Sarah Sundin's Blog, page 398

Today in World War II History

Lt. Gen. Sir Bernard Freyberg
(US Army Center of Military History)70 Years Ago—Feb. 3, 1944: In Italy, New Zealand Corps formed under Lt. Gen. Sir Bernard Freyberg over New Zealand 2ndDivision and Indian 4th Division.

Today in World War II History

Remains of Italian barracks near Cassino, February 1944
(US Army Center of Military History)70 Years Ago—Feb. 2, 1944: Soviets enter German-occupied Estonia. In Italy, US II Corps enters outskirts of Cassino town and takes Italian barracks area at Montevilla.

Today in World War II History

US landing craft approaching Namur, 1 February 1944
(US Army Center of Military History)70 Years Ago—Feb. 1, 1944: US Marines land on Roi & Namur in Marshall Islands.

Today in World War II History

US Army troops land at Kwajalein, Marshall Islands
31 Jan 1944 (US National Archives)70 Years Ago—Jan. 31, 1944: US Army and Marines land on Kwajalein & Majuro in the Marshall Islands—the first use of the DUKW and of underwater demolition teams in the Pacific.

Today in World War II History

Isola Bella and Cisterna near Anzio
 (US National Archives)70 Years Ago—Jan. 30, 1944: At Anzio, the Allies resume the offensive, but find the Germans fortified and reinforced. At Anzio, US 1st & 3rd Ranger Battalions assault Cisterna, and are almost wiped out when surrounded by elite Herman Göring Division (of 767 men, only 6 are not killed or captured).

Today in World War II History

USS Missouri firing a salvo, date unknown
(US National Archives)70 Years Ago—Jan. 29, 1944: USS Missouri launched at New York Navy Yard, the US Navy’s last battleship.

Today in World War II History

Tuskegee Airmen and a P-40 (USAF Photo)70 Years Ago—Jan. 28, 1944: Over Anzio, the US 99th Fighter Squadron (Tuskegee Airmen) in 16 P-40s shoots down 4 German Fw 290s—the previous day they shot down 8 Fw 290s.

Courage Under Fire - US Hospitals at Anzio

US Fifth Army landing at Anzio, Italy, 22 January 1944
(US Army Center of Military History)Courage under fire.
When we hear that phrase, we picture a soldier in the trenches, a sailor manning his guns, or a pilot dodging enemy fighter planes. But how about nurses and physicians?
In my novel, On Distant Shores, the hero serves as a pharmacist in the US 93rd Evacuation Hospital in World War II. On January 23, 1944, the 93rd Evac landed at Anzio, Italy, one day after American and British forces had landed. The armies succeeded in surprising the Germans and faced very little opposition. Due to overcautious leadership and insufficient reinforcements, the forces waited and consolidated the beachhead before driving inland. That proved to be a deadly delay.
US Hospital Area at Nettuno, near Anzio
(US Army Medical Department)While the Allies waited, the Germans shored up their defenses. For the next four months, the Allies would remain trapped on a narrow beachhead, and over 4000 American and British soldiers would die.
To care for the 11,000 wounded—and the sick—four US Army hospitals served on the beachhead at Nettuno, just south of Anzio, close to the ocean. While evacuation hospitals were usually set up out of artillery range, the front lines at Anzio were less than ten miles from shore. The khaki hospital tents were marked by enormous red crosses on a white circle, but artillery fire did land on the hospital site—both accidental and deliberate fire.
US 56th Evacuation Hospital after an air raid
(US Army Medical Department)The Luftwaffe battered these hospitals too. On February 7, 1944, a German fighter pilot, fleeing from US fighters, jettisoned his bombs for greater maneuverability—while over the 95thEvacuation Hospital. Twenty-eight patients and hospital personnel were killed. Ironically, later that day the pilot was treated at the same hospital after he was shot down.
During the four-month period, dozens of patients, physicians, and medics were killed—and six nurses. When the US Fifth Army made noise about evacuating the nurses, the ladies made even more noise. They insisted on staying with their patients, and the Army relented.
US hospital digging in at Anzio, spring 1944
(US Army Medical Department)So they endured. They learned the “Anzio Shuffle,” a duck-walk to stay low and avoid shells. They leaped into slit trenches half full of water during air raids. They lived, and often slept, in their helmets. And they cared for their patients, performing surgery while bombs fell. Several were killed while shielding patients.
US hospital dug in at Anzio, Spring 1944
(US Army Medical Department)The water table was too high to dig in the hospitals, but as spring dried out the ground, the hospitals dug down. Conditions were so dangerous that some patients deserted the hospitals for the relative safety of the front line, where at least the soldier could shoot back.
Beach at Nettuno, Italy, looking north to Anzio, July 2011
(Photo: Sarah Sundin)In July 2011, I was able to visit Anzio. The beaches are now covered with Italian families on holiday and cobalt blue beach chairs and resort hotels. Little remains to commemorate the Battle of Anzio—a single room crammed with artifacts in a local museum and the American cemetery.

But I remember. I am inspired by these men and women who endured, who sacrificed, and who cared. They truly demonstrated courage—and grace—under fire.

Today in World War II History

Soviet troops fighting in Pushkin district
 of Leningrad, Russia, 2 Jan 1944
(Russian International News Agency)70 Years Ago—Jan. 27, 1944: Soviets break siege of Leningrad after 872 days and 1.5 million deaths. 

Today in World War II History

LSTs landing US troops at Anzio, 22 January 1944
(US Army Center for Military History)70 Years Ago—Jan. 26, 1944: Landing ship LST-422damaged by a mine off Anzio; of 700 aboard, 454 US soldiers & 29 British sailors killed. Allied ships are ordered to withdraw from the Anzio beachhead to reduce risk from air raid. Argentina severs relations with Germany & Japan after a vast Axis spy ring is uncovered in the country.