CusterMen MENU Italian Campaign At The Front Books Armies Maps 85th Division GI Biographies Websites

Dated:  January 16, 2017

THE ITALIAN CAMPAIGN
 
Life at the Front Lines
As told by Veterans through photos and stories.

Watching the front lines.
Private Stefanski of Company K,
338th Regiment, 85th Custer Division,
a Heavy Weapons Platoon.
  
He is manning a .50 caliber machine gun somewhere in the Apennine Mountains of Italy. 

  This page attempts to show what life at the front lines was really like.  It contains photos and stories from veterans who served in Italy without the boring history details.  The intent is to tell the story of the average GI, who fought in the mountains of Italy.  Includes many un-published photos donated by veterans.  Includes links to group photos several  companies and batteries before they left the US.

       THE GREATEST GENERATION  provides short, biographical sketches of veterans who served in Italy.   Each one includes a photo of the soldier during the war and after the war.   Includes biographies of soldiers from various divisions and some who were captured and killed in action.  Some biographies describe the training and combat experiences.  Some include a description of the battle.   This provides a personal touch to the history books.



Menu
Life at the Front Lines
 
Photos from the Front Main Menu of Photos collected from GI's.
338th Regiment, Heavy Weapons Co.  - Personal photos at training and in Italy.
310th Engineer Battalion  -  Contains several photos of captured equipment
328th FA, Battery B Group Photo
328th FA, HQ Battery Group Photo
339th Regt, Service Co Photo  - Group Photo, Camp Shelby 1943
337th Regiment, Co D - Group photo in 1945
338th Regt, Anti-Tank Co. - Group photo in 1942
310th Engineers, Co C, Group Photo

Stories From Italian Front - Stories from my Dad and other GI's.

85th 'Custer' Division - History of the Division and includes group photos.

328th Field Artillery Battalion - Unit history and Operational report.
310th Combat Engineer Battalion - Operational report.
Anzio Diary of Pvt Paul Brown  A daily journal of a soldier on the front lines.

Points SystemPoints used to determine who went home first.

Rest Camps -  Rome, Florence, Montecatini, Caserta.

The Voyage Home Text from a newspaper of a home-bound troop-ship.

Desert Training - History and Maps on the Camps in southern CA

Hollywood Goes to Italy  -  A list and reviews of your favorite Movies


General Reference Menu

Glossary  - People and places & Italian words.

Uniforms Details on the US Army uniform, medals, insignia.

List of Reference Books  - Books on history of Italian Campaign.

Generals   - A personal touch on some of the leaders.

Army Units -  In the Italian Campaign after May 1944.

Organization Chart -  Typical Infantry Division

Favorite Websites  -  Good links for your WW2 research.

THE GREATEST GENERATIONBiographies of Soldiers who fought in Italy.  Includes details
about enlistment, training, description of battles, and their return to civilian life.

 

Americans posing with Nazi Jeep
                Tech Specialist 5 John Hommer, Company C, 310th Engineers,
at the wheel of this
German jeep (Kubelwagen) and
wearing a German helmet & giving the Nazi salute. 
April 1945
Caption reads: "Poe Valley, German Jeep".


PHOTO DONATED BY MIKE WALKER &  PUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION
IN A BOOK
 ENTITLED "DIECI GIORNI DI GUERRA" BY LUCA VALENTE, PUBLISHED IN ITALY.


This Menu was added for those who wanted to skip the boring history stuff.  However, you can always use the Site Map to find you way back to the history and other topics.  Email me if you have problems viewing any page.  I reply to each and every email inquiry. 
  Email Comments to:
 

CLICK to Send Mail
  Stevec01e@aol.com

   Mail Bag
Letters from the Mail Bag
A selection of email 
I've received since January 2003.


Disclaimer:   This website is not associated with any veteran's organization or any official U.S. Army or Department of Defense organization.
 
Copy Right Notice:
No photos, text, or pages of this website may be used without prior written permission.   All information contained within this website is from my private collection or records of public domain or property obtained with express permission.
 
Referenced Sources
  Photos in this site were collected from veterans with permission from them or their families and are copyright material.  This material can not be used without previous consent--see above Notice.  The public domain photos used herein are usually US Army photos taken from government publications or Army manuals.  These may also appear in a commericial book.
   The historical text is information gathered from my Reference Library and presented in my own wording and format.  My intent is to ensure that sources are properly acknowledged.


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CusterMen MENU Italian Campaign At The Front Books Armies Maps 85th Division GI Biographies Websites