Battle of Monte Castello The Battle of Monte Castello was fought to the end of WWII , between the Allied troops and the forces of the German Army , which tried to contain their advance in Northern Italy . This battle marked the presence of Brazilian Expeditionary Force ( FEB ) in the conflict . The battle dragged on for three months , November 24 of 1944 the February 21 of 1945 , during which it was made six attacks with large numbers of casualties due to several factors , including the extremely low temperatures . Four of the attacks have failed , for lack of strategy Location . Situated 61 . 3 km southwest of Bologna ( ai monument caduta brasiliani ) via Località Abetaia ( SP623 ) , near Abetaia . Coordinates 44 . 221799 , 10 . 954227 , to 977m altitude Operation . In November 1944 , the 1st Expeditionary Division Brazilian Army ( DIE ) deviated from the battle front Serchio River , where he had been fighting for at least two months ahead of the Rhine , on the Apennine Mountains . General Mascarenhas de Moraes , Had assembled his forward headquarters in the town of Porretta Terme , whose area was surrounded by mountains under control of the Germans , this perimeter had a radius of approximately 15 km . The German positions were considered privileged Brazilians and subjected to constant surveillance , hindering any movement . Gave estimates that winter promised to be rigorous , and the intense cold , the rain turned the roads , as hollow by Allied bombers in real seas of mud . General Mark Clark , Commander of Allied Forces in Italy , wanted to direct his march with the 4th Corps towards Bologna , before the first snows begin to fall . However , the location of Castelo Hill was extremely important from a strategic perspective , and dominated by the Germans gave full control over the region . German forces . The Italian front was under the responsibility of the Group - of - hosts " C " , under the command of Generaloberst Heinrich von Vietinghoff . To him were subordinate three German armies : 10 , 14 and " Army of Liguria , " the latter defending the border with France . The 14th was composed by the 14th Panzer Corps and the 51st Corps Mountain . Within the 51 Corps was 232 Grenadier Division ( Infantry ) , General Baron von Gablenz Eccart , A veteran of Stalingrad . The 232 th was activated June 22 of 1944 and was formed by veterans who were wounded convalescents on the Russian front and was classified as " Static Division . " It consisted of three infantry regiments ( 1043 ° , 1044 ° and 1045 ° ) , each with only two battalions , plus a battalion of marines ( reconnaissance battalion ) and an artillery regiment with four groups , and smaller units . This training totaled about 9 , 000 men . The age of the troops ranged between 17 and 40 years and younger and able soldiers were concentrated in the battalion of marines . During the final battle , it was reinforced by the 4th Battalion Mountain ( Mittenwald ) , which was kept in reserve . The veterans who defended this position did not have the same enthusiasm as the war began , but were still willing to fulfill his duty . The Attack . It would then be responsible for the Brazilians to win the most combative sectors of the entire Apennine front . But there was one problem : the 1st DIE was a troop still inexperienced enough to face a fight of that magnitude . But as Clark ' s goal was to win Bologna before Christmas , the way would be to learn in practice , or in combat . Accordingly , on November 24 , the Reconnaissance Squadron and the 3rd Battalion , 6th Infantry Regiment of the 1st DIE joined the Task Force 45 U . S . for first foray to Mt Castle . On the second day of attacks , it appeared that the operation would be successful : U . S . troops reached the crest of Castle Hill after conquering the neighboring Monte Belvedere . However , in a powerful counteroffensive , the men of the 232nd Infantry Division Germanic , responsible for defending the castle and Monte Della Torraca , Regained the lost positions , forcing the Brazilian and American soldiers to abandon their positions already won - with the exception of Mount Belvedere . On November 29 , it was planned 2nd attack on the hill . This counter - offensive the attacking formation would be almost entirely the work of the 1st DIE - with three battalions - with only the support of three platoons of American tanks . However , an unexpected fact occurred on the eve of the attack would undermine plans : on the night of the 28th , the Germans had made counter - attack on Mount Belvedere , taking the Americans ' position and leaving uncovered the left flank of the allies . DIE initially thought of postponing the attack , but troops had occupied their positions and thus the strategy has been maintained . At 7 o ' clock a new attempt was made . The weather , proved extremely severe : rain and overcast skies prevented the support of the Air Force and mud practically precluded the participation of tanks . The grouping of General Zenobio Costa at first got a good head start , but the German counter - attack was violent . German soldiers of 1 , 043 th , 1044 th and 1045 th Infantry Regiments blocked the advances of the soldiers . By late afternoon , the two battalions Brazilians back to square one . On December 5 , Gen . Mascarenhas receives an order from the 4th Corps : " " It would DIE to capture and hold the summit of Monte Della Torraca - Monte Belvedere . " " That is , after two unsuccessful attempts , the Castle Hill was still the main goal of the next offensive in Brazil , which had been postponed for a week . But on December 12 , 1944 , the transaction was effected , which date would be remembered for the FEB as the most violent faced by Brazilian troops in the theater of operations in Italy . With the same weather conditions before the onslaught , the 2nd and 3rd battalions of the 1st Infantry Regiment did initially miracles . There was initially some positions won , but the heavy German artillery fire , made their losses . Again the attempted conquest proved fruitless , and worse , causing 150 casualties , and 20 Brazilian soldiers had been killed . The lesson served to reinforce the conviction that Mascarenhas Monte Castle of the Germans would only be taken if the entire division was used in the attack - and not just a few battalions , as he had ordered the 5th Army . Only on February 19 , 1945 , after the winter improves the command of the 5th Army determined the beginning of a new afensiva to conquer the mountain . Such an offensive would use the allied troops , including the 1st DIE , an offensive that would lead the troops into the Po Valley to the border with France . The Final Attack . Again the offensive dubbed Encore , or Encore , would use the training Brazilian to win the Mount and the consequent expulsion of the Germans . This time the tactics used would be the same idealized by Mascarenhas de Moraes 19 Novembro . Assim on February 20 the troops of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force were in battle position , with its three regiments ready to depart for Castle . To the left of the cluster of yellow - green , would advance to the 10th Mountain Division of the United States elite troop , which had the responsibility to take the Monte della Torraca and so guarantee , protecting the most vulnerable flank of the sector . The attack began at 6 am , the Battalion Uzeda followed by the right , the Battalion Franklin toward the front and Monte Battalion Sizeno Sarmento waiting in the privileged positions they had achieved during the night , the time to join the other two battalions . As outlined in the Encore , the Brazilians were to reach the top of Castle Hill to 18 hours at most - one hour after the Monte della Torraca be won for the 10th Mountain Division , an event scheduled for 17 hours . The 4th Corps was confident that the Castle would not be taken before Della Torraca also was . However , at 17 . 30 , when the first Battalion of the 1st Regiment Franklin conquered the summit of Castle Hill , the Americans had not won the German resistance . Only would the night , when the pracinhas have long had completed their mission , and began to take a position in the trenches and bunkers newly conquered . Much of the success of the offensive was credited to the Division of Artillery , commanded by General Cordeiro de Farias that between 16h and 17h on 22 , made a perfect barrage against the summit of Mount Castle , allowing the movement of Brazilian troops .