and the Volturno. 28 September-6 October |
88
|
CONCLUSION |
93
|
Illustrations
viii
No. | ||
1 | The Invasion of Italy |
Faces page 1
|
2 | The Salerno Plain, D Day Plans |
Faces page 5
|
3 | The Paestum Beaches, 9 September 1943 |
Page 20
|
4 | D Day Progress, VI Corps |
Page 32
|
5 | The 36th Division Advances, 10 September 1943 |
Faces page 39
|
6 | The Left Flank, 11 September 1943 |
Faces page 41
|
7 | Fifth Army Beachhead, 2400, 11 September 1943 |
Page 48
|
8 | The Left Flank, 12 September 1943 |
Faces page 53
|
9 | Action at Altavilla, 13 September 1943 |
Page 59
|
10 | 45th Division, 1200, 13 September 1943 |
Page 62
|
11 | Action on the Left Flank, 13 September 1943 |
Page 64
|
12 | German Counterattacks, 13 September 1943 |
Page 67
|
13 | 45th Division, 14 September 1943 |
Page 70
|
14 | 36th Division, 14 September 1943 |
Page 71
|
15 | Advance to the Volturno, 16 September-6 October 1943 |
Page 77
|
16 | Advance to the Volturno, 16 September-6 October 1943 |
Page 78
|
17 | The 30th Infantry at Acerno, 20-22 September 1943 |
Page 83
|
18 | Advance in the Central Mediterranean, 11 November 1942-6 October 1943 |
Page 91
|
ix
page created 23 July 2001