Hey Rocky,
The Italian campaign had a HUGE effect on the (Victorious) outcome of WWII, in ways that most Americans don't even know about. What you GI's did in Italy worried Hitler enough that he diverted some of his best armoured & infantry divisions away from the planned Kursk Offensive in an effort to keep from losing Italy to the Allies. Most historians would agree that the battle for Kurst could have gone either way, given the fact that the Russians and Germans were fairly evenly matched in terms of tanks and Infantry when the actual battle began, (although the Russians held a slight edge in numbers). The German divisions that were siphoned off to the Italian campaign to deal with Rocky and his comrades no doubt played a part in the eventual German defeat at Kursk and the entire Eastern Front itself! The battles for France and Germany may have received most of the headlines in WWII, but the sacrifices made by American GI's in Italy during WWII were equal to all and second to none in the final Victory in Europe!
regards,
Jim