The Allied landing at Salerno was carried out under the codename 'Operation Avalanche'. This WW2 amphibious invasion of mainland Italy was conducted by the 5th Army, under General Mark Wayne Clark, on September 9, 1943. The battle-hardened units of the German 10th Army, under von Vietinghoff, put up stubborn resistance, launching vicious counterattacks. Therefore, it took the Allied forces more than a week to fully secure a permanent beachhead on September 18. Meanwhile, the British 8th Army, led by Montgomery had already landed on the beaches of Calabria, in the toe of the Italian boot, through Operation Baytown, which took place on September 3.
Opposing Forces
The Allied 5th Army had been created on January 4, 1943, being composed of the US VI Corps, under General Lucas, and the British X Corps, led by General McCreery. This Allied landing force consisted of about 90,000 men, including infantry and armored divisions.
The Germans had deployed about 70,000 men near Salerno. They all belonged to the Wehrmacht's 10th Army, under the command of Heinrich von Vietinghoff. It included the XIV and the LXXVI Panzer Korps and contained several Panzer divisions.
Summary
Operation Avalanche began in the early hours of September 9, when three battalions of US Army's Rangers went ashore at Maiori, near Salerno. These men met little resistance. Nevertheless, the soldiers of the US 36th Infantry Division encountered fierce and accurate enemy fire from the very moment the set foot on the beach near Paestum. Meanwhile, the British X Corps units (46th and 56th Div.) landed on the shores of Montecorvino, with their main goal being the local airfield. British Commandos went ashore at Salerno proper. Royal Navy warships provided constant fire support with their heavy-caliber naval guns.
During the Allied landings at Salerno, the 5th Army's troops were almost driven back into the sea as the German 29th Panzergrenadier Division (LXXVI Korps) opened fire on them from nearby hills. German reinforcement constantly attacked the US 36th and 45th Divisions, which were thinly deployed along their perimeters. The Germans nearly broke through their lines at several points. However, naval gun fire, artillery, ground attack aircraft, and airborne reinforcement managed to stop the Germans. Thus, further counterattacks proved to be unsuccessful. The Allied units of the British 8th Army advancing from the south forced the 10th Army's units to withdraw and fall back northwards, to the Gustav Line.
Opposing Forces
The Allied 5th Army had been created on January 4, 1943, being composed of the US VI Corps, under General Lucas, and the British X Corps, led by General McCreery. This Allied landing force consisted of about 90,000 men, including infantry and armored divisions.
The Germans had deployed about 70,000 men near Salerno. They all belonged to the Wehrmacht's 10th Army, under the command of Heinrich von Vietinghoff. It included the XIV and the LXXVI Panzer Korps and contained several Panzer divisions.
Summary
Operation Avalanche began in the early hours of September 9, when three battalions of US Army's Rangers went ashore at Maiori, near Salerno. These men met little resistance. Nevertheless, the soldiers of the US 36th Infantry Division encountered fierce and accurate enemy fire from the very moment the set foot on the beach near Paestum. Meanwhile, the British X Corps units (46th and 56th Div.) landed on the shores of Montecorvino, with their main goal being the local airfield. British Commandos went ashore at Salerno proper. Royal Navy warships provided constant fire support with their heavy-caliber naval guns.
During the Allied landings at Salerno, the 5th Army's troops were almost driven back into the sea as the German 29th Panzergrenadier Division (LXXVI Korps) opened fire on them from nearby hills. German reinforcement constantly attacked the US 36th and 45th Divisions, which were thinly deployed along their perimeters. The Germans nearly broke through their lines at several points. However, naval gun fire, artillery, ground attack aircraft, and airborne reinforcement managed to stop the Germans. Thus, further counterattacks proved to be unsuccessful. The Allied units of the British 8th Army advancing from the south forced the 10th Army's units to withdraw and fall back northwards, to the Gustav Line.
Below, map of the Allied landings at Salerno and Calabria by the 5th and 8th Army respectively.
American GIs of the US 5th Army landing on the beaches of Salerno, Italy.
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