Hi Colin! No, Dad didn't go to Sicily - the 45th & the 3rd were there I believe as II Corps (I think maybe under Gen Bradley). He left N. Africa & landed at Salerno for Operation Avalanche 9/43. I have some photos of arrival in Rome with banners welcoming the soldiers. I also have a wonderful crucifix that Dad sent home to his mother from Rome, it has very special commemorative medals of St Francis on it (his patron saint).
Came across some interesting statistics from "Day Of Battle" by Rick Atkinson - around the time of the planning of Operation Husky about 12% of the the British population was in the Armed Services, British battle deaths had already exceeded 100,000, 20,000 merchant mariners lost, and 45,000 dead in the UK from air raids. Those are very sobering #s. Of $48 billion US war supplies to it's Allies - two thirds would go to Great Britain. In mid 1941 the US Army was pretty small - but now exceeded 6 million, with 1,000 Generals, 7,000 Colonels, and 343,000 Lieutenants. The Army Air Force had grown 3,500% since mid 1941 and the US ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS 4,000%. 30,000 tanks were built in 1943 - more than 3 per hour around the clock. Companies like Wurlitzer were now making compasses and de-icers instead of pianos, International Silver was making Browning automatic rifles rather than tableware, and various lipstick, typewriter, and hubcap manufacturers were making cartridge cases, machine guns, and helmets. These factory conversions were taking place throughout the entire US economy and in 1943 alone made - 6 million rifles, 98,000 bazookas, 648,00 trucks, 33 million sets of soldiers cotton drawers, 61 million pairs of wool socks, and on & on & on. It's mind boggling when you consider it all. One wonders if we could or would do it today. We had the factories then, but now so much is manufactured outside the US.
mary ann