World War II Database

Upon victory in North Africa, Allied forces used ports in North Africa as staging points northwards toward the underbelly of Europe. The first target chosen by the Allied commanders was Sicily after concluding an amphibious operation against Vichy France would be impossible. Allied occupation of Sicily would also safeguard Allied shipping in the Mediterranean, as well as relieve Malta from the constant Axis air raids.

The Landings
10 Jul 1943

On 10 Jul 1943, Operation Husky called for 2,590 Allied ships to land 180,000 troops, 600 tanks, and 14,000 mechanized vehicles on the Italian island in three days at multiple sites, forming the second largest amphibious operation in the European theater. A large gamble the Allies took on was that the landing took place at several locations; a failure in any of the many locations could negatively affect outcome of another landing site. When the actual landings took place, harsh weather conditions (very strong winds) surprised the Axis defenders, while support fire from ample naval power ensured successful landing operations by the Allied 15th Army Group. The army group, consisted of the U.S. 7th Army and the British 8th Army, benefited greatly from the newly developed DUKW ("duck") landing craft. The landing forces were protected by six battleships, 10 cruisers, and two aircraft carriers. Four airborne operations were also conducted. Eventually, 180,000 soldiers would set foot on the island.

The island was defended by 230,000 Italian troops consisting of weak coastal defense units. It was generally thought that the best Italian units were lost in Africa, although Dwight Eisenhower was unwilling to discount the quality of Italian troops as the psychology of defending their own homeland could make a world of difference in their ferocity. The Italian troops were augmented by two German divisions under the command of General Hans Hube, which commandeered much attention by Eisenhower's intelligence staff. Initial resistance was fierce from Italian XII and XVI Corps and German XIV Panzer Corps, combined at the strength of 400,000, but under the pressure of Eisenhower's troops they soon buckled; Syracuse was taken on the first day of the invasion nearly uncontested, Palermo on 22 Jul, and Catania on 5 Aug.

The air defense on Sicily was comparatively stronger. Stukas and ME-110s strafed the invasion fleet whenever opportunity presented itself, not causing serious damage but sparred up enough panic to serious endanger the success of subsequent operations. For example, when Allied C-47 transports carrying airborne troops flied across the invasion fleet, the naval gunners nervously fired their anti-aircraft weapons at the friendly planes in total panic. "Hundreds of men were lost, entire sticks of paratroopers jumping early when their pilots in all the confusion hit the green light, and the heavily laden men came down in the ocean and disappeared."

Mount Etna
17 Jul 1943

From 17 Jul on, Bernard Montgomery's British Eighth Army secured the Catania region on the eastern coastline of Sicily. To the north of them was Mount Etna where a strong garrison stood. Plagued by malaria, the British troops divided into two columns, each marching north on either side of Mount Etna. The westward-flanking column was conducted by surprise to both the defenders and Montgomery's American allies alike. This move actually cut off part of the American advance across the center of the island, which enraged George Patton. Patton reinforced the British western column near Randazzo as ordered, but he wanted to protest the British general's move into his turf.

Battle of Troina
2-6 Aug 1943

The Battle of Troina characterized the fierce, though few, inland fighting on the island of Sicily. The American Seventh Army's First Division and two Canadian regiments fought off 24 separate counterattacks during the battle while behind the line artillery shelled German positions in the rocky hillsides. Several days after the capture of Troina, Americans were surprised to find a small valley filled with hundreds of German dead. "They were victims of American artillery fire," said Eisenhower; if the frontline infantrymen did not appreciate artillery support, they did now.

The Axis Evacuation
11-17 Aug 1943

On 11 Aug, Axis forces started to evacuate the island in a nevertheless impression fashion. A perfect coordination between Italian and German navies, under the command of Admiral Barone and Captain von Liebenstein, respectively, they withdrew 117,000 troops to Italian mainland within days before American forces pushed the remaining Germans to Messina, located at the northern tip of the island. For Montgomery blocking American advance near Etna, Patton ordered his troops to advance into target areas designated for the British. As an excuse, Patton claimed that the communications were disrupted, while he marched forth. "This is a horse race in which the prestige of the US Army is at stake", he later wrote about his personal crusade to out-shine the British.

Allied forces secured the island on 17 Aug as the remaining German forces evacuated from Sicily that day, with the US Third Infantry Division entering Messina hours after the last Axis troops left the island. Patton had won his race.

At the end of this campaign, Axis casualties totaled 29,000, and the greatest loss came when 140,000 men (mostly Italian but some German) were captured as prisoners of war. On the Allied side, the Americans suffered 9,530 casualties (2,572 killed, 5,946 wounded, and 1,012 missing or captured), the British 12,843 (2,721 killed and 10,122 wounded, missing, or captured), and the Canadians 2,410 (562 killed, 1,848 wounded, missing, or captured).

A blemish shrouded the Allies when it was discovered that American troops killed 73 Axis prisoners of war.

The Surrender of Italy
3 Sep 1943

The fall of Palermo on 22 Jul damaged the Italian morale tremendously, giving those in Italy who opposed Mussolini's pursue of war an opportunity to seek an armistice. However, it was not an easy task as the Italian ranks were infiltrated by German spies. An airborne operation was planned in cooperation with certain Italian groups to seize Rome, but it was called off by the Italians at the last minute due to German movements nearby. General Maxwell Taylor later made a secret trip to Rome to negotiate with the Italians, assuring that an Italian surrender would guarantee Allied protection against German retribution. He promised that the Allies would land up to three divisions in Italy, but the Italians wanted 15.

The fall of Sicily in Aug 1943 affected the Italians so tremendously that a coup d'etat materialized. Italian leader Benito Mussolini was deposed from power, and the new government under Marshal Pietro Badoglio accepted a "Short Military Armistice" with the Allied powers on 3 Sep. "By this act," said Badoglio, "all ties with the dreadful past are broken and my government will be proud to march with you on to the inevitable victory." Eisenhower publicly announced that bombing raids against Italy would be ceased due to the Italian surrender, although in actuality Eisenhower's true intentions were to use the bombers to transport vital supplies to the front, therefore some argue that the gesture was not completely out of a merciful nature. In response to the Italian surrender, Adolf Hitler ordered for the removal the elite First SS Panzer Division from Russia to Italy. Most of the Italian fleet escaped to Malta, though the Luftwaffe was able to sink several Italian ships before they were surrendered to the Allies, including the battleship Roma which was sunk by the newly developed Fx-1400 armor-piercing radio-controlled gliding bombs.

Mussolini was later rescued by a daring airborne commando mission and installed by Hitler as a puppet leader in northern Italy.

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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Anonymous says:
   13 May 2005 12:11:08 PM
   
   This is great imformation
2. CPT Mike Philipak says:
   13 Jun 2005 07:39:08 AM
   
   One key point about the Sicily operation was LTG Patton's daring (if insubordinate) actions. LTG Patton got in a great deal of trouble for his push to Palermo and Messina. However, it must be said that as a result, the British gained a great deal of respect for the US Army and the capabilities of its commanders. Without Patton's actions in Sicily, it is doubtful that an American (GEN Bradley) would have been given command of the land forces for the Normandy landing, or that the Americans would have been given such a primary objectives during the Normandy campaign.
3. Anonymous says:
   26 Nov 2006 04:03:59 PM
   
   This was very helpful towards my history project. It is extrmemly organized and much more understandable than the other sites
4. L.Fox says:
   26 Aug 2007 03:45:00 AM
   
   I was with the 78th Infantry div,when we landed in Sicily.We were warned before hand,that when we landed we would be met with sniper fire machine gun fire,morter fire, Be prepared !When we landed we were met with woman offering us grapes, melons, and fruit.The men did not want cigarettes or chocolate.All they wanted was SALT.
5. Don bougie says:
   24 Oct 2007 05:16:04 PM
   
   Looking for information on my uncle killed in the invasion of sicily His name was Alfred Bougie. He is buried in Italy.Please reply.
6. Zenek says:
   3 May 2008 03:15:14 AM
   
   Who where the english mechant ships that participated in the landing and wich one of them were hit by a torpedo. My grandfather was there and I want to find out what ship he was on. He was polish.
7. dave adams says:
   20 Apr 2009 08:38:02 PM
   
   my uncle edwin was in italy with 78 div.he wasin 1st east surreys any vets know him like to here from you .
8. Anonymous says:
   24 Feb 2010 02:44:34 PM
   
   very helpful for my termpaper
9. Anonymous says:
   7 May 2010 05:02:00 AM
   
   this sight was great for my project. I hope the information is right. :)
10. Christine says:
    1 Jun 2010 02:22:41 PM
    
    My Grandfather told me a story about the Duck in front of his going down (sinking) before his entered the water in Sicily during 1943.Anyone have any knowledge of any sinking accidentally or anything of the regiments who went to Sicily???
    
11. Anonymous says:
    26 Jul 2010 11:06:50 AM
    
    You write that the allied losses were 5,000 men and 29,000 German-Italian. If you refer to the total of dead and wounded allies and the exact number is 18000 with 3000 prisoners. The number of dead and wounded of Axis is correct. These numbers are also verifiable U.S. government sites. Many compliments for the site from Messina.
    
    
    
12. Al Brown says:
    1 Aug 2010 04:17:26 PM
    
    How can I find a list of ships that participated in the invasion of Sicily in WWII?
13. Al Brown says:
    13 Aug 2010 05:49:17 AM
    
    Message for Don Bougie: I have information about your Uncle Alfred Bougie. Contact me at dogfacebrownie@gmail.com. Al Brown

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