Since I have more photos of the allies offensive against the Gothic Line, August 1944 - May 1945, than I expected, I am scanning them and uploading the images to this new Facebook Group: Log into Facebook | Facebook This is a work in progress. Dave
I await your posts. My Grandfather served with the Queen's Bays, and survived the attack on Ceriano Ridge on September 4, 1944. Mark
The Gothic Line...almost no one remembers that one, but what a brutal battle it was for 8th and 5th armies alike. Clark tried his four US infantry divisions far beyond their strength, it's a wonder that they got as close to Bologna as they did.
It's a shame that fighting in Italy altogether is forgotten......... Fighting in France and Germany got deserved attention, but the war in Italy was just as brutal and important.....If I'm not mistaken, more men received the medal of Honor while fighting in Italy, than France and Germany combined??
My dad was there! Photos aren't focused on the exact areas where he worked, but give me a good sense of what he was experiencing. I can appreciate more vividly the entries in his diary during this period. Mentioned putting "cotton in his ears" so he could sleep! Thank you for putting this together!
During WWII my father was in the Army and arrived in Italy September 15,1943 his separation and discharge form Line 30 states he was a Rifleman 745. Does anyone know if there is an area on this form that states he was a POW in German Camp Stalag VB. Supposedly his records were destroyed in the 1973 fire in St Louis .Trying to find out where and when he was captured and since he was a Purple Heart Recipient where and what his injuries were. He was a Darby Ranger 4th Battalion, do not know what Company.(How can I find this out?) Based on a reprint(dated Dec 9, 1998 of an old newspaper article dated Dec 16,1943, my father was reported missing in action in Italy by the War Dept since November 13,1943. Cannot find much at all about Stalag 5B other than it was in Villingen Baden Germany. So between Sept 15,1943 and Nov 15,1943 he was captured by the Germans and per his honorable discharge arrived back n the states on May 29, 1945
RLTW!! There are databases you can search and see what you find. The listing of rangers is NOT the final word. Names are be missing. Search Page Take time to explore the whole site.even if your dads name isn't there. You can search for him by name and or Service number here NARA - AAD - Fielded Search - Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938 - 1946 (Enlistment Records) If you are on FB there is a group of Ranger relatives and we do a lot of research and will be happy to help. WWII Rangers and Descendants
Dave The Gothic line has excellent coverage on ww2talk.com (the "sister" site of this forum, with a mainly British outlook) Search Results for Query: Gothic line | WW2Talk Ron
FWIW, this month is the 75th anniversary of Operation Husky. The invasion of Sicily. I have found this site interesting to see the units involved and their movements. The 4th Battalion had a difficult time landing but your dad wasn't with them yet. Just google 4th Ranger Battalion WWII and you will find a lot of info.
NARA - AAD - Fielded Search - World War II Prisoners of War Data File, 12/7/1941 - 11/19/1946 It would help if you gave his name.
Hello, Ron. I belong to ww2talk, but it was easier to create a Facebook Group to upload the photos since they don't have to be resized. Dave