Sicilian Invasion

OpanaPointer · Jun 25, 2016

GunSlinger86 said:

Allied Naval power was also decisive at Husky. Allies battleships took out tanks from the sea, from one account I read.
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Cruiser gunfire, IIRC.

Sheldrake · Jun 25, 2016

OpanaPointer said:

Cruiser gunfire, IIRC.
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Which one?

OpanaPointer · Jun 25, 2016

Sheldrake said:

Which one?
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USS Savannah CL-42

Savannah departed Norfolk on 10 May 1943 to protect troop transports en route to Oran, Algeria. She arrived there on 23 May and began preparing for Operation "Husky:" landings on the coast of Sicily at Gela. The cliffy coast there was topped by heavy coastal defense batteries, and no landing place could be found short of a 5,000-yard stretch of shore about a mile east of the mouth of the Gela River. Poised on the plateau above was the Hermann Goering Panzer Division, ready to strike with other combat troops.
Savannah provided fire support to the 1st Infantry "Rangers" before dawn on 10 July. As soon as the first light appeared, the cruiser launched several scout planes. Swift German Messerschmitts intercepted with tragic results. Senior aviator Lt. C. A. Anderson was killed in flight, although his radioman, Edward J. True, was able to land the riddled plane on the sea and get picked up shortly after the plane went under. Three of her four spotter planes were shot down that day.
On the morning of 11 July, the ship was the first to respond to a call for naval gunfire at two points on a road leading into Gela. She knocked out several tanks before shifting her fire to the Butera road to aid advancing American infantry. Soon friend and foe became so enmeshed in the battle, that naval gunfire could no longer intervene. The cruiser destroyed more tanks later in the afternoon, however, and she finished out the remaining hours of daylight by helping the "Rangers" repel an Italian infantry attack.
The next morning, Savannah supported them with more than 500 rounds of 6-inch projectiles as they advanced toward Butera. That day, she gave medical attention to 41 wounded infantrymen, hit enemy troop concentrations far inland, and shelled their batteries high in the hills. On 13 July, Savannah had but one call for naval gunfire; she answered by hurling several salvos on the hill town of Butera. Before the 1st Division pressed on into the interior, it thanked Savannah for "crushing three infantry attacks and silencing four artillery batteries," as well as for demoralizing the Italian troops by the effect of her fire. The next day, Savannah sailed for Algiers.
Savannah returned to Sicily on 19 July 1943 to support the 7th Army's advance along the coast. On 30 July, carrying the pennant of Rear Admiral Lyal A. Davidson, the fighting ship arrived at Palermo Harbor to provide daily fire support. Her guns helped to repel enemy aircraft raiding the harbor on 1 and 4 August. On the 8th, her task force supported the landing of the 30th Regimental Combat Team, including artillery and tanks, on a beach nine miles east of Monte Fratello.
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https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/s/savannah-iv.html

OpanaPointer · Jun 25, 2016

Savannah could take a punch, too.

LRusso216 · Jun 25, 2016

Was USS Brooklyn (CL40) there, too?

http://www.daileyint.com/wwii/mbgscasi.htm

OpanaPointer · Jun 25, 2016

LRusso216 said:

Was USS Brooklyn (CL40) there, too?

http://www.daileyint.com/wwii/mbgscasi.htm
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https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Guns_and_shell_casings_on_board_USS_Brooklyn_(CL-40)_during_Sicily_invasion,_July_1943.jpg

LRusso216 · Jun 25, 2016

Thanks Larry. Nice picture of the Brooklyn deck.

OpanaPointer · Jun 25, 2016

LRusso216 said:

Thanks Larry. Nice picture of the Brooklyn deck.
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A real "working boat".

Sheldrake · Jun 26, 2016

RichTO90 said:

I skimmed through the operational and airfield histories on Sicily and it seems it wasn't so much the air combat that was the problem, it was the relentless pounding of the airfields by Allied bombers. It looks like all the Sicilian airfields were evacuated by around 12-13 July and many non-operational aircraft were destroyed in place. So the categorization of those lost "in combat" may be a bit hazy.

Anyway, it seems to indicate the quality of the Allied fighter aircraft may have been a bit moot.
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The air battle for Sicily has parallels with the Battle of Britain. The air battle had to be won before the invasion could to take place.

As with the Luftwaffe in the battle of Britain the allies may have over estimated the effectiveness of air attacks on airfields. Many of the aircraft destroyed on the ground may have been un-servicable aircraft left as decoys or hanger queens canibalised for spare parts.

The issue was not the loss of aircraft, but pilots. I can recommend Steinhoff's "Straits of Messina." He writes like on of the few but thsi was a losing battle. His account is of the draining losses intercepting bomber formations and outnumbered by the escorts.

harolds · Jun 26, 2016

This was a microism of the Luftwaffe as a whole. At this time they could barely afford the losses that were occurring on the East and Channel fronts. It didn't have much to spare for the Med., even to protect Old Musso.

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Sicilian Invasion

OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

Sheldrake Member

OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

LRusso216 Graybeard Staff Member

OpanaPointer I Point at Opana Staff Member WW2|ORG Editor

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