General Orders 1946 - Fort Benning

GEN~AL OIIDE~R
No. 113 }
WAR DEPARTMENT
WABIIIKGTON 25, D. C,1 October 1946
Section
MILITARY ESTABLlSllQInNT-Sn~gnnon Ordnnnee Plnnt, Sgringncld, Illinois.
discontiolled ............................................................ I
BATTLE HONORS-Citations of units ....................................... 11.
I..MILITARY ESTABL1SIJMENT.-Bffective ms of 10 Repten~ber 1946, the
Sangamon Ordnance I'lant (industrid facility), Springfield, Illinois, is diawn-
tiuued as a military establishment.
LAG 680.1 (20 Sop 46)l
IILBATTLE HONORS.-As authorized by Executive Order 9396 (sec. I, WD
Bul. 22, 1943), superseding Executive Order 9075 (see. 111, WD Bnl. 11, 1942),
citations of the following units in the general orders indicated are confirmed
under the provisions of section IF, WD Circular 333, 1943, in the name of the
President of the United States as public evidence of deserved honor and dintinetion.
The eitatiolls read ns follows: % -. , -.
1. The 1st l3attalion; lSSd Infantry Regiment, is ?it& far outstanding performance
of duly in action against the enemy during the pcriod 3-4 October 1944,
while participating in an attack on Mount Del Galletto, the village of Le Croei,
and the formidable heights of Monte laggio and Monte Venere, Italy. Instructed
to advance northward over Mount Del Galletto, through the village of Le Croei,
take Uonte Laggio, with Monte \'enwe, as its ultimate objective, the 1st Hattalion,
lSSd Infantry Regiment, moving forward at dawn on the morning of 3
October 1944, made its way quickly through sporadic resistance over Mount Del
Galletto and entered the tom of Le Croci. Advanling relentlessly, the unit soon
encountered a determined enemy force at the foot of Mnnte 1,nggio. The enemy,
using this beaviiy wooded hill as a strong point in his main linc of resistance,
reSOlUtCly dcfcnded the position. As intense firefight ensued throughout the
daylight hours, with extremely accurate hostile mortar and artillery fire impeding
the progress of the attack. During the night, the bnltle raged nnnbnted
and, in the early morning hours of the next day, cnemy troops made n fanatical
counterattack, which, though succcssIully defeated by one company of the lrattalion,
resulted in numerous casualties. Bs dawn on 4 Octolrrr. the battalion.
thoughdepleted by the heavy fighting of the previous night, reorganized and the
forward elements cleared the crest of Monte Lnmio. -- Faeinx them now was still
another obstacle, a coverless terrain fcnture designated as Hill B47. Securing
armorcd support, the battalion awaited the moment to attack and, after the
tanks Severely shelled the hill at dose range, the infantry troops attempted
to rush the position across 150 yards of opm ground. Meeting intense machinegun
and sniper fire, the battalion was forced to withdraw to the corer of the
w00ds to again wait for the tanks to shell the hill. After 15 minutes of cancrutratid
fire by the armor, the foot troops attemplcd to assault and, despile the
withering fire which m k ~ d the barren ground eventually swept up the hill, overrunning
all the encmy's positions. After elenring Hill 947, the 1st Battalion,
J8d Infanty Regiment, its ranks badly depleted by casualties and its commander
and some of its afiicers rounded, madc another lightning thrust and
swarmed across the remaining 500 yards of open terrain ta the base of Monte
Fenere. Again reorganizing, they pressed forward dauntlessly and stpp by
step made their way in R vicious attxk, securing the final objective, Monte
Venese, after 2 days arid 1 night of bitter and determined fighting. This nceomplishment
broke all organized hostile resistance in the area, and the courage
AGO i23n--0rt. 716102'-40