Cassino to the Alps - US Army Center Of Military History

While the Americans tried to rest
during the night of 22 May, the British
launched the diversionary attack from
their positions on the beachhead's far
left flank. Shortly after dark and closely
following preparatory artillery fire, a
brigade of the British 1 st Division
lunged at the enemy's defenses west of
the Anzio-Albano road. The British
advanced only about 300 yards before
automatic weapons and mortar fire
forced a halt. Two hours later, a brigade
of the 5th Division, supported by
tanks, joined the fight with an attack
along the coast toward the settlement of
L'Americano. The fighting continued
that night and next day until the brigades,
after dark, returned to their
starting positions. I
General Clark arose at 0430, breakfasted
in his van, then joined General
Truscott in a f(Jnvard observation post
where, surrounded by their staffs, the
two commanders awaited the commencement
of the corps artillery preparation.
Beginning at H-hour minus
thirtv minutes, the artillery fired for
five 'minutes on the enemv"s main line
of resistance across the entire front. For
the next twentv-five minutes the divisional
artillery 'joined in with fire directed
against all known enemy gun
positions. A heavy pall of smoke soon
shrouded the landscape. Although a
light rain cleared the air to a degree,
IFifth Army History, Part V. p. IOH.
CHAPTER VII
The First Day
visibility at dawn was limited to about
300 yards. 2
When the artillery fire lifted, Clark
and his companions heard the rumble
of engines as sixtv fighter-bombers
from the XII TAC' appeared over the
front on their wav to attack enemy
positions about 3,O()O yards in front (;f
the corps and along the railroad running
northwest from Cisterna. Encountering
heavy overcast in the target area,
the aircraft turned about and attacked
Cisterna, their alternate target. Leaving
the enemy strongpoint shattered and
burning, the bombers flew southeast to
attack the towns of Littoria and Sezze as
well. Although thc poor wcather conditions
limited air activity, the XII TAC
would manage to fly 72'2 sorties during
the first day of the offensive.;]
A General Hazard
In actions along most of the VI
Corps front on 23 May one weapon
played a leading role in determining
the course of the fighting-the mine
(both Allied and German). Since the
beginning of the Italian campaign,
troops of both the U.S. Fifth and the
British Eighth Armies had incurred
numerous casualties both from enemy
mines and their own-the latter when
patrols, raiding parties, or advancing
'Clark Diarv, 2:3 Mav 44.
"VI Corps Cr--2 Jnl,' 23 Mav 44, Summary of Air
Action; DA Hist Div, Amio BeachlIPad, p. 119;
Craven and Cate, eels., AAF III, pp. 3H4-'lfi.