Full Description
Between November 1942 and May 1945, US Army infantry units fought in eight named campaigns in the Mediterranean Theater.
This title follows one soldier from enlistment in 1942, through training in a Replacement Training Center, assignment to the 1st Battalion 133d Regiment, 34th Infantry Division (Red Bull), and into combat. Among the battles covered are Fondouk Pass, Hill 609, Salerno, Monte Cassino, Anzio and the fighting in the Po Valley. A key focus is on the Heavy Weapons Company, which consisted of two machine gun platoons and one mortar platoon.
The training and combat roles of the machine gunner's Military Occupational Specialty are discussed in detail.
Contents
Introduction
The infantry battalion heavy weapons company: .30 Caliber Machine Gun Company
81mm Mortar Platoon
Weapons and weapons systems
Weapons in a heavy weapons company
The effects of Pearl Harbor: The Mediterranean Theater of Operations
The organized reserve and Army of the United States;
Our composite soldier
The 133d Infantry Regiment
Chronology
John's enlistment, reception and initial training: Camp Wheeler
Replacement
North Africa: Reception and integration
First combat
Italy 1943-44, Salerno to Cassino: Night Attack across the Volturno
Winter 1943
Cassino
The nature of combat
Anzio
Machine-gunner
Wounded, recovery and return
War's end
Going Home
Museums, re-enactment and collecting
Bibliography
Color plate commentary
Index
