 from Korea to Germany, from Alaska to Puerto Rico. All over the world, the United States Army is on the alert to defend our country, you, the American people, against aggression. This is the big picture. An official television report to the nation from the United States Army. Now to show you part of the big picture, here is Sergeant James Mansfield. Welcome to the big picture. Today, we bring you another in our series of programs dedicated to the soldier who wears the blue badge, America's combat infantryman. In tribute to him, we present the story of the United States Sixth Corps, the unit that fought its way up the Italian boot and one of the toughest campaigns of the last war. You will see our citizen army, our combat infantry, win the bloody battle of San Pietro, and then go on to take Casino by storm. This was your army in action during the last war. It is the same army that is fighting today in Korea. Fighting once again, an enemy who by oppression and deceit threatens our way of life. A way of life held dear by all of freedom loving peoples of the world. It is the same army whose first blow was struck for liberty and has fought for liberty ever since. It is an army made up of average Americans, the guy next door or down the block, who in time of trouble go to war so that freedom may survive. And the backbone of this army is the man with the rifle, the combat infantryman. The soldier who wears this blue badge. He plays a vital role in today's big picture. But here to tell you more about our program is Colonel William W. Quinn. We take you to his office. How do you do, ladies and gentlemen? This week it's a combat engineer. Of course, the infantryman is the backbone of the defense effort, but he needs help and he needs lots of combat support. So the blue badge therefore pays tribute to the combat engineer in the battalion campaign, Naples to Casino. By early October, 1943, the Allied armies in Italy had attained their initial strategic objective. The British Eighth Army now held the vital network of airfields at Foggia, while General Clark's American Fifth Army captured Naples, a major seaport where supplies and troops could be landed. By keeping pressure on the enemy in Italy, the Allies hoped to keep German troops from the critical Russian front. The German Tenth Army withdrew to the hills north of the Voltyrno and prepared for a determined stand. Our first obstacle, the Voltyrno, a river winding through mountain and valley to the sea. Fall and winter rains can change the Voltyrno from a peaceful stream to a raging torrent. Many of the bridges spanning the river had been smashed by our aerial bombing. Others were blown up by the retreating enemy to delay our advance while they improved their defenses. Three days' rain had caused the river to rise six feet. At some points, it had overflown its banks, swelling to a width of 200 to 300 feet. On 8th October, the Fifth Army made up of the 10th British Corps and Sixth American Corps was deployed along the southern bank of the river. The British 10th Corps front extended from the coast to Capua. The American Sixth Corps area extended 35 miles east from Capua to the rocky slopes of the Matesa Rain. The 46th Division was on the left, the 7th Armored Division in the center, and the 56th Division on the right. The 6th Corps sector at this time was made up of the 3rd Division, the 34th, and the 45th, which would drive down the Kalori Valley toward the junction of the Voltyrno and Kalori rivers. Midnight 12th October, the 6th Division struck simultaneously on a 40-mile front. The enemy gave ground. Early the next morning, engineers, wet and cold, still wearing summer issue, fought the rough Voltyrno. Engineers supporting the 34th Division lost equipment, had to change location twice because of enemy fire. The river was 70 feet wider at this location. Against all obstacles, the bridge was completed. Two days later, 15th October, over our newly constructed span of Treflesco Gap, British Bren gun carriers crossed the Voltyrno. The crossing of the Voltyrno was a battle of construction and supply. With equipment and supporting weapons moving steadily across our bridges, the battle had been won, and the 6th Corps was ready to pursue the retreating enemy. At Alvignano, occupied the morning of 17th October, Major General Ryder, commander of the 34th, ordered Colonel Butler, commanding the 168th Infantry, to drive on to Dragonia, two miles to the northwest. On our right flank, the 36th artillery supported the 45th Division. This assault struck at the last line of hills barring the approach to the upper Voltyrno Valley. Casualties were high. In a single day, the 6th Corps lost 545 men. One regiment lost three battalion commanders in 12 days. In early October, American-Japanese fighters of the 100th Infantry Battalion arrived at Alvignano. Composed entirely of second and third generation Americans, this outfit was alerted for immediate action in the 34th Division zone. All along the front, we killed and captured enemy rear-guard forces who fought delaying action. By 18th October, the 3rd and 34th Divisions were converging on Dragonia. Throughout the day, the 3rd Division shelled Dragonia. The next day, the town was occupied by the 168th without opposition. Some prisoners from the 3rd Panzer Grenadier and 26th Panzer Divisions were taken. They reported heavy casualties. From another Italian town reduced to rubble, another group of homeless refugees were evacuated to the rear. The 45th Division attacking northeast from Fakio advanced to Piedmonti-Delife, supporting a second crossing of the Voltyrno by the 34th. 45th Artillery barraged a small village while the 34th fired on the Alife-Piedmonti road. The infantry pushed over rough terrain. By 20th October, Piedmonti-Delife and the nearby town of Alife were both occupied. Our forward troops were pressing the enemy close, but now in order to keep men, vehicles, and supplies moving, a great battle of reconstruction began. A treadway bridge constructed with the aid of a mobile crane. Our advance depended on our engineers. They worked fast. It wasn't only demolitions which faced American engineers. There was continuous rain, culverts to be dug, entirely new roads constructed. The war in Italy has been frequently called the War of Roads and Bridges. Infantry and engineers fought as a team. Enemy demolitions were calculated to hold us up for more than 24 hours. But in a matter of a few hours, bridges and approaches were in operation again. Purifying drinking water, frequently polluted by the enemy, was another task for our engineers. In one day, they could provide 20,000 gallons of drinkable water for use by frontline troops. Another service, showers for the 34th near the battlefront with hot water. This portable unit moved with the advance of the troops. The 45th division in action ever since it landed at Salerno withdrew into core reserve. The 34th and 3rd pushed northward, driving for the Capriatria of Valturno and for the opening in the mountains near Mignano, known as the Mignano Gap. Elements of the 34th, held back by the enemy for two days, entered Prata on the 29th of October. Inhabited dwellings were blown up without warning by the Germans in an attempt to block the road through Prata. A few broken bodies of helpless villagers could not hold back in advance. A third crossing of the winding Valturno was just ahead. On our left flank, the 3rd division on 27th of October advanced over the heavily mined road to Pietro Velamo. Medics of the 3rd division gave wounded German soldiers more consideration than they bargained for. Civilians also needed medical care. General Truskett's 3rd division fighters had driven the enemy from several mountain heights. They were showing signs of exhaustion. To ease supply difficulties, an oil pipeline was built by three engineer companies. All types of fuel, with the exception of lubricating oil, were piped through. By storing gas in five gallon containers, large vulnerable gas depots were eliminated. In the Vinofro area on 3rd November, the 6th Corps crossed the Valturno for the 3rd time. The 3rd division continued to press against Mignano. 504th parachute infantry on the right drove high into the mountains and guarded 5th Army's right flank. The 34th division above Capriati crossed the river north of Vinofro. The 45th division moved up from Corps Reserve through Vinofro and drove to push the Germans from the mountains beyond. Once more, our engineers faced the task of bridging the Valturno. Wind and rain continued. On 4th November, the Valturno, lashed by wind of hurricane velocity, changed overnight into a raging torrent. Against all difficulties, bridges had to be replaced quickly to keep supplies moving. Wherever possible, light vehicles crossed over the riverbed. November rain came down unceasingly. Livewack areas became flooded fields of mud. Military operations came almost to a standstill. Roads were stretches of mire that became deeper as we pushed into the mountains. Streams flooded over their banks, washed away temporary bridges and bypasses. All along the front, vehicles bogged down in mud. It was a back-breaking job to drain the almost liquid mud from the roads. The forward movement of men and supplies became slower and slower. In the mountains, water gushed across the surfaced roads and road beds were washed out. By mid-November, transportation was almost at a standstill. Precious time lost, which the Germans used skillfully to build a new strong line of defense. The German winter line in the mountains above Mignano and Benofro. An immediate offensive against this line was impossible. There was too much work to be done behind our line. On bridges made useless by the enemy and the weather. On roads which were constantly a serious problem. Rock quarries supplied tons of crushed stone needed to fill in mud-soaked roads. From the front to far behind the lines, preparation went on for the Fifth Army Offensive against the German winter line. In the mountains were miles of trails over which supplies could be carried only on the backs of mules. The average Italian mule could support 220 pounds. 250 mules were required to supply the basic needs of an infantry regiment in the line. There could have been no winter campaign without mules. On the flats, our trucks could churn through the mud. On the highest slopes, only men carrying light loads could make the ascent. Between these two extremes, the use of mules was an absolute necessity. After two weeks on 1st December, we were ready to attack the winter line. On the right, the Sixth Corps with the 34th and 45th divisions was in contact with the British Eighth Army. On the left, the British 10th Corps was made up of the 46th and 56th divisions oised to cross the Guerrilliano River. At this time, a new corps, the second, was brought into the center of the line and assigned command of the 36th and 3rd division. Attached to this corps were the 1st Special Service Force, highly trained American and Canadian troops, the 1st Italian Motorized Group and the American 1st Armored Division. This force was concentrated against the Mignano Gep, which we had to enter in order to break through to the Leary Valley, which led to Rome. The Mignano Gep is a narrow valley squeezed between mountain masses, Mount Camino to the south and Mount Samucro to the north, on the side of which is built the town of San Pietro. Like a stopper in this bottleneck, Mount Lungo rises from the floor of this valley. Beyond Mount Lungo, there were further mountain barriers, including Mount Trocchio. Our offensive started with Operation Raincoat, code name for a thrust on the left of Mignano Gep at the Camino Hills. Late afternoon, 2nd December, 925 field pieces poured tons of shells into enemy positions. Hacked by this strong artillery support, the 1st Special Service Force captured Mount La Defensa and Mount La Remitania. The 56th Division took Mount Camino. The 36th captured Mount Maggiore. By 10th December, Operation Raincoat was completed successfully. Troops of the 1st Italian Motorized Group moved into the Mignano area to join the 36th Division. This marked the first occasion of Italian soldiers fighting side by side with Americans. It was decided that Italian troops should strike to take Mount Lungo. The 2nd Corps Artillery Barrage supported the effort. The Germans were too well entrenched on Mount Lungo. By noon, it was apparent that the Italian assault had failed. Losses were so excessive that further operations against Mount Lungo were postponed for the time being. Instead, we decided to take the town of San Pietro at the foot of the mountains. Artillery pounded and repounded the enemy defenses guarding San Pietro. The next day, the 504th paratroopers were sent out to secure the hills above San Pietro. Mules carried their weapons and ammunition up the steep slopes. On 15th December, a week after their first attempt, the 143rd Regiment again moved into position for an attack on the town. German planes came over to dive bomb our positions. Smoke screens were thrown up to conceal our movements. On the narrow, heavily mined road to San Pietro, 16 tanks under direct enemy observation led the way for the infantry assault. The lead tank three hours later reached the edge of San Pietro. Enemy shells fired on the tank hitting closer and closer before knocking it out. At the end of the day, only four of the 16 tanks returned. Enemy decision to abandon San Pietro came after we'd won Mount Lungo. On 17th December, our lines moved into the town. From the hills above, the 504th Parachute Troops descended on San Pietro. No matter how hasty their retreat, the Germans never failed to leave their mines and booby traps in the rubble of a destroyed Italian town. Few prisoners were taken in the battle for San Pietro. The German withdrawal was well executed. It was a costly battle. The 143rd Regiment alone required 1,100 replacements. Many companies lost all their officers. Enlisted men led those battered units forward. This was the scene of three weeks of the bitterest fighting on the 5th Army Front. For 17 days, the target for the heaviest artillery concentration of the Italian campaign. The people of San Pietro came out of the caves in which they had hidden for weeks. They found little of their belongings to salvage. Two days after the battle, General Eisenhower visited the San Pietro area for a conference with division commanders. From the hills above the town, the general could see our shells falling two miles northwest on the town of San Vittore, our next objective. In mud, rain, in cold, biting wind, our troops had driven the enemy from Mount Lungo, reaching the top by 16th December. This finally opened the way through the Mignano Gap. Troops of the 142nd on the mountain were relieved by the 15th Infantry Third Division. While the battle for San Pietro was being fought, on our right flank, the 34th and 45th made diversionary attacks high in the mountains. Here, roads were directly under enemy observation. Our vehicles vulnerable to their guns. French troops on 10th December relieved the 34th after 73 days of combat. The first French soldiers of World War II to fight the Germans on European soil after the fall of France. With equipment completely American, French Moroccans moved forward to the 6th Corps front. On 15th December, the 6th Corps was poised for an offensive to coincide with the taking of San Pietro. Moroccan troops executed a wide envelopment of the German left front, while two battalions of French Goumiers prepared to advance west through high mountains to attack toward Cardito. Mountain fighting on this front was the most difficult of the campaign. In six days, the 6th Corps gained three miles, keeping pace with the 2nd Corps at San Pietro. Goumiers accustomed to quick stabs in mountain warfare, proved a valuable arm to the 5th Army. With the approach of Christmas, the 5th Army made every attempt to provide a turkey dinner to men in foxholes all along the front. From field kitchens, the dinner packed in Marmite cans was brought up the steep roads into the mountains. At the end of the jeep trails, mules carried the jugs farther into the heights. Where terrain was too rough for mules, soldiers brought up turkey and Christmas mail by hand. Christmas Day, 1943 at the front. 45th Division Sector. Along the entire 5th Army front, the holiday of good cheer was celebrated in the cold, desolate Italian mountains. Christmas Day was not a holiday everywhere over the world in 1943. On 28th December, the bodies of 3rd Division dead, killed defending Mount Lungo, were carried down the mountain. Because of the difficult terrain, it was three days before they could be brought down for burial. There was a short period of inactivity at Mount Samucro, while the 2nd Corps regrouped forces and brought up fresh troops to initiate the final phase of the winter line campaign. On 1st January, the 2nd Corps saluted the new year with an artillery salvo on German defenses guarding San Vittorio. Smoke rose from the stone houses and narrow streets of San Vittorio. Shells fell on enemy entrenchments on Mount Laquiaia to the northwest. With control of Mignano Gap, the heights, flanking Highway 6, were all that remained of the winter line. Following the opening attack, three more attacks beat against the remaining enemy positions. Water and artillery fire burst out over the entire 2nd Corps front. We were smashing into the last strong points of the winter line. The 168th Infantry outflanked Mount Laquiaia and struck west to capture Savaro on 12th January. At the same time, the 135th Infantry fought to take San Vittorio. After three days on 7th January, the last of fierce street fighting ended. The town, although severely damaged, was not as hard hit as San Pietro. In the winter line campaign, we had taken a large toll of enemy equipment and captured over 2,000 soldiers. As San Vittorio fell, the 6th Armored Infantry on the 2nd Corps left flank drove to Mount Laquiaia, south of the important Highway 6. Three German infantry companies of the Hermann-Gering Panzer Division were rushed in by the enemy to hold them out. Though the Germans created some confusion, our reinforced troops held onto their guns. On 7th January, with tank and artillery fire blazing behind them, our infantry reached the crest of Mount Porquia. Eight days later, our 135th Infantry reached the top of Mount Troquio, the last height of the winter line. Now the 5th Army stood before Casino, guarding Highway Number 6, the road to Rome. Here tall, cliff-based mountains like an endless row of fortresses cut across Italy. Around this natural barrier, the Germans built a new line. The main anchor of this line was in the ring of high mountains around Casino. The town lay at the foot of Monastery Hill. At the top of the hill, overlooking the town was the historic Abbey, founded in the year 529. Built as a refuge for work and prayer, this impressive monument contained many medieval treasures. The Nazis removed for what they called safekeeping. The enemy denied that the Abbey was being used for any military purpose whatsoever. But with the occupation of the Abbey, the Germans were in full control of Casino as this captured film shows. After two costly major attacks failed, we could no longer respect the Vatican request that the monument be spared. Leaflets were fired, warning Italians to evacuate. A few days later, wave after wave of our planes came over Monastery Hill. In four hours, 500 tons of bombs were dropped to level the Abbey. The bombs stopped falling and our guns were silent. Then crawled out of their holes and filtered back into the ruins of the Abbey. They took up new observation and artillery positions. We had reached a grim crisis. Before us, the town, Casino, blocked our entrance to highway number six and wrong. For months of fighting against almost every obstruction known to warfare, a struggle too long, too bitter, to be fought to a standstill by an old Italian town in the hands of an enemy. For the Fifth Army advance to continue, Casino had to be ours, even if it meant blasting the town off the face of the earth. On our next program, we'll have a story of invasion of Southern France with a third, the 45th, and 36th divisions. So until next week, this is Colonel Quinn speaking for the combat infricament who asked you to look twice at the man who wears the blue badge. It's the mark of a man. The big picture is a weekly television report to the nation on the activities of the army at home and overseas, produced by the Signal Corps Pictorial Center, presented by the U.S. Army in cooperation with this station. You can be an important part of the big picture. You can proudly serve with the best equipped, the best trained, the best fighting team in the world today, the United States Army.