Maneuver Center of Excellence (Mcoe) Libraries Mcoe HQ Donovan Research Library Fort Benning, Georgia
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Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) Libraries MCoE HQ Donovan Research Library Fort Benning, Georgia Report date: 10 March 1944 Title: Lessons from the Italian Campaign, from the Garigliano Line to the Gothic Line, 1 February-30 September 1944, including a period of the Anzio beachhead (Training memorandum no. 2, 15 March 1945 Author: United States Army, Headquarters North African Theater of Operations Abstract: The digest of American combat experience and battle lessons from the Italian Campaign contained herein, covering the period of operations from assault landings on 9 September 1943 to 1 February 1944, is published for information and guidance in the training of U.S. forces in this Theater. – By Command of Lieutenant General Devers: David G. Barr, Brigadier General, U.S. Army, Chief of Staff (from title page) Number of pages: 140 p. Notes: From the MCoE HQ Donovan Research Library, Fort Benning, GA. Documents collection. Call #: D769.3 .A201 Classification: Unclassified; Approved for public release D 769.3. L SONS FROM THE ITALIAN .A 201 CAPAIGN. dU r -. AL E2,5'AfEZvi flS- t9 mamA a HEADQUARTERS MiP 343 NORTHAFRICAN THEATER OF OPEATIONS UNITED STATES ARMY APO/ 534 0 ii<L 0- " 1O March 1944 17673 TRAINING MEMORANDUM ) NUL43ER 3 .) Acb/ LESSONS FROM THE ITALIAN CAIPAIGN The digest of, American combat experience and battle lessons from the Italian 'Campaign contained herein, covering the period of operations from the assault landings on 9 September 1943 to 1 February, 1944, is published'for infbrmation J- and guidance iri the 'training of US,. forces. in this Theater. By cormand of Lieutenant General DEVERS: DAVID G. BARR, Brigadier General U.S. Army, Chief of Staff. r OFFICIAL: C 44 DANIEL NOCE, Brigadier General, G.S.C., Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3. DISTRIBUTION: See Reverse Side. DOWNGRADED AT 3 YEAR INTERVALS: DECLASSIFIED AFTER 12 YEARiS. DOD DIR 5200. 10 -- _ A Am Alffak4%, pq m W-IMLM--A2- JLRW M#A ,2 M m Al 0 m 2M& MOL ADA IR AP aLILIM . - I - in,-saww gpgm-wS -mr-WAWAWA DISTRIBUTION: 1 C-in--C 1 SC-in-C i C/S, AFHQ 1 D C/S, AFHQ 1 C/S, NATOUSA i D C/S, NATOUSA 20C) HO Allied Armies in Italy 200 Fifth Army 5u Eighth Army 10 Seventh Army 25 Force 163 25 .DMT (British) AFHO 10 HQ Commiand, Allied Force 10 AGF Board, AFHO iOO CG SOS, NATOUSA (To include distribution to newly arrived 4its) 10 ABS 10 'LvBS 10 EBS 10 PBS 10 NBS 10 2 North Africa District (British) 2 No, 1 District (British) 2 No-. 2 District (British) 2 No. 3 Distri ct (British) . 86 ' General and Special Staff AFHQ 10 General and Special Staff, NATOUSA '100 G3 (Training) AFHQ (For special additional distribution) 2 Intelligence Officers' Training Center, Allied Force V. 3 JICA (AFHQ). 50 ETOUSA (Via air dispatch) 10 AGF, Washington 10 ASF, Was.hington 10 AAF, Washington 2 G-2, DIMGeneral Staff, Washington A 2 Operations Division, ID General Staff, W!Tashington 5 Infantry School, Fort Benning, Ga. 5 Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Okla.' 5 5 Engineer School, Fort. Belvoir, Va. 5 Coast Artillery School, Fort Monroe, Va, I 5 Signal School, Fort,. onmooth, N*..J 5 Antiaircraft Artillery School Camp Davis, N.C ,C- 5 Cavalry School, Fort Riley, Kansas 5 Tank Destroyer gohool, Camp Hood, Texas Quartermaster School, Camp Lece, Virginia 5 •Chemical Warfare School, Edgewood Arsenal, Md. 5 Ordnance School, Aberdeen, Md. 5 Command and General Staff School, Fort Leavenworth,.Kansas 5 Army and. Navy Staff College, Washington - 2 Military Intelligence Training 'Center, Camp Ritchie, Md. ( : 2 Director of Military Training, War Office, London; , 2 Director of Military Intelligence, War' Office, London 2 GHQ, MEF, Cairo0"" I Australian Military Liaison Office, G.49, MEF, Cair~o 64 Supreme Allied Commander, Southwest Asia, Delhi 2 GK- (British) India, Delhi 5 CG, U.S. Army Forces in China - .5 C-in-C, All.ied Force, Southwest Pacific GHQ (British). Australia i4NCNOW zrwwiw m160 COK r k - 4 LESSONS FROM THE ITALIAINMCMVPAICTN Reference Table of Contents Paragraph Page * . SECTION I INTRODUCTION 1P Nature .an-d.-Soope of Publication............ .. 1 2. Soundness of Basic Princinles.. ................. i A. Prhface to Descriptions of the 'Campaign and the Terrain i SECTION II CHARACTERISTICS OF THLE CAMPAIGN ' General Four Phases of th'e Campaign. * 2-3 5., Comparison with the Sicilian Campaign. , . , . 6.. The Lancng Operation. 3-4 7, Developnient and Extension of the Beachhead . Mt 94 8. ',_'untain Campaign -and Static -,.Tarfaere ,. .. ., .° S-CTION.-III CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TITJAIN 90 Beachhead Area,.......... ..... 9. 9.' 10. Mountainous Hinterland ......... ,.. 9 9 b-7 7-S Road Net and Cormuni'cations Routes,. , . 12. Rivers and Streams .. , . , . , -9 SECTION I 0 LESSONS OF THE LANDING OPEPJTION V.... 13 130 General. 9i *, * . - 9 l4~ Timing of Landings 999.. .9999. .9 6 9-10 159 Infantry Action in the Assault Lahding, . * . .. 10-il Artillery 16. in the-Assault Landing . , . 9 ... 11-12 179 Provision for Repelling Armored Counterattack. 9 . , 13-14 18. Naval...Gunfire Support...... ... * S.' .. 14-15 I 190 Antiaircraft Defense ,.. .**.- , . ., * . .°15-16 (i) *1 LESSONS FROM THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN Reference Table of Conteits' Paragraph Page 200 Passage of Mined Beaches. 9 S ., *........9 . S 9 9 ,16-17 21. Communications . .17-18 22. Mrliscellaneous Lessons . S S . 9 * S S 9 9", S S. s q * k SECTION" V 'INFANTRY UNITS y. 23. General . , 9. 9 . 19-201 24. iountain Warfare.. ,,........., S4 . , .20-29 24a. Physical Conditioning and Hardening. 20 22 24b. Infa~try Tactics in the Italian MAiounta2 ns. .. 22-23 Imp6o'tdnde and Use of Mortars in iounta in Te,rrain . , .23-26 24d. Suj'ply'ot Forward Units in' llountain Ter ,rain: .26r-27k 24e. Training for Mountain Operations .27-29 2f. Other J'ubject's Related to fountain Varf 'are 25. Troop Leadership. 9 . ..... .. 9 29-30 .. "N26. Distribution of Small Arms Fire....... :.. .30-31 4- 27. Lm1jployment of Infantry Suport, Feapons.. .I 9 .. ..-- 3 ~ 28. .mploeient of Antitank Rlockets and Grenades . 4 .>33-370 (a 29o Euiploytent "3'7I T of and 571m Antitank Guns . , 9 9 . .37-39 30. Eployrrnt of the 4,2 Chemical Q tar........... • .... .39-42 31. Night Attack and N'Jight Operations . , , . ... .z2-45 - 49' 32, Scouting and Patrollinp .......... ,... O a v *45-49 .C% S Town and Village Fi ghting . , ........ 34. Fighting in Woods and Wooded Terrain...'.. .. 09 . 9.0,53-54 River *... ,. 4 \'t 35, Crosi ............... .: .. , 9 .. .54-,58 j 0 0 19 9 *I58-61 36-1 Atbtack'of Stone Bunkers and Fnmacean ents. , . I 37. A-i-Ardund Defense and Defense in Depth . .. 61- . 38. Infanty-Tank Cooperation ............ 62-.3 . (ii) - LESSONS F'rO Thi IW.L1.4 C I j he ference Table of Contents Parar;ra ph . e 39. Infantry-Artil1irv Coope ration... ...... ,. *i e . e )) 40, Hand, Pack, and Animal Transport . .. *.. 64-77 Coi l-uni ction, C fthfUniC ti s. 0 . p 0 41o . 9 9 9 • 0 0 * . .57-09 42. Miscllaneou.s . 0 . .69-72 42a. Use of. Booby-TranppedC Crenades .for Security at TNiht. .9-70 42b. Use of Signals and Flars. * * . * . .. ..... ..7070 42c. Bayonet Tactics....... , . .... * . 70 42d, German Counterattac' by Small Groups . , * . • . i70. 42e. Cerman Fuses , , * ...... ,•.•.• * ~* *71 42f. Camouflagoe DisciPline.,. * .. 71 42g . eiLf-care and Care of, . n.. O. *.71-72 42ht Development of Patience in Training.. *.. 72 SECTION VI :FILLD AFTTSR UNITS1 43. General . .'7 v 0.0.a. 43a Role of FieLd Artillery in the Italian Camai-n, ,,7t7-3 43bo rnfluence91ofauntrlnTerrain, . • . • ,73-74 Soundness of. Tactical Doctrine and Technique . .74-73 43c. 43d. Effectiveness of Fire......... ,0 . o , 75-77 44b General Tactical Lessons in Surmmary .. ......... 77-79 45, Tactical 1'iroyment................•. .... ,79-91 General,................, , , • • ,• ..-. 2, 45a. 45b.. £ ployuent of Artillery in :ass, . 2-83 Lrpuey~nent of Tank Destroyers in Artillery Fire it, .3-85 45d E3ployment of Observation Battalions , .8... 85-8d 45e m iploymrent of Pack Artillery . , . , .86-87 45f.0 LnplIylaent of Rovinp Cuns, . .. , . * . .- 7 88 (iii) I LESSONS FROM THE ITALIAN CA'LIdGIN Reference Table co Contents Pararapr Page • • e • * , , ,a . .*(- 45g. Employment of the 8-inch Howitzer, 45h. Esm-loyment of the 4.5-inch Gun 89-91 . 46, Opertictnal Technique . 91-99 * • S. 91-92 46a. Selection of Position. ... .92-)4 46b. Occuatiion of Position . 94-95 46c. Organization of Position *., 95-9)6 46d, Selection and Organization of 46e. Night Operations. ....... al 1d. 1 * . --98 * 9 46f. 1econnaissance . .. 98-99 46z Local Security and Antitank Do.fens 9 . 9 .9 S 9 *.6 *99 46h. Mfove 1 ents in Forward Areas * * 9 0 99-l 7 47. Cunnery... , . 9 9 mc on . .99 47a. Prihiloles and Technique nfensi S. 100 47b. Flexibility and Massinr of Fir e, 9 1,_0- .." C)2 Forward Observation.. , . • * . r 102 47d. Normal Barrages, . ... , . 102-103 47e. Rolling Barrages and loving Co trations Of. Time Fire.... ......... * . 103 47,. Unobserved Fir?. • • .. Tables. 104... 47h. Firing Charts and Graphical Firing . 104-105 47i. Counterbattery.. * , • * 105-100 47i* Time on Tarrret (TOT) ...... , 47k. SurVey Methods and Lecnnirvte . lo-lo7 48. Artillery Air OP................. 110-112 ••aaa . 49. Comunication........ * 9 1't 50. Miscellaneous............... sP's... .+.112 50a. Packboards for Supplying i±ountain o * MRd. 50b Value of •Army Ground Force Tests (iv) - __ _ , -J LESSONS FROM',, THE ITALIAN CAIiAiCN Reference Table of Contents Paragraph Page SOc. Use of Colored Smoke, ... ,0. , . .. ; . 112-113l4o 50d t Uge osf Propaganda Shell . & . ,113 5Oe. S0d. Worn Helmet Rims and OP Security. e :*b p . ,113 50f. Sim-ulation o-f Fire in Duny Position . ". .113 SFOTION VII P•ARMO RO1RUNITS 51. Oenstal. ,,,. **............a........3114 52 Cooperative Action with Elements of the .Infantry Division,1-4"l 15 53.