3rd Infantry Division Marker- Operation Shingle
Details:
Behind a wooden fence, adjacent to an open field of a local university.
An inscribed bronze plaque mounted on a large field stone rock base with the symbol of the 3rdInfantry Division on top.
From the US Army History Center, the Combat Chronicle of the 3rd Infantry Division:
The 3d Division is the only American Division which fought the Nazi on all fronts. The Division first saw action in the North African invasion, landing at Fedala, 8 November 1942, and capturing half of French Morocco. On 10 July 1943, the Division made an assault landing on Sicily, fought its way into Palermo before the armor could get there, and raced on to capture Messina, thus ending the Sicilian campaign. Nine days after the Italian invasion, 18 September 1943, the 3d landed at Salerno and in intensive action drove to and across the Volturno and to Cassino. After a brief rest, the Division was ordered to hit the beaches at Anzio, 22 January 1944, where for 4 months it maintained its toe-hold against furious German counterattacks. On 29 February 1944, the 3d fought off an attack by three German Divisions. In May the Division broke out of the beachhead and drove on to Rome, and then went into training for the invasion of Southern France. On 15 August 1944, another D-day, the Division landed at St. Tropez, advanced up the Rhone Valley, through the Vosges Mountains, and reached the Rhine at Strasbourg, 26-27 November. After maintaining defensive positions it took part in clearing the Colmar Pocket, 23 January18 February 1945, and on 15 March struck against Siegfried Line positions south of Zweibrucken. The Division smashed through the defenses and crossed the Rhine, 26 March 1945 ; then drove on to take Nurnberg in a fierce battle, capturing the city in block-by-block fighting, 17-20 April. The 3d pushed on to take Augsburg and Munich, 27-30 April, and was in the vicinity of Salzburg when the war in Europe ended.
Twelve 3rd Infantry Division soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during Operation Shingle, the Anzio operations from January – May 1944. One of these soldiers, Sgt. Sylvester Antolak, was awarded the medal for his actions during the Operation Diadem breakout of the Anzio Beach head on May 24, 1944 near Cisterna, Italy. SGT Antolak is one of two Medal of Honor recipients buried at the nearby Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno.
Monument Text:
The text on the Marker is written in English and Italian. The English text reads:
<3RD INFANTRY DIVISION SYMBOL>
JANUARY 22, 1944 U.S. THIRD INFANTRY DIVISION MADE
AN ASSAULT AMPHIBIOUS LANDING HERE IN THIS VICINITY
ESTABLISHED A BEACHHEAD WHICH WAS MAINTAINED
FOR FOUR MONTHS AT GREAT SACRIFICE OF HUMAN
LIFE, AND WITH INDOMITABLE COURAGE IN A VALIANT
AND SANGUINARY ATTACK THE DIVISION LED AN OF-
FENSIVE THAT DESTROYED THE STRONG GERMAN DE-
FENCES AND CULMINATED IN THE LIBERATION OF ROME.
Commemorates:
People:
Units:
15th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division
30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Division
3rd Infantry Division
5th Army
7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division
Wars:
WWII
Battles:
Anzio
Italian Campaign
Operation Shingle
Other images :