Spearhead of the Fifth Army: The 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment in Italy, from the Winter Line to Anzio

by Frank Van Lunteren

This work is the third book by Frank Van Lunteren on the 504th P.I.R. in World War II, focusing on their role in the Italian theater.

Upon the completion of the Sicily and Salerno Campaigns in 1943, the paratroopers of Colonel Reuben Tucker’s 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment were among the first Allied troops to enter Naples. A ghost town at first sight, the residents soon expressed their joy at being liberated. Four weeks later the 504th—upon the special request of General Mark Clark—spearheaded Fifth Army’s drive through the notorious Volturno Valley—the Germans’ next stand.

January 1944 seemed to promise a period of rest, but the landing at Anzio meant deployment for the paratroopers again, this time by ship. A bombing raid during their beach landing was a forecast of eight weeks of bitter fighting. Holding the right flank of the beachhead along the Mussolini Canal, the paratroopers earned their nickname “Devils in Baggy Pants” for their frontline incursions into enemy lines, as well as their stubborn defense of the Allied salient.

In this work H Company’s attachment to the British 5th Grenadier Guards are painted in comprehensive light for the first time. Using war diaries, personal journals, letters and interviews with nearly 80 veterans, a close-in view of the 504th P.I.R. in the Fifth Army’s Italy Campaign is here provided in unsurpassed detail.

This work is the third by Van Lunteren on the 504th P.I.R. In World War II following The Battle of the Bridges and Blocking Kampfgruppe Peiper. As readers will see, however, the Italian theater held second place to none in terms of grueling combat and courage against formidable odds, and an extremely expert enemy.

Table of Contents

List of Maps
Foreword by Capt. (Ret). Roy M. Hanna, 3rd Battalion, 504th PIR
Introduction by Col. Colin P. Tuley, 1st BCT, 82nd Airborne Division
Acknowledgments

1 Entering a Ghost
Naples, September 28–October 25, 1943

2 Across the Matese
Valle Agricola, Letino, and Gallo, October 26–November 3, 1943

3 Conquering the Volturno
Macchia, Fornelli, Isernia, November 4–8, 1943

4 Breaching the Barbara
Colli, Hill 1017, and Rocchetta, November 9–30, 1943

5 Battle for the Bernhard
Hills 610, 687, 877, 950, and 954, December 1–31, 1943

6 Reaching the Breaking
Hills 710 and 1205, December 9–31, 1943

7 Planning Operation
Naples, January 1–21, 1944

8 Landing on Red
Anzio Beachhead, January 22, 1944

9 Battle at Bridge No. 2:
Anzio Beachhead, January 23–24, 1944

10 Disaster at Borgo
Anzio Beachhead, January 25–27, 1944

11 Last Attempt to Break
Anzio Beachhead, January 28–31, 1944

12 The
Anzio Beachhead, February 1–6, 1944

13 The Grenadier Guards
Anzio Beachhead, February 7–8, 1944

14 Battle for
Anzio Beachhead, February 8–10, 1944

15 The Mussolini
Anzio Beachhead, February 1–15, 1944

16 Operation Fischfang and Deadly
Anzio Beachhead, February 16–29, 1944

17 Journey to the
Anzio Beachhead, March 1–9, 1944

18 Battle
Anzio Beachhead, March 10–21, 1944

19 Relief at
Anzio Beachhead and Naples, March 22–April 9, 1944

20 Postwar Careers

Appendix Distinguished Service Cross Recipients
Appendix List of Battlefi eld Commissions
Appendix Order of Battle for the Apennine Mountains Campaign, October 25, 1943
Appendix Order of Battle for Operation Shingle, January 22, 1944
Appendix Order of Battle for Operation Shingle, March 22, 1944
Appendix Order of Battle for the 24th Guards Brigade, February 7–8, 1944
Appendix Field Orders of the 3rd Infantry Division to Col. Tucker, January 1944
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Notes
Contributing Veterans
Selected Bibliography
Index

Genres: World War II

320 pages, Hardcover

Published September 16, 2016

Reviews

[Gregg · Rating 3 out of 5]

The authors writing didn't hold me like other recent titles on this topic.

[Steve Smits · Rating 5 out of 5]

My interest in Lunteren's trilogy on the 504th PIR of the 82nd Division stems from my late father's membership in this storied parachute regiment in North Africa, Sicily, Salerno, Anzio, Holland, Belgium and Germany. Dad didn't speak much about his combat experiences except when asked directly. He did say to my Mom that after early 1944 nothing ever in life could worry him. He said he was injured at Anzio and the book mentions an incident where one soldier from HQ Company (his outfit) was killed and two were injured by a German shell. I wonder if he was one of the two as he said he spent some time in a hospital in Naples and was the recipient of a Purple Heart. He also said that he survived the war in part because HQ Company was usually not at the point of the spear in terms of combat action, although they saw plenty of combat. He told me he was a communications specialist responsible for running telephone wire to keep up communications between the various units. There's a photo in the book of several soldiers making radio communications one of whom looks like him as a young man.

Like most military histories it is hard to follow the actual campaign details as one doesn't know the topography of the terrain and the movements of military units. But, unlike others, this book features the testimony of soldiers involved in the action and thus gives a vivid sense of what it was like to be engaged in combat. These soldiers were remarkably brave and willing to put themselves in grave danger in order to carry out their missions. The casualty losses were high and there was a constant flow of replacements joining the regiment throughout the campaign. I do recall my father saying that the rookie replacements were so inexperienced in combat preservation skills that they often didn't last days in actual combat and the stories in the book confirm this sad fact.

Lunteren, a Dutch historian, has done a remarkable research job in providing great detail about the history of the 504th in WWII.

[Hans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great book by the author about the 504th PIR, US 82nd Airborne Division.

Like in his previous works, Frank makes use of the personal memories of the paratroopers that were involved in the battles and complements this with AAR's, diaries, etc. This information allows the author to stitch this all together into a gripping, well written story of what war was like. The role played by the unit during the Italian campaign was an essential one. Reason why it saw quite a number of days in combat.
The men involved tell their stories as it happened, allowing the reader to see the action, feel the tension, and also the impact of the losses suffered. One moment a man was cracking a joke, the next he could be dead or maimed for life. Losses during the campaign were heavy, seeing the units of the regiment being understrength most of the time. Replacements did flow in, but were quite often lost quickly due to a lack of time to properly train them for 'the real thing'.

This time the maps were correctly placed in their chapters, allowing the reader to follow the action. Since a lot of things are happening, and we get to see the actions from different points of view, the maps are a welcome addition here.

Recommended!

[Steven Lewis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good collection of eye witness accounts; Many of which haven't been published or referenced in other works on the 504th PIR. The book provides an approach from the perspective of the boots on the ground, where Nordyke's book "More than Courage" is more of a top down approach. However, the accounts are not well woven together in a coherent narrative, and do not read that well as a book.

[Richard smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

poor research

TheCameron Highlanders were a Scottish Regiment not English as described at earlier periods Englishman could not join Scottish regiments World war 1 changed that

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Many many men and details!

I admire the work that went into this book, but I won’t recommend it unless you are very familiar with military terminology. I found it a bit dry, as compared to other war books I have read. Also there were so many guys and their stories, I was often confused about who was speaking. Great book for someone more familiar with military rankings and such