SALERNO
American Operations From
the Beaches to the Volturno
9 September - 6 October 1943

Book Cover Photo: SALERNO
 

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.

s/G. C. Marshall
G. C. MARSHALL,
Chief of Staff.

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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.

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Contents

 
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

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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

 
Page
Lt. Gen. Mark W. Clark
3
Mount Soprano
6
Panorama of the Salerno Battleground
10
The Beaches of Paestum
18
The Tower of Paestum
22
Dukws Come Ashore on D Day
24
Bulldozers Construct Roads
26
Highway 18
31
A German 88-mm Dual-purpose Gun
34
The Wall of Paestum
35
LST's Bring in Trucks and Tanks
36
Ponte Sele
39
View of Altavilla
42
View of Altavilla
42
The Grataglia
46
The Tobacco Factory
57
Mount San Chirico
69
Combat Engineers of the 142d Infantry
79
Blown Bridges
81
The Church at Acerno
85
A Bridge Southwest of Acerno
87
Infantry of the 3d Division
89
The Volturno River Valley
90
Insignia
94

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Maps

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

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