DONNELL'S LIFE STORY

PART 6: A YEAR IN ITALY

Part 5 ended with my rejoining my unit a few days after September 9, 1943. Part 6 will cover my nearly 12 months in Italy and will end with my departure to southern France in August 1944.

LANDING AT SALERNO

With regard to the landing at Salerno, I wish to quote part of an article by John Witenberg that appeared on Page 2 of the T Patch, dated 11/25/44:

Nov. 25, 1944 will mark the fourth anniversary of the Texas National Guard since it was activated into Federal Service as the 36th Texas Division and stationed at Camp Bowie, Texas. Known as a "hot" outfit during its strenuous amphibious and mountain training at Camp Bowie, Camp Blanding, Camp Edwards, and in Africa, the 36th was chosen to spearhead the first American invasion of Continental Europe. The first assault waves of the 36th hit the beaches at Salerno on Sept. 9, 1943 at 3:30 a.m. They ran into a concrete wall. For five days the valiant men fought bitterly to secure the beachhead, then the breach came. The fighting men of Texas swept forward over shattered defenses, Altaville, Naples and Cassino. The battle went on through slushy mud, rain and sleet. Near Cassino the 36th fought their way across the Rapido River into barbed wire, the mortar fire and the mines of strongly entrenched Germans. Two attempts failed, the third was called off.

This quote briefly summarizes the first four years of active service ending in the Spring of 1944 and including the wet, cold and insecure winter of 1943-44.

Getting back to the Salerno beaches of September 1943, I was glad to be back with my unit with many friends I had been with since joining the Texas National Guard just a few days after reaching my 18th birthday. Before leaving from Africa, several of us were assigned to land early from a troop ship while most were loaded on smaller crafts that were able to carry our trucks, 105 mm guns, etc. to land on the beaches. All four of my men were fine as were the two bazookas; but all four of the 50 caliber machine gun barrels were inoperable due to over heating caused by improper use. These were air-cooled guns and could be used effectively with short bursts only, rather than continuous firing. The best I could find out, the guns worked fine for awhile but were damaged by men other than the four assigned and trained in my group. All four barrels were replaced later due to "excess firing beyond maximum limits during uncontrolled conditions."

I read somewhere that the size of a war was no larger than the eye can see. After 64 years I still remember some of what I saw there in September, 1943, part of which was included in the last few pages of Part V. It is noted here that much has been written of the 36th Division during World War II. My purpose here is to mention a few events that may be of interest to my family as pertains to me. When not the case, proper credits will be given as applicable.

My guess is that I spent the first night not over 150 yards from the beach. Troops were still trying to land further down the beach to my right. I had no idea whether I was on the red, blue or green beach. From my foxhole I could see that I was not where I was supposed to be according to the map I remembered reviewing the day before on ship. From the condition around me, I could tell that things were not progressing as planned. The navy ships far out at sea continued to fire their big guns, and I could hear blasts on the mountains in front of me. At the same time, the German artillery was zeroing in on the beaches and on our crafts trying to land. As my orders were to help secure the beach and join my unit when it came ashore, I and many around me just dug our foxholes a little deeper and waited.

While on the beach the first few days, we were able to see a lot of what was going on out at sea, the hills and the mountains inland, and the sky above. The large Navy ships appeared to keep moving from left to right and reverse, but continuing to fire their big guns both day and night. The same applied to the German 88's from their positions up in the hills and mountains above us. The skies at night were lit up as though it was July 4th or midnight on New Year's Eve. We could see the continuous flashes of the Navy ships at sea and the yellow hot projectiles passing over on their way to targets in the hills and mountains. Some nights we could see in the darkness above large search lights seeking German aircraft attempting to destroy the ships at sea and targets on shore. As each plane was picked up by the lights, we could see many tracers from our anti-aircraft guns as they arched across the sky toward the plane. We could see the planes caught in the lights trying to avoid the lights with difficult maneuvers but most were unsuccessful, and fell from the sky after a blast of fire. As the days passed we could tell that we were winning the war both on land and in the air. Lucky for us, the enemy did not have the reserves and firepower available in time to hold their positions. They had to retreat further inland beyond the hills, up in the mountains north of Cassino along the Rapido River.

HEAVY LOSSES & A COLD WET WINTER

An article from the T Patch of 11/25/44 described the conditions of the cold and wet long winter of 1943-44. As I remember we advanced but little during the last two or three months and had many killed and wounded. Here is the quote: "The first 10 days at Salerno had cost about 5,000 men. Another 2,000 fell at San Pietro; three days fighting along the Rapido River took 1,500 more."

LANDING AT ANZIO

It was decided that the Germans were too well entrenched in key positions overlooking the river so it was decided to surprise them by making another landing 140 miles further north near the little town of Anzio. Day after day of mortar, artillery, and air strikes failed to be effective in the Rapido River area.

THE LEANING TOWER OF PISA

The 36th Division was pulled out of action and moved back near Naples for rest and was reinforced with replacements. Our Division would not spearhead the Anzio landing. This time I was with my unit on an LST (Landing Ship Tank), and I didn't even get my feet wet. Within a month we were through Rome and up near the town of Pisa, the town with the famous "Leaning Tower of Pisa."

SICK WITH MALARIA

It was during our breakthrough near Rome that I began to feel bad each night although I was okay during the mornings. Each day or so I seemed to get worse, and I knew I had fever at times. We had one medico assigned to us in Africa that had given me a few pills, and I assured him I had been taking an atabrine pill each day. I had also been taking all precautions, including wearing mosquito nets over my head and wearing gloves at nights in the Anzio area where the mosquitoes were terrible.

Finally I was taken to the nearest first aid station with a high fever, and I could hardly walk. I was told I had a bad case of malaria and was sent all the way back to a hospital in Naples. I was put in an ambulance and taken to Rome, then transferred to another and then another and by the time I reached Naples I could hardly move my arms or talk. My head felt like it was going to explode. After being carried in on a stretcher, I passed out. I was suddenly awakened by a shout and looked up at a nurse that was reading papers pinned to my chest. In a matter of seconds, I had at least four or maybe more people working on me. Thirty minutes later I felt like I was floating on air, and I still remember saying, "I sure feel good." The nurse, still working on me, said, "you should, your fever is now down to 102 degrees!"

I was given a bath using alcohol. I have no idea how long it had been since I first reported sick up near Pisa.

I was soon declared fit to report for duty. I was surprised to find out that the 36th had been moved back to Naples and had already landed on the beaches of South France. My orders were that I would be on the next troop ship leaving Naples and that I would report to my unit in South France. My time in Italy was just less than one year, and I was looking forward to rejoining my unit in France. I felt pretty good as I had excellent care in the hospital but had lost about 15 pounds and still felt a tad weak. Hopefully I would be as good as new by the time I got back to my unit. While in Italy I spent five days at a rest camp at Cassino and five days in Rome.

While in Cassino I sent Jean a photo of me in new clothes. From Rome I sent a bunch of things, including a bedspread and a dress for Janell. In August of 1944 I departed from Italy for southern France.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Anyone who would like to see live coverage of the war in Italy as taken from our U.S. people and those of the Germans should refer to the following:

1) "Victory at Sea" on DVD, Volume 3, Roman Renaissance, Count 1-900 - Germans taking over Italy; Sicily, Landing at Salerno, Anzio and the Rome Conquest.

2) This exact documentary is listed on VCR also, starting with Salerno at 10.00 described as Victory at Sea, Volume XIV: Roman Renaissance.

Note: The Germans can be identified by their steel helmets which drop down to protect their ears all the way around their necks; the U.S. helmets are the same depth all the way around, like a bowl. This ends Part 6. Richard Donnell Hoggatt, Sr. The date is 8/19/08.