If you've never heard of these folks read this! These were some bad dudes! I first read about them in the January 2000 WWII magazine and stumbled across the article again on-line yesterday. It mentions that their combat debut was with the 36th ID so I immediately thought of you, Rocky. Do you or anyone else remember what you thought of them at the time? I'd be interested to hear what you thought.
In other news, I signed up for my next on-line class for my WWII masters program. It will be WWII in the Pacific and starts in February. So I might I might have some interesting history to add to the conversation as I do my reading. The book I'm reading right now, Ghosts of Iwo Jima, is great. More to come later. . .
Capt.O--No I didn't hear that the 36th had any special forces. Only two things WE
heard was. That they made the initial landing at Salerno and the 151st. Field Artillery
from the 34th divn. was attached to them. and that you can find in the book I mentioned.
The other was when a Regt. of the 36th. crossed the Rapido River. The Krauts saw
them crossing from atop a mtn. When most of the Regt. crossed they opened fire.
Damn near took all the Regt. We later heard that an officer of the 36th went across
with a white flag and and a Kraut officer came down and made a truce so all wounded
and KIAS' could be taken care of. Kraut medics came down to help.
This is what we heard. We had our own troubles. Rocky