Italy-Austria Border, 4 May '45
Italy-Austria Border, 4 May '45
bigpigeon.us webpage WW II - Germany > MTO > Italy > The Po Valley, updated by RAC 7 Oct '19.
Not yet complete.
The Po River Valley lies between the northern Apennines and the Italian Alps. Once the Allies broke through the remaining Gothic Line defenses, they advanced quickly across the Po Valley and into portions of the Italian Alps. As the War with Germany wound down, US 5th Army troops in northern Italy and 7th Army troops in Bavaria made contact at Brenner Pass on the German-Italian border.
Northern Italy
Northern Italy
Timeline:​
  • Apr - May 1945 - Allies break out of Gothic Line and advance across the Po River valley.
  • 28 Apr 1945 - Mussolini captured and executed in northern Italy while attempting to flee to Switzerland.
  • 2 May 1945 - German military forces in Italy surrender date.
  • 8 May 1945 -  World War II in Europe ends.​
In April 1945, the Allies advanced from the Gothic Line through the Po Valley in northern Italy. 

The long and bloody Italian Campaign ended with the surrender of German forces in Italy on April 29, effective on May 2. 

Surrendering units included the German 10th and 14th Armies and the First Ligurian Army Group, composed of German troops and Italians loyal to Benito Mussolini.
Northern Italy - The Po Valley
Northern Italy - The Po Valley
Sources for the WW II - The Po Valley webpage
  • The webpage header photo, Italy-Austria Border, 4 May '45 by Irving Leibowitz is courtesy of the personal collection of General Charles D. Palmer.
  • The Northern Italy map is courtesy of Free Maps Library.
Pottawattamie County, Iowa WW II Dead - The Po Valley
(taken from the bigpigeon.us WW II Dead webarea)
02-03 - The Italian Mainland - The Po Valley: (two dead, updated 6 Oct ’19)
† Hildebrand, Gilbert Dean - SN 37-126-329, US Army
Troop E, 81st Cavalry Recon. Sqdn., 1st Armored Div.; KIA 25 Apr ’45, Colorno, NE of Parma, Italy; Po Valley Campaign.
† Moore, Walter Arthur - SN 37-467-084, US Army
Co. A, 14th Armored Inf. Bn., 1st Armored Div.; WIA 25 Apr ’45; DOW 25 Apr ’45 near Parma, Italy; shrapnel; Po Valley Campaign.