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168th Infantry in Combat
168th Infantry in Combat
bigpigeon.us webpage WWII Germany > The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Anzio > The Volturno Line, © 2025 by Robert A. Christiansen, updated by RAC 26 Oct 2025

The first German defensive line north of Naples, the Volturno Line, reached from the lower Volturno River north of Naples to near Termoli on the Adriatic Sea. Enemy Volturno Line defenses held up Allied advances through mid-November, 1943.

The German Defensive Lines in Southern Italy

Beginning in the late summer of 1943, the German army used Italian laborers to hurriedly construct a defense in depth in mountainous terrain north of Naples. The series of defensive lines eventually developed is shown on the accompanying map.

Central to this defensive network was the Gustav Line, which in the Cassino area guarded the entrance to the Liri Valley, where Route 6 led north to Rome. Allied forces would not arrive near Cassino until January 1944 and then would not penetrate the Gustav Line in the Cassino area until mid-May.

​The word line in this context is misleading. German defenses were not continuous, but rather consisted of strategically placed strongpoints on high ground which commanded the surrounding area.
 The Italian Campaign - Defensive Lines in Southern ItalyThe Italian Campaign - The German Defensive Lines in Southern Italy.



The Allied Advance, October to mid-November 1943

The accompanying maps show Allied gains from October to mid-November 1943.

During this period, the US Fifth Army fought through the Volturno line, after 12 days preparation fought through the Barbara Line, and then fought the first phase of the Battle of the Bernhardt Line before pausing in late November.
The timeline below is taken from wikipedia.
  • 9–19 October - Battle of the Volturno Line.
  • 31 October–4 November - Battle of the Barbara Line.
  • 5–15 November - first phase of the Battle of the Bernhardt Line.
Southern Italy, 6 Oct 1943 - 15 Nov 1943
Allied Gains, 6 October - 15 November 1943
Fifth Army Advance towards the Winter Line
Summary of Fifth Army Operations, 12 October - 15 November 1943
This map provides a view of Fifth Army operations in mid-November, at the end of the first phase of the Battle of the Bernhardt Line.
Approaching the Gustav Line
Fifth Army Approaching the Gustav Line

​█  Pottawattamie Area WWII Dead - WWII Germany > The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Anzio > The Volturno Line 02-02 - WWII Germany > The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Anzio > The Volturno Line: (six dead, updated 27 Oct 2025)
† Card, Earl E., SN 20-706-381, US Army, Pott Co.
  • Co. B, 4th Ranger Bn., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 12 Nov 1943, Venafro, Molise, Italy, 16 miles east of Cassino.
  • WWII Germany The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Arno > The Volturno Line
† Cox, Leslie, SN 37-197-965, US Army, Boone and Pott. Cos.
  • Co. K, 30th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 26 Oct 1943, near Pietravairano, Caserta, Italy, SE of Cassino & NW of Caserta.
  • WWII Germany The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Arno > The Volturno Line
† Foss, Howard Edward, SN 20-706-596, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • Co. L, 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., transferred to 30th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 7 Nov 1943, Mt. Rotondo, Italy SE of Cassino.
  • WWII Germany The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Arno > The Volturno Line
† Knight, DeVere Hiram, SN 20-706-798, US Army, Mills Co.
  • Co. M, 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 4 Nov 1943 near Hill 400, NE of Venafro, Italy, 20 miles east of Cassino, sniper fire.
  • WWII Germany The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Arno > The Volturno Line
† Lembke, Orlan Palmer, SN 37-121-080, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • Co. H, 7th Inf. Regt., 3rd Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 16 Oct 1943 Dragoni, Italy, north of Caserta.
  • WWII Germany The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Arno > The Volturno Line
† Stacey, Louis Clarence Jr., SN 20-704-227, US Army, Pott. Co.
  • Service Co., 168th Inf. Regt., 34th Inf. Div., VI Corps, Fifth Army; KIA 29 Oct 1943 near Naples, Italy.
  • WWII Germany The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Arno > The Volturno Line

█  Sources for Big Pigeon's WWII Germany > The MTO > Naples to Cassino/Arno > The Volturno Line webpage
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