bigpigeon.us webpage WWII - Germany > MTO > Italy > Salerno-Naples-Foggia, updated by RAC 16 May 2022.
In early September 1943, the British Eighth Army landed at two locations in extreme southern Italy with minor opposition. A third Allied landing, at Salerno further north on the west coast, underwent major counterattacks.
Salerno Landing, 9 September 1943
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In a major amphibious operation, a US and British force landed on Salerno beach south of Naples. Smaller units of Rangers and Commandoes landed on the left flank of the beachhead.
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The Salerno Beachhead
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Advance to the Volturno, September - October 1943
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During the latter part of September, the Allies pushed north through southern Italy.
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Advance to the Volturno
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Naples:
A civilian uprising spread through Naples on the last four days before the German army withdrew to the north. On October 1, 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
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Foggia:
Airfields around Foggia on the Adriatic east of Naples could now support US 15th Air Force operations in Northern Italy, Austria, and the Balkans. |
The Foggia Airfields
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With the advance to the Volturno, 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.
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.
Sources for the Italy > Salerno, Naples & Foggia webpage:
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - Italy > Salerno, Naples & Foggia:
No known Pottawattamie area deaths among the ground forces.
- 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.
- Naples-Foggia, 9 September 1943-21 January 1944 (The U.S. Army Campaigns of World War II, The U.S. Army Center of Military History, Kenneth V. Smith, illustrated brochure, CMH #72-17) - https://history.army.mil/html/books/072/72-17/CMH_Pub_72-17.pdf.
- Salerno, American Operations from the Beaches to the Volturno, 9 September-6 October 1943 (American Forces in Action series, U.S. Army Center of Military History, CMH #100-7) - https://history.army.mil/html/books/100/100-7/CMH_Pub_100-7.pdf.
Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - Italy > Salerno, Naples & Foggia:
- Taken from the bigpigeon.us WWII Roster module.
- Among the supporting naval forces, the dead appear in the MTO Sea War webpage.
No known Pottawattamie area deaths among the ground forces.