157th Infantry sees first action of World War II in Mediterranean

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Joseph VonNida | Guns and shell casings on board USS Brooklyn during Sicily invasion, July 1943. The Brooklyn was among many naval vessels that supported the Soldiers of the 157th Infantry Regiment as they secured San Croce, Camerina. (Photo courtesy Naval History and Heritage Command)  

10.14.2009

Courtesy Story

Colorado National Guard

By Army Capt. Adam Morgan,
Colorado National Guard Historian

At 4:30 p.m. on July 5, 1943, a sea convoy left Algeria carrying members of Colorado's 157th Infantry Regiment off to what would be two years of war in Europe. They had just completed their final dress rehearsals for "the real thing," and after four days of relaxation culminating in a quiet Fourth of July fellowship, the men found themselves paying off "destination bets." Those who guessed Sicily were cashing in.

The 157th had been tagged as the main effort to assault the beachhead on Sicily under the cover of naval and artillery fire, then push inland to a place called San Croce, Camerina. This would be the very first American amphibious assault onto a beachhead in World War II, as well as the first interaction with the enemy for these Colorado Soldiers. They crept toward Sicily and began their approach near midnight on July 9.

Complicating the assault were the rough waves leftover from a storm, which made loading the Soldiers into the landing boats by night very tricky. These waves made the boats a moving target for the Soldiers clinging to the chain ladders over the sides of the ship, and they were required to time their jumps just right to land in the boats. Several Soldiers fell to serious injury and one drowned in this manner.

The advantage of the huge waves was that by the time they neared the shores of Sicily, July 10, the Soldiers were ready to get out of them. But after a few hours of being tossed around in the dark, and countless bouts of getting sick, praying, cursing and getting sick again, the ride began to get tiresome. As these non-battle tested Citizen-Soldiers began to wonder how they would respond to enemy fire and heavy resistance, and whether they would be able or live long enough to fulfill their duties, their thoughts were interrupted by a deafening scream and the subsequent crash of naval gunfire.

This was followed by countless more. Their former transport was now lighting up enemy positions! Then the U.S. Army Air Forces began to bomb distant targets and the Soldiers of the 157th saw the most lethal and modern joint warfare doing everything possible to enhance their move to their objective. As fires burned in the distance, the 157th began their move towards San Croce.

While enemy resistance was relatively light on this first morning, the first day of battle for the 157th and adjacent units saw a large quantity of casualties, due to men falling out of the landing boats and drowning in the extremely rough waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Adding to the setbacks of the mission was the treacherous terrain, full of jagged rocks, steep climbs and drop offs. In part, this benefitted the 157th, as it offered few opportunities to the enemy for emplacement of weapons teams. But between the deadly terrain and the rough waters, 27 men were killed negotiating these natural setbacks in the dark.

But despite the sea, despite the rocks, despite the fitful opposition of the Italian garrison, the landing was successful. With the support of naval and artillery fire, the regiment moved inland toward its objectives. By 1 p.m. on July 10, the 1st Battalion, 157th Infantry Regiment occupied commanding terrain above San Croce. There was some resistance by the Italians, but by 3:45 p.m. the town fell, and by nightfall the first day's objective had been secured.

"A green regiment attacked the Sicilian coast that morning, but an experienced outfit dug in that night, for combat makes a man a veteran or a casualty in a few hours and with little formality. Men of this outfit had taken their first town, captured their first prisoners, and suffered their first casualties."

But these Soldiers still had a long way to go and much more fighting to do before discovering the horrors of Dachau two years later.

• Date Taken: 10.14.2009
• Date Posted: 10.14.2009 13:00
• Story ID: 40112