36th Infantry Division Marker
Details:
The marker is located on the far side of the square (piazza) under the flagpoles adjacent to the town memorial to the dead of World War 2.
Marker
The marker is a marble plaque with etched writing about 2.5 feet by 5 feet long.
In December 1943, the 36thInfantry Division (Texas Division) was assigned the mission to take the town of San Pietro Infine, which was a key part of the German Bernard (or Reinhardt) defensive line. Taking the town would allow the Fifth Army to move to Cassino and enter the Liri Valley – the valley to take Rome. The German defenses were strong and the battle very hard. The famous movie director, John Huston, a US Army Signal Officer at the time, memorialized the battle in the 1944 film, “The Battle of San Pietro”.
Monument Text:
The text of on the marker is written in English; the 36thInfantry Division symbol is also etched into the stone. The text reads:
DEDICATED TO THE SOLDIERS WHO CAME TO THE AID
OF OUR COUNTRY AND OUR HOME
THE 36TH(TEXAS) INFANTRY DIVISION (REINFORCED)
WHO FOUGHT AND DIED FOR OUR FREEDOM
“THE NAME OF SAN PIETRO WILL BE REMEMBERED IN
MILITARY HISTORY. WE PICKED OUR WAY
THROUGH FIELDS RIPPED BY MORTARS AND SHELLS
AND THE STILL BODIES OF DOUGHBOYS WHO FELL
IN THE BLOODY, SAVAGE FIGHTING….. [IN] THIS GRAY
LITTLE TOWN OVERLOOKING THE VALLEY APPROACHES
TO CASSINO. THE SOLDIERS CALL IT DEATH VALLEY
BECAUSE DEATH WAS ON THE RAMPAGE FOR FORTY EIGHT
HOURS AS THEY STORMED ENEMY FORTRESS RINGED
BY ENEMY FORTIFICATIONS, DUG INTO TERRACED SLOPES
COMMANDING THE LIRI VALLEY”
143RDREGIMENT OPERATIONS REPORT DECEMBER 1943
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
141st Infantry Regiment
141st Infantry Regiment, 36th Division
142nd Infantry Regiment, 36th Division
143rd Infantry Regiment, 36th Division
36th Infantry Division
5th Army
United States Army
Wars:
WWII
Battles:
Cassino
Italian Campaign
Operation Raincoat
Other images :