FIFTH ARMY AT THE WINTER LINE
15 November 1943 - 15 January 1944  

Book Cover Photo: Fifth Army At The Winter Line

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 Superintendent 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 January 1944) 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 he 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.

s/G. C. Marshall
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, 4.7, 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 information which may be of value in the preparation of a complete and definitive history of this operation.

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Contents
 
Page
PREPARATIONS FOR THE ATTACK
1
Allied Decisions
1
The Drive to the Winter Line
1
At the Winter Line
4
Fifth Army's Problem
7
PHASE I: OPERATION RAINCOAT
15
Plans for the Attack
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
Mount Pantano
36
PHASE II: THE BATTLES FOR SAN PIETRO
45
Italian Attack on Mount Lungo
48
Gaining a Foothold on Mount Sammucro
48
The 143d Infantry Batters at San Pietro
52
Plans for Further Attack
54
Fighting West From Mount Sammucro
54
The Second Battle for San Pietro
56
Capture of Mount Lungo
62
The Germans Pull Out of San Pietro
64
ATTACK BY VI CORPS (15-21 December)
69
Advance in the Lagone Area
71
The 157th Applies Pressure
73
The Enemy Withdraws to New Positions
76
END OF PHASE II
79
II Corps Tries for San Vittore
79
Probing Along the VI Corps Front
83
"Mud, Mules, and Mountains"
87
Regrouping
90

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Page
DRIVE UP TO THE GUSTAV LINE
93
Plans for the Opening Attack
94
Capture of the Mount Majo Hills
96
The 168th Outflanks Mount la Chiaia
100
San Vittore and Mount la Chiaia
103
Mount Porchia and Cedro Hill
104
The Final Advance: Cervaro and Mount Trocchio
107
CONCLUSION
113

Illustrations
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 Volturno 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 Filignano—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 Volturno River
86
Mules
89
From the Ruins of San Pietro
95

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Page
The 1st Special Service Force
98
Ridges Rise Steeply Toward Mount Majo
99
Smoke Laid by A-36's
102
A Patrol Enters Cervaro
111
The Ground Won by II Corps
111
Insignia
114

Maps
No.  
1. Allied Advance in Italy, 3 September-15 November 1943
x
2. Winter Line Terrain
6
3. Area of the Fifth Army Offensive
9
4. II Corps Prepares to Attack
16
5. Plans for Operation Raincoat
18
6. Action Around Mount la Difensa, 3-9 December 1943
24
7. Attack on Mount Maggiore
25
8. End of Phase I: II 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
35
12. Attack by the 168th Infantry, 29 November-1 December 1943
37
13. The Fight for Knob 2, 2 December 1943
40
14. Action on Mount Pantano, 3 December 1943
41
15. Opening the Corridor: Attack Plans, 8 December 1943
44
16. First Battles in the Sammucro-Lungo Area, 8-11 December 1943
49
17. Opening the Corridor: Attack Plans, 15 December 1943
53
18. Attack on the Right Flank, 14-16 December 1943
55
19. Tank-Infantry Attack on San Pietro, 15 December 1943
57
20. Mount Lungo and Death Valley, 16 December 1943
61
21. Advance by VI Corps, 15-21 December 1943
68
22. Attack on San Vittore, 19-29 December 1943
78
23. Action Along the VI Corps Front, 21-31 December 1943
83
24. Plans for Attack
92
25. II Corps Right Flank, 4-10 January 1944
96
26. La Chiaia, 5-7 January 1944
100
27. Mount Porchia, 4-8 January 1944
105
28. Cervaro, 10-13 January 1944
107

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