San Pietro Page #2

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the high ground northwest of San Pietro.

Areas before these positions

were heavily mined.

And held a confusion of

barbed wire and booby traps.

On the afternoon before, D-day and H-hour

were communicated to battalion commands.

December 8th .. at 06.20 hours.

The 1st Battalion of the

143rd Infantry Regiment.

To attack the summit of 1205.

As they moved up the mountain

under cover of darkness.

And upon achieving its objective,

to attack along the ridge ..

To a point northwest of San Pietro.

The 3rd Ranger Battalion

likewise to attack 950.

Another feature of the Mount

Sammucro hill mass.

The 2nd Battalion of the 143rd to attack

over the orchards north of San Pietro.

The 3rd Battalion, acting in support,

to follow the 2nd at 400 yards.

Of the original force to establish

the beachhead at Salerno.

The 143rd had since been

all but a fortnight in action.

Under extremely bitter

weather conditions.

At Salerno, at the Volturno Crossing.

It had taken mortal punishment.

The task ahead promised

no less bloodshed.

And it was undertaken in good

spirits and high confidence.

The 1st Battalion began the long,

rugged climb up Mount Sammucro.

As night fell, our artillery opened up.

And through the night, intense fire was

laid down on the enemy's main resistance.

It had rained most of the night.

And it was raining at H-hour as the

battalions crossed the line of departure.

Some 200 yards forward,

they encountered ..

Mines and automatic

fire from pill-boxes.

The artillery was deadly accurate.

By reason of excellent enemy observation

from Mount Lungo overlooking our advance.

Which continued

another 200 to 400 yards.

Many men gave their lives in

attempts to reach pill-boxes ..

To throw hand grenades through

the narrow gun openings.

The 3rd Battalion was committed.

But the advance never got more than

600 yards past the line of departure.

Our initial assault on San Pietro had

been repulsed. With heavy casualties.

The attack on hill 1205 however,

was a brilliant success.

Leading elements of the 1st Battalion

had gained the summit of the objective.

Before a strongly entrenched enemy

knew that an assault was in progress.

To the right of 1205, the 3rd Ranger

Battalion had captured its objective.

But only after successive

attacks and costly casualties.

For on 950 the enemy

was not taken unaware.

Counter attacks were to be

expected. On both 1205 and 950.

They were not long developing.

The fist was launched during

the early daylight hours.

And even as it was beaten off,

another took form.

Day and night, they followed.

Unremitting violence.

The toll of enemy dead mounted

with each new attempt.

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