Wednesday, February 23, 1944. Truscott assumes command at Anzio.

Lucian Truscott on the  Anzio beachhead, wearing cut down U.S. Army cavalry boots (not M1943 boots which they resemble) and an A2 flight jacket, which he routinely wore, with General Sir Harold R. L. G. Alexander, Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of the Allied Armies in Italy, who is wearing a  British sherling flight jacket and riding boots.

Today in World War II History—February 23, 1944: Maj. Gen. Lucian Truscott assumes command of US VI Corps at Anzio. First US Army blood bank in the Mediterranean Theater opens at Naples medical center.

Cavalryman Lucian Truscott was one of the great ones.

Of interest, Truscott, who had started off his adult life as a school teacher before entering the Army during World War One (he did not see overseas service), was replacing another cavalryman, Gen. Lucas.  His entry into teaching was based upon a lie, in that he represented, at age 16, that he was a high school graduate, which he was not.  His entry into the Army, which was combined with a petition to become an officer, was based upon a compounded lie that he had attended, but not graduated from, college.

Truscott with British troops, later in Anzio.  In this photograph we see the same A2 jacket but he's wearing riding breeches and three strap riding boots.

Truscott was an extremely able commander and the author of the excellent cavalry memoir, Twilight of the Cavalry.  He's an example, additionally, on how the era allowed capable individuals to excel without full accreditation, something that does not occur nearly as much now.

The Soviet mass deportation of the Chechens commenced.

Resistance on Parry Island ended, and with it the hard fought Eniwetok campaign.  Of the 3,400 Japanese troops committed to the defense of the atoll, 66 survived.

The Battle of Admin Box also ended in an Allied victory.

The late bluesman Johnny Winter was born in Beaumont, Texas.  He passed away in 2014 at age 70.

Tuesday, February 22, 1944. Change of command at Anzio, Cementing Poland's fate.

John P. Lucas was relieved as the commander of VI Corps due to the ongoing problems at Anzio.  Perhaps ironically, he had been critical of plans for the operation, Operation Shingle.

Lt. Jack C. Montgomery, a Cherokee, performed the actions that would cause him to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on February 22, 1944, near Padiglione, Italy. Two hours before daybreak a strong force of enemy infantry established themselves in 3 echelons at 50 yards, 100 yards, and 300 yards, respectively, in front of the rifle platoons commanded by 1st Lt. Montgomery. The closest position, consisting of 4 machineguns and 1 mortar, threatened the immediate security of the platoon position. Seizing an M1 rifle and several hand grenades, 1st Lt. Montgomery crawled up a ditch to within hand grenade range of the enemy. Then climbing boldly onto a little mound, he fired his rifle and threw his grenades so accurately that he killed 8 of the enemy and captured the remaining 4. Returning to his platoon, he called for artillery fire on a house, in and around which he suspected that the majority of the enemy had entrenched themselves. Arming himself with a carbine, he proceeded along the shallow ditch, as withering fire from the riflemen and machinegunners in the second position was concentrated on him. He attacked this position with such fury that 7 of the enemy surrendered to him, and both machineguns were silenced. Three German dead were found in the vicinity later that morning. 1st Lt. Montgomery continued boldly toward the house, 300 yards from his platoon position. It was now daylight, and the enemy observation was excellent across the flat open terrain which led to 1st Lt. Montgomery's objective. When the artillery barrage had lifted, 1st Lt. Montgomery ran fearlessly toward the strongly defended position. As the enemy started streaming out of the house, 1st Lt. Montgomery, unafraid of treacherous snipers, exposed himself daringly to assemble the surrendering enemy and send them to the rear. His fearless, aggressive, and intrepid actions that morning, accounted for a total of 11 enemy dead, 32 prisoners, and an unknown number of wounded. That night, while aiding an adjacent unit to repulse a counterattack, he was struck by mortar fragments and seriously wounded. The selflessness and courage exhibited by 1st Lt. Montgomery in alone attacking 3 strong enemy positions inspired his men to a degree beyond estimation.

He passed away in 2002 in his native Oklahoma at the age of 84.

The VIII Bomber Command became the 8th Air Force, as Big Week carried on.

Nijmegen was bombed by the U.S. Army Air Force by mistake, killing 200 civilians. Dense fog caused the error.

A Dominican monastery in Zagred was hit in bombing.  Eight theology students died in the incident. Archbishop of Zagreb Aloysius Stepinac sent a letter to the British ambassador to the Holy See in response.

The Red Army took Krivoy Rog.  The Germans wisely withdrew from the city rather than be encircled, wisdom that Hitler hadn't always allowed it to display in the face of Soviet offenses.  3/4s of Soviet Territory had now been retaken by the Red Army.

In an example of realpolitik, Churchill stated in the House of Commons that he supported Soviet border demands and that the UK had not guaranteed the Polish border.

French poet and Resistance member Robert Desnos was arrested in Paris.  He would die in June 1945 shortly after being liberated from a concentration camp.

British lead Greek resistance fighters derailed a troop train in the Tempe Valley and killed 400 German troops.

The US landed forces on Parry Island on the Eniwetok Atoll. There is fierce Japanese resistance.

As Sarah Sundin notes, Eniwetok Atoll was pre-war Japanese territory, having been taken by the Japanese from the Germans in 1914.  Interestingly, the Japanese had not really bothered to administer the island until World War Two, leaving it up to locals to govern the islands themselves for the most part.

The Germans had administered it as a colony from 1885 to 1914.

The I-37 sank the British tanker British Chivalry in the Indian Ocean and then surfaced and fired on the survivors.  It's commander, Nakagawa Hajimi was found guilty of war crimes for this incident in 1948.  He'd be sentenced ti eight years hard labor, of which he served six.

In 1978, it was revealed that Nakagawa had also been responsible for the sinking of the Australian hospital ship Centaur in April 1943.

Sunday, January 23, 1944. Halting at Anzio.

British infantrymen meeting U.S. Army Rangers outside of Anzio.  In the early hours of the operation there was little resistance and things were very fluid.  Both Rangers in the foreground are carrying M1 Garands and wearing the "Jacket, Combat, Winter", which is  erroneously associated with tanker s today.  At least the Ranger on the right is wearing a pair of winter trousers as well.  The soldier on the right has a large "H' on his helmet cover, which is an identifying mark I'm not familiar with.  The soldier on the left appears to have the same mark.  Both British solders are wearing leather jerkins.

36,000 Allied troops had already disembarked by the prior midnight, 13 had been killed, and 200 German prisoners of war taken, including a drunk German officer and orderly who had driven his staff car into an Allied landing craft.  There'd be 50,000 troops on the ground by the end of the day.

Allied troops, under Lucas' command, took up forming defensive positions in anticipation of a counterattack, a decision that was soon controversial, and frankly, a mistake.  This is interesting for a variety of reasons, one of which is that Lucas was originally a cavalry officer, with cavalry being the only branch in the U.S. Army that was dedicated to battlefield mobility and had a doctrine of always moving forward.That view as not shared by the other branches.  Having said that, Lucas had transferred out of the cavalry after World War One.

The German forces did debate what to do.  Kesselring, in command in Italy, believed the Gustav Line could be held along with the beachhead at Anzio. Von Vietinghoff favored withdrawing from the Gustav Line.  The German High Command, meanwhile, allocated reserved from France, northern Italy and the Balkans to the effort.

By the week's end, the Allies would be facing 8 German divisions at Anzio.

The HMS Janus as sunk off shores by a Fritz X.

The Australian Army took Maukiryo in New Guinea.

The Detroit Red Wings beat the New York Rangers 15 to 0, which apparently remains a hockey record.

Pistol Packin' Mama was number one on the country charts.

23-year-old New Zealand er Linda Malden working on a windmill while managing her parent's farm.  No men were left to do what was traditionally a male role, due to wartime manpower demands. Public domain, State Library of New South Wales.

Saturday, January 22, 1944. Operation Shingle, the landings at Anzio.

 

3d Infantry Division landing at Anzio, January 22, 1944.

Today in World War II History—January 22, 1944: 80 Years Ago—Jan. 22, 1944: US and British troops land at Anzio, Italy, establish a solid beachhead, and secure the towns of Anzio and Nettuno.

Mark Clark, January 22, 1944.

Initial landings were unopposed, and the harbor was taken intact. The US Third Army and the British First Army were landed on three separate beaches, with U.S. Gen. John Lucas under overall command. Italian resistance offered to guide the Allies to Rome. The offer was declined.

They should have been accepted.

Lucas is somewhat remembered by history not only for his unfortunate command at Anzio, which would lead to his being later relieved under circumstances which some feel made him a scapegoat for the operation's failure, but also for being in command of the Machine Gun Troop at Columbus, New Mexico when it was attacked by Pancho Villa in March 1916.  As we noted about that event:

The raid on Columbus New Mexico, 1916

 Maj General John P. Lucas during World War Two.  Lucas, as a lieutenant, would react heroically to the Villista attack.

0415-0445 to 0730.  A pitched battle between Villistas against cavalrymen of the 13th U.S. Cavalry ensues. While caught by surprise, the US forces had some inkling that Villistas may have been on the move prior to the raid and reacted very quickly.  Local Columbus New Mexico residents also took part in the battle, defending their homes.  While the battle started in darkness, the fact that a hotel caught fire soon aided US. forces in being able to pick out Villista targets.

The early minutes of the action featured a heroic reaction by Lt. John P. Lucas who fought his way alone from his tent to the guard shack in spite of lacking shoes and shirt.  Lucas who commanded a machinegun troop, organized a single machinegun in defense until the remainder of his unit could come up.  He then organized them and worked to repel the Villistas.  Lucas made a career of the Army and died after World War Two at age 59 while still serving in the Army.

As that entry notes, Lucas one of the many U.S. Army officers who died relatively young shortly after World War Two.

US forces were defeated at the Rapido.  Not all were able to withdraw, and therefore many were captured.

Walter Model replaced Georg von Küchler as commander of Army Group North.

President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9417 creating the War Refugee Board.

WHEREAS it is the policy of this Government to take all measures within its power to rescue the victims of enemy oppression who are in imminent danger of death and otherwise to afford such victims all possible relief and assistance consistent with the successful prosecution of the war.

NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the statutes of the United States, as President of the United States and as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy, and in order to effectuate with all possible speed the rescue and relief of such victims of enemy oppression, it is hereby ordered as follows:

There is established in the Executive Office of the President a War Refugee Board (hereinafter referred to as the Board). The Board shall consist of the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Treasury and the Secretary of War. The Board may request the heads of other agencies or departments to participate in its deliberations whenever matters specially affecting such agencies or departments are under consideration.

The Board shall be charged with the responsibility of seeing that the policy of the Government, as stated in the Preamble, is carried out. The functions of the Board shall include without limitation the development of plans and programs and the inauguration of effective measures for (a) the rescue, transportation, maintenance and relief of the victims of enemy oppression, and (b) the establishment of havens of temporary refuge for such victims. To this and the Board, through appropriate channels, shall take the necessary steps to enlist the cooperation of foreign governments and obtain their participation in the execution of such plans and programs.

It shall be duty of the State, Treasury and War Departments, within their respective spheres, to execute at the request of the Board, the plans and programs so developed and the measures so inaugurated. It shall be the duty of the heads of all agencies and departments to supply or obtain for the Board such information and to extend to the Board such supplies, shipping and other specified assistance and facilities as the Board may require in carrying out the provisions of this Order. The State Department shall appoint special attaches with diplomatic status, on the recommendation of the Board, to be stationed abroad in places where it is likely that the assistance can be rendered to war refugees, the duties and responsibilities of such attaches to be defined by the Board in consultation with the State Department.

The Board and the State, Treasury and War Departments are authorized to accept the services or contributions of any private persons, private organizations, State agencies, or agencies of foreign governments in carrying out the purposes of this Order. The Board shall cooperate with all existing and future international organizations concerned with the problems of refugee rescue, maintenance, transportation, relief, rehabilitation, and resettlement.

To the extent possible the Board shall utilize the personnel supplies, facilities and services of the State, Treasury and War Departments. In addition the Board, within the limits of funds which may be available, may employ necessary personnel without regard for the Civil Service laws and regulations and the Classification Act of 1923, as amended, and make provisions for supplies, facilities and services necessary to discharge its responsibilities. The Board shall appoint an Executive Director who shall serve as its principal executive officer. It shall be the duty of the Executive Director to arrange for the prompt execution of the plans and programs developed and the measures inaugurated by the Board, to supervise the activities and the special attaches and to submit frequent reports to the Board on the steps taken for the rescue and relief of war refugees.

The Board shall be directly responsible to the President in carrying out the policy of this Government, as stated in the Preamble, and the Board shall report to him at frequent intervals concerning the such recommendations as the Board may seem appropriate for further action to overcome any difficulties encountered in the rescue and relief of war refugees.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

THE WHITE HOUSE,

January 22, 1944.

 

January 22, 1944. The plants are the difficult to fly Martin B-26 bomber.

Saturday, January 15, 1944. The San Juan Earthquake.

Proving that natural disasters do not take time out for war, the San Juan earthquake in Argentina killed 10,000 people and left 1/3d of San Juan's province's residents homeless.

Injured housed outdoors due to collapse of hospital.

The II Corps captured Monte Trecchio.  Part of the offensive operations resulting in the capture were designed as a diversion for upcoming landings at Anzio.

Heavy fighting occurs north and sought of Leningrad as the Red Army begins to reverse a 900 day siege.

Australian forces on the Huon Peninsula of New Guinea take Sio.

Swordfish bill imbedded in a 2’ piece of sub-chaser hull.  January 15, 1944.

The U-377 disappeared, probably sunk by the HMS Wanderer on January 17.

Actress Irene Dunne christened the SS Carole Lombard as Clark Gable, back from Army Air Force service, and Louis B. Mayer looked on. She was honored with the name, posthumously, due to her record-breaking war bond work prior to her tragic death.

Stars and Stripes, January 15, 1944.