San Pietro Page #3

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The German prisoners

captured on 1205 and 950.

Said they had been ordered to

retake those positions at all costs.

In addition to defending

hill 1205, the 1st Battalion ..

Obedient to the field order, undertook

the reduction of enemy defenses.

Which were organized along

the ridge running west.

On the 12th of December ..

The 1st Battalion was reinforced

with the 504th Parachute Battalion.

Which took over and maintained

the defenses of 1205 and 950.

Thereby enabling the 1st Battalion ..

To throw its entire remaining strength

into the assault along the ridge.

But the first string had dwindled

and shrunk in the five days passed.

There was now a question if its existing

numbers were sufficient to prevail.

Reports during the night

of the 14th December.

Stated that the enemy was

offering bitter resistance.

And that the issue was in grave doubt.

Meanwhile, on the olive terraces below.

The 2nd and 3rd Battalions had twice

again attempted to reach their objective.

Both times they came up against a wall

of automatic weapons and artillery fire.

Volunteer patrols made attempts to reach

enemy positions in the new strong points.

Not a single member of any such

patrol ever came back alive.

Our attacking forces were furnished good

aerial cover by allied fighter patrol.

But now and then, enemy planes slipped

through to bomb and strafe our positions.

Which, to all purposes had remained

unchanged .. since the first day.

To break the deadlock, orders were given

for a cordinated divisional attack.

2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 143rd to

proceed in the execution of the orders.

Acting in conjunction, Company A

of the 753rd Tank Battalion ..

To attack San Pietro from

the east over the high road.

1 Battalion of the 141st to attack

over the flat valley floor.

After nightfall on D-day,

the 142nd Infantry Regiment ..

To attack Mount Lungo.

The earlier decision not to

attack those strategic heights.

Having been reversed in view

of the present critical situation.

In preparation for the attack,

all 5th Army artillery within range ..

Including tanks and all-tracks.

Was directed against San Pietro.

And the surrounding area.

H-hour. 12 hundred hours.

D-day the 15th of December.

The 141st Infantry advance some

400 yards from its line of departure.

To be worn down and held powerless

under the weight of enemy fire.

The 2nd and 3rd

Battalion of the 143rd ..

Advanced some 100 yards

beyond their former positions.

To a point almost directly

before forward enemy defenses.

And again they were forced to take such

cover as the quaking earth could offer.

And the tanks.

Orders were for them to enter the town,

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