Rock Steady MTO (id:#58015)

Kinetic Energy Productions (March Madness `97 Pack ID: KE 6)   [next]   [previous]

San Fratello, Sicily, Italy 1943-08-08 (2 others)

Overview:

having forced his superior's consent in releasing one of his corps towards Messina, Patton tasked the American 3rd Infantry Division with advancing along the interior side of the northern coast road. The 'Dog-Face Soldiers' of the "Rock of the Marne" Division executed their assigned task at a remarkable pace that was dubbed the "Truscott Trot" in honor of the unit's illustrious commander. This clip slowed to a crawl around the village of San Fratello, where the narrow and winding road traversed the steep slopes of Monte San Fratello. Stiff Axis resistance aided by mines gave the Marne Men a bitter taste of the kind of fighting that was to come some two months later in Italy. On 7 August, a full-out night assault by the 3rd Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment resulted in the capture of this dominating feature just before midnight. The Americans were reinforced with their battalion's Weapons Company, and dug in and awaited the inevitable enemy counterattack.

Defender: American (L and M Companies, 30th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division)  

Errata (source)