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​bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Germany  > The MTO > Italy > Salerno-Naples-Foggia, © 2024 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 27 Jun 2024.
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​In early September 1943, the British Eighth Army landed at two locations in extreme southern Italy with minor opposition. The third and largest Allied landing, at Salerno further to the north, underwent major counterattacks.​

The Allied Landing at Salerno, 9 September 1943

In a major amphibious operation, the US Fifth Army, consisting of US and British forces, landed on the Salerno beaches south of Naples. Smaller units of Rangers and Commandoes landed on the left flank of the beachhead.
  • The landing was opposed from the beginning, and for the following week German forces attempted to eliminate the beachhead.
  • On September 16 the German army began a planned withdrawal to the north.
  • On 19 September, elements of the British Eighth Army pushing northward reached the Salerno beachhead.
  • Note that the US Fifth Army initially consisted of British X Corps on the left flank and US VI Corps to the right. ​
  • Around 22 September, elements of the British Eighth Army advancing from the toe of Italy linked up with the US Fifth Army.
The Salerno Beachhead
The Salerno Beachhead
Throughout the remainder of the Italian campaigns, the US Fifth Army advanced on the left flank with the British Eighth Army on the right flank.

The Allied advance to the Volturno Line, mid-September to early October 1943

During the latter part of September, the Allies pushed north through southern Italy, with the US Fifth Army arriving at the first German defensive line on the Volturno River north of Naples in early October.
  • The Fifth Army entered Naples on 1 October 1943. Naples then became the major base supporting Allied operations on the Italian mainland.
  • To the east, the British 8th Army liberated Foggia, also on 1 October. 
Advance to the Volturno
Advance to the Volturno
Naples:
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A civilian uprising spread through Naples on the last four days before the German army withdrew to the north. On 1 October 1943, U.S. Army forces began entering Naples. The damage shown on the accompanying photo was due to previous Allied bombing.

Once the harbor facilities were repaired, Naples became the major port supporting Italian operations. Around six port battalions, along with thousands of Italian laborers, worked in the Naples harbor.
Liberation Scene in Naples
Liberation Scene in Naples
Foggia:

Airfields around Foggia on the Adriatic east of Naples could now support US Fifteenth Air Force operations in Northern Italy, Austria, and the Balkans.

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The Foggia Airfields
The Foggia Airfields
With the advance to the Volturno Line, the Allies had achieved the initial goals of the Italian campaign. They had a foothold on the European mainland, supported by an excellent harbor and a number of air bases. The quick and easy part of the Italian campaign was over.

However, a major goal of the Italian campaign was to continue to apply pressure on the German Army, thus diverting German resources from the war in the east with Russia and from the pending invasion of western Europe. Thus, nineteen months of bloody, miserable and frustrating fighting lay ahead.

      ██  Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Germany > The MTO > Italy > Salerno-Naples-Foggia  ██
  • Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Dead module.
  • Among the supporting naval forces, the dead appear in the MTO Sea War webpage.
​02-02 - The MTO > Italy > Salerno-Naples-Foggia: (updated 26 Jul 2020)
  • No known Pottawattamie area deaths among the ground forces.​ 

                                            ██   Allied Order of Battle - Salerno-Naples-Foggia   ██ ◼ US Fifth Army (Clark) 
⏶ British X Corps - assaulted Salerno, Italy 9 September 1943 as US Fifth Army's left wing
  • British 46th Infantry Division - assaulted Salerno 9 September 1943
  • British 56th Infantry Division - from Libya; assaulted Salerno 9 September 1943
  • British 7th Armoured Division - began landing at Salerno 15 September 1943
⏶ US VI Corps - assaulted Salerno 9 September 1943 as Fifth Army's right wing
  • US 36th Infantry Division - assaulted Salerno 9 September 1943
  • US 45th Infantry Division - from US; to US VI Corps 14 August 1943; assaulted Salerno 9 September 1943
  • US 3rd Infantry Division - landed at Salerno 18 September 1943
  • US 34th Infantry Division - finished landing at Salerno 25 September 1943
◼ British Eighth Army (Montgomery)
⏶ British XIII Corps
  • British 5th Infantry Division - left wing of 3 September 1943 Operation Baytown landings
  • 1st Canadian Infantry Division - right wing of 3 September 1943 Operation Baytown landings
⏶ British V Corps - landed at Taranto, Italy 18 September 1943
  • British 1st Airbourne Division - landed at Taranto, Italy 9 September 1943; returned to England October 1943
  • British 78th Infantry Division - landed at Bari, Italy beginning 22 September 1943
  • 8th Indian Infantry Division - landed at Taranto, Italy beginning 23 September 1943

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