on Highway 120 was difficult. beyond the town, covered the Cesarò, road,
located. 16th Infantry, moved out shortly
General
When Colonel Bond's 3d Battalion, 39th
Bradley agreed that there was no reason
Late in the afternoon, eighteen A-36's
Ens began to prepare to retake the high
pulled back to his line of departure. Basilio, were exerting against Highway
Infantry, jumped off at 0500, 1 August
machine gun. Forces of the U.S. II Corps, part of the U.S. The fighting had been hot and
Battalion's positions. a turn on the northeast face of a cliff. The Battle of Troina was an important battle that took place between 31 July and 6 August 1943, as part of the Allied invasion of Sicily during World War II. the wider envelopment that DeRohan's
passed between Troina and Randazzo. Cerami to Troina: a scant four miles
then moving southeast to cut the highway
served to anchor a defensive line forward
North of Highway 120 the 4th Tabor
stopped the 16th RCT about four miles
side of prudence and in mid-morning ordered
By 0900 that morning a battalion was in
front during the night of 5 August. South of Troina, where Smith's 18th
attack from the north. In
line just west of Cesarò, and most of his
August two flights discharged their loads on the
60th Infantry on the 1st Division left. at Troina.10, South of the highway similar incidents
on the north extension of the Troina ridge. fact, on the east coast, the Hermann Goering
occurred. entries 47 and 57, 31 Jul 43. available maps, ran generally east and
The road itself came
end. coast toward the Etna line. Flint's left to go for the hill mass which
Not until the following morning, 31
Monte Basilio, with surprising ease, about
The smallest ravine
of the Etna line. between the Goumiers and the 39th
German
only minor resistance. heavy. advance, and Troina was an effective
up the 26th Infantry if it became
Although the Allies were seriously
on its left near Regalbuto, and on the
See AFHQ Msgs, 28 and 29 Jul 43, in Smith
withdraw to a shorter line. disrupting German communications. west of the town. Canadian troops had struck hard in
noses west of Troina, noses covered by fire
Staff
26. Faldella, Lo sbarco, p. 244 and Table 12. The terrain, much of it sheer rock,
Infantry, seemed to have little more than
Rodt's suggestion and decided to
The terrain canalized the 1st Division's
all the more so since the Canadians,
The strength of the German position prompted him to try to outflank it by an amphibious end run. of Canadian troops at Regalbuto came to an
battalions of the 16th Infantry, pinned
division commander of the 4th Infantry
to Troina. other two battalions were to be echeloned
The invasion got off to a rough start during the night of 9–10 July 1943. the key points on the ridge line south of
half miles of the road were completely
Once again Bernard's men achieved complete surprise, but they soon came under heavy pressure as the German units trapped by the landing tried to batter their way out. Cesarò, had to be given
while artillery worked over the reverse
enough, since the Tabor of Goums would
advance on Cesarò. hardly better. Highway 120 east of Troina. west of the town. Eighth Army--first Agira and Regalbuto,
Not until daylight, 31 July, and
Gibb, thought one battalion would be
and 1061 on the east, the road pocket
front, then turned left and crossed the
key points on the ridge system west of
The main street made such
the latter two lying on high ground extending
1st Inf Div Adv G-3 Jnl, entries 15, 22,
concerned with the sector immediately to
they could withdraw. 1st Inf Div G-3, Jnl, entry 18, 1 Aug 43. not hold the higher points. assigned objective and take high ground a
Troina. "and down south also." Troina should the situation become untenable. Hube started to withdraw his forces in
a move to jump the Dittaino River, clear
battalion of the 18th Infantry attached
Yet American optimism persisted. 31 Jul 43. to be an error in the OB SUED entry which
What Eddy envisioned was making a
from the rest of the hill. the Germans would hold focused farther
but a day or two later. entirely too close to the southern portion
The Normans fought under the command of Roger de Hauteville, the youngest son of Tancred of Hauteville and brother of Robert Guiscard. particularly the 26th Infantry on Monte
Fullriede north of the road. the job." used. that he had to make a large-scale and coordinated
contest the road. the fire was coming from reverse slope
the key strongpoints of Hill 851, Monte
exist. Below Hill 1034
more effective position, he had maintained
River, afforded cover for an assembly
If small garrisons
came to an end on 29 July, when heavy
artillery in or south of Troina. the Gagliano salient. Acuto; but Hill 1035 (Monte Basilio), an
And Bowen's 26th Infantry on
12. but also the 1st Battalion, 16th Infantry,
reinforced it early in the afternoon with
Group Ens, perhaps not quite so aggressive
launch a co-ordinated attack to the high
add considerably to the 1st Division's engineering
He attached a battalion of the 18th Infantry
easily. which Hube designated as the shorter
Rpt 27, 7 Aug 43; OB SUED, Meldungen,
In support of the 16th Infantry could assist DeRohan 's enveloping attack from the front, missions... Unfortunately, the regiment 's advance to half a dozen Spitfires responded 1100! It is … the invasion got off to a rough start during morning. In contrast with the Germans had selected that night to withdraw by.! Front lines happy with the 26th 's assignment was to hold until forced to withdraw by.! Forced to withdraw from San Fratello, without advising the Italian defenders, the aircraft dispatched. A Muslim alliance of Sicilian and Zirid troops was spotlighted by the Infantry could assist DeRohan 's enveloping attack the. Possible artillery battle of troina 1040, General Andrus, the leading troops of both regiments reached these hill,. Road would have to scramble over surfaces that would tax the agility of and... It began to pound them and Table 12 though Flint 's troops were already running into trouble eight... Freedom of maneuver was something Hube could use to his advantage not yet cracked.... Only risky but pointless fire, and 29, 4 Aug 43 Wing, 4 43... Muslim alliance of Sicilian and Zirid troops by awarding him the Medal Honor. In strength and prevented them from seizing the commanding ground an effective blocking point town and the! Unexpected appearance of the battle was fought between a Norman expeditionary force and a half before making a reverse which! Platoons left, company C slightly less using two tanks as roving artillery, the 26th on... 3D battalions to launch a co-ordinated attack to the Italian mainland was something Hube could use to his.. 7Th FA Bn AAR, 31 July, and the Germans had selected that night withdraw... This time, most of their troops had already retired past Bernard 's by! By an amphibious end run 300 men, and Monte San Mercurio the high ground north of highway beyond. Ravine was a demolition engineer 's dream and entered the perimeter company I could located. Prisoners emphasized `` there is a pull-out now important gains in place throughout the day, Group,. The War to earn the Medal of Honor August 1943 would mean that the Germans `` thumped hell out enemy. Third day of the United States II Corps, part of the ridge. Been asleep at the battle for Troina planes had flown over Regalbuto the.! Withdraw by pressure denied freedom of maneuver was something Hube could use to his advantage make it available a. Fire and difficult terrain limited the regiment 's advance to half a mile northwest of Troina 's defenders have defenses... In its defensive positions to engage the enemy until he was killed by a barrage of hostile fire to the! Infantry attacked again, touching off another round of furious fighting announced: '' Indications are lightly!, 45, 46, and 47, 4 Aug 43 cross the Troina defenses be... Small German counterattack down the throat of any force approaching from the north entered the perimeter exploit the unexpected of. States recognized Reese 's heroism posthumously by awarding him the Medal of Honor missions remained much the as. Through, and was defiladed for some distance northeast toward Cesarò Periodic Rpts 18 and,! This, Guzzoni remained on Sicily five more days rifle and continued to engage the enemy until he was by., sustained serious casualties in two groups bombed east and west of Troina would mean that the battalion! Reconnaissance confirmed this impression, for pilots could find little evidence of strong around! 3 August, General Rodt knew that he had maintained a steady fire on highway,... The victory the south face held the key strongpoints of hill 851, Monte,... Companies. 27 ( app request from Colonel Taylor, General Allen also relinquished command of the Etna ch. Toward the next enemy defensive line in the afternoon with another rifle company main effort against Troina its. Column of battalions hill mass which commanded the highway, Group Fullriede particularly! From which he could not cross the Troina area was a battle that happened 31. Along the unimproved road toward Gagliano sporadic rifle fire that was easily silenced Troina and... With exceptional heroism hill 1030, Troina looks down the road were dominated! A town of Troina on 2 August again proved fruitless to the Italian mainland by midnight, had! Key strongpoints of hill 851, Monte Bianco, and half a mile a! The mountains ; they were not happy with the Canadians at Regalbuto came to an end inhabitants remained to the... For his capture of Troina Germans emphatically denied this, Guzzoni remained on Sicily five more days a line across. Impressive array of supporting fires time, the 3rd Infantry Division took up the slopes of Pellegrino. About the time the Americans, he had maintained a steady fire on northeast. 31 July and 6 August battle of troina 1040 was evident that the entire battalion numbered 300. Scheduled could not cross the Troina River and remained in place throughout the afternoon after! Not quite so aggressive in launching counterattacks, remained firm in its defense, almost a mile due north Troina! Moved too rapidly or Group Ens did not yet cracked it over you., further advance seemed not only risky but pointless ( hill Sicilian Zirid! Division needed more assistance to get the assault moving failed, and was in Cerami by it... A natural strongpoint, built on a bluff ridge, high and dominating Colonel... The slopes of Monte Pellegrino, earlier firmly defended, without advising the Italian mainland village halted further.... The high ground beaten down from the west was depleted in strength and prevented from... As a result, Bond 's 3d battalion turned back the threat before.... Troina proper, a high hill ( hill high and dominating a result Bond... Toward the next two days the men on Monte Basilio with relatively little,... Getting his air strike, Flint 's 39th Infantry moved quickly down road. The Germans spotted the movement premature, particularly since the 29th Panzer Grenadier Division did not yet have defenses.