Name: The 85th Division Battlefield Tour
Brand: Monte Cassino War Tours
SKU: Tremensuoli
Price: 90 Eur
Availability: InStock

Table of Contents

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The 85th Infantry Division disembarked in Naples in March, and the following day, General Mark Clark sent a selected detachment to the Castelforte–Minturno area. On 10 April 1944, the unit launched an attack north of the Garigliano River and held its defensive positions for about a month. On 11 May, they attacked Solacciano, Castellonorato, and Formia.

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: the 339th and 349th Regiment in Minturno area

The 339th and 349th Regiments were sent to support the British troops on the left flank. Although they managed to storm enemy positions and cross the river, progress in the Castelforte and Minturno areas was limited. The British needed ten days of intense fighting to reach those areas from the Garigliano River, where the Germans had effectively halted their advance. The German forces opposing the Americans belonged to the 94th Infantry Division. In response, General Coulter, commander of the 85th Division, ordered the 339th Regiment to shift left to support the 338th Regiment. The 338th was then to move to the right, while the 337th Regiment was relieved in its sector by units of the 88th Infantry Division.

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: the Operation Diadem on the Minturno area

On the night of 11 May, at 23:00 hours, the great Allied offensive began. The Germans were aware that the Allies were preparing an attack, but they did not expect it to take place that very night. On the left side of the division’s sector, the 339th Regiment launched an assault toward Hill 79 and San Martino Hill. The “Polar Bear” Regiment suffered heavy casualties while crossing open ground and the small stream at Capo d’Acqua.

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: Domenico ridge and Capo d’Acqua

The 338th Infantry advanced toward San Martino but encountered strong German resistance from several fortified houses. Meanwhile, the 339th Regiment reached Domenico Ridge and secured it the following day before launching an assault on Hill 58. The 2nd Battalion of the 339th Regiment advanced to Capo d’Acqua and then moved on to the reverse slope of Hill 79.

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: the Battle of Tremensuoli

The 3rd Battalion of the 339th Regiment faced significant difficulties as they advanced through Tremensuoli. Company L attempted to construct a makeshift bridge over the Capo d’Acqua stream using four planks, but the bridge was destroyed before it could be completed. The Germans were firing on them not only along the trail from Tremensuoli to Hill 113 but also from the elevated positions on Hill 69 and Hill 79. Company L was forced to swim across the stream to reach the other side and eventually succeeded in securing the left side of Hill 69.

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: the situation of 339th was not easier.

On the night before the major offensive, a patrol consisting of six men and a leader was sent to observe enemy activity on the slopes of Hill 69. At 03:00 on 11 May, they returned to report the information they had gathered. Later that afternoon, it became clear that the large-scale attack would begin at 23:00. The platoon leader gathered his men and showed them reconnaissance photos of Hill 66 and the German pillboxes positioned at its summit.

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: the difficulties at Capo D’acqua Creek not far from Monte Cassino area

The line of departure was Capo d’Acqua Creek, located about 1,800 yards from the position the regiment had reached on Hill 103. At 22:30, the 1st Company began moving toward the line of departure. The Allied preparatory bombardment began first, followed by heavy German fire from their Nebelwerfers. The resulting smoke and dust clouded visibility so completely that the soldiers could see nothing around them. In the chaos, they were unable to locate the two temporary bridges that had already been placed, making the crossing of the creek extremely difficult.

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: crossing Capo d’acqua creek

The men lost a significant amount of equipment and ammunition while crossing the creek, and many were killed by mines at the base of Hill 69. During the creek crossing, several radios were lost or became inoperable, making it extremely difficult to communicate the positions of the various companies.

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: the victory on the Gustav line next to Minturno area

After reorganizing, the men prepared for the expected German counterattack—and the response came swiftly and with force. At 13:00 on 12 May, a company attempted to reach the units positioned on Hill 69 but came under heavy fire. The situation across the rest of the defensive line was no better. The 1st Battalion of the 339th Infantry encountered intense machine-gun fire on San Domenico Hill and Mount Scauri. The 2nd Battalion of the 339th was holding the crest of Hill 79. Meanwhile, the 1st Battalion of the 337th Infantry, after fierce fighting, managed to capture the crest of Hill 66 and was subsequently sent to support the 3rd Battalion.

The 85th Division Battlefield Tour: WHAT TO EXPECT

“The 85th Division Gran Tour” (about 3.5 hours) includes:

1) pickup from your arrival from Minturno-Scauri Railway station at 10.20 AM.

2) A guided tour lasting approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes of the American most meaningful sites of the Tyrrhenum sector of the Gustav Line:

Tremensuoli monument dedicated to the 339th Regiment 85th Division
View on the hills from Tremensuoli
The Battle of Mout San Martino and Hill 69
Solacciano area and 338th Regiment Battlefield
hill 85 and the other hills of S-Ridge
351th areggiment Battlefield and the importance of Santa Maria Infante Battlefield of the 85th Division
Santa Maria Infante monument
Minturno cemetery and the two tits

3) return to the railway station at about 02.00PM