Posted on Jul 10, 2017
1943 Allied Invasion Of Sicily, "Operation Husky" (full)
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Operation Husky - The Allied Invasion of Sicily
by Kennedy Hickman
Updated August 10, 2016
OPERATION HUSKY - CONFLICT:
Operation Husky was the Allied landings on Sicily in July 1943.
OPERATION HUSKY - DATES:
Allied troops landed on July 9, 1943 and officially secured the island on August 17, 1943.
OPERATION HUSKY - COMMANDERS & ARMIES:
Allies (United States & Great Britain)
General Dwight D. Eisenhower
General Sir Harold Alexander
Lieutenant General George S. Patton
General Sir Bernard Montgomery
Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham
Vice Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay
160,000 men
Axis (Germany & Italy)
General Alfredo Guzzoni
Field Marshall Albert Kesselring
405,000 men
OPERATION HUSKY - BACKGROUND:
In January 1943, British and American leaders met at Casablanca to discuss operations for after Axis forces had been driven from North Africa. During the meetings, the British lobbied in favor of invading either Sicily or Sardinia as they believed either could lead to the fall of Benito Mussolini's government as well as could encourage Turkey to join the Allies. Though the American delegation, led by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was initially reluctant to continue an advance in the Mediterranean, it conceded to British wishes to move forward in the region as both sides concluded that it would not be feasible to conduct landings in France that year and capture of Sicily would reduce Allied shipping losses to Axis aircraft
Dubbed Operation Husky, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was given overall command with British General Sir Harold Alexander designated as the ground commander. Supporting Alexander would be naval forces led by Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham and air forces overseen Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder.
The principle troops for the assault were the US 7th Army under Lieutenant General George S. Patton and the British Eighth Army under General Sir Bernard Montgomery.
OPERATION HUSKY - THE ALLIED PLAN:
Initial planning for the operation suffered as the commanders involved were still conducting active operations in Tunisia. In May, Eisenhower finally approved a plan which called for Allied forces to be landed in the southeastern corner of the island. This would see Patton's 7th Army come ashore in the Gulf of Gela while Montgomery's men landed further east on both sides of Cape Passero. The two beachheads would initially be separated by a gap of around 25 miles. Once ashore, Alexander intended to consolidate along a line between Licata and Catania prior to conducting an offensive north to Santo Stefano with the intention of splitting the island in two. Patton's assault would be supported by the US 82nd Airborne Division which would be dropped behind Gela prior to the landings (Map).
OPERATION HUSKY - THE CAMPAIGN:
On the night of July 9/10, Allied airborne units began landing, while American and British ground forces came ashore three hours later in the Gulf of Gela and south of Syracuse respectively.
Both sets of landings were hampered by difficult weather and organizational miscues. As the defenders had not planned on conducting a pitched battle on the beaches, these issues did not damage the Allies' chances for success. The Allied advance initially suffered from a lack of coordination between US and British forces as Montgomery pushed northeast towards the strategic port of Messina and Patton pushed north and west.
Visiting the island on July 12, Field Marshall Albert Kesselring concluded that German forces were being poorly supported by their Italian allies. As a result, he recommended that reinforcements be sent to Sicily and the western side of the island be abandoned. German forces were further ordered to delay the Allied advance while a defensive line was prepared in front of Mount Etna.
This was to extend south from the north coast towards Troina before turning east. Pressing up the east coast, Montgomery attacked towards Catania while also pushing through Vizzini in the mountains. In both cases, the British met strong opposition.
As Montgomery's army began to get bogged down, Alexander ordered the Americans to shift east and protect the British left flank. Seeking a more important role for his men, Patton sent a reconnaissance in force towards the island's capital, Palermo. When Alexander radioed the Americans to stop their advance, Patton claimed the orders were "garbled in transmission" and pushed on to take the city. The fall of Palermo helped spur Mussolini's overthrow in Rome. With Patton in position on the north coast, Alexander ordered a two-prong assault on Messina, hoping to take the city before Axis forces could evacuate the island. Driving hard, Patton entered the city on August 17, a few hours after the last Axis troops departed and a few hours before Montgomery.
OPERATION HUSKY - RESULTS:
In the fighting on Sicily, the Allies suffered 23,934 casualties while Axis forces incurred 29,000 and 140,000 captured. The fall of Palermo led to the collapse of Benito Mussolini's government in Rome. The successful campaign taught the Allies valuable lessons that were utilized the following year on D-Day. Allied forces continued their campaign in the Mediterranean in September when landings commenced on the Italian mainland.
https://www.thoughtco.com/operation-husky-invasion-of-sicily-2361493
http://www.combinedops.com/husky.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc john LTC John Mohor @ maj william Maj William W. 'Bill' Price @ maj stephen LTC (Join to see) @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ ssgt larry SSgt (Join to see) @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ ssg pete SSG Pete Fleming @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 robert SP5 Robert Ruck @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski SCPO Morris Ramsey Alan K.
by Kennedy Hickman
Updated August 10, 2016
OPERATION HUSKY - CONFLICT:
Operation Husky was the Allied landings on Sicily in July 1943.
OPERATION HUSKY - DATES:
Allied troops landed on July 9, 1943 and officially secured the island on August 17, 1943.
OPERATION HUSKY - COMMANDERS & ARMIES:
Allies (United States & Great Britain)
General Dwight D. Eisenhower
General Sir Harold Alexander
Lieutenant General George S. Patton
General Sir Bernard Montgomery
Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham
Vice Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay
160,000 men
Axis (Germany & Italy)
General Alfredo Guzzoni
Field Marshall Albert Kesselring
405,000 men
OPERATION HUSKY - BACKGROUND:
In January 1943, British and American leaders met at Casablanca to discuss operations for after Axis forces had been driven from North Africa. During the meetings, the British lobbied in favor of invading either Sicily or Sardinia as they believed either could lead to the fall of Benito Mussolini's government as well as could encourage Turkey to join the Allies. Though the American delegation, led by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was initially reluctant to continue an advance in the Mediterranean, it conceded to British wishes to move forward in the region as both sides concluded that it would not be feasible to conduct landings in France that year and capture of Sicily would reduce Allied shipping losses to Axis aircraft
Dubbed Operation Husky, General Dwight D. Eisenhower was given overall command with British General Sir Harold Alexander designated as the ground commander. Supporting Alexander would be naval forces led by Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Cunningham and air forces overseen Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder.
The principle troops for the assault were the US 7th Army under Lieutenant General George S. Patton and the British Eighth Army under General Sir Bernard Montgomery.
OPERATION HUSKY - THE ALLIED PLAN:
Initial planning for the operation suffered as the commanders involved were still conducting active operations in Tunisia. In May, Eisenhower finally approved a plan which called for Allied forces to be landed in the southeastern corner of the island. This would see Patton's 7th Army come ashore in the Gulf of Gela while Montgomery's men landed further east on both sides of Cape Passero. The two beachheads would initially be separated by a gap of around 25 miles. Once ashore, Alexander intended to consolidate along a line between Licata and Catania prior to conducting an offensive north to Santo Stefano with the intention of splitting the island in two. Patton's assault would be supported by the US 82nd Airborne Division which would be dropped behind Gela prior to the landings (Map).
OPERATION HUSKY - THE CAMPAIGN:
On the night of July 9/10, Allied airborne units began landing, while American and British ground forces came ashore three hours later in the Gulf of Gela and south of Syracuse respectively.
Both sets of landings were hampered by difficult weather and organizational miscues. As the defenders had not planned on conducting a pitched battle on the beaches, these issues did not damage the Allies' chances for success. The Allied advance initially suffered from a lack of coordination between US and British forces as Montgomery pushed northeast towards the strategic port of Messina and Patton pushed north and west.
Visiting the island on July 12, Field Marshall Albert Kesselring concluded that German forces were being poorly supported by their Italian allies. As a result, he recommended that reinforcements be sent to Sicily and the western side of the island be abandoned. German forces were further ordered to delay the Allied advance while a defensive line was prepared in front of Mount Etna.
This was to extend south from the north coast towards Troina before turning east. Pressing up the east coast, Montgomery attacked towards Catania while also pushing through Vizzini in the mountains. In both cases, the British met strong opposition.
As Montgomery's army began to get bogged down, Alexander ordered the Americans to shift east and protect the British left flank. Seeking a more important role for his men, Patton sent a reconnaissance in force towards the island's capital, Palermo. When Alexander radioed the Americans to stop their advance, Patton claimed the orders were "garbled in transmission" and pushed on to take the city. The fall of Palermo helped spur Mussolini's overthrow in Rome. With Patton in position on the north coast, Alexander ordered a two-prong assault on Messina, hoping to take the city before Axis forces could evacuate the island. Driving hard, Patton entered the city on August 17, a few hours after the last Axis troops departed and a few hours before Montgomery.
OPERATION HUSKY - RESULTS:
In the fighting on Sicily, the Allies suffered 23,934 casualties while Axis forces incurred 29,000 and 140,000 captured. The fall of Palermo led to the collapse of Benito Mussolini's government in Rome. The successful campaign taught the Allies valuable lessons that were utilized the following year on D-Day. Allied forces continued their campaign in the Mediterranean in September when landings commenced on the Italian mainland.
https://www.thoughtco.com/operation-husky-invasion-of-sicily-2361493
http://www.combinedops.com/husky.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_invasion_of_Sicily
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc john LTC John Mohor @ maj william Maj William W. 'Bill' Price @ maj stephen LTC (Join to see) @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ ssgt larry SSgt (Join to see) @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ ssg pete SSG Pete Fleming @ sgt david SGT (Join to see) @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp5 robert SP5 Robert Ruck @ sp5 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski SCPO Morris Ramsey Alan K.
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Thanks SGT John " Mac " McConnell for reminding us about the invasion of Sicily which was the initial assault on western Europe by the Allies. Operation Husky was the first serious help the western allies offered the Soviet Union to bring relief to their unrelenting warfare on the Eastern Front. While the Soviets were luring the German armored formations to their defeat at Kursk on July 12, 1943, the western Allies were following up on the successes of North Africa.
Adolph Hitler and OKW and OKH feared a second major front. they sensed that Italy was ready to crumble and accordingly began to move major forces to Italy as they built their impressive defensive lines across the boot of Italy from 1943 to 1945.
While the Germans had largely abandoned major airborne assaults, the western allies were coupling airborne assaults with amphibious assaults. Operation Husky was a proof of principle which would be proven at Operation Overlord and tested to the utmost at Operation Market Garden.
The 15th Army Group commanded by General sir Harold Alexander was formed for the invasion of Italy beginning with Sicily.
British 8th Army under General Sir Bernard Montgomery
5th Infantry Division: Major General G.C. Bucknall
50th Infantry Division: Major General S.C. Kirkman
1st British Airborne Division: Major General G.F. Hopkinson
US 7th Army under Lt. General George S. Patton, Jr.
with the US II Corps: Major General Omar N. Bradley
1st Infantry Division: Major General T. Allen
45th Infantry Division: Major General T.H. Middleton
82nd Airborne Division: Major General Mathew B. Ridgway
3rd Infantry Division: Major General Lucien K.Truscott, Jr.
Rangers under William O Darby
[List of troop formations at end]
Images: 504th PIR Paratroopers aboard their C-47 Sent to Reinforce the 505th PIR, July 11, 1943; American Ships Under Air Attack off Gela During the Day of July 11; 1943-07-10 Allied Assault on Sicily Map; Operation Husky - The Sicily Landings 9 - 10 July 1943 - American DUKWs standing on a pier at Licata
Here is an extensive background from the WWII Database website.
"Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender from 10 Jul 1943 - 3 Sep 1943
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
Upon victory in North Africa, Allied forces used ports in North Africa as staging points northwards toward the underbelly of Europe. The first target chosen by the Allied commanders was Sicily after concluding an amphibious operation against Vichy France would be impossible. Allied occupation of Sicily would also safeguard Allied shipping in the Mediterranean, as well as relieve Malta from the constant Axis air raids.
The Landings 10 Jul 1943
On 10 Jul 1943, Operation Husky called for 2,590 Allied ships to land 180,000 troops, 600 tanks, and 14,000 mechanized vehicles on the Italian island in three days at multiple sites, forming the second largest amphibious operation in the European theater. A large gamble the Allies took on was that the landing took place at several locations; a failure in any of the many locations could negatively affect outcome of another landing site. When the actual landings took place, harsh weather conditions (very strong winds) surprised the Axis defenders, while support fire from ample naval power ensured successful landing operations by the Allied 15th Army Group. The army group, consisted of the U.S. 7th Army and the British 8th Army, benefited greatly from the newly developed DUKW ("duck") landing craft. The landing forces were protected by six battleships, 10 cruisers, and two aircraft carriers. Four airborne operations were also conducted. Eventually, 180,000 soldiers would set foot on the island.
The island was defended by 230,000 Italian troops consisting of weak coastal defense units. It was generally thought that the best Italian units were lost in Africa, although Dwight Eisenhower was unwilling to discount the quality of Italian troops as the psychology of defending their own homeland could make a world of difference in their ferocity. The Italian troops were augmented by two German divisions under the command of General Hans Hube, which commandeered much attention by Eisenhower's intelligence staff. Initial resistance was fierce from Italian XII and XVI Corps and German XIV Panzer Corps, combined at the strength of 400,000, but under the pressure of Eisenhower's troops they soon buckled; Syracuse was taken on the first day of the invasion nearly uncontested, Palermo on 22 Jul, and Catania on 5 Aug.
The air defense on Sicily was comparatively stronger. Stukas and ME-110s strafed the invasion fleet whenever opportunity presented itself, not causing serious damage but sparred up enough panic to serious endanger the success of subsequent operations. For example, when Allied C-47 transports carrying airborne troops flied across the invasion fleet, the naval gunners nervously fired their anti-aircraft weapons at the friendly planes in total panic. "Hundreds of men were lost, entire sticks of paratroopers jumping early when their pilots in all the confusion hit the green light, and the heavily laden men came down in the ocean and disappeared."
Mount Etna 17 Jul 1943
From 17 Jul on, Bernard Montgomery's British Eighth Army secured the Catania region on the eastern coastline of Sicily. To the north of them was Mount Etna where a strong garrison stood. Plagued by malaria, the British troops divided into two columns, each marching north on either side of Mount Etna. The westward-flanking column was conducted by surprise to both the defenders and Montgomery's American allies alike. This move actually cut off part of the American advance across the center of the island, which enraged George Patton. Patton reinforced the British western column near Randazzo as ordered, but he wanted to protest the British general's move into his turf.
Battle of Troina 2-6 Aug 1943
The Battle of Troina characterized the fierce, though few, inland fighting on the island of Sicily. The American Seventh Army's First Division and two Canadian regiments fought off 24 separate counterattacks during the battle while behind the line artillery shelled German positions in the rocky hillsides. Several days after the capture of Troina, Americans were surprised to find a small valley filled with hundreds of German dead. "They were victims of American artillery fire," said Eisenhower; if the frontline infantrymen did not appreciate artillery support, they did now.
The Axis Evacuation 11-17 Aug 1943
On 11 Aug, Axis forces started to evacuate the island in a nevertheless impression fashion. A perfect coordination between Italian and German navies, under the command of Admiral Barone and Captain von Liebenstein, respectively, they withdrew 117,000 troops to Italian mainland within days before American forces pushed the remaining Germans to Messina, located at the northern tip of the island. For Montgomery blocking American advance near Etna, Patton ordered his troops to advance into target areas designated for the British. As an excuse, Patton claimed that the communications were disrupted, while he marched forth. "This is a horse race in which the prestige of the US Army is at stake", he later wrote about his personal crusade to out-shine the British.
Allied forces secured the island on 17 Aug as the remaining German forces evacuated from Sicily that day, with the US Third Infantry Division entering Messina hours after the last Axis troops left the island. Patton had won his race.
At the end of this campaign, Axis casualties totaled 29,000, and the greatest loss came when 140,000 men (mostly Italian but some German) were captured as prisoners of war. On the Allied side, the Americans suffered 9,530 casualties (2,572 killed, 5,946 wounded, and 1,012 missing or captured), the British 12,843 (2,721 killed and 10,122 wounded, missing, or captured), and the Canadians 2,410 (562 killed, 1,848 wounded, missing, or captured).
A blemish shrouded the Allies when it was discovered that American troops killed 73 Axis prisoners of war.
The Surrender of Italy 3 Sep 1943
The fall of Palermo on 22 Jul damaged the Italian morale tremendously, giving those in Italy who opposed Mussolini's pursue of war an opportunity to seek an armistice. However, it was not an easy task as the Italian ranks were infiltrated by German spies. An airborne operation was planned in cooperation with certain Italian groups to seize Rome, but it was called off by the Italians at the last minute due to German movements nearby. General Maxwell Taylor later made a secret trip to Rome to negotiate with the Italians, assuring that an Italian surrender would guarantee Allied protection against German retribution. He promised that the Allies would land up to three divisions in Italy, but the Italians wanted 15.
The fall of Sicily in Aug 1943 affected the Italians so tremendously that a coup d'etat materialized. Italian leader Benito Mussolini was deposed from power, and the new government under Marshal Pietro Badoglio accepted a "Short Military Armistice" with the Allied powers on 3 Sep. "By this act," said Badoglio, "all ties with the dreadful past are broken and my government will be proud to march with you on to the inevitable victory." Eisenhower publicly announced that bombing raids against Italy would be ceased due to the Italian surrender, although in actuality Eisenhower's true intentions were to use the bombers to transport vital supplies to the front, therefore some argue that the gesture was not completely out of a merciful nature. In response to the Italian surrender, Adolf Hitler ordered for the removal the elite First SS Panzer Division from Russia to Italy. Most of the Italian fleet escaped to Malta, though the Luftwaffe was able to sink several Italian ships before they were surrendered to the Allies, including the battleship Roma which was sunk by the newly developed Fx-1400 armor-piercing radio-controlled gliding bombs.
Mussolini was later rescued by a daring airborne commando mission and installed by Hitler as a puppet leader in northern Italy.
Sources: Crusade in Europe, the Fall of Berlin, Honor Untarnished, the Second World War, Wikipedia.
Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender Timeline
17 Jun 1943 The Royal Navy battleships HMS Nelson (flying the flag of Vice-Admiral Algernon Willis) and HMS Rodney plus a large squadron sailed from Scapa Flow to join the largest invasion fleet yet mustered in World War II - 280 warships, 320 merchantmen, 2,125 landing craft and smaller vessels - for Operation Husky, the Sicilian landings.
25 Jun 1943 As part of the preparation for the invasion of Sicily, Italy (Operation Husky) some 130 American B-17 bombers from the Northwest African Tactical Air Force dropped over 300 tons of bombs on Messina, Italy.
10 Jul 1943 The Allies began Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, Italy, with an airborne assault before dawn; amphibious elements of Operation Husky landed to join the fight later in the day. Out at sea, hospital ship Tampala and LST-313 were sunk by German air attack. Picket ship USS Sentinel was sunk by a SC250 bomb delivered by a Fw 190 aircraft off Molla. Destroyer USS Maddox was also lost after being attacked by dive bombers and sunk within two minutes. The US Navy would subsequently suffer severe accusations for failing to supply adequate air cover.
11 Jul 1943 British 8th Army captured Syracuse, Sicily, Italy and its useful harbour. Also on Sicily, General Paul Conrath's Hermann Göring Panzer Division overran the American outposts at Ponte Dirillo and were only prevented from breaking through the Allied lines by an attack by James Gavin's paratroopers from the rear. Elsewhere, Conrath personally led a column which assaulted the weakly held Piano Lupo, to get within 2,000 yards of the beach before being stopped by the defenders.
12 Jul 1943 British 8th Army captured Augusta, Sicily, Italy, adding yet another useful harbour for the Allied invasion forces.
13 Jul 1943 Operation Fustian: After sun down, 1,900 men from the UK 1st Airborne Division set out to capture the Primosole Bridge over the Simeto River in Sicily, Italy by parachute and glider. Less than 200 men with three anti-tank guns reached the bridge. They overpowered the guards and removed demolition charges placed by Italian engineers. However, unbeknown to the Allies, the machine gun battalion of a German parachute division had just been dropped on to that very area. The two parachute forces were immediately locked into battle, but the tiny British unit, though heavily outnumbered, would remain at the bridge awaiting arrival of reinforcements. Elsewhere, British troops captured Augusta and Ragusa in Sicily, Italy.
14 Jul 1943 Before dawn, Allied Northwest African Strategic Air Force Wellington bombers attacked Palermo and Messina in Sicily, Italy while C-47 Skytrain transports dropped British airborne troops at the Simeto River at Primosole Bridge; the paratroopers attempted to establish a bridgehead, but they faced stiff opposition. During the day, British and American aircraft attacked Messina, Marsala, Enna, Palermo, Randazzo, Licata, and Lentini; in indirect support, American aircraft struck Naples on mainland Italy. Elsewhere in Sicily, US troops captured Niscemi and Biscari airfield while other British troops captured Vizzini.
15 Jul 1943 Before dawn, Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force bombers attacked Palermo, Sicily, Italy. During the day, US Ninth Air Force B-25 bombers attacked Palermo, Cape Gallo, Salina Island, and Cape Zifferano while the Northwest African Tactical Air Force attacked Vibo Valentia. Meanwhile, airborne troops of the UK 1st Airborne Division were relieved after fighting a larger German airborne force at Primosole Bridge over the Simeto River in Sicily, Italy for the past two days, ending Operation Fustian. Finally, US 7th Army captured the ports of Agrigento and Porto Empedocle.
16 Jul 1943 In Sicily, Italy, Canadian troops captured Caltagirone, American troops captured Agrigento, while British troops secured the Primosole Bridge and marched for Catania. On the same day, Allied aircraft attacked Valguarnera, Vibo Valentia, Randazzo, and other targets in Sicily.
17 Jul 1943 From before dawn into the day, aircraft of the Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force attacked Catania, Paterno, and other targets on Sicily, Italy. Meanwhile, the Allied Military Government for Occupied Territories was formed for Sicily with General Sir Harold Alexander at its helm. On the front lines, American troops captured Agrigento and Porto Empedocle.
18 Jul 1943 In Sicily, Italy, before dawn, British Wellington bombers of the Allied Northwest African Strategic Air Force bombed Montecorvino on Sicily and Pomigliano in mainland Italy. After daybreak, American A-36 aircraft of the Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force attacked Santa Caterina, Adrano, Lercara, and Termini Imerese. On the ground, Canadian troops captured Valguarnerna, US Seventh Army troops captured Caltanisetta, and British Eighth Army troops move slowly along the east coast of Sicily near Catania.
19 Jul 1943 US 7th Army and British 8th Army continued to make advances in Sicily, Italy; encountering resistance along the coast, Bernard Montgomery ordered his British 8th Army to take an alternate route, inland, toward Messina in the north. The Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force launched B-25 bombers to attack Catania and Randazzo while US 9th Air Force P-40 aircraft bombed railroads and railcars at Alcamo to support the ground troops on Sicily. After sundown, Allied bombers struck Aquino and Nicosia.
20 Jul 1943 Italian troops surrendered en masse to US troops in Sicily, Italy as US 82nd Airborne Division captured Sciacca and Menfi, US 9th Infantry Division captured Santo Stefano Quisquina and the heights north of Mussomeli, US 2nd Armored Division with British troops in support captured Enna, Canadian 1st Division reached Leonforte, and British 51st Division attacked the Sferro airfield. In the air, Allied Northwest African Strategic Air Force fighter-bombers attacked various targets in western Sicily while medium bombers struck Montecorvino Airfield.
21 Jul 1943 Before dawn, Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force attacked Italian ships in waters near Randazzo, Sicily, Italy. On land on this day, US 1st Infantry Division captured Alimena, US 3rd Infantry Division captured Corleone, US 45th Infantry Division captured Valledolmo, US 82nd Airborne Division captured San Margherita, US Rangers captured Castelvetrano, and Canadian 1st Division captured Leonforte. After dark, US 9th Air Force B-25 bombers attacked the Randazzo area again.
22 Jul 1943 US 2nd Armored Division captured Palermo, Sicily.
27 Jul 1943 Heavy fighting in Sicily, Italy led to Feldmarschall Kesselring's decision to plan a possible evacuation of his forces to the mainland.
3 Aug 1943 Italian troops begin evacuation of Sicily, Italy.
4 Aug 1943 The US advance in Sicily, Italy was halted at Troina and the Furiano River.
5 Aug 1943 In Sicily, Italy, German forces withdrew from Troina, while British Eighth Army captured Catania.
6 Aug 1943 After capturing the important town of Troina at Sicily, Italy, Lieutenant General Patton fired both the divisional commander (Major General Allen) and his deputy (Brigadier General Roosevelt) of the US 1st Infantry Division who were responsible for the victory.
7 Aug 1943 RAF Bomber Command launched a raid on Milan and another on Turin to bring pressure on the new Italian Government, led by Marshal Pietro Badoglio, to accept the Allies peace terms. During the Milan raid a Lancaster bomber piloted by Herbert Barley was heavily damaged by an Italian fighter (probably a Macchi C.205 Veltro) losing two engines, but in a remarkable piece of flying the crew fought their crippled aircraft all the way across the Mediterranean Sea to a safe landing in Tunisia.
8 Aug 1943 US troops landed at St. Agata, Sicily, Italy.
12 Aug 1943 German forces evacuated Sicily, Italy.
16 Aug 1943 US troops entered Messina, Sicily, Italy. Meanwhile, the Axis forces successfully evacuated 100,000 troops from Sicily to the mainland.
17 Aug 1943 Allied artillery began shelling Italian mainland from Messina, Sicily.
30 Aug 1943 Bernard Montgomery hosted a victory celebration at Catania, Sicily, Italy.
8 Sep 1943 The Italians formally announced their unconditional surrender to the Allies, leading to German reserve forces crossing the border into Italy.
http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=53
Allied 15th Army Group for the Invasion of Sicily on 10 July 1943
15th Army Group: General sir Harold Alexander
British 8th Army: General Sir B.L. Montgomery
XIII Corps: Lt. General Sir M. Dempsey
5th Infantry Division: Major General G.C.Bucknall
13th Infantry Brigade
2nd Cameronians
2nd Wiltshire
2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
12th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company
12th Infantry Brigade Special Company
15th Infantry Brigade
1st Green Howards
1st King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
17th Infantry Brigade
2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers
2nd Northamptons
6th Seaforth Highlanders
17th Infantry Brigade Special Company
91st Field Artillery Regiment
92nd Field Artillery Regiment
152nd Field Artillery Regiment
5th Reconnaissance Armored Car Regiment
245th Royal Engineer Company
252nd Royal Engineer Company
38th Royal Engineer Company
254th Field Park Company
18th Bridging Platoon
5th Division Signals Division
52nd Anti-Tank Regiment
18th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
7th Cheshire Machine Gun Battalion
50th Infantry Division: Major General S.C.Kirkman
69th Infantry Brigade
5th East Yorkshire
6th Green Howards
7th Green Howards
69th Infantry Brigade Special Company
151st Infantry Brigade
6th Durham Light Infantry
8th Durham Light Infantry
9th Durham Light Infantry
151st Infantry Brigade Special Company
168th (2nd London) Infantry Brigade
1st London Irish
1st London Scottish
10th Royal Berkshire
74th Field Artillery Regiment
90th Field Artillery Regiment
124th Field Artillery Regiment
25th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
102nd Northumberland Hussars Anti-Tank Regiment
505th Royal Engineer Company
233rd Royal Engineer Company
501st Royal Engineer Company
235th Field Park Company
15th Bridging Platoon
50th Division Signals Division
2nd Cheshire Machine Gun Battalion
1st British Airborne Division: Major General G.F.Hopkinson
1st Paratrooper Brigade
1st Parachute Battalion
2nd Parachute Battalion
3rd Parachute Battalion
1st Parachute Squadron, RE
16th Parachute field Ambulance
J Section, 2nd Coy, Airborne Division Signals
2nd Paratrooper Brigade
4th Parachute Battalion
5th (S) Parachute Battalion
6th (RW) Parachute Battalion
300th Anti-Tank Battery
1st Independent Glider Parachute Squadron AAC
2nd Independent Glider Parachute Brigade
Group, Provost Section
4th Paratrooper Brigade
10th Parachute Battalion
11th Parachute Battalion
156th Parachute Battalion
1st Airlanding Brigade
1st Airlanding Battalion
2nd Airlanding Battalion
Glider Pilot Regiment
9th Royal Engineer Field Company
261st Royal Engineer Field Park Company
1st Royal Engineer Paratroop Squadron
2nd Royal Engineer Paratroop Squadron
4th Royal Engineer Paratroop Squadron
1st Airborne Signals Division
1st Airlanding Light Regiment
1st Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery
2nd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery
1st Airlanding Anti-Aircraft Battery
1st Airlanding Reconnaissance Squadron
21st Independent AAC Paratrooper Company
Corps Troops:
4th Armored Brigade BXAA
44th Royal Tank Regiment
XXX Corps: Lt. General Sir O.Leese
51st Infantry Division: Major General d. Wimberley
152nd Infantry Brigade
2nd Seaforth Highlanders
5th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
5th Seaforth Highlanders
153rd Infantry Brigade
5th Black Watch
1st Gordon Highlanders
3
5/7th Gordon Highlanders
154th Infantry Brigade
7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
1st Black Watch
7th Black Watch
126th Field Artillery Regiment
127th Field Artillery Regiment
128th Field Artillery Regiment
274th Royal Engineer Company
275th Royal Engineer Company
276th Royal Engineer Company
40th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
61st Anti-Tank Regiment
239th Field Park Company
16th Bridging Platoon
51st Division Signals Division
1st Canadian Infantry Division: Major General G. Simonds
1st Infantry Brigade
The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
48th Highlanders
2nd Infantry Brigade
The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
The Seaforth Highlanders
3rd Infantry Brigade
Royal 22e Regiment
The Carleton and York Regiment
The West Nova Scotia Regiment
Divisional Troops
Three Rivers Regiment1
1st Field Regiment, RCHA
2nd Regiment, RCA
3rd Regiment, RCA
4th Princess Louise Dragoon Gurads
(4th Reconnaisance Regiment)
1st Anti-Tank Regiment
other miscellaneous units
231st Malta Brigade: Brigadier Roy Urquhart
2nd Devonshire
1st Dorestshire
1st Hampshire Regiment
231st Infantry Brigade Special Company
1/6th Queens
Corps Reserve:
1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade: Brigadier R.A.Wyman
The Ontario Regiment
The Calgary Regiment
23rd Armored Brigade: Brigadier G.W.richards
40th Royal Tank Regiment
46th Royal Tank Regiment
1 Attached from the 1st Canadian Armored Regiment.
50th Royal Tank Regiment
8th Army Reserve:
Number 3 Commando
Special Service Brigade: Brigadier R.E.Laycock
40th Royal Marine Commando
41st Royal Marine Commando
2nd Special Air Service Regiment
In Reserve: (in Africa)
78th Infantry Division: Major General V.Evenlegh
11th Infantry Brigade
2nd Lancashire Fusiliers
1st East Surrys
5th Northamptonshire
36th Infantry Brigade
6th Royal West Kent Regiment
6th Royal East Kent (Buffs) Regiment
8th Argylle and Sutherland Highlanders
38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade
6th Royal Inniskilling
1st Royal Irish Fusiliers
2nd London Irish Rifles
17th Field Artillery Regiment
132nd Field Artillery Regiment
138th Field Artillery Regiment
64th Anti-Tank Regiment
49th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
1st Kensingtons Special Battalion
214th Royal Engineer Company
237thRoyal Engineer Company
256th Royal Engineer Company
281st Field Park Company
21st Bridging Platoon
78th Division Signals Division
US 7th Army: Lt.General G.S.Patton, Jr.
II Corps: Major General O.N.Bradley
1st Infantry Division: Major General T.Allen
16th Infantry Regiment
18th Infantry Regiment
26th Infantry Regiment
Divisional Artillery
5th Battalion
7th Battalion
32nd Battalion
33rd Battalion
1st Engineer Combat Battalion
1st Medical Battalion
1st Reconnaissance Troop
1st Quartermaster Company
1st Ordnance Company
1st Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Attached:
Force X: Colonel Darby
1st Ranger Battalion
4th Ranger Battalion
1/39th Combat Engineer Regiment
67th Armored Regiment (medium tanks)(-)
1/39th Combat Engineer regiment
1/531st Combat Engineer regiment
83rd Chemcial Battalion (3 Cos)
45th Infantry Division: Major General T.H.Middleton
157th Infantry Regiment
179th Infantry Regiment
180th Infantry Regiment
Divisional Artillery
158th Field Artillery Battalion
160th Field Artillery Battalion
171st Field Artillery Battalion
189th Field Artillery Battalion
120th Combat Engineer Battalion
120th Medical Battalion
45th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
45th Quartermaster Company
45th Signal Company
700th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
45th CIC Detachment
Military Police Platoon
753rd Medium Tank Battalion
82nd Airborne Division: Major General M.B.ridgway
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
325th Glider Infantry Regiment
3rd Infantry Division: Major General L.K.Truscott, Jr.
7th Infantry Regiment
15th Infantry Regiment
30th Infantry Regiment
Divisional Artillery
9th Field Artillery Regiment
10th Field Artillery Regiment
39th Field Artillery Regiment
41st Field Artillery Regiment
10th Engineer Battalion
3rd Chemical (mortar) Battalion
3rd Medical Battalion
3rd Reconnaissance Troop
3rd Quartermaster Company
3rd Signal Company
703rd Ordnance Company
Floating Reserve:
Combat Commanbd A, 2nd Armored Division
1/,2/66th Armored Regiment
2/,3/41st Armored Regiment
Company B, 82nd Reconnaissance Squadron
14thArmored Field ARtillery Battalion
Attached:
36th Combat Engineer Regiment
3rd Ranger Battalion
5th Armored Field Artillery Group
4th Tambor Goums
77th Field Artillery Regiment
2/36th Field Artillery Regiment
Battery B, 1st Field Artillery Observation Battalion
Survey Platoon, Co B, 66th Engineer Battalion (Topo)
HQ & HQ Battery, 105th AA AW Group
Naval Shore Fire Control Parties
Air Officer, XII Air Support Command
Far Shore Control
Force Depot, Beach Group + Attached units
Near Shore Control & Attached Units
7th Floating Reserve:
2nd Armored Division2: Major General H.J.Gaffey
Combat Command B.
67th Armored Regimetn (-)
82nd Reconnaissance Squadron (-)
17th Armored Engineer Battalion
78th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
92nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion
1/41st Armored Infantry Regiment
18th Infantry Regiment (1st Infantry Division)
18th Infantry Regiment
32nd Field Artillery Battalion
1 Engineer Company
7th Army Non-divisional Units:
504th Engineer Shore Regiment
2 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalions
15th Army Group Floating Reserve: Major General Manton S. Eddy
9th Infantry Division: Major General M.S.Eddy
39th Infantry Regiment
47th Infantry Regiment
60th Infantry Regiment
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell
Adolph Hitler and OKW and OKH feared a second major front. they sensed that Italy was ready to crumble and accordingly began to move major forces to Italy as they built their impressive defensive lines across the boot of Italy from 1943 to 1945.
While the Germans had largely abandoned major airborne assaults, the western allies were coupling airborne assaults with amphibious assaults. Operation Husky was a proof of principle which would be proven at Operation Overlord and tested to the utmost at Operation Market Garden.
The 15th Army Group commanded by General sir Harold Alexander was formed for the invasion of Italy beginning with Sicily.
British 8th Army under General Sir Bernard Montgomery
5th Infantry Division: Major General G.C. Bucknall
50th Infantry Division: Major General S.C. Kirkman
1st British Airborne Division: Major General G.F. Hopkinson
US 7th Army under Lt. General George S. Patton, Jr.
with the US II Corps: Major General Omar N. Bradley
1st Infantry Division: Major General T. Allen
45th Infantry Division: Major General T.H. Middleton
82nd Airborne Division: Major General Mathew B. Ridgway
3rd Infantry Division: Major General Lucien K.Truscott, Jr.
Rangers under William O Darby
[List of troop formations at end]
Images: 504th PIR Paratroopers aboard their C-47 Sent to Reinforce the 505th PIR, July 11, 1943; American Ships Under Air Attack off Gela During the Day of July 11; 1943-07-10 Allied Assault on Sicily Map; Operation Husky - The Sicily Landings 9 - 10 July 1943 - American DUKWs standing on a pier at Licata
Here is an extensive background from the WWII Database website.
"Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender from 10 Jul 1943 - 3 Sep 1943
Contributor: C. Peter Chen
Upon victory in North Africa, Allied forces used ports in North Africa as staging points northwards toward the underbelly of Europe. The first target chosen by the Allied commanders was Sicily after concluding an amphibious operation against Vichy France would be impossible. Allied occupation of Sicily would also safeguard Allied shipping in the Mediterranean, as well as relieve Malta from the constant Axis air raids.
The Landings 10 Jul 1943
On 10 Jul 1943, Operation Husky called for 2,590 Allied ships to land 180,000 troops, 600 tanks, and 14,000 mechanized vehicles on the Italian island in three days at multiple sites, forming the second largest amphibious operation in the European theater. A large gamble the Allies took on was that the landing took place at several locations; a failure in any of the many locations could negatively affect outcome of another landing site. When the actual landings took place, harsh weather conditions (very strong winds) surprised the Axis defenders, while support fire from ample naval power ensured successful landing operations by the Allied 15th Army Group. The army group, consisted of the U.S. 7th Army and the British 8th Army, benefited greatly from the newly developed DUKW ("duck") landing craft. The landing forces were protected by six battleships, 10 cruisers, and two aircraft carriers. Four airborne operations were also conducted. Eventually, 180,000 soldiers would set foot on the island.
The island was defended by 230,000 Italian troops consisting of weak coastal defense units. It was generally thought that the best Italian units were lost in Africa, although Dwight Eisenhower was unwilling to discount the quality of Italian troops as the psychology of defending their own homeland could make a world of difference in their ferocity. The Italian troops were augmented by two German divisions under the command of General Hans Hube, which commandeered much attention by Eisenhower's intelligence staff. Initial resistance was fierce from Italian XII and XVI Corps and German XIV Panzer Corps, combined at the strength of 400,000, but under the pressure of Eisenhower's troops they soon buckled; Syracuse was taken on the first day of the invasion nearly uncontested, Palermo on 22 Jul, and Catania on 5 Aug.
The air defense on Sicily was comparatively stronger. Stukas and ME-110s strafed the invasion fleet whenever opportunity presented itself, not causing serious damage but sparred up enough panic to serious endanger the success of subsequent operations. For example, when Allied C-47 transports carrying airborne troops flied across the invasion fleet, the naval gunners nervously fired their anti-aircraft weapons at the friendly planes in total panic. "Hundreds of men were lost, entire sticks of paratroopers jumping early when their pilots in all the confusion hit the green light, and the heavily laden men came down in the ocean and disappeared."
Mount Etna 17 Jul 1943
From 17 Jul on, Bernard Montgomery's British Eighth Army secured the Catania region on the eastern coastline of Sicily. To the north of them was Mount Etna where a strong garrison stood. Plagued by malaria, the British troops divided into two columns, each marching north on either side of Mount Etna. The westward-flanking column was conducted by surprise to both the defenders and Montgomery's American allies alike. This move actually cut off part of the American advance across the center of the island, which enraged George Patton. Patton reinforced the British western column near Randazzo as ordered, but he wanted to protest the British general's move into his turf.
Battle of Troina 2-6 Aug 1943
The Battle of Troina characterized the fierce, though few, inland fighting on the island of Sicily. The American Seventh Army's First Division and two Canadian regiments fought off 24 separate counterattacks during the battle while behind the line artillery shelled German positions in the rocky hillsides. Several days after the capture of Troina, Americans were surprised to find a small valley filled with hundreds of German dead. "They were victims of American artillery fire," said Eisenhower; if the frontline infantrymen did not appreciate artillery support, they did now.
The Axis Evacuation 11-17 Aug 1943
On 11 Aug, Axis forces started to evacuate the island in a nevertheless impression fashion. A perfect coordination between Italian and German navies, under the command of Admiral Barone and Captain von Liebenstein, respectively, they withdrew 117,000 troops to Italian mainland within days before American forces pushed the remaining Germans to Messina, located at the northern tip of the island. For Montgomery blocking American advance near Etna, Patton ordered his troops to advance into target areas designated for the British. As an excuse, Patton claimed that the communications were disrupted, while he marched forth. "This is a horse race in which the prestige of the US Army is at stake", he later wrote about his personal crusade to out-shine the British.
Allied forces secured the island on 17 Aug as the remaining German forces evacuated from Sicily that day, with the US Third Infantry Division entering Messina hours after the last Axis troops left the island. Patton had won his race.
At the end of this campaign, Axis casualties totaled 29,000, and the greatest loss came when 140,000 men (mostly Italian but some German) were captured as prisoners of war. On the Allied side, the Americans suffered 9,530 casualties (2,572 killed, 5,946 wounded, and 1,012 missing or captured), the British 12,843 (2,721 killed and 10,122 wounded, missing, or captured), and the Canadians 2,410 (562 killed, 1,848 wounded, missing, or captured).
A blemish shrouded the Allies when it was discovered that American troops killed 73 Axis prisoners of war.
The Surrender of Italy 3 Sep 1943
The fall of Palermo on 22 Jul damaged the Italian morale tremendously, giving those in Italy who opposed Mussolini's pursue of war an opportunity to seek an armistice. However, it was not an easy task as the Italian ranks were infiltrated by German spies. An airborne operation was planned in cooperation with certain Italian groups to seize Rome, but it was called off by the Italians at the last minute due to German movements nearby. General Maxwell Taylor later made a secret trip to Rome to negotiate with the Italians, assuring that an Italian surrender would guarantee Allied protection against German retribution. He promised that the Allies would land up to three divisions in Italy, but the Italians wanted 15.
The fall of Sicily in Aug 1943 affected the Italians so tremendously that a coup d'etat materialized. Italian leader Benito Mussolini was deposed from power, and the new government under Marshal Pietro Badoglio accepted a "Short Military Armistice" with the Allied powers on 3 Sep. "By this act," said Badoglio, "all ties with the dreadful past are broken and my government will be proud to march with you on to the inevitable victory." Eisenhower publicly announced that bombing raids against Italy would be ceased due to the Italian surrender, although in actuality Eisenhower's true intentions were to use the bombers to transport vital supplies to the front, therefore some argue that the gesture was not completely out of a merciful nature. In response to the Italian surrender, Adolf Hitler ordered for the removal the elite First SS Panzer Division from Russia to Italy. Most of the Italian fleet escaped to Malta, though the Luftwaffe was able to sink several Italian ships before they were surrendered to the Allies, including the battleship Roma which was sunk by the newly developed Fx-1400 armor-piercing radio-controlled gliding bombs.
Mussolini was later rescued by a daring airborne commando mission and installed by Hitler as a puppet leader in northern Italy.
Sources: Crusade in Europe, the Fall of Berlin, Honor Untarnished, the Second World War, Wikipedia.
Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender Timeline
17 Jun 1943 The Royal Navy battleships HMS Nelson (flying the flag of Vice-Admiral Algernon Willis) and HMS Rodney plus a large squadron sailed from Scapa Flow to join the largest invasion fleet yet mustered in World War II - 280 warships, 320 merchantmen, 2,125 landing craft and smaller vessels - for Operation Husky, the Sicilian landings.
25 Jun 1943 As part of the preparation for the invasion of Sicily, Italy (Operation Husky) some 130 American B-17 bombers from the Northwest African Tactical Air Force dropped over 300 tons of bombs on Messina, Italy.
10 Jul 1943 The Allies began Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily, Italy, with an airborne assault before dawn; amphibious elements of Operation Husky landed to join the fight later in the day. Out at sea, hospital ship Tampala and LST-313 were sunk by German air attack. Picket ship USS Sentinel was sunk by a SC250 bomb delivered by a Fw 190 aircraft off Molla. Destroyer USS Maddox was also lost after being attacked by dive bombers and sunk within two minutes. The US Navy would subsequently suffer severe accusations for failing to supply adequate air cover.
11 Jul 1943 British 8th Army captured Syracuse, Sicily, Italy and its useful harbour. Also on Sicily, General Paul Conrath's Hermann Göring Panzer Division overran the American outposts at Ponte Dirillo and were only prevented from breaking through the Allied lines by an attack by James Gavin's paratroopers from the rear. Elsewhere, Conrath personally led a column which assaulted the weakly held Piano Lupo, to get within 2,000 yards of the beach before being stopped by the defenders.
12 Jul 1943 British 8th Army captured Augusta, Sicily, Italy, adding yet another useful harbour for the Allied invasion forces.
13 Jul 1943 Operation Fustian: After sun down, 1,900 men from the UK 1st Airborne Division set out to capture the Primosole Bridge over the Simeto River in Sicily, Italy by parachute and glider. Less than 200 men with three anti-tank guns reached the bridge. They overpowered the guards and removed demolition charges placed by Italian engineers. However, unbeknown to the Allies, the machine gun battalion of a German parachute division had just been dropped on to that very area. The two parachute forces were immediately locked into battle, but the tiny British unit, though heavily outnumbered, would remain at the bridge awaiting arrival of reinforcements. Elsewhere, British troops captured Augusta and Ragusa in Sicily, Italy.
14 Jul 1943 Before dawn, Allied Northwest African Strategic Air Force Wellington bombers attacked Palermo and Messina in Sicily, Italy while C-47 Skytrain transports dropped British airborne troops at the Simeto River at Primosole Bridge; the paratroopers attempted to establish a bridgehead, but they faced stiff opposition. During the day, British and American aircraft attacked Messina, Marsala, Enna, Palermo, Randazzo, Licata, and Lentini; in indirect support, American aircraft struck Naples on mainland Italy. Elsewhere in Sicily, US troops captured Niscemi and Biscari airfield while other British troops captured Vizzini.
15 Jul 1943 Before dawn, Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force bombers attacked Palermo, Sicily, Italy. During the day, US Ninth Air Force B-25 bombers attacked Palermo, Cape Gallo, Salina Island, and Cape Zifferano while the Northwest African Tactical Air Force attacked Vibo Valentia. Meanwhile, airborne troops of the UK 1st Airborne Division were relieved after fighting a larger German airborne force at Primosole Bridge over the Simeto River in Sicily, Italy for the past two days, ending Operation Fustian. Finally, US 7th Army captured the ports of Agrigento and Porto Empedocle.
16 Jul 1943 In Sicily, Italy, Canadian troops captured Caltagirone, American troops captured Agrigento, while British troops secured the Primosole Bridge and marched for Catania. On the same day, Allied aircraft attacked Valguarnera, Vibo Valentia, Randazzo, and other targets in Sicily.
17 Jul 1943 From before dawn into the day, aircraft of the Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force attacked Catania, Paterno, and other targets on Sicily, Italy. Meanwhile, the Allied Military Government for Occupied Territories was formed for Sicily with General Sir Harold Alexander at its helm. On the front lines, American troops captured Agrigento and Porto Empedocle.
18 Jul 1943 In Sicily, Italy, before dawn, British Wellington bombers of the Allied Northwest African Strategic Air Force bombed Montecorvino on Sicily and Pomigliano in mainland Italy. After daybreak, American A-36 aircraft of the Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force attacked Santa Caterina, Adrano, Lercara, and Termini Imerese. On the ground, Canadian troops captured Valguarnerna, US Seventh Army troops captured Caltanisetta, and British Eighth Army troops move slowly along the east coast of Sicily near Catania.
19 Jul 1943 US 7th Army and British 8th Army continued to make advances in Sicily, Italy; encountering resistance along the coast, Bernard Montgomery ordered his British 8th Army to take an alternate route, inland, toward Messina in the north. The Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force launched B-25 bombers to attack Catania and Randazzo while US 9th Air Force P-40 aircraft bombed railroads and railcars at Alcamo to support the ground troops on Sicily. After sundown, Allied bombers struck Aquino and Nicosia.
20 Jul 1943 Italian troops surrendered en masse to US troops in Sicily, Italy as US 82nd Airborne Division captured Sciacca and Menfi, US 9th Infantry Division captured Santo Stefano Quisquina and the heights north of Mussomeli, US 2nd Armored Division with British troops in support captured Enna, Canadian 1st Division reached Leonforte, and British 51st Division attacked the Sferro airfield. In the air, Allied Northwest African Strategic Air Force fighter-bombers attacked various targets in western Sicily while medium bombers struck Montecorvino Airfield.
21 Jul 1943 Before dawn, Allied Northwest African Tactical Air Force attacked Italian ships in waters near Randazzo, Sicily, Italy. On land on this day, US 1st Infantry Division captured Alimena, US 3rd Infantry Division captured Corleone, US 45th Infantry Division captured Valledolmo, US 82nd Airborne Division captured San Margherita, US Rangers captured Castelvetrano, and Canadian 1st Division captured Leonforte. After dark, US 9th Air Force B-25 bombers attacked the Randazzo area again.
22 Jul 1943 US 2nd Armored Division captured Palermo, Sicily.
27 Jul 1943 Heavy fighting in Sicily, Italy led to Feldmarschall Kesselring's decision to plan a possible evacuation of his forces to the mainland.
3 Aug 1943 Italian troops begin evacuation of Sicily, Italy.
4 Aug 1943 The US advance in Sicily, Italy was halted at Troina and the Furiano River.
5 Aug 1943 In Sicily, Italy, German forces withdrew from Troina, while British Eighth Army captured Catania.
6 Aug 1943 After capturing the important town of Troina at Sicily, Italy, Lieutenant General Patton fired both the divisional commander (Major General Allen) and his deputy (Brigadier General Roosevelt) of the US 1st Infantry Division who were responsible for the victory.
7 Aug 1943 RAF Bomber Command launched a raid on Milan and another on Turin to bring pressure on the new Italian Government, led by Marshal Pietro Badoglio, to accept the Allies peace terms. During the Milan raid a Lancaster bomber piloted by Herbert Barley was heavily damaged by an Italian fighter (probably a Macchi C.205 Veltro) losing two engines, but in a remarkable piece of flying the crew fought their crippled aircraft all the way across the Mediterranean Sea to a safe landing in Tunisia.
8 Aug 1943 US troops landed at St. Agata, Sicily, Italy.
12 Aug 1943 German forces evacuated Sicily, Italy.
16 Aug 1943 US troops entered Messina, Sicily, Italy. Meanwhile, the Axis forces successfully evacuated 100,000 troops from Sicily to the mainland.
17 Aug 1943 Allied artillery began shelling Italian mainland from Messina, Sicily.
30 Aug 1943 Bernard Montgomery hosted a victory celebration at Catania, Sicily, Italy.
8 Sep 1943 The Italians formally announced their unconditional surrender to the Allies, leading to German reserve forces crossing the border into Italy.
http://ww2db.com/battle_spec.php?battle_id=53
Allied 15th Army Group for the Invasion of Sicily on 10 July 1943
15th Army Group: General sir Harold Alexander
British 8th Army: General Sir B.L. Montgomery
XIII Corps: Lt. General Sir M. Dempsey
5th Infantry Division: Major General G.C.Bucknall
13th Infantry Brigade
2nd Cameronians
2nd Wiltshire
2nd Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
12th Infantry Brigade Anti-Tank Company
12th Infantry Brigade Special Company
15th Infantry Brigade
1st Green Howards
1st King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
17th Infantry Brigade
2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers
2nd Northamptons
6th Seaforth Highlanders
17th Infantry Brigade Special Company
91st Field Artillery Regiment
92nd Field Artillery Regiment
152nd Field Artillery Regiment
5th Reconnaissance Armored Car Regiment
245th Royal Engineer Company
252nd Royal Engineer Company
38th Royal Engineer Company
254th Field Park Company
18th Bridging Platoon
5th Division Signals Division
52nd Anti-Tank Regiment
18th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
7th Cheshire Machine Gun Battalion
50th Infantry Division: Major General S.C.Kirkman
69th Infantry Brigade
5th East Yorkshire
6th Green Howards
7th Green Howards
69th Infantry Brigade Special Company
151st Infantry Brigade
6th Durham Light Infantry
8th Durham Light Infantry
9th Durham Light Infantry
151st Infantry Brigade Special Company
168th (2nd London) Infantry Brigade
1st London Irish
1st London Scottish
10th Royal Berkshire
74th Field Artillery Regiment
90th Field Artillery Regiment
124th Field Artillery Regiment
25th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
102nd Northumberland Hussars Anti-Tank Regiment
505th Royal Engineer Company
233rd Royal Engineer Company
501st Royal Engineer Company
235th Field Park Company
15th Bridging Platoon
50th Division Signals Division
2nd Cheshire Machine Gun Battalion
1st British Airborne Division: Major General G.F.Hopkinson
1st Paratrooper Brigade
1st Parachute Battalion
2nd Parachute Battalion
3rd Parachute Battalion
1st Parachute Squadron, RE
16th Parachute field Ambulance
J Section, 2nd Coy, Airborne Division Signals
2nd Paratrooper Brigade
4th Parachute Battalion
5th (S) Parachute Battalion
6th (RW) Parachute Battalion
300th Anti-Tank Battery
1st Independent Glider Parachute Squadron AAC
2nd Independent Glider Parachute Brigade
Group, Provost Section
4th Paratrooper Brigade
10th Parachute Battalion
11th Parachute Battalion
156th Parachute Battalion
1st Airlanding Brigade
1st Airlanding Battalion
2nd Airlanding Battalion
Glider Pilot Regiment
9th Royal Engineer Field Company
261st Royal Engineer Field Park Company
1st Royal Engineer Paratroop Squadron
2nd Royal Engineer Paratroop Squadron
4th Royal Engineer Paratroop Squadron
1st Airborne Signals Division
1st Airlanding Light Regiment
1st Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery
2nd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery
1st Airlanding Anti-Aircraft Battery
1st Airlanding Reconnaissance Squadron
21st Independent AAC Paratrooper Company
Corps Troops:
4th Armored Brigade BXAA
44th Royal Tank Regiment
XXX Corps: Lt. General Sir O.Leese
51st Infantry Division: Major General d. Wimberley
152nd Infantry Brigade
2nd Seaforth Highlanders
5th Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
5th Seaforth Highlanders
153rd Infantry Brigade
5th Black Watch
1st Gordon Highlanders
3
5/7th Gordon Highlanders
154th Infantry Brigade
7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
1st Black Watch
7th Black Watch
126th Field Artillery Regiment
127th Field Artillery Regiment
128th Field Artillery Regiment
274th Royal Engineer Company
275th Royal Engineer Company
276th Royal Engineer Company
40th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
61st Anti-Tank Regiment
239th Field Park Company
16th Bridging Platoon
51st Division Signals Division
1st Canadian Infantry Division: Major General G. Simonds
1st Infantry Brigade
The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
48th Highlanders
2nd Infantry Brigade
The Loyal Edmonton Regiment
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
The Seaforth Highlanders
3rd Infantry Brigade
Royal 22e Regiment
The Carleton and York Regiment
The West Nova Scotia Regiment
Divisional Troops
Three Rivers Regiment1
1st Field Regiment, RCHA
2nd Regiment, RCA
3rd Regiment, RCA
4th Princess Louise Dragoon Gurads
(4th Reconnaisance Regiment)
1st Anti-Tank Regiment
other miscellaneous units
231st Malta Brigade: Brigadier Roy Urquhart
2nd Devonshire
1st Dorestshire
1st Hampshire Regiment
231st Infantry Brigade Special Company
1/6th Queens
Corps Reserve:
1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade: Brigadier R.A.Wyman
The Ontario Regiment
The Calgary Regiment
23rd Armored Brigade: Brigadier G.W.richards
40th Royal Tank Regiment
46th Royal Tank Regiment
1 Attached from the 1st Canadian Armored Regiment.
50th Royal Tank Regiment
8th Army Reserve:
Number 3 Commando
Special Service Brigade: Brigadier R.E.Laycock
40th Royal Marine Commando
41st Royal Marine Commando
2nd Special Air Service Regiment
In Reserve: (in Africa)
78th Infantry Division: Major General V.Evenlegh
11th Infantry Brigade
2nd Lancashire Fusiliers
1st East Surrys
5th Northamptonshire
36th Infantry Brigade
6th Royal West Kent Regiment
6th Royal East Kent (Buffs) Regiment
8th Argylle and Sutherland Highlanders
38th (Irish) Infantry Brigade
6th Royal Inniskilling
1st Royal Irish Fusiliers
2nd London Irish Rifles
17th Field Artillery Regiment
132nd Field Artillery Regiment
138th Field Artillery Regiment
64th Anti-Tank Regiment
49th Light Anti-aircraft Regiment
1st Kensingtons Special Battalion
214th Royal Engineer Company
237thRoyal Engineer Company
256th Royal Engineer Company
281st Field Park Company
21st Bridging Platoon
78th Division Signals Division
US 7th Army: Lt.General G.S.Patton, Jr.
II Corps: Major General O.N.Bradley
1st Infantry Division: Major General T.Allen
16th Infantry Regiment
18th Infantry Regiment
26th Infantry Regiment
Divisional Artillery
5th Battalion
7th Battalion
32nd Battalion
33rd Battalion
1st Engineer Combat Battalion
1st Medical Battalion
1st Reconnaissance Troop
1st Quartermaster Company
1st Ordnance Company
1st Signal Company
Military Police Platoon
Attached:
Force X: Colonel Darby
1st Ranger Battalion
4th Ranger Battalion
1/39th Combat Engineer Regiment
67th Armored Regiment (medium tanks)(-)
1/39th Combat Engineer regiment
1/531st Combat Engineer regiment
83rd Chemcial Battalion (3 Cos)
45th Infantry Division: Major General T.H.Middleton
157th Infantry Regiment
179th Infantry Regiment
180th Infantry Regiment
Divisional Artillery
158th Field Artillery Battalion
160th Field Artillery Battalion
171st Field Artillery Battalion
189th Field Artillery Battalion
120th Combat Engineer Battalion
120th Medical Battalion
45th Reconnaissance Troop (Mechanized)
45th Quartermaster Company
45th Signal Company
700th Ordnance Light Maintenance Company
45th CIC Detachment
Military Police Platoon
753rd Medium Tank Battalion
82nd Airborne Division: Major General M.B.ridgway
504th Parachute Infantry Regiment
505th Parachute Infantry Regiment
325th Glider Infantry Regiment
3rd Infantry Division: Major General L.K.Truscott, Jr.
7th Infantry Regiment
15th Infantry Regiment
30th Infantry Regiment
Divisional Artillery
9th Field Artillery Regiment
10th Field Artillery Regiment
39th Field Artillery Regiment
41st Field Artillery Regiment
10th Engineer Battalion
3rd Chemical (mortar) Battalion
3rd Medical Battalion
3rd Reconnaissance Troop
3rd Quartermaster Company
3rd Signal Company
703rd Ordnance Company
Floating Reserve:
Combat Commanbd A, 2nd Armored Division
1/,2/66th Armored Regiment
2/,3/41st Armored Regiment
Company B, 82nd Reconnaissance Squadron
14thArmored Field ARtillery Battalion
Attached:
36th Combat Engineer Regiment
3rd Ranger Battalion
5th Armored Field Artillery Group
4th Tambor Goums
77th Field Artillery Regiment
2/36th Field Artillery Regiment
Battery B, 1st Field Artillery Observation Battalion
Survey Platoon, Co B, 66th Engineer Battalion (Topo)
HQ & HQ Battery, 105th AA AW Group
Naval Shore Fire Control Parties
Air Officer, XII Air Support Command
Far Shore Control
Force Depot, Beach Group + Attached units
Near Shore Control & Attached Units
7th Floating Reserve:
2nd Armored Division2: Major General H.J.Gaffey
Combat Command B.
67th Armored Regimetn (-)
82nd Reconnaissance Squadron (-)
17th Armored Engineer Battalion
78th Armored Field Artillery Battalion
92nd Armored Field Artillery Battalion
1/41st Armored Infantry Regiment
18th Infantry Regiment (1st Infantry Division)
18th Infantry Regiment
32nd Field Artillery Battalion
1 Engineer Company
7th Army Non-divisional Units:
504th Engineer Shore Regiment
2 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalions
15th Army Group Floating Reserve: Major General Manton S. Eddy
9th Infantry Division: Major General M.S.Eddy
39th Infantry Regiment
47th Infantry Regiment
60th Infantry Regiment
FYI COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. LTC Ivan Raiklin, Esq. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 (Join to see) SGM David W. Carr LOM, DMSM MP SGT MSG Andrew White SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Cpl Joshua Caldwell
Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender
Invasion of Sicily and Italy's Surrender
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The 82nd learned a great deal during Operation Husky. Unfortunately, many men perished learning those lessons
http://www.ww2-airborne.us/division/campaigns/sicily.html
http://www.ww2-airborne.us/division/campaigns/sicily.html
82nd Airborne Division During WW II - Campaigns - Sicily
The 82nd Airborne Division during World War II
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