The marker is located at ground level in front of a large concrete column at the roadside intersection of Via Nettuno, Via Enrico Toti and Via Isolabella.

An inscribed stone about 3 ft high leaning against a concrete column.

The Battle of Cisterna occurred on January 30- February 2, 1944.  Fighting also occurred in this area during Operation Diadem in May 1944, but it is mainly remembered for the valiant, yet unsuccessful attempt to breakout of the Anzio beached in early 1944.

On the 50^th Anniversary, the local community placed a marker to remember the battle.

The Battle of Cisterna from US Army Official History:

The 3d Division and the 1st, 3d, and 4th Ranger Battalions under Col. William O. Darby were responsible for the initial attack on Cisterna. The 1st and 3d Rangers were to spearhead the assault by infiltrating the German lines and seizing and holding Cisterna until the 4th Rangers and 15th Infantry, 3d Division, arrived via the Conca-Cisterna Road. Meanwhile, at 0200, 30 January (1944), the 7th Infantry, 3d Division, was to push on the left to a point above Cisterna and cut Highway 7, while the 15th Infantry passed to the right of Cisterna and cut the highway south of town. As a diversion the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment would attack along the Mussolini Canal. Unknown to the Americans, their assault was aimed directly at the center of the area where thirty-six enemy battalions were massing for their 1 February counterattack.

The Rangers moved out at 0130 to the right of the Conca-Cisterna Road and by dawn were within 800 yards of Cisterna. But German soldiers of the 715th Motorized Infantry Division discovered the lightly armed Ranger force during the night and sprang a devastating ambush at first light. Heavy fighting broke out and the Rangers were pinned down quickly by an enemy superior in arms

and numbers. Efforts by the 4th Rangers and 15th Infantry to rescue the beleaguered units failed, and by noon armored units of the Hermann Goering Division had forced the Rangers into the open. The Americans had only grenades and bazookas for antitank weapons, and as they attempted a fighting withdrawal in small and scattered groups they were cut down mercilessly. Of the 767 men in the two battalions, only 6 eventually returned to Allied lines.

Two soldiers, Tech 5  Eric Gibson and PFC Alton Knappenberger,  both of the 30^th Infantry Regiment, 3^rd Infantry Division, were awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry fighting near this site.

The text on the marker is written in English, Italian and German.

The English reads with top portion translated:

BATTAGLIA DI (BATTLE OF)

CISTERNA  ANZIO  APRILIA

LOCALITA’ ISOLABELLA (In the Locality named)

FEMIMNA MORTA

ON THIS SITE

THOUSANDS OF MEN

FOUGHT AND DIED

1944   -   1994