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( Re 9 j me 11 t / )-) is to vy 1JSIb. INFANTRt( / Ju I)' to 31 Ju!y /941.1 IOWA GOLD STAR MILITARY MUSEUM TH 7105 NW 70 AVE, CAMP DODGE 4 0 Pc e s JOHNSTON, IOWA 50131-1824 a.:;1 (~ ( R F GI MEN TAL HIS Tan Y MontL of JUL 19H ._". .-.- - ...,. -.': .:;;;:~.~~.:::.;::;.;--:~~•. -.. --.:·::·:~: .. ·:~-= .. ~-:.7:==::·;::·::::~-.-.:-.-.~·.:. M.·.· __ ·· · . ..-'.)'-'.-. .' '.'--".r-' , / SBC'l.'ION IT , r -:T::1rrant Enlisted Dc:. te Officers Officers Nen " /i 1 July 154 5 4007 2 153 5 3998 3 153 5 3991 4 136 5 .3492 ~ 5 135 :J 3366 6 137 5 3324 7 137 5· 3314 8 1.36 5 3287 9 1.37 5 3267 10 136 . 5 3246 11 134- 5 32~ J 12 134 5 3335 13 132 5 3327 JJ 111 t",. 134 5 3292 vJ I,.t- 15 134 5 32<;) ~ 16 135 5 32713 -+ 17 134 5 3208 f 18 128 5 3236 1'---\ ; 19 128 5 3218 20 130 5 3298 1\-'1 21 129 5 3319 , 22 r--, ·12,g 5 3313 ,/ [ 23 128 5 3307 JJ~l 24 127 5 3325 25 126 5 3326 v [ 26 .> 124 5 3332 ~! 27 126 5 33611 28 126 5 3371 ) ! 29 ·.126 5 3379 o ! 30 130 5 3405 l 31 132 5 3420 - lrJ I, - I t r t fti G 1 'A;'1'j.. .J • \ \-\(l ....._.. - -- ~ --.~._-- ... -- --.~.----__.---_... -- ,./ - ., SECTION 1[1- STATION LIST July 1, - July 31, 1944 • 1--------'---------------- 1 July 194.4 135th Inf•. 22;175 2 J'J:l 1944 negtl Hq 161212 Hq Co "161212 AT Co II Cannon Co II Mad Det II 1st Bn It 2nd En It 3rd Bn II I 4 July 1944 t Regtl Hq' 150290 Hq Co J.67212 SaM Co 210230 AT Co 150290 Cannon Co II I-!ed Det 161212 1st En 15029- II 2nd Bn " ;rd Bn II' I 8 July 1944 J SeM-Co 16822(' ,. 10 July 1944 Regtl HQ 163297 1st Bn It 2nd Bn It ;rd Bn It 11 July 1944 Hq Co 150290 ?-!ed Det II 14 July 1944 Regt1 Hq 129342 SeM Co 150290 AT Co 129342 Cannon Co It Hed Det II 1st Bn It 2nd Bn II ;rd Bn It 15 July 1944 l>!ed Det 1502c;J 17 July 1944 • Regtl Hq 126380 Hq Co It Servo Co II AT'Co II Cannon Co It !';ed Det It 1st Bn II 2nd Bn It ?'.: ..... ri 'Q"", It - ::::::::::-:.:::::::: ::~-.-.. ...:::- --=:::.~~:. ===-~.:.:-.-.:-:;::;::;~.~ . --. ..:::~::7:::.~::_:::::'··U i 19 July 1944 Regtl Hq 060475 . Hq Co 125(.38 Serv Co AT Co 060475 Cannon Co " Med Det 125388 lat Bn 060475 . 2nd Bn II" 3rd Bn 21 JU1y-1944 . 135th Inf 050439· 22 July 1944 _ Regt1 Hq 059498 Hq Co 050~39 Serv Co II AT Co o6~508 Cannon Co 071509 l.fed Det 050439 1at Bn 081504 . 2nd Bn 063527· 3rd En 103527 23 Julv 1944 Ragt1 Hq 088564 Hq Co 068498 Serv Co 05g439 AT Co 064508 Cannon Co 071508 Had Det 068498 2nd Bn 105643· 3rd tin 088564 25 July 1944 Ragtl Hq 115285 Hq Co II Med net 115285 2nd Do II 3rd En II 26 JUly 1944 Sorv Co 115285 Cannon Co 28 July 1944 " AT Co 115285 29 JuIv. 1944 135th Inf 115285 SEC1'!L':: IV - llAIUATlVE HISTORY FeR TH3 1'.O;:Til OF JUI;{ 191). I i• The first three days of the month were occupi8d ilith the offensive of the RegiL1ent ac~'OS,) the r.;ecina River and a west1'1iJxd encirclement of the town of r.;e cine itself. This action constituted another attempt on the part of the enenv to delay our forces as th""y pursued him on his retreat northward. As he had done 50 many times in the past,maximum use was made of the tOl';n of r.;ecina and the nat\lI1il obstacle of the r.;ecina River to form a stroIJ8 point from which to defend and mako a stand. On July 1 the Second Battalion attacked across the river, with one com- .part;/' of tanl'..8 and anathGr of tank destroyers in support. The ndssion was to first cut off Route No.68 and then turn west toward the coast, cutting off Highway No.I. On July 2 the attack was coordinated with that of the Third Battalion and the OD '. eration Vias carried out successfully despite eneIllY' counter-attacks, numerous ~ fields and cOllstantanti-tank an'~ sip g1m Iire. Our artillery was able to find numerous profitable targets and in several instances were able to destroY viell dug-in, camouflaged pill boxes, and assist ed im:r~asurably in breaking up the attempts of the enell\Y to counter-attack our forces. \lith the fall of the eriell\Y positions .above the Cecina River, the ~~R;4I\ellj; continued the pursuit northward along the. ~rnenian coast of Italy. l:al'\1 ~i' and incessant harrassing artillery fire were encOlliltered as the Regimen~ r~~, . 1.essly pushed northward after the r.etreat;tng. 16th IIR.eichSfUhern S3 DiV~~~.. ~.. I~·· A struggle for the capture of Rosignano opened on July :3 with the Third ~ . , L10ving :1, !:lattalions forward through Vada. There was evicence that the enlli . , nithdrawn in haste but prisoners llere not plentiful. .' ,r .w Initial contact with the enell\Y soon demonstrated that the uermans 'lIIU~!" termined to make a firm stand for the tovm. 0nall arms fire developed m~ r erous and intense fire f~hts and the enell\Y, with excellent observatioq, 1 .' much use of sip guns, artillery and mortars. The R giment Vias committe<;j to9 1;.p, attack on the Rosignano position with the Third Battalion on the left and, the lfirst !:lattalion on the right. The main effort was made by the Third Bati:oaJJ,on which had the mission of capturing the tOl'm and the road leading north• .u:tt:lr much opposition from the enell\Y and difficulties with the terrain, the leacU,ng elements of the Third tsattalion enteFed the tOl'ffi successfully, with tanks lead ing the attack, but casualties nere severe and although surrounded by tl\e ei1,lilllG' during the night they organi~eu strong points and held their positions. TN-s preSSure was relieved on the mornulg of July 4 when a platoon from ilL" Coml"\W pushed arowld toward the left edge of the toMl and by 1800 .re held possel:\!\19l;l' '?~ half the tOl'IIl. The First Battalion, meeting much enelliY fire, was unable t9l\1<.~,e any grcatt~egree of proercss. The battle for the tOlffi grew to a heavy engagement as the enell\Y, movi~ j,.n reinforcements, regrouped and counter-attacked. These counter-attacks, .':hil\l. ~ot involvilll: large nun1bers, nnde our progress slOl'I. Snipers were very much in <'111'1' idence. I I ,r ( A conniderable nunber of civilians had remained in the to'lln and the heavy f:i.£;htine made it impoosible for them to leave. LIany Vlere ldlled and VlO1.U1ded, and the Partisans who had been giving our I:Cn token aid in the f.i{;hting, removed as many as possible. At the tiz:a of the capture of the town it was feared that an epider.dc mieht bt-e:'k out as a result of the m.:llly dead littering the streets and Rosi,;nano \';as placed off limits to all troops except those \':ho were forced to re~lllin. Our attacks ,cere renewed, on the 11 and by late afternoon the enel1\1 was forced back. We captured rrisoners and inflictecl.heavy caGualties and seized some !:la.terial, including artillery pieces. The Germans, with their shortage or transportation, were forced to resort to the useeo! w.en to pull out some of their artillery. It was also discovered that the G rmans Vlore using wooden carts . brought into !taly from Russia. e, On JuJy 11 Lt. General llark W. Clark, accompanied by ueneral Ryder, visited the Regim:mtal OP where General Clark paraonally p1ruled the silver eagle on the collar of the ahgimental Commander, Colonel Ashton H. Manhart, making him a full colonel. ueneral Clark also greeted members of the steff. Foll~ling the capture of Rosignano the regiment cont.inued the attack north YTard with the First and Second Battalic-.s on the line, :the Third ;Ln reserve. The pace Vias slOlv because of the difficUlt mountain terrain, Combin~W;1.th mines. machine and sip gun fire. The new misSion, was to capture and sea, ~ Legho!'l1. It was quite obvious that the capture of this great port was extre111Jl ilipo.-tant to future operations both in Italy and in the southern coast of lI'rance. A>;ain, the Partisans gave the Regiment assistance, acting as guides'. Roads Tlere found to be in a very bad condition and the engineers were unable to keep up l'lith thf. fOrlvard troops. After fighting nprtlmard throvgh Castelnuevo an!! to Gabbro it Vias reported by civilia.,s at the later tOl'm that the retiring Germans were S5 troops, about 16 to 20 years of age. They had four or five f>ia5l@s of artillery, four Dach.ine guns and the renairrler had rifles. L:ost of tJleG~rmans marched, having no vehicles to ride, their clothing was Vlorn out, the lnelt lIcre ahabby looking and had no food. They stole food from the civilians, It waa ;felt that this group was tired of the war and disorganized. On JuJy 13 the Regiment lost one of its finest ofi'iCeJ:'1l lVhan Captain Blomrnen cOJl!Ir.ander of the Cannon CompalV, was instantly killed by !II minli'l Wh:i+e on recon naissance to displace his guns forward.