Battle of Anzio

bigpigeon.us webpage WWII - Germany > MTO > Italy > Battle of Anzio, updated by RAC 16 May 2022.

The lengthy Battle of Anzio resulted from a poorly-implemented plan to bypass the Gustav Line via a large amphibious landing south of Rome.

In January 1944, Allied forces attempted to outflank German forces by landing the Fifth Army's VI Corps behind the Gustav Line on the beaches near Anzio and Nettuno south of Rome.

The German army soon contained the Anzio Beachhead and in mid-February counterattacked and took back part of the beachhead. Throughout its lifetime, he entire Anzio Beachhead was subject to German artillery fire.

Rome Area Roadmap - Anzio (bottom left) & Cassino (bottom right)

In May, a breakout north from the Anzio Beachhead followed the Operation Diadem breakout of the Gustav Line in the Cassino area.

After the Anzio breakout, the three American divisions shown on the map (3rd Infantry, 36th Infantry - Texas, and 45th Infantry - Oklahoma) were withdrawn from combat to prepare for their next mission. On August 15, they formed the nucleus of the new American Seventh Army, which along with the French First Army landed on the south coast of France.

Anzio Beachhead - mid-February

Sources for the Italy > Battle of Anzio webpage:

Anzio, 22 January-24 May 1944 (The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II, The U.S. Army Center of Military History, Clayton D. Laurie, illustrated brochure, CMH 72-19) - https://history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-19/CMH_Pub_72-19.pdf.
Salerno to Cassino (scalable maps) (United States Army in World War II, Mediterranean Theater of Operations series, Martin Blumenson, 1993, CMH #6-3) - http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USA/USA-MTO-Salerno/index.html#index.

Pottawattamie Area WW II Dead - Italy > The Battle of Anzio:

Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Roster module.

02-02 - Italy > Battle of Anzio: (eight dead, updated 7 Feb 2022)
† Hansen, Matthias Peter, SN 39-839-172, US Army, Humboldt Co., CA

30th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 31 Jan 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy; Italy > Battle of Anzio.

† Heckman, John Phillip, SN 37-118-341, US Army, Audubon Co.

Battery C, 437 Anti-Aircraft Bn. (Automatic Weapons), Italy; DOW 15 May 1944; Italy > Battle of Anzio.

† Landon, Arnold Dale, SN 20-706-405, US Army, Cass Co.

Co. K, 168th Inf. Regt., transferred to Antitank Co., 133rd Inf. Regt., both 34th Inf. Div. VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 22 May 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy; Italy > Battle of Anzio.

† Morrow, Marjorie Gertrude, SN N-733475, US Army, Audubon Co.

US Army Nursing Corps, 95th Evacuation Hosp., Anzio; KIA 7 Feb 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy, shrapnel ruptured femoral artery; German plane jettisoned ordnance over the Anzio Beachhead hospital complex, 28 died; Italy > Battle of Anzio.

† Mustard, James Eldon, SN 37-426-156, US Army, Jasper Co.

Co. 6, 2nd Regt., First Special Service Force (Devil's Brigade), a joint US-Canadian special operations brigade; DOW 18 Feb 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy; Italy > Battle of Anzio.

† Reinig, Walter Henry, SN 37-035-972, US Army, Shelby Co.

7th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div. VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 31 Jan 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy; Italy > Battle of Anzio.

† Rethmeier, William F. "Jack", SN 37-663-816, US Army, Crawford Co.

Co. H, 179th Inf. Regt., 45th Inf. Div. VI Corps, Fifth Army; DOW 30 May 1944 near Campoleone, S of Rome, Italy; Anzio Beachhead Breakout - Italy > Battle of Anzio.

† Thoreen, William F., SN 37-074-553, US Army, Pott. Co.

Battery C., 171st FA Bn., 45th Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 28 Mar 1944 Anzio Beachhead, Lazio, Italy; Anzio Beach Breakout - Italy > Battle of Anzio.