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Salerno, 1943 - Time article

Discussion in 'Italy, Sicily & Greece' started by LRusso216, Sep 4, 2010.

  1. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    My father was in on the invasion of Salerno in September, 1943. I came across this contemporary article on the situation facing the 5th Army. I remember my father telling me about being pinned on th ebeach, so this article kind of hit home.


    For the men who fought the battles, Salerno was hell. At some points the Germans let the first forces come smoothly ashore and cluster on the white beaches, then blanketed them with artillery fire from the near hills. At others, naval landing craft bore the troops landward in the face of continuous fire. Everywhere the men of the Fifth Army had to establish themselves on the beaches, make their first moves inland amid shells, bombs, confusion, fear.


    Read more: World Battlefronts: The Shape of Hell - TIME
     
    johnnyc176 and kerrd5 like this.
  2. 36thID

    36thID Member

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    I know we spoke before, my uncle was with the 36th ID, 141st Regiment from 1940 until KIA on 12/12/1944, in France. I can't remember with whom your father served. Thanks for the link, Salerno was touch and go for a while.

    The Italian campaign was brutal and in some cases forgotten. Heck they fought this campaign until the last days of April, 1945.

    Did your father ever mention his time under Mark Clark ??

    Best Regards
     
  3. Gebirgsjaeger

    Gebirgsjaeger Ace

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    My Granddad was at there too and was taken as a POW by the GI´s. But he managed to escape. Later he told me: "If i had knew what sh§§ was coming after that, i didn´t manage to escape!"

    Regards

    Ulrich
     
  4. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    My father was in a number of units, all with the 5th. He started out in the 505th Coast Artillery. I believe he went into Salerno with that group or the 900th AAA/AWB. Later, in January 1945, he became part of the 473rd Infantry Regiment attached to the 92nd Division. That was the group he most identified with.

    I don't believe he ever really talked about Clark, other than to mention that he was the commanding general of the 5th.
     
  5. gwcone

    gwcone recruit

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  6. Buten42

    Buten42 Member

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    I just received some after action reports explaining what the Navy guys went through at Uncle Green Beach at Salerno unloading British light infantry from an LCT. A shell burst above the tank bay of my brothers LCT killing a British Major, injuring many others including some of the crew. Shrapnel went through the block of one of the engines and put 81 holes in the landing craft. That was at 6:15AM and my brother said the Seabees had them patched up by 4:00PM and ready to haul 105 Howzers back to the beach.

    Steve is right, when you say "invasion" everybody thinks about Normandy (for good reason)--but so many never heard about N. Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio and Southern France. The guys that went through these can sure remember.

    Thanks for the link Lou, I copied the article and will bring it to my brother tomorrow.
     
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  7. LRusso216

    LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

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    All during my years of growing up, I was always a bit jealous and even angry at the attention given to Normandy. It felt to me that my father's service was slighted and seen as unimportant. Listening to him and his fellow soldiers in his company made me very aware of what they went through. Their reunions started as away of remembering one of their friends who was KIA.
     
  8. tonyrod

    tonyrod Member

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    hi guys, my uncles ship was involved in almost all royal navy landing, he was with her from her first but he missed out on the last one Rangoon but that was no problem the enemy had done a runner, his ship was the HMS PRINS ALBERT LCI (small) i have a small family website covering
    WWI
    1 and 2 have a look in you never know one of your relations could have sailed on her.
    WW1 -
    Rodaways
    of
    ww
    1-2
    hope you enjoy .
    tonyrod
     
  9. guy melton

    guy melton New Member

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    My father was 36th ID, Signal Corps, HHC, landed in Salerno and Southern France
     
  10. guy melton

    guy melton New Member

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    My dad’s picture is in the 36th ID combat book. Lyon, France- he is sitting backwards on a little truck type vehicle-flat bed
     
  11. minden1759

    minden1759 Member

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    Guy.

    I will be in Cassino on Mon at the site of the 36 Inf Div crossing of the Rapido on 20-22 Jan 44. Your father clearly survived that one - most of 141 and 143 Inf Regts did not.

    Did you father ever mention where he was and what role he played in those perilous and ultimately futile two days?

    Regards

    Frank
    Battlefield Guide
     
  12. guy melton

    guy melton New Member

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    We rarely talked about the war.i was Marine grunt in Nam; my 2 other relatives were Army in Nam.dad landed at Southern France too( called the second Normandy invasion)
     
  13. guy melton

    guy melton New Member

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    SF invasion was to take place on June 6- not enough boats to pull it off
     
  14. guy melton

    guy melton New Member

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    My dad’s boss, his brother lived through the Malmedy Massacre-T5 John O’Connell(sp)
     

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