the air and naval operations in these
regions.

The permanent cemetery and
memorial were completed in 1956.

ARCHITECTS

Architects for the cemetery and
memorial were Gugler, Kimball &
Husted of New York City; the land-
scape architect was Ralph Griswold
of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

GENERAL LAYOUT

The main entrance to the cemetery is
on the west side of Via della Rimem-
branza, 200 yards from the north
edge of the town of Nettuno. Entry is
through ornate bronze gates sur-
mounted by the United States seal.
The cemetery is generally trapezoidal
in shape with the small end of the
trapezoid near the entrance. Just in-
side the entrance on the right is the
Visitors’ Building and a limited
number of parking spaces. Beyond
the gate directly to the front is a large
elliptical reflecting pool (82 yards by
66 yards) with a stone cenotaph of
bronze-colored travertine in the
shape of a sarcophagus on a small
island in its center. Several Italian
cypress trees flank the cenotaph on
either side. Extending from the re-
flecting pool through the graves area
to the large memorial on the west is a
wide grassy mall lined with ever-
green holly oak trees and a hedge of
pittosporum tobira. The memorial
consists of a chapel and museum
connected by a peristyle and two
Parcenys American flags fly daily

m flagpoles located on each side of
the memorial.

The service road which encircles
the graves area proceeds from the
entrance gate past the Visitors’ Build-
ing and parking area on the right at
which point it curves to the left par-
allel to the graves area. The service

area is located on the right just past
the curve. A little further on the right
are the pumphouse and power sta-
tions. Here water from the Fosso dei
Tinozzi is directed into open reser-
voirs from which it is pumped into
the high pressure sprinkler system.
Potable water is drawn directly from
city mains which pass the cemetery
on the west. Along the outside of the
service road to the rear of the memo-
rial stand cedars of Lebanon, Mon-
terey cypress and oleanders. At the
top of the hill, the road turns left
passing additional parking spaces
and the rear entrance to the memo-
rial, From the rear of the memorial,
the road passes to the left around the
west end of the graves area and
returns to the entrance gate. Among
the plantings beyond the road to the
south of the graves area, Italian
cypress, eucalyptus and oleanders
predominate.

THE MEMORIAL

The memorial consists of a chapel,
museum and connecting peristyle
constructed largely of Roman traver-
tine quarried near Tivoli, a few miles
east of Rome.

Flanking the entrance to the peri-
style are two flagstaffs 80 feet high.
The peristyle contains massive col-
umns of travertine and of Rosso
Levanto marble from the vicinity of
Rapallo, near Genoa. Prominently
positioned in the peristyle on a ped-
estal of bronze-colored travertine is
the “Brothers-in-Arms” sculpture by
Paul Manship of New York, sym-
bolizing an American soldier and
sailor standing side by side with an
arm around each other's shoulder.
The sculpture of bronze was cast at
the Battaglia Foundry in Milan. A
single tall Roman pine tree shades it.

On the east facade of the chapel is a
sculptured panel in relief of white
Carrara marble symbolizing ‘Re-

membrance.” It portrays an angel
bestowing a laurel wreath upon the
graves of those who gave their lives
for their Country.

On the east facade of the museum
is a panel symbolizing “Resurrec-
tion.” It portrays a dead soldier being
borne to his reward by a guardian
angel. Both panels were designed by
Paul Manship and carved by Pietro
Bibolotti of Pietrasanta.

South of the memorial, adjacent to
the chapel, is an informal garden
lined on each side with connecting
semi-circular planters containing
beds of annual flowers. Panicled
goldenrain trees and pink crepe
myrtle border the planters. At the far
end of the garden is a bronze statue
of the legendary Thracian poet and
musician Orpheus circumscribed by
an armillary sphere with a sun dial.

North of the memorial, adjacent to
the museum, is amore formal garden
planted in parterre arrangements
with beds of polyantha roses, gera-
niums, white oleanders, purple bou-
gainvillea and other flowers.

At the far end of the garden is a
Baveno granite fountain consisting
of a large semi-circular bowl on a
wide pedestal. It was carved from a
single piece of granite quarried near
the north end of Lake Maggiore. Cas-
cades of water flow from the bowl
into a low basin.

CHAPEL

On each side of the bronze door to
the chapel (cast by the Marinelli
Foundries of Florence) is the dedica-
tory inscription in English and Ital-
lan:

1941-1945 x Yr IN PROUD REMEM-
BRANCE OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HER
SONS AND IN HUMBLE TRIBUTE TO THEIR
SACRIFICES THIS MEMORIAL HAS BEEN
ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF
AMERICA.

INTERIOR

The chapel contains no windows.
When light in addition to the artifi-
cial lighting is needed, two huge
panels on the west wall, set in bronze
and steel frames, can be swung open.

The floor of the chapel is of Rosso
Levanto marble; the pews are of
walnut.

The interior chapel walls of white
Carrara marble are engraved with the
name, rank, organization and State
of entry into military service of 3,095
Missing in the region:

United States Army and Army

Air Forces! ....... 6.000005 2,032
United States Navy ......... 1,063

These servicemen and women,
who died in the service of their
Country, were Missing in Action or
were lost or buried at sea. They rep-
resent every State in the Union and
the District of Columbia.

Without confirmed information to
the contrary, a War Department

+ During World War Il, the Air Forces were part
of the United States Army.

“Brothers-in-Arms” Statue,
Peristyle of the Memorial


Within the peristyle of the memo-
rial, a single Roman pine (pinus pinea)
shades the ‘’Brothers-in-Arms”
statue. Dense plantings of Roman
pine(pinus pinea) form a backdrop for
the memorial.

The informal garden south of the
memorial contains planters filled
with annual flowers and surrounded
by panicled goldenrain trees (koetreu-
teria paniculata) and pink crepe myrtle
(lagerstroemia indica rosea). Gazanca
Varicolor compliments the Orpheus

SYLVESTE!

statue. The more formal garden north
of the memorial is planted with beds
of polyantha roses, geraniums, white
oleander, purple bougainvillea and
other flowers in parterre arrange-
ments.

Cedars of Lebanon, Monterey
cypress (cupressus macrocarpa), euca-
lyptus and oleanders predominate
the plantings outside of the service
road around the perimeter of the
cemetery.

R ANTOLAK

SGT 15INF 3 DIV
OHIO MAY 24 1944

to

atid 0 6 erin 7 a 8

M
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of
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Headstone of Medal of Honor Recipient

18

Visitors’ Room

19


“Remembrance”

puowayy 243 fo uapsvy YON

“Resurrection”

13

12


Administrative Review Board estab-
lished the official date of death of
those commemorated on the Tablets
of the Missing as one year and a day
from the date on which the individ-
ual was placed in Missing in action
status.
Over the Apse is engraved:

HERE ARE RECORDED THE NAMES OF
AMERICANS WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES IN
THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND
WHO SLEEP IN UNKNOWN GRAVES.

An Italian translation is engraved
over the door.

On the altar of golden Broccatello

Siena marble is a triptych of Serra-
vezzo white marble from the Carrara
region designed by Paul Manship.
Carved in relief on the side panels of
the triptych are angels holding palm
branches. The left panel bears this
quotation from the Eighth Psalm
(3-5) with reference to the sculptured
ceiling dome:
WHEN I CONSIDER THY HEAVENS, THE
WORKS OF THY FINGERS, THE MOON
AND THE STARS, WHICH THOU HAST
ORDAINED: WHAT IS MAN, THAT THOU
ART MINDFUL OF HIM? AND THE SON OF
MAN, THAT THOU VISITEST HIM? FOR
THOU HAST MADE HIM A LITTLE LOWER
THAN THE ANGELS, AND HAS CROWNED
HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR.

The right panel bears this text from

T. T. Higham’s translation of “The
Greek Dead at Thermopylae” by
Simonides:
NOBLY THEY ENDED, HIGH THEIR DES-
TINATION x % BENEATH AN ALTAR LAID,
NO MORE A TOMB, WHERE NONE WITH
PITY COMES OR LAMENTATIONS BUT
PRAISE AND MEMORY, A SPLENDOR OF
OBLATION * x WHO LEFT BEHIND A
GEM-LIKE HERITAGE OF COURAGE AND
RENOWN, A NAME THAT SHALL GO
DOWN FROM AGE TO AGE.

Carved in relief on the center
panel, flying against a background of
clouds is the Archangel Michael
sheathing his sword while four arch-
angels below him proclaim the Vic-

10

tory. Beneath them is the universal
prayer: “PEACE ON EARTH GOOD WILL
AMONG MEN.”

On the reverse of the center panel
is carved the Angel of Peace. A cross
in metal filigree stands before the
triptych on the altar.

Engraved on the left or east end of
the altar is a cross; engraved on the
right end are the Tablets of Moses.

THE CEILING

The ceiling dome sculpture, 22 feet in
diameter, was designed by Gugler,
Kimball & Husted and executed by
Paul Manship and by Bruno Bearzi of
Florence. The medieval signs of the
Zodiac in high-relief represent the
constellations. The planets Mars,
Jupiter and Saturn occupy the same
relative positions that they occupied
at 0200 hours on 22 January 1944, the
historic moment when the first
American and British troops landed
on the beaches of Anzio. The more
important stars in each constellation
are shown as points of light on the
celestial dome. Inscribed around the
base of the dome is this text:

O YE STARS OF HEAVEN BLESS YE THE
LORD PRAISE HIM AND MAGNIFY HIM
FOREVER.

A brief explanation of the dome is
cast into the bronze cover of the large
switchbox just inside the door of the
chapel.

THE MUSEUM ROOM

The museum room is entered
through bronze gates cast by the
Fonderia Marinelli, which also cast
the ornamental light fixtures in the
memorial.

An octagonal table of bronze-
colored travertine, into which is set a
circular relief map of Italy at 1:500,000
scale, occupies the center of the
room. The map is of bronze inset
with marble mosaic tile in various

ll

South Garden of the Memorial with Armillary Sphere in the Background


VALLEY. IN NOVEMBER, MOUNTAINOUS
TERRAIN, INCREASED RESISTANCE AND
BAD WEATHER SLOWED THE ALLIED
DRIVE. A HALT WAS CALLED ON 15
NOVEMBER TO CONSOLIDATE POSI-
TIONS.

3. RESUMING ITS ATTACKS IN DECEM-
BER AND JANUARY, THE FIFTH ARMY
SLOWLY BATTERED ITS WAY THROUGH
THE WINTER LINE. STRUGGLING FOR-
WARD AGAINST DETERMINED OPPOSI-
TION, ACROSS RUGGED TERRAIN IN BIT-
TERLY COLD WEATHER, OUR TROOPS
EVENTUALLY REACHED THE GARI-
GLIANO AND RAPIDO RIVERS. HERE IN
FRONT OF THE STRONGLY FORTIFIED
GUSTAV LINE THE ATTACK WAS
STOPPED, TO BE RENEWED IN COORDI-
NATION WITH THE LANDINGS SOON TO
BE MADE AT ANZIO.

Beneath the maps are two sets of
key maps, “The War Against Ger-
many” and ‘’The War Against
Japan.”

On the east wall is one large map,
“The Landing at Anzio and the Cap-
ture of Rome.” This map portrays the
landings in the vicinity of Anzio, the
establishment of the Anzio beach-
head, the subsequent fighting
therein, and the final breach of the
Gustav Line on 11 May 1944 by
American and Allied forces who,
advancing swiftly northward, joined
hands with the troops who were
breaking out of the beachhead to lib-
erate Rome on 4 June 1944.

It is accompanied by the following
explanatory text:

THE LANDING AT ANZIO AND
THE CAPTURE OF ROME
DELAYED IN THEIR ADVANCE TOWARD
ROME AT THE GUSTAV LINE, THE ALLIES
ATTEMPTED TO OUTFLANK IT FROM THE
SEAWARD SIDE. AT 0200 HOURS ON 22
JANUARY 1944, AN ALLIED AMPHIBIOUS
TASK FORCE LANDED THE U.S. VI CORPS

AT ANZIO AND NETTUNO.

1. THE AMERICAN AND BRITISH LAND-
INGS CAME AS A SURPRISE TO THE
ENEMY WHOSE REACTION, NEVERTHE-

16

LESS, WAS IMMEDIATE AND EFFECTIVE.
REINFORCEMENTS RUSHED TO THE AREA.
FROM NORTHERN ITALY, FRANCE,
YUGOSLAVIA AND GERMANY PROMPTLY
HALTED THE ALLIED ADVANCE. DURING
FEBRUARY, THE GERMANS HURLED
THREE MAJOR COUNTERATTACKS
AGAINST THE BEACHHEAD. THEY RE-
GAINED SOME GROUND BUT THE ALLIED
TROOPS, WITH THE AID OF THE TWELFTH
AIR FORCE AND CONCENTRATED NAVAL
SUPPORT, CLUNG TO THEIR PRECARIOUS
FOOTHOLD DOMINATED BY THE GER-
MAN POSITIONS ON THE ALBAN HILLS.

2. IN THE SOUTH, THE FIFTH ARMY
ATTACKED THE GUSTAV LINE ON 17
JANUARY 1944. THIS ASSAULT, DE-
SIGNED TO ASSIST THE ANZIO-NETTUNO
LANDINGS, MET WITH LITTLE SUCCESS
AGAINST THE FORMIDABLE DEFENSES OF
THE CASSINO AREA. WELL EN-
TRENCHED, THE ENEMY WITHSTOOD
HEAVY ARTILLERY FIRE AND THE AS-
SAULTS OF THE TWELFTH AND FIF-
TEENTH AIR FORCE.

3. FROM MARCH TO MAY 1944 THE
ALLIES MAINTAINED THEIR CONSTANT
PRESSURE ON THE ENEMY WHILE BUILD-
ING UP THEIR STRENGTH FOR A NEW
OFFENSIVE. ON 11 MAY, THE FIFTH ARMY
ATTACKED AND BREACHED THE GUSTAV
LINE. TWO WEEKS LATER THE FORCES IN
THE BEACHHEAD BROKE OUT AND
JOINED THE ADVANCE. ON 4 JUNE, THE
ALLIES ENTERED ROME.

GRAVES AREA

The graves area contains ten grave
plots lettered from “A” to “J”, five on
each side of acentral mall. Plots A, C,
E, Gand I are on the left (south) side
of the mall and B, D, F, HandJ on the
right (north). Each grave plot is en-
closed by a pittosporum hedge; the
paths of grass between the plots are
lined with Roman pines. Here are
interred 7,861 of our military Dead
under 7,860 headstones arranged in
gentle arcs which sweep across the
broad green lawns. They represent
35 percent of the burials which were
originally made in Sicily and south-

ern Italy, Each grave is marked witha
white marble headstone, a Star of
David for those of the Jewish faith —
a latin cross for others. Of the graves,
488 contain the remains of 490 Un-
knowns that could not be identified.

These Dead, who gave their lives
in their Country’s service, came from
all fifty states and the District of
Columbia. A small number also came
from Canada, England, Scotland,
Eire, Finland, Sweden and Spain. In
twenty-one instances, two brothers
lie buried side by side.

VISITORS’ BUILDING

Just inside the entrance on the right
is the Visitors’ Building. It contains
the superintendent's office, toilet
facilities, and a comfortably fur-
nished room where visitors may rest,
obtain information, sign the register
and pause to refresh themselves.
Whenever the cemetery is open to
the public, a staff member is on duty
in the building to answer questions
and to escort relatives to grave and
memorialization sites. He is always
happy to provide information on

specific burial and memorialization
locations in any of the Commission’s
cemeteries, accommodations in the
vicinity, best means and routes of
travel, local history and other items
that may be of interest.

PLANTINGS

The entrance road to the cemetery is
lined with a neatly-trimmed hedge of
pittosporum tobira.

Just inside the cemetery gates,
straight ahead is a large elliptical re-
flecting pool with a small island at its
center. Several Italian cypress trees
(cupressus sempervirens pyramidalis)
and glossy abelia flank the stone
cenotaph on the island. Water lilies
float in the pool. Evergreen holly oak
trees (quercus ilex) and a hedge of
pittosporum tobira line the wide
grassy mall through the graves area
from the reflecting pool to the memo-
rial. Each grave plot is enframed by a
hedge of pittosporum tobira and the
grassy paths between the plots are
lined with Roman pines (pinus pinea).

East Wall of the Museum Room

v7


Sicily-Rome American Cemetery
and Milemorial

The American Battle Monuments Commission


22

HERE RESTS IN HONORED GLORY

A COMRADE IN ARMS
KNOWN BUT TO GOD

Decorated Gravesite of a World War II “Unknown”

THE AMERICAN BATTLE MONUMENTS COMMISSION

FF mn Y

Genera ofthe Armies
FOUN J Pansinwe

This agency of the United States government operates and maintains 24
American military cemeteries and 25 memorials, monuments and markers
in 15 countries. The Commission works to fulfill the vision of its first
chairman, General John J. Pershing. Pershing, Commander of the American
Expedition Force during World War I, promised that “Time will not dim the

glory of their deeds.”

UNITED STATES OFFICE

American Battle Monuments Commission
Court House Plaza II

Suite 500

2300 Clarendon Boulevard

Arlington, VA 22201

Telephone: (703) 696-6897

(703) 696-6896

FAX: (703) 696-6666

EUROPEAN OFFICE

Street Address:

68, rue du 19 Janvier

92380 - Garches, France

Mailing Address:

American Battle Monuments Commission
American Embassy - Paris

PSC 116

APO AE 09777

Telephone: (011-33) 1-4701-1976 (from U.S.)
33-0-1-4701-1976 (within France)

(00-33) 1-4701-1976 (from other

European Countries)

MEDITERRANEAN OFFICE

Street Address:

American Battle Monuments Commission
Mediterranean Region

Via Sallustiana 49

00187, Rome, Italy

Telephone: (011) 06-482-4157

FAX: (011-39) 06-487-1624

Mailing Address:

American Battle Monuments Commission
American Embassy

PSC 833, Box 11

FPO AE 09624-0011

Telephone: (011-39) 06-4824-157

FAX: (011-39) 6-487-1624

PHILIPPINE OFFICE

Street Address:

Manila American Cemetery

and Memorial

Fort Bonifacio, Makati City

Republic of the Philippines

Mailing Address:

Manila American Cemetery

PSC 513, Box 5

FPO AP 96515-1800

Telephone: (011-632) 844-0212 (from U.S.)
844-0212 (from Metro-Manila)

FAX: (011-632) 812-4717

For more information about the overseas American military cemeteries and
other ABMC commemorative sites, please visit — www.abmc.gov

23



Memorial Building

SERVICES TO THE PUBLIC

Upon request, and without cost, the

following information and services

are provided to family members

and friends of those interred or com-

memorated at ABMC’s cemeteries

and memorials:

¢ name, location and general infor-
mation about the cemetery, monu-
ment or memorial;

¢ plot, row and grave number and, if
applicable, memorialization site;

¢ authorization for issuance of fee-
free passports for members of the
immediate family traveling over-
seas specifically to visit an ABMC
grave or memorialization site;

¢a photograph of grave and/or
memorialization sites affixed to a
large color lithograph of the ap-
propriate cemetery and memorial;

* best route and modes of travel in-
country to cemetery or memorial
site;

* general information about accom-
modations in the vicinity of the
cemetery or memorial;

* arrangement for floral decoration
of a grave or memorialization
site. (Weather permitting, a color
polaroid photograph of the floral
decoration in place is provided to
the donor).

Corozal American Cemetery, Corozal, Republic of Panama

21


Altar, Triptych and Tablets of the Missing

shades of blue depicting the sea
areas. It was fabricated by Bruno
Bearzi from information supplied by
the American Battle Monuments
Commission and shows in general
outline the American military opera-
tions in Sicily and Italy during the
period 1943-45.

The maps on the east and west
walls were designed by Carlo Ciam-
paglia of Middle Valley, New Jersey
and executed in true fresco by Leo-
netto Tintori of Florence. This proce-
dure involves the mixing of pig-
ments with the plaster as it is applied
to the wall. This disappearing art was
used widely in the Middle Ages in
the production of many murals
which have lasted through the ensu-
ing centuries.

On the west wall are three maps —
“The Capture of Sicily,” “The Stra-
tegic Air Assaults’’ and “The
Naples-Foggia Campaign.” To aid in
understanding them, the maps bear
these inscriptions:

THE CAPTURE OF SICILY

ON 10 JULY 1943, UNDER COVER OF AIR
AND NAVAL BOMBARDMENT, AMERICAN

14

AND BRITISH FORCES LANDED ON THE
SOUTH AND EAST SHORES OF SICILY.

1. AIDED BY GUNFIRE OF THE WEST-
ERN NAVAL TASK FORCE AND COVERED
BY AIRCRAFT OF THE TWELFTH AIR
FORCE, THE U.S. SEVENTH ARMY AD-
VANCED RAPIDLY INLAND, REACHING
THE CENTER OF THE ISLAND IN TEN
DAYS. ON 22 JULY U.S. FORCES OCCUPIED
PALERMO AND ITS PORT.

2. FARTHER TO THE EAST, THE BRITISH
EIGHTH ARMY, ATTACKING NORTH-
WARD TOWARD MOUNT ETNA, EN-
COUNTERED STIFF RESISTANCE WHICH
SLOWED ITS PROGRESS. THE U.S.
SEVENTH ARMY, TO RELIEVE THE PRES-
SURE, PROMPTLY FACED TO THE NORTH-
EAST AND ADVANCED TOWARD
MESSINA.

3. ATTACKING NORTH AND SOUTH OF
MOUNT ETNA, THE SEVENTH AND
EIGHTH ARMIES DROVE FORWARD OVER
THE DIFFICULT MOUNTAIN TERRAIN. IN
ORDER TO OUTFLANK THE ENEMY
DEFENSES THE ALLIES MADE SEVERAL
AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULTS ALONG THE
NORTHERN AND EASTERN COASTS.

4, WITH THE OCCUPATION OF MES-
SINA ON 17 AUGUST THE CAMPAIGN
ENDED. IN 39 DAYS THE ALLIES HAD EX-
PELLED THE ENEMY FROM THE ISLAND,
PRECIPITATING A POLITICAL DISASTER
FOR THE AXIS. ON 8 SEPTEMBER THE

ITALIAN GOVERNMENT, RENOUNCING
FASCIST GUIDANCE, ASKED FOR PEACE
TERMS.

THE STRATEGIC AIR ASSAULTS

MAJOR OBJECTIVES IN ITALY INCLUDED
THE AIR BASES IN THE NAPLES-FOGGIA
AREA.

1. FROM BASES IN THE NAPLES-
FOGGIA AREA THE U.S. FIFTEENTH AIR
FORCE LAUNCHED ITS BOMBARDMENT
OF AUSTRIA, THE BALKANS, AND GER-
MANY. IN COLLABORATION WITH THE
DESERT AIR FORCE AND THE ALLIED AIR
FLEETS ALREADY OPERATING FROM
ENGLAND, OUR BOMBERS AND FIGHTERS
ATTACKED INCESSANTLY. THEIR OBJEC-
TIVES WERE THE DEFEAT OF THE GER-
MAN AIR FORCE AND THE PROGRESSIVE
DISLOCATION AND DESTRUCTION OF
THE ENEMY’S MILITARY AND ECONOMIC
SYSTEMS.

2, THE FIFTEENTH AIR FORCE AT-
TACKED AIRCRAFT FACTORIES IN REG-
ENSBURG AND BUDAPEST, OIL REFIN-
ERIES AT PLOESTI AND BRASOV, ENEMY
AIRFIELDS AND LINES OF COMMUNICA-
TION IN NORTHERN ITALY, AND TRANS-
PORTATION SYSTEMS CENTERING IN
MUNICH, VIENNA AND BUDAPEST. ITS
AIRCRAFT REACHED AS FAR AS BERLIN
ITSELF. WHILE THE GROUND FORCES

ADVANCED NORTHWARD, THE BOMBER
OFFENSIVE PURSUED WITH EVER-
INCREASING INTENSITY THE DESTRUC-
TION OF STRATEGIC MILITARY AND IN-
DUSTRIAL TARGETS.

THE NAPLES-FOGGIA CAMPAIGN

FOLLOWING THEIR VICTORY IN SICILY,
THE ALLIES NEXT UNDERTOOK TO ENTER
THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE.

1. THE ASSAULT ON THE SALERNO
BEACHES WAS LAUNCHED ON 9 SEP-
TEMBER 1943. AT 0330 HOURS ALLIED
TROOPS OF THE U.S. FIFTH ARMY
LANDED FROM SHIPS OF THE NORTHERN
AND SOUTHERN NAVAL ATTACK
FORCES. OVERCOMING THE DEFENSES
THE ALLIES FOUGHT THEIR WAY INLAND.
AT VALLO THEY JOINED WITH THE BRIT-
ISH EIGHTH ARMY WHICH HAD CROSSED
FROM SICILY ON 3 SEPTEMBER.

2. WITH THE COOPERATION OF
FIGHTERS AND BOMBERS OF THE
TWELFTH AIR FORCE, THE FIFTH ARMY
MADE STEADY PROGRESS WHILE THE
BRITISH EIGHTH ARMY ADVANCED ON
ITS RIGHT. BY 1 OCTOBER NAPLES AND
THE FOGGIA AIRFIELDS HAD BEEN
SEIZED. FIVE DAYS LATER THE FIFTH
ARMY REACHED THE VOLTURNO RIVER,
WHICH IT CROSSED IN MID-OCTOBER
AND ADVANCED TOWARD THE LIRI RIVER

West Wall of the Museum Room

15


Graves Area with Memorial in Background

Continuing its advance north-
ward, the U.S. Fifth Army crossed
the Volturno River in mid-October
and attacked toward the Liri River
Valley, which was considered the
“gateway to Rome.” Increasing re-
sistance by the enemy, adverse
weather conditions and mountain-
ous terrain combined to slow the
U.S. Fifth Army advance. In Novem-
ber and December, the U.S. Fifth
Army fought its way across the
rugged terrain in bitterly cold
weather as on its right the British
Eighth Army crossed the Sangro
River. The two Allied armies con-
tinued the breaching of the enemy’s
Winter Line south of Cassino, reach-
ing the Garigliano and the Rapido
Rivers in January 1944, where the
advance ground to a halt at the
strongly fortified Gustav Line.

To break the stalemate, an amphib-
ious operation was planned at
Anzio, 40 miles south of Rome to out-
flank the Gustav Line and cut off the
enemy from the rear. A U.S. Fifth
Army attack continued to meet stub-
born resistance in the heavily forti-
fied Cassino area and failed to breach
the Gustav Line. However, it was
successful in drawing enemy re-
serves away from the landing
beaches.

The amphibious landings on 22
January 1944 by American and Brit-
ish troops of the VI Corps at Anzio
came as a surprise to the enemy. He,
nevertheless, reacted forcefully and
within a few days had brought rein-
forcements from northern Italy,
France, Germany and Yugoslavia.
Three major counterattacks were
hurled against the VI Corps beach-
head only to be stopped by a magnif-
icent ground defense supported by
tanks, artillery, airplanes and naval
gunfire.

The final assault on the well-en-
trenched enemy at the Gustav Line
began on 11 May 1944. An aggressive

attack by French troops of the U.S.
Fifth Army successfully penetrated
the Gustav Line in its area capturing
Monte Majo causing the enemy to
commit its last reserves there. Soon
the Allies were penetrating all along
the line. Two weeks later the VI
Corps broke out of the beachhead,
and on 4June 1944, the Allies entered
Rome. For the first time since the
landings at Salerno in September
1943, the enemy was in full retreat.

SITE

The site, 77 acres in extent, lay in the
zone of advance of the U.S. 3d Infan-
try Division. A temporary wartime
cemetery was established there on 24
January 1944, two days after the U.S.
VI Corps landing on the beaches of
Anzio.

After World War II, when the tem-
porary cemeteries were disestab-
lished by the U.S. Army, the remains
of American military Dead whose
next-of-kin requested permanent in-
terment overseas were moved to one
of the fourteen permanent sites on
foreign soil, usually the one which
was closest to the temporary ceme-
tery. There they were reinterred by
the American Graves Registration
Service in the distinctive grave pat-
terns proposed by the cemetery’s
architect and approved by the Com-
mission. Design and construction of
all structures and facilities at the
permanent sites as well as the sculp-
ture, landscaping and other im-
provements were the responsibility
of the Commission.

Many of the Dead interred or
commemorated here gave their lives
in the liberation of Sicily (10 July to 17
August 1943); in the landings in the
Salerno area (9 September 1943) and
in the subsequent heavy fighting
northward; in the landings at and
occupation of the Anzio beachhead
(22 January 1944 to May 1944); and in


Aerial View of the Cemetery

Proceed along Via Cristoforo
Colombo to the Via Pontina (High-
way 148). Drive south approximately
39 miles along Highway 148 and exit
at Campoverde/Nettuno. Proceed to
Nettuno. The cemetery is located 54/2
miles down this road.

Adequate hotel accommodations
may be found in Anzio, Nettuno and
Rome.

HOURS

The cemetery is open daily to the
public between the hours of 9:00 a.m.
and 5:00 p.m. (The cemetery is closed
on January 1 and December 25. It
is open on all other U.S. and host
country holidays.)

During these hours, a staff
member is on duty in the Visitors’
Building to answer questions and
escort relatives to grave and memo-
rialization sites.

HISTORY

On 10 July 1943, just two months
after the victorious North African
campaign, Allied forces landed in
strength on the southern and eastern
shores of the island of Sicily. Despite
vigorous resistance by the enemy, in-
fantry and airborne troops of the U.S.
Seventh Army thrust inland under
cover of gunfire from the Western
Naval Task Force. Five days later, the
Allied beachheads were joined anda
continuous line established. While
the British Eighth Army on the right
was advancing northeast toward
Mount Etna against stiff resistance,
the U.S. Seventh Army was driving
rapidly to the northwest. Advancing
100 miles in four days, the U.S.
Seventh Army occupied the port city
of Palermo and then swung toward
Messina in the northeast.

With air cover and support from
the U.S. Twelfth Air Force, the U.S.
Seventh and British Eighth Armies
drove across the difficult mountain-

YisiTORS
Xguitdine

Location of Cemetery Features

ous terrain of Sicily to seize Messina
on 17 August. In just 39 days, the
entire island was overrun and the
Sicilian campaign concluded. This
resounding victory by the Allies
caused the Italian government to
break with the Axis and sue for
peace.

In order to maintain contact with
the withdrawing enemy forces,
troops of the British Eighth Army
crossed the Straits of Messina to the
mainland. Six days later, at 0330
hours on 9 September, the major am-
phibious assault was launched on
the Italian mainland over the beaches
of Salerno by American and British
troops of the U.S. Fifth Army. That
same day, a British fleet landed
troops at Taranto to seize the major
port there and divert some enemy
reserves from the main landing. Four
days later, elements of two Panzer
Corps mounted a powerful counter-
attack against Allied troops at
Salerno threatening existence of the
entire beachhead. After three days of
bitter fighting, stubborn resistance

by the Allied ground forces com-
bined with artillery, naval gunfire
and air support halted the enemy
assault. Realizing that it could not
dislodge the U.S. Fifth Army and
fearful of not being in good defensive
positions when the British Eighth
Army arrived in the area from Mes-
sina and Taranto, the enemy with-
drew to the north as the two Allied
armies joined forces at Vallo. With air
support from the U.S. Twelfth Air
Force, the U.S. Fifth Army seized
Naples on 1 October as the British
Eighth Army on its right captured
the airfields near Foggia. A major
Allied objective of the landings on
the Italian mainland was thus
accomplished, obtainment of air
bases from which the U.S. Fifteenth
Air Force could conduct strategic
bombardment of Austria, the Bal-
kans and Germany. Together with
the U.S. Eighth Air Force operating
from England, it carried out numer-
ous massive aerial attacks to destroy
critical industrial targets and defeat
the German Air Force.


Chapel Interior

Sicily-Rome

American

Cemetery
and

Memorial

LOCATION

The Sicily-Rome American Cemetery
and Memorial lies at the north edge
of the town of Nettuno, Italy, which
is immediately east of Anzio, 38
miles south of Rome.

There is regular train service be-
tween Rome and Nettuno. Travel one
way by rail takes a little over one
hour. The cemetery is located one
mile north of the Nettuno railroad
station, from which taxi service is
available.

To travel to the cemetery from
Rome by automobile, the following
two routes are recommended:

—@ Soa

(1) At Piazza di San Giovanni, bear
left and pass through the old Roman
wall to the Via Appia Nuova/route
No. 7. About 8 miles from the Piazza
di San Giovanni, after passing
Ciampino airport, turn right onto
Via Nettunense, route No. 207.
Follow the Sicily-Rome American
Cemetery sign and proceed past
Aprilia to Anzio, Nettuno and the
cemetery.

(2) At Piazza di San Giovanni, bear
right onto the Via dell’Amba Aradam
to Via delle Terme di Caracalla and
pass through the old Roman wall.

‘Main Entrance to the Cemetery


2009

Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial, Seine (Paris), France