From
31 December 1944 to 12 January 1945
the 133rd Infantry of the 34th Division
occupied and developed a secondary
defensive line north of Piancaldoli
(948170 - Map 1:25,000 Sheet 98 I SE
Passo della Radicosa). On the
latter date the Regimental command
post moved forward to Savazza (927273
- Map 1:25,000 Sheet 98 I NE Monterenzio). We
were to engage in an active defense
of a sector some 2,500 yards west of
Monte Belmonte, above Ca di Razzone
(937324 - Map 1:25,000 Sheet 87 II
SE Pianoro).
As
February began we were continuing this
operation, patrolling constantly and
vigorously. The Germans determinedly
resisted our probings, their mortarmen
and machine gunners being ever alert
to our movements. Now we were
preparing to launch a limited-objective
attack, in one-battalion strength,
on 5 February.
[1 February 1945]
The
front on 1 February was quiet, only
the normal artillery and mortar action
disturbing the stillness of a dreary,
warm day.
The
period was notable chiefly in two respects. At
1300 hours Company K troops picked
up an enemy deserter at 935326, south
of the ridge 500 yards above Ca di
Razzone. The soldier, a Pole,
was the first prisoner taken by us
since late December. According
to his story, at noon he was sent to
relieve an outpost guard on Hill 358,
near Casa Collina (929327 - Map 1:25,000
Sheet 87 II SE Pianoro). At that
time the position had been under our
fire. The Pole waited until the
fire ceased, relieved the other man,
and walked to the place where he surrendered. The
prisoner's unit was 2nd Company, 578th
Regiment, 305th Division.
At
1330 hours occurred the other noteworthy
event of the day. Major-General
Charles L. Bolte, commander of the
34th Division, visited the Regimental
command post and pinned the silver "eagles" of
a full colonel on the Regimental commander,
Walden S. Lewis. Colonel Lewis
had been promoted from lieutenant-colonel
on 27 January.
Second
Battalion officers, their unit having
been chosen to make the attack on 5
February, spent most of this and the
two succeeding days on reconnaissance
of assembly areas and possible routes
of approach for the assault. Issued
were Overlay Nos. 1 and 2 showing,
respectively, tank and tank destroyer
support of the 168th Infantry, and
fires planned for 2 February.
During
the evening the First Battalion, whose
positions were west of Ca di Razzone,
sustained three casualties from enemy
mortars. A Company L raiding
group found no Germans in suspected
hostile positions on the forward slope
of Hill 357 (928326 - Map 1:25,000
Sheet 87 II SE Pianoro), about 1,000
yards west of Ca di Razzone. The
company intended to outpost that vicinity
nightly.
Toward
midnight our .50-caliber machine gun
platoon and our 60- and 81-millimeter
mortarmen fired on Casella to provide
a diversion for a raiding party from
the Division's 135th Infantry, the
unit on our left. Casella was
situated at 943339 (Map 1:25,000 Sheet
87 II SE Pianoro), 1,600 yards to the
right front of Ca di Razzone.
[2 February 1945]
Only
the customary German harassing activities,
featuring artillery and mortars, were
reported for the night of 1-2 February. Our
patrols were active (refer to "S-2
Reports" for all patrol plans
and results during the month). Early
in the morning of 2 February, however,
two small but intense mortar concentrations,
of approximately 25 rounds each, fell
on Company L's newly established outpost
on the forward slope of Hill 357. The
intensity of the shellings forced the
outpost's members to withdraw.
At
0235 hours our attached platoon from
the 100th Chemical Mortar Battalion
fired its 4.2 mortars on an enemy position
at the request of Company A. The
mortars started a large fire at 943334,
1,200 yards northeast of Ca di Razzone. Observed
by our men, the flames seemed to be
rising from a small-arms and artillery
ammunition dump.
Shortly
before noon the barrage scheduled to
be laid down on selected targets in
the afternoon, was postponed until
the next day on account of poor visibility.
About
1400 hours a Third Battalion observation
post at 933328, 500 yards north of
Ca di Razzone, spotted an enemy soldier
peering through field glasses near
a house 200 yards to the observation
post's right front. A member
of the post shot the German and saw
the wounded man taken away on a sled
by comrades.
At
2030 hours a hostile eight-man patrol
attempted to enter our lines in Company
K's sector, but were quickly dispersed
by our machine-gun and mortar fire. The
evening was tranquil otherwise. A
fine rain began to fall in the late
hours.
This
day 100 enlisted men, accompanied by
two duty officers, rode in trucks to
Montecatini Terme, Fifth Army rest
city for combat troops 25 miles west
of Florence. There, residing
at the 34th Division Rest Camp, they
were to enjoy several days' respite
from battle.
Troops
of the Second Battalion and special
units were paid for the month of February.
[3 February 1945]
On
3 February, shortly after midnight,
a German soldier deserted to men of
Company I at 924325, about 1,200 yards
west of Ca di Razzone. He had
been supposed to relieve a medical
aid man, but kept on going and surrendered
to us. The prisoner, whose unit
was 2nd Company, 576th Regiment, 305th
Division, claimed to be an anti-Nazi
and said he had long been awaiting
an opportunity to desert.
A
mine-sweeping crew from the First Battalion's
Pioneer and Ammunition Platoon swept
Route 6531 from Company B's positions
to the forward boundary of the battalion's
sector.
The
artillery demonstration planned for
this afternoon was again postponed,
this time indefinitely. Visibility
was nil, practically, the entire day
and night. Throughout the period
enemy artillery, mortar, and long-range-
machine-gun fires were light in volume.
This
day 48 enlisted men and two duty officers
departed for the Fifth Army Rest Camp
in Rome. They were to travel
in trucks to Montecatini Terme, thence
by train to Rome, where they would
spend four days and four nights in
pursuit of pleasure.
The
night of 3-4 February brought a slight
increase in the number of enemy shells
exploding in our sector. A definite
rise was noted in the Third Battalion
area, especially around Company I's
positions. There, small mortar
concentrations of from eight to 20
rounds fell at intervals through the
night, in addition to the usual harassing
fires.
Company
L night raiders got to within grenade-throwing
distance of enemy bunkers at 928328,
1,000 yards northwest of Ca di Razzone,
on Hill 357. They fired bazookas
and rifle grenades and hurled hand
grenades, but were unable to knock
out the bunkers.
[4 February 1945]
At
noon on 4 February Regimental Operational
Instructions No. 5 was published, concerning
the 5 February attack by the Second
Battalion. The unit was to seize
and hold Objective A (See Overlay No.
3), running roughly from coordinates
920323 northeast to 935340, then southeast
to 947333 (Map 1:25,000 Sheet 87 II
SE Pianoro). Also issued in connection
with the attack were Overlay Nos. 4,
5 and 6. They outlined, respectively,
the fire plan of the Second Battalion,
the proposed plan of dispositions on
the objective line, and defensive fires
and check points. (For details,
including supporting elements, refer
to overlays and Operational Instructions
No. 5, mentioned above.)
The
Second Battalion completed its plans
for the push. Troops laid communication
wire from the companies' command posts
to the assembly area. Ration
and ammunition dumps were set up as
near the line of departure as possible. A
forward command post group moved up
to Casa Ronco Coresa, 500 yards below
Casa Collina, the line of departure.
This
warm, hazy day the snow which had long
covered the hills and trails was fast
melting, and it was very slushy underfoot. At
night Company L raiders again tried
to take the bunkers on the slope of
Hill 357, but were stopped by a minefield
and heavy mortar and machine-gun fire.
[5 February 1945]
Following
is an account, with certain emendations
and additions, of the "Collina
Operation", the 5 February limited-objective
attack by the Second Battalion. The
original report was prepared by Captain
Cleo W. Buxton, S-3 of the battalion. (References:
Operation Instructions No. 5 and Overlay
Nos. 3, 4, 5 and 6. For all coordinates
mentioned refer to Map 1:25,000 Sheet
87 II SE Pianoro.)
The
Second Battalion, 133rd Infantry, was
given the objective of taking Casa
Cerrara (932332), Hill 363 (936335),
and Casa Rio Buio (934339). H
hour was set at 1500 hours 5 February. The
troops were to jump off from a line
of departure at Casa Collina (929327). The
general plan of attack was to have
Company F lead off, with Company G
echeloned slightly to the right rear. Both
companies would have to go over the
little spine of ground to the front
of Casa Collina, at 930328. Company
F's plan was to start at Casa Collina
and follow the path around to Casa
Cerrara closely behind the supporting
barrage. The first platoon was
to run up the path and take the high
ground at 929329. There it would
lay down a base of fire on Casa Cerrara,
while the second platoon continued
up the path and flanked the town from
the left rear. Company G troops
were going to stay to the right of
the path until they reached 933329. Then
they were to pursue the trail to the
two houses at 936332, to the right
of Casa Cerrara. Company E was
to follow through after the other two
companies' objectives were taken, going
over Hill 363 to Casa Rio Buio and
organizing that ground.
The
battalion moved into the assembly area
at Casa Ronco Coresa (928323) at 0100
hours 5 February. The company
commanders made a reconnaissance from
Casa Collina. At 1445 hours,
under cover of a heavy ground mist,
Company F left the assembly area for
the line of departure. Arriving
at Casa Collina at 1457 hours, the
troops paused while Company G drew
up on their right.
Promptly
at 1500 hours there thundered in ahead
of them our supporting barrage of machine
guns, 60- and 81-millimeter mortars,
4.2 chemical mortars, tanks, tank destroyers,
cannon, and light and medium artillery. Smoke
was laid on Monte Scanno (942350) and
to the right and left of the objective
line, to supplement the natural ground
fog.
The
roaring demonstration covered the front
completely. First Lieutenant
James A Gray, commanding Company F,
closed his forward platoon up to the
barrage. Then, as the concentration
lifted, on the double the men rushed
up the path leading to Casa Cerrara. Hardly
had the forward elements advanced 200
yards past the line of departure when
a terrific German mortar barrage tore
down the path, hitting the ninth man
of the first platoon and blasting on
through the length of the whole company. Except
for the first eight men, most soldiers
in the first platoon were either killed
or wounded. The two scouts and
the squad leader ran into a minefield
and set off a mine which injured all
three.
Second
Lieutenant Paul E. Heinemann, leader
of the platoon and seventh man in the
attack, immediately took command of
the remaining men. Turning left,
he led them at a right angle to the
trail for about 20 yards, paralleled
it for another 50 yards, and then turned
back to the trail, avoiding any mines. THe
group hurried along the path under
fire and gained the higher ground at
930328, midway between Casa Collina
and Casa Cerrara.
Suddenly
four machine guns opened up on our
soldiers from their left rear, in the
vicinity of 927326 (Hill 357). At
the same time another machine gun began
firing at Lieutenant Heinemann from
his left. Shooting from some
15 yards down the slope of the rise
(929329) the German gunner was too
well camouflaged for the officer to
see him. Successfully dodging
the bullets, the lieutenant espied
two enemy soldiers coming out of a
dugout about 25 yards to his left front. Almost
at the instant they emerged, the Germans
threw white phosphorus grenades in
our groups's direction, burning two
men. Lieutenant Heinemann shot
the two Germans, probably fatally.
Feeling
that he now had control of the high
ground, the officer turned around to
find only six of his men with him. The
rest had been felled by machine-gun
and mortar fire. He thereupon
sent one man back to fetch the machine
guns, while with the other five infantrymen
he deployed around the small hill to
defend it. The soldier he sent
for the guns never reached them. Lieutenant
Heinemann and his men were surrounded
and pinned down by withering German
fire.
In
the meantime, in the midst of a crashing,
unrelenting enemy mortar barrage, Lieutenant
Gray was trying desperately to reorganize
Company F. Seemingly, the hostile
120- and 81-millimeter mortars had
area targets. The 50-millimeter
mortars fired in an uncanny manner,
the shells "walking" right
down the path toward the rear of the
company. The German fire even
covered the bends in the trail, and
the shells exploded always right on
the path. Combat-wise Company
F men later said it was the most concentrated
barrage they had ever witnessed, and
the most accurate.
Lieutenant
Gray, succeeding in reorganizing his
company, led three more forward pushes
- at 1555, 1615 and 1735 hours - but
his men were each time scattered by
the Germans' vicious and phenomenally
expert machine-gun resistance. The
fire came from the following locations:
two machine guns at 931331, at least
two on Hill 363, and a number of guns
at 931328 and 934329. Self-propelled-gun
fire was also directed at our troops. A
three-gun battery situated north of
Gorgognano (913333) was heard firing,
and hitting Casa Collina. Others
fired from 930336 and Monte Scanno.
After
the three abortive attempts to forge
through the deadly German fire, Lieutenant
Gray organized a patrol to rescue Lieutenant
Heinemann and the remnants of his platoon. The
patrol, leaving at 1815 hours, had
advanced 150 yards when mortar shells
and machine-gun bullets threshed through
the group, causing seven casualties
out of the patrol's strength of 12. The
five survivors were compelled to turn
back.
During
all this time Lieutenant Heinemann
had to hug the ground to avoid being
struck by the murderous machine-gun
bullets directed at him and his men
from all directions. One of his
men was killed, another was shot in
both arms, two were seriously seared
by the phosphorus grenades. Then
the Germans threw in 50-millimeter
mortars, severely wounding the lieutenant
in the leg and injuring another man
by concussion. At the time, the
officer was 200 yards from Casa Cerrara,
which he could see. He believed
that the fire came from behind the
village.
The
enemy hurled grenades and continued
firing at our hard-pressed men until
dusk. Then the enlisted men able
to do so helped Lieutenant Heinemann
back to our lines.
Company
G, to the right rear at H hour, jumped
off from the line of departure at 1505
hours and caught the full impact of
the area mortar fire. About a
platoon managed to gain the ravine
at 931327. The previously mentioned
machine guns raked the draw and caused
some casualties. The mud, knee-deep
in places, absorbed a great deal of
the mortar fire and kept down Company
G's casualties. The company asked
for a concentration of smoke at 931328
and 934329 to cover it from the machine-gun
fire so that it could reorganize its
scattered forces. The 4.2 chemical
mortars immediately laid down a smoke
screen which gave the company an opportunity
to effect this regrouping. Instead
of attacking, however, the company
withdrew under orders. It had
thrice unsuccessfully tried to emerge
from the ravine, each time encountering
defensive machine guns raking the banks
of the draw. As they did on Company
F, mortar and self-propelled fire also
fell almost uninterruptedly on Company
G's troops.
At
1630 hours it was reported that approximately
a platoon of Company E, at 930329,
250 yards southeast of Casa Cerrara,
had been cut off from the rest of the
company. They were pinned down
by grazing machine-gun bullets and
mortar shells coming from their left
rear. The platoon had unwittingly
by-passed enemy troops entrenched on
the northwestern slope of Hill 357. Captain
Allan W. Sudholt, Company E's commander,
was slightly wounded earlier in the
attack.
Eleven
minutes after our barrage started,
German 105-millimeter and self-propelled-gun
shells began bursting in our assembly
area and in the neighborhood of our
81-millimeter mortars. A considerable
number of casualties resulted. This
fire, landing at the rate of four rounds
a minute, for 30 minutes, settled down
to about 40 rounds of harassing fire
an hour until 0200 hours the next morning. Meanwhile,
at 1900 hours, the decision was made
for the battalion to dig in for the
night and hold whatever ground might
have been gained. The men marooned
out front were to be brought back to
safety if at all possible.
Of
interest is the 34th Division G-2 report
covering the day of the attack. In
part, it read:
"The
limited-objective attack initiated
by us early in the period met heavy
resistance generally across the entire
front and particularly in the center
sub-sector, where the enemy stubbornly
defended the approaches to Hill 363
with intense machine-gun and heavy
mortar fire. Anti-personnel mines
were encountered in the routes of approach
north of Collina, which limited the
scheme of maneuver to an appreciable
degree. The enemy response to
our offensive effort was prompt and
thoroughly effective, featuring intense
mortar and mutually-supporting machine-gun
fires, concurrently with a moderate
medium-caliber shelling in some depth
at the hands of the enemy artillery."
"...
Enemy machine guns delivered very effective
fire against all elements of the attack.
..."
Sergeant
James P. Shannon of the Regimental
S-3 Section made the following compilation
of the amount of ammunition fired in
support of [our] own attack:
- 81-millimeter,
4,500 rounds;
- 60-millimeter,
2,400 rounds;
- .50-caliber,
45,000 rounds;
- .30 caliber,
21,000 rounds;
- by Cannon Company,
700 rounds;
- 4.2 chemical
mortars, 985 rounds.
In
this operation the Regiment sustained
58 casualties (see Battle Casualty
List [not provided here]): seven killed,
11 missing in action, and 40 wounded. Company
F suffered by far the greatest share. From
a short-range point of view we gained
little by the attack. No ground
was won. However, considering
the "big picture" of the
war, our effort doubtlessly had a measurable
effect of the enemy. (See "Dugout
Digest" for 14 February, published
by the Regimental Information-Education
section.)
In
every action against the enemy there
are individuals who distinguish themselves
by outstanding performance of duty. The "Collina
Operation" was no exception in
that respect. Following are two
instances of heroic achievement by
soldiers in the 5 February engagement. The
first citation is based on an eye-witness
account by Second Lieutenant Donald
H. Dearborn, [Third Battalion] Company
K
platoon leader:
At
approximately 1530 hours heavy enemy
shelling knocked out communication
between one of Company K's outposts
and the first platoon's command post,
in the vicinity of Ca di Razzone. It
was imperative that contact be maintained,
as the outpost was within 200 yards
of the enemy and had been the center
of numerous fire fights. It was
also the focal point of German infiltration
activities. As soon as it was
apparent that communication with the
platoon command post had been severed
Private Henry A. Markiewicz, acting
on his own initiative, immediately
went out into the midst of the enemy
barrage. He checked the wire
for 100 yards until he found the break. Showing
no concern for his safety, the soldier
repaired the break and then returned
to the outpost. As a result of
Private Markiewicz's heroic action
wire communication, which at the time
was of the utmost importance, was kept
intact.
The
other outstanding incident reported
concerns the leader of the First Battalion's
ammunition and pioneer platoon and
ten of his men: First Lieutenant Charles
W. Seebeck; Sergeants Samuel E. Carpenter
and Robert P. Nesbitt; Privates First
Class Michael Pappi, Owen Cahoon, John
W. Hardy, Dennis L. Lynn and Gordon
L. Martin; and Privates Clayton J.
Ashbaugh, Curtis C. Chambers and Charleston
Creech.
At
about 1900 hours the 11 men went down
the Idice River to a point 150 yards
beyond an outpost at Ca di Razzone
and there, within 400 yards of the
enemy's position at Ca Merla, built
a foot bridge over the swollen river. The
river at this point was more than 70
feet wide and nearly five feet deep
at its center. Both sides of
the stream had been heavily mined by
our forces and by the enemy. Lieutenant
Seebeck and Sergeants Nesbitt and Carpenter
began the job by setting up and securing
an "H" frame in the middle
of the stream, while Private First
Class Kelly [a 12th man?] and Privates
Creech and Chambers cut down six trees
and trimmed them into 35-foot lengths. Meanwhile
Privates First Class Cahoon, Hardy,
Martin, Lynn and Pappi and Private
Ashbaugh policed up boards and timbers
from the mined and booby-trapped houses
in Ca di Razzone. Despite the
harassing enemy artillery and mortar
fire and the difficulty in obtaining
materials, these men completed the
bridge in four-and-one-half hours,
and furnished a safe crossing over
this hazardous water barrier.
On
this 5 February five enlisted men took
preliminary examinations at the Divisional
rear command post for warrant-officer
appointments. Lieutenant-Colonel
Bruno S. Marchi, who had returned from
temporary duty furlough in the United
States the day before, became commanding
officer of the Third Battalion. He
relieved Lieutenant-Colonel Rudolph
D. Zobel, who was assigned to Regimental
Headquarters. Four officers went
to Florence and one to Rome for several
days relaxation.
[6 February 1945]
During
the morning of 6 February Division
notified us that it would be inadvisable
for the Regiment to attempt to attack
again; our operation was over and the
Second Battalion was to return to its
former Regimental reserve area. Some
of the troops still forward would be
able, it was thought, to infiltrate
back during the daylight hours, while
the remainder would be forced to wait
for darkness. Shortly after noon,
the soldiers began to drift back, but
approximately one full company was
compelled to wait until nightfall before
returning.
At
1500 hours another demonstration by
the Regiment was requested by Division,
to provide a diversion for the 168th
Infantry on our right. That organization
was scheduled to attempt another limited
attack at that hour. The demonstration
was executed as planned, 15 minutes
of firing being done by our small-arms,
60-millimeter mortars, Cannon Company,
.50-caliber machine guns, and our supporting
tanks, tank destroyers and our [125th]
artillery battalion. Our battalions
were to fire on targets of opportunity
during and after the demonstration
with 4.2 and 81-millimeter mortars.
At
2100 hours our Second Battalion reported
itself completely closed in its old
area. At midnight the front was
comparatively quiet. The weather
was cool, visibility poor.
[7 February 1945]
In
the dark morning hours of 7 February
our .50 caliber machine-gun platoon
fired more than 5,000 rounds of harassing
fire into enemy territory, and our
Cannon Company also worried the foe. A
great deal of German flare activity
was noted coincidentally with our patrol
forays, but hostile artillery, mortar,
and machine-gun fire remained generally
light over the entire 24-hour period. In
the evening the enemy again reacted
to our patrolling efforts with intense
flare action.
On
this cool, foggy day 100 enlisted men,
accompanied by two duty officers, traveled
to Montecatini Terme for five days'
pleasure.
[8 February 1945]
On
8 February appeared Regimental Operational
Instructions No. 6, accompanied by
a march table. The orders dealt
with the relief of our Regiment by
the 363rd Infantry of the 91st Division
beginning the night of 12-13 February. Our
three battalions were to enjoy a seven-day
rest in Montecatini Terme, after which
the troops would move to a training
area in the vicinity of le Croci di
Calenzano (765876 - Map 1:25,000 Sheet
106 I NW S. Piero a Sieve), 14 miles
north of Florence. The other
regimental units were to go directly
to le Croci di Calenzano. (For
details, refer to instructions and
Overlay No. 7 showing bivouac and training
areas.
The
evening hours brought an increase in
enemy mortar and artillery fire, the
shells falling almost exclusively in
our forward areas. At 2100 hours
a four-man Company L reconnaissance
patrol left its command post. Moving
along the western slope of Hill 357
toward Casa Cerrara, the group drew
vicious machine-gun fire from three
German positions. Forced to withdraw,
our men nevertheless set up a listening
post at 929328, just above Casa Collina.
[9 February 1945]
The
entire 24 hours of 9 February were
fairly calm. Routine patrolling
was engaged in and normal harassing
and interdictory artillery fired throughout
the period.
In
the morning a quartering party composed
of Major Lewis A. Fletcher, assistant
Regimental S-3, all battalion S-3's,
and a representative from each company
departed to select bivouac and training
areas in the vicinity of le Croci di
Calenzano. (Refer to Operational
Instructions Nos. 6 and 7.) Training
Memorandum No. 2 was issued, concerning
the intensive training in offensive
operations to be engaged in by our
soldiers from 20 February to 1 March,
inclusive.
This
day six enlisted men went to the MTOUSA
Leadership and Battle School for a
six-week course. These picked
soldiers, who if they passed the course
would become second lieutenants, were
Staff Sergeants John J. Hayes, Everett
F. Ware and Jefferson Terrill; Sergeants
Walter J. Lang and Everett W. Rasche,
and Corporal Kenyon W. Rasmussen.
Corporal
Edwin R. Barnard and Technician Fifth
Grade William H. Keyser III, both of
Regimental Headquarters Company, returned
from the Fifth Army Rest Camp in Rome
with the interesting news that on 5
February they had been among the passengers
on the first air tour of Italian battlefields. Arranged
for combat troops by Fifth Army Special
Service, the four-and-one-half hour
trip in a C-47 covered the peninsula
from the port of Piombino in the north
to Salerno in the south. The
shell holes of Anzio and the ghostly
rubble of Cassino were plainly visible
to the soldier's eyes, and vied in
their memory with the more pleasing
sights of Mount Vesuvius, Naples, and
Pompeii.
[10 February 1945]
On
10 February, a dormant day along the
whole front, our .50-caliber machine-gun
platoon, in charge of First Lieutenant
John J. Carroll of Anti-Tank Company,
fired its 100,000th round in this sector. Our
usual patrols entered "no-man's
land" during the night.
Five
officers traveled in peeps to Florence,
to spend five days at the Anglo-American
Hotel.
[11 February 1945]
There
was little activity, either friendly
or enemy, on Sunday 11 February. During
the day one enemy deserted to Company
C troops. His unit was 6th Company,
576th Regiment, 305th Division. The
Germans engaged in their customary
harassing action, employing artillery,
mortars and machine guns. At
night our patrols made sorties into
hostile territory, without incident.
Catholic
and Protestant services were held this
day in various areas of the Regiment.
[12 February 1945]
During
the morning of 12 February our 4.5
rocket-gun platoon fired the ammunition
on hand, marking the first time the
guns were fired by us in action. On
account of poor visibility, an accurate
report on their effect could not be
obtained.
In
the evening the battalions of the 363rd
Infantry began relieving in place our
Second and Third Battalions.
This
day Major Timothy F. Horan was relieved
as commanding officer of the Second
Battalion, becoming executive officer
of the same unit the following day. He
relieved Major Walter J. D. Hewitt. On
13 February Lieutenant-Colonel Rudolph
D. Zobel was placed in command of the
Second Battalion.
[13 February 1945]
Upon
the completion of their relief by the
incoming elements, at 2350 hours 12
February and 0115 hours 13 February,
respectively, the Second and Third
Battalions began motor movement to
the Montecatini Terme rest area. The
Second Battalion arrived in Montecatini
Terme at 0630 hours 13 February, the
Third closing in two hours later. Our
Cannon Company, relieved at 1205 hours,
arrived in its new area in the vicinity
of le Croci di Calenzano at 1600 hours. Regimental
Headquarters, Regimental Headquarters
Company and the Medical Detachment
also moved to the latter area, closing
in at 1630 hours. Anti-Tank Company,
relieved at 2330 hours, immediately
began moving to le Croci di Calenzano
too.
The
Regimental commander, Captain Earl
W. Ralf, S-3, and Major James R. McClymont,
S-2, remained at the Regimental command
post in Savazza. They were to
depart after the relief of the entire
Regiment had been completed.
In
the morning of this clear day General
George C. Marshall, Chief of Staff
of the United States Army, visited
the 34th Infantry Division rear command
post at Cavallina, 15 miles north of
Florence, and there presented Distinguished
Service Crosses to three members of
the 133rd Infantry. The honored
soldiers were First Lieutenant Sidney
Goldstein, Corporal Norris P. Nelson,
and Private First Class Joe F. Tinsley.
Lieutenant
Goldstein was decorated for leading
a handful of soldiers against a numerically
superior force of Germans defending
a strategic Gothic Line position and
capturing three German officers and
61 enlisted men [on 21 September 1944].
Corporal
Nelson was cited for extraordinary
heroism on the Anzio beachhead. He
and a fellow soldier manned two machine
guns and repulsed an estimated battalion
of attacking Germans. Nelson
and his comrade remained at their guns,
although the enemy directed murderous
artillery and mortar barrages on their
positions. The two infantrymen
cut down wave after wave of advancing
Germans and succeeded in breaking up
the attack.
Private
First Class Tinsley bravely crawled
under heavy enemy machine-gun fire
to kill two Germans on a machine gun
and then, turning the enemy weapon
on two more gun positions, killed two
additional Germans and forced others
to abandon their positions. His
heroic action greatly helped his company
occupy a hostile key point.
General
Marshall, homeward bound from the historic
Crimean [Yalta] Conference of the "Big
Three" [Roosevelt, Churchill,
Stalin], had paused in Italy for a
three-day inspection of the Fifth Army
front. He was accompanied at
the presentation by Lieutenant-General
Joseph T. McNarney, Deputy Supreme
Allied Commander, Mediterranean Theater;
Lieutenant-General Mark W. Clark, 15th
Army Group commander; Lieutenant-General
Lucian K. Truscott, Jr., commander
of the Fifth Army, and other military
leaders.
[14 February 1945]
At
0001 hours 14 February the Regimental
command post opened at le Croci di
Calenzano. At 0200 hours the
commanding officer of the 363rd Infantry
assumed control of our former sector. Anti-Tank
Company closed in its new area at 0500
hours. The Regimental commander
and his S-2 and S-3 arrived at le Croci
di Calenzano at 0900 hours. Our
First Battalion was relieved at 0445
hours and arrived at Montecatini Terme
at 1145 hours.
The
day, by troops both in le Croci di
Calenzano and Montecatini Terme, was
devoted to showdown inspections to
accomplish requisition of all shortages,
turn-in of all surpluses, and submission
of all equipment requiring repair or
replacement.
This
day the First and Third Battalions
were paid. Crews from the 133rd
Infantry's personnel strength section
began making physical head checks of
all members on the Regiment. Forty-eight
enlisted men and two duty officers
went to the Fifth Army Rest Camp in
Rome.
From
14 February to 20 February the battalions'
troops at Montecatini Terme engaged
in various recreational activities. For
seven restful days our soldiers attended
American Red Cross-sponsored dances,
enjoyed motion picture, band and USO
shows, took showers and sulphur baths,
and availed themselves of many other
pleasurable facilities, including the
attractions offered by the large Red
Cross club in the city. During
the same period the other units of
the Regiment pursued a program of rest
and recreation in the le Croci di Calenzano
area. Movies were shown every
evening, as well as several band and
USO shows. Daily from 15 to 18
February, inclusive, 100 enlisted men
were granted one-day passes to Florence.
[15 February 1945]
At
1130 hours 15 February Divisional Operation
Instructions No. 15 was received. It
instructed the 133rd Infantry to be
prepared for possible movement on 24
hours notice to restore the present
front lines by counter-attack. We
immediately published Regimental Operational
Instructions No. 8, on the same subject,
and sent it to all units.
This
cool, hazy day transportation was made
available to soldiers of Jewish faith
desiring to attend religious services
at the Divisional rear command post. Four
officers went to Florence for a "brief
vacation" at the Anglo-American
Hotel.
[16 February 1945]
At
1650 hours 16 February we received
Divisional Operational Instructions
No. 16. It contained instructions
for the movement of our Second and
Third Battalions on 19 February from
Montecatini Terme to the vicinity of
le Croci di Calenzano, and movement
of the First Battalion on 20 February.
This
day personnel of the Regiment received
rations of Sicilian whiskey, for which
they paid $3.10 a bottle.
[17 February 1945]
On
17 February the assistant Regimental
S-3 and First Lieutenant Paul C. Brown,
Regimental munitions officer, reconnoitered
for the purpose of finding suitable
locations for firing ranges. Plans
and preparations were made for a training
schedule to start when our three battalions
had closed in the neighborhood of le
Croci di Calenzano. Regimental
Operational Instructions No. 9 was
issued governing the battalions' move
to the training area on 19 and 20 February.
[18 February 1945]
During
the morning of 18 February work was
begun on a Regimental range at 786877,
2,000 yards west of le Croci di Calenzano. The
range was to be suitable for firing
at distances from 200 to 400 yards. Quartering
parties from all three battalions arrived
at the Regimental command post early
in the afternoon and made reconnaissance
of their proposed areas.
This
day a letter was received from the
Divisional commander commending the
Regimental commander and his administrative
personnel on being given a MTOUSA rating
of "Superior" in respect
to the service records of the Regiment.
[19 February 1945]
On
19 February the Second Battalion moved
to the vicinity of 760870, 800 yards
south of le Croci di Calenzano, closing
in the new area at 1415 hours. Shortly
after their arrival in the new area.
Lieutenant-Colonel Zobel and his staff
gathered at a meeting on the second
floor of the command post. Suddenly
the floor collapsed. Lieutenant-Colonel
Zobel sustained three broken ribs and
was evacuated, and several other officers
were injured slightly. Major
Horan became acting battalion commander
effective 20 February.
At
2000 hours the Third Battalion arrived
at S. Pietro in Casagli (750871 - Map
1;25,000 Sheet 106 IV NE), 1,500 yards
southeast of le Croci di Calenzano.
[20 February 1945]
On
20 February, as on the previous day,
work continued on the Regimental range. Our
Second Battalion and special units
began their training program early
in the morning. The Third Battalion
commenced its training activities in
the afternoon. (See Training
Memorandum No. 2, dated 9 February,
and Annex No. 1 to that memorandum,
dated 21 February.) Troops engaged
in physical hardening exercises, road
marches and small-unit training.
Our
First Battalion arrived in its training
area in the vicinity of Secciano (737858
- Map 1;25,000 Sheet 106 IV NE), 2,900
yards southeast of le Croci di Calenzano,
at 1745 hours.
At
1800 hours the Regimental commander
held a meeting of battalion commanding
and executive officers, all S-3's and
special unit commanding officers. Discussed
were plans for a presentation ceremony
the next day and the training program. Colonel
Lewis instructed the officers to emphasize
training in such fields as enemy mine
detection, patrolling, observation
post procedure and range work. Military
courtesy and proper uniform wear were
also to be stressed.
This
day six enlisted men went to the 34th
Division Wire School. Forty-eight
enlisted men, accompanied by a duty
officer, departed for a few days' pleasure
at the Fifth Army Rest Center in Rome. Five
officers went to Florence, five to
Rome for brief holidays.
[21 February 1945]
On
21 February First Lieutenant Rex H.
Garrett, Regimental photo-intelligence
officer, concluded his two-day photo-intelligence
school for enlisted men of the Regiment. Classes
for officers were to be held on 22-27
February, inclusive. (Refer to
memorandum, subject "Photo-Intelligence
School", dated 14 February, and
mimeographed schedule .
At
1600 hours a formal presentation ceremony,
including a band and color guard and
participated in by a large portion
of the Regiment, was held in a field
to the rear of the Regimental command
post. Major-General Bolte presented
Combat Infantry Company streamers to
each company of the Regiment and two
Legion of Merit medals, 16 Silver Stars,
31 Bronze Stars and four Oak Leaf Clusters
for the Bronze Star to members of the
133rd Infantry who had distinguished
themselves in time of war.
During
the day units followed their training
schedules. In the evening hours
Company K held a night problem in patrolling.
This
day two Portuguese-speaking enlisted
men of the Regiment were assigned on
temporary duty with the 107th Anti-Aircraft
Group, Brazilian Expeditionary Force,
as machine-gun instructors. Day
passes to Florence were again issued
to our enlisted men, after such permits
had been suspended during the battalions'
move to le Croci di Calenzano. One
hundred passes were to be available,
daily if possible, for the remainder
of the month.
[22 February 1945]
On
22 February 34th Division Counter-Intelligence
Corps members gave lectures on their
work to First Battalion troops. At
1445 Hours Major Raymond Sobel and
Captain Vernon A. Weinstein, 34th Division
psychiatrists, arrived at the Regimental
command post to interview 100 men of
the Regiment in an effort to learn
why the 133rd Infantry had such a low
AWOL rate as compared with other regiments
of the Division. (Pertinent to
this matter is letter, subject "Absence
Without Leave", by the Regimental
commander, dated 18 February.) From
1530 to 1730 hours Major Horan spoke
to the officers of the Regiment on "The
Attack of 5 February".
Between
1900 and 2300 hours Company L engaged
in a problem in night patrolling. Throughout
the day all units had diligently pursued
their training schedules.
This
day First Lieutenants Harry W. Raypole
and Louis E. Lawrence and Corporal
Alvin Wagner departed for attendance
until on or about 8 March at the Photo-Intelligence
School of Allied Force Headquarters.
To
Montecatini Terme for five days of
relaxation traveled 100 enlisted men,
with two duty officers.
[23 February 1945]
Our
troops continued their rigid training
programs on 23 February. Companies
E, F and G fired bazookas on the range. During
the morning Company I held a "platoon
in attack" problem; Company K
conducted one in the afternoon. From
1530 to 1630 hours Major Sobel, Division
psychiatrist, lectured to officers
on "Psychology and Morale". Company
I soldiers worked out a night problem
between 1900 and 2300 hours.
[24 February 1945]
Training
activities on 24 February included
the following:
-
An Information-Education film, "Prelude to War",
was shown to soldiers of First Battalion;
Headquarters Company, Third Battalion;
and Regimental Headquarters Company.
- Companies E,
F and I fired on the range, employing
rifles, bazookas, mortars, machine
guns and hand grenades.
-
In the late afternoon Chief Warrant
Officer Hustvedt, of
the inspector-general's office of the
34th Division, spoke on "Council
Books" at the officers' school
held in le Croci di Calenzano.
On
this and the following day Identification
Card Team No. 2, Fifth Army Headquarters,
photographed, finger-printed and issued
identity cards to all officers of the
Regiment and all members of the Medical
Detachment. Announcement was
made of a counter-mortar and shell
rep[ort] school to be conducted on
27 February.
Coca-Cola,
two bottles per man, and post exchange
rations of candy and peanuts were distributed
to all personnel. The day before
each man had received six bottles of
American beer.
[25 February 1945]
All
units adhered strictly to their scheduled
training programs on Sunday, 25 February. Church
services were held between and after
training hours.
A
three-day flame-thrower school was
started under the direction of First
Lieutenant Edward B. Edwards, Regimental
gas officer. In the afternoon
representatives of the 109th Engineer
Combat Battalion held a pioneer and
ammunition school in Anti-Tank Company's
area. The school was attended
by one officer and two non-commissioned
officers from each battalion's pioneer
and ammunition platoon, and two non-commissioned
officers from Anti-Tank Company. During
the period Companies A, B, G, H, I,
K, L, and Anti-Tank Company engaged
in practical work on the range with
various weapons.
This
day four officers traveled to Florence
for a five-day stay at the Anglo-American
Hotel.
[26 February 1945]
On
26 and 27 February all units carried
on their intensive training activities.
On
26 February Major Warren C. Chapman,
executive officer of the Third Battalion,
was named commanding officer of the
First Battalion. Major Edward
M. Fabert, First Battalion commanding
officer, became executive officer of
the same unit. Major Linus T.
Williams of Third Battalion Headquarters
was appointed executive officer of
that battalion.
Forty-six
soldiers of Jewish faith were given
day passes and transportation to Florence
to attend Purim services at the Teatro
della Pergola. This was the last
day one-day passes to Florence were
issued to personnel of the Regiment.
[27 February 1945]
On
27 February six enlisted men, potential
combat officers, departed for attendance
at the MTOUSA leadership and Battle
School beginning 5 March. The
soldiers were Staff Sergeants Alexander
McCammon and Charles R. Lease, and
Sergeants Michael M. Fiveash, Eugene
C. Egg, Ralph A. Casperson and Harold
M. Thompson.
One
hundred enlisted men and two duty officers
went to Montecatini [Terme] for several
days' enjoyment.
[28 February 1945]
On
28 February appeared Regimental Operational
Instructions No. 10, pertaining to
our contemplated return to the front. The
133rd Infantry was to relieve the 349th
Infantry and one battalion of the 351st
Infantry, both of the 88th Division. We
were to continue an active defense
of the sector. (For details,
see operational instructions mentioned,
with overlay.)
During
the day details for a new set-up in
the Regimental Intelligence and Reconnaissance
Platoon were completed. The plans
call for the present platoon to be
augmented by approximately 30 men,
who were to be employed as a Regimental
raiding group. The men were selected
volunteers from our various front-line
companies.
Scouting
and patrolling problems occupied the
attention of Companies A, F, G and
M after dark.
This
day all members of the Regiment were
paid for the month of February. To
the Fifth Army Rest Center in Rome
went 48 enlisted men and a duty officer.
During
our stay in the le Croci di Calenzano
area our Medical Detachment, headed
by Captain John S. Houlihan, Regimental
surgeon, treated 604 dental patients,
handled 116 eye refractions, gave "shots" to
members of the Regiment, and made daily
inspections of the kitchens and other
areas in all units. (See "Monthly
Sanitary Report" for further information.)
Of
interest is the fact that while bivouaced
in this sector the Regiment's transportation
facilities were drastically reduced,
for two reason: to length the life
of our vehicles and to provide an opportunity
for necessary repairs. Metal
tags were issued to vehicles authorized
to be on the roads.
[Summary]
Technical
Sergeant Edward C. Crangle and Staff
Sergeants Robert D. Sherwin and Albert
M. Charmack receive second lieutenancy
combat appointments in February.
Second
Lieutenants Francis W. Dowdell, Sidney
Goldstein and Reginald M Ballantyne,
Jr., received combat promotions
to first lieutenant.
Thirty-six
enlisted men and five officers departed
from the regiment in February on rotation
furloughs in the United States. Thirty-six
enlisted men and three officers left
for the United States on temporary
duty furloughs.
On
1 February the Regiment had an effective
strength of 161 officers, four warrant
officers and 3,245 enlisted men. During
the month we received 23 rotation replacements. Thus
our strength experienced a decrease
of 166 members.
As
of 28 February 1945 the 133rd Infantry
has been overseas three years, one
month and 16 days.
For
the Regimental Commander:
s/Louis
F. Kaleita
LOUIS
F. KALEITA
Captain,
Infantry
Adjutant