Currently Browsing: This Week in Marne History
March 8-15
Saturday, 08 March 2008
More from This Week in Marne History
3ID Rests and Regains Initiative in Anzio Campaign
Forty-Four years ago this week in March 1944, the Third Infantry Division regained the initiative that had been lost as a result of the disastrous halt ordered by the VI Corps commander shortly after the landing at Anzio in January. That failure to move aggressively from the beachhead had given the Germans time to rush forces to the area, stop the advance of 3ID units before the town of Cisterna in early February, and finally launch a massive counterattack that aimed to push the 3ID and other allied forces back into the sea.
The German counterattack had finally failed, with German troops withdrawing back to Cisterna on 3 March, but it had had several consequences for the 3ID. Most visibly, the 3ID got a new commander. MG Lucien Truscott, Jr., who had led them so ably in Sicily and southern Italy, became the VI Corps head. Replacing him on 17 February had been BG (soon MG) John “Iron Mike” O’Daniel, previously the 3ID Deputy Commander. Less visibly, 3ID troops were exhausted, but still had the mission to root the Germans from Cisterna and from the road to Rome.
O’Daniel took care of both necessities during the week of 8-15 March. First, he ordered that, beginning 8 March, all front-line men be given a two-day rest at a camp set up about five miles south of the “hot zone” near Cisterna. When the regiments rotated companies at the camp, the men got new uniforms (without filling out forms), hot showers, barber service (including shaves) and movies even during blackout hours. Most importantly, many got their first uninterrupted sleek in seven weeks and vigor.
At the same time, 3ID units began a series of probing attacks against some stone houses that lined the road to Cisterna. These houses had been heavily fortified by the Germans and generally contained bunkers dug into the floors. When the houses were destroyed, usually by artillery fire, the debris fell on top of the bunkers, increasing their camouflage and protection.
Beginning 10 March the fight began for these houses, especially Nos. 5, 6 and 7, which were under German control. First a combat patrol of the 30th Infantry made a sneak attack on Nos. 5 and 6, but ran into intense crossfire from machine guns, automatic weapons and a hidden tank and had to withdraw after two hours when it ran out of ammunition. Then Co. L, 15th Infantry ran into the same situation at No. 7, with the same result. On 12 March, Co. K, 30th Infantry, while on a foray into enemy territory, came upon an enemy machine gun at a road junction and destroyed it, killing three. Continuing up the road a few quarter mile, Co. K destroyed another machine gun nest, killing two men. While returning to the American lines, Co. K surprised another enemy position, killing six and capturing twelve. But Houses 5 and 6 seesawed back and forth between Germans and Americans until the night of 15 March. Then, with the aid of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion, they were both finally taken. It was said at the time, “The price of ground here is skyrocketing like the price of Scotch whiskey—high as hell and just as hard to get.” But the 3ID had gotten the ground. The Germans never again regained the initiative in the Anzio campaign.
