The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-11-24

to 300 o'clock and thereafter every IS minutes. In spite of all this and with excellent support all after noon with dive bombers and artil- lery fire the ground forces have not yet attained their first objec- tive Consequently the banks which were to attack in mass could not get started. These results were sober ing shock to me. The infantry had been withdrawn in the early morn- ing hours five miles to rhe north of Casino. When they arrived back in the town of Casino at approxi- mately 100 o'clock close behind the barrage, the Germans were still there, were able to slow up their advance and even to reinforce themselves during the night by some unaccountable means.
 "The attack is still going on but 1t is my opinion that all we will gain will be the town of Casino and possibly 6 bridgehead over the Rapido in that vicinity; General Alexander must then stop and re- group his forces, which he hopes to accomplish by the 18th of April"
 Selectees Fight as Veterans
 After regrouping the Fifth and Eighth Armies launched q coordi- hated offensive on Il May. As the attack got underway, the U. s. V! Corps. now under Maj Gen. L. K. Truscott, struck out from Anzio beachhead on 23 May. The attack was made by the 3d, 34th, and 45th Infantry Divisions the 1st Arm ored Division, the 1st Special Serv- ice Force, the Tooth Japanese In- fantry Battalion, composed ot Americans of Japanese descent, and two British divisions. The 1st Spe- cial Service Force drove east to pave the way for a junction on 25 May with other Fifth Army forces advancing northwest along the coast. These forces included the 88th and 85th Divisions which had recently arrived from the United States and entered the line in March and April Activated after ' December 194l and composed al- most entirely of selectees, these two new divisions fought as veter- an units in their first combat as- signment overcoming extremely heavy resistance. This was the first confirmation from the battlefield of the soundness of our division actiy- ation and training program which was described in detail in my last report.
 The units from the south then moved to AnZio from which the L.. t.N I 4AN nlFnndU n thrusting northeastward for the final drive on Rome. On their right the French Corps under General Juin struck into the heart of the German positions covering the Liri Valley and precipitated general withdrawal to the north of Rome. The Italian capital fell to the Fifth Army on June, two days before Allied forces began the invasion of France.
 We were weakened seriously in the intense fighting along the ap- breaches to Rome by our inability to replace the casualties promptly. On 6 February General Devers had reported:
 Casualties have been unusually heavy for the past 10 days, par ticularly in infantry. Clark reports Sd Division casualties alone total 2.400 infantry. A shortage in the 34th Division is 1900 and in the 38th Division, 5000 Since present operations involve simultaneous use of all divisions, 1t Is imperative that table of organization strength be maintained.
 Two weeks later he again re- ported:
 "Replacements allocated to this theater are not adequate to sus- tain operations in Italy on the