Browning chief., 1943-10-15
Sicily Was
No Cinch
(WNU Feature-Through special arrangement
with Golfers WeekIy.)
BY Quentin Reynolds

Let's take look at the whole
Sicilian operation and see just how
much of a push-over it was. 1t was
undoubtedly one of the most daring
ly and brilliantly executed military
operations of all time, with Ameri-
cans, British and Canadians work.
ing in beautiful harmony.
1t was a textbook operation, with
the Tactical forces alexander in
command) carrying out everything
just as the Strategic forces (Eis-
enhower in command) had planned.
The success of the landing on I'D"
day, which was July 10, and the
rapid advance through Sicily dur
ing the following days far exceeded
the hopes of our military chiefs. But
1t was not easy!
Our Intelligence told Eisenhower
that there were about 335, 900 Ger
man and Italian troops on Sicily.
Eisenhower decided to land about
$4,000 men on ID" day and then
gradually increase his force as
needed.
The First division under Gen. Ter
ry Allen landed at Celia on the south
western coast. This is a great fight
ing unit which has even won Mont
gomery's admiration, and Monty is
not one to toss bouquets around
even to his own troops. The wealth
er when they landed was what the
navy boys call force five," which
means that 30-mile wind was a.
bloWin'
However, Terry landed his men
on time as he always does, with col
orful, loquacious but fantastically
courageous Gen. Teddy Roosevelt
as second in command. They land
ed and advanced rapidly against
pillbox opposition which they soon
smothered.
Cruiser Beats Tanks.
Then the Hermann Goering divi-
sion came at them hell-bent with
tanks. The First had to fall back
to the beach, where they would
have fought it out to the end-and
against tanks there could have been
only one end. Happily, a cruiser
offshore got word of what was 60
ing on, and opened up with its big
guns against the tanks. 1t was prob
ably the first time in military his
tory that an engagement between
tanks and cruiser took place. Any
how, they paid off on the cruiser.
The original plan called for Gen.
Matt Ridgway's airborne troops to
work with the First. However, on
"D' day there was a big wind, and
the lads who took to the silk were
blown all over the island. Instead
of being able to consolidate accord
ing to plan, the airborne lads ganged
up in groups of six to ten and just
improvised as they went along.
The beauty of our army, as l see
it, is its infinite capacity to impro-
wise. If the scheduled plan goes
awry, the boys can dream some
thing up on the spur of the moment.
Mentally, our kids are elastic. That
night the airborne lads just went
a-wandering all over the landscape,
popping off at anything they saw
alive, and this considerably baffled
the orthodox Eyetie and German de-
fenses, which didn't think it quite
sporting.
If you think that l am blindly,
hopelessly impressed by, and de-
voted to these kids of Ours-if you
think that am prejudiced and COM
pleteIy lopsided on the subject Of
our American troops here in Sicily
why, you're absolutely right.
Any American who isn't delirious-
ly proud of our army should have
his head examined. l am just try
ing to say that they took Sicily Il
know the British and Canadians had
important parts, but we're not con-
sidering them for the moment)
against great odds.
Acted Like Veterans.
But let one far better qualified
than l, have the floor. Alex Cliff
ford is the war correspondents war
correspondent The brilliant Eng
lishman. who writes for the London
Mail, has studied warfare for many
years. Il got the surprise of my
life" he told me. i've been with
the veteran Eighth army for long
time and naturally didn't expec,
much from a comparatively green
outfit like the First division. You
can only learn to fight by fighting.
But somehow this bunch had learned
it without having many fights In
action they were cool. absolutely,
and they acted like veterans"
Then he went on, thoughtfully:
"When tough artillery fire came al
them, they didn't bunch up as green
troops always do. They famed out
beautifully. They're good fighters,
and cruel fighters, too, and they are
the best disciplined outfit ever saw.
They storm a town and have a
tough time with casualties and then
they walk in. Instead of getting
tough with the local inhabitants or
with prisoners, what do they do?
They share their chocolate, their
cigarettes, with them, when all their
instincts must be to slaughter them
as they think Of their own casualties" !"